<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://victoradameart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Victor Adame Minguez</a></span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The last <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-noble-typal-with-lo-and-li-twin-tutors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creature type I built was Nobles</a>, so it's fitting that I’m getting back to brewing with another one, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This legendary creature is far from perfect, but you wouldn’t be able to guess from the buzz it’s generated, both in terms of prerelease speculation and…other speculation. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s been intriguing to watch the story of the first plane I formally visited weave designs that stitch together the disparate sides of the plane. This deck tech of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will fuse elements of both sides of the plane to create a new kind of Elfball.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As mentioned, I have a bit of a history with the plane of Lorwyn. When I was in college, the first prerelease I went to was a <em>Lorwyn</em> one. When I was beginning to play competitively, the first Pro Tour Qualifiers I went to were <em>Shadowmoor</em> Block Constructed. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace, the Mind Sculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Jace, the Mind Sculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> priced me out of Standard and pretty much every other competitive format, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doran, the Siege Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Doran, the Siege Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was my entry into Commander. I had recently added green to my trusty Orzhov tokens deck, and Doran was the only 3+ color legend I owned.</span></p>
<h2>Elvish History</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Llanowar Elves"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elves of Deep Shadow"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elves have been part of <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> and fantasy lore in general for about as long as either have been around. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Llanowar Elves" href="#" target="_blank">Llanowar Elves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or, as my playgroup calls it, “lawnmower elves,” puts the type in green from the start, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elves of Deep Shadow" href="#" target="_blank">Elves of Deep Shadow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> introduced black as a secondary color way back in <em>The Dark</em>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elfball, as the strategy is called, is ubiquitous in Commander, consisting of using Elf "mana dorks" (creatures that can tap for mana) to accelerate into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, going wide and closing games out quickly. Green has been reaching out into card draw, especially attached to creatures, so there’s no shortage of playable cards.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In fact, Elves tend to suffer from what Pokémon players refer to as “four move slot syndrome,” having a bevy of options and struggling to fit them all in a 100-card framework. Present on almost every plane, Elves have been picking up playable cards and commanders with almost every set, becoming one of the most powerful and iconic creature types in the multiverse.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how can a new commander take them in a different direction? And what is there left to discover?</span></p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="High Perfect Morcant"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is definitely an Elf-centered commander, and not just one that happens to be an Elf. When it or another Elf enters, each opponent puts a -1/-1 counter on a creature they control. By tapping three Elves, we can proliferate, including all of those counters, but also any other counters we stand to benefit from. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That last part is where things get spicy. While we can only activate the ability as a sorcery, we can tap summoning sick creatures, meaning that this is an Elfball variant that can also control the board.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But what if we combined two of the most powerful aggressive strategies in Commander, which happen to also be in black and green?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What can I say…there’s something about Morcant that’s just…i</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">nfectious.</span></p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glistener Elf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noxious Assault"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glistener Elf" href="#" target="_blank">Glistener Elf</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the more powerful cards in the infect package, and it’s the first card I thought of for the deck. All it takes is one hit from this dangerous little critter, and we can proliferate our wide board to take out an opponent. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triumph of the Hordes" href="#" target="_blank">Triumph of the Hordes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is already one of the deadliest <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and we can proliferate away any survivors. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noxious Assault" href="#" target="_blank">Noxious Assault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides another way for us to Triumph, and triumph we will.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Promenade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lys Alana Huntmaster"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We want to go wide as quickly as possible, making those <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects deadly as quickly as we can. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Promenade" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Promenade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lys Alana Huntmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Lys Alana Huntmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are some of the fastest ways to fill our board, making the math on Triumph and Assault as simple as possible.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Sage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tromell, Seymour&#039;s Butler"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Interestingly, many of the strongest proliferators happen to also be Elves. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pollenbright Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Pollenbright Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, from <em>War of the Spark</em>, happen to be Elves that proliferate. <em>Final Fantasy</em> brought <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tromell, Seymour&#039;s Butler" href="#" target="_blank">Tromell, Seymour&#039;s Butler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which was a genuine surprise to me, as I didn’t know <em>Final Fantasy</em> <em>had</em> Elves. Then again, the franchise has “fantasy” in the name, so I guess it makes sense.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wail of the Nim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haunting Voyage"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the best counters to Elfball is a healthy dose of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects. Thankfully, green and black have ways to protect against board wipes, some better lined up than others. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the standard for board protection, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrap in Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Wrap in Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its siblings, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wail of the Nim" href="#" target="_blank">Wail of the Nim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Dabbling" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Dabbling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all do a great job. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And if we can’t line things up properly, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Patriarch&#039;s Bidding" href="#" target="_blank">Patriarch&#039;s Bidding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haunting Voyage" href="#" target="_blank">Haunting Voyage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to get our board back. Remember, Morcant cares about Elves entering, not being cast!</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn&#039;s Bastion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inkmoth Nexus"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While many of our lands are there to provide boosts in mana based on the amount of creatures or permanents we control, there are some spicy additions for our strategy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karn&#039;s Bastion" href="#" target="_blank">Karn&#039;s Bastion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is there to provide an extra means of proliferation. We can afford to run a colorless land because we’re in two colors, and we'll have extra mana most turns to activate it. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkmoth Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Inkmoth Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another way to poison an opponent, sneaking around ground defenses for us to proliferate poison counters to the lethal ten.</span></p>
<h2>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Perfect Morcant" href="#" target="_blank">High Perfect Morcant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We look to operate like a typical Elfball deck: Flood the board with fast mana and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, but with the added bonus of infecting opponents to make them die faster. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We also have board protection to make sure this happens faster and more consistently, despite the presence of common counterplay.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flourishing Defenses"></div></div>
<p>And of course, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-popularity-of-high-perfect-morcant-24-hours-later" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as many people already know</a>, High Perfect Morcant goes "infinite" with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flourishing Defenses" href="#" target="_blank">Flourishing Defenses</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, wiping your opponents' creatures out while filling your board with 1/1 Elf Warrior tokens.</p>
<h2>High Perfect Morcant Commander Deck List</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="High Perfect Morcant Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 High Perfect Morcant
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Abomination of Llanowar
*1 Allosaurus Shepherd
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Beast Whisperer
*1 Branchblight Stalker
*1 Circle of Dreams Druid
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Dwynen&#039;s Elite
*1 Elves of Deep Shadow
*1 Elvish Archdruid
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Elvish Warmaster
*1 Evolution Sage
*1 Ezuri, Renegade Leader
*1 Fauna Shaman
*1 Formidable Speaker
*1 Fyndhorn Elves
*1 Glistener Elf
*1 Imperious Perfect
*1 Lathril, Blade of the Elves
*1 Leaf-Crowned Visionary
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Lys Alana Huntmaster
*1 Marwyn, the Nurturer
*1 Poison-Tip Archer
*1 Pollenbright Druid
*1 Priest of Titania
*1 Reclamation Sage
*1 Shaman of the Pack
*1 Skemfar Avenger
*1 Tromell, Seymour&#039;s Butler
*1 Viridian Corrupter
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Flourishing Defenses
*1 Glistening Oil
*1 Necrogen Communion
*1 Phyresis
*1 Prowess of the Fair
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Elvish Promenade
*1 Haunting Voyage
*1 Noxious Assault
*1 Patriarch&#039;s Bidding
*1 Planewide Celebration
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
*1 Unnatural Restoration
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Atomize
*1 Blinding Fog
*1 Dark Dabbling
*1 Galadhrim Ambush
*1 Golgari Charm
*1 Grim Affliction
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Resuscitate
*1 Tainted Strike
*1 Wail of the Nim
*1 Wrap in Vigor
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Contagion Clasp
*1 Contagion Engine
*1 Grafted Exoskeleton
*1 Recon Craft Theta
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Evendo, Waking Haven
*20 Forest
*1 Gilt-Leaf Palace
*1 Inkmoth Nexus
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Path of Ancestry
*10 Swamp
*1 Three Tree City
*1 Wirewood Lodge
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Elfball is a fun and simple strategy, perfect for the end of a game night. There are lots of cool options, but fusing two of the strongest aggro strategies together is a pretty perfect combination.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would <em>you</em> build High Perfect Morcant? And how would you differentiate it from other Elfball decks? Let us know in the comments.</span></p>


morcant

Elfball AND Infect? This High Perfect Morcant Commander Deck Does It All