(Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth|Gossan)

Introduction

Welcome back to Under the Radar, the series where we discuss brewing around niche commanders that haven't gotten enough love from the community. Supplemental products are great sources of unconventional commander. From Ravnica: Clue Edition to the Fallout cards, there are plenty of products that never went into standard and are loaded full of great commanders. The commander that we'll be talking about today comes from Foundations Jumpstart.

Foundations was the final physical Magic set released in 2024. Jumpstart, meanwhile, is a way of playing Magic where players each open two special 20-card packs, that are then shuffled together to make a deck. Foundations Jumpstart was released alongside the main Foundations set.

Foundations Jumpstart is full of new mechanically unique commanders who have anime-inspired art styles. From Urdnan, Dromoka WarriorUrdnan, Dromoka Warrior on Tarkir to Ivora, Insatiable HeirIvora, Insatiable Heir on Innistrad it's clear that anime is taking over the multiverse.

The commander we'll be at today is from Foundations Jumpstart. They aren't a deadly Assassin like Aphelia, Viper WhispererAphelia, Viper Whisperer though, or a terrifying Minotaur Warrior like Gornog, the Red ReaperGornog, the Red Reaper, instead they are an adorable Bear.

Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth is Magic: The Gathering's take on Winnie the Pooh. A relaxed ursine layabout who loves nothing more than a paw full of honey in the morning and a nice long sleep at night.

As of 01/08/2025, this dozy bear only has 210 decks built around them. Let's see if we can wake HurskaHurska up and build a deck around them that is as adorable as it is formidable.

Sweet-Tooth Strategies

Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth is a 3/3 Bear for . While this hungry honey eater only costs green mana to play, they have an activated ability that costs this puts white in their color identity, giving us a second color to work with.

Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth is a life-gain focussed commander. Whenever they attack, they create a Food Token. Just as a reminder, Food tokens are artifacts that can be sacrificed for to give their controller three life.

On top of this, HurskaHurska also allows their controller to pay whenever they gain life to grant one of their creatures +X/+X until the end of the turn where X is the amount of life they gained.

There are plenty of life gain commanders out there, each of whom encourages a subtly different strategy. Given that Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth generates food tokens, you'll want to include cards that can utilize them. Things like Academy ManufactorAcademy Manufactor, Sam, Loyal AttendantSam, Loyal Attendant, and previous Under the Radar Alumni Apothecary WhiteApothecary White.

Another thing to consider is how to make the best use of the combat bonus that HurskaHurska. This ability doesn't cumulatively total all the life you've gained in a turn, the bonus is based.

As such you want cards that will give you large bursts of life like Heliod's InterventionHeliod's Intervention and Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality. Cards that give you small amounts of life incrementally like Ajani's WelcomeAjani's Welcome and Lunarch VeteranLunarch Veteran aren't as useful.

Hurska's Average Deck

Currently, as of 01/08/2025, there are 210 Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth decks listed on EDHREC. The average deck function takes all of these decks, chews them up and then spits out an average list containing the most frequent cards in each of the deck lists. Here's the list we get when we do that with HurskaHurska...

While this deck does follow the strategy that we anticipated above, there are some adjustments that we'll need to make. There are plenty of life gain payoffs here, like Boon ReflectionBoon Reflection, Heliod, Sun-CrownedHeliod, Sun-Crowned, and Rhox FaithmenderRhox Faithmender but there aren't quite enough life gain sources to ensure that these cards can be enabled regularly.

To address this issue, many of the cards that we'll be adding below are life gain cards.

Quite a lot of the life gain here comes in the form of cards that generate Food. Things like Trail of CrumbsTrail of Crumbs, Heaped HarvestHeaped Harvest, and Elanor GardnerElanor Gardner. Since Food Tokens are artifacts, it wouldn't take much adjustment to give this deck a fully fledged artifact subtheme. Throw in some cards like Teething WurmletTeething Wurmlet, NettlecystNettlecyst, and Bronze GuardianBronze Guardian and you'll really be cooking.

Now let's look at some costly cards that can be cut from the deck. Nuka-Cola Vending MachineNuka-Cola Vending Machine is the priciest card here, typically going for around $20. Following that, there's Heliod, Sun-CrownedHeliod, Sun-Crowned, Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention, Temple GardenTemple Garden, and Alhammarret's ArchiveAlhammarret's Archive all of which cost about $15.

Then There's Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality, Bountiful PromenadeBountiful Promenade, Lush PorticoLush Portico, Akroma's WillAkroma's Will, and Boon ReflectionBoon Reflection that all cost just over 10 bucks. You can definitely cut Nuka-Cola Vending MachineNuka-Cola Vending Machine as while it does provide a solid stream of Treasure and Food tokens, you've already got plenty of other, cheaper, Food generating cards in the deck. The dual lands can also be cut for cheaper counterparts or even basics.

With all of that discussed, let's get into the modifications that we'll be making.

5 Cards To Keep

Nykthos ParagonNykthos Paragon

Currently in 36% of decks.

Nykthos ParagonNykthos Paragon can turn life gain into pressure on your opponents incredibly effectively. When you gain life during your turn, you may use this card's effect to give all of your creatures that many +1/+1 counters. Even relatively modest amounts of life gain can become very powerful using this effect. Lets say that you sacrifice a Food token, using Nykthos ParagonNykthos Paragon you'll be able to grant your entire board three +1/+1 counters.

Since this deck has no shortage of ways to generate Food, you'll quite reliably be able to get a board-wide +3/+3 buff every single turn. This card can provide even bigger bonuses than Archangel of ThuneArchangel of Thune but while that card costs $20+ Nykthos ParagonNykthos Paragon costs less than $1.

Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality

Beacon of Immortality

Currently in 35% of decks.

Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality doubles the life total of target player. Cards that only gain life are usually traps, as they don't do anything to impact the board.

Normally this card would leave you six mana down without having done anything to change the game state meaningfully. Thanks to Hurska'sHurska's ability though, Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality turns into an instant speed sucker punch that can completely floor an opponent.

The life-doubling effect of Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality counts as life gain (check its rulings section on Scryfall or Gatherer if you don't believe me). Since HurskaHurska lets you convert life gain into a +X/+X bonus on one of your creatures, you just need to get an unblocked attacker through and then you can combine its effect and the beaconthe beacon to deal a lethal burst of damage.

Ajani, Strength of the PrideAjani, Strength of the Pride

Ajani, Strength of the Pride

Currently in 17% of decks.

The Foundations printing of AjaniAjani is incredibly versatile, and it does something useful whatever situation the game is in. Ajani'sAjani's +1 effect gives you life equal to the number of creatures that you control. This is exactly the sort of large, repeatable life gain effect that HurskaHurska loves and you'll be able to use this turn after to turn both to gain life and to pump up an attacker.

AjaniAjani is also capable of defending itself. Its -2 ability generates an Ajani's PridemateAjani's Pridemate token, a 2/2 Cat Soldier that gains a +1/+1 counter whenever you gain life. This helps you to build up a board both and it makes that first healing effect all the stronger. Finally, if you've got at least 55 life, something that's more than possible when you're playing a life gain deck, then you can use Ajani'sAjani's +0 ability which exiles him alongside every single creature and artifact your opponents control.

This card can be a board wipe, a repeatable source of life gain, or a token maker depending on what you need. Ajani'sAjani's always got your back.

Banquet GuestsBanquet Guests

Banquet Guests

Currently in 33% of decks.

What Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth really needs is a strong creature to power up repeatedly using its ability. When we think of strong creatures, we probably don't imagine a bunch of hobbits having a dinner party. Nevertheless, Banquet GuestsBanquet Guests can have an incredibly huge stat block, while also keeping itself safe from harm.

Banquet GuestsBanquet Guests can be cast for and enters play with twice X +1/+1 counters.

This would already be a great rate, but you can get even more counters on the card as it has Affinity for Food, meaning that every Food token you control gives it an additional +2/+2. Not only that, but by sacrificing a Food token, you're able to grant this card indestructible meaning that many removal spells won't be able to touch it. Banquet GuestsBanquet Guests just proves the old adage that you should never mess with a hobbit while they're eating their second breakfast.

Blossoming BogbeastBlossoming Bogbeast

Blossoming Bogbeast

Currently in 50% of decks.

Blossoming BogbeastBlossoming Bogbeast provides trample and a board wide boost to your creatures' stats, helping you push damage through turn after turn. If there's one thing that Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth unfortunately lacks it's trample. HurskaHurska can provide potentially massive stat boosts to your creatures, but something that can give them trample really helps you ensure that these buffs will result in some meaningful damage.

On top of providing trample to your creatures, the combat bonus which Blossoming BogbeastBlossoming Bogbeast provides also scales depending on the amount of life that you've gained during your turn. The Bogbeast slots perfectly into this deck, so long as you don't mind its marshy smell.

5 Cards to Cut

Luminous RebukeLuminous Rebuke

Luminous Rebuke

Currently in 3% of decks.

I suspect that Luminous RebukeLuminous Rebuke is only in here due to some weirdness with the way that the Average Deck function has compiled this list. Nevertheless, I need to emphasize here that is a sub-standard removal spell that you should never put in a commander deck of any kind. Play Swords to PlowsharesSwords to Plowshares and Path to ExilePath to Exile and rebuke Luminous RebukeLuminous Rebuke.

Eager TrufflesnoutEager Trufflesnout

Eager Trufflesnout

Currently in 23% of decks.

It breaks my heart slightly having to cut this adorable boar, nevertheless, I think it is the right choice. Eager TrufflesnoutEager Trufflesnout is a three mana 4/2, this is an awkward statline for a creature that needs to deal damage to a player in order to trigger its ability. Its low toughness makes it very likely that this little piggy won't make it through combat alive.

This just isn't a high enough impact card to warrant including it in your deck. If we compare it to some other three drops this becomes abundantly clear. Sam, Loyal AttendantSam, Loyal Attendant provides Food for free without needing to attack and risk getting killed, as well as discounting the cost to use Food tokens. Peregrin TookPeregrin Took creates Food every time you make a token, enabling all kinds of wacky combos and allowing Food to be converted into card draw.

Of Herbs and Stewed RabbitOf Herbs and Stewed Rabbit isn't even a creature but it will contribute more meaningfully to your board than Eager TrufflesnoutEager Trufflesnout could thanks to all of the Food and Hobbit tokens that it creates. Unfortunately, cute though it may be, I'm not very eager to put this trufflesnouttrufflesnout into my deck.

Soul WardenSoul Warden and Essence WardenEssence Warden

Soul Warden

Essence Warden

Both Soul WardenSoul Warden and Essence WardenEssence Warden are currently in 42% of decks.

I promise that I don't have some sort of grudge against Soul WardenSoul Warden. I know that I've recommended cutting this card several times during this series already, but there's always a good reason for it. There are loads of commanders where Soul WardenSoul Warden works great. Trelasarra, Moon DancerTrelasarra, Moon Dancer absolutely loves her, as does Amalia Benavides AguirreAmalia Benavides Aguirre.

Those commanders love lots of little instances of life gain, and reward you the more of them you pull off. Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth meanwhile, wants big bursts of life gain. It's not worth paying one mana to get a +1/+1 bonus. I'm including Essence WardenEssence Warden in this slot as well, since it's an identical card save for its color.

FumigateFumigate

Fumigate

Currently in 39% of decks.

Five mana is costly for a board wipe, especially one that only destroys creatures rather than exiling them. Since FumigateFumigate gives you life, it seems as though it would slide perfectly naturally into this deck. The only issue is that when you cast FumigateFumigate, you kill all of your pay offs.

You won't be able to use HurskaHurska to buff a creature, or draw cards using The GafferThe Gaffer since they'll be dead. Go for SunfallSunfall or even a plain old Wrath of GodWrath of God instead.

5 Cards to Add

Voice of the BlessedVoice of the Blessed

Voice of the Blessed

Currently in 10% of decks.

Earlier we discussed how this deck likes powerful evasive cards like Banquet GuestsBanquet Guests to target with Hurska'sHurska's ability to ensure that the buff is given to the best creature possible. Voice of the BlessedVoice of the Blessed makes another excellent target.

There is some assembly required to turn this card into a monster, but this deck can easily get it up and running quickly. When it enters play, Voice of the BlessedVoice of the Blessed is just a regular two mana 2/2. Every time you gain life though, this card gains a +1/+1 counter. It gets flying and vigilance when it has four or more +1/+1 counters, and it becomes indestructible when it has ten or more of the counters.

Many cards like Gourmand's TalentGourmand's Talent and Heliod, Sun-CrownedHeliod, Sun-Crowned interact with both life gain and +1/+1 counters. While getting 10 +1/+1 counters on this card may sound daunting, it's easier than you would think. This card was great during its time in Standard, and it remains great as a life gain payoff in EDH.

Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks

Kitchen Finks

Currently in >1% of decks.

Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks is another card that works wonders in decks that care about both life gain and +1/+1 counters. When Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks enters play, its controller gains two life. When Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks dies, if it doesn't have a -1/-1 counter on it, then its Persist ability brings it back with a -1/-1 counter, this gives its controller two life all over again. A card cannot have both -1/-1 counters and +1/+1 counters on it, they are mutually exclusive and wipe one another away.

Giving Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks any +1/+1 counters allows its Persist ability to resurrect it over and over again.

If you have either Heliod, Sun-CrownedHeliod, Sun-Crowned, or a leveled-up Cleric ClassCleric Class then Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks can be given a +1/+1 counter the moment it returns to play from the graveyard, immediately making it eligible to be revived using Persist should it die again. If you throw a sacrifice outlet in here then you've just unlocked an infinite life gain combo. Kitchen FinksKitchen Finks may have been printed back in 2008, but it has stood the test of time and remains one of the most useful recurring sources of life in the game.

Trostani, Selesnya's VoiceTrostani, Selesnya's Voice

Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

Currently in 25% of decks.

Trostani, Selesnya's VoiceTrostani, Selesnya's Voice provides the sort of big increments of life gain that you want in this deck. These helpful Dryads grant you life equal to the toughness of any creature you play. This deck has plenty of high-toughness creatures like Quilled GreatwurmQuilled Greatwurm, Nykthos ParagonNykthos Paragon, and Rhox FaithmenderRhox Faithmender. These cards will give you a nice splash of healing as they enter play.

Of course, it's not really the life you're after, it's Hurska'sHurska's ability to turn that healing into big power and toughness bonuses that have put Trostani, Selesnya's VoiceTrostani, Selesnya's Voice on this recommended list.

Momentous FallMomentous Fall

Momentous Fall

Currently in 17% of decks.

Another card that can provide potentially massive amounts of life gain in a single cast. While this card can't provide additional life every turn like Trostani, Selesnya's VoiceTrostani, Selesnya's Voice can, it provides more than enough card draw to make up for it. The fact that you need to sacrifice a creature to use this effect might seem worrying. Not to fear though, you can save your Momentous FallMomentous Fall until after one of your creatures is on their way out already.

Maybe they've just been targeted by a removal spell, or maybe they're in a combat situation that you know they're not going to survive. Just hit them with this spell and you can turn that doomed creature into a handful of cards, and then transfer their stats over to something else you control by using Hurska'sHurska's ability in response to the life gain.

Inscription of AbundanceInscription of Abundance

Inscription of Abundance

Currently in 16% of decks.

When you play Inscription of AbundanceInscription of Abundance you have three possible modes to choose from, and all of them are incredibly useful in this deck. It goes without saying that gaining life equal to the strength of one of your creatures, will queue you up for a big boost using HurskaHurska. Placing two +1/+1 counters on something at instant speed can let you turn a previously losing combat situation around and the ability to fight another creature means this card can also act as a removal spell.

Whether you're just casting this card for two, or you're kicking it to get its full value, it has a great suite of effects that you'll be glad to see go off.

Conclusion

That brings an end to our discussion about Hurska Sweet-ToothHurska Sweet-Tooth. This lazy bear is pretty fun to play once they get up and get going. Just remember that you want cards that will give you massive amounts of life in a single go like Beacon of ImmortalityBeacon of Immortality and not cards that give you a little bit of life spread out over a longer period like Ajani's WelcomeAjani's Welcome.

Even if HurskaHurska doesn't personally appeal to you, there are so many legendaries in Foundations Jumpstart just waiting to be built around. The set gave us 27 all new legendary creatures, and currently only seven of them lead more than 1000 decks. Maybe Cynette, Jelly DroverCynette, Jelly Drover, or
General Kreat, the BoltbringerGeneral Kreat, the Boltbringer would suit you a bit better. If you browse through the set you're sure to find a new commander to catch your eye. Personally though, I'm just a big fan of this friendly little Bear.

Ben Macready

Ben is a freelance writer from the UK. He's has been playing Magic since he was 8 years old, back when he thought Enormous Baloth was the best card in the game. You can find more Magic content from him on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2iSANUGoKzdK6XgLyB1qLw