Epic Experiment - Niv-Mizzet Reborn

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yule Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Yule Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Prescott_(artist)">Steve Prescott</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>We find ourselves in a strange place, as we often do, a realm of juxtaposition. The sun hides, and the nights lengthen. There is disparity in this season. Somewhere, a Dark Souls joke is made. Heat and cold. Bonfires and snow shovels. <em>Hygge</em> and the bitter chill of winter.</p>
<p>Welcome to <em>Yule Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck. This time, to honor the elder gods of Candletide, we'll be knitting a warm blanket of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/themes/snow">Snow supertype</a> atop an <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/oozes">Ooze tribal</a> subtheme. How is Snow presented here as a metaphor for warmth, you ask? Igloos. And why Ooze? Well, in anticipation of the eventual errata of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yule Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Yule Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to black border, of course.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jegantha, the Wellspring"></div></div>
<p>I think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> looks suitably festive. If one were to make a New Year's Resolution to forego multiples of duplicate mana symbols in card costs, Jegantha could probably pull the royal sleigh of someone like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who, in the lore of Eldraine, is prophesied to become Santa Claus in his twilight years. Though some sad substitutions would have to be made (God rest ye merry <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Predator Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Predator Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), Kenrith's second ability could make for a powerful +1/+1 counters tertiary theme that permeates, and even 'permanates' throughout the brew.</p>
<p>But we'll keep this list cozy, so that means lots of mana symbols in casting costs. With Jegantha steering (sleighs have wheels, right? Hmm... ask the wheelwright), that gives us access to things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glacial Plating" href="#" target="_blank">Glacial Plating</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Oh, this is going to end up being a <em>Cumulative Upkeep</em> deck, isn't it?</p>
<p>One would think the cold might slow our gelatinous friends down. Is there such a thing as <em>too </em>viscous? Let's find out.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rudolph’s Reign" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Boreal Druid
*1 Chilling Shade
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Conifer Wurm
*1 Diamond Faerie
*1 Thing in the Ice
*1 Woolly Razorback
*1 Rimefeather Owl
*1 Zombie Musher
*1 Rimescale Dragon
*1 Heidar, Rimewind Master
*1 Ice-Fang Coatl
*1 Golos, Tireless Pilgrim
*1 Chulane, Teller of Tales
*1 Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Yule Ooze
*1 Mitotic Slime
*1 Biowaste Blob
*1 Slurrk, All-Ingesting
*1 Prime Speaker Vannifar
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Bloodhall Ooze
*1 Manaplasm
*1 Experiment Kraj
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Ancient Ooze
*1 Biogenic Ooze
*1 Predator Ooze
*1 Metallic Mimic
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Mystic Genesis
*1 Tribal Unity
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Into the North
*1 Cultivate
*1 Gelatinous Genesis
*1 Miming Slime
*1 Hurricane
*1 Harsh Mercy
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcum’s Astrolabe
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 The Ozolith
*1 Chromatic Orrery
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Iceberg
*1 Marit Lage&#039;s Slumber
*1 Rhythm of the Wild
*1 Ice Cave
*1 Gelid Shackles
*1 On Thin Ice
*1 Snow Devil
*1 Glacial Plating
*1 Ooze Garden
*1 Ooze Flux
*1 Crown of Ascension
*1 Etchings of the Chosen
*1 Steely Resolve
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Novijen, Heart of Progress
*1 Highland Weald
*1 Boreal Shelf
*1 Arctic Flats
*1 Tresserhorn Sinks
*1 Frost Marsh
*1 Scrying Sheets
*3 Snow-Covered Plains
*5 Snow-Covered Island
*4 Snow-Covered Swamp
*4 Snow-Covered Mountain
*7 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Blighted Woodland
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Flooded Grove
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Santa Took the Year Off</h2>
<p>We're running 40 lands in this list, giving Rudolph plenty of room to touch down. We're a bit color-intensive, thanks to the many multi-pipped Oozes, so we've excised some obvious lands, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Frostwalk Bastion" href="#" target="_blank">Frostwalk Bastion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mouth of Ronom" href="#" target="_blank">Mouth of Ronom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While we are trying to cool things down with ice counters, Marit Lage will have to wait a little longer: the additional color sources in this list seemed more important than a few more frosty permanents. Generally, our ice counters will be doing different things, but with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can refrigerate our own gelatinous desserts, adding to our total number of Snow permanents in a pinch. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Woolly Razorback" href="#" target="_blank">Woolly Razorback</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thing in the Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Thing in the Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will even be Snowy for a little while.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rimefeather Owl"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Woolly Razorback"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thing in the Ice"></div></div>
<p>More likely we'll be plowing away both with our abundance of winter wonderlands and with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chulane, Teller of Tales" href="#" target="_blank">Chulane, Teller of Tales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golos, Tireless Pilgrim" href="#" target="_blank">Golos, Tireless Pilgrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (incidentally, second and third in line for the Santa line of succession). It shouldn't be too difficult to flash in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ice-Fang Coatl" href="#" target="_blank">Ice-Fang Coatl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with deathtouch, nor should <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heidar, Rimewind Master" href="#" target="_blank">Heidar, Rimewind Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s activated ability be unavailable for overlong.</p>
<p>Of course, as the snow piles up, so too should our +1/+1 counters, accumulating in the gooey eaves. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might seem as brightly obvious as the North Star, our included lords and anthems and the like serve us well enough. And as far as the +1/+1 counter interactions themselves (e.g. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ooze Flux" href="#" target="_blank">Ooze Flux</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Experiment Kraj" href="#" target="_blank">Experiment Kraj</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), we should have a reliable stockpile even without doubling.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obelisk of Urd"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Biowaste Blob"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribal Unity"></div></div>
<p>And hey, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obelisk of Urd" href="#" target="_blank">Obelisk of Urd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a decent impression of a Douglas Fir.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Santa's Back!</h2>
<p>However, what if we had someone pulling the reins as well? Left alone, Jegantha just kind of follows their nose. A little bit of navigational experience from a pilot with more than a few flights under their sash could give us some much-needed guidance. Indeed, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, the Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, the Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has 3,630 decks as of this writing, compared to Jegantha's 216. Sorry, Rudolph.</p>
<p>Santa does not simply walk to the table. He'll need Jegantha leading the van (and maybe <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Ascension" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Ascension</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snow Devil" href="#" target="_blank">Snow Devil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) if he's going to take flight.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="To Be Jolly" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kenrith, the Returned King
[/Commander]
[Companion]
*1 Jegantha, the Wellspring
[/Companion]
[Creatures]
*1 Boreal Druid
*1 Chilling Shade
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Conifer Wurm
*1 Diamond Faerie
*1 Zombie Musher
*1 Heidar, Rimewind Master
*1 Ice-Fang Coatl
*1 Golos, Tireless Pilgrim
*1 Chulane, Teller of Tales
*1 Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Yule Ooze
*1 Mitotic Slime
*1 Slurrk, All-Ingesting
*1 Prime Speaker Vannifar
*1 Bloodhall Ooze
*1 Manaplasm
*1 Scavenging Ooze
*1 Metallic Mimic
*1 Inexorable Blob
*1 Ravenous Slime
*1 The Mimeoplasm
*1 Corrosive Ooze
*1 Corpsejack Menace
*1 Blizzard Specter
*1 Rime Tender
*1 Blizzard Strix
*1 Abominable Treefolk
*1 Rimewind Cryomancer
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Tribal Unity
*1 Skred
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Into the North
*1 Cultivate
*1 Miming Slime
*1 Hurricane
*1 Harsh Mercy
*1 Slime Molding
*1 Glacial Revelation
*1 Dead of Winter
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcum’s Astrolabe
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Obelisk of Urd
*1 Vanquisher’s Banner
*1 Slate of Ancestry
*1 The Ozolith
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Marit Lage’s Slumber
*1 Gelid Shackles
*1 On Thin Ice
*1 Snow Devil
*1 Ooze Garden
*1 Ooze Flux
*1 Crown of Ascension
*1 Etchings of the Chosen
*1 Steely Resolve
*1 Winter’s Night
*1 Gutter Grime
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Command Tower
*1 Karn’s Bastion
*1 Novijen, Heart of Progress
*1 Highland Weald
*1 Boreal Shelf
*1 Arctic Flats
*1 Tresserhorn Sinks
*1 Frost Marsh
*1 Scrying Sheets
*3 Snow-Covered Plains
*5 Snow-Covered Island
*4 Snow-Covered Swamp
*4 Snow-Covered Mountain
*6 Snow-Covered Forest
*1 Krosan Verge
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Mouth of Ronom
*1 Frostwalk Bastion
*1 Dark Depths
*1 Thespian’s Stage
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slate of Ancestry" href="#" target="_blank">Slate of Ancestry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will tell the tales of the sleigh-drivers. Oh, and now with Kenrith reigning o'er the land, tossing your hand into the 'yard has the potential to fuel your commander's fifth activated ability. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Mimeoplasm" href="#" target="_blank">The Mimeoplasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn't mind a populated charnel house, either. Huh, sounds festive.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pine Walker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Goblin Ski Patrol"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feast of the Unicorn"></div></div>
<p>You'll have noticed that the +1/+1 counter quaternary theme has suffered in the new list, but Kenrith himself provides a bit of support with his second activated ability. In addition, <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> showed up, fitting in nicely with the forgotten leftovers of the holidays. Without <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rimefeather Owl" href="#" target="_blank">Rimefeather Owl</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we won't be feasibly freezing our Oozes, and our lost lords a-leaping means less in the way of holiday cheer. So, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dead of Winter" href="#" target="_blank">Dead of Winter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is likely to hit our jams and jellies along with any other creatures sans snowfall. Fortunately, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kenrith, Returned King" href="#" target="_blank">Kenrith, Returned King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can convince our lazier (that is, dead) Oozes to get back into the workshop and get them making toys again. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prime Speaker Vannifar" href="#" target="_blank">Prime Speaker Vannifar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an Elf Ooze Wizard, so this extremely roundabout metaphor has legs. Or, uh, slime... feet.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slimefoot, the Stowaway"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Year's End</h2>
<p>That's it for this Frore and Frosty Feast, Prepared Two Ways, and Forgotten in the Fridge, and that's it for this inaugural edition of <em>Yule Shot</em>. I hope you all enjoy the remainder of this winter season as much as possible - it is the denouement to 2020, after all. Be sure to fish out any +1/+1 counters in your eggnog, those aren't supposed to be in there. Let us know in the comments below if you've gotten up to any wintry brewing lately, and what it's looking like. Food tokens? Politics? Group hug? Every single card with synonyms for <em>cold</em>?</p>
<p>Till next time. I'll be hoping you all stay safe and warm and fed this season. Happy holidays!</p>


Yule Shot - The Season

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="http://www.rahnart.com/">Chris Rahn</a></h6>
<h1>Time to Make a New Friend</h1>
<p><em>Companions</em> are a game-changer. They give us access to a free card from the start of the game in exchange for some deckbuilding restrictions (and, of course, they now have an extra three-mana tax). Here on <em>Collected Company</em>, we’re going to take a look at all of them and see how we can build around their quirks.</p>
<p>Let's talk about one of the most powerful <em>Companions</em> out there, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jegantha, the Wellspring"></div></div>
<p>Jegantha's restriction is pretty minor because cards with the same mana symbol can be easily replaced. The most noticeable losses are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects and big top-end cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While the above is true, there are still some "hidden" restrictions when using Jegantha. Commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jodah, Archmage Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Jodah, Archmage Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will have trouble finding expensive cards to cheat out with the restriction. Artifact-heavy lists won't really benefit from having Jegantha as a <em>Companion</em>. There's also the case of needing to build a deck in a more color-intensive way to get full use of Jegantha's kit.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, let's talk about Jegantha's kit: it's pretty amazing! Having this kind of access to such a powerful mana dork is game-changing. There are plenty of powerful commanders that have the WUBRG cost that can be fully paid with Jegantha, which can lead into a huge tempo swing if we get to play Jegantha before our commander. Take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The First Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">The First Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example: it really appreciates having the huge tempo turn before getting cast. And don't even get me started on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Najeela, the Blade-Blossom" href="#" target="_blank">Najeela, the Blade-Blossom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>....</p>
<p>However, it's hard to get full benefits from Jegantha. Decks that play it well are the ones that tend to invest in some form of WUBRG activated ability or that are trying to cast multiple spells a turn.</p>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Endless Possibilities</h2>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ramos, Dragon Engine"></div></div></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramos, Dragon Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Ramos, Dragon Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a commander that tends to have lots of multicolored spells, which are used to generate mana via its activated ability. Jegantha really helps the deck by providing both the color-fixing needed to consistently cast those spells and by accelerating so that we get to the point of casting multiple spells a turn. Ramos lists tend naturally trends towards tricolor spells, so not only we get full benefit from our <em>Companion</em>, but we also don't lose all that much with its restrictions.</div>
<div>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expansion // Explosion" href="#" target="_blank">Expansion // Explosion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Supreme Verdict" href="#" target="_blank">Supreme Verdict</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Debt to the Deathless" href="#" target="_blank">Debt to the Deathless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cruel Ultimatum" href="#" target="_blank">Cruel Ultimatum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omniscience" href="#" target="_blank">Omniscience</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Horde of Notions"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Horde of Notions" href="#" target="_blank">Horde of Notions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great tribal commander to showcase the power of Jegantha in a tribal setting. Horde provides a useful mana sink (that can even recur Jegantha), and having Jegantha makes getting multiple activations out of the commander much easier. Elementals as a whole don't lose all that much, aside from some tribal support. The fact that Jegantha is an Elemental plays really well with Horde, too, since we get to save it from the occasional non-exile removal.</p>
<div>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locus of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locus of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyxbloom Ancient" href="#" target="_blank">Nyxbloom Ancient</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sisay, Weatherlight Captain"></div></div>
<p>Commanders with a powerful activated ability that can be accelerated by Jegantha also can make great use of it. These commanders often struggle to find the balance between paying for their ability and playing cards from hand. This combination allows for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sisay, Weatherlight Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Sisay, Weatherlight Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> players to have more flexible turns where they don't need to overextend, allowing them to hold on to interaction for longer.</p>
<div>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kamahl&#039;s Druidic Vow" href="#" target="_blank">Kamahl&#039;s Druidic Vow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashiok, Dream Render" href="#" target="_blank">Ashiok, Dream Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eerie Ultimatum" href="#" target="_blank">Eerie Ultimatum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<hr />
<h2>It's Alive!</h2>
</div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niv-Mizzet Reborn"></div></div>
<p>The combination of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is quite an impressive one: Niv provides the cards and Jegantha provides the mana. The best part about this duo is that it's very easy to fully use Jegantha's mana ability because we have access to a bunch of different guild-colored cards.</p>
<p>Just like many Niv-Mizzet Reborn lists out there, our deck gravitates towards a control shell. We use our commander's ETB to fill our hand with powerful spells, and we have the mana (thanks to Jegantha) to cast some of them right away. However, we still need a way to win the game: enter planeswalkers. Planewalkers are a great type to mix with Niv 4.0 because they are resilient win conditions that are spread among the color pie, giving us plenty of great choices. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Ghost Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Ghost Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venser, the Sojourner" href="#" target="_blank">Venser, the Sojourner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a great way to get a consistent chain of Niv-Mizzet's ETB, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral Zarek" href="#" target="_blank">Ral Zarek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Master of the Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Master of the Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow us to untap Jegantha. As for game-ending planeswalkers, we're packing some powerful ones: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Hero of Dominaria" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Hero of Dominaria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can quickly get out of control if we get to emblem, and don't underestimate <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Grim Nemesis" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Grim Nemesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; we have a deck that isn't very aggressive but that packs a lot of punch, so the +1 ability can really make a difference. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Cursed Huntsman" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Cursed Huntsman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can quickly get out of control with its tokens and can be great in post-board-wipe scenarios, and his ultimate is really powerful with other token-producers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral Zarek"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiora, Master of the Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk, Cursed Huntsman"></div></div>
<p>Our control suite is really important, but it's not as straightforward as other decks. We do need to consider the color identity of the cards that we're including so that we have a more reliable Niv trigger. Each guild has a certain tendency that we can explore to improve our consistency. Dimir, for example, is filled with counterspell goodies, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Countersquall" href="#" target="_blank">Countersquall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but it also has lots of great removal/counterspell hybrids, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drown in the Loch" href="#" target="_blank">Drown in the Loch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that are usually live for most of the game. Finding the perfect balance is a fun challenge that rewards the time we put into it.</p>
<p>We're choosing to go with as few non-guild-colored cards as possible, but there's certainly the case to add a few more high-impact staples, such as <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>, into the mix. In fact, all of our non-hits are cards that are dedicated to smooth out our mid-game, by either color-fixing, or simply by accelerating us in the early game. Flexible ramp spells, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyshroud Claim" href="#" target="_blank">Skyshroud Claim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are even better because they can also thin our deck, which on its own isn't that relevant, but, in conjunction with our fetch lands, can make a difference.</p>
<p>Our priority is to get Jegantha online as soon as possible; our impact on the board is much more... impactful when we untap with it. Getting to use Jegantha to pay for our commander means that we have the mana to cast at least one extra spell on this turn, which is usually a huge tempo swing in our favor. This curve is really something else, and it's mainly the reason why I felt that enablers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Panharmonicon" href="#" target="_blank">Panharmonicon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or blinks in general, felt a bit unnecessary, as they play kind of awkwardly with our setup.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Niv-Mizzet and Jegantha Superfriends" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Niv-Mizzet Reborn
[/Commander]
[Companion]
*Jegantha, the Wellspring
[/Companion]
[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Arcane Signet
*Chromatic Lantern
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Birds of Paradise
*Baleful Strix
*Bloom Tender
*Coiling Oracle
*Qasali Pridemage
*Faeburrow Elder
*Knight of Autumn
*Radha, Heart of Keld
*Uro, Titan of Nature&#039;s Wrath
*Polukranos, Unchained
*Keranos, God of Storms
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Oath of Kaya
*Assemble the Legion
*Mirari&#039;s Wake
*Oath of Teferi
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*Azorius Charm
*Boros Charm
*Countersquall
*Despark
*Dimir Charm
*Dovin&#039;s Veto
*Drown in the Loch
*Growth Spiral
*Izzet Charm
*Orzhov Charm
*Rakdos Charm
*Fire Covenant
*Kolaghan&#039;s Command
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*Dack Fayden
*Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
*Teferi, Time Raveler
*Kaya, Ghost Assassin
*Kiora, Master of the Depths
*Nahiri, the Harbinger
*Ral Zarek
*Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
*Venser, the Sojourner
*Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
*Sorin, Grim Nemesis
*Vraska, Relic Seeker
*Garruk, Apex Predator
[/Planeswalker]
[Sorcery]
*Dreadbore
*Farseek
*Hull Breach
*Nature&#039;s Lore
*Reborn Hope
*Three Visits
*Deafening Clarion
*Last One Standing
*Decimate
*Skyshroud Claim
*Solar Blaze
*Bring To Light
*Escape to the Wilds
*Merciless Eviction
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Arid Mesa
*Blood Crypt
*Bloodstained Mire
*Breeding Pool
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Exotic Orchard
*Flooded Strand
*Godless Shrine
*Hallowed Fountain
*Indatha Triome
*Ketria Triome
*Mana Confluence
*Marsh Flats
*Misty Rainforest
*Overgrown Tomb
*Pillar of the Paruns
*Polluted Delta
*Raugrin Triome
*Sacred Foundry
*Savai Triome
*Scalding Tarn
*Steam Vents
*Stomping Ground
*Temple Garden
*Verdant Catacombs
*Watery Grave
*Windswept Heath
*Wooded Foothills
*Zagoth Triome
*2 Forest
*2 Island
*2 Mountain
*2 Plains
*2 Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div></p>

<hr />
<h2>This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship</h2>
<p>This list is something else. The combination of mana and card draw is impressive, and it shows the power of Jegantha as a mana dork. The deckbuilding restriction never was in the way of the deckbuilding process, and it felt like a nuisance more than anything else.</p>
<p>I was quite impressed on how Jegantha played out. The <em>Companion </em>tax change certainly reduced some of the possibilities for it, but Jegantha's impact didn't get completely destroyed like it felt with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zirda, the Dawnwaker" href="#" target="_blank">Zirda, the Dawnwaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In fact, Jegantha felt very similar to Zirda, but it was overall better than its Boros counterpart because it was not as restrictive.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Collected Company</em>! What do you think about this article? What are your thoughts on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Which<em> Companion</em> do you want to see covered next? Share your opinions in the comments.</p>


Collected Company - Jegantha

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Souvenir Snatcher" href="#" target="_blank">Souvenir Snatcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kev_Walker">Kev Walker</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Welcome to <em>Dual</em><em> Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time... in one deck.</p>
<p>There's something about those strange, black birds. They're too clever by half. The family-minded crow, with her flock of scores, or the lonelier raven, grand and imposing. Folks have been writing about them for as long as they've had writing, and they were musing about the talkative little creatures well before any human hand put pen to paper, or chisel to stone.</p>
<p>The First Nations of the American Pacific Northwest variously mythologize the raven as a creator god and a trickster god. There are multiple crow-riders in Hindu mythology, sometimes fearsome and inauspicious, other times heralding justice, spiritual rigor, and conscientiousness. To the Irish gods, ravens were inextricable from warfare, reliably assembling to clean the flesh from the fields of battle. The Welsh god Bran is named so: literally meaning <em>raven</em>. The raven is the first bird mentioned in the Bible. They are prophecy, they are thought, they are memory. Even more, their characters exhibit industry and laziness, carnality and temperance, discipline and boredom.</p>
<p>The world over, we've seen ourselves in these birds.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Souvenir Snatcher"></div></div>
<p>In this series, we put two decks into one. This usually presents as a deck's theme being streamlined slightly, so as to accommodate the inclusion of a secondary theme, and it's the goal of the experiment to try and reconcile these two fractions. Sometimes we find unexpected synergy, and other times, things prove a little too jarring. Rarely, we tap into an unexplored theme - a combination of cards that we don't see in tandem with any statistical significance on EDHREC - either because it's perceived as too difficult to make a small or unsupported theme shine, or simply because it's weird and unwieldy.</p>
<p>And no, this one doesn't involve <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/birds">Bird tribal</a> (although plenty of our creatures are technically going to be Birds). Instead, we'll focus on those uncanny totems that are still erected to this day, as if the warding charms of men might have anything of import to say to the crows. More often than not, I see common ravens perching on the stiff limbs of scarecrows, unafraid of whatever repellent qualities the straw might have. Like they might be mocking us. Or perhaps <em>teasing</em> is a better word, as I've never detected malice in crows - only trickery.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trickery Charm"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Problem Solving</h2>
<p>It's no great secret that crows and ravens are up to more than they let on, as anyone who has had their things tampered with by the birds can attest to. Once, when I was on the Channel Islands off the coast of California, I saw a common raven descend upon an unattended backpack in the campgrounds, unzip the largest pocket with its beak, and <em>steal a cell phone</em>.</p>
<p>I'm not sure what it needed a smartphone for, but it stands to reason that these birds have a multifarious toolbox. Thus, we arrive at "charms" tribal.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crosis&#039;s Charm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bant Charm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rakdos Charm"></div></div>
<p>So without any further obfuscation or meandering rumination, this is a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tribes/scarecrows">Scarecrow tribal</a> list helmed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaper King" href="#" target="_blank">Reaper King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, reinforcing his legion with an armory of <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=charm+type%3Ainstant">charms</a>. Charms in <em>Magic</em> typically belong to cycles, each finding their identity in their modality. These modal cards are multitaskers, much like the cycle of commands.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atarka&#039;s Command"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Profane Command"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cryptic Command"></div></div>
<p>Note the difference: the Charms grant us one of the modes, while the Commands grant us two. (Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sublime Epiphany" href="#" target="_blank">Sublime Epiphany</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can give us all of them.) Since this is a <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/wubrg#">WUBRG</a> list, and the charms tend to demand a little more color (and since crows are <em>charming</em> - come on, they're dressed in all black, so they're ready for any formal event!), we'll exclude the Commands and take advantage of our rainbow identity.</p>
<p>Okay, justifications aside, let's see how this works.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Reaper King Charms" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Reaper King
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Brass Herald
*1 Cairn Wanderer
*1 Chainbreaker
*1 Changeling Outcast
*1 Changeling Titan
*1 Elvish Harbinger
*1 Faerie Harbinger
*1 Fang Skulkin
*1 Farmstead Gleaner
*1 Flamekin Harbinger
*1 Graveshifter
*1 Impostor of the Sixth Pride
*1 Irregular Cohort
*1 Jawbone Skulkin
*1 Jousting Dummy
*1 Lockjaw Snapper
*1 Mirror Entity
*1 Mothdust Changeling
*1 Scarecrow
*1 Scaretiller
*1 Scuttlemutt
*1 Shell Skulkin
*1 Signpost Scarecrow
*1 Tatterkite
*1 Taurean Mauler
*1 Universal Automaton
*1 Unsettled Mariner
*1 Valiant Changeling
*1 Venomous Changeling
*1 War-Spike Changeling
*1 Webweaver Changeling
*1 Wild-Field Scarecrow
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Kindred Charge
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Armillary Sphere
*1 Birthing Boughs
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Mirror of the Forebears
*1 Pillar of Origins
*1 Soul Foundry
*1 Star Compass
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Abzan Charm
*1 Bant Charm
*1 Crosis&#039;s Charm
*1 Darigaaz&#039;s Charm
*1 Dromar&#039;s Charm
*1 Esper Charm
*1 Golgari Charm
*1 Grixis Charm
*1 Jeskai Charm
*1 Jund Charm
*1 Mardu Charm
*1 Naya Charm
*1 Rakdos Charm
*1 Rith&#039;s Charm
*1 Simic Charm
*1 Sultai Charm
*1 Temur Charm
*1 Treva&#039;s Charm
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Dictate of Karametra
*1 Etchings of the Chosen
*1 Kindred Discovery
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dragonskull Summit
*1 Drowned Catacomb
*1 Exotic Orchard
*5 Forest
*5 Island
*1 Isolated Chapel
*5 Mountain
*6 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Sulfur Falls
*5 Swamp
*1 Unclaimed Territory
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Distracted by the Shiny</h2>
<p>As you can see, this deck can do a lot of very specific things. Did our opponent field infinite creatures? Let's kill them with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rakdos Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Rakdos Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Do our creatures represent lethal damage, but our opponent have a ton of blockers? Clear the way with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naya Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Naya Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We can burn, we can heal, we can deal with all manner of permanents. With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaper King" href="#" target="_blank">Reaper King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out, we're basically playing hard control. And of course, like any decent control deck, the win conditions are... lacking.</p>
<p>Fielding a bunch of unimpressive Scarecrows and lording over them with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brass Herald" href="#" target="_blank">Brass Herald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etchings of the Chosen" href="#" target="_blank">Etchings of the Chosen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can slowly turn the tide in our favor, and we have a fair bit of countermagic available to protect us from board wipes. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Charge" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Charge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the only tool in the list that will win us the game out of nowhere - "Out of nowhere" used here to mean "once we have an already-established board presence."</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brass Herald"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etchings of the Chosen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kindred Charge"></div></div>
<p>Outside of our charms, we also have a good deal of utility in our creatures, and our harbingers can fetch them for us. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elvish Harbinger" href="#" target="_blank">Elvish Harbinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Harbinger" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Harbinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flamekin Harbinger" href="#" target="_blank">Flamekin Harbinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would all make excellent crows. However, there aren't really any game-winning fetch targets. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Entity" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Entity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can get it done, but we still need a wide board state, and plenty of mana ready. Thus, our Charms can help loot for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Charge" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Charge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Treva&#039;s Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Treva&#039;s Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sultai Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Sultai Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will help to that end - and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naya Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Naya Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can pull anything back from the graveyard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elvish Harbinger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faerie Harbinger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flamekin Harbinger"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This is a quirky deck, but crows are quirky birds. I mean, have you seen them walk? Look, if you want a deck with 30 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Angel of Despair" href="#" target="_blank">Angel of Despair</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s in it, and with only a couple meaningful win cons that you have to really dig for and score off oddly specific multitools, then this is the deck for you. It should prove shiny enough to keep our attention for a little while, at least. That is, until the next unattended backpack shows itself, zippers alive with light.</p>
<p>That's it for this installment of <em>Dual Shot</em>! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaper King" href="#" target="_blank">Reaper King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fairly popular commander, with just over 1,000 lists on EDHREC. What strange shenanigans have you gotten up to with our pumpkin-crowned liege lord? Or, perhaps a more interesting question: what are some of the weirder interactions you've seen with Charms, Commands, or modal cards in general? When did those more specific modes come in handy? Let us know in the comments below! See you soon - the next experiment doesn't look too far off, as the crow flies.</p>


Dual Shot - Clever Crows

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trespasser&#039;s Curse" href="#" target="_blank">Trespasser&#039;s Curse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.dvpalumbo.com/magic-the-gathering.html">David Palumbo</a>)</h6>
<h1>Introduction</h1>
<p>Those who are doomed to fight are doomed to die. But if you’re prepared to die, fear quiets to acceptance, and the battlefield changes.</p>
<p>Welcome to the latest episode of <em>Dual Shot</em>, where we brew two decks at the same time… in one deck.</p>
<p>This time, we’re hiding a Forced Combat deck inside a Curse deck, driven by a heavy statistical overlap in play with cards like Curse of the Nightly Hunt, Sphere of Safety, and Gahiji, Honored One – along with many others.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of the Nightly Hunt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sphere of Safety"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gahiji, Honored One"></div></div>
<p>In a very real sense, these two themes are two sides of the same coin. Forcing combat disincentivizes opponents from attacking you, and Curses incentivize them to attack elsewhere. A purer approach to either of these archetypes invariably yields some overlap anyway, so why not commit to noncommittal? The style of no style could be argued to be optimal, and being able to adapt to a changing battlefield – or a political landscape – could be your way out.</p>
<p>But don’t rely on hope, or on some survival instinct. Recognize that you will die, and embrace the melee.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arena"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>And No, Not That Arena®</h2>
<p>Feel free to embrace the newest digital platform, but 1v1 is a bit too scary for this deck. What about all those martial arts metaphors I’m always so keen on? Uh, well, maybe this deck is more on the trash talk side of things, and wilts a fair bit when the violence is directed its way. As Iron Mike said, everyone has a plan till they get punched in the mouth.</p>
<p>So don’t get punched in the mouth. <em>Hey, that guy called you a jerk, are you gonna take that?</em> Ah, so maybe it’s not about trash talking in itself, but more about fomenting trash talk amongst the other players. I almost hesitate to run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this list, as you’ll see later, simply because it tends to attract a lot of attention. We do need some mana fixing and ramp, though, since this is a five-color deck helmed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami" href="#" target="_blank">O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>But again, all that talk of battle earlier on was just a lot of pomp, and that big Kami is secretly kind of a coward. It’s unlikely that we’ll get the chance to counterpunch with our polycephalic Dragon Spirit… unless we opportunistically intercept an opponent’s strike with our face.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nettling Curse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Master Warcraft"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pramikon, Sky Rampart"></div></div>
<p>Note that I don’t recommend this strategy for an actual fight.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Sidelines</h2>
<p>While there is a lane for accepting (or manipulating) the combat that comes our way thanks to cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterheart Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterheart Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thantis, the Warweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Thantis, the Warweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs" href="#" target="_blank">Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, more often we’ll be avoiding that, hiding from the fray in our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sphere of Safety" href="#" target="_blank">Sphere of Safety</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It’s cozy in there, and even has some added redundancy in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Windborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Windborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Baird, Steward of Argive" href="#" target="_blank">Baird, Steward of Argive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Prison" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Prison</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>And while we provide plenty of battle fodder with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Phantasm" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Phantasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Spymaster" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Spymaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor" href="#" target="_blank">Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <em>and</em> we have numerous <em>Goad</em> effects, about 60% of the deck is geared towards cursing our opponents. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Idyllic Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Idyllic Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod’s Pigrim" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod’s Pigrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterheart Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterheart Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (with a little nudge, anyway) all help us pick and choose what flavor of curse we need in the moment. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Misfortunes" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Misfortunes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes this selection to an extreme, and if left unaddressed for more than a few turn cycles, will often win you the game through attrition. That’s the sort of vengeance that should placate the old Kami.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="O-Kagachi Curses You" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Accursed Witch
*1 Bitterheart Witch
*1 Heliod&#039;s Pilgrim
*1 Baird, Steward of Argive
*1 Windborn Muse
*1 Thantis, the Warweaver
*1 Pramikon, Sky Rampart
*1 Saskia the Unyielding
*1 Sower of Discord
*1 Tiana, Ship’s Caretaker
*1 Mathas, Fiend Seeker
*1 Xantcha, Sleeper Agent
*1 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
*1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
*1 Gahiji, Honored One
*1 Fumiko the Lowblood
*1 Warmonger Hellkite
*1 Marisi, Breaker of the Coil
*1 Goblin Spymaster
*1 Hunted Phantasm
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Exotic Curse
*1 Curse of the Nightly Hunt
*1 Nettling Curse
*1 Curse of Misfortunes
*1 Curse of Thirst
*1 Curse of Opulence
*1 Curse of Fool’s Wisdom
*1 Curse of Exhaustion
*1 Curse of the Pierced Heart
*1 Trespasser’s Curse
*1 Curse of the Shallow Graves
*1 Curse of Disturbance
*1 Curse of Stalked Prey
*1 Curse of Death’s Hold
*1 Curse of Inertia
*1 Curse of Vitality
*1 Curse of the Cabal
*1 Curse of Oblivion
*1 Curse of Echoes
*1 Curse of Verbosity
*1 Curse of Vengeance
*1 Curse of Bounty
*1 Curse of Chaos
*1 Cruel Reality
*1 Overwhelming Splendor
*1 Captive Audience
*1 Ghostly Prison
*1 Sphere of Safety
*1 Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Master Warcraft
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Path to Exile
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Idyllic Tutor
*1 Disrupt Decorum
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Commander’s Sphere
*1 Darksteel Ingot
*1 Prismatic Geoscope
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Command Tower
*1 City of Brass
*1 Cascading Cataracts
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Temple of Epiphany
*1 Temple of Enlightenment
*1 Temple of Triumph
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Jungle Shrine
*1 Crumbling Necropolis
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Fabled Passage
*1 Rupture Spire
*1 Transguild Promenade
*1 Gateway Plaza
*4 Plains
*4 Island
*3 Swamp
*3 Mountain
*3 Forest
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exotic Curse" href="#" target="_blank">Exotic Curse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> won’t do much work for you, even though we have a number of basic lands in the deck. It was a flavor inclusion, and if you prefer the taste of winning, then consider the following: although this deck is a joy to play and pilot, it is barely scratching the surface of battlecruiser Magic. It simply does not have enough removal, and does not usually present threats at a meaningful tempo, <em>and</em> relies overmuch on politicking. Not even the Group Hug kind of politics – truly, the charisma-required “have you considered attacking someone else” type of politics. (Note: this isn't to say Group Hug doesn't require charisma; in fact, it might even require actual Machiavellianism.)</p>
<p>It is a five-color deck, however. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exotic Curse" href="#" target="_blank">Exotic Curse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> needs to go, and those basics, as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fabled Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Fabled Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, should all be replaced with shocklands if able, and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Confluence" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Confluence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gemstone Mine" href="#" target="_blank">Gemstone Mine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you’re feeling opulent. The basic land fetches are helpful, but as you can see, there are often better options.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Terramorphic Expanse"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fabled Passage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolving Wilds"></div></div>
<p>As well, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of the Pierced Heart" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of the Pierced Heart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is… bad. And I’m quite sure I put it in the deck because it said “Curse” on it. I did ignore several curses that attack your opponents’ libraries, simply because I did not envision mill as a viable option when melding the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dual Shot" href="#" target="_blank">Dual Shot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span><sup>TM </sup>of the deck. All this to say that there are a few slots that are begging to be replaced with better interaction, board control, and emergency outs.</p>
<p>But what remains in the brew is surprisingly and enjoyably effective, should the stars align. And given our handful of enchantment tutors, sometimes we can smudge the telescopic lens and make the stars align ourselves. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Death’s Hold" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Death’s Hold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can board wipe indestructible pests, making it a meaningful pick through <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Misfortunes" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Misfortunes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. So long, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thopter Assembly" href="#" target="_blank">Thopter Assembly</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> be damned.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Forge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thopter Assembly"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Death’s Hold"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Exhaustion" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Exhaustion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can quell a storm, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Oblivion" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Oblivion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can quiet the old lichyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of the Cabal" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of the Cabal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can put some heavy pressure on your opponents, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Thirst" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Thirst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can knock a player out of the running. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Echoes" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Echoes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Inertia" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Inertia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Chaos" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Chaos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can make the game, well, uh, weird. Which makes for great fun! Sometimes you’ll make a hideously sticky web of incentives and caveats for each combatant – a web whose strings only you can pluck. And sometimes you give an opponent access to their best cards and combos. Also, the word “curse” stops sounding like a real word.</p>
<p>That’s it for this installment of <em>Dual Shot</em>. Did the battle fill you with fear? Or had you already prepared to die, allowing yourself to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clear the Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Clear the Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Tell us below about the games you’ve played where things got out of hand. And, won or lost, how you managed to calmly navigate the chaos.</p>
<p>Until next time!</p>


wubrg

Epic Experiment - Niv-Mizzet Reborn

Yule Shot - The Season

Collected Company - Jegantha

Dual Shot - Clever Crows

Dual Shot - Cursed Combat