(Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer | Kai Carpenter)

Introduction

Now that Tarkir: Dragonstorm has burst over the horizon, let's look back at Aetherdrift. Magic's speediest set may not have had the greatest Limited format, but it gave us a collection of cool kart-driving commanders, from the artifact-amassing Mendicant Core, GuidelightMendicant Core, Guidelight, to the cycling Shark Captain Howler, Sea ScourgeCaptain Howler, Sea Scourge, to the undead Esper Wizard Hashaton, Scarab's FistHashaton, Scarab's Fist. Of course, not every racer can make it into pole position.

For every commander that pulled ahead and earned a place at the head of the pack, there were several more that were left languishing near the starting line. Due to their lack of abilities, few players were drawn towards the cycle of vanilla legendaries, like Sundial, Dawn TyrantSundial, Dawn Tyrant, or Terrian, World TyrantTerrian, World Tyrant.

Similarly, less than 100 people wanted to mount up and take a ride with Lagorin, Soul of AlacriaLagorin, Soul of Alacria, or enjoy a play date with Basri, Tomorrow's ChampionBasri, Tomorrow's Champion and his collection of Cats.

Out of all of the drivers bringing up the rear, it's the Simic speedster Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer who we'll be talking about. Chandra's rival-turned-friend has an immensely powerful exhaust ability and incentivizes a compelling board-swarming strategy.

As I write this on 04/04/2025, though, only 201 people have set up a Sita Varma deck and taken it out for a test drive. Today on Under the Radar, let's pop the hood, examine the engine, and see if we can craft a Sita Varma strategy that can speed off towards success.

Exhausting our Options

Sita Varma, Masked Racer

With Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer in the command zone, you'll spend the early game building up a board and ramping out lands; so far this sounds like every Simic deck ever, but everything changes when you use Sita Varma's exhaust ability. By paying , you can put X +1/+1 counters on her, then the base power of all of your other creatures becomes equal to her power.

Essentially, this deck wants to turtle up, amass plenty of lands and creatures, and avoid provoking any other players. Then, in a single decisive turn, you'll activate Sita Varma's ability, pump up all of your creatures, and attempt to wipe out the opposition in one massive attack.

Since Sita Varma's ability has exhaust, it may seem like it can only go off once; fortunately, this is far from the case. The card Elvish RefuelerElvish Refueler removes the restrictions around activating exhaust abilities, so you can keep pumping up your board turn after turn.

Cloning effects that can work on legendary creatures, like Irenicus's Vile DuplicationIrenicus's Vile Duplication, Spark DoubleSpark Double, and Double MajorDouble Major, all create a second Sita Varma with access to another copy of the exhaust ability.

Any time Sita Varma leaves the field and then returns, she's treated as a new entity, able to use her ability again. It doesn't matter whether she's coming back because she has died and you're recasting her or because you're blinking her into and out of play with a Ghostly FlickerGhostly Flicker. A new version of Sita Varma means a new exhaust ability.

In an ideal scenario, you'll finish off the game with one big attack, but when your opponents stubbornly cling on, it's nice to have the option to use Sita Varma's exhaust ability a second time. Blinking her isn't ideal, since it will wipe away the counters that she already has, but it's worth it to get access to that board-wide buff a second time.

There are two other things that this deck needs to succeed. You'll want a means of granting your board evasion, to guarantee that your massive attack can get through. This can be in the form of trample from a card like Garruk's UprisingGarruk's Uprising, or in the form of total unblockability from a card like Champion of LambholtChampion of Lambholt. Finally, you'll need plenty of protection effects.

There's nothing worse than Wrath of GodWrath of God going off the turn before your big attack is ready, or someone Doom BladingDoom Blading your commander in response to their effect activating.

Pack some Swiftfoot BootsSwiftfoot Boots to keep Sita Varma safe, and, if you've got the budget for it, a Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention is always useful. Since we're in blue, we also have access to counterspells to disable board wipes and removal effects.

Now that we're done talking shop, let's see what that average list looks like.

Average Deck

As I write this on 04/04/2025, there are currently 2o1 Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer decks logged on EDHREC. The site's average deck feature takes all of these separate lists and merges them into a single unified deck featuring the cards that recur most frequently. Let's unmask Sita Varma's average deck and take a peek.

As anticipated, there are plenty of tools for ramping here. On top of CultivateCultivate and Kodama's ReachKodama's Reach, which are in just about every green deck out there, we've also got several two-mana options, like Three VisitsThree Visits, Rampant GrowthRampant Growth, and Nature's LoreNature's Lore.

There's also an abundance of mana dorks, from Llanowar ElvesLlanowar Elves to Fyndhorn ElvesFyndhorn Elves to Birds of ParadiseBirds of Paradise. These mana dorks are in a weird place. They'll help you get the mana rolling, but you'll want to avoid tapping them all down when the time comes to activate Sita Varma's effect since then they won't be able to take part in your game-ending final attack.

All in all, this deck has plenty of tools to get lands out quickly to hurry you towards a place where you can activate Sita Varma's effect.

You may also spot a prominent +1/+1 counter theme. Stacking counters on top of Sita Varma means that she'll be even stronger when the time comes to use her ability. Additionally, since her ability changes the base power of your creatures, if their power has been modified with +1/+1 counters, then they still get to keep the power boost from those, on top of the buff that Sita Varma will give them.

The deck is lacking a bit in enchantment and artifact removal. Beast WithinBeast Within is the only tool here that can deal with an artifact or enchantment once it has resolved. Green has absolutely no shortage of options in this field, though. Make sure you tag in a few cards like Reclamation SageReclamation Sage, CankerbloomCankerbloom, or Pest InfestationPest Infestation so that you have options here.

Now let's take a look at how to whittle down this deck's price tag. Bristly Bill, Spine SowerBristly Bill, Spine Sower is the single most costly card here, with a value of about $45. Powerful though he may be, you can get by without this cactus cowboy. After that, The OzolithThe Ozolith and Doubling SeasonDoubling Season are both in the $40 price range.

Then there's Breeding PoolBreeding Pool, which will typically go for between 20 and 30 dollars. With these cards taken out, you can then turn your attention to Tribute to the World TreeTribute to the World Tree, Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention, and Ozolith, the Shattered SpireOzolith, the Shattered Spire, all of which cost between $10-20.

Out of all of these cards, Heroic InterventionHeroic Intervention is the one most worth saving, due to its ability to protect your board, but even it isn't irreplaceable.

Now then, let's start tinkering around with the list.

Five Cards to Keep

Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress

Ezuri, Claw of Progress

Currently in 22% of decks.

This Phyrexian Elf was the face commander of the 2015 Swell the Host precon. It's hard to believe that Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress has been spicing up Simic +1/+1 counter decks for almost ten years now. Ezuri has stuck around for so long because he pays off counter decks for doing exactly what they want to do.

The more small creatures you play, the more +1/+1 counters Ezuri generates, and the more counters Ezuri generates, the more threatening those formerly small creatures become. With Ezuri on your board, you'll be able to completely compleately overwhelm your opponents and show them the glory of Phyrexia one counter at a time.

Elusive OtterElusive Otter

Elusive Otter

Currently in 22% of decks.

Thanks to Bloomburrow, Magic now has more Otters than you could find if you spent a day as an Otter spotter in Ottawa. Elusive OtterElusive Otter came out just before MTG Otters hit the mainstream. It serves as both a useful +1/+1 counter-generating spell and an evasive attacker. This card packs a nice one-two punch.

You can use its Adventure effect to spread a bunch of counters across your board (or pile them all onto Sita Varma if you're able to protect her), saving your last drip of blue mana to then play Elusive Otter. Then, on your next turn, you can cash in all your mana to activate Sita Varma's ability, pumping up your whole board and making this Otter unblockable and unstoppable.

Scute SwarmScute Swarm

Scute Swarm

Currently in 36% of decks.

True to its name, Scute SwarmScute Swarm is one of the best cards in the game at swarming the field. This card generates 1/1 Insect tokens whenever you play a land and 1/1 tokens that are copies of itself once you play your sixth land, or any lands after that.

Those tokens will also possess Scute Swarm's ability, exponentially increasing the number of bugs that you can pump out to a frankly terrifying rate. Honestly, the only downside this card has is that keeping track of all of the copies that it generates is a logistical nightmare.

Inspiring CallInspiring Call

Inspiring Call

Currently in 26% of decks.

Card draw effects are great, protection effects are great, and Inspiring CallInspiring Call welds them both together into a delightful package. Do be cautious with this card, as it's a poor top deck when you have an empty board, but, thanks to its protection effect, this card can keep you from getting an empty board in the first play.

Just cast this in response to an opponent's Wrath of GodWrath of God, and not only will all of your creatures be safe, but you'll also have a handful of new cards to power them up even further.

Champion of LambholtChampion of Lambholt

Champion of Lambholt

Currently in 36% of decks.

I would recommend Herald of Secret StreamsHerald of Secret Streams here, but I've already shouted that card out in my Deekah, Fractal Theorist article. Making your board unblockable is immensely useful, and the more cards that can let you pull this off the better.

Champion of LambholtChampion of Lambholt is an essential creature for the big turn when you finally activate Sita Varma's ability. Sita Varma takes care of making your creatures massive, while Champion of Lambholt makes them unblockable; the two cards are a game-ending combination.

Five Cards to Cut

NegateNegate

Negate

Currently in 34% of decks.

While this card is invaluable if you want to counter an opponent's turn-40 Revel in RichesRevel in Riches, there are just better counterspells out there. Even if you don't want to shell out the cash for cards like Fierce GuardianshipFierce Guardianship, Swan SongSwan Song, or Force of WillForce of Will, you can do better than Negate.

Honestly, this deck already has a pretty good counterspell suite. The original CounterspellCounterspell is more versatile than NegateNegate. Repulsive MutationRepulsive Mutation synergizes perfectly with the deck's strategy. An An Offer You Can't RefuseAn Offer You Can't Refuse requires lower investment, and Arcane DenialArcane Denial (while a contentious option) provides card advantage and can counter creatures. In comparison, NegateNegate just doesn't pull its weight.

Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker

Chasm Skulker

Currently in 24% of decks.

Three mana for a 1/1 is a pretty raw deal. Yes, Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker will grow bigger, but it still has no form of evasion and can just be chump blocked forever. While it's easy to imagine a scenario where Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker grows massive and then splits into a whole shoal of Squid, no one is going to target it with a removal spell.

This means the only options to get rid of it are to sacrifice it (something this deck has no interest in) or to get it caught in a board wipe. Overall, Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker is just a bit too indirect and inefficient to work as a token-generator.

Fathom MageFathom Mage

Fathom Mage

Currently in 20% of decks.

Fathom MageFathom Mage is a decent draw engine, but it just doesn't fit in with the strategy this deck is running. Fathom Mage works best in a big stompy decks full of powerful creatures that can help it grow. This deck, conversely, has lots of small creatures that get bigger with counters.

Of the 30 creatures in this deck, only three of them (Quilled GreatwurmQuilled Greatwurm, Avenger of ZendikarAvenger of Zendikar, and Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress) have power three or greater, so Fathom Mage won't be evolving any time soon. You could just manually place counters on Fathom MageFathom Mage instead, but there's fierce competition here over who should get those precious +1/+1s.

From Cold-Eyed SelkieCold-Eyed Selkie to Elusive OtterElusive Otter to Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer herself, there are so many other valid targets. If you're looking for creatures to help you draw cards, personally I would recommend running a Beast WhispererBeast Whisperer or an Archmage EmeritusArchmage Emeritus instead.

Quilled GreatwurmQuilled Greatwurm

Quilled Greatwurm

Currently in 18% of decks.

This pick may be a hot take, but while Quilled GreatwurmQuilled Greatwurm is a great card, it isn't at its best here. Quilled Greatwurm's ability to put counters on creatures equal to the damage they deal is powerful, but there are plenty of powerful counter-generating abilities on cards that cost less mana and less money.

Nissa, Voice of ZendikarNissa, Voice of Zendikar, Hardened ScalesHardened Scales, and Evolution SageEvolution Sage can all provide plenty of counters without you needing to risk your creatures in combat. Of course, Quilled GreatwurmQuilled Greatwurm also provides a massive 7/7 body, but that's just not what this deck is looking for.

When you activate Sita Varma's effect while this card is in play, it won't necessarily benefit from it. If you'd used the six mana you spent on the Wurm to instead cast three or four smaller creatures, you would be in a much stronger position.

Talisman of CuriosityTalisman of Curiosity

Talisman of Curiosity

Currently in 23% of decks.

Green decks have no shortage of ramp options. In most cases you're better off casting a CultivateCultivate or a Kodama's ReachKodama's Reach instead of playing a mana rock. Lands activate your Landfall triggers, and they don't get destroyed by VandalblastVandalblast or stolen by Treasure NabberTreasure Nabber or Hellkite TyrantHellkite Tyrant.

Talisman of CuriosityTalisman of Curiosity isn't a bad mana rock by any means. It's a lot better than something like a Moss DiamondMoss Diamond or a Simic LocketSimic Locket.

All the same, it's the weak link of the mana rocks in this deck. I would recommend tagging it out for an alternative ramping option that puts lands into play, like the next card we're going to discuss...

Five Cards to Add

Wood ElvesWood Elves

Wood Elves

Currently in 7% of decks.

It was genuinely surprising looking over this list and not seeing Wood ElvesWood Elves. This card is one of the best ramping creatures of all time, and they should be sitting in the deck right next to their best buddies Sakura-Tribe ElderSakura-Tribe Elder and Llanowar ElvesLlanowar Elves.

At its core, this deck cares about two things: ramp to ensure that Sita Varma's ability can go off as quickly as possible, and small creatures to get super pumped up when Sita Varma's ability goes off.

Wood ElvesWood Elves provides both of these things, it doesn't sacrifice itself like Sakura-Tribe ElderSakura-Tribe Elder, and it doesn't need to tap itself down like Llanowar ElvesLlanowar Elves, so it can both grab lands and be there for the final attack. Unlike Wood ElementalWood Elemental, these Elves are definitely worth a slot in the deck.

Warden of the GroveWarden of the Grove

Warden of the Grove

Currently in 0% of decks.

This new card from Tarkir: Dragonstorm is sure to be a staple in +1/+1 counter decks going forward, even though it's not a Dragon and doesn't have storm. Warden of the GroveWarden of the Grove puts +1/+1 counters on itself every end step.

It then supports any new creatures you play by putting a bunch of +1/+1 counters on them or brings out a potentially huge Spirit token. I don't know which grove this Hydra is the warden of, but I would stay well away.

Duskshell CrawlerDuskshell Crawler

Duskshell Crawler

Currently in 15% of decks.

This deck needs ways of granting its creatures evasion. The big final assault, won't be anywhere near as impactful if all of your creatures just end up getting blocked before they can punch through. There's already Garruk's UprisingGarruk's Uprising, but honestly a few more cards to grant the board trample couldn't hurt.

Enter Duskshell CrawlerDuskshell Crawler. This big common bug from Modern Horizons 2 isn't necessarily the most glamorous or flashy card around, but it's a reliable way of helping your attacks break through.

Nissa, Voice of ZendikarNissa, Voice of Zendikar

Nissa, Voice of Zendikar

Currently in 8% of decks.

Given that I've already given this card a shout-out above, you may not be too surprised to see it here. For Nissa, Voice of ZendikarNissa, Voice of Zendikar can put a +1/+1 counter on all of your creatures, which alone would make it a great inclusion.

Fortunately, Nissa is a planeswalker, so she can also make tokens (ready to get pumped up by either her effect or Sita Varma), and, if you're somehow able to keep her protected, her ultimate can draw you enough cards to give yourself an overwhelming advantage against the rest of the table. I don't think Sita Varma has ever actually been to Zendikar, but Nissa's still more than happy to help her out.

Pit AutomatonPit Automaton

Pit Automaton

Currently in 25% of decks.

Some cards are built to work in only a handful of decks. 99% of the time, these cards are chaff, and you can fish them out of the bulk bins of just about any LGS. In the 1% of decks that do want them though, these cards are absolute game changers, and come to life in really unique ways. Pit AutomatonPit Automaton is one such card.

Its effect allows it to double exhaust abilities. This either lets you set Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer off much earlier than would otherwise be possible, or transforms her effect into a rush of complete overkill, allowing you to easily out-muscle the rest of the table. Cards like these are the sort of cards that Under the Radar was made to highlight, and I can't recommend running Pit AutomatonPit Automaton any more highly.

Conclusion

Now that the finish line is in sight, let's see if we can unpack why Sita Varma, Masked RacerSita Varma, Masked Racer hasn't really taken off. Simic +1/+1 counter commanders are nothing new. Sita Varma will likely never be as popular as Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress, who currently leads more than 6,600 decks, or Vorel of the Hull CladeVorel of the Hull Clade, who leads just over 2,000.

By relying on an exhaust ability to give ourselves one big turn, we're telegraphing our intentions quite clearly and opening ourselves up to opponents removing Sita Varma in response to the activation of her effect. There will undoubtedly be games where the plan doesn't quite come together, and a board wipe stops everything in its tracks.

In the end, it'll all be worth it for those games where everything just clicks. Sita Varma goes off, you anticipate and interrupt an opponent's Swords to PlowsharesSwords to Plowshares with An Offer You Can't RefuseAn Offer You Can't Refuse, and all of the tiny Elves, Otters, and Bugs you control become titanic threats that can win you the game. You won't win every race, but the ones that you do you'll close out with style, flair, and a giant unblockable Slither BladeSlither Blade.