Michaelangelo, the Heart + Leonardo, the Balance - TMNT Deck Tech

<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leonardo, the Balance" href="#" target="_blank">Leonardo, the Balance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.inkognit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Inkognit</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raphael, the Muscle" href="#" target="_blank">Raphael, the Muscle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.ryanpancoast.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ryan Pancoast</a></em></span></p>
<p>Welcome back to another addition of <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>! This time, we're covering a deck tech featuring one of the partner pairings from the <em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em> ("<em>TMNT"</em>) Commander precon.</p>
<p>On a personal note, I very much hope the deck is good for its hefty price tag, because there's only one, and I love having so many commander options in one precon. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. So, which pairing am I covering today? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leonardo, the Balance" href="#" target="_blank">Leonardo, the Balance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raphael, the Muscle" href="#" target="_blank">Raphael, the Muscle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>Amphibious Teamwork</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Leonardo, the Balance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raphael, the Muscle"></div></div>
<p>The main gist of the quartet of Turtles is that they fight to save New York (where have we seen this location before? Anyone? Anyone?) from Shredder and the Foot Clan, among many other villains. In the case of our pairing today, Leo's the leader of the group while Raphael is the more aggressive one.</p>
<p>Ironically, these two are often at odds with each other.</p>
<p>However, no matter which pairing we go with, Leo is at the heart of the deck's plan. We make tokens (note that he cares about <em>any</em> token entering, not just creatures), and buff our board once each turn.</p>
<p>Then, when we're ready, activate his ability and do some serious damage. That will double with Raphael out as long as those creatures have counters on them.</p>
<h2>Token Stratagem</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Entrapment Maneuver|pip|160"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Parallel Lives|mar|36"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hildibrand Manderville"></div></div>
<p>While we need to focus on getting Leo out first, and protecting him, we also need a good amount of token makers to enable him. Making those on our opponents' turns is even better because we can then swing with a potentially beefy board on our turn.</p>
<p>This is where cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entrapment Maneuver|pip|160" href="#" target="_blank">Entrapment Maneuver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Dispute|sld|1985" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Dispute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shine, because they can be used outside of our turn. Sadly, Leo will only trigger once each turn, no matter how many tokens we drop in at once. That's why we leave mana open up when we can, so we can make tokens and accelerate the game plan.</p>
<p>However, having a big board of tokens will mean our opponents will be doing what they can to impede us. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boros Charm|sld|1771" href="#" target="_blank">Boros Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention|mar|34" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are among the various spells we can use to shield our permanents. Even if we're setback to the Stone Age, any given <em>TMNT</em> pairing will have enough token makers to bounce back, and this combination is no exception.</p>
<p>Even more so if we have repeatable producers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hildibrand Manderville" href="#" target="_blank">Hildibrand Manderville</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All this establishes one half of the plan, but what of the other?</p>
<h2>Counter-Offensive</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fathom Mage|fic|325"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Branching Evolution|pip|195"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Danny Pink"></div></div>
<p>Remember that Leo's trigger will buff creatures in the form of +1/+1 counters, meaning we could take advantage of them in various ways. One of these would be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fathom Mage|fic|325" href="#" target="_blank">Fathom Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will draw us a card for each counter put on it.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Danny Pink" href="#" target="_blank">Danny Pink</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bred for the Hunt|fic|321" href="#" target="_blank">Bred for the Hunt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give more cards if our creatures hit our opponents (assuming they have counters). On another note, the more counters are placed on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arwen, Weaver of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Arwen, Weaver of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the bigger our creatures will be when they enter, including tokens.</p>
<p>We also have a number of creatures that could benefit from the counters. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crimson Caravaneer" href="#" target="_blank">Crimson Caravaneer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will hit harder twice, and will be more difficult to block because of trample, making us more likely to make a token to trigger Leo. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atalan Jackal" href="#" target="_blank">Atalan Jackal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, by getting big enough, will almost always guarantee some ramp.</p>
<p>In a similar vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knuckles the Echidna" href="#" target="_blank">Knuckles the Echidna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will yield Treasures when he gets bigger. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Riders of Rohan" href="#" target="_blank">Riders of Rohan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be a consistent token maker, and those tokens will have trample and haste built into them. The bigger their numbers and buffs, the worse off our opponents are.</p>
<p>To top it off are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Branching Evolution|pip|195" href="#" target="_blank">Branching Evolution</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace|pip|214" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which double our counters.</p>
<p>All of this (and the above section) will mean Raphael will double all the damage we'll deal. He also helps us along by creating a token when he enters.</p>
<h2>Leonardo, the Balance and Raphael, the Muscle Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Going Universes Beyond-Leo and Raph" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Leonardo, the Balance
*1 Raphael, the Muscle
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Black Market Connections
*1 Branching Evolution
*1 Bred for the Hunt
*1 Dawn of Hope
*1 Fervent Charge
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Squirrel Nest
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
*1 Alistair, the Brigadier
*1 Arwen, Weaver of Hope
*1 Astrid Peth
*1 Atalan Jackal
*1 Aya of Alexandria
*1 Captain Lannery Storm
*1 Corsairs of Umbar
*1 Crimson Caravaneer
*1 Danny Pink
*1 Fathom Mage
*1 Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor
*1 Hildibrand Manderville // Gentleman&#039;s Rise
*1 Knuckles the Echidna
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Riders of Rohan
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Arachnogenesis
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Atomize
*1 Beast Within
*1 Bedevil
*1 Big Score
*1 Boros Charm
*1 Break Down
*1 Crush Contraband
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Despark
*1 Endless Detour
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Entrapment Maneuver
*1 Espers to Magicite
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Restoration Magic
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Stew the Coneys
*1 Stroke of Midnight
*1 Unexpected Windfall
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Nuka-Cola Vending Machine
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of the Storyteller
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Collective Effort
*1 Cultivate
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Nanogene Conversion
*1 Quantum Misalignment
*1 Rampant Growth
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Beacon
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*4 Forest
*1 Haunted Ridge
*4 Island
*4 Mountain
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*1 Path of Ancestry
*4 Plains
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Shipwreck Marsh
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sundown Pass
*4 Swamp
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Malady
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>The Toppings</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fervent Charge|pip|215"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nanogene Conversion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market Connections|acr|87"></div></div>
<p>The deck list above does look like a pile of hot mess (kinda the same way I see Spellslinger decks, to be honest), but hear me out. Like I said, the point is to produce tokens for Leo to get his trigger(s) going. Instant-speed token makers are very desirable for this build, so I fit in as many as I could.</p>
<p>A weakness I could see is being overly reliant on Leo, but the deck needs him to work. How do we at least mitigate this problem? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nanogene Conversion" href="#" target="_blank">Nanogene Conversion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quantum Misalignment" href="#" target="_blank">Quantum Misalignment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both work to make sure Leo gets multiple triggers, or amplify Raphael's damage doubling effect to make our board positively lethal.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market Connections|acr|87" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market Connections</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can trigger to get us a token on our upkeep, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Squirrel Nest|pip|206" href="#" target="_blank">Squirrel Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be activated on an opponent's turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astrid Peth" href="#" target="_blank">Astrid Peth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is frail when she comes out, but when she gets enough counters, we could attack with her and get a token each time we do.</p>
<p>With all the historic cards, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aya of Alexandria" href="#" target="_blank">Aya of Alexandria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alistair, the Brigadier" href="#" target="_blank">Alistair, the Brigadier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can make an army of tokens for Leo to buff in no time.</p>
<p>Speaking of attacking, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Captain Lannery Storm|fca|38" href="#" target="_blank">Captain Lannery Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes a Treasure token when we do so. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of the Storyteller|sld|1863" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of the Storyteller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can give us a steady stream of cards if we can consistently make creature tokens.</p>
<h2>Bonds That Transcend Universes</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helm of the Host"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tendershoot Dryad"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar"></div></div>
<p>Not too much changes when we start incorporating in-universe cards. The main thing is that we get more token doublers, and some powerful token generators that can do so each turn.</p>
<p>Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tendershoot Dryad" href="#" target="_blank">Tendershoot Dryad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illustrious Wanderglyph" href="#" target="_blank">Illustrious Wanderglyph</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make tokens each turn, consistently triggering Leo, so we can get swinging with a big board. Token doublers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mondrak, Glory Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Mondrak, Glory Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elspeth, Storm Slayer" href="#" target="_blank">Elspeth, Storm Slayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be too good to ignore.</p>
<p>However, we have greater ability to clone/copy either of our commanders. One of the most prominent of these is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of the Host" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of the Host</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's expensive to cast and equip, but we get a token each combat. We simply have to decide where we want more counters or more damage.</p>
<p>We also gain access to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Box" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Box</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima of a Thousand Faces" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima of a Thousand Faces</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Gallery" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Gallery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This trio of cards nullify the "legend rule," so we can copy our commanders as much as we like. Beware that, if these get destroyed, any legendary copies will be sacrificed via state-based effects. So, exercise some measure of caution.</p>
<h2>Retreating Into the Sewers</h2>
<p>And there you have it. This is just one possible pairing, and I look forward to see what the precon looks like. I'm willing to bet that, alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroes in a Half Shell" href="#" target="_blank">Heroes in a Half Shell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the partner pairings can all work feasibly in the command zone, too.</p>
<p>At the present, I'm thinking of making a new <em>Universes Beyond</em>-only deck in person, but I haven't decided if I will carry it out or not. That said, tune in next time when I experiment...with some personal twists and a shift in my (personal) color identity. You can expect my bio to be updated soon.</p>
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