Toph, the First MetalbenderToph, the First Metalbender | Art by Eilene Cherie

Welcome back to another edition of Beyond the Multiverse! While I was going to begin this week's article on the Spider-Man stuff, things and stuff happened. We instead got spoilers from the Avatar: The Last Airbender set, and I knew I wanted to have an opportunity to build one of my favorite characters when she was spoiled.

That's right, we're diving into a deck helmed by Toph, the First MetalbenderToph, the First Metalbender!

Quaking the Foundations With Toph

Toph may be a child, but she's an absolute savage of an earthbender (in more ways than one). Born blind and in a well-off family, Toph learned her techniques from the original earthbenders, the Badger Moles. It's through them she learned to "see" via the vibrations of the land itself.

She partook in earthbending tournaments as the "Blind Bandit" before joining Twinkle Toes...I mean Aang and his group. She would go on to be a powerhouse in the group, and discover the ability to metalbend, striking fear in the hearts of many in the Fire Nation. Oh no, what a nightmare!

...Sorry.

Anyway, like how Toph turned earthbending on its head when she learned to metalbend, she does this on the board, too. Every nontoken artifact on our side is a land. That's going to be an important ability as it's ripe for shenanigans. She also animates lands on our end step, which helps synergize with a few other themes as well.

Buried in Value

When I was trying to find a way to approach Toph, I knew I needed a lot of artifacts. But how to use them? The answer came eventually: a blinking subtheme.

To that end, the decklist below will have a number of artifacts, including creatures, that do things when they come in. Cards like Canoptek Scarab SwarmCanoptek Scarab Swarm and even Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum do things when they enter. In addition, they also can get earthbent by Toph because she doesn't care what artifacts we animate, just they they're not tokens.

Also, Sword of Hearth and HomeSword of Hearth and Home can blink a creature and ramp us. Talk about value! Cybermen SquadronCybermen Squadron allows our nonlegendary artifact creatures to gain myriad, but the card gets the nod because this ability will apply to any noncreature artifacts we earthbend as well.

While not quite blinking, Flamerush RiderFlamerush Rider creates a token of another attacking creature of ours. Just remember that the token sacrifices itself during the end step.

The Basics of Earthbending

To summarize what the earthbending mechanic does: We animate a land as a 0/0, putting a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the earthbending number - in Toph's case, two.

The key piece to the ability is that if the land would go away, it will come right back in tapped. This is something for landfall triggers. Firstly, both Tifa LockhartTifa Lockhart and Gladiolus AmicitiaGladiolus Amicitia will trigger their landfall abilities, so even if the board gets wiped, we won't lost any lands from it. They simply won't be animated anymore.

Other cards with landfall include both Tireless TrackerTireless Tracker and Tireless ProvisionerTireless Provisioner, which will gain value when a land comes in, be it card draw or Treasure tokens. Or Food, if we're hungry for some life. SabotenderSabotender will ping our opponents slowly with each land drop, and is sure to become a nuisance.

All of this being said, there aren't many eartbending cards at the moment. The set is months away, and more support is bound to be revealed closer to release. I'm sure the number of earthbending cards in a future version of the deck list will go up. However, this is Toph, the Metalbender we're talking about here. Nontoken artifacts are lands, too. So, yeah! Let's break some rules!

The Art of Metalbending

That key line in the reminder text of the earthbending mechanic, combined with Toph, changes the ball game. Now Chocobo RacetrackChocobo Racetrack and other landfall cards will create a Bird if an (nontoken) artifact or land comes in. Sword of Feast and FamineSword of Feast and Famine won't just untap lands, but also our artifacts, too.

Ashnod's AltarAshnod's Altar, when we sacrifice an earthbent artifact, will give us two mana, and said artifact back, allowing us to reuse its abilities again. This is important for creatures with effects when they enter. Also, since these artifacts are historic, Bayek of SiwaBayek of Siwa will see them gain double strike.

There's these implications, and more as I'll uncover later in the article. For now, let's get to the deck list.

Toph, the First Metalbender Commander Deck List

More to Unearth

...what's that? It's not Toph at all. It's Melon Lord! Mwahahaha!

*ahem* Anyway, the list has all the makings of a bizarre artifacts deck that's coupled with landfall. Normally, cards like HarrowHarrow have us sacrifice a land as a cost. Here? Sacrifice an earthbent artifact instead, and it'll come right back alongside the two lands we searched for.

Like I said earlier, we're going to need more cards with the earthbending mechanic to really make this deck tick. Nonetheless, going the blink route, I hope, is a unique angle on Toph, and Naya () colors as a whole.

Branching EvolutionBranching Evolution will double up any +1/+1 counters on anything animated by earthbending. One of the spicier tech is Canoptek Tomb SentinelCanoptek Tomb Sentinel, a prime target for earthbending. That way, you don't need to pay the unearth cost, but bring it back from the graveyard repeatedly!

With enough counters on it and other animated artifacts, Cyberman PatrolCyberman Patrol's afflict ability will add up fast, giving our opponents a real villainous choice. Speaking of synergies...

Oh, an infinite combo!

...

That's the reaction we'll get when we see it. *waves hand in front of my face*

While there aren't any infinite combos that I'm aware of in the deck list, once we open the floodgates to in-universe cards, things really begin to shine.

Bending Beyond the World

Glossing over Toph's EDHREC page, we see there's a definite slant towards combos. Firstly, Grinding StationGrinding Station is an absolute menace with Toph, and will only get stronger with more earthbending cards added. We earthbend an artifact, sacrifice it to the Station for its effect, then said artifact will come right back in, untapping the Station to do it again, leading to infinite combo shenanigans.

Even better if it came back in untapped via the likes of Tiller EngineTiller Engine or SpelunkingSpelunking (since the artifacts will be lands again. Correct me if I'm wrong).

Speaking of rulings, why not give judges nightmare fuel by combining Toph with Ashaya, Soul of the WildAshaya, Soul of the Wild?

We also have more landfall options to choose from. Each artifact with Scute SwarmScute Swarm will explode that swarm into a mass. Or perhaps multiple landfall triggers with Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar?

The possibilities are almost endless, and the EDHREC page will surely be a guide to help you assemble your own Toph list.

Grounded, at Last

The featured deck list is worlds apart from what a typical Toph deck might be running, but I hoped you liked the unique angle on it. However, before I call it for a week, there's going to be a minor change. Traditionally, I only allowed Univereses Beyond cards because of the unique holo stamps and borders. This put the two Dungeons and Dragons-related sets, Adventures in the Forgotten Realms and Battle for Baldur's Gate in a strange state of limbo. That said, the aforementioned stamps and borders are going away with the Spider-Man set coming out in a few weeks.

To that end, this allows me to lump all of DnD with the rest of Universes Beyond, since it's not canon to Magic. So, you can expect me to start using cards from that IP going forward. Tune in next time when we travel to New York City, and listen to a certain "menace" or sorts (I'll also have a surprise twist for this article as well).

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