<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJustin+Sweet%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Justin Sweet</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Before the histories, before the songs, there was the genesis of a sort of protoculture. A collective of wanderers, working together to find meaning, pattern, and purpose. In this semiotic genesis, there were countless groups - families, really - that simply died out, lost to the grindstones of time and nature. Others bested the odds, and their lines continued, but always surviving into the future in unrecognizable form. The very earliest could not even be said to be progenitors of the blood, since no one, not even the very oldest, can remember them.</p>
<p>Welcome to <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck. This time, it's a keyword soup deck atop a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/sacrifice">sacrifice</a> deck, led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rayami, First of the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Rayami, First of the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rayami, First of the Fallen"></div></div>
<p>Since there are no stone tablets, no monolithic records, no cave paintings, scraps of vellum, or familial tapestries, there is no bridge to the past beyond conjecture. But perhaps the best primary source is a survivor. Despite the incalculable tract of time between the present and the first stirrings of Ulamog in Akoum, there are Bloodchiefs who endured more than just their transformation - they endured the passage of the millennia. But there is an irony in agelessness, for even the greatest sires of vampirism on Zendikar are slaves to memory.</p>
<p>There may be no clear memory of the past, but there are some cards that can bridge the thematic gap. Without getting too far out into the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/">Midsommar</a> weeds here, let's take a look:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rayami, the First Sacrifice" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Rayami, First of the Fallen
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Archdemon of Unx
*1 Balustrade Spy
*1 Banehound
*1 Brazen Borrower
*1 Contraband Kingpin
*1 Demon of Catastrophes
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Eyeless Watcher
*1 Faerie Seer
*1 Fathom Feeder
*1 Fleetfeather Cockatrice
*1 Geode Golem
*1 Gifted Aetherborn
*1 Horizon Chimera
*1 Korozda Guildmage
*1 Lazotep Reaver
*1 Leyline Prowler
*1 Llanowar Dead
*1 Loyal Drake
*1 Maraleaf Pixie
*1 Nightveil Predator
*1 Ochran Assassin
*1 Ornithopter
*1 Poison-Tip Archer
*1 River Hoopoe
*1 Runaway Carriage
*1 Sagu Mauler
*1 Silhana Ledgewalker
*1 Silver Myr
*1 Siren Lookout
*1 Skylasher
*1 Tajuru Pathwarden
*1 Thornweald Archer
*1 Torrent Elemental
*1 Troll Ascetic
*1 Warteye Witch
*1 Woodlot Crawler
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Glint
*1 Golgari Charm
*1 Grave Birthing
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Mystic Genesis
*1 Shred Memory
*1 Simic Charm
*1 Sultai Charm
*1 Tribute to the Wild
*1 Withering Boon
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Absorb Vis
*1 Incubation // Incongruity
*1 Pilfered Plans
*1 Spark Harvest
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Urban Evolution
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Smuggler&#039;s Copter
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Evolutionary Leap
*1 Golgari Germination
*1 Perilous Forays
*1 Vampiric Rites
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darkslick Shores
*1 Evolving Wilds
*5 Forest
*1 Golgari Rot Farm
*1 Grim Backwoods
*1 Guildmages&#039; Forum
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*5 Island
*1 Okina, Temple to the Grandfathers
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 River of Tears
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Simic Growth Chamber
*1 Simic Guildgate
*1 Slippery Karst
*5 Swamp
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Thornwood Falls
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 Underground River
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Interpreting the Past</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Poison-Tip Archer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warteye Witch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Torrent Elemental"></div></div>
<p>With Rayami on the battlefield, death means getting etched into indelible memory. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torrent Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Torrent Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> offers some nice, clean synergy, but scratching a bit beyond the surface shows that since we need our creatures to die, some simple payoffs for that seem like a good idea. However, it gets tricky: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poison-Tip Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Poison-Tip Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides a death trigger for our creatures (and everyone else's creatures, incidentally), but Rayami will steal those deaths, saving them for the soup instead. It's still a worthwhile inclusion, as it flavors the soup with deathtouch and reach. Just be aware of these replacement effects.</p>
<p>In a similar vein, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demon of Catastrophes" href="#" target="_blank">Demon of Catastrophes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archdemon of Unx" href="#" target="_blank">Archdemon of Unx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can eventually provide keywords to Rayami, but would sooner sacrifice something else, offering that creature's keywords to the soup. Ultimately, much of the bridge-building is performed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Poison-Tip Archer" href="#" target="_blank">Poison-Tip Archer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Imagine this sequence: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Korozda Guildmage" href="#" target="_blank">Korozda Guildmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Germination" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Germination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to provide the fodder, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golgari Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Golgari Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to inflict a substantial loss of life.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Korozda Guildmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Germination"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golgari Charm"></div></div>
<p>But let's take a look at more likely scenarios - each chunk of the deck as they might play out. Firstly, we have our creatures that, should they be sacrificed for the cause, or die some other way, feed Rayami. Though, as willing as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Runaway Carriage" href="#" target="_blank">Runaway Carriage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is to die for the cause, it's odd to imagine how the First to Fall assimilates its abilities. Maybe, in his primitive perspective, he saw how the carriage wheeled about and crushed its pedestrian obstacles. Then perhaps the proto-Vampire thought to himself, "Oh, that's how you do it."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Woodlot Crawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skylasher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Runaway Carriage"></div></div>
<p>A fun direction to take this deck, given the theme of creatures to include for Rayami's sake, is Mutate. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nightveil Predator" href="#" target="_blank">Nightveil Predator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banehound" href="#" target="_blank">Banehound</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ochran Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Ochran Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make solid targets for that strategy. It is, of course, challenging to make room for it, given the other moving parts we want to include. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolutionary Leap" href="#" target="_blank">Evolutionary Leap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perilous Forays" href="#" target="_blank">Perilous Forays</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampiric Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Vampiric Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide a bulk of our succor for sacrifice. These tools do force us to make decisions about when to keep a creature in play, as a defensive piece or as a threat, and when to draw or when to ramp. It can be difficult to read the table and to discern when or if to make those choices, but that's part of what makes this brew entertaining.</p>
<hr />
<h1>Conclusion</h1>
<p>But the thread to the past is rather indelicate, so protecting our plan with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Withering Boon" href="#" target="_blank">Withering Boon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Genesis" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Genesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glint" href="#" target="_blank">Glint</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be essential. And since our primitivist sensibilities are easily offended, disrupting the trappings of modernity as peacocked by our opponents is also a good idea. To that end, employ age-old methods like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Birthing" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Birthing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tribute to the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Tribute to the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shred Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Shred Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grave Birthing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribute to the Wild"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shred Memory"></div></div>
<p>The erosion of time may have softened the narrative into illegibility, but there's still something resembling a story here. There always is - for everything - no matter how much has elapsed, or what's been forgotten.</p>
<p>That's all for this installment of <em>Dual Shot</em>. Be sure to send us your keyword soup recipes! How have you fared with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rayami, First of the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Rayami, First of the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Or do you prefer <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Odric, Lunarch Marshal" href="#" target="_blank">Odric, Lunarch Marshal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kathril, Aspect Warper" href="#" target="_blank">Kathril, Aspect Warper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Or perhaps paprika? Well, until next time!</p>


Dual Shot - Primordia

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wasitora, Nekoru Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Wasitora, Nekoru Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?action=advanced&amp;artist=[%22Cynthia%20Sheppard%22]">Cynthia Sheppard</a>)</h6>
<h1>You Got To Be Kitten Me</h1>
<div>Hey everyone! Kya here once again! Welcome back to <em>Bringing </em>Magic<em> to Life</em>, the series where I appease my corporate overlords and justify my existence here at EDHREC. Here, we're going to turn our pod space into more then just the typical table with playmats. That's right, we're going to turn it into a <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> world fit for any planeswalker that wishes to visit it!</div>
<div><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200923_195150.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-56338 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200923_195150-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200923_195150-225x300.jpg 225w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/20200923_195150.jpg 319w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a></div>
<div>Today, we're going to learn some secrets of the Cosplay world and dress up as our favorite EDH commanders! As you can see, I have my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kess, Dissident Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kess, Dissident Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cosplay ready to go already! Now, if only there were conventions going on at the moment... hang on, something's tugging at my dress.</div>
<div><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120074499_962347724259834_4500432361260371416_n.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-56341 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120074499_962347724259834_4500432361260371416_n-223x300.jpg" alt="" width="223" height="300" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120074499_962347724259834_4500432361260371416_n-223x300.jpg 223w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120074499_962347724259834_4500432361260371416_n.jpg 368w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 223px) 100vw, 223px" /></a></div>
<p><strong>Jynx</strong>: <em>You promised me an article, Hooman. <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/bringing-magic-to-life-playtime-with-clementine/">Clementine</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/bringing-magic-to-life-odin-allfather-of-cheez-its/">Odin</a> already have theirs. It's time for Jynx to shine!</em></p>
<p>I can't just keep making these cat articles. I'm going to get fired at this rate...</p>
<p><strong>Jynx</strong>: <em>I want one right mmeeeeeeoooowwwwwww!!!</em></p>
<p>Fine, okay? You win! We'll make another cat article just for you! I'll only shelf this life-long ambition of doing <em>Magic: the Gathering</em> cosplays for another time.</p>
<p>Okay guys, let's just get this over with.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Fearsome Tiny Dragon Cat of Doom!</h2>
<p>Jynx is the last of the three cats that I own, I promise. She's also by far the tiniest cat that I've ever had, and she's stayed this adorable size since she was only a few years old. Don't let her size fool you, though: she's known to bully other cats and dogs without hesitation! She's a territorial cat and is more then happy to send everyone but her favorite treasure out of the house for good. What is this ultimate treasure she's laid down her life to protect? Just an amazing little ol' something called Kya.</p>
<p>All this being said, she acts less like cat and more like a dragon with the way she tries to horde her favorite treasure, so today we're going to make our "cat" deck a little different in honor of her possessive nature!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wasitora, Nekoru Queen"></div></div>
<p>That's right, we're going to make the embodiment of Jynx this deadly queen of the Cat Dragons you see before you! She's actually a pretty deadly commander who has a lot of neat tricks up her sleeve. Right at the start, she's a 5/4 with flying and trample for just five mana. If she manages to deal combat damage to a player, she'll make that player sacrifice a creature. What if your opponents are out of creatures to sacrifice, I hear you ask? She gets herself a neat little baby Jynx to nibble at your toes!</p>
<p>I know that there's been a bit of a power creep with newer commanders, but these older ones can still be quite powerful if played right. Her one weakness is that she has to do combat damage, but we'll find a bunch of neat ways to take advantage of that, don't worry.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Plenty of Catnip Makes a Strong Cat Dragon</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kodama&#039;s Reach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragonlord&#039;s Servant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Ritual"></div></div>
<p>Woah there! We can't get into the good stuff <em>just</em> yet. As I've mentioned in many of my articles, we have to work from the bottom up, so let's get the boring cards out of the way and make sure that we end up being the first to cast our commander. After all, the early Cat gets to paw at the worm playfully for hours. With both black and green, we have quite a few cards to ramp quickly. We even have a lot of tribal support cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonlord&#039;s Servant" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonlord&#039;s Servant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to get our commander out as well! The sooner we get our little kitty with wings out, the sooner we'll be smacking our enemies before they can even get their mana dorks out!</p>
<hr />
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120040148_676347306324319_9005314055975521754_n.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-56339 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120040148_676347306324319_9005314055975521754_n-300x232.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="232" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120040148_676347306324319_9005314055975521754_n-300x232.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120040148_676347306324319_9005314055975521754_n.jpg 424w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<h2>Drawing Power From Your Inner Lion</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elemental Bond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Arena"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wheel of Fortune"></div></div>
<p>Now that we have mana, we'll need cards to use up all that mana! This is a Voltron deck, after all, so we'll need ways for our commander to get stronger. While we may not have blue at our disposal to draw every card in our deck, we have the next best thing: everything else but white! Every color in our deck will help contribute to filling our hands. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elemental Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Elemental Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is especially nasty, as every time we get a Cat Dragon token we get to draw another card! Add double strike to our commander, and we might even have to consider putting in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reliquary Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Reliquary Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Stop Dragon Me Down!</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atarka, World Render"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hellkite Charger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Utvara Hellkite"></div></div>
<p>As mentioned before, Jynx doesn't consider herself just a cat. She's a mighty beast of unimaginable power, so for this particular deck, we won't go the typical cat route my other cat decks have taken. Instead, we'll add in powerful Dragons to add to Jynx's mighty RAWR! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atarka, World Render" href="#" target="_blank">Atarka, World Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hellkite Charger" href="#" target="_blank">Hellkite Charger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are especially dangerous, as they'll help our commander get closer to winning by commander damage and doubling her effects! Imagine getting both off at the same time! I think I can hear Jynx purring from the other room just thinking about that idea...</p>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120058905_559483948157920_105826182991423364_n.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-56340 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120058905_559483948157920_105826182991423364_n-300x270.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="270" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120058905_559483948157920_105826182991423364_n-300x270.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120058905_559483948157920_105826182991423364_n.jpg 325w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<h2>Jynx's Treasure Box</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fireshrieker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aggravated Assault"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Helm of the Host"></div></div>
<p>Every good kitty has their toy chest. On top of the many Dragons that buff our commander, we'll be sure to jam as many powerful Equipment and enchantments into the deck as well! After all, if Jynx gets just two more power, you'll only have to hit someone three times to knock them out of the game. Even fewer times if you stack it with other cards that provide double strike or extra combat phases. Or even just once if you get all three! Now we're talking!</p>
<hr />
<h2>Love Can Be Contagious</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triumph of the Hordes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Strike"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grafted Exoskeleton"></div></div>
<p>Don't look at me like that. I don't like losing, okay? Plus, with Jynx's little paws, it can be difficult to get a good swipe in... so let's dip those claws in <em>poison</em>! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tainted Strike" href="#" target="_blank">Tainted Strike</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with double strike or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatred" href="#" target="_blank">Hatred</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great ways to end the game quickly and make your opponents cry! Did the game grant you a bunch of baby Cat Dragons? Well, now they become proper murder machines of fluffiness with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triumph of the Hordes" href="#" target="_blank">Triumph of the Hordes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! Buahahaha!</p>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120196752_3969847969711447_4457487583635976423_n.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-56347 size-full aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120196752_3969847969711447_4457487583635976423_n.jpg" alt="" width="699" height="335" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120196752_3969847969711447_4457487583635976423_n.jpg 699w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120196752_3969847969711447_4457487583635976423_n-300x144.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 699px) 100vw, 699px" /></a></p>
<h2>A Thousand Swipes of Adorable Fury!</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savage Ventmaw"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aggravated Assault"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bear Umbra"></div></div>
<p>As fun as <em>Infect</em> is, we need to find ourselves a way to finish the game <em>even quicker</em>, and nothing says "Game Over" like a well-placed combo. But what kind of combo can we make with our little Jynx? If you didn't know, EDHREC now has a <a href="https://edhrec.com/combos">Combo</a> page! Let's take a peek at their <a href="https://edhrec.com/combos/rg">Gruul</a> page, shall we?</p>
<p>Those top cards on the page look a little familiar, don't they? That's right, our deck is already full of combat tricks to ensure that we get extra attacks and combat phases. We can add in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bear Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Bear Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and some other goodies to ensure that Jynx doesn't stop attacking anytime soon.</p>
<p>Was this enough of a preview to get excited for our deadly Jynx deck? Let's look at the rest of the cards now!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Jynx Voltron" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Wasitora, Nekoru Queen
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Backdraft Hellkite
*1 Atarka, World Render
*1 Scourge of Valkas
*1 Savage Ventmaw
*1 Scourge of the Throne
*1 Utvara Hellkite
*1 Balefire Dragon
*1 Dragonlord&#039;s Servant
*1 Dragonspeaker Shaman
*1 Lathliss, Dragon Queen
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels
*1 Dragon Broodmother
*1 Nesting Dragon
*1 Deathbringer Regent
*1 Vaevictis Asmadi, the Dire
*1 Hellkite Charger
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Sarkhan, Fireblood
[/Planeswalkers]
[Artifacts]
*1 Fireshrieker
*1 Helm of the Host
*1 Dragon&#039;s Hoard
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Grafted Exoskeleton
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Champion&#039;s Helm
*1 Sword of Feast and Famine
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Hero&#039;s Blade
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Warstorm Surge
*1 Fires of Yavimaya
*1 Blood Mist
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Crucible of Fire
*1 Dragon Tempest
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Breath of Fury
*1 Bear Umbra
*1 Elemental Bond
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Doom Blade
*1 Tainted Strike
*1 Hatred
*1 Harrow
*1 Rakdos Charm
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Vampiric Tutor
*1 Go for the Throat
*1 Kindred Summons
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
*1 Angrath&#039;s Rampage
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Kindred Dominance
*1 Casualties of War
*1 Wheel of Fortune
*1 Explosive Vegetation
*1 Decimate
*1 Cultivate
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Toxic Deluge
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Graven Cairns
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Woodland Cemetery
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Haven of the Spirit Dragon
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Spire Garden
*1 Luxury Suite
*1 Exotic Orchard
*7 Swamp
*7 Forest
*7 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>What did you think of my third and final deck crafted specifically for my cat? I think I'm ready to sit down in a pod with my cats and play EDH like some whole new level of crazy cat lady. Hopefully, my LGS will open soon so I can escape this fluffy insanity and play with real people. I bet everyone's happy I finally ran out of cats to make articles for, at least! Or do you want me to get even more cats and continue this madness?</p>
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<p>Anyone who votes yes is a monster. That said, anyone who doesn't want more cats is also a monster. You monster.</p>
<p>Until next time,</p>
<p>Crazy Cat Lady Kya</p>
<p>P.S.: My cats are now trying to lure strays inside to play EDH with. I've created a very bad thing here.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120085395_321489272480513_4197611148816049446_n.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-56344 aligncenter" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120085395_321489272480513_4197611148816049446_n-300x237.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="237" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120085395_321489272480513_4197611148816049446_n-300x237.jpg 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/120085395_321489272480513_4197611148816049446_n.jpg 603w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>


Bringing Magic to Life - Casting a Jynx On Your Opponents!

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Ebb" href="#" target="_blank">Time Ebb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Alan_Rabinowitz">Alan Rabinowitz</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Dual Shot</em>, the strange place where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck.</p>
<p>This time, the old familiar space has changed - is still changing. It was never not in flux, like anything. Before things get too Heraclitean, let's try to capture an image, a snapshot of an idea, to try and preserve it - if only for a moment - against the fate of change.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inexorable Tide"></div></div>
<p>The weft, warp, and ripple sends us down the stream to this: a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/lifegain">lifegain</a> deck overtop a <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/voltron">Voltron</a> deck. But nothing's ever that simple, even on the shore. There's safety there, sure, and more certainty than in the riffling deep, the rapids, the waves. Instead, our supertheme here presents as loss of life. There are no infinite lifegain combos, no <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Sovereign" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Sovereign</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, no <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherflux Resevoir" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherflux Resevoir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Instead, we're swimming with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deathgreeter" href="#" target="_blank">Deathgreeter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a sparse few instances of lifelink - to scarcely mitigate our <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CastFromHitPoints">blood magic</a>.</p>
<p>With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greven, Predator Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Greven, Predator Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at the helm, as he was meant to be, we'll be recklessly fueling our life-engines, creating towering, combative win conditions, betting everything on the connection.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greven, Predator Captain"></div></div>
<p>If we can avoid the ever-looming bad luck of the rip current, we should see our life total circle around widely and wildly. Get him wielding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loxodon Warhammer" href="#" target="_blank">Loxodon Warhammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and turn an opponent's loss to commander damage into a dramatic shift in our own life total.</p>
<p>And hey, enchant yourself with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Fool&#039;s Wisdom" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Fool&#039;s Wisdom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, why not.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Water, Fire, Flux</h2>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> Life is paid, the cost for continuation. The risk of diminishing to nothing, but nothing's ever nothing.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> That's the truest swing of all, that change of life from something to nothing, to less than nothing, to a new game, back to full.</p>
<p>This is a brew about movement. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Firewing Phoenix" href="#" target="_blank">Firewing Phoenix</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> flies from the graveyard to your hand, to the battlefield, and dead again in the whorl. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Revenge of Ravens" href="#" target="_blank">Revenge of Ravens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns combat into a dance of life totals. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relentless Assault" href="#" target="_blank">Relentless Assault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> beats at the beach with endless-seeming waves.</p>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> The water recedes, shies from shore. Your body thins, determination wavers, hope slips beneath water.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Moltensteel Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slash Panther"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vault Skirge"></div></div>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> The snows melt, the floods rear, the river swells, surges, knells.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rush of Vitality"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghitu War Cry"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Furnace Whelp"></div></div>
<p>You get the idea.</p>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> Maybe <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syphon Flesh" href="#" target="_blank">Syphon Flesh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stinkweed Imp" href="#" target="_blank">Stinkweed Imp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Withering Boon" href="#" target="_blank">Withering Boon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will save us. Reactive, punitive, teetering.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> More like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vampire Nighthawk" href="#" target="_blank">Vampire Nighthawk</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murderous Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Murderous Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Butcher&#039;s Glee" href="#" target="_blank">Butcher&#039;s Glee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Ambitious, resourceful, springing.</p>
<p>If the conversation ends in compromise, what cards are required to make that clear?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Greven, Tide Strider" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Greven, Predator Captain
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Agent of Erebos
*1 Ahn-Crop Crasher
*1 Angrath&#039;s Marauders
*1 Blood Celebrant
*1 Chancellor of the Dross
*1 Deathgreeter
*1 Dire Fleet Hoarder
*1 Firewing Phoenix
*1 Furnace Whelp
*1 Gutterbones
*1 Immolating Souleater
*1 Indulgent Tormentor
*1 Iron Myr
*1 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider
*1 Knight of Infamy
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
*1 Leaden Myr
*1 Loyal Apprentice
*1 Loyal Subordinate
*1 Mardu Strike Leader
*1 Mogg War Marshal
*1 Moltensteel Dragon
*1 Murderous Rider // Swift End
*1 Organ Grinder
*1 Piper of the Swarm
*1 Puppeteer Clique
*1 Scrapheap Scrounger
*1 Slash Panther
*1 Sorcerer&#039;s Broom
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Tenacious Dead
*1 Urborg Syphon-Mage
*1 Valakut Fireboar
*1 Vampire Nighthawk
*1 Vault Skirge
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Butcher&#039;s Glee
*1 Crypt Incursion
*1 Dark Bargain
*1 Ghoul&#039;s Feast
*1 Mercadia&#039;s Downfall
*1 Necrologia
*1 Rack and Ruin
*1 Rush of Vitality
*1 Withering Boon
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Forever Young
*1 Fumarole
*1 Infernal Contract
*1 Relentless Assault
*1 Syphon Flesh
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Loxodon Warhammer
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Ring of Xathrid
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Curse of Fool&#039;s Wisdom
*1 Ghitu War Cry
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Revenge of Ravens
*1 Shadows of the Past
*1 Unspeakable Symbol
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tibalt, Rakish Instigator
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Barren Moor
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bloodfell Caves
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Foreboding Ruins
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Graven Cairns
*1 Kher Keep
*1 Luxury Suite
*1 Memorial to Folly
*10 Mountain
*1 Rakdos Carnarium
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Spinerock Knoll
*10 Swamp
*1 Tainted Peak
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>In truest <em>Dual</em> Shot fashion, there's a tertiary component of <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/sacrifice">sacrifice</a> at play here. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadows of the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Shadows of the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorcerer&#039;s Broom" href="#" target="_blank">Sorcerer&#039;s Broom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Reclamation" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Reclamation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all play nicely with cheap, recursive drowners.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gutterbones"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrapheap Scrounger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mogg War Marshal"></div></div>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> You could lean into this more heavily; it's risky going in with Greven alone, and there's not overmuch protection for the captain.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> Or you could commit to it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Butcher&#039;s Glee" href="#" target="_blank">Butcher&#039;s Glee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rush of Vitality" href="#" target="_blank">Rush of Vitality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swiftfoot Boots" href="#" target="_blank">Swiftfoot Boots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whispersilk Cloak" href="#" target="_blank">Whispersilk Cloak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (mind your ordering on that one - hammer, then cloak). These all work well enough to, well... <em>well</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> These water puns are weakening.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> So too your resolve.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crypt Ghast" href="#" target="_blank">Crypt Ghast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would be a good swap-in if we're not feeling enough acceleration - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Celebrant" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Celebrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only provides fixing (that is, in this context - it's also an unlimited source of loss of life). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vilis, Broker of Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Vilis, Broker of Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is terribly on-theme, and worth experimenting with, but generally too top-heavy here - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angrath&#039;s Marauders" href="#" target="_blank">Angrath&#039;s Marauders</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is tricky enough to cast. And sure, you're already spending five mana to get Greven out, but you'll more likely want to spend the turns after that curving into the mana you need to deal lethal commander damage. As well, consider things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shadowspear" href="#" target="_blank">Shadowspear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for added redundancy, and some extra utility. Perhaps the most obvious alternate inclusion is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, turning all of your black pips into Phyrexian mana, and having three of them in his own casting cost.</p>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> Needs <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Damnation" href="#" target="_blank">Damnation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> Or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>And while this is a lifegain deck only in a painfully ironic sense, the presentation of the concept was pretty hipster too. That makes it all right.</p>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> Let the current of pretentiousness pull you down. There is comfort in the deep.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> Come on, this deck's not that weird. I can get way more obtuse with the brew. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temporal Extortion" href="#" target="_blank">Temporal Extortion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron Dance" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron Dance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<p><strong>Ebb:</strong> I meant in the writing.</p>
<p><strong>Flow:</strong> Oh.</p>
<p>Before we let ourselves wade too far into the deep end, that's all for this experiment. We all have stories about securing victory from the nearest jaws of defeat. What about intentionally wandering into near-death to grab a win out of nowhere? What decks have you used to bloodbend your way to the top? Send us your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="One with Nothing" href="#" target="_blank">One with Nothing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> win cons, <em>please</em>.</p>
<p>Till next time.</p>


Dual Shot - Ebb and Flow

Conditions Allow - Hakim, Loreweaver

Conditions Allow - Ormos, Archive Keeper

Conditions Allow - Kiyomaro, First to Stand

Rolebuilding - Identity Thief

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/lukacs/">Chuck Lukacs</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each aspect that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background attention. This time around I’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos, Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos, Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polukranos, Unchained"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Polukranos, known as the World Eater, fell to Theros from its celestial lair during the battle between Purphoros and Heliod, where he was quickly sealed under the Nessian Forest. Elspeth was tasked by Heliod to defeat the Hydra, who had recently escaped its stasis and was ravaging the land. Polukranos was defeated and, in death, was locked away in the Underworld. As we see in his recent depiction, however, Polukranos is back, freed from his chains and angrier than ever.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod, God of the Sun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45677 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosName.jpg" alt="" width="289" height="65" /></a></p>
<p>Polukranos loosely translates from Greek to "many heads." More accurately, it means "many helmets," but I think we know what <em>Wizards</em> was going for. An apt name for a Hydra, and a good direction to go for the deck, but more on that later.</p>
<p>Chains seem to be a large trope in <em>Theros Beyond Death</em>. Looking through the creatures, specifically those with <em>Escape</em>, the majority have some element of chains hanging from them. The imagery of chains, especially in conjunction with their attachment to manacles, gives the underworld a much stronger prison feel than it previously had in my mind.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45676 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosCost.jpg" alt="" width="87" height="58" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Black:</strong> Amorality and pragmatism; no waste, no qualms, and no feelings.</p>
<p><strong>Green:</strong> Survival of the fittest, pure and simple. What lives will die.</p>
<p><strong>Golgari (green/black): </strong>The colors of the graveyard, rot, and necromancy. As we explored in <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-creepy-kraul-y/">my last article</a>, the Golgari are interested in recycling. Specifically, the Golgari necromancers make use of the dead, bringing back others to do their bidding for them. In the case of Polukranos, he is his own necromantic master.</p>
<p>I initially wanted to avoid doing creatures of the same color identity back-to-back in this series, but I made an exception because this black-green deck is going to use the graveyard in a very different way than the previous installment. In order to fuel our commander, this is a self-mill deck, so we're going to see a lot of cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher&#039;s Supplier" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher&#039;s Supplier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that actively put cards in the graveyard, not to revive them like Meren, but to exile them and keep Polukranos around.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermit Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satyr Wayfinder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45675 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosArt.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>As we can see, the head that was destroyed in the battle with Elspeth has regenerated in the underworld into two new heads, zombified, discolored, and horrible. It's interesting to me that Polukranos still has faces. <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-murder-king-fury-road/">When we explored Theros last</a> with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tymaret, the Murder King" href="#" target="_blank">Tymaret, the Murder King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we discovered that the Zombies in the underworld lose their faces, adopting clay masks created in the underworld to hide their disfigurement and then replaced with the gold ones forged when they escape and become Returned. We also see Elspeth exempt from this mutation; likely her spark protected her (we also see her with a gold mask presumably still in the underworld, but I'll leave that rant for another day.)</p>
<p>Does this mean Polukranos has the power of a planeswalker, or are the rules just different for beasts of his nature? We will likely never know, but it does seem like a missed opportunity to put some rad gold Hydra masks on him.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45679 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosType.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="67" /></a></p>
<p>The Hydra originated from Greek mythology in the tale of Heracles (most commonly known as Hercules, the Roman adaptation). Heracles was tasked with a set of labors to redeem himself for prior actions. The Hydra was destroyed with the help of an ally and, more importantly, a golden sword that the goddess Athena bestowed upon him.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Godsend"></div></div>
<p>As a Greek-themed set, we can see a lot of the tropes of this story adapted in to <em>Magic</em>. Elspeth acts as Heracles, having been given a weapon from a God (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Godsend" href="#" target="_blank">Godsend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) and tasked with defeating the Hydra. The biggest difference between <em>MTG</em> Hydras and those in Greek myths is their amphibious nature; the Lernaean Hydra of myth lived in a lake. We see a lot of large beasts in the water, like Leviathans, so I'm guessing they didn't want to add another big creature to blue's roster.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45678 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosRules.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="255" /></a></p>
<p>Removing all six heads from the beast kills it, sending it to the underworld once more. We are going to imagine each head as a +1/+1 counter for the remainder our discussion here. Since the Hydra will create a new head for each removed, the fact that Polukranos comes back with twelve heads (counters) is extremely flavorful. This rationale falls apart when we get to his ability when being dealt damage removes counters, but does not regenerate heads on its own.</p>
<p>Let's introduce Polukranos to his new best friend: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vigor" href="#" target="_blank">Vigor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The way replacement effects work is beneficial to us in this case, so instead of losing the counters, Polukranos will gain that many heads. Problem solved!</p>
<p>I want Polukranos to recreate that scene in the Disney version of Hercules. I want so many heads on this beast that they take up the entire sky.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-45904 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/hydraHeads.jpg" alt="" width="488" height="325" /></a></p>
<p>How do we accomplish this? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corpsejack Menace" href="#" target="_blank">Corpsejack Menace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are the key pieces. With one in play, Polukranos enters with 12 from a normal casting or 24 with <em>Escape</em>. With both on the field, the fun really begins, giving us 24 heads from a normal cast or 48 with <em>Escape</em>. That's more like it!</p>
<p>Now, there are a few other options to add additional counters to creatures, but because these are really only interacting with the commander and not any other cards in the deck, two will be plenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Corpsejack Menace"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><em>Theros Beyond Death</em> introduced a new style of basic land: the Nyx basics (or the Pokelands.) I am not a fan of these, whether for this deck or any other. The only place I think I would consider them is in a deck helmed by one of the Therosian Gods or in an enchantress deck. For this particular deck, I was having a hard time nailing down exactly what type of basic fits, but I decided to take this as an opportunity to talk about some of my favorite basics. These two were both done by my favorite <em>Magic</em> artist, <a href="http://www.johnavonart.com/">John Avon</a>. I love the saturation and depth of these two pieces, and the old border looks more like dirt, perfect to fill our graveyard with.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-46170 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/polukranosBasics.jpg" alt="" width="520" height="311" /></a></p>
<p>This deck is running a shockingly low number of lands, but we have a work around that I learned from the <a href="https://www.commandersbrew.com/">Commanders Brew</a> podcast. The idea in question is to lower the land count and instead run a bunch of those single-mana spells that tutor for a land, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lay of the Land" href="#" target="_blank">Lay of the Land</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traverse the Ulvenwald" href="#" target="_blank">Traverse the Ulvenwald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The reason we want these here is to fill our graveyard with the instants/sorceries that only exist to find the land we need. Because Polukranos doesn't care what type of card is in the graveyard and simply wants a larger number of cards in there, we can use these to both fix our mana and fill the graveyard. It's a neat trick that I have wanted to incorporate in a meaningful way for some time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Second Labor" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Polukranos, Unchained
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Walking Ballista
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Glowspore Shaman
*1 Hermit Druid
*1 Lotleth Troll
*1 Millikin
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Satyr Wayfinder
*1 Nyx Weaver
*1 Prowling Serpopard
*1 Splinterfright
*1 Springbloom Druid
*1 Stinkweed Imp
*1 Acolyte of Affliction
*1 Brawn
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Erebos, God of the Dead
*1 Polukranos, World Eater
*1 World Shaper
*1 Cavalier of Thorns
*1 Doom Whisperer
*1 Underrealm Lich
*1 Nemesis of Mortals
*1 Vigor
*1 Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis
*1 Ghoultree
*1 Molderhulk
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Horizon Spellbomb
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Altar of Dementia
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Perpetual Timepiece
*1 Talisman of Resilience
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ancient Stirrings
*1 Attune with Aether
*1 Caravan Vigil
*1 Lay of the Land
*1 Traverse the Ulvenwald
*1 Dread Summons
*1 Mulch
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Night&#039;s Whisper
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Ransack the Lab
*1 Regrowth
*1 Sylvan Scrying
*1 Winding Way
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Damnation
*1 Increasing Ambition
*1 Traverse the Outlands
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*1 Decree of Pain
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Veil of Summer
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Corpse Churn
*1 Evolution Charm
*1 Grapple with the Past
*1 Grisly Salvage
*1 Beast Within
*1 Harrow
*1 Moonlight Bargain
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crop Sigil
*1 Vessel of Nascency
*1 Greater Good
*1 Doubling Season
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Blooming Marsh
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*9 Forest
*1 Geier Reach Sanitarium
*1 Llanowar Wastes
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Nurturing Peatland
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*6 Swamp
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Woodland Cemetery
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>If you're a fan of big creatures and a deck full of two-for-ones, this is the build for you. I'm very intrigued by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Unchained" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Unchained</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. That which at first looks like just a big creature leads to some interesting deckbuilding decisions. A big thanks to Tom, EDHREC's resident Greek expert, for giving me some insight into the name of Polukranos and some other general tidbits for this article.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - The Hydra

Dual Shot - There Can Only Be One

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tahngarth, First Mate" href="#" target="_blank">Tahngarth, First Mate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/depingo">Anna Steinbauer</a>)</h6>
<h1>Your Deck... It Needs More Cowbell!</h1>
<p>Hello again, Commander faithful! Welcome back for another installment of <i>Replacement Commanders</i>, the series designed to look at the legendary creatures from the annual <i>Commander</i> precon product that didn't make it onto the face of each deck, and build a precon-like list specifically for them! Each year, we get these amazing commanders that are placed in decks built around a different legendary creature and those abilities and strategies. The series is quickly ending, though I have no idea how soon we'll have even more replacements, what with 2020 being the “Year of Commander” for <i>Wizards of the Coast</i>.</p>
<p>In the last article, we ended with a poll for the remaining two legendary creatures that are missing a color from the decks they were originally printed in. Readers got to vote on which to cover first, and which would be the last of the series. It was close in the end, but most of you wanted to see…</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Tahngarth, First Mate!</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tahngarth, First Mate"></div></div></p>
<p>Admittedly, Tahngarth was not high on my rankings of legendary creatures from last year’s product. For as much as I enjoy the way his first ability works when we can give him menace, nothing in his second ability prevents the person we loan Tahngarth to from just sacrificing him. As someone who loves to use and abuse sacrifice outlets and strategies, it’s mildly unnerving to see a commander that wants to go under other people's control without having the same kind of protection that an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Assault Suit" href="#" target="_blank">Assault Suit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would give. However, looking at the EDHREC page for Tahngarth, we can see that people have gravitated more toward an Equipment-based Voltron strategy. This makes me like the way the deck is bound to turn out, as it means that even if there are sacrifice players at the table, it shouldn’t be hard to suit up Tahngarth and get the work done ourselves.</p>
<p>For those games where there are no sacrifice players at the table, a third archetype that people are using with our Minotaur Warrior is “Forced Combat.” Ironically, I said in the last <i>Replacement Commanders</i> installment that I didn’t think this was a category on EDHREC, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/forced-combat">it looks like I was wrong</a>! Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised to see how thorough the site’s themes are. After all, it collects so much data from around the internet, I’m sure we have a snapshot of every kind of archetype in the format!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Building a Better Beater (or Oooh, Shiny New Toys!)</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Embercleave"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hammer of Nazahn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blackblade Reforged"></div></div></p>
<p>The Equipment and Voltron parts of Tahngarth are interwoven, as one of the best ways to make him hit hard and fast is to pile him up with Equipment that makes him stronger. Whenever I look at a commander that wants to wear a lot of Equipment, I always think that, while there should be some bomb cards that shock and awe the table, it’s just as important to have Equipment that act as support cards. This way we don’t have to make the tough choice between taking up card slots on Equipment vs. taking up slots on ramp, removal, etc.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prying Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Prying Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provide different variations of ramp, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rogue’s Gloves" href="#" target="_blank">Rogue’s Gloves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mask of Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Mask of Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us some incremental card advantage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argentum Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Argentum Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Sinew and Steel" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Sinew and Steel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will get rid of a few pesky parts of our opponents’ battlefields. We will need to also include those bombs that will turn our commander into a one-shot machine. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embercleave" href="#" target="_blank">Embercleave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been tearing up the Standard scene and still has massive value in Commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another great option, especially given that we’re in green and will have access to many ways to ramp with our lands. This next card is going to surprise some of you to list as a “bomb” card, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodthirsty Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodthirsty Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a surprising amount of work to facilitate Tahngarth's strategy, ensuring the rest of the table joins us in the red zone.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">This Minotaur Brings the War!</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of the Nightly Hunt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Incite War"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vow of Wildness"></div></div></p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/replacement-commanders-furballs-of-warfare/">In our last article</a> for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marisi, Breaker of the Coil" href="#" target="_blank">Marisi, Breaker of the Coil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we discussed cards that force combat for the table. This means that it's slightly awkward to have another such theme for this article, especially when the commanders share two colors (out of a possible three from Marisi). I don’t want to focus too much on the cards that we went over in the Marisi article that also appear on Tahngarth’s EDHREC page, so instead I want to focus on some other cool cards that are unique to Tahngarth.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vow of Wildness" href="#" target="_blank">Vow of Wildness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vow of Lightning" href="#" target="_blank">Vow of Lightning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are interesting, inspiring enemies to attack each other with some extra damage, while not being a bad fit on Tahngarth as well. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of the Nightly Hunt" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of the Nightly Hunt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be tricky, since the enchanted player may point their aggression in our direction. Still, this opens them up for attacks from our other opponents, so there is room to play the political game, making deals about who to give Tahngarth to, depending on who wants to attack us. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Incite War" href="#" target="_blank">Incite War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a unique card for this situation, giving Tahngarth first strike before he runs out to assist someone who suddenly is compelled to do some damage on their turn!</p>
<p>Don’t forget the standard card advantage, ramp, removal, and Wraths! Put together, we might have a list like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tahngarth and His War Toys" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div><br />
[Commander]<br />
*1 Tahngarth, First Mate<br />
[/Commander]<br />
[Creature]<br />
*1 Anger<br />
*1 Beast Whisperer<br />
*1 Brawn<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Etali, Primal Storm<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Fumiko the Lowblood<br />
*1 Goblin Diplomats<br />
*1 Goblin Racketeer<br />
*1 Goblin Spymaster<br />
*1 Ogre Battledriver<br />
*1 Reclamation Sage<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Warmonger Hellkite<br />
[/Creature]<br />
[Sorcery]<br />
*1 Blasphemous Act<br />
*1 Chandra's Ignition<br />
*1 Cultivate<br />
*1 Farseek<br />
*1 Harmonize<br />
*1 Kodama's Reach<br />
*1 Overwhelming Stampede<br />
*1 Pir's Whim<br />
*1 Rampant Growth<br />
*1 Rishkar's Expertise<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
[/Sorcery]<br />
[Enchantment]<br />
*1 Curse of the Nightly Hunt<br />
*1 Frenzied Rage<br />
*1 Grand Melee<br />
*1 Madcap Skills<br />
*1 Rancor<br />
*1 Rhythm of the Wild<br />
*1 Rite of the Raging Storm<br />
*1 Vow of Lightning<br />
*1 Vow of Wildness<br />
[/Enchantment]<br />
[Instant]<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Chaos Warp<br />
*1 Incite War<br />
*1 Krosan Grip<br />
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker<br />
*1 Thrill of Possibility<br />
[/Instant]<br />
[Artifact]<br />
*1 Arcane Signet<br />
*1 Argentum Armor<br />
*1 Assault Suit<br />
*1 Blackblade Reforged<br />
*1 Bloodforged Battle-Axe<br />
*1 Bloodthirsty Blade<br />
*1 Captain's Hook<br />
*1 Chitinous Cloak<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Darksteel Plate<br />
*1 Embercleave<br />
*1 Fellwar Stone<br />
*1 Gruul Signet<br />
*1 Hammer of Nazahn<br />
*1 Mask of Memory<br />
*1 Prying Blade<br />
*1 Rogue's Gloves<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Swiftfoot Boots<br />
*1 Sword of Sinew and Steel<br />
*1 Sword of the Animist<br />
[/Artifact]<br />
[Land]<br />
*1 Cinder Glade<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Evolving Wilds<br />
*8 Forest<br />
*1 Forge of Heroes<br />
*1 Forgotten Cave<br />
*1 Game Trail<br />
*1 Ghost Quarter<br />
*1 Gruul Turf<br />
*1 Inventors' Fair<br />
*1 Kazandu Refuge<br />
*1 Kessig Wolf Run<br />
*10 Mountain<br />
*1 Opal Palace<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Rootbound Crag<br />
*1 Scavenger Grounds<br />
*1 Sheltered Thicket<br />
*1 Stomping Ground<br />
*1 Temple of Abandon<br />
*1 Terramorphic Expanse<br />
*1 Tranquil Thicket<br />
[/Land]<br />
[/Deck]<br />
</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">A Warrior From the Stars? (Get it? Constellation!)</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nylea’s Colossus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bear Umbra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Setessan Champion"></div></div></p>
<p>Something caught my eye when I was reviewing Tahngarth’s EDHREC page: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bear Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Bear Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It got me wondering how many <em>Totem Armor</em> enchantments there were in both green and red, since I am aware of quite a few in green and white. A quick <a href="https://scryfall.com/">Scryfall</a> search showed me that there are only five <em>Totem Armor</em> cards in our colors. Then I added <em>Constellation</em> into the mix. This added eleven more cards to the idea, and with sixteen total, I decided to go all-in on an enchantment version of Tahngarth!</p>
<p>Some of the <em>Constellation</em> cards I want to draw special attention to are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nylea’s Colossus" href="#" target="_blank">Nylea’s Colossus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Setessan Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Setessan Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from <i>Theros Beyond Death.</i> Colossus turns Tahngarth into a massive threat very quickly, while Champion is another Enchantress-style effect, which is going to be a major subtheme for this list. Naturally, <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> is another great <em>Constellation</em> card for card advantage, and we're going to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Argothian Enchantress" href="#" target="_blank">Argothian Enchantress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchantress’s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Enchantress’s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Verduran Enchantress" href="#" target="_blank">Verduran Enchantress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as well, so we can draw all the cards! Since this list won’t be running Equipment cards as our bombs, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Runes of the Deus" href="#" target="_blank">Runes of the Deus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works similarly to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embercleave" href="#" target="_blank">Embercleave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while <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> might just end games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Destiny Spinner" href="#" target="_blank">Destiny Spinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> seems like a great way to keep control decks from stopping us, while cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Road of Return" href="#" target="_blank">Road of Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> give us some recursion.</p>
<p>Wrap the list up with some removal, Wraths, ramp, and a few more bits of card advantage, and the list comes out looking like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Warrior of the Stars" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div><br />
[Commander]<br />
*1 Tahngarth, First Mate<br />
[/Commander]<br />
[Creature]<br />
*1 Acidic Slime<br />
*1 Argothian Enchantress<br />
*1 Burnished Hart<br />
*1 Destiny Spinner *<br />
*1 Eidolon of Blossoms<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Humbler of Mortals<br />
*1 Manglehorn<br />
*1 Nessian Wanderer *<br />
*1 Nexus Wardens *<br />
*1 Nylea's Colossus<br />
*1 Ohran Frostfang<br />
*1 Reclamation Sage<br />
*1 Setessan Champion *<br />
*1 Skullwinder<br />
*1 Solemn Simulacrum<br />
*1 Verduran Enchantress<br />
*1 Wood Elves<br />
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels<br />
[/Creature]<br />
[Sorcery]<br />
*1 Blasphemous Act<br />
*1 Cultivate<br />
*1 Faithless Looting<br />
*1 Farseek<br />
*1 Kodama's Reach<br />
*1 Rampant Growth<br />
*1 Regrowth<br />
*1 Rishkar's Expertise<br />
*1 Road of Return<br />
*1 Seasons Past<br />
*1 Soul's Majesty<br />
*1 Vandalblast<br />
[/Sorcery]<br />
[Artifact]<br />
*1 Arcane Signet<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Fellwar Stone<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Swiftfoot Boots<br />
*1 Thran Dynamo<br />
*1 Worn Powerstone<br />
[/Artifact]<br />
[Enchantment]<br />
*1 Ancestral Mask<br />
*1 Asceticism<br />
*1 Bear Umbra<br />
*1 Boar Umbra<br />
*1 Colossal Majesty<br />
*1 Enchantress's Presence<br />
*1 Frenzied Rage<br />
*1 Giant Spectacle<br />
*1 Goblin War Drums<br />
*1 Gruul War Chant<br />
*1 Keen Sense<br />
*1 Madcap Skills<br />
*1 Rancor<br />
*1 Runes of the Deus<br />
*1 Sixth Sense<br />
*1 Snake Umbra<br />
*1 Spider Umbra<br />
*1 Sylvan Library<br />
[/Enchantment]<br />
[Instant]<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Heroic Intervention<br />
*1 Krosan Grip<br />
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker<br />
[/Instant]<br />
[Land]<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Evolving Wilds<br />
*12 Forest<br />
*1 Forge of Heroes<br />
*1 Forgotten Cave<br />
*1 Ghost Quarter<br />
*1 Kessig Wolf Run<br />
*9 Mountain<br />
*1 Opal Palace<br />
*1 Rogue's Passage<br />
*1 Rootbound Crag<br />
*1 Scavenger Grounds<br />
*1 Stomping Ground<br />
*1 Strip Mine<br />
*1 Taiga<br />
*1 Temple of Abandon<br />
*1 Terramorphic Expanse<br />
*1 Tranquil Thicket<br />
*1 Wooded Foothills<br />
[/Land]<br />
[/Deck]<br />
</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>NOTE:</strong> Just a friendly reminder that this second list is less about that "precon" feel and more just "What would Seth do with this commander?" Therefore, there is less of a budget restriction in the list, hence seeing cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taiga" href="#" target="_blank">Taiga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>!</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">First Mate, But Not the Last Replacement!</h2>
<p>Phew! I won’t lie, this was not the easiest article of the series to write. As I said in the beginning, in my eyes, Tahngarth was not the most interesting legendary creature to come out of this year’s product. Still, that is obviously down to personal preference, and I recognize that Tahngarth is still a very powerful commander with explosive plays. I'm both very excited and very nervous for this year, since we're getting so many additional precons. Hopefully this means we'll be getting an even wider array of unique abilities and strategies to play with!</p>
<p>There are three more Replacements left to go over for the 2019 product, and they have some spicy, interesting builds to investigate! Of course, if you need some more Commander talk in your life, you can <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">follow me on Twitter</a> or join the <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">public Praetor Magic Discord server</a>. Praetor Magic is the content creation team I run with my wife and some friends, so feel free to check us out throughout the week on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/praetormagic">Twitch</a> or see our previous content on our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">YouTube channel</a>! Until next time…</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!</p>
