{"ops":[{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"The original concept for this deck was to build a deck that I can hand to a beginner saying, \"Here you go, play one land a turn, tap the land for mana to cast spells from your hand. Try to win the game by attacking your opponents with creatures. If in doubt, ask us or just cast the spells. Have fun!!\" The deck should still have fun powerful mechanics and should still be fun to pilot by an experienced player. The"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Kangee, Sky Warden"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" flying-kindred deck I just put together seemed like a decent deck for it. Discovered that it was still too hard for a beginner due to too much hidden information (eg no keyword reminder text on card, counterspell in hand, protection, interaction). So begins the journey of optimizing this deck for a beginner whilst still keeping enough complexity for an experienced player. Cards with no reminder text were removed for cards with fully explained keywords/mechanics...\"reading the card explains the card\" (ooops...still waiting for a \"normal\" version of"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Thieving Skydiver"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" to swap in, still keeping the \"pretty\" version of commander as it can easily be explained before starting the game). Anthem complexity was lowered by keeping only anthems that say \"all creatures you control\" or \"all flying creatures you control\" while reducing \"other creatures/flyers you control\" anthems ("},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Empyrean Eagle"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" still left in deck. "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Pride of the Clouds"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Skycat Sovereign"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" kept as table/myself can help keep track). With Blue, counterspells seem like a mechanic that a beginner should experience but would add decision complexity/paralysis. With that in mind, all traditional counterspells were swapped out for counterspells on a body like "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Spiketail Drakeling"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Wizard Replica"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" . This way, the table can help prompt the beginner when a decision point for counterspelling comes up. The on board counterspells also work well as a \"stick\" to keep the beginner safe from opportunistic disruption (feel-good motivation to keep playing Commander?). Then Kangee started feeling clunky so "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Errant and Giada"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" was swapped in for a cheap early cast and small card advantage in command zone. A few combat tricks, protection, and removal were kept for to keep the deck interesting while arguably still being easy to grok by a beginner. "},{"insert":"\n\nFlavour: creatures "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"STRICTLY"},{"insert":" must have flying. Other cards to have flying/air/related themes as far as possible\nTheme: Flying evasive creatures, interaction in form of creature abilities.\nBudget deck (<$100 in 2024). \nLearner deck: Goal is for the deck to be easy to learn with, just cast and go. Deck should still be an extremely versatile midrange-control-style deck for experienced players piloting it. \n\nWin con:\nCreature beatdowns"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nBeginner Pilot notes:\nCast Flyers, protect them, buff them with anthems, attack and win!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"If unsure, just cast the spells (ignoring unfamiliar mechanics) and swing out with flyers"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Deck is extremely flexible with interaction and can even lockdown a board"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Experienced Players:\nHave Fun! ;)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nEdit 12/4/2026\nTo do:\nswap in "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lonely Sandbar"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Done."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"optimize anthems"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"swap out "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Darksteel Ingot"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"optimize mana acceleration for flavour/synergy"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n\nEdit 8/12/2024\nCommander changed to Errant and Giada for card advantage (formerly Kangee Sky Warden)"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"To do:\nReplace non-creature spells with flying creatures w/ equivalent abilities "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Replaced most removal/interaction spells wi/ bodied-equivalents"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"add cycling lands "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Done, just needs the one Blue on left "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lonely Sandbar"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"}]}