{"ops":[{"insert":"Welcome to my signature deck and its commander, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eivor, Wolf-Kissed"}},{"insert":". This deck looks to spin together commander beatdown, historic matters, and saga reanimator themes, relying heavily on Eivor's powerful combat damage trigger to cheat Sagas and Lands into play.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"General Strategy Overview"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nEarly turns are about ramping and setting up engines so Eivor is ready to swing on an open opponent as soon as she hits the table. The transition to mid game is when Eivor has hit the table for the first time (the goal turn 4). After that priority switches to finding late game multipliers to close out the game for the win. My playgroup likes to say if Eivor connects for damage even once, the game is usually hers to dictate.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Reasons to play this deck"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nYou like being the archenemy"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Commander damage wins peak your interest"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You like big splashy plays and moments"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Reasons not to play this deck"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nYou don't like going through a lot of maintenance triggers"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You like having a lot of instant speed interaction"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You hate your commander dying constantly"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"MVP Cards"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Game Enders"},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bayek of Siwa"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tifa, Martial Artist"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Annie Joins Up"}},{"insert":" close games out in short order, doubling the amount of times Eivor triggers in a turn and the amount of commander damage a player takes. God forbid we have them all out at once.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Recursive Pieces"},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tale of Tinúviel"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Night of the Doctor"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elspeth Conquers Death"}},{"insert":" are all Sagas that reanimate a creature on future chapters, great for reanimating Eivor should she die before it gets back around to our next turn or reanimating premium legends that accelerate our game plan should Eivor live.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"High Impact Saga Creatures"},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Bahamut"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Knights of Round"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Titan"}},{"insert":" become must answer threats which eat the removal that Eivor would have otherwise received, while still providing immense value from their first and possibly second chapters resolutions.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Lore Counter Manipulators"},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nesting Grounds"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scholar of New Horizons"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sigurd, Jarl of Ravensthorpe"}},{"insert":" can remove and add lore counters, meaning we can repeat an important chapter ability on multiple turns or rush through all of a Saga's chapters in a single turn for a burst of value.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Massive Pump Effects"},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Excalibur, Sword of Eden"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Caduceus, Staff of Hermes"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Titan"}},{"insert":"'s third chapter ability, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"World War Hulk"}},{"insert":"'s third chapter ability, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Aesir Escape Valhalla"}},{"insert":"'s second chapter ability all can drastically increase Eivor's power for quick commander damage knockouts and huge digs into the library with her triggered ability\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Best Ramp Cards "},{"insert":"- "},{"insert":{"card-link":"World War Hulk"}},{"insert":" takes the cake here easily, letting Eivor come down a turn early by itself and then buffing her for the next two turns, all on a single Saga. This deck couldn't ask for a better card. Off a Sol Ring and a turn two ramp spell like Nature's Lore, World War Hulk makes a turn 3 Eivor a real possibility from an opening hand. After that "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Misty Mountains Cold"}},{"insert":" is the next best as it enables a turn 4 Eivor all on its own, if you assume you make every land drop till turn 4 (~75% chance of happening btw).\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Prevent the Mill Out"},{"insert":" - "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Mending of Dominaria"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kozilek, Butcher of Truth"}},{"insert":" play the very important role of preventing the deck from milling itself out. Eivor knocks players out by killing them with commander damage one at a time. Unfortunately, this means a lot of the time by the time we get to the last player we have milled a considerable amount of our deck (42 cards minimum if we killed the first two players with exact commander damage). Having Kozilek and Mending mean that the deck can reliably shuffle the graveyard back into the library.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Recursion "},{"insert":"- "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yuna, Hope of Spira"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Layla Hassan"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"What Must Be Done"}},{"insert":" all grab back Sagas from the graveyard. Yuna can grab any enchantment while Layla and What Must Be Done can grab back any historic permanent (artifacts, legends, and Sagas are all historic), letting us take full advantage of the massive self-mill Eivor fuels.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Slow Down and Speed Up "},{"insert":"- This deck has a very high mana curve and often only casts a single spell on its turn, relying on its ability to cheat permanents into play for free to generate momentum. Notably this isn't casting. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"High Noon"}},{"insert":" keeps opponents off balance by limiting their ability to double spell, meanwhile doing very little to slow down our own game plan. This leaves opponent's unable to match the sheer value that we get from our high mana cost Sagas that have abilities triggering turn after turn. In a pinch or when we are ready to start double spelling ourselves, we can always sacrifice it to its own activated ability and snipe a creature on its way out. On the other side of this pendulum, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nature's Will"}},{"insert":" does the exact opposite in that it allows us to play multiple big haymakers in a single turn with its ability to untap all lands after a successful combat hit to a player, which ideally should be happening every turn.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Tutor "},{"insert":"- "},{"insert":{"card-link":"War of the Last Alliance"}},{"insert":" is a double tutor on a Saga, which means its can be grabbed off of Eivor's trigger. Being a double tutor, we can find game enders like Tifa and Bayek or we can find early game card advantage engines like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Venat, Heart of Hydaelyn // Hydaelyn, the Mothercrystal"}},{"insert":". It doesn't stop there, we also can grab our recursion pieces, Yuna and Layla if we need to rebuild. War of the Last Alliance is the one thing you need right now and the follow-up. And if that wasn't enough, it gives Eivor double strike as its last chapter ability. Definitely an all star in the list.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Cool Plays and Interactions"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nCasting "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Capitoline Triad"}},{"insert":" and activating its emblem ability is trivially easy in this deck and is always a blast to see happen. Historic matters recursion and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"War of the Last Alliance"}},{"insert":" make consistently getting this card to hand very achievable."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bayek of Siwa"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tifa, Martial Artist"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Annie Joins Up"}},{"insert":" all can end games on their own but if they are all in play at once, things get wild. If we hit all 3 opponents with a power 7 or greater creature with first strike and normal combat damage with all three in play, we get a whopping 12 additional combats. This is surprisingly easy to pull off between Triad emblem, the density of power 7 or greater historic creatures and the amount of pump and counter giving effects there are in the deck."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bayek of Siwa"}},{"insert":" applies to all historic creatures, not just legends. This means our suite of Summon Saga creatures are also granted double strike as well."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"It doesn't happen often, but hitting "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Bahamut"}},{"insert":"'s final chapter ability usually wins on the spot. It is not unusual for this deck to have 30, 40, 50+ mana value of permanents on the battlefield at the point of the game that chapter ability is resolving in."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scholar of New Horizons"}},{"insert":" stands out among the lore counter manipulators because its the only one that lets us do it at instant speed during the precombat main phase. Saga's do not sacrifice themselves for having a number of lore counters equal to or more than than its number of chapter abilities until its final chapter ability has fully resolved. If we activate Scholar of New Horizons in response to the final chapter ability of a Saga going on the stack (removing a lore counter from said Saga to do so) we actually save the Saga from sacrificing itself and we get to repeat the last chapter ability the following turn. This is notable for Sagas like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"World War Hulk"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Bahamut"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Knights of Round"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Summon: Titan"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Waking the Trolls"}},{"insert":" that all have incredibly powerful final chapter abilities."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"If you happen to hit "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Aesir Escape Valhalla"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kozilek, Butcher of Truth"}},{"insert":" in the same Eivor trigger, you can order the triggers so that Aesir exiles Kozilek under itself before Kozilek is shuffled back into the library since their triggers are put onto the stack at the same time after Eivors ability fully resolves."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hall of Heliod's Generosity"}},{"insert":" can return Sagas milled earlier or that had expended themselves back to the top of the deck in response to Eivor's trigger, allowing you to cheat them into play again."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"What to Look Out For and Know"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOpening hands should have 3-4 Lands, at least 1 ramp spell, ideally 2, and 1 piece of interaction or 1 early card advantage engine. We want to be hitting Eivor as soon as possible, turn 5 at the absolute latest. Going down to 6 or even 5 cards is better than keeping a hand of unplayable 6+ mana value cards."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The first time you cast Eivor and having her stick is pivotal, having her removed instantly or countered really slows down our game. Be aware of who has open mana for a kill spell or who has open blue mana for a counter spell."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"After Eivor connects once, it is usually very difficult to keep her off the battlefield since her ability grabs a Land, essentially paying for half her command tax, and usually there isn't anything better you could be doing besides casting her. Personally, my record for how much mana I have needed to cast Eivor is 26 and I still won that game."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Eivor has trample and haste. Many opponents are thrown off by this, even though personally I make a point of pointing this out pregame. This usually means Eivor hits for a full 7 damage every swing the first few games you play with her, as opponents are often wary to lose chump blockers to save just a few points of damage. As players get more familiar with playing against Eivor they usually quickly realize that while the difference between a few points of damage doesn't mean much, the difference in the amount of cards Eivor digs through with her powerful ability does."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Be on top of Saga lore counter counts and know the chapter abilities happening next. Sagas typically have 3 chapter abilities that are each unique. This basically means most Sagas are 3 different cards in one. It adds a lot of complexity and if we aren't top of them, it can really slow down our turns. The Sagas that have remained in the list are some form of interaction, ramp, or card advantage. The few others place counters, temporarily pump a creature, or gain life."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Instant speed interaction is basically nonexistent in the deck, there is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swords to Plowshares"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Path to Exile"}},{"insert":". That's it. Be very wise about how you use them and when. This isn't to say we are without interaction. Oftentimes I'm told this deck can be very oppressive. Between all the Sagas and other cards in the list, the deck is running a massive 23 points of targeted and mass disruption, most of which can be grabbed off an Eivor trigger and are recurrable/repeatable. We trade speed for reusability."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck has quite a bit of incidental life gain. It's relatively easy to shrug off 10-20 damage you take over the course of a game. If you hit multiple, even regaining 30+ life is very possible. If you group by \"Categories(Multiple)\", cards that are tagged lifegain should appear in the visual stacks."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The Land count of 41 and Saga count of 28 are intentional. At these amounts, the odds of whiffing on Eivor's trigger for a Land is almost nonexistent (roughly 98% to see a Land) and very low for whiffing on a Saga (roughly 91% to see a Saga). If you are wanting to adjust the counts, I would recommend not going below 39 Lands and 25 Sagas. Below those thresholds, whiffing on at least one card type from Eivor's triggers becomes much more common."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Common Rules Errors"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nEivor grabs a Saga "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"AND/OR "},{"insert":"a Land. You can get both, or just one, or even none as it does also say \"may\". Lots of players miss this on first read."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Eivor grabs the cards from "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"AMONG "},{"insert":"cards milled this way. She doesn't care if they went to the graveyard specifically. This means mass exile effects like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leyline of the Void"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rest in Peace"}},{"insert":", while annoying to other parts of the deck, don't actually shut off Eivor's ability to cheat a chosen Saga and Land into play. This one really trips players up so be prepared."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Sagas sacrifice themselves after their final chapter ability has fully resolved as a State-Based Action if it still has lore counters equal to or greater than the number of chapter abilities it has (i.e. 3+ lore counters on a 3 chapter Saga). If you can remove a lore counter at instant speed with the final chapter ability still on the stack, the Saga will not sacrifice itself when the ability resolves since it no longer has lore counters equal to or greater than its chapter count."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Sagas have their lore counters placed at the start of the precombat main phase, not the during the draw step. Confusing due to the wording of their reminder text, I know, blame Wizards for that."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"For those of you that want to put "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Doubling Season"}},{"insert":" into the deck, be aware that due to the most recent rules change for Sagas, it does double the initial amount of counters placed on the saga to 2 lore counters but it does "},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"NOT "},{"insert":"double the lore counters placed at the start of the precombat main phase as those are placed by an inherent rule of the game instead of an effect. As a side note, a fully leveled-up "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Innkeeper's Talent"}},{"insert":" does work for both doubling entry and precombat main phase placement of lore counters as it does not specify \"effect\" in its wording."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Card Exclusions, Possible Inclusions, Possible Cuts, and Most Recent Additions"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Exclusions"},{"insert":"\nThere are no Game Changers in this list (I personally do not find them fun and actively avoid placing them into my decks as a general rule for my own deckbuilding) but this is still definitively bracket 3 as it can easily crush an unprepared table as early as turn 6 on the nut draw, and consistently on turn 7. If I were to include Game Changers, the very first include would be "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Enlightened Tutor"}},{"insert":" as this places a Saga right on top of the library ready for Eivor to cheat into play on the next hit and does so at instant speed. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Worldly Tutor"}},{"insert":" would be second as it can grab the Summon Saga creatures and would play very similiarly to Enlightened Tutor. Finally, probably either "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Jeska's Will"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Smothering Tithe"}},{"insert":", leaning Smothering Tithe (because of enchantment synergies), for the last slot to speed up ramping into Eivor.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Possible Inclusions"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Seasoned Dungeoneer"}},{"insert":" is an excellent prospect include as it gives Eivor the best possible evasion and a possible damage boost. I haven't included it as it isn't a legend and the bar for being included without being a legend is extremely high, has to do something incredibly unique or niche, so far only "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scholar of New Horizons"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Atalan Jackal"}},{"insert":" have cleared that hurdle, but with people wising up to blocking Eivor it's begun to grow more valuable in my eyes."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Power Conduit"}},{"insert":" has also been on the debate floor recently as a lore counter manipulator and, honestly, might find its way in since it can do it at instant speed like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scholar of New Horizons"}},{"insert":" and is a recurrable historic permanent."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Possible Cuts"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hunter's Bow"}},{"insert":", personally a flavor win and a recurrable historic permanent but I can see why it could be cut for power reasons and/or for an instant speed removal option."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fall of the First Civilization"}},{"insert":", a lower impact Saga that has recently begun to be outclassed, probably my second cut for when I want to test new cards."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Most Recent Additions"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Misty Mountains Cold"}},{"insert":" has lived up to the hype. Turn 4 Eivors are incredible and a bit of extra mana later in the game indeed never hurts. 8.5/10 card"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cosmic Cube"}},{"insert":" is an absolute monster. Looking 6 cards deep and casting something costing 7 mana or less from among them off an Eivor attack is incredible. It has ward {2} for some reason, so it deters a lot of targeted removal and being an artifact means its recurrable by "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Layla Hassan"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"What Must Be Done"}},{"insert":". 9/10 card"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hedge Shredder"}},{"insert":" is a new addition. I want to see how it is to get all lands back to the battlefield that are milled by Eivor's trigger. I have yet to see it happen, but will report here when it does. ?/10 card"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Heartwood Crafter // Soul Tether"}},{"insert":" is the newest addition to the deck. As a one mana dork that ramps on turn 2, thanks to its prepared spell, it enables a turn 4 Eivor all on its own, provided you hit land drops. And you know how I feel about turn 4 Eivor enablers. I almost always keep opening hands with this card. 9/10 card"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"}]}