<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treebeard, Gracious Host" href="#" target="_blank">Treebeard, Gracious Host</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.campbellwhitedesign.com/">Campbell White</a></h6>
<h1>Planting the Seeds</h1>
<p>Hi, and welcome to <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>, where we take all of those <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards, and make a deck out of the selection there.</p>
<p>However, I do wish to take a moment to address something that came up after the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/beyond-the-multiverse-rise-of-the-cyberheads">previous article</a> was published.</p>
<p>Apparently, the folks at Wizards of the Coast decided to do away with the triangle stamps in favor of the regular oval that we're so used to seeing with in-universe cards. Personally, I don't agree with this decision, but I digress.</p>
<p>Without further ado, let's jump into our featured commander for this week.</p>
<h1>The Ancient Tree</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Treebeard, Gracious Host"></div></div>
<p>...Wait a minute. Why not <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sam, Loyal Attendant" href="#" target="_blank">Sam, Loyal Attendant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? There's two reasons for this: Firstly, it's much more likely that you'd be using him as a commander alongside <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit" href="#" target="_blank">Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving you an extra color.</p>
<p>In addition, Treebeard is a win condition himself, having access to two coveted keywords for Voltron in trample and ward. That said, who is Treebeard anyway?</p>
<p>Treebeard was an Ent from <em>The</em> <em>Lord of the Rings</em> franchise, and is one of, if not the oldest being in the world of Middle-earth. He took in Merry and Pippin temporarily as they escaped from their Orcish captors. Through them, Treebeard eventually learned of Saruman's treachery, and his felling of trees. Consequently, he amassed the Ents to raze Isengard to the ground, ensuring that Saruman would remain locked in Orthanc.</p>
<h1>A Gracious Feast</h1>
<p>Looking at Treebeard's card, he has the aforementioned keywords. Moreover, he enters with two Food tokens. Additionally, this will be useful for his ability, which puts +1/+1 Counters on a Treefolk or Halfling whenever you gain life. I'm going to give you exactly one guess where we're putting those counters.</p>
<p>Treebeard himself, of course! His deck is a Voltron deck masquerading as a Lifegain deck. Thankfully, there was a precon from the same release that gives us a lot of the key tools we need. Moreover, this version of Treebeard came from that exact deck.</p>
<p>Therefore, it might come as no surprise to some that this deck might amount to a rehash of that precon, slashing a color or doing some other fixes to make sure it's different.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, this is a reality when dealing with commanders from precons. Consequently, it's why I avoid choosing the face cards of a given precon, because what I end up making would be essentially an upgraded version of the deck.</p>
<p>That being said, let us look at the card and see what Treebeard has to offer (though, I did have to cover it a little bit to justify running him over Sam).</p>
<h1>Growing the Plant</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Essence Warden"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pristine Talisman"></div></div>
<p>While you can run the usual <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Greaves" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Greaves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and company, I recommend leaning towards the lifegain side of things, so you can grow Treebeard to monstrous proportions. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul&#039;s Attendant" href="#" target="_blank">Soul&#039;s Attendant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Essence Warden" href="#" target="_blank">Essence Warden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prosperous Innkeeper" href="#" target="_blank">Prosperous Innkeeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impassioned Orator" href="#" target="_blank">Impassioned Orator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all make sure that we gain lots of life, especially the former two. As a result, Treebeard gets a counter, making him massive depending on your opponents.</p>
<p>In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tireless Provisioner" href="#" target="_blank">Tireless Provisioner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can either ramp us or give us Food tokens, depending on what we need.</p>
<p><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> (11,114 decks) makes a Food token whenever she enters or attacks, and has the chance to get slightly bigger whenever you sacrifice one.</p>
<p>Above all, I mentioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sam, Loyal Attendant" href="#" target="_blank">Sam, Loyal Attendant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (16,966 decks; in the 99) at the beginning of the article, but he does wonders in the 99 here: Making us Food tokens and reducing their activation cost by one.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pristine Talisman" href="#" target="_blank">Pristine Talisman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ramps us and gains us life, so our commander grows, even only for a little bit.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gilded Goose" href="#" target="_blank">Gilded Goose</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (100,919 decks) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Butterbur, Bree Innkeeper" href="#" target="_blank">Butterbur, Bree Innkeeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (6,245 decks; again in the 99) give a steady supply of Food tokens for us to use.</p>
<p>However, gaining one to three life? Amateur numbers.</p>
<h1>The Deluge of Life</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bighorner Rancher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inscription of Abundance"></div></div>
<p>Furthermore, there are a few ways to gain boatloads of life. Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bighorner Rancher" href="#" target="_blank">Bighorner Rancher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (10,428 decks) either gives us a lot of mana after Treebeard gains a few counters, or can be sacrificed to gain at least five life, meaning five +1/+1 counters for Treebeard.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lily Bowen, Raging Grandma" href="#" target="_blank">Lily Bowen, Raging Grandma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (8,631 decks) gets bigger until she hits at least 17 power, then you gain enough life to make Treebeard almost lethal in one swing.</p>
<p>However, I do need to note that you can't use Treebeard's ability to give Lily the +1/+1 Counters, since she's neither a Halfling or a Treefolk.</p>
<p>Lastly is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inscription of Abundance" href="#" target="_blank">Inscription of Abundance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (48,638 decks), which has a lot of uses. First, the two counters aren't going to matter much, but it'll help Treebeard gain a small boost.</p>
<p>Secondly, since Treebeard will be huge, the last mode ensures he'll take out almost anything, and live to tell about it. Most importantly is that second mode, which nets you life equal to the greatest power among creatures you have, be it Treebeard, or some other large creature you have. Consequently, that's a lot of +1/+1 Counters to put onto Treebeard.</p>
<h1>Reap What You Sow</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gaffer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Assemble the Entmoot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sierra, Nuka&#039;s Biggest Fan"></div></div>
<p>While our in-universe counterparts enjoy a much wider selection, it's not like we have nothing. Firstly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gaffer" href="#" target="_blank">The Gaffer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (48,109 decks) draws us a card whenever we gain three or more life each turn.</p>
<p>Easily done with a Food token, but time it right. Secondly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Well of Lost Dreams" href="#" target="_blank">Well of Lost Dreams</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (92,118 decks) draws us lots of cards when we gain life, but you do have to pay mana, so spend wisely.</p>
<p>Additionally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gwaihir, Greatest of the Eagles" href="#" target="_blank">Gwaihir, Greatest of the Eagles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (17,693 decks) nets us a decently sized creature token when we hit that magic three number.</p>
<p>Moreover, he and the tokens he makes can give Treebeard flying when he and one of the eagles attack. Flample, anyone? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assemble the Entmoot" href="#" target="_blank">Assemble the Entmoot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (14,208 decks) can give us an army of Treefolk if we gain a critical mass of life, and give your creatures reach. However, since they come in tapped, this leaves you open to a board wipe, so be sure to protect them until your next turn.</p>
<p>Lastly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sierra, Nuka&#039;s Biggest Fan" href="#" target="_blank">Sierra, Nuka&#039;s Biggest Fan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (4,775 decks) could build up to be the ultimate pump spell for Treebeard. With his Trample, he ensures that Sierra gets a quest counter (and a Food token).</p>
<p>Then, she triggers each time you sacrifice said token to build Treebeard up. Keep her around long enough, and she can not only make lots of Food, but can make Treebeard threaten lethal commander damage quickly.</p>
<h1>The Tree that Gives Us Life</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Going Universes Beyond-The Tree of Life" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Treebeard, Gracious Host
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Astrid Peth
*1 Banquet Guests
*1 Bastion Protector
*1 Bighorner Rancher
*1 Butterbur, Bree Innkeeper
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Displaced Dinosaurs
*1 Essence Warden
*1 Farmer Cotton
*1 Gilded Goose
*1 Gwaihir, Greatest of the Eagles
*1 Impassioned Orator
*1 Lily Bowen, Raging Grandma
*1 Peregrin Took
*1 Prosperous Innkeeper
*1 Sam, Loyal Attendant
*1 Sierra, Nuka&#039;s Biggest Fan
*1 Soul&#039;s Attendant
*1 The Gaffer
*1 Tireless Provisioner
*1 Triumph of Saint Katherine
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Council&#039;s Judgment
*1 Cultivate
*1 Fumigate
*1 Harmonize
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Regrowth
*1 Single Combat
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Basilisk Collar
*1 Behemoth Sledge
*1 Bilbo&#039;s Ring
*1 Brotherhood Regalia
*1 Caduceus, Staff of Hermes
*1 Elixir of Immortality
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Haystack
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Pristine Talisman
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Talisman of Unity
*1 The Great Henge
*1 Trading Post
*1 Well of Lost Dreams
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Brushland
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*10 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Graypelt Refuge
*1 Horizon Canopy
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Opal Palace
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*10 Plains
*1 Scattered Groves
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 The Shire
[/Lands]
[Instants]
*1 Beast Within
*1 Crush Contraband
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Galadriel&#039;s Dismissal
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Inscription of Abundance
*1 Legolas&#039;s Quick Reflexes
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Stew the Coneys
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Unbreakable Formation
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Assemble the Entmoot
*1 Banish to Another Universe
*1 Guardian Project
*1 Hardened Scales
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<h1>Under the Tree</h1>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Caduceus, Staff of Hermes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Displaced Dinosaurs"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Farmer Cotton"></div></div>
<p>Firstly, this list does use some Equipment, but they're mostly to protect Treebeard while he branches out to your opponent's life totals. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mithril Coat" href="#" target="_blank">Mithril Coat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stand among the best of these, coming in at instant speed and auto-attaching itself to our commander.</p>
<p>Secondly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Caduceus, Staff of Hermes" href="#" target="_blank">Caduceus, Staff of Hermes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (33,894 decks) gives Treebeard Lifelink, and buffs him when you have 30 or more life. Better still, the Equipment shields him from damage and grants indestructibility.</p>
<p>However, Treebeard will eat a lot of removal, and there's always the chance that he'll get too expensive to cast. Therefore, we can't let the deck roll belly up and die.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Displaced Dinosaurs" href="#" target="_blank">Displaced Dinosaurs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (21,317 decks) is an alternate path to win if Treebeard gets too expensive to cast. With it in play, you get to turn your Food tokens into 7/7 Dinosaur-shaped nuggets that you can eat (not the cardboard please!) to gain some life.</p>
<p>Consequently, this would trigger your lifegain-related cards. Even having one of these around ensures you can cheaply cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so you can gain more life, ramp, and draw cards.</p>
<p>In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farmer Cotton" href="#" target="_blank">Farmer Cotton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (37,255 decks; in the 99) gives us Halflings and Food tokens depending on how much mana we use to cast him.</p>
<p>Speaking of Halflings, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banquet Guests" href="#" target="_blank">Banquet Guests</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (24,012 decks), with all of the Food tokens you'll be making, will get big enough to be a finisher on its own. If you have mana open, you'd be able to protect him using his ability.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peregrin Took" href="#" target="_blank">Peregrin Took</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (105,186 decks) acts akin to a <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> (also in the decklist), making us an additional Food token each time we make tokens.</p>
<p>However, the activated ability is not ideal since you want to be gaining life. On the other hand, it's still a way to draw more cards, and would help if you end up making more Food tokens than you can handle.</p>
<h1>Of Shade and Respite</h1>
<p>In conclusion, this deck was a different take from the average Voltron list, putting Lifegain as a sub-theme that's critical to how the deck works. Treebeard himself, as of writing, comes in at 1,859 decks.</p>
<p>It's not shabby, but, it could be better. The Abzan precon from the <em>Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth</em>, <em>Food and Fellowship</em>, release gives you a good starting point, if you wish to pursue a list of your own.</p>
<p>Tune in next week as we look to the...wait, we know every card from the <em>Spongebob Secret Lairs</em>? Sweet, I'll do that instead! This will be an interesting deckbuilding challenge for sure, using every card in all three <em>Secret Lair</em>s.</p>
<p>The only thing I'll give away about it is that I'll be using two of each basic land, so we'll be using two of that particular lair.</p>
<p>Until next time, may you join the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Last March of the Ents" href="#" target="_blank">Last March of the Ents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and raze your opponent's' life totals to the ground.</p>


Beyond the Multiverse- The Tree of Life

Borderland Explorer – Ohabi Caleria

Back to Basics - The Top 10 Most Played Selesnya Cards in Commander

2024’s EDHighlights -  Kudo, King Among Bears

Technically Playable - Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

Wombo Combo - Best Selesnya Combos in EDH

Technically Playable - Gluntch, the Bestower

Singleton Shmingleton - Lifegain EDH Deck with Congregate

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ellivere of the Wild Court" href="#" target="_blank">Ellivere of the Wild Court</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://burmak.ru/">Dmitry Burmak</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://vargasni.com/">Randy Vargas</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by<a href="https://ryanyee.com/"> Ryan Yee</a>)</h6>
<p>Hey friends, Beth, Queen of Cardboard here with another Precon Upgrade article. Today we'll tackle <em>Virtue and Valor</em>, the Selesnya precon from <em>Wilds of Eldraine. </em></p>
<p>As a casual Commander player, I'll be looking for cards that are on theme with the deck, allow for silly plays, and were missed in the original deck list. The biggest issue with this deck was the introduction of a new mechanic, Role tokens, but not using all of the roles available in <em>Wilds of Eldraine. </em>We're going to take a look at what we can include and why these Roles may or may not be the best fit for you.</p>
<p>It's no secret that Enchantress is a popular deck theme. In fact, going through my decks, I have no less than three Enchantress decks, two of them being from the most recent sets, <em>Wilds of Eldraine </em>and <em>Commander Masters. </em>So how do we build this deck in a way that feels fresh and new? Let's get into it.</p>
<h2>Virtuous Anthems</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ellivere of the Wild Court"></div></div>
<p>Taking a look at the given commander in the deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ellivere of the Wild Court" href="#" target="_blank">Ellivere of the Wild Court</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you'll notice that she has something no other Role-giver has: the ability to give Virtuous Roles.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Royal"></div></div>
<p>If you don't have the ability to flip your phone upside down to read the token, Virturous is a token enchantment - Aura Role that gives the enchanted creature +1/+1 for each enchantment you control. This is an extremely strong enchantment that Ellivere gives to another target creature when she enters the battlefield or attacks. Knowing that we want more enchantments on the battlefield, I'm looking at a go-wide strategy with multiple anthem effects that lean towards pumping our creatures based on the number of enchantments we control. The deck already comes with some great options, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eidolon of Countless Battles" href="#" target="_blank">Eidolon of Countless Battles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mantle of the Ancients"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="All That Glitters"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helm of the Gods"></div></div>
<p>Playing the deck proved to me that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantle of the Ancients" href="#" target="_blank">Mantle of the Ancients</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was not only a perfect fit for this deck, but almost single-handedly won me the game several times. In addition to the great options the deck already included, I added <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="All That Glitters" href="#" target="_blank">All That Glitters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of the Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of the Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These two options are perfectly on theme with the deck and add value to anything we've got on the board state. I also found a spot here for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hope Against Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Hope Against Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving us +1/+1 for each creature on board. I kept <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Giant Inheritance" href="#" target="_blank">Giant Inheritance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from the original list because I liked its anthem effect, the ability to give the enchanted creature a Monster Role, and its self-recursion.</p>
<h2>If You Blink You'll Miss It</h2>
<p>Depending on the board state, you may not be interested in using Elliver in combat as often as some of the other creatures, since she can't target herself with her ability. So including a blink package to take advantage of her ability while keeping her on the sidelines is a no-brainer. Enchantment cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teleportation Circle" href="#" target="_blank">Teleportation Circle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skybind" href="#" target="_blank">Skybind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Far Traveler" href="#" target="_blank">Far Traveler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> not only help the enchantment anthem effects, but also allow you to remove Ellivere from the battlefield and return her for another ETB trigger. Blinking the commander at instant speed with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ephemerate" href="#" target="_blank">Ephemerate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudshift" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudshift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also saves her from targeted removal, giving both value and protection.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ephemerate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudshift"></div></div>
<p>Some other creatures in the deck that can also take advantage of blinking are <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>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Armont, the Redeemer" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Armont, the Redeemer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gylwain, Casting Director" href="#" target="_blank">Gylwain, Casting Director</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cursed Courtier" href="#" target="_blank">Cursed Courtier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eidolon of Blossoms" href="#" target="_blank">Eidolon of Blossoms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Don't forget about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siona, Captain of the Pyleas" href="#" target="_blank">Siona, Captain of the Pyleas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as her ETB allows for a mini-tutor, looking at the top seven cards of your deck for an Aura. If you're looking to switch out the commander in this deck, this is the pick I'd make.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siona, Captain of the Pyleas"></div></div>
<p>Filtering through your deck for all of your Auras is a quick way to end the game, and it helps that Siona creates a 1/1 Human Soldier token each time an Aura is attached to a creature. Unlike some other cards seen recently, this ability is not limited to once per turn, and there are plenty of ways to take advantage of it. If you're looking to add a two-card infinite combo to this deck, adding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shielded by Faith" href="#" target="_blank">Shielded by Faith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give you infinite ETB and infinite creature tokens.</p>
<h2>Instant Satisfaction</h2>
<p>The <em>Virtue and Valor</em> precon originally came with seven non-permanent spells. This felt incredibly low and something that needed a bit of help. A large amount of the blink package mentioned above will help protect the board state, but I also included cards that added to either our flavor, Roles, or some more interaction with our opponents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Royal Treatment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return Triumphant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of the Werefox"></div></div>
<p>These new spells might seem a little expensive, but the added value and flavor to the deck are worth it.</p>
<h2>Tough Cuts</h2>
<p>With this deck, there weren't a lot of cards that felt unnecessary, and I went over the list multiple times trying to prune here and adjust there. Even if you choose not to cut all of these cards, I'm confident that the cuts made here helped the deck in the end. There are so many Enchantress cards available that it could be built differently 100 times.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Virtue and Valor Cuts" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Creatures]
*1 Ajani&#039;s Chosen
*1 Aura Gnarlid
*1 Celestial Archon
*1 Danitha Capashen, Paragon
*1 Knickknack Ouphe
*1 Liberated Livestock
*1 Loamcrafter Faun
*1 Ox Drover
*1 Paradise Druid
*1 Setessan Champion
*1 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
*1 Starfield Mystic
*1 Sylvan Ranger
*1 Tanglespan Lookout
*1 Timber Paladin
*1 Tithe Taker
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Angelic Destiny
*1 Careful Cultivation
*1 Daybreak Coronet
*1 Enchantress&#039;s Presence
*1 Fertile Ground
*1 Pollenbright Wings
*1 Spectral Steel
*1 Timely Ward
*1 Utopia Sprawl
*1 Verdant Embrace
*1 Warbriar Blessing
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>


<h2>Powerful Change</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Calix, Guided by Fate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that I've wanted to use in a deck since it was released. It's inexpensive and doubles the value of your Aura casts. With 14 available in the deck aside from the Role tokens, this can get out of control extremely fast. Speaking of out-of-control, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Calix, Guided by Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Calix, Guided by Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to double the amount of enchantments you have at the ready by copying them when combat damage is dealt by Calix or ANY enchanted creature you control. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand" href="#" target="_blank">Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a staple that I included to replace the non-enchantment card draw the deck included previously.</p>
<p>Check out the updated deck list below.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Virtue and Valor Precon Upgrade" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ellivere of the Wild Court
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Acrobatic Maneuver
*1 Beast Within
*1 Cloudshift
*1 Cosmic Intervention
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Ephemerate
*1 Flicker of Fate
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics
*1 Royal Treatment
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Against All Odds
*1 Austere Command
*1 Curse of the Werefox
*1 Retether
*1 Return Triumphant
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Unfinished Business
*1 Winds of Rath
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 All That Glitters
*1 Ancestral Mask
*1 Armadillo Cloak
*1 Bear Umbra
*1 Ethereal Armor
*1 Far Traveler
*1 Flickerform
*1 Giant Inheritance
*1 Hope Against Hope
*1 Indomitable Might
*1 Karmic Justice
*1 Kenrith&#039;s Transformation
*1 Mantle of the Ancients
*1 Sage&#039;s Reverie
*1 Skybind
*1 Snake Umbra
*1 Songbirds&#039; Blessing
*1 Sterling Grove
*1 Teleportation Circle
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Conjurer&#039;s Closet
*1 Helm of the Gods
*1 Sol Ring
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Archon of Sun&#039;s Grace
*1 Archon of the Wild Rose
*1 Calix, Guided by Fate
*1 Charmed Clothier
*1 Cursed Courtier
*1 Danitha, New Benalia&#039;s Light
*1 Destiny Spinner
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms
*1 Eidolon of Countless Battles
*1 Gylwain, Casting Director
*1 Jukai Naturalist
*1 Kodama of the West Tree
*1 Light-Paws, Emperor&#039;s Voice
*1 Sanctum Weaver
*1 Siona, Captain of the Pyleas
*1 Spellbook Vendor
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Syr Armont, the Redeemer
*1 Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand
*1 Transcendent Envoy
*1 Umbra Mystic
*1 Yenna, Redtooth Regent
[/Creatures]
[Lands]
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Castle Ardenvale
*1 Command Tower
*13 Forest
*1 Fortified Village
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Myriad Landscape
*11 Plains
*1 Sungrass Prairie
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
<p>When I first looked at this precon, I was tempted to remove the Role mechanic entirely. I wasn't sure I cared for it, especially since my previous Enchantress decks all wanted multiple enchantments. I was intimidated by the amount of triggers I had to keep up with, and it was "new." Playing the deck makes it clear that Roles are useful and the Virtuous Role is complete gas. It leaves me wondering if they'll be used more in the future and how I'll implement their abilities into other decks.</p>
<p>This deck currently comes in around $100 with upgrades, and I think that's pretty perfect for those looking to spice it up a little without breaking the bank.</p>
<p>If you're looking to read more about <em>Wilds of Eldraine</em>, please check out these articles:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/edh-jank-center-10-cards-you-missed-from-wilds-of-eldraine/">EDH Jank Center - 10 CARDS YOU MISSED FROM: WILDS OF ELDRAINE</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fae-dominion-precon-upgrade-guide/">Fae Dominion - Precon Upgrade Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-command-zone-the-best-wilds-of-eldraine-cards-in-the-99-the-command-zone-559-mtg-edh-magic-commander/">The Command Zone - The Best Wilds of Eldraine Cards (In The 99) | The Command Zone 559 | MTG EDH Magic Commander</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Let me know what changes you made to this deck in the comments and I'll see you next time with the <em>Dr. Who x Magic the Gathering</em> precon guides.</p>


Virtue and Valor - Precon Upgrade Guide

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves" href="#" target="_blank">Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://ryanpancoast.com/">Ryan Pancoast</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo, and this is <em>Epic Experiment</em>, a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves" href="#" target="_blank">Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves"></div></div>
<p>Tolsimir is an all-time favorite commander of mine. This card is just awesome, from its concept to its art and abilities.</p>
<p>Tolsimir is a versatile commander who's a bit of a mid-range king. From the get-go, we have a five-mana creature that gains us life and comes with a removal stapled to it, but that's only the beginning. For each Wolf that enters the battlefield afterward, we get those triggers again and again, which makes controlling the battlefield an easy task. This impressive kit allows Tolsimir to capitalize on different strategies: Wolves entering the battlefield can be abused by blink effects, the lifegain can be used for life-matters payoffs, and Wolves' natural token synergies play into the classic green-white tokens archetype.</p>
<p>However, there are still two main issues that need to be addressed when building Tolsimir. First, a five-mana commander is a bit on the expensive side, which can quickly lock us out of playing him if he's removed too often. The second issue is that without proper support, it's pretty hard to get value out of the fight trigger and keep our creature, which means that we need to do a lot of set up before getting full value from our commander.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astral Slide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sarulf&#039;s Packmate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primal Forcemage"></div></div>
<p>Out of the many ways to have a constant flow of creatures to trigger our commander, <em>Cycling</em> seems to have fallen under the radar. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Slide" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Slide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Drift" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Drift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are both amazing engines that allow us to keep triggering our commander while also digging us for more action.</p>
<p>As a tribe, Wolves have a surprisingly good number of solid ETB creatures to blink, so much so that we have the luxury of selecting mostly for their effect instead of having to fill in with beefier creatures for the fight ETB. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cemetery Prowler" href="#" target="_blank">Cemetery Prowler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a graveyard hate effect that has the added benefit of giving us a slight discount on some of our spells. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ferocious Pup" href="#" target="_blank">Ferocious Pup</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Irregular Cohort" href="#" target="_blank">Irregular Cohort</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are versatile cards since they give us two triggers to play around with. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Howling Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Howling Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tovolar&#039;s Huntmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Tovolar&#039;s Huntmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Somberwald Beastmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Somberwald Beastmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are our top-end targets that flood the board with more tokens.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drannith Healer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forsake the Worldly"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Vengeance"></div></div>
<p>We have every one-mana <em>Cycling</em> card available at our disposal, but as a two-colored <em>Cycling</em> deck, we quickly have to rely on more expensive ones, which isn't too bad, since we also have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fluctuator" href="#" target="_blank">Fluctuator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. One nice thing about <em>Cycling</em> strategies is that we can pack a myriad of different card effects among the different <em>Cycling</em> cards. We've got <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forsake the Worldly" href="#" target="_blank">Forsake the Worldly</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wilt" href="#" target="_blank">Wilt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for artifacts and enchantments, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radiant&#039;s Judgment" href="#" target="_blank">Radiant&#039;s Judgment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for creatures, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Vengeance" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Vengeance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes care of anything barring planeswalkers.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tolsimir Cycling" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Ascendant Packleader
*Flourishing Fox
*Young Wolf
*Drannith Healer
*Masked Vandal
*Valiant Rescuer
*Cemetery Prowler
*Eternal Witness
*Ferocious Pup
*Primal Forcemage
*Briarpack Alpha
*Irregular Cohort
*Nightpack Ambusher
*Pack Guardian
*Sarulf&#039;s Packmate
*Oketra&#039;s Attendant
*Skalla Wolf
*Timeless Dragon
*Wolfir Silverheart
*Elvish Aberration
*Hollowhenge Overlord
*Imposing Vantasaur
*Orchard Strider
*Pale Recluse
*Tovolar&#039;s Huntmaster
*Winged Shepherd
*Howling Giant
*Somberwald Beastmaster
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Mark of Asylum
*Sterling Grove
*Astral Drift
*Astral Slide
*Howling Moon
*Howlpack Resurgence
*Sigil of the Nayan Gods
*Anointed Procession
*Cast Out
*Parallel Lives
[/Enchantment]
[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Flucuator
*Bow of Nylea
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*Enlightened Tutor
*Angelsong
*Clear
*Dissenter&#039;s Deliverance
*Djeru&#039;s Renunciation
*Lull
*Repopulate
*Wilt
*Akroma&#039;s Blessing
*Forsake the Worldly
*Radiant&#039;s Judgement
*Sylvan Reclamation
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*The Wanderer
[/Planeswalker]
[Sorcery]
*Edge of Autumn
*Beneath the Sands
*Idyllic Tutor
*Marshaling Cry
*Migration Path
*Wrath of God
*Akroma&#039;s Vengeance
*Austere Command
*Plea for Guidance
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Ash Barrens
*Bountiful Promenade
*Branchloft Pathway
*Brushland
*Canopy Vista
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Mana Confluence
*Overgrown Farmland
*Scattered Grove
*Secluded Steppe
*Sunpetal Grove
*Temple Garden
*Temple of Plenty
*Tranquil Thicket
*Ghost Quarter
*Tectonic Edge
*10 Forest
*9 Plains
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>There are plenty of great support cards for Tolsimir, although since we're a bit slot-starved between our Wolves and our <em>Cycling</em> cards, we have to be choosey with them. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mark of Asylum" href="#" target="_blank">Mark of Asylum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Wanderer" href="#" target="_blank">The Wanderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are ways to avoid losing our Wolves to our fight triggers, for instance. In a deck with so many token-generators, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anointed Procession" href="#" target="_blank">Anointed Procession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Parallel Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Parallel Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> quickly put us over the edge. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primal Forcemage" href="#" target="_blank">Primal Forcemage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s pump is a really efficient way to both protect from and rip apart our opponents' threats.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mark of Asylum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anointed Procession"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wanderer"></div></div>
<p>We need to find our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Drift" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Drift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/ <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Slide" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Slide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as fast as possible, and while we have some drawing power with our <em>Cyclers</em>, we still need to have a few tutors. <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> is a cheap tutor that can be used either before our draw step or together with our <em>Cyclers</em> to get one of our enchantments. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Idyllic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Idyllic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a bit expensive, but it gets it into our hands, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sterling Grove" href="#" target="_blank">Sterling Grove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is versatile and can either find or protect our key enchantments.</p>
<p>Our early game is a bit slow, with a few turns dedicated to setting up our board. This means that we're either digging for the <em>Cycling</em> enchantments or playing some of our support cards. It's also worth keeping in mind that since we lack the sheer number of <em>Cycling</em> cards as most of our decks usually have, it's good to consider holding out some <em>Cyclers</em> so that we have them available for when we start going off.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wilt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astral Slide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Blessing"></div></div>
<p>While our game plan revolves around those the <em>Cycling</em> enchantments, we're no slouches if we don't find them. Our commander is a strong mid-range threat and, together with our Wolves, he can help us control the board and give us some breathing room to find what we're looking for.</p>
<p>If we get to keep our board, then by the late game we're pretty well set. The advantage of having a lot of cards that cantrip is that we can redraw and get ahead on board at the same time. We're a bit lacking in the bombs department, so to win, we'll need to do a bit of grinding. At that point, though, even just casting our beefiest can also be a pretty decent gameplan if we need a board state! The benefit of a grindy strategy is that it's slow to build up, but just as difficult to completely dismantle!</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think of this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this experiment a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


selesnya