The Over/Under - A Review of March of the Machine: The Aftermath Commanders

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sapphire Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Sapphire Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.joeslucher.com/">Joe Slucher</a>)</h6>
<h1>Dracarys</h1>
<p>Hello fellow brewer and welcome back to <em>Brew for your Buck</em>, where we swap out the top 10 most expensive cards in a deck with 10 budget cards that add a unique twist. For the last <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-stick-em-in-a-stew/">two</a> <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/rebrew-for-your-buck-ratadrabiks-rings/">articles</a>, we've been focused on infinite combos to win immediately upon assembly. We've also been in Orzhov (white, black) both times. With that in mind, I went searching in the Izzet (blue, red) part of the color pie, looking for a commander that lends itself to a more casual, <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/making-magic/timmy-johnny-and-spike-2013-12-03">Timmy/Tammy-esque playstyle</a>. A good old fashioned Dragons deck just seemed to fit the bill. Fortunately we just had a new commander for this archetype released not too long ago:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sarkhan, Soul Aflame"></div></div>
<p>Sarkhan is a great commander for a deck based around a creature type that tends to be higher on the mana curve. He only costs three mana, making him easy to cast early, and then he reduces the cost of all future Dragons. The copying ability is excellent too, especially in conjunction with attack or combat damage triggers since Sarkhan gives the Dragon it's copying "haste" by already existing on the battlefield. We can see that with some of the cards we are going to take out of the $354.53 list.</p>
<ol>
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<ol>
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<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Copper Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Copper Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($52.35)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terror of the Peaks" href="#" target="_blank">Terror of the Peaks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($29.73)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($25.07)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Incubator" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Incubator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($20.28)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Silver Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Silver Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($18.32)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavern-Hoard Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Cavern-Hoard Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($13.99)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($13.38)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balefire Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Balefire Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($10.73)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Utvara Hellkite" href="#" target="_blank">Utvara Hellkite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($10.50)</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldspan Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Goldspan Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($9.94)</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
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</ol>
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</ol>
</li>
</ol>
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</ol>
<p style="padding-left: 240px;"><strong>Total Value of Cuts: $204.29</strong></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steam Vents" href="#" target="_blank">Steam Vents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is our only land that would qualify for a swap, which would bring our total savings to <strong>$217.68.</strong></p>
<h2><strong>Additions</strong></h2>
<p>Thinking about the cards we want to add, I want to be careful about keeping the Dragon count consistent. We need to add back seven Dragons since we took that many out. We'll look for Dragons with attack or combat damage triggers that we get right away once Sarkhan copies the Dragon we cast, but mostly our budget package this week is just looking to make our opponents dead as fast as possible.</p>
<h3><strong>Five-by-Five</strong></h3>
<p>Five drop Dragons are really valuable in this list, because we can curve Sarkhan straight into them. First up, the best curve topper in those <em>Arena</em> <em>Cube</em> red decks: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glorybringer" href="#" target="_blank">Glorybringer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.27). We can exert it and Sarkhan to snipe two creatures if needed or just bash for eight damage. Want to gain some political favor? Try out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.53) to make a new friend via Knight tokens, then smack someone else in the face for twelve with Sarkhan and this five mana 6/6 flying haster. Or just smack the person you give the tokens to; those Knights don't fly. For more face-smashing, try out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tiamat&#039;s Fanatics" href="#" target="_blank">Tiamat&#039;s Fanatics</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.09). When these guys come down after Sarkhan, you're throwing eight damage at <strong>each</strong> opponent as early as turn four.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glorybringer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunted Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tiamat&#039;s Fanatics"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Utility Dragons</strong></h3>
<p>Part of why I love doing these articles is finding cards that I didn't know existed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dream Pillager" href="#" target="_blank">Dream Pillager</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.10) is yet another one, but don't you think its name sounds like a black Nightmare instead of a red Dragon? Either way, this guy slots in as a good replacement for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Silver Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Silver Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at a fraction of the price. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sapphire Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Sapphire Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.18) pulls double duty in the deck, being a useful though over-costed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> early and helping to find the right cards later. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vengeful Ancestor" href="#" target="_blank">Vengeful Ancestor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.29) can repeatedly goad your opponent's creatures, keeping the pressure off you while you're hitting everyone with your big flying monsters. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siege Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Siege Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.30) might seem a bit laughable in comparison with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Balefire Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Balefire Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> but it's way cheaper and does a pretty good impression. Plus the one time you absolutely WRECK the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player in your pod will make for a Commander story you'll be telling for years.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dream Pillager"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sapphire Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siege Dragon"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Non-Dragon Dragon Support</strong></h3>
<p>With our required seven Dragons out of the way, let's look at our three supporting slots. My mind went straight to bonuses for creatures with flying, since all but four of our creatures have it. Things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warden of Evos Isle" href="#" target="_blank">Warden of Evos Isle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravitational Shift" href="#" target="_blank">Gravitational Shift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Windreader Sphinx" href="#" target="_blank">Windreader Sphinx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lofty Denial" href="#" target="_blank">Lofty Denial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would be great (and budget) additions, but it just seemed too generic. We're a Dragon deck after all, let's do Dragon things!</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Animosity" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Animosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.23) seems like an auto-include in a typal deck looking to attack, so I'm glad it's getting a reprint in the <em>Wilds of Eldraine</em> bonus sheet. In magical Christmasland, you could even attack with six 10/3 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tiamat&#039;s Fanatics" href="#" target="_blank">Tiamat&#039;s Fanatics</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on turn five. Speaking of attacking creatures, if we need to draw cards look no further than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Keep Watch" href="#" target="_blank">Keep Watch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.58). Not only can we use this on our turn if we're swinging out (which we'll be doing a lot of), but this will count for your opponents' creatures too. They don't even need to be attacking you! To bring it all home, we'll throw in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guild Artisan" href="#" target="_blank">Guild Artisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.10). This deck is as mana hungry as they come, so extra ramp is always needed. Since our plan is to be attacking with Sarkhan all the time, this is a small mana and money investment that fits our plan nicely.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Animosity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Keep Watch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Guild Artisan"></div></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2><strong>Wrap Up and Savings</strong></h2>
<p>Let's take a look at what we saved:</p>
<table class="aligncenter" style="height: 384px; width: 81.6883%; border-collapse: collapse;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;" width="177"><strong>Out</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;" width="69"><strong> Price </strong></td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;" width="152"><strong>In</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;" width="73"><strong> Price </strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;" width="177">Ancient Copper Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;" width="69"> $ 52.35</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;" width="152">Glorybringer</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;" width="73"> $ 0.27</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Terror of the Peaks</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 29.73</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Hunted Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.53</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Cyclonic Rift</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 25.07</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Tiamat's Fanatics</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.09</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Urza's Incubator</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 20.28</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Dream Pillager</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.10</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Ancient Silver Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 18.32</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Sapphire Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.18</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Cavern-Hoard Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 13.99</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Vengeful Ancestor</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.29</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Jeska's Will</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 13.38</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Siege Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.30</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Balefire Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 10.73</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Shared Animosity</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 1.23</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Utvara Hellkite</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 10.50</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Keep Watch</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.58</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;">Goldspan Dragon</td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"> $ 9.94</td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;">Guild Artisan</td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"> $ 0.10</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;"><strong>Total</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.6673%; height: 24px;"><strong> $ 204.29</strong></td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;"><strong>Total</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"><strong> $ 3.67</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 22.5958%; height: 24px;" colspan="2" rowspan="4"><strong> </strong></td>
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;" width="152"><strong>Original Deck Price</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;" width="73"><strong> $ 354.53</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;"><strong>New Price</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"><strong> $ 140.52</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;"><strong>Total Savings</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"><strong> $ 214.01</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px;">
<td style="width: 24.178%; height: 24px;"><strong>% Savings</strong></td>
<td style="width: 5.31842%; height: 24px;"><strong>60%</strong></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>I hope you liked this straightforward, attack and smash Dragon deck. We cut a whopping 60% off the price of the deck, kept some sweet Dragon staples, and made you the scourge of durdle decks everywhere. Here's the final list:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Here Are My Dragons" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sarkhan, Soul Aflame
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Astral Dragon
*1 Atsushi, the Blazing Sky
*1 Blast-Furnace Hellkite
*1 Dragonlord&#039;s Servant
*1 Dragonmaster Outcast
*1 Dragonspeaker Shaman
*1 Drakuseth, Maw of Flames
*1 Dream Pillager
*1 Firkraag, Cunning Instigator
*1 Ganax, Astral Hunter
*1 Glorybringer
*1 Hellkite Tyrant
*1 Hunted Dragon
*1 Iymrith, Desert Doom
*1 Kolaghan Warmonger
*1 Lathliss, Dragon Queen
*1 Lozhan, Dragons&#039; Legacy
*1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
*1 Renari, Merchant of Marvels
*1 Sapphire Dragon // Psionic Pulse
*1 Scourge of Valkas
*1 Scourge of the Throne
*1 Siege Dragon
*1 Steel Hellkite
*1 Thunderbreak Regent
*1 Tiamat&#039;s Fanatics
*1 Titan of Littjara
*1 Tyrant&#039;s Familiar
*1 Vengeful Ancestor
*1 Wrathful Red Dragon
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crucible of Fire
*1 Dragon Tempest
*1 Guild Artisan
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Reflections of Littjara
*1 Rising of the Day
*1 Shared Animosity
*1 There and Back Again
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Raise the Palisade
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Counterspell
*1 Draconic Lore
*1 Dragon&#039;s Fire
*1 Keep Watch
*1 Negate
*1 Pongify
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Sarkhan&#039;s Triumph
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Sarkhan, Fireblood
[/Planeswalkers]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Carnelian Orb of Dragonkind
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Dragon&#039;s Hoard
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Lapis Orb of Dragonkind
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Orb of Dragonkind
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Creativity
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Command Tower
*1 Crucible of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
*6 Island
*1 Izzet Boilerworks
*14 Mountain
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Riverglide Pathway // Lavaglide Pathway
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Training Center
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p>As usual, I'd love to hear your take on this deck, the BFYB process, commanders or themes you'd like to see, or anything else! Let me know down below in the comments; I'm usually pretty good about responding. If not I'll see you next time when we brew for your buck!</p>
<p>Follow me on Twitter @BrewForYourBuck</p>
<p><em>Please note: card prices listed in this article are accurate at the time of writing, but prices can vary over time and between locations.</em></p>
<h3>Read more:</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/recross-the-paths-the-scarab-god/">Recross the Paths - The Scarab God</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/nearly-identical-the-ur-dragon-or-tiamat/">Nearly Identical - The Ur-Dragon or Tiamat?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://commandersherald.com/how-to-train-your-dragon-sylvia-khorvath/">How To Train Your Dragon: Sylvia &amp; Khorvath</a></li>
</ul>


sarkhan soul aflame

The Over/Under - A Review of March of the Machine: The Aftermath Commanders

Brew For Your Buck - Here Are My Dragons

The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of March of the Machine: The Aftermath Commanders