(Runeflare Trap | Art By: Franz Vohwinkel)

Have You Ever Set A Trap?

Have you ever laid low before in a game of Commander? Have you sowed discourse and discord during a game? Have you forced the table to identify others as a threat rather than yourself?

If so, then this deck could be something for you. Welcome to Tech the Deck, my name is Nick, and this article is a bit special. We are going to dive into one of my decks led by Kydele, Chosen of KruphixKydele, Chosen of Kruphix, and Ludevic, Necro-AlchemistLudevic, Necro-Alchemist.

A Very Tight Hug

Have you ever received a hug that is just a bit too tight? While it can be enjoyable initially, it quickly becomes uncomfortable and may even become painful. This is my preferred way to play the Group Hug strategy in Commander.

The deck idea is focused around one of my favorite cards from a Standard format long past and a deck long before my time of ever tapping a land. Those two cards are

Fevered VisionsFevered Visions was the slow-acting win condition in a hardcore Izzet control deck during a standard format featuring cards like Torrential GearhulkTorrential Gearhulk and Ulamog, the Ceaseless HungerUlamog, the Ceaseless Hunger.

This deck was not fun to play against from the opposite side of the table, but something about it connected deeply with me. I have never returned to that style of deck in any format, and I do not know if I ever would, but something about this deck has always stuck with me.

With Ebony Owl NetsukeEbony Owl Netsuke, the feeling was of something I missed out on. The deck name "Owling Mine" might ring a bell in some older players' minds.

A deck built around causing your opponent to draw extra cards with Howling MineHowling Mine and cards like it while dealing damage to them with the namesake Ebony Owl NetsukeEbony Owl Netsuke.

This was a deck I was aware of as a player and one that I have heard stories of from people during my early years of learning the game.

I understand how both of these cards can work well when combined. But like Ben Franklin and some origin stories of Barry Allen becoming The Flash, it took a storm and lightning to kickstart my deckbuilding mindset.

Storm Seeker

What a simple effect on a card I had never heard of until one fateful day. I do not even remember where I was first shown this card. It could have been a stream, a random social media post, or even in someone's deck at a convention.

Suddenly, I was deep into a Scryfall search for similar effects, and to my surprise there is quite a few.

One thing ties these cards together: no one knows they exist. I jest, but many players have followed up with me reading a card's name out when I cast it with an outburst of "What?".

Truthfully, it is the fact that none of these cards care about how many cards are in my hand, and that is where the group hug aspect of this deck comes into play.

You Get A Card, and You Get A Card! Everyone Gets A Card!

There are no wheel effects in this deck. I want you to keep every single card you draw. Why wouldn't I? After all, I am a nice guy from Kami of the Crescent MoonKami of the Crescent Moon, Temple BellTemple Bell, and Horn of GreedHorn of Greed; the cards will be flowing like a river.

I will even throw in Dictate of KruphixDictate of Kruphix, Font of MythosFont of Mythos, and Anvil of BogardanAnvil of Bogardan. I even have a slew of enchantments to ensure you don't spend the game just staring at your cards without being able to cast them.

Unfortunately, I need something to keep people away from my life and allow them to draw cards.

Breaking Parity

Outside of hitting people at instant speed and damage effects, sometimes some players will not let you sit there and enjoy drawing cards with friends. When that happens, I turn to tokens, life gain, and a few well-timed counterspells.

Both cards allow me to assemble a horde, pun intended, of blockers to prevent pesky opponents from pecking at my life points.

And yes, technically, Xyris does have the ability to wheel me and the opponent that I hit, but I never have the intention of attacking. That is not what this deck is about.

Not only are books in Magic: The Gathering magical, but they also gain me life and draw me cards.

Lastly, there is a tiny amount of counterspells for emergencies.

There is another thing I rely on in this deck to break the parity of mass card draw and massive amounts of mana that this deck can provide to the table: the ability to give things flash.

Flash allows me to use my mana when other players least expect it, and cards like Wilderness ReclamationWilderness Reclamation and Seedborn MuseSeedborn Muse act as a potent one-two punch. If only Prophet of KruphixProphet of Kruphix was not banned 🙁

One Last Hit of Spice

When all else fails, there is one last personal throwback that I managed to "shove" into this deck. After spending a long, long time trying to crack the puzzle that was this deck.

What colors should I make it? Who should the Commander(s) be for the deck? How much should I lean into the theme by running cards like SkyscribingSkyscribing?

After landing in the Temur color combination, I wanted a slightly better way to close out a game. If someone has too much life or if I cannot make people draw cards, what can I do to win? I can hit them with a combo kill straight from the Modern format.

While this does not immediately kill any of my opponents due to the lack of a pact spell like Pact of NegationPact of Negation, this is possibly my favorite two-card combo. It is funny as much as it is memorable and gives my opponents one last turn with everything at their disposal to try and win the game.

Believe it or not, I have lost after pulling this combo off to none other than Commander Herald's Nick Wolf and his Sarkhan, Soul AflameSarkhan, Soul Aflame deck.

So What Was The Point?

So why did I tell you about this deck? Because I wanted to. I believe that as much as a person who plays this game can appreciate the fine-tuning of a "meta" deck, there is just as much that can be enjoyed from some monstrosity like what I have presented here for you.

Also, there is a slight lull before the next new set is released, so if not now, when would I get the chance?

Anyway, that is all for this Tech the Deck entry, and hopefully, at an upcoming convention, you might get to activate my trap cards yourself.

Nicholas Lucchesi

Player and lover of all Magic the Gathering formats. Forged in the fires of Oath of the Gatewatch expeditions. Always down to jam games with anyone and everyone. When not playing Magic I am doing something else equally, if not more nerdy.