<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artpad.org/">Jaime Jones</a></h6>
<h1>It's Token Time!</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome back to <em>Singleton Shmingleton</em>, where I bend the singleton rules of Commander by building decks with as many functional reprints of a certain card as possible. This week, I'm tackling <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a card that has found a home as a support card in many strategies, from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin decks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zada, Hedron Grinder" href="#" target="_blank">other Goblin decks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wort, the Raidmother" href="#" target="_blank">even more Goblin decks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Two mana for two bodies with a relevant creature type is perfect for filling curves and adding consistency, especially in decks that care about having a critical mass of tokens, but it's never an exciting rate. No one has ever jumped for joy to see <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in their opening hand... until now. Two bodies for two mana had better pull some serious weight, because I'm about to build a deck that plays 11 functional copies of the card.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Fodder"></div></div>
<p>Here's a list of cards that create two creatures for two mana. Only a few of them create Goblins however, so if we want to play as many of these cards as possible we can't be too picky about type.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Dragon Fodders" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Sorceries]
*1 Clowning Around
*1 Dragon Fodder
*1 Forbidden Friendship
*1 Gather the Townsfolk
*1 Join the Dance
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Ral&#039;s Reinforcements
*1 Rally at the Hornburg
*1 Saproling Migration
*1 Servo Exhibition
*1 Shadow Summoning
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Raise the Alarm
*1 Verdant Command
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Fists of Ironwood
[/Enchantments]"></span></div>


<p>Most of these cards center around red and white, with the third most common color being green. This makes sense, as those are the three colors that care most about making tokens. While 17 functional versions of this card is impressive, especially since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">only</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">two</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of them are <em>exactly</em> the same, the most played of these effects is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the original, at 27,993 decks. Following close behind are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko&#039;s Command" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko&#039;s Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with 26,261 decks, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mogg War Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Mogg War Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with 22,326 decks. The Goblin creature type gives these cards a clear boost over any other version of this effect, and that makes sense: Goblin decks need to build an early army of disposable dorks, and they have enough synergy that the two tokens are worth the actual cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Fodder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mogg War Marshal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Clowning Around"></div></div>
<p>The least played of these cards (besides <em><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=%28type%3Acreature+type%3Agoblin%29+%28game%3Apaper%29+set%3Altr">The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</a> ones</em>, which just came out) is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clowning Around" href="#" target="_blank">Clowning Around</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at 1,028 decks. It's not a bad card at all. In fact, the rate of about 2.33 bodies for two mana puts it well above most of the other cards on this list. But the Un-set effect has kept it well below its counterparts. When I was making this list, I scrolled past it three times before remembering that it was actually legal in our format.</p>
<h2>1/1s Galore</h2>
<p>Okay, so now we have a way to consistently generate several 1/1s. I don't know how games usually go at your tables, but where I play that doesn't sound very impressive. To make our bad cards useful we need to turn them into an engine, and to make an engine we need to use them to generate mana and/or cards. Mana and cards are the two most important resources in the game, and in Commander the player who can generate the most of both usually wins.</p>
<p>Maybe I'm still fresh off of the <em>March of the Machine</em> play pattern of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral&#039;s Reinforcements" href="#" target="_blank">Ral&#039;s Reinforcements</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Preening Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Preening Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meeting of Minds" href="#" target="_blank">Meeting of Minds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but the first thing I want to do with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s is Convoke. By tapping the tokens for Convoke costs, we can use them as effectively mana sources, ramping out big spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="City on Fire" href="#" target="_blank">City on Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Transcendent Message" href="#" target="_blank">Transcendent Message</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Since our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes two bodies for two mana, if we cast them into a Convoke spell on the same turn, they can be mana-neutral and start to build mana the next turn.</p>
<p>This play pattern reminds me of the recent Pioneer Convoke deck that looks to dump its hand early and use its creatures to accelerate out either <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venerated Loxodon" href="#" target="_blank">Venerated Loxodon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venerated Loxodon" href="#" target="_blank">Venerated Loxodon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can often give enough of a boost to threaten lethal the next turn, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can dig deeper to keep the train rolling. In Commander, raw stats often can't close out a game on their own, but card advantage is even more important, so we want to find something to replace the draw engine of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ornithopter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Venerated Loxodon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight-Errant of Eos"></div></div>
<p>Well, there certainly is one, and we can even play it in the command zone. Say hello to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla, the Broken Halo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I don't often build around commanders from preconstructed decks because they usually define their own strategy, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the perfect missing piece to make our engine run.</p>
<p>With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play, our Convoke cards will draw us a card, making them card-neutral. Since our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s are mana-neutral and our Convoke cards are card-neutral, we should be able to build a formidable board very quickly. Throw in other payoffs like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mentor of the Meek" href="#" target="_blank">Mentor of the Meek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opposition" href="#" target="_blank">Opposition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and we can hopefully get out of control before anyone finds a board wipe to nerf us.</p>
<h2>Play Patterns</h2>
<p>Our first goal is usually to resolve <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With a one drop on turn one and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on turn two, we can put her out on turn three, but usually we'll have to wait until the fourth turn. A more "glass cannon" build of this deck might include extra one-drop creatures to try to power out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as soon as possible, but I stuck with just a couple all stars.</p>
<p>Once we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play, we can chain together as many Convoke cards as possible until we run out of mana. Then an opponent casts a board wipe, we laugh, and we start over again. It's often best to keep a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in hand in order to recover faster, since our strategy is fragile. Such are the risks of playing a go-wide creature deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wrath of God"></div></div>
<h2>Card Spotlights</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: The secret Convoke card! In our deck this finally lives up to its dreams of being almost <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I've been looking for a home for it for years, and I finally found one. There's never been a better time for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Disco</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="To Arms!" href="#" target="_blank">To Arms!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: This card is swingy; sometimes it effectively generates five mana and draws a card, and sometimes it cycles away for no value. I want to keep trying it out. Also, I didn't know that there was a card with punctuation in the name as early as <em>Guildpact </em>(!)<em>.</em></p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burn at the Stake" href="#" target="_blank">Burn at the Stake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>: Oh my goodness, pulling this off feels crazy every single time. It is so easy to kill someone with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burn at the Stake" href="#" target="_blank">Burn at the Stake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that it's often best to wait until the last moment possible, just so you know who to kill. There's a sense of security that comes from playing with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Door to Nothingness" href="#" target="_blank">Door to Nothingness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> up your sleeve.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Discovery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="To Arms!"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Burn at the Stake"></div></div>
<h2>The Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Dragon Fodder" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kasla, the Broken Halo
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Bennie Bracks, Zoologist
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Flockchaser Phantom
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Halo Hopper
*1 Interdisciplinary Mascot
*1 Junk Winder
*1 Knight-Errant of Eos
*1 Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury
*1 Martyr&#039;s Soul
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Prince Imrahil the Fair
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
*1 Saint Traft and Rem Karolus
*1 Stonybrook Schoolmaster
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Thraben Inspector
*1 Venerated Loxodon
*1 Welcoming Vampire
*1 Wildfire Awakener
*1 Young Pyromancer
[/Creatures]
[Battles]
*1 Invasion of Segovia
[/Battles]
[Artifacts]
*1 Moonsnare Prototype
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Artistic Refusal
*1 Call the Coppercoats
*1 Clever Concealment
*1 Meeting of Minds
*1 Raise the Alarm
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 To Arms!
*1 Transcendent Message
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Burn at the Stake
*1 Clowning Around
*1 Dragon Fodder
*1 Forbidden Friendship
*1 Forth Eorlingas!
*1 Gather the Townsfolk
*1 Hard Evidence
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Krenko&#039;s Command
*1 Ral&#039;s Reinforcements
*1 Rally at the Hornburg
*1 Servo Exhibition
*1 Shared Discovery
*1 Triplicate Spirits
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 City on Fire
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Intruder Alarm
*1 Jeskai Ascendancy
*1 Opposition
*1 Skrelv&#039;s Hive
*1 Tocasia&#039;s Welcome
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*7 Island
*5 Mountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*4 Plains
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Training Center
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p>This deck is fast and explosive, and the variation in the payoff cards makes it feel fresh for a long time. On the other side of the coin, this deck is fragile and not very interactive. It doesn't just fold to a board wipe, but it's definitely hoping to dodge them, and if another player starts doing something broken the only thing we can do is try to go faster than them. One of this deck's biggest strengths is the stack of tokens you get to carry around with it: Two Servos, three Clowns, one Dinosaur, two blue and red Elementals, and <em>a lot</em> of Goblins, and that's not even getting into the 1/1 Krakens with trample.</p>
<p>In terms of the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Fodder" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Fodder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s themselves, they pull their weight. They double as ramp and pressure, and it very rarely feels like we've drawn too many of them. It's a good feeling when your opponents are playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s while you're casting your six-drop commander on turn three on top of an already-wide board. Since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a precon commander, I also want to note that this deck doesn't play like a preconstructed deck at all. The engine adds a fun Storm feel to the game, and the plan feels much more focused.</p>
<h2>Until Next Time</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braingeyser"></div></div>
<p>Who doesn't love drawing cards? Since the very beginning of <em>Magic</em>, these X-spell draw effects have tickled the imagination of those who want <em>all</em> the cards. With over a dozen of these cards now in print, the only question remaining is "how big is X?" Join me to find out next time on <em>Singleton Shmingleton</em>!</p>
<p>Would you like to read about another Convoke strategy? Check out our recent article, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-tap-down-flashback/">Brew For Your Buck - Tap Down, Flashback</a>.</p>


Singleton Shmingleton - Dragon Fodder

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Increasing Devotion" href="#" target="_blank">Increasing Devotion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://darylart.com/">Daniel Ljunggren</a></h6>
<h1>Flashback Fun</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. The last few articles in the series focused on some commanders that have been around for a while, so I wanted to go with something new to get a bit experimental. Newer commanders have way less data on EDHREC to inform deckbuilding decisions, but maybe we can find some cutting edge tech for our <em>March of the Machine </em>(<em>MOM</em>) team-up:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Katilda and Lier"></div></div>
<p>These two lead us to an interesting balancing act for building the deck. On one hand, we want Humans to enable Katilda and Lier's trigger, and on the other we want instants and sorceries to target with said trigger. I'm sure it would take some playtesting to figure out the perfect ratio between the two, but for now we'll try to keep the balance. This deck also reminds me of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/brew-for-your-buck-fish-flash/">sea monster flash deck</a> that we looked at a while ago, with flash-enablers to let us cast our Humans at instant speed. There's plenty of expensive cards in the deck too, with the total price coming in at $412.39.</p>
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($38.67)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><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> ($37.88)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esper Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Esper Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($27.14)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heroic Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heroic Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($16.87)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snapcaster Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Snapcaster Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($14.84)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noble Hierarch" href="#" target="_blank">Noble Hierarch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($10.37)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eladamri&#039;s Call" href="#" target="_blank">Eladamri&#039;s Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($9.40)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chulane, Teller of Tales" href="#" target="_blank">Chulane, Teller of Tales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($8.78)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($7.08)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Visits" href="#" target="_blank">Three Visits</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($6.95)</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
<p style="padding-left: 200px; text-align: left;"><strong>Total Value of Cuts: $177.98</strong></p>
<p>This time, our mana base makes up a huge portion of the total cost of the deck, which is to be expected given it's a three-color deck. Swapping any lands that are pricier than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Visits" href="#" target="_blank">Three Visits</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the list above would bring our total savings to <strong>$317.22</strong>.</p>
<h2>Additions</h2>
<p>One thing that's certain (no matter how you build this deck) is that it will be mana-<em><strong>hangry</strong></em>. Not only do you need mana to cast the Humans, but you also need even more mana to cast the flashback spells. My first thought was "free Humans!", but believe it or not, there isn't a single one in the game. There are plenty of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">free spells</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but most of those cost way more than what we would consider for a budget option. But what if there was a way to reduce the cost of our Humans AND spells, and sometimes even make them free? What if that way just got a bunch of new cards, also from <em>March of the Machine</em>? That's right, it's <em>Convoke</em>!</p>
<h3>Convoking Humans</h3>
<p>Let's start by looking at Humans that benefit or enable <em>Convoke</em>. First up, one that I really like is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fallaji Wayfarer" href="#" target="_blank">Fallaji Wayfarer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.24). The Wayfarer is an awesome cost-reducer for 12 of our spells in the final list, including our commander, and that first line of really weird text allows it to tap itself for pay any of the colored pips in those mana costs. The next entry in the "X-Y-of-Eos" saga is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight-Errant of Eos" href="#" target="_blank">Knight-Errant of Eos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.77), which can draw us up to two more Humans when cheated onto the battlefield with its inherent <em>Convoke.</em> Of note, our creature curve tops out at five with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kyler, Sigardian Emissary" href="#" target="_blank">Kyler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so we should be able to grab every creature in the deck if the Knight-Errant is fully <em>Convoked</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fallaji Wayfarer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knight-Errant of Eos"></div></div>
<p>Our next two Humans don't reference <em>Convoke</em> specifically, but definitely help us use the ability. Each time we cast one of those instants and sorceries from our graveyard, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thalia&#039;s Geistcaller" href="#" target="_blank">Thalia&#039;s Geistcaller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.09) will make us a Spirit to help <em>Convoke</em> out the next thing we cast. Making a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Pearl" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Pearl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can also attack or block each time we cast a spell seems like a good deal to me. Since we have his newer card in the list already, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raff Capashen, Ship&#039;s Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Raff Capashen, Ship&#039;s Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.15) is another way to let us cast our 16 Historic spells at instant speed, and he taps for two different colors of mana for <em>Convoke.</em> Finally, we're going to be spending a lot of time tapping our creatures, so let's add some ways to untap them. Preferably Human ways, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Village Bell-Ringer" href="#" target="_blank">Village Bell-Ringer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.11).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thalia&#039;s Geistcaller"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Raff Capashen, Ship&#039;s Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Village Bell-Ringer"></div></div>
<h3><strong>Convoking Spells</strong></h3>
<p>Now let's look at the noncreature spells. First on our list is another new <em>MOM </em>card that seems perfect for this deck: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Complete the Circuit" href="#" target="_blank">Complete the Circuit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.11) not only copies the next spell we cast, but more importantly allows us to cast <strong>every</strong> sorcery during the turn at instant speed. All of a sudden, we can go off right before we untap and get ready for a lethal turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return to the Ranks" href="#" target="_blank">Return to the Ranks</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.39) adds some more recursion to the deck, and it can bring 13 of our creatures (all Humans) back to the battlefield in one shot.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Complete the Circuit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return to the Ranks"></div></div>
<p>But what if our spells don't have <em>Convoke</em>? Well, a new entry in the line of sweet three-mana mana rocks is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wand of the Worldsoul" href="#" target="_blank">Wand of the Worldsoul</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($2.24). I'll admit it's a bit slow, but after you untap with it, you can give any spell you want <em>Convoke</em>, from your Humans to spells; heck, even your other artifacts. We can also add an untapper here, this time an instant, so we can flash it back to squeeze even more mana out of our creatures. There are a lot of these, but we'll go with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="To Arms!" href="#" target="_blank">To Arms!</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($1.92) since it's cheap, draws us a card, and has an exclamation point in the card name.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wand of the Worldsoul"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="To Arms!"></div></div>
<h3>Casting from the 'yard</h3>
<p>There is one really sweet interaction I want to point out with a small subset of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Katilda and Lier" href="#" target="_blank">K&amp;L&#039;s</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ability grants the targeted card flashback, but for its normal mana cost, so we can take advantage of the "cast from a graveyard" bonus without paying an even more expensive flashback cost, a trick I use with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Increasing Ambition" href="#" target="_blank">Increasing Ambition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer" href="#" target="_blank">Oskar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. Since <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is already in the list, I thought we could finalize our budget package with the white card from the "Increasing" cycle, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Increasing Devotion" href="#" target="_blank">Increasing Devotion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ($0.08). Ten Humans for five mana? Yes, please!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Increasing Devotion"></div></div>
<h2>Wrap Up and Savings</h2>
<p>Before we get into the savings with our specific choices, I want to mention that there are a zillion ways to take this theme even further. You could lean harder into multicolored cards to help enable <em>Convoke,</em> like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hero of Precinct One" href="#" target="_blank">Hero of Precinct One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knight of New Alara" href="#" target="_blank">Knight of New Alara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glass of the Guildpact" href="#" target="_blank">Glass of the Guildpact</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I also looked at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vitalize" href="#" target="_blank">Vitalize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a utility untapper, which can act as a crazy ritual in conjunction with <em>Convoke</em>. And finally, there are a bunch of serviceable <em>Convoke </em>spells, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sundering Vitae" href="#" target="_blank">Sundering Vitae</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nissa&#039;s Expedition" href="#" target="_blank">Nissa&#039;s Expedition</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that could potentially be cast for free from your hand and from the graveyard. This one really got the brewing juices flowing! Anyways, on to the savings:</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Picture1-1.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-99727 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Picture1-1.png" alt="" width="370" height="262" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Picture1-1.png 370w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Picture1-1-300x212.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px" /></a></p>
<p>Dang! This is the largest savings by % in the whole series so far. We've brought a $400+ deck down to just over $100 by removing ten cards and assuming you're swapping the expensive lands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tap Down Flash Back" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Katilda and Lier
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Augur of Autumn
*1 Avacyn&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Baral, Chief of Compliance
*1 Cathar Commando
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Champion of the Parish
*1 Containment Priest
*1 Coppercoat Vanguard
*1 Deputy of Acquittals
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Fallaji Wayfarer
*1 Heronblade Elite
*1 Inga and Esika
*1 Katilda, Dawnhart Prime
*1 Knight-Errant of Eos
*1 Kyler, Sigardian Emissary
*1 Loran of the Third Path
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Mother of Runes
*1 Niambi, Esteemed Speaker
*1 Quandrix Apprentice
*1 Raff Capashen, Ship&#039;s Mage
*1 Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart
*1 Sigarda, Font of Blessings
*1 Thalia&#039;s Geistcaller
*1 Thalia&#039;s Lieutenant
*1 Torens, Fist of the Angels
*1 Venser, Shaper Savant
*1 Village Bell-Ringer
*1 Wizards of Thay
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Beast Within
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Complete the Circuit
*1 Counterspell
*1 Dovin&#039;s Veto
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Nature&#039;s Claim
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 To Arms!
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Catalyst Stone
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wand of the Worldsoul
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Farseek
*1 Increasing Devotion
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Mass Appeal
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Ponder
*1 Preordain
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Return to the Ranks
*1 See the Truth
*1 Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Leyline of Anticipation
*1 Secrets of the Dead
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*4 Forest
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*5 Island
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Path of Ancestry
*4 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rejuvenating Springs
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Yavimaya Coast
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p>What else would you have added to go with the <em>Convoke</em> theme? What do you think the right ratio of Humans to spells is? Let me know in the comments below! My next article is a special one, so be on the look out for it in two weeks when we brew for your buck!</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>


to arms

Singleton Shmingleton - Dragon Fodder

Brew For Your Buck - Tap Down, Flashback

Mind Bend - Azorius Ping