{"ops":[{"insert":"The Master, Formed Anew -"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ff9900"},"insert":" Despicable Wyrm"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nIntroduction"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHello there, I'm here with some spice for the September 2025 Deckbuilding competition. Taking a look at "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":"  and how we can use it and its minions to bridge a Convoke strategy with a Theft one (and a little bit of blink support to tie them together)!\n\nThe goal of the deck is simple : using "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" as the secret commander to "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"give Convoke to anything we exile from our opponents with Theft cards"},{"insert":".\n\nAnd yes, if you squint, this is a "},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Despicable Me"},{"insert":" themed deck, with the Minions being represented by small creatures transporting my opponents cards from their deck to my side of the field, I'm not sorry.\n\nWhy combining the two Mechanics?"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe main hurdle Theft decks are facing is how mana intensive it is to play all of the cards they steal. The key selling point for using Convoke is that you can "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"cast way more cards than the average Theft deck"},{"insert":" by using the creatures you have (including the ones you already stole) as a way to get a rebate on the cards you want to steal. \n\nHaving multiple strategies within your own deck also helps the Theft gameplan come together as it becomes way easier to find synergies with cards belonging to your opponents!\n\nIn addition, the "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Aqlk4Csb3K38w02RGHTj2LdBBGcdpRtAUVvV745F-2I/edit?usp=sharing"},"insert":"spreadsheet"},{"insert":" made by Ifnjeff shows an absence of relationship between Convoke and Theft. Breaking new grounds in commander is always nice!\n\nWith that idea set, it's time to talk about the deck, about how to find "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" and how to keep it around as a secret commander.\n\n\nPower Level and Budget"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe deck is aimed at being bracket 3. It's pretty good at setting up the engine, the deck plays well even if you end up losing the dragon, but it's also very good at never losing it. We also want a few good tutors that are game changers for consistency sake.\n\nThe deck price is a bit higher than what I'd want thanks to a few consistency cards. Those could be replaced by cheaper - and slower - options, but the \"janky\" gameplan appreciate the speed those expensive cards offer.\n\nThe Deck"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n1) The Commander"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWe are playing "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Master, Formed Anew"}},{"insert":" in our command zone. It’s a very cool card from the Doctor Who set which basically lets us exile our "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" and store it there with a Takeover Counter, meaning we can get the dragon back"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":" as many times as we want"},{"insert":", just by replaying our commander.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" coming with a tutor, playing our commander right after it gives us a second one, and between the dragon having Convoke and the master costing 2, Having a bunch of tokens on field lets us ensure we can play both in the same turn.\n\n2) Tutors"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWith our real commander being in the deck, we play a fair amount of tutors to find it. "},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Contrary to most decks playing a lot of tutors, this deck rarely plays the same game to game, because our main win condition involves playing cards from our opponents !"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"a few numbers regarding the chance of hitting our secret commander or a tutor (using an hypergeometric calculator and simple maths) are available at the very end of the primer!"},{"insert":"\n\n\n2) Small Creatures"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWho says Convoke, says creatures, "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"a lot of them"},{"insert":". \n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" costs 8, by the time we get to it, we want to be able to play it. Our deck is full of creatures and ways to make tokens. We want to get enough of them to be able to play a lot of cards that we will eventually steal from our opponents. Our creatures have to either make tokens or be cheap with some ability to dig in our deck (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Augury Owl"}},{"insert":") and evasion (this part will come up later).\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shrieking Drake"}},{"insert":" has an important role that warrant an explanation: There are times where we will want to play our commander before our dragon, as long as we search that card with Hoarding Broodlord, we can always reset the commander on the spot by returning it to hand and casting it again for two mere mana. It basically gives us a bit of flexibility in how we approach the game and it can also be used to reuse an etb all while giving us a body. \n\n3) Card Theft"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOur deck is a Theft deck. Since our deck searches a lot of cards, we don't actually need to play that many of those cards as long as those cards let us steal a lot! \nWe are playing the ones that mostly steal from deck -> to exile (stealing from the board with cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hostage Taker"}},{"insert":" is fine sparingly), synergize with our many small evasive creatures (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gonti, Night Minister"}},{"insert":") or with the fact that we can blink them (like the new "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Black Cat, Cunning Thief"}},{"insert":").\n\nAnother characteristic that we are looking for in our theft cards is that we want the ones that let us pay mana as if they were of any color.\nConvoke ("},{"attributes":{"link":"https://mtg.fandom.com/wiki/Convoke"},"insert":"Rule 702.51"},{"insert":") has you pay with mana the colored mana pips of costs if you don’t have tokens of that color, but you can use any color of mana to pay for them. That’s something that we are trying to fix ourselves by playing tokens of various colors (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Underworld Hermit"}},{"insert":" making green tokens for example), but it’s generally not a problem."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nas an additional note: "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rev, Tithe Extractor"}},{"insert":" doesn't let us pay with any color and doesn't let us play lands with the cards she exiles (be sure to keep track of that, she works differently from all of the others) but she makes treasures (to be able to pay for the colors) and is an excellent rate for the cost, so we are still playing her. Also, as the game progresses, we will steal some lands from our opponents with other cards, that will give us the colors we may need and make casting their spells an easier task.\n\n4) Blink Engine"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nA lot of our creatures have “enter the battlefield” triggers, they mostly make tokens ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Weaponcraft Enthusiast"}},{"insert":") or let us progress in our deck ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Baleful Strix"}},{"insert":"), we are supplementing them with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thassa, Deep-Dwelling"}},{"insert":" that we can reach with our Secret Commander entering, another card that also happen to have an etb.\nit's not a fully fledged 3rd archetype, but it's very close and can become one if you manage to steal a good ETB from an opponent.\n\n5) Wincons"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOur Wincons are highly dependant on the decks we are facing, anything synergizing with one of our archetypes can be used against our opponents, and our deck having a fair amount of tutors will let us find the cards in our deck to synergize with what we steal. That being said, we have a bit more in stock:\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Master, Formed Anew"}},{"insert":", on top of being a way to get the dragon in the command zone, can take the shape of any creature we stole from an opponent as long as we cast it and exile said creature with it. If we manage to find a good one (aka Big and hopefully with a strong effect), casting the master after sending it back to hand (with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shrieking Drake"}},{"insert":" for example) will let us use that as a win condition forever! This is valid even if we somehow lose "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" forever."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nIn addition to stealing cards, we also play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Throne of the God-Pharaoh"}},{"insert":" , an excellent card able to change our convokers into damage, we also have the ability to just turn them sideways with an attack if the need arises!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nFinally, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":" is a 7 power flying monster, after our commander becomes it, it's just 3 hits away from killing someone with Commander damage, that will definitely come up!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n6) The Veggies"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWe are finishing our deck with a few removals, a few mana rocks and card draw in the form of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar"}},{"insert":" kind of cards (working great with our line-up of evasive creatures), all that we need to round up our list!\n\n\nWith that said, how does a typical game looks like?"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nYou will generally start by playing cheap creatures, trying to get a few extra cards from etb or an early draw engine/stealing cards from a early draw of gonti/rev. from that point, you should quickly find a way to get the dragon in hand and the creatures required to play it on the field.\n\nOnce you're ready to play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hoarding Broodlord"}},{"insert":", play it and right after, play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Master, Formed Anew"}},{"insert":", saving it forever in exile. The two tutors you will get from that play are best used on cards that will find the missing pieces of your engine and highly depend on what your opponents are playing:\n\nAgainst people with \"expensive spells\" I suggest the duo "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thassa, Deep-Dwelling"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Black Cat, Cunning Thief"}},{"insert":". With them you should be able to dig deep in their decks for their best cards."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nif you're looking at someone with a lot of small cards, I highly suggest to look at cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rev, Tithe Extractor"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gonti, Night Minister"}},{"insert":" instead. Gonti especially can really really let you play about anything you're able to steal with the amount of treasures he will generate + convoke, if you play a creature, you're more or less making 2 extra mana each time."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nIf the game is already getting to the point where people will die soon "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Heartless Conscription"}},{"insert":" + "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Darkness"}},{"insert":" can be a great way to \"aikido\" the board, you will be able to stop agression just by taping your commander for darkness, play heartless Conscription on the following turn and then rebuild incredibly quick all 4 boards on your side, as Convoke doesn't care for summoning sickness and most of your creatures have a 1 to 1 body to mana value ratio (and your opponents will probably have a few mana dorks you can use), just make sure to leave your commander in exile so you can play it back for 2 mana."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nIf you have all of the card theft you need , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Throne of the God-Pharaoh"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Within Range"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reverse the Polarity"}},{"insert":" can be good choices to push for damage, you could also pick token makers with a specific color like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Underworld Hermit"}},{"insert":" to help you cast the colored mana pips of the cards you've already stolen with convoke. Alternatively, if a lot of your creatures have evasion or if someone is wide open "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kaito, Cunning Infiltrator"}},{"insert":" can be back breaking, as an emblem on the turn it goes into play will give you a ton of advantage in a way that your opponents can never take back. If you suspect a boardwipe is coming, you can prepare for it by keeping "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shrieking Drake"}},{"insert":" + "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Oketra's Monument"}},{"insert":" safely in exile, ready to build you a board for cheap."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nAs a more general advice on what to tutor at that point, Anything expensive to cast (5+) is a good target, as you highly prefer casting those by convoking them, Removals in general can be a good search to in order to stay ready to handle anything that would end the game defavorably too quick.\n\nAfter that point, the games can be pretty wild. During testing, I had a game where I stole an "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Azusa, Lost but Seeking"}},{"insert":" and with the amount of lands I had stolen, I was able to play them all and use them to cast gigantic dragons from another player. Another game had me use "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Heartless Conscription"}},{"insert":" on an elfball player board (and mine), just to play it fully on the following turn thanks to the elves convoking each other in a chain.\n\nLastly, a small advice, don't put all of your eggs in the same basket, if someone dies, you lose everything you stole from them, try to work with opponents you steal things from when possible, and try to spread around the love when exiling cards!\n\n\nA few numbers"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nUsing an hypergeometric calculator, I was able to determine the % of chance of us hitting our secret commander at various stages of the game:\n\nWithout a mulligan : 49.8%\nWith the free mulligan: 74.8%\nWith the free mulligan + digging 5 deep (draw, scry, etc.): 85.1%\nWith the free mulligan + digging 10 deep (draw, scry, etc): 91.5%\n\nif we were to drop 1 tutor (going from 8 tutors to 7):\nWithout a mulligan : 45.6%\nWith the free mulligan: 70.4%\nWith the free mulligan + digging 5 deep (draw, scry, etc.): 75.7%\nWith the free mulligan + digging 10 deep (draw, scry, etc): 81.7%\n\nI believe digging 10 card in the deck post starting hand is a relatively easy task to perform with the amount of cheap draw/card selection the deck contains.\nWith that set-up, we can see a sharp 10% chance drop if we remove any tutor. It leads me to believe 8 tutors + the commander is an appropriate amount of cards to have in our deck. 8.5% of failing to find the dragon early in a game is a number I'm fine with. It's roughly in line with the amount of time a more straight forward deck would fail to follow the pace of a game due to a poor hand.\n\nThe End"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHere you go, The Master, who's secretly a Dragon, ready to do evil by stealing cards with the help of his minions!\n"}]}