{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"#fafafa","color":"#383838"},"insert":"Links"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nIf you want to see this deck in action with me at the helm, I played it on "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Tony Blake MTG"},{"insert":"'s Stream (30th August 2026 - starts at 11:40).\nCheck it out: "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/live/XURf2S9jc2w?si=SCEpMa2OGMMJWRti&t=697"},"insert":"HERE"},{"insert":"\n\n\nBackground"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nAbdel Adrian - RPG Protagonist is my attempt to play with one of my favourite cards while not feeling like a huge jerk. I adore Blink as an archetype, and Abdel Adrian is such a cool card, but unfortunately, he tends to go infinite with a ham sandwich. I tried bringing it down to a PEDH deck... It wasn't fun. I tried different colours... It always felt like I was just stalling until I found an infinite loop that just ended the game.\nThis attempt is all in on what I love about Abdel and is an absolute blast. Abdel Adrian being the canonical player character of Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 has this deck is hard themed on those single player RPGs where Abdel is the only real character (creature). Everyone else is just some random NPC (token). The arbetrary restriction to not allow any other creatures in the deck definitely has warped the deck, and while not having access to my boy "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thraben Inspector"}},{"insert":" is sad, I do like that it has opened up cool niche cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"United Battlefront"}},{"insert":". \nRPG Protagonist/Creatureless creatures is one of my more unique decks. As of time of writing there are only 217 (230 as of 27/8/2026) decks with this Commander pairing on EDHRec and if you restrict it to only one creature maximum it drops down to only 3 decks (two of which are mine thanks to an old now deleted Moxfield backup).\n\nI have attempted to keep everything mostly on theme, completing RPG side quests as a character with the Master Chef/Crafter background. My card draw is a bunch of potions, runes and foods that draw a card on ETB. My creature Tokens come from completing Quests like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sidequest: Raise a Chocobo // Black Chocobo"}},{"insert":", Crafting things like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Carrot Cake"}},{"insert":" or Weapons like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Barbed Spike"}},{"insert":". I can even justify battles/Mini-bosses like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Invasion of Ixalan // Belligerent Regisaur"}},{"insert":" to power up my party. View the deck sorted by categories (multiple) to see the justifications.\n\nGameplay"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nDespite being a theme deck, I have tried my best to make the deck playable, as it is one of if not the most played deck in my paper collection.\nAll I want to do with him is play a bunch of terrible unplayably trash permanents with some random ETB effect. Then shove them all in Abdel Adrian's inventory and make a bunch of 1/1 mooks. Pump them up with counters and beat people to death with my faceless NPCs. Blink or recast Abdel, and profit.\n\nOne benefit is that the deck tends to be quite sticky against removal. Blink is great against targeted removal against the Protagonist, and it runs multiple mass indestructible effects against board wipes. Sometimes we don't even care about removal and just bank on the fact that the stuff under Abdel Adrian will return, making an instant board faster than anyone else.\nThe other benefit is digging through all the trashy 1-3 mana do nothing cards with an ETBs during spoiler season and being super happy pulling something like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thrór's Map"}},{"insert":" in your prerelease kit. Is it that much better/cooler than "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Case of the Shattered Pact"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ecologist's Terrarium"}},{"insert":" ? Not really... but its a new toy and now my RPG deck has a Map. And being able to loot for 2 mana is objectively better than an unsolvable case cosplaying as that early game sidequest that you never complete.\n\nQuick Play"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"NOTE: If you want to play this deck, there are a few tips for quicker play. "},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"- Abdel can eat tapped tokens and make untapped tokens to replace them. Feel free to swing aggressively if blinking Abdel is on the cards and surprise opponents with dozens of new blockers."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"- Three of the Four pump effects hidden in the mana base: "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Karn's Bastion"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Abandoned Air Temple"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" and"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Gavony Township"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" can be activated at instant speed. Keep up your mana and threaten bad blocks or lethal swings. "},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"- There is a default order that I order my triggers to "},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"RESOLVE"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" (obviously add to stack in reverse order if playing on MTGO) in on a blink so that I can rip through what can be a busy stack of triggers nice and quickly. "},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"(Make sure you are confident explaining why old O-Rings can permanently exile things if they are blinked out before the ETB trigger resolves.)"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"1) Search for any lands"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"2) Scry / Draw Cards"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"3) Make Tokens (or maybe just count how many you will make if they are going to be immediately eaten by Abdel)"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"4) Check that you activated any tap abilities (E.g. float mana with things like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Hot Dog Cart"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Veloheart Bike"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" or activate permanents like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Staff of the Storyteller"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" and"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"The Ooze"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":")\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"5) Abdel Adrian blinks out selected permanents (including newly created tokens)"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" 5.5) (Add to stack and then immediately resolve the newly added "},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"italic":true},"insert":"LTB"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" Triggers of "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Oblivion Ring"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" and/or "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Journey to Nowhere"}},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" )"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"6) Resolve the "},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"ETB"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Target of "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Oblivion Ring"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" and/or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Journey to Nowhere"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" so that the exiles are forever."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"7) Add +1/+1 Counters with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Oath of Ajani"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" so that Abdel's newly created tokens benefit from additional counters."},{"insert":"\n\n\n"}]}