<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.davidnashart.com/" rel="noopener">David Auden Nash</a></em></p>
<p>With <em>Mirage</em>'s release in 1996, a group of cards was printed that changed the game forever: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Dreadnought" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Dreadnought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; all cards that are still played in Commander today.</p>
<p>There is one card, however, that captured my attention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Asmira, Holy Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Asmira, Holy Avenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Asmira, Holy Avenger"></div></div>
<p>This card dangled the idea of "Selesnya Aristocrats" in front of me for years, and for years I couldn't crack it.</p>
<p>That was, of course, until <em>March of the Machine</em> introduced a commander that presented a solution to my problem: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polukranos Reborn"></div></div>
<p>The front side of Polukranos is lackluster, but the back side shines. On its face it seems like a Hydra typal deck, but what would happen if we paid <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> into the X for our Hydra spells? Most would enter and immediately die, triggering our commander to create two Hydra tokens.</p>
<p>That seems okay, but what if we had a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fecundity" href="#" target="_blank">Fecundity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play? Or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Renewed Solidarity" href="#" target="_blank">Renewed Solidarity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Or an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fecundity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Renewed Solidarity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div></div>
<p>According to EDHREC, there are only 234 decks that fit the archetype of Selesnya Aristocrats, with the most popular commander being the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Asmira, Holy Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Asmira, Holy Avenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leads a mere 37 of the 234 decks in the database.</p>
<p>Let's get cooking.</p>
<h2>Category #1: The Hydras</h2>
<p>Even though this deck operates as an Aristocrats deck, it needs the appropriate amount of Hydras to run smoothly.</p>
<p>Here are the Hydras that enter as 0/0s if we don't put mana into their X costs:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genesis Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Genesis Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricopian"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feral Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Genesis Hydra"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hooded Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Hooded Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hungering Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Hungering Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lifeblood Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Lifeblood Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mistcutter Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Mistcutter Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Neverwinter Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Neverwinter Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lifeblood Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mistcutter Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Neverwinter Hydra"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampant Rejuvenator" href="#" target="_blank">Rampant Rejuvenator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steelbane Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Steelbane Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vastwood Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Vastwood Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wildwood Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Wildwood Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wren&#039;s Run Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Wren&#039;s Run Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vastwood Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wildwood Scourge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wren&#039;s Run Hydra"></div></div>
<p>The best thing about these Hydras is that we can use their abilities in the late game if we need to. A couple of examples: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genesis Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Genesis Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the classic "Commander staples" from 2015 that can grant insane value, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fun political tool, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hooded Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Hooded Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can come down as a morph creature in the early game and provide 1/1 Snakes later on.</p>
<p>With our commander transformed, we can cast these Hydras for one or two mana, generating two 3/3 Hydra tokens and triggering any other death effects we may have in play.</p>
<h2>Category #2: Dies Triggers</h2>
<p>Since our many Hydras are meant to die, I loaded this deck up with as many death triggers as possible.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fecundity" href="#" target="_blank">Fecundity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> draws cards when any creature dies, and even though it's symmetrical, opponents tend to like the extra value it brings.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Martyr&#039;s Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Martyr&#039;s Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acts as the white version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dictate of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Dictate of Erebos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, as everyone will be forced to sacrifice a creature when one of ours dies.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> returns creatures to our hand when they die, allowing us to have explosive turns.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage" href="#" target="_blank">Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> either grows by +2/+2 or creates 2/2 Spirit tokens when a nontoken creature dies under our control.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luminous Broodmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Luminous Broodmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings our Hydras right back to trigger our "death effects" all over again.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spinner of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Spinner of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spins us into a new creature when one dies (pun intended).</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Masamune" href="#" target="_blank">The Masamune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doubles up all of our death triggers if it's equipped.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fecundity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Martyr&#039;s Bond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is this deck as well, and while it's not as useful for our Hydras that enter and immediately die, it's too good of a card to exclude in this strategy (especially when we're creating expendable Hydra tokens every turn).</p>
<h2>Category #3: Recursion</h2>
<p>Our creatures will die often, and that means we need a solid recursion package to ensure we can keep the engine running. This deck's package is pretty sweet:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valkyrie&#039;s Call" href="#" target="_blank">Valkyrie&#039;s Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will immediately return our Hydras when they die as flying Angels.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smile at Death" href="#" target="_blank">Smile at Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can recur two Hydras per turn with +1/+1 counters on them.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abiding Grace" href="#" target="_blank">Abiding Grace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> returns a one-mana Hydra to play on our end step.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hourglass of the Lost" href="#" target="_blank">Hourglass of the Lost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can return a huge number of creatures in one go.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sun Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Sun Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> recurs one permanent of our choice when it enters <em>and</em> attacks.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raise the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Raise the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can reanimate a full graveyard of Hydras, as can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Storm of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Creeping Renaissance" href="#" target="_blank">Creeping Renaissance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> returns all of our creatures from our graveyard to our hand, allowing them to be cast again.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valkyrie&#039;s Call"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smile at Death"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abiding Grace"></div></div>
<p>Okay, so we can reanimate our Hydras, but how do we win?</p>
<h2>Category #4: The "Secret Spice"</h2>
<p>Outside of our "combat damage with a bunch of Hydras" plan, we have a couple of ways to go infinite in this deck.</p>
<p>First, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nim Deathmantle" href="#" target="_blank">Nim Deathmantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nim Deathmantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div></div>
<p>These two cards are notorious for their combo potential, but with our commander being transformed, we receive two 3/3 Hydra tokens whenever a nontoken Hydra dies. This means we can sacrifice both tokens to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to generate the mana needed to return a creature with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nim Deathmantle" href="#" target="_blank">Nim Deathmantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This process will grant us a net gain of one 3/3 token each time, allowing us to generate an infinite number of 3/3 tokens.</p>
<p>This might seem like a boring way to win, but with all of our death triggers in play, it'll make the turn feel more like a finely tuned Rube Goldberg Machine than anything else.</p>
<p>Our second combo involves <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tangleroot" href="#" target="_blank">Tangleroot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tangleroot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricopian"></div></div>
<p>All we need for this to work is a one-mana Hydra in hand; let's say it's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for one green mana, and immediately gain one green back from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tangleroot" href="#" target="_blank">Tangleroot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will die, creating two 3/3 Hydra tokens and returning to our hand thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Rinse, repeat.</p>
<p>This combo will also grant us an infinite number of 3/3 tokens, but in a more interesting way (in my opinion).</p>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>That brings us to the end of this week's edition of <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! I hope you have enjoyed exploring this lesser-played commander/theme pairing with me! This was a super fun build, and while it seems extremely fragile, it's definitely something I'm looking forward to trying in paper.</p>
<p>Check out my deck list below!</p>
<h2>Polukranos Reborn Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Polukranos Reborn - Selesnya Aristocrats" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Polukranos Reborn // Polukranos, Engine of Ruin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage
*1 Benevolent Hydra
*1 Capricopian
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Defiler of Vigor
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Feral Hydra
*1 Genesis Hydra
*1 Goldvein Hydra
*1 Hooded Hydra
*1 Hungering Hydra
*1 Karametra, God of Harvests
*1 Lifeblood Hydra
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Luminous Broodmoth
*1 Managorger Hydra
*1 Mistcutter Hydra
*1 Mondrak, Glory Dominus
*1 Moorland Rescuer
*1 Neverwinter Hydra
*1 Nyxborn Hydra
*1 Primordial Hydra
*1 Protean Hydra
*1 Rampant Rejuvenator
*1 Ranger of Eos
*1 Recruiter of the Guard
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Spinner of Souls
*1 Steelbane Hydra
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Vastwood Hydra
*1 Voracious Hydra
*1 Wildwood Scourge
*1 Wren&#039;s Run Hydra
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Abiding Grace
*1 Enduring Renewal
*1 Fecundity
*1 Martyr&#039;s Bond
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Renewed Solidarity
*1 Smile at Death
*1 Tribute to the World Tree
*1 Valkyrie&#039;s Call
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Druid&#039;s Deliverance
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Rally the Ancestors
*1 Sundering Growth
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Creeping Renaissance
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Raise the Past
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Split Up
*1 Storm of Souls
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Herd Heirloom
*1 Hourglass of the Lost
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Nim Deathmantle
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Tangleroot
*1 The Masamune
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Brushland
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*9 Forest
*1 High Market
*1 Horizon Canopy
*1 Hushwood Verge
*1 Lush Portico
*1 Mutavault
*1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*7 Plains
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 War Room
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]"></span></div>


polukranos

Selesnya Aristocrats With Polukranos Reborn