Achievement Unlocked - Building a PDH "Commons Only" Deck

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla, the Broken Halo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://martinafackovaart.com/">Martina Fackova</a>)</h6>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello friends! And welcome back to EDHREC for another Scrap Trawlers precon upgrade guide. I’m Andy, and today I’m kicking the Divine Convocation precon from March of the Machine right in its slow rear end. In my primer we looked at how the deck moved at a crawl, hindered by its high average mana value and its poor ramp and card draw. So to upgrade this list we’re gonna kick out some high MV cards, and get this precon closer to the well-oiled machine that it should be. And since my LGS won’t accept “tapping our friends” to pay for things, we’re gonna budget for our upgrades. But don’t worry, I’ll recommend some more pricey cards as well for all you ballers out there. </span></p>
<h2><b>Fall From Grace</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This precon is led by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kasla, the Broken Halo" href="#" target="_blank">Kasla, the Broken Halo</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a 5/4 Angel Ally with Convoke, vigilance, haste, and flying. And whenever we Convoke a spell, Kasla lets us scry 2 and draw a card.</span></p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kasla, the Broken Halo"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the original decklist:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Divine Convocation" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kasla, the Broken Halo
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Artistic Refusal
*1 Chant of Vitu-Ghazi
*1 Cut Short
*1 Devouring Light
*1 Ephemeral Shields
*1 Meeting of Minds
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Shatter the Source
*1 Stoke the Flames
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Creatures]
*1 Angel of Finality
*1 Angel of Salvation
*1 Banisher Priest
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Cloud of Faeries
*1 Duergar Hedge-Mage
*1 Emeria Angel
*1 Fallowsage
*1 Flight of Equenauts
*1 Flockchaser Phantom
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Goblin Medics
*1 Joyful Stormsculptor
*1 Keeper of the Accord
*1 Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Mistmeadow Vanisher
*1 Nadir Kraken
*1 Nesting Dovehawk
*1 Saint Traft and Rem Karolus
*1 Seraph of the Masses
*1 Spirited Companion
*1 Suture Priest
*1 Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
*1 The Locust God
*1 Venerated Loxodon
*1 Village Bell-Ringer
*1 Wildfire Awakener
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Austere Command
*1 Battle Screech
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Migratory Route
*1 Path of the Ghosthunter
*1 Temporal Cleansing
*1 Wrenn&#039;s Resolve
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Cultivator&#039;s Caravan
*1 Deluxe Dragster
*1 Fractured Powerstone
*1 Ichor Elixir
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wand of the Worldsoul
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Improbable Alliance
*1 Whirlwind of Thought
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*8 Island
*1 Kher Keep
*8 Mountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*8 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As you may remember from the Primer, I had some serious issues with this commander. Particularly, the six mana cost was too cumbersome for a white/blue/red deck with poor ramp. I know Kasla has Convoke, but the precon just wasn’t making enough early creatures to make that matter.</span></p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saint Traft and Rem Karolus"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So we’re bringing in the relief pitcher for this upgrade! By switching over to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saint Traft and Rem Karolus" href="#" target="_blank">Saint Traft and Rem Karolus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we’re getting our commander out more quickly, making tokens more consistently, and moving away from the deck’s reliance on Kasla for card advantage.</span></p>
<h2><b>Must Go Faster</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Third Path Iconoclast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monastery Mentor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saheeli, Sublime Artificer"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My main goal with the upgrade was to get creatures out faster. And for that I wanted to add some cheap token-makers. First up is a hot new staple from The Brothers’ War, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Third Path Iconoclast" href="#" target="_blank">Third Path Iconoclast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It doesn’t get much more efficient than this two-mana Monk who gives us a free creature whenever we cast any noncreature spell. Next is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Saheeli, Sublime Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Saheeli, Sublime Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of the best planeswalkers from War of the Spark. And we can’t say no to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Monastery Mentor" href="#" target="_blank">Monastery Mentor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who is now, thanks to getting reprinted in March of the Machine, actually budget playable!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The precon also needed some more help in the card draw/advantage department, so in goes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rumor Gatherer" href="#" target="_blank">Rumor Gatherer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faithless Looting" href="#" target="_blank">Faithless Looting</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Preordain" href="#" target="_blank">Preordain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And, of course, we can’t forget one of the best Jeskai cards ever printed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeskai Ascendancy" href="#" target="_blank">Jeskai Ascendancy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Although we’re not going to be using it to combo off with this list, its ability to untap all your creatures is a no-brainer with all of our Convoke spells. Also, it makes our creatures bigger! Why wasn’t this in the precon?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The deck needed more color to its ramp spells, so I’ve added <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fellwar Stone" href="#" target="_blank">Fellwar Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ornithopter of Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Ornithopter of Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The thopter is great as a mana source, or as a creature to tap for Convoke spells. </span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rumor Gatherer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witty Roastmaster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeskai Ascendancy"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And last, I added in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witty Roastmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Witty Roastmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to dish out some extra pain when our tokens enter. Because what’s better than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Two of them!</span></p>
<h2><b>Cost Cutters</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve added 10 awesome cards to this list, so of course 10 not-so-awesome cards have got to go. For my cuts, I mostly focused on getting rid of cards that were either too high in MV, or just not effective in the deck.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For cards that I just don’t think are functional enough, I’m taking out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duergar Hedge-Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Duergar Hedge-Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Improbable Alliance" href="#" target="_blank">Improbable Alliance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Medics" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Medics</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angel of Finality" href="#" target="_blank">Angel of Finality</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The Hedge-Mage is laughably ineffective in a deck that doesn’t do much fetching of basic lands. While Improbable Alliance is cheap, its token-making ability is terribly inefficient, as is its card draw (six mana?!) Angel of Finality is fine, and grave-hate is certainly a legit reason to include it in a deck. But without consistent flickering abilities in the deck it’s just not very useful. And Goblin Medics doesn’t deal enough damage.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Duergar Hedge-Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Joyful Stormsculptor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ichor Elixir"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For costly cards, I’ve cut <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Joyful Stormsculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Joyful Stormsculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flight of Equenauts" href="#" target="_blank">Flight of Equenauts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chant of Vitu-Ghazi" href="#" target="_blank">Chant of Vitu-Ghazi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Austere Command" href="#" target="_blank">Austere Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Flight and Chant are both Convoke cards, and I really hated to cut them, since that’s the deck’s whole theme, and it’s already lacking in those cards. But they really just bloated the top end of the mana curve with very weak effects. Stormsculptor is five mana for three creatures, which isn’t a bad ROI, I just needed it to cost less. And Austere Command is a perfectly good card, it’s just too expensive for this list.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And last, I cut <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Screech" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Screech</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ichor Elixir" href="#" target="_blank">Ichor Elixir</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I know Elixir plays with the Planechase cards, but this deck really needed more colored mana. And cheaper ramp. Battle Screech was just not good enough, even with the Flashback potential.</span></p>
<h2><b>Top Shelf</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking to blow your tax return on upgrading this precon? I’ve got you covered. How about some Gods? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doubles the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, God of the Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, God of the Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives all of our creatures vigilance (great with Convoke) while also being a mana sink for some token creation.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Purphoros, God of the Forge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bennie Bracks, Zoologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="City on Fire"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve got a few pricier Convoke cards as well, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bennie Bracks, Zoologist" href="#" target="_blank">Bennie Bracks, Zoologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and, from the main March of the Machine set, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="City on Fire" href="#" target="_blank">City on Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There’s some low MV creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Esper Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Esper Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer" href="#" target="_blank">Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that give us some potential card advantage. And for extra card draw we can throw in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of the Storyteller" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of the Storyteller</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The manabase could also use a real boost, so add in some high-end lands like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raugrin Triome" href="#" target="_blank">Raugrin Triome</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steam Vents" href="#" target="_blank">Steam Vents</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectator Seating" href="#" target="_blank">Spectator Seating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flooded Strand" href="#" target="_blank">Flooded Strand</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Staff of the Storyteller"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi’s Protection"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And let’s not forget to protect ourselves, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi’s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi’s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meekstone" href="#" target="_blank">Meekstone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2><b>Faster. Stronger.</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here’s the final upgraded decklist:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Divine Convocation Upgraded" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Saint Traft and Rem Karolus
[/Commander]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Creatures]
*1 Angel of Salvation
*1 Banisher Priest
*1 Chasm Skulker
*1 Cloud of Faeries
*1 Emeria Angel
*1 Fallowsage
*1 Flockchaser Phantom
*1 Goblin Instigator
*1 Kasla, the Broken Halo
*1 Keeper of the Accord
*1 Kykar, Wind&#039;s Fury
*1 Mentor of the Meek
*1 Mistmeadow Vanisher
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Nadir Kraken
*1 Nesting Dovehawk
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Rumor Gatherer
*1 Seraph of the Masses
*1 Spirited Companion
*1 Suture Priest
*1 Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
*1 The Locust God
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Venerated Loxodon
*1 Village Bell-Ringer
*1 Wildfire Awakener
*1 Witty Roastmaster
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Migratory Route
*1 Path of the Ghosthunter
*1 Preordain
*1 Temporal Cleansing
*1 Wrenn&#039;s Resolve
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Conclave Tribunal
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Jeskai Ascendancy
*1 Whirlwind of Thought
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Cultivator&#039;s Caravan
*1 Deluxe Dragster
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Fractured Powerstone
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Wand of the Worldsoul
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Artistic Refusal
*1 Cut Short
*1 Devouring Light
*1 Ephemeral Shields
*1 Meeting of Minds
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Shatter the Source
*1 Stoke the Flames
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Furycalm Snarl
*8 Island
*1 Kher Keep
*8 Mountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*8 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We added 10 cards, upping the card advantage and ramp, while lowering the mana curve and switching to our lower-cost commander, and we did it for less than $8. This just goes to show that this game is for everyone, whether your deck budget is $50 or $500, we can all play and have a good time. Our final list here is more streamlined, and will hold its own at more tables.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to check back for more precon guides from us Scrap Trawlers. Lenny and Bert are hard at work making the guides for the other decks from this set, so don’t miss those. You can also check out our budget content over on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers">Twitch</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers">YouTube</a> and follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers">Twitter</a>. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Until next time, remember to budget…before you buy it.</span></p>


witty roastmaster

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