The IndomitableThe Indomitable | Art by Samuel Perin

During MagicCon Vegas, we got the news that legendary Vehicles can be your commander starting with Edge of Eternities, which caused myself and countless other players to rush to their binders and online search engines.

The announcement that your favorite rides from the multiverse can be in your command zone sparked quite a lot of creativity in the community.

One of the most played legendary Vehicles in the format already is The IndomitableThe Indomitable, a four-mana mono-blue () Pirate ship that’s a wicked card draw engine.

It’s also a great attacker when crewed that offers you a way to return it to the battlefield from your graveyard. Sure, you could throw every evasive creature you can find into this deck and call it a day, but I wanted to take this list in a bit more of a nautical direction.

The Commander - The Indomitable

Pirate decks typically land in the Grixis Shard (), boasting over twenty-thousand decks here on EDHREC; however, as of writing, only sixty of those are mono-blue.

Well, that’s all about to change when players set sail with The IndomitableThe Indomitable in their command zone. Since this ship draws you a card whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, I packed this $40 deck list full of the sneakiest scurvy dogs on the seven seas.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: aren’t we losing too many good Pirate-matters cards without adding red or black? This is a valid concern, but do not fret, because the raw power of blue is here ensure you don't miss those other crewmates.

As you will see through this list, filling the board with evasive Pirates that draw you a card whenever they push damage forward is a strong enough gameplan for you to keep up with the rest of the table.

That’s enough preamble for one day, so join me Tyler 'Savesya' Bucks, aboard the newest addition to your fleet of decks.

The Fiercest Members of The Crew

When I first set out on the journey of building this deck, I’ll admit that I had a little trepidation with this concept (don’t tell anyone or I’ll walk the plank).

However, the more I looked into the Pirates in blue, the more I was blown away by their power, especially on a budget! If you’re still not sold on the idea, let me highlight some of the heavy hitters on the list.

• Malcolm, Keen-Eyed NavigatorMalcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator: when paired with The Indomitable, these two are unstoppable. Drawing cards and making Treasures along the way just means that your post combat step can get out of hand fast.
• Storm Fleet NegotiatorStorm Fleet Negotiator: This Pirate not only draws everyone a card when it hits a player, but it also adds some more permanents to the board in the form of those MapMap tokens.
• Azure Fleet AdmiralAzure Fleet Admiral: Adding the Monarchy to the game can always be a bit risky, but when you have a deck like this that’s filled with flyers and a trampling commander, you should be able to get the crown back if you ever lose it.

• Kitesail LarcenistKitesail Larcenist: This creature will be on the top of everyone’s hitlist when it hits the board, since it turns people’s staples into Treasures.
• Warkite MarauderWarkite Marauder: A great two-drop that can nullify your opponent’s nastiest creature when it attacks, all while drawing you cards in the process.
• Amphin MutineerAmphin Mutineer: Even though this isn’t the most evasive Pirate on the list, it’s still a great way to add exile removal to the deck, while being the perfect crewer for your commander.

• Spectral SailorSpectral Sailor: Having cheap Pirates as early as turn one might not look too impressive, but when each of them represent card draw in the late game, you look at them a little differently.
• Spyglass SirenSpyglass Siren: Creating a Map token on ETB is incredible value, since this deck works best when it’s just doing the basics, like hitting land drops, and building up the board with evasive Pirates.
• Siren StormtamerSiren Stormtamer: So many of these cards we’ve seen so far today are headaches for your opponents, but that’s why having a counterspell on a stick like this creature will help protect your gameplan.

• Cloud PiratesCloud Pirates: Don’t overlook some classic Pirates, because they can still help this deck pack a punch! (Yes, both this card and the next entry on the list have been updated to have "Pirate" in their creature types)
• Talas ExplorerTalas Explorer: Now this card may read better than it actually plays: since the Oracle text lets you only see one player’s hand, this is still an evasive Pirate that gives you a lot of information when it hits the board.
• Rishadan BrigandRishadan Brigand: This classic Pirate enters the battlefield and disrupts your opponents' gameplans, unless they pay three mana. Who says blue can’t have edicts?

• Oaken SirenOaken Siren: This is a creature that surprised me in this deck, since it can help cast your commander, while also being a vigilant attacker once you’re ready for it draw you cards.
• Merchant RaidersMerchant Raiders: You will be drawing a lot while piloting this deck, which just means that each new Pirate you draw will hit the board and tap down your opponents' threats until they can deal with these Raiders.
• Deadeye QuartermasterDeadeye Quartermaster: While this deck isn’t filled with too many Vehicles, the option to go find one of the ships I added to the list and get it into your hand is great utility to have around.

• Skysovereign, Consul FlagshipSkysovereign, Consul Flagship: A great target to tutor for, this recent addition to the list of new commanders is awesome in this deck. Evasion and removal is a really nasty combo.
• Cargo ShipCargo Ship: This ship adds some ramp to the deck, while also being a nice attacker in the air. Swinging over your opponents and then tapping for mana post-combat is a real one-two punch.
• The Lunar WhaleThe Lunar Whale: I underestimated this Vehicle when I first read it, but it has over-performed every time I had it out during playtesting, allowing you to cycle through the top of your deck after combat can make for an explosive turn.

The Full Decklist

If the cards we’ve covered so far today have gotten you excited, then you’re going to love the rest of the deck! This list is incredibly fun to pilot, and feels like it could fly under the radar until the time is right for you to absolutely decimate the table with your card draw engine. So, after you look things over, be sure to go to the deck's Archidekt page and playtest it yourself!

A Few More Highlights

• High TideHigh Tide: The strength of attacking with your board, drawing a bunch of cards, and then casting High Tide in your second main phase to dump your hand is just exactly what you want to be doing with this deck.
• Reverse the PolarityReverse the Polarity: The utility of this card is what sets it apart for me. It’s a great counterspell when you need it, but could help you just close things out if your opponents have built up their defenses in a major way throughout the game.
• Ominous SeasOminous Seas: As we've mentioned so many times today, this deck a lot draws cards... So, it only seems fitting that if you do that enough times, you get the chance to say “release the KrakenKraken…”

In Closing

Now that you’ve seen the level of nautical nonsense this deck can offer, I want to hear from you: what cards would you add to the list? Let me know in the comments below.

You can even feel free to add non-budget cards down there, in case someone is willing to drop a few more doubloons than I was. Thank you for spending this time with me today, and I hope you have fun sending your playgroup to Davy Jones' Locker without breaking the bank.