Nearly Identical - Kykar or Elsha?

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hinata, Dawn-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Hinata, Dawn-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artofmtg.com/artist/alexander-mokhov/">Alexander Mokhov</a>)</h6>
<h1>Hitting the Target</h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hi there! I’m Jeremy Rowe, AKA J Ro, the Unsummoned Skull, a former Judge, Tournament Organizer, and Pro Tour competitor. I’m also a current teacher, college professor, streamer, community leader, and content creator. In this series, we examine the big EDH questions: What makes a card good? What’s the difference between popularity and synergy? What even is that synergy thing anyways? My intention is to differentiate between high- and low-synergy cards, describe in what ways the cards work with the commander, and explain why high synergy is such a good thing. For a deck to be powerful and consistent, each card needs to do a job, and these cards do WORK!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week, I, an intrepid mad scientist, will attempts to harness the power of a popular new commander that puts the “Nasty” in “Neon Dynasty”! While the Kami of old seem to have calmed a bit since their warring days, </span><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hinata, Dawn-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Hinata, Dawn-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> embodies the primal rage of the plane, bubbling beneath the glitz and glamor of the Neon Dynasty.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hinata, Dawn-Crowned"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hinata was met with a tremendous amount of hype as soon as it was previewed, and with good reason. A 4/4 flying trampler for four mana is already a solid rate, and it comes with what essentially amounts to <em>W</em></span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">ard 1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for our team, plus a significant cost reduction effect for our own spells. These abilities and stats work well for either offensive or defensive builds. Hinata is an extremely versatile commander, just as suited for </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Heroic</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> strategies as it is for slinging <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fireballs" href="#" target="_blank">Fireballs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>… so which will it be? How do we make the best use of Hinata?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is my belief that all Commander decks are midrange decks, needing the same jobs done in order to switch cleanly between offense and defense, as well as to combat a variety of threats from around the table. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hinata, Dawn-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Hinata, Dawn-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a special commander, so let’s find the right tools for these jobs!</span></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ramp</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most decks need ramp to play high-impact spells at a time when they are still relevant. Hinata has a decently high mana value, indicating a more defensive or protective playstyle. With spells that want to target multiple permanents, Hinata can be a mana-hungry deck, and, with a decent number of unique cards, the deck needs to be able to cast our commander multiple times a game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska&#039;s Will"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battlefield Thaumaturge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Electromancer"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fairly ubiquitous red sorcery, one of the more powerful and popular cards to come out of <em>Commander Legends</em>. Since the mana-creation mode targets an opponent, Hinata can reduce the cost of the spell, making it even better than usual. The additional card draw is gravy, as the burst of mana helps with the numerous cards in the deck that require large amounts of mana, with or without our commander in play.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battlefield Thaumaturge" href="#" target="_blank">Battlefield Thaumaturge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">provides a similar cost reduction effect to our commander, and it can double up the effect to further reduce any pressure on our mana. This is a unique card to our commander, showing up in more than half of Hinata decks, and not really seeing much play in any other Jeskai decks!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Electromancer" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Electromancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another static cost reduction that further increases the deck’s functionality even if Hinata isn't out. Hinata is a magnet for removal spells, even if they do cost one more for our opponents to play, so I like extra mana reduction.</span></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spot Removal</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition to being able to cast spells on time (or early enough in the game to still be relevant), decks need removal to be able to deal with the threats opposing decks present, as well as to be able to protect their own threats from opposing removal. In Hinata’s case, both forms of removal will benefit from the cost reduction, which is part of what makes our commander so scary!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Swords to Plowshares"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rewind"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abrade"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a classic removal spell for white decks, and it works decently here. About half of all Hinata decks run it even though it doesn’t get any cost reduction because it’s just a cheap piece of removal. Cards don’t have to directly or uniquely synergize with our commander if they're good enough.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rewind" href="#" target="_blank">Rewind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in conjunction with Hinata, actually <em>nets </em>us mana, because our commander makes it cost three to cast! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rewind" href="#" target="_blank">Rewind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unwind" href="#" target="_blank">Unwind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> perfectly encapsulate the small advantages needed to take a deck from 'powerful' to 'broken in half', and I’m here for it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crush Contraband" href="#" target="_blank">Crush Contraband</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> hits two targets, which means Hinata makes it cost just two mana. Two mana to exile two permanents is just too good to pass up, and we need exile to handle tricky indestructible threats out there.</span></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mass Removal</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Most decks need plans for what to do if things get out of hand, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hinata, Dawn-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Hinata, Dawn-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is no different. Quite a lot of decks are capable of making a big or wide board, and they can make them awfully quickly. As a result, Hinata needs to be able to knock them all down in one swing.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Heliod’s Intervention"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of the Swine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Distorting Wake"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod’s Intervention" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod’s Intervention</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful board wipe with Hinata, who reduces the mana cost for each thing we target, and that includes X spells. For WW, we destroy every artifact and enchantment we want. The spell is plenty playable enough on its own already, but that's incredible!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of the Swine" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of the Swine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also ubiquitous with Hinata; both it and Heliod’s Intervention are in over 80% of Hinata decks, and for good reason. Like the Intervention, it's a board wipe that targets a bunch of stuff. Granted, it leaves a 2/2 Boar behind (which is quite adorable), but that's worth it to exile every single creature we don't like!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Distorting Wake" href="#" target="_blank">Distorting Wake</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> bounces every nonland permanent our opponents control. In this deck, this card is a three-mana sorcery-speed <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>.<br />
</span></p>
<hr />
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Card Draw</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Every deck needs card draw, selection, tutoring, or advantage, to help find the pieces it needs to transition between the phases of the game. There are always going to be spells that are better early than late, or better from ahead, or better from behind. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hinata, Dawn-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Hinata, Dawn-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a mana-hungry commander that makes efficient use of its mana, but we can run out of things to do if the setup isn’t there.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whirlwind of Thought"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archmage Emeritus"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paradoxical Outcome"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whirlwind of Thought" href="#" target="_blank">Whirlwind of Thought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is particularly useful in a deck that has a cost-reduction effect in the command zone. We cast a bunch of spells! This card helps us churn right through the deck!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archmage Emeritus" href="#" target="_blank">Archmage Emeritus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> functions similarly to the Whirlwind, currently seeing play in over 65% of Hinata decks. I'd say this is one of the more important cards from <em>Strixhaven</em>. If you're playing any <em>Heroic </em>effects, it's nice to have another body on the field here too, and don't forget that HInata helps protect it a little form single-target removal effects by taxing our enemies if they try to take it down.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradoxical Outcome" href="#" target="_blank">Paradoxical Outcome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card draw effect that's more unique for Hinata than for other Jeskai decks. For usually just one mana, we bounce anything we want (which is great to do to help save them from removal) and draw a whole new hand while we're at it!</span></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Win Conditions</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The last major job that most decks need is a way to actually close out the game. Ramping allows you to play spells out, but can be dead draws late game. removing threats works for a while, but with three opponents, someone’s going to stick something, and games can either stall out or develop into arms races. Card draw helps, but what are you looking to actually draw? The answer is... win conditions!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Comet Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crackle with Power"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Metallurgic Summonings"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Comet Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Comet Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a solid big boom for a deck looking to ramp mana and decrease spell costs. The <em>Multikicker</em> increases the number of targets for this spell, so the X gets the reduction and the spell can do more damage! This is the one of the mana sinks we're looking for all game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crackle with Power" href="#" target="_blank">Crackle with Power</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the sort of card that gets me salivating. It deals <em>five times</em> X damage to X targets, and Hinata effectively gets rid of one of the X's in the cost! This is a board wipe, mana sink, and big smack, all at once!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallurgic Summonings" href="#" target="_blank">Metallurgic Summonings</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an amazing spellslinger finisher, creating some truly enormous Construct tokens. If we're playing spells that've had their costs dramatically reduced, that may change the amount of mana we pay, but it doesn’t change the mana value of that spell when it's on the stack. If our spell has X in the converted mana cost, we calculate however much mana went into that X, whether or not we actually had to <em>pay </em>any of that mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallurgic Summonings" href="#" target="_blank">Metallurgic Summonings</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes our spells better, and can get even them back in a pinch!</span></p>
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<h2>Just Try to Get out of this in One Piece!</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let's round it out with a sample Hinata decklist! We're focusing on doing the jobs a deck needs to function, in a way that capitalizes on the commander’s unique characteristics. We’re taking this in a different direction: making a lot of Treasures, a la One Piece!</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Hinata, Pirate Kirin of Kamigawa!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Hinata, Dawn-Crowned
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Academy Manufactor
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Battlefield Thaumaturge
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Elsha of the Infinite
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Feather, the Redeemed
*1 Galazeth Prismari
*1 Goldspan Dragon
*1 Radiant Scrollwielder
*1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
*1 Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aetherflux Reservoir
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Creativity
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Metallurgic Summonings
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Underworld Breach
*1 Whirlwind of Thought
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Aether Gale
*1 By Force
*1 Crackle with Power
*1 Curse of the Swine
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Distorting Wake
*1 Launch the Fleet
*1 Open into Wonder
*1 Reconstruct History
*1 Sea Gate Restoration
*1 Smoke Spirits&#039; Aid
*1 Soulfire Eruption
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Comet Storm
*1 Counterspell
*1 Crush Contraband
*1 Disorder in the Court
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Icy Blast
*1 Magma Opus
*1 March of Swirling Mist
*1 Mystic Confluence
*1 Negate
*1 Paradoxical Outcome
*1 Prismari Command
*1 Reality Spasm
*1 Rewind
*1 Sublime Epiphany
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Volcanic Offering
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Cascade Bluffs
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Reliquary Tower
*1 Riverglide Pathway
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Shivan Reef
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Training Center
*5 Plains
*7 Island
*5 Mountain
[/Lands]"></span></div>

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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hopefully, this guide helps you to evaluate cards and use the data at hand! Results may vary, as playgroups, deck choices, and the luck of the draw can impact how games go.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Which cards overperformed for you? Which cards were overrated? Join me next time as we explore which cards are dead weight, and which cards do WORK!</span></p>


whirlwind of thought

Nearly Identical - Kykar or Elsha?

These Cards Do WORK - Hinata, Dawn-Crowned