{"ops":[{"insert":"This deck is to embody the passion of"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Khârn the Betrayer"}},{"insert":". Kharn does not care about where he swings his axe, he just wants to swing! Don't want the constant stress of deciding who the threat is and who swing at? Don't worry, make your opponents decide instead! Make him big but also make sure he doesn't come your way. There are plenty of ways to goad him in this deck, use them on him or maybe even a bigger creature on the board! \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Preface: "},{"insert":"This is my first time attempting to make a primer. I have been playing this game for little over 2 years, at the time of writing this, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Khârn the Betrayer"}},{"insert":" has become one of my favourite commanders to play. I enjoy this game and all the fun and cool interactions I continue to keep discovering. Some cards may be expensive (which I hate), but the fun experiences are priceless (which I love). There will never be a perfect deck. I will most likely continue to update this deck over time and can always learn from other people. \n\nAnd remember, be curious!\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Goals: "},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Voltron."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Main goal is to win by commander damage. You want to make Kharn big. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Power, trample, "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"goading"},{"insert":" are your best friends.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Threat."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Make sure Kharn is the biggest threat. If there are bigger threats, you can pivot to using your goading on those creatures instead but understand you will be losing your game plan and Kharn can be swung back at you. There is multiple goading enchantmets and one with graveyard recurrsion, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Sound of Drums"}},{"insert":", so there is room to pivot away and back to Kharn.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Low Profile."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Avoid looking like the threat early game. Try to get equipments in the field and a way to goad "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Khârn the Betrayer"}},{"insert":" after your play him before he starts wreaking havoc. You can play him early and set him loose for some chaos if you prefer but that play style is out of your control. There is not a lot of ramp in mono-red so most likely you will naturally not be the threat early on anyways. Politics is always a strategy. \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Prepare to Rebuild."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Khârn the Betrayer"}},{"insert":" being the biggest threat will mean he will have removal sent at him at some point. It's best to prepare yourself to build him back him. If you have multiple goading enchanments in hand, I prefer to save one in preperation to play him again. There are cheaper cost (money and mana wise) that you can sub in. I prefer equipments due to being able to re-equip them to Kharn when he comes back. Thats a personal preference. \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cheat Equipment Costs. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Use cards such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thorin, Mountain-king"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brass Squire"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Magnetic Theft"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hammer of Nazahn"}},{"insert":" to get around those expensive equipment costs.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Win Conditions:"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Commander Damage. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"As mentioned above.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Damage."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Whittle away at opponents but spells such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Insurrection"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chandra's Ignition"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kazuul's Fury // Kazuul's Cliffs"}},{"insert":" will be your finishers. There are scenarios that "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thorin, Mountain-king"}},{"insert":" can win you the game as well if you are pairing it with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stuffy Doll"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brash Taunter"}},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Goad."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Using your overall goading with help of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bothersome Quasit"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rite of the Raging Storm"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vengeful Ancestor"}},{"insert":" will be extremely useful over the time of the game especially if you are utilizing "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Death Kiss"}},{"insert":" and"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Jeska, Thrice Reborn"}},{"insert":" but "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Disrupt Decorum"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spectacular Showdown"}},{"insert":" are your finishers when you are relying on your Goad\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Weaknessess:"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Board state. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This is a glass cannon deck. Putting everything onto Kharn and then giving him away leaves you defenseless. I have added cards to help as much as they can with this such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brash Taunter"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stuffy Doll"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pariah's Shield"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kaldra Compleat"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs"}},{"insert":" to make it less favourable to attack you. With "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stuffy Doll"}},{"insert":" Make sure you pick the opponent that also has a voltron or go wide deck. You can also consider removing stuffy doll for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Silent Arbiter"}},{"insert":" or"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Giggling Skitterspike"}},{"insert":". I personally did not add "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Silent Arbiter"}},{"insert":" due to creating crowd controlling restrictions for other players makes it frustrating for opponents and they will more likely choose to use their interactions and removal on you. This is a personal choice within the games I play. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Silent Arbiter"}},{"insert":" has amazing synergy with Voltron decks. \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Flying."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Aside from "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pariah's Shield"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vengeful Ancestor"}},{"insert":", you do not have any protection from flying creatures. \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Goad. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"With Classic goading, you have to be mindful when it comes down to a 1 v 1 since goading does not prevent creatures from attacking you in this scenario. There are cards such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Assault Suit"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vow of Lightning"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rite of the Raging Storm"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos"}},{"insert":" that are favourable in this scenario on top of the cards listed above in the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"board state"},{"insert":" sections\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Multiple Threats. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"As mentioned before, Kharn excels when he is the biggest threat on the board. When there are bigger and badder threats out there, yes people tend to throw removal and interactions towards that threat instead, but if Kharn cannot get through with trample then he is useless against that opponent.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Removal. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This deck is all in. There is very little removal in this deck. There is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blasphemous Act"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chain Reaction"}},{"insert":", and other cards listed in "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"win conditions "},{"insert":"that can do some removal but you will have to rely heavily on opponents to get rid of big threats if Kharn cannot do it. A fun interaction I've done a couple of time is using a card like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Loki's Scepter"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kari Zev's Expertise"}},{"insert":" then using "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kazuul's Fury // Kazuul's Cliffs"}},{"insert":" to sacrifice that creature while throwing the damage back at the opponent.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Considerations:"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bouncing Kharn. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Almost every itteration of this deck online leans heavy into the the mechanic "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Khârn the Betrayer"}},{"insert":" has that moves him every time he takes damage for card draw and add a lot of cards that ping Kharn for damage. This is not a bad strategy but I ask myself, what does this really accomplish? I'm not using cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Razorkin Needlehead"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scrawling Crawler"}},{"insert":" to win by pinging opponents down. This is a Voltron commander. Make him big, swing him, and have opponents swing him at other opponents. There is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Desert"}},{"insert":" that you can utilize to move him when he becomes unblocked or many cards that make you gain control of Kharn until end of turn, gain control of permanents you own, or move him around regardless but the plan is if he does not get bounced enough, utilize the cards that give him back to you and throw in back out in the wild again. If you want, you can add cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cunning Sparkmage"}},{"insert":" or any of the other damage pinging cards that exist to lean into that strategy more. I have personally found this decklist leads to more wins.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Back up Commanders."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"There are plenty of mono-red voltron commanders out there you can slot in. Utilizing cards already in this deck, I found "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos"}},{"insert":" is the best back up commander with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Slicer, Hired Muscle // Slicer, High-Speed Antagonist"}},{"insert":" following suit. When using these commanders, you will be leaning a little more on the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"goading "},{"insert":"win-con than you would with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Khârn the Betrayer"}},{"insert":". The cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brand"}},{"insert":" become a lot less impactful but you are able to use cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Loki's Scepter"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kari Zev's Expertise"}},{"insert":", and others more on opponents creatures than your commander.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Vigilance. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"When Kharn moves, he stays tapped. I've always gone back and fourth about putting equipment that would give him vigilance for the cases that he gets moved to an opponent whose turn is not next and Kharn can be used to block and clean up opponents creatures but in reality, it just helps that opponent become less favourable to attack, making it more likely you are the target instead. People don't tend to attack opponents with creatures that can't get through anyways.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Land Count. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Heavily suggest starting with 3 or more lands in hand. This deck has 34 lands if you include "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kazuul's Fury // Kazuul's Cliffs"}},{"insert":" (This is why I chose this card over "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fling"}},{"insert":" ) and remember "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Maze of Ith"}},{"insert":" does not produce mana. This deck has a CMC of 2.07 with lands and 3.15 without lands. On top of the cards that help "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"cheat equipment costs "},{"insert":"(as listed above), cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ruby Medallion"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Extraplanar Lens"}},{"insert":", and other mana rocks help the lower than average land count. You may consider substituing in 1-3 more lands. Once you get the ball rolling with base lands, there are lots of treasure creating cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Reaver Cleaver"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spiteful Banditry"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shiny Impetus"}},{"insert":" to keep you on curve with mana if you fall behind with land draw.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Infinite Combo."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Jeska's Will"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reiterate"}},{"insert":" can make an infinite combo with the conditions of having 9 mana and an opponent with 7 or more cards in hand. Kharn can help opponents have large hand sizes. In a mono-red deck, I consider this a late game infinite to keep this deck in bracket 3. \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Snow-Covered Mountains."},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I added "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Extraplanar Lens"}},{"insert":" in this deck. Using this on a mountain makes all mountains, even opponents, to tap for 2 red. If you want to be cheeky about it, you can substitute your mountains for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Snow-Covered Mountain"}},{"insert":" so, unless your opponents are also using snow-covered mountains, only your mountains will tap for 2 red. I keep basic mountains in this deck to both lean a little more into the \"group hug\" of this deck but also more likely to have this card stay on the field with opponents can also utilize it. Most multi coloured commander decks have very few basic mountains in their land count. You will almost always be getting the most value out of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Extraplanar Lens"}},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Underworld Breach."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The inclusion of this card is situational. As listed in the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"win conditions"},{"insert":", I've been in the situation where you a utilized one of your finisher cards early to board wipe/survive and then have no way to finish the game after that because you ran out of steam. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Underworld Breach"}},{"insert":" is a situational card that can give you a last stand to win the game. \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mass Forced Combat"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I've seen multiple decks and considered adding mass forced combat cards into this deck. As mentioned in weaknesses, you generally will have a constant weak board state. Adding cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Goblin Spymaster"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Total War"}},{"insert":", or another variant of mass forced combat without the constant ability to goad the other threats on the board means they are just as likely to attack you. In my experience, instead of opponents throwing smaller creatures that they want kept alive into other threats, if you are open, they will throw those creatures at you instead. You can consider pairing mass forced combat with cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Disrupt Decorum"}},{"insert":", which is a great combo. If you do go down this road for a Kharn deck, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Silent Arbiter"}},{"insert":" and more recurring goading cards would be heavily suggested to be added.\n"}]}