Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Budget Commander Deck

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pinnacle Emissary" href="#" target="_blank">Pinnacle Emissary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://pachecoart.com/">Alejandro Pacheco</a> </em></p>
<p>Two-Headed Giant has been my favorite way to play Commander for a while now. My local game store has been hosting regular events for Two-Headed Giant Commander for the last several years, and in that time I've gotten to learn a lot about the format. Recently, I got to participate in one of those events, but with a catch: the only permitted commanders are ones first printed in <em>Edge of Eternities</em>. In this dual deck tech, I'll be taking a look at the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mm&#039;menon, Uthros Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Mm&#039;menon, Uthros Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks I built for that event.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mm&#039;menon, Uthros Exile"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd"></div></div>
<h2>How Do Mm'menon and Szarel Work Together?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mm&#039;menon, Uthros Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Mm&#039;menon, Uthros Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are two commanders that have one thing in common: they can put +1/+1 counters on creatures their owner doesn't control. In a Two-Headed Giant game, the two of them go back and forth placing counters on one another. Whenever an artifact enters the battlefield on the Mm'menon side, Mm'menon can put a counter on Szarel. Then, whenever a nontoken permanent is sacrificed on the Szarel side, he can put counters equal to his power onto Mm'menon.</p>
<p>Games of Two-Headed Giant are much, much faster than four-player free-for-alls. These decks, with aggressive mulligan choices, are capable of producing a commander damage win as early as turn four or five. The general gameplan for these decks is powering out the commanders as fast as possible, protecting them with free counter magic, and closing out the game with two commanders coming across for lethal damage in the air.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Mm'menon and Szarel</h2>
<h3>Mm'menon, Uthros Exile</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pinnacle Emissary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paradoxical Outcome"></div></div>
<p>The Mm'menon player's job is to put as many artifacts into play as possible as quickly as possible. Token-generators, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pinnacle Emissary" href="#" target="_blank">Pinnacle Emissary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Third Path Iconoclast" href="#" target="_blank">Third Path Iconoclast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli, Sublime Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli, Sublime Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, grant additional Mm'menon triggers by producing artifact tokens in exchange for casting either noncreature or artifact spells.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradoxical Outcome" href="#" target="_blank">Paradoxical Outcome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Vintage staple that is at its best here. With a couple of this deck's many cost-reducers in play, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradoxical Outcome" href="#" target="_blank">Paradoxical Outcome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can return a horde of artifacts to hand and then immediately begin slamming them back onto the board.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pithing Needle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disruptor Flute"></div></div>
<p>With four opponents, narrow cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pithing Needle" href="#" target="_blank">Pithing Needle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disruptor Flute" href="#" target="_blank">Disruptor Flute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are difficult to extract value from. However, with only two opponents, it becomes much easier to name a card that disarms the opposing team. In one of our matches, a turn-one <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disruptor Flute" href="#" target="_blank">Disruptor Flute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> naming an opposing commander effectively ended a game before it had even started. Add on the fact that Mm'menon doesn't actually care what the artifacts entering the battlefield do, and these cards are a natural inclusion.</p>
<h3>Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summer Bloom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strip Mine"></div></div>
<p>The Szarel player's job is to leverage Szarel's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ability to recur <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and keep the opposing team off balance. Well over half the time that this deck casts a tutor like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scheming Symmetry" href="#" target="_blank">Scheming Symmetry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Summer Bloom" href="#" target="_blank">Summer Bloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the target. Playing three additional lands with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in circulation, particularly in the early stages of the game, can completely shut out one or both of the opposing players.</p>
<h2>How Do These Decks Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Last Chance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kessig Wolf Run"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska, Thrice Reborn"></div></div>
<p>One of the many beauties of Two-Headed Giant is how choosing flexible spells that don't specifically target a creature its owner controls. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Thrice Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Thrice Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temur Battle Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Temur Battle Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kessig Wolf Run" href="#" target="_blank">Kessig Wolf Run</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can target creatures controlled by either team member. This has come up for me in countless games in this format.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Last Chance" href="#" target="_blank">Last Chance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and other extra turn spells, are also unique in this format as it allows one player to spend their resources to give both team members an additional turn. Within that paradigm, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Last Chance" href="#" target="_blank">Last Chance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is effectively a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Stretch" href="#" target="_blank">Time Stretch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thespian&#039;s Stage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenagos, God of Revels"></div></div>
<p>Commander damage is this deck's plan A through Y. However, making a Marit Lage token is a pretty solid plan Z. With only one opposing life total to chew through, the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plan is much more realistic than in free-for-all Commander. Both decks are capable of doing so, with one copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thespian&#039;s Stage" href="#" target="_blank">Thespian&#039;s Stage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with each. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is only included in Szarel, due to that deck's ability to easily find it.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a personal favorite inclusion that can be used to turn a Marit Lage token into a 40/40 with flying, indestructible, and haste the turn it comes into play. Even outside that use case, Xenagos does a perfectly serviceable job doubling Szarel's power to get over the 21 damage threshold a little faster.</p>
<h2>Mm'menon, Uthros Exile Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Mm&#039;menon 2HG" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Mm&#039;menon, Uthros Exile
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Adaptive Omnitool
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Basalt Monolith
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Chromatic Sphere
*1 Disruptor Flute
*1 God-Pharaoh&#039;s Statue
*1 Jeweled Amulet
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Manifold Key
*1 Mishra&#039;s Bauble
*1 Mox Amber
*1 Mox Opal
*1 Nettlecyst
*1 Paradise Mantle
*1 Pithing Needle
*1 Prophetic Prism
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Soul-Guide Lantern
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 The Ozolith
*1 Two-Handed Axe // Sweeping Cleave
*1 Voltaic Key
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Counterspell
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Flare of Denial
*1 Force of Will
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Mental Misstep
*1 Misdirection
*1 Paradoxical Outcome
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Temur Battle Rage
*1 Untimely Malfunction
*1 Wash Away
*1 Whir of Invention
*1 You Come to a River
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Fabricate
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Last Chance
*1 Mizzium Mortars
*1 Shatterskull Smashing // Shatterskull, the Hammer Pass
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
*1 Enduring Curiosity
*1 Enthusiastic Mechanaut
*1 Etherium Sculptor
*1 Fear of Missing Out
*1 Foundry Inspector
*1 Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain
*1 K-9, Mark I
*1 Kappa Cannoneer
*1 Magda, the Hoardmaster
*1 Memnite
*1 Mm&#039;menon, the Right Hand
*1 Ornithopter
*1 Pinnacle Emissary
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Sai, Master Thopterist
*1 Simian Spirit Guide
*1 Subtlety
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Thought Monitor
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Frostcliff Siege
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Cephalid Coliseum
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fiery Islet
*1 Flooded Strand
*4 Island
*1 Misty Rainforest
*2 Mountain
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Secluded Starforge
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spirebluff Canal
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Training Center
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Uthros, Titanic Godcore
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Szarel 2HG" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Szarel, Genesis Shepherd
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Exploration
*1 Sylvan Library
*1 Terrasymbiosis
*1 Utopia Sprawl
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Arbor Elf
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*1 Elves of Deep Shadow
*1 Elvish Reclaimer
*1 Elvish Spirit Guide
*1 Evolution Witness
*1 Halana and Alena, Partners
*1 Icetill Explorer
*1 Ignoble Hierarch
*1 Loot, Exuberant Explorer
*1 Lotus Cobra
*1 Orcish Lumberjack
*1 Ornery Tumblewagg
*1 Ouroboroid
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Simian Spirit Guide
*1 Soul of Windgrace
*1 Sowing Mycospawn
*1 Tannuk, Memorial Ensign
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Tinder Wall
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Culling Ritual
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Gamble
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Life from the Loam
*1 Malevolent Rumble
*1 Scheming Symmetry
*1 Summer Bloom
*1 Sylvan Scrying
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Abrupt Decay
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Force of Vigor
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Once Upon a Time
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Safekeeping
*1 Veil of Summer
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Amulet of Vigor
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Exploration Broodship
*1 Horn of Greed
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Ozolith
*1 Wishclaw Talisman
*1 Zuran Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Lord Windgrace
*1 Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Arena of Glory
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Commercial District
*1 Dark Depths
*1 Echoing Deeps
*1 Exotic Orchard
*2 Forest
*1 Kessig Wolf Run
*1 Luxury Suite
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*2 Mountain
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raucous Theater
*1 Riveteers Overlook
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Spire Garden
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Strip Mine
*2 Swamp
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Twisted Landscape
*1 Undergrowth Stadium
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 Urza&#039;s Cave
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Wasteland
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scheming Symmetry"></div></div>
<p>I'm thrilled to see <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> put a bigger spotlight on Two-Headed Giant. In my opinion, playing Commander in teams of two creates an experience that aligns much more closely what got me hooked on 1v1 <em>Magic</em> way back when. This style of play has a lot of quirks in both deckbuilding and gameplay that are fascinating to me, and I'm looking forward to going more in depth about those quirks while showcasing other successful pairings in articles to come.</p>
<p>The "research" for articles about Two-Headed Giant require me to conscript a second head. I'd be remiss to not mention my second head for this one, Joss. His patience throughout my chaotic deckbuilding and testing process was critical. If you're interested in experiencing a trial by fire, I'd recommend attempting to pilot a Lands deck that you've played three games with through your third ever <em>Magic</em> event. I'm so proud.</p>
<p>For a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck constructed for free-for-all play, I'd recommend <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/szarel-genesis-shepherd-deck-tech">my article</a> covering my new favorite Insect, and for Mm'menon, Uthros Exile, I recommend <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/you-can-build-this-mmmenon-uthros-exile-deck-for-under-20">Tyler Bucks' article</a> where he builds a Mm'menon deck for less than $20.</p>


Two-Headed Giant Deck Tech - Mm'menon, Uthros Exile &#038; Szarel, Genesis Shepherd

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.matthew-stewart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matt Stewart</a></em></p>
<p>Lands is one of my favorite strategies in Commander. Something about the idea about taking a pile of the most commonly disregarded card type and weaponizing it against unsuspecting opponents just tickles my fancy. When <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was revealed, from <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, I knew I had to cover it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd"></div></div>
<p>A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that sits in the command zone and gives you access to Jund (<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-r" 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>) cards is simply too sweet for this lands player to resist. In this deck tech, I'll tackle <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and find out if this commander can meet my sky-high expectations.</p>
<h2>What Does Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a 2/5 Insect Druid for five mana that grants the ability to play lands from the graveyard. That's not all, though! Whenever you sacrifice a nontoken permanent, Szarel puts a number of +1/+1 counters equal to its power onto a creature.</p>
<p>The standout interaction with this card is fetchlands, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wooded Foothills" href="#" target="_blank">Wooded Foothills</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodstained Mire" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodstained Mire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can be sacrificed to trigger Szarel and then played from the graveyard to repeat the process.</p>
<p>Szarel is going to play very similarly to other lands commanders, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Necrobloom" href="#" target="_blank">The Necrobloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azusa, Lost but Seeking" href="#" target="_blank">Azusa, Lost but Seeking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radha, Heart of Keld" href="#" target="_blank">Radha, Heart of Keld</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (which <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/60-to-100-turning-legacy-lands-into-a-commander-deck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I wrote about</a> a while ago!). The combos that these decks look to assemble, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thespian&#039;s Stage" href="#" target="_blank">Thespian&#039;s Stage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the play patterns of using effects that recur lands from the graveyard paired with effects that grant additional land plays each turn are all pretty much the same.</p>
<p>The variations come in the form of different color restrictions and each commander serving a different role in that engine. The thing that makes Szarel, Genesis Shepherd stand out is that its the only commander that plays the role of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from the command zone.</p>
<p>If I had to place <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into a definitive category, I'd call it a land-based aggro deck. This deck's plan is sticking Szarel on the board and stacking up counters on our creatures while playing multiple fetchlands from the graveyard each turn. Then, land-based combos and <em>Landfall</em> payoffs provide solid backup plans.</p>
<p>I'm incredibly excited to delve into this one.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Halana and Alena, Partners"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tifa Lockhart"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scythecat Cub"></div></div>
<p>Since Szarel can't put +1/+1 counters on itself, it'll be critical to build a board of creatures that can maximize the benefit from Szarel's counters.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Halana and Alena, Partners" href="#" target="_blank">Halana and Alena, Partners</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was the first card that popped into my mind when Szarel was spoiled. It's perfect. You sacrifice a land, put Szarel's counters onto Halana and Alena, then at the beginning of combat Halana and Alena grows Szarel's power so your creatures can receive even more counters next turn.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scythecat Cub" href="#" target="_blank">Scythecat Cub</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bristly Bill, Spine Sower" href="#" target="_blank">Bristly Bill, Spine Sower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> create a similar engine with Szarel as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scythecat Cub" href="#" target="_blank">Scythecat Cub</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tifa Lockhart" href="#" target="_blank">Tifa Lockhart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are both creatures with trample that can become lethal threats on a turn that you play multiple fetchlands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azusa, Lost but Seeking"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gitrog Monster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Life from the Loam"></div></div>
<p>One of my favorite parts of building around a given lands commander is getting to construct an engine that covers the functions that the commander can't.</p>
<p>Szarel is just the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crucible of Worlds" href="#" target="_blank">Crucible of Worlds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect, so the 99 will need to cover the other functions, like additional land plays. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azusa, Lost but Seeking" href="#" target="_blank">Azusa, Lost but Seeking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and many cards like her are here to cover that. Recurring one fetchland every turn with Szarel's ability is a decent floor, but recurring two, three, or potentially even more than that each turn is where the real power is.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides an extra land play, a card draw engine, and a sacrifice outlet for lands that can't sacrifice themselves. That sacrifice outlet is also critical to maximize other forms of recursion, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life from the Loam" href="#" target="_blank">Life from the Loam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Channeling a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Boseiju, Who Endures" href="#" target="_blank">Boseiju, Who Endures</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or cycling a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheltered Thicket" href="#" target="_blank">Sheltered Thicket</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, replaying it with Szarel's ability, then sacrificing it to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and picking it back up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Life from the Loam" href="#" target="_blank">Life from the Loam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to repeat the process is precisely the kind of incremental value I'm looking for in a lands deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Field of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Boseiju, Who Endures"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Saga"></div></div>
<p>The most important part of every lands deck is the lands! There are so many subtle interactions and tiny details in the mana base that fully explaining everything would take up more than one article, but I'll highlight a few that I think are important.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Field of the Dead" href="#" target="_blank">Field of the Dead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can generate an absurd amount of tokens in a single turn when this deck's engine is firing on all cylinders. The Zombie tokens it generates are also excellent targets for Szarel's +1/+1 counters.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Saga" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Saga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another token producer that's also able to tutor zero- and one-mana artifacts. I've included a small suite of targets to grab with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Saga" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Saga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s third chapter ability, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lavaspur Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Lavaspur Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ozolith" href="#" target="_blank">The Ozolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to ensure that the card has enough to do in games where you end up playing it multiple times.</p>
<h2>How Does This Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska, Thrice Reborn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenagos, God of Revels"></div></div>
<p>The primary win condition for this deck is getting into the red zone with giant creatures. Going tall is much faster than going wide in a deck that can stack up +1/+1 counters on creatures with trample as much as this deck can.</p>
<p>The token that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes presents a fast clock that can swing in for lethal damage very quickly, especially when paired with additional pump effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Thrice Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Thrice Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. However, the real beauty of this deck is that literally any creature can become big enough to kill someone.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titania, Protector of Argoth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scute Swarm"></div></div>
<p>This deck isn't lacking options to go wide either! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scute Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Scute Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in particular is known for getting out of hand quickly. Grindy games where lots of removal gets pointed at my biggest threats will often come down to several thousand Scute Swarm tokens finishing the job. I'm normally reluctant to include cards like Scute Swarm due to the logistical difficulties of representing board states with 3,000 tokens, but in this case I decided the upside was worth the potential inconvenience.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strip Mine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wasteland"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Summer Bloom"></div></div>
<p>Finally, if all else fails, there's always the win condition of extinguishing your opponents' will to continue playing.</p>
<p>This deck is better than any other at recurring <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I freely admit, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> locks are a guilty pleasure of mine and that definitely had an impact on my excitement to build Szarel. It may not be for every play group, but at the "anything goes" types of tables I play at, there is nothing I love more than firing off <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after Wasteland at my opponents' unsuspecting lands.</p>
<p>Admittedly, I think this deck is likely winning via other means too quickly for this to come up, but the option makes me feel confident about the deck's capacity in longer games.</p>
<h2>Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Szaresl" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Szarel, Genesis Shepherd
[/Commander]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Canyon Slough
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Commercial District
*1 Dark Depths
*1 Field of the Dead
*1 Forest
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mountain
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Raucous Theater
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Shifting Woodland
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Snow-Covered Mountain
*1 Snow-Covered Swamp
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Swamp
*1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Underground Mortuary
*1 Urza&#039;s Cave
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Wasteland
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
*1 Ziatora&#039;s Proving Ground
[/Lands]
[Creatures]
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Bristly Bill, Spine Sower
*1 Courser of Kruphix
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Dryad Arbor
*1 Dryad of the Ilysian Grove
*1 Elvish Reclaimer
*1 Gladiolus Amicitia
*1 Halana and Alena, Partners
*1 Ignoble Hierarch
*1 Loot, Exuberant Explorer
*1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
*1 Oracle of Mul Daya
*1 Ramunap Excavator
*1 Scute Swarm
*1 Scythecat Cub
*1 Shigeki, Jukai Visionary
*1 Six
*1 Sowing Mycospawn
*1 Sylvan Safekeeper
*1 Tannuk, Memorial Ensign
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Tifa Lockhart
*1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
*1 Wight of the Reliquary
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Abrupt Decay
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Realms Uncharted
*1 Untimely Malfunction
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Culling Ritual
*1 Gamble
*1 Green Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Life from the Loam
*1 Malevolent Rumble
*1 Molten Collapse
*1 Summer Bloom
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Horn of Greed
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Ozolith, the Shattered Spire
*1 Shadowspear
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Grist, the Hunger Tide
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Lord Windgrace
*1 Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes
*1 Wrenn and Seven
[/Planeswalkers]
[Enchantments]
*1 Exploration
*1 Roaring Earth
*1 Spelunking
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This deck is an absolute blast. Going forward, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be my automatic recommendation to anyone looking to build a land-centric strategy in Commander. I'd tentatively place this deck in Bracket 3 (Upgraded) with the caveat that cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasteland" href="#" target="_blank">Wasteland</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strip Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Strip Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might not fly at every table and is something I'd recommend discussing with tables ahead of time.</p>
<p>As always, each play group is different.</p>


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Szarel, Genesis Shepherd Budget Commander Deck

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