<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.kieranyanner.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kieran Yanner</a></em></p>
<p>Coming from the new (and admittedly polarizing) release that is <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tmt" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</em></a> (<em>TMNT)</em> is a new pair of commanders with the partner with mechanic. And while these two aren't really pirates (especially where their respective cards are concerned), they've done a fine double cosplay.</p>
<p>So, landlubbers, let's dive in with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones" href="#" target="_blank">Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>The Marauding Duo - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones" href="#" target="_blank">Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> &amp; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder" href="#" target="_blank">Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder"></div></div>
<p>These Mutants have one thing in common: counters! The <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/plus-1-plus-1-counters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">+1/+1 counters archetype</a> is typically seen in <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/selesnya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Selesnya</a> (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) or <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/simic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Simic</a> (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) colors, but rarely does it touch on <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/golgari" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golgari</a> (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>). While we've had Golgari options in this archetype before, these two being commanders does come with some advantages.</p>
<p>Typically we see +1/+1 counter decks having a major surplus of green cards, and I expect this deck to be no different. Ideally, we want to be dropping Rocksteady first, so then Bebop can come in with a counter and net us some card draw.</p>
<p>That said, anyone who's seen or played this deck will tell you there's more than meets the eye.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Bebop and Rocksteady</h2>
<h3>Bolstering the Crew</h3>
<p>For any +1/+1 counter deck to tick, we need to dump a bunch of counters on stuff.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ouroboroid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pridemalkin"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Master Chef"></div></div>
<p>Firstly, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Master Chef" href="#" target="_blank">Master Chef</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loyal Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Loyal Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are in a perfect spot here: Having one or both of these commanders will make these cards even more effective (though, in the case of the latter, we still only get one trigger. Sorry!). There's also been a number of effects akin to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so stockpiling on those won't hurt either.</p>
<p>Of course, there's always doublers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Branching Evolution" href="#" target="_blank">Branching Evolution</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, making those creatures into scary threats.</p>
<p>While Rocksteady himself already has trample, we'll be making our other creatures bigger and, chances are, they won't have trample. That's where cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pridemalkin" href="#" target="_blank">Pridemalkin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duskshell Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Duskshell Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> come in, ensuring that they can get through with ease.</p>
<p>It'd also help to protect our creatures, too. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cathedral Acolyte" href="#" target="_blank">Cathedral Acolyte</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Innkeeper&#039;s Talent" href="#" target="_blank">Innkeeper&#039;s Talent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> help with that, plus the other ways to give stuff indestructible like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Call" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Lastly, a few other noteworthy cards are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ouroboroid" href="#" target="_blank">Ouroboroid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalonian Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Kalonian Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will get huge very quickly. Thus, they'll have targets painted on their backs. Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forgotten Ancient" href="#" target="_blank">Forgotten Ancient</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will throw counters around our board, making another creature bigger. We could even target Rocksteady to win through commander damage.</p>
<h3>Reaping the Benefits</h3>
<p>While our main path to victory is pummeling our opponents like we're a bunch of barbarians hearing the lamentations of their loved ones, there's still a good number of payoffs we can use to get some value so we can stay in the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Witness"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terrasymbiosis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kodama of the West Tree"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kodama of the West Tree" href="#" target="_blank">Kodama of the West Tree</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good example of this. It not only gives our creatures with counters trample, it also nets us lands when our creatures connect. This way, we can use that mana to cast more expensive cards later on.</p>
<p>On the other hand, just simply putting counters on the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Incubation Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Incubation Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kami of Whispered Hopes" href="#" target="_blank">Kami of Whispered Hopes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will make their mana abilities that much stronger. We can also simply just do that to recur cards with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Both modes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hollowmurk Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Hollowmurk Siege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great here; either we can get card draw for losing stuff, or we can make a big creature much harder to block. Speaking of card draw, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terrasymbiosis" href="#" target="_blank">Terrasymbiosis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can give us some incremental draw, or give us a massive grip.</p>
<p>Another two cards with identical uses are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warden of the Grove" href="#" target="_blank">Warden of the Grove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Communal Brewing" href="#" target="_blank">Communal Brewing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With the Warden, we can put counters on it, then we can have our creatures get even bigger when they drop in through the endure mechanic. Meanwhile, Communal Brewing will give our opponents a card, but can then let our creatures enter with lots of counters.</p>
<h2>Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones and Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Pirates Through Time" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Bebop, Skull &amp; Crossbones
*1 Rocksteady, Mutant Marauder
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Communal Brewing
*1 Garruk&#039;s Uprising
*1 Hardened Scales
*1 High Score
*1 Hollowmurk Siege
*1 Innkeeper&#039;s Talent
*1 Loading Zone
*1 Master Chef
*1 Sphere Grid
*1 Terrasymbiosis
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Biophagus
*1 Bristly Bill, Spine Sower
*1 Cathedral Acolyte
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Cursed Wombat
*1 Dimension X Pizzasaur
*1 Duskshell Crawler
*1 Evolution Witness
*1 Forgotten Ancient
*1 Gyre Sage
*1 Host of the Hereafter
*1 Incubation Druid
*1 Kalonian Hydra
*1 Kami of Whispered Hopes
*1 Kodama of the West Tree
*1 Managorger Hydra
*1 Ouroboroid
*1 Pridemalkin
*1 Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
*1 Warden of the Grove
*1 Winding Constrictor
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Astarion&#039;s Thirst
*1 Atomize
*1 Beast Within
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Infernal Grasp
*1 Inspiring Call
*1 Origin of Metalbending
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Revitalizing Repast // Old-Growth Grove
*1 Ruinous Intrusion
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Damnation
*1 Essence Harvest
*1 Eventide&#039;s Shadow
*1 Fangs of Kalonia
*1 Game Over
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Maelstrom Pulse
*1 Overwhelming Stampede
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Synchronized Charge
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Basilisk Collar
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deathcap Glade
*1 Festering Thicket
*12 Forest
*1 Hidden Hideout
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Necroblossom Snarl
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*12 Swamp
*1 Twilight Mire
*1 Underground Mortuary
*1 Undergrowth Stadium
*1 Vernal Fen
*1 Woodland Cemetery
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>Plunderin' and Lootin'</h3>
<p>While our game plan is obvious, there's a few tricks to help close out games, too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Essence Harvest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sphere Grid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Basilisk Collar"></div></div>
<p>Firstly, we have something indirectly related to our trampling antics in deathtouch, provided by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basilisk Collar" href="#" target="_blank">Basilisk Collar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With both keywords, we can simply assign one point of damage per blocker, then let the rest trample over. This is a neat interaction that's killed many players.</p>
<p>Speaking of trample, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphere Grid" href="#" target="_blank">Sphere Grid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another way to give the keyword, but it also grants reach, which is a good way to swat any pesky fliers that try to peck us to death. Going back to the Collar for a moment, if we find ourselves losing a lot of life to Bebop's ability, the lifelink ability will give us that life back, helping us stay in the game.</p>
<p>In the event that an opponent (or opponents) stonewall us, be it blockers or pillowfort effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Essence Harvest" href="#" target="_blank">Essence Harvest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will hit an opponent directly. With a big enough creature, this could outright eliminate someone. It can, in a pinch, also mitigate the lifeloss from Bebop's ability.</p>
<p>All that card draw's good, but we don't want the drawback killing us, too.</p>
<h3>Back to the Future</h3>
<p>And there we have it. It's been a good run, experimenting with a +1/+1 counter deck that has black in it. At this point, this'll be a wrap for any <em>TMNT</em>-related content from me, so next week will be business as usual. And by business, I mean another precon for me to remaster. The only question that remains is which one? Come back next week, and you'll find out which one I've picked to remodel.</p>


rocksteady

Sailing the High Seas With Bebop and Rocksteady in Commander