{"ops":[{"insert":{"card-link":"Helga, Skittish Seer"}},{"insert":" is such an important engine on her own a decent chunk of the deck (13 cards, might need more) is to guaranteeing She is cast on turn 2!\nFrom there it is 2-3 turns of tempo to grow her, Using Hatebears and other Stax pieces ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gaddock Teeg"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Collector Ouphe"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trinisphere"}},{"insert":" ) to maintain tempo by hindering the opponent's plays. By turns 5 and 6 I want to be mutating 2 or 3 times a turn and bouncing the stack to keep up pressure and draw to dig for the key pieces ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spawnwrithe"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Conclave Evangelist"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mirror-Sigil Sergeant"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Giggling Skitterspike"}},{"insert":" ) to close out the game.\n\nStarting Hand, please feel free to Mulligan Aggressively! The Deck needs to get Helga down turn 2 (So there is a category devoted to that purpose which I will explain later in the primer) but it also do not want to get Screwed/Flooded and loose tempo. Here is a list in order of importance\nTwo to Three lands (Ideally at least a green duel or a fetch to grab one)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"One way to ramp immediately (certain cases it could live with Two but prefer One) "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"One cheap creature to be a target for early mutate (6/13 ways to ramp are creatures so this can be fulfilled by the previous bulletin)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"At least One mana value 4 (or higher) creature to start growing Helga"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"One mutate creature (they are all mana value 4 or higher, so this could be fulfilled by the previous bulletin)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"One way to draw cards in addition to Helga"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"One Stax Piece"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"So a basic ok hand could look like this ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Island"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Verdant Catacombs"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delighted Halfling"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Migratory Greathorn"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wan Shi Tong, Librarian"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gaea's Herald"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yasharn, Implacable Earth"}},{"insert":" ) This plays as follows\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Verdant Catacombs"}},{"insert":" to get "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Savannah"}},{"insert":" tap for G and play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delighted Halfling"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Island"}},{"insert":" tap for WUG and play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Helga, Skittish Seer"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"tap for 2WG and play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yasharn, Implacable Earth"}},{"insert":" to get a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Forest"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Plains"}},{"insert":" to hand play one as land for turn (Yasharn also stops opponent Fetch lands)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"play the other of lands we fetched last turn, tap for 1G to play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gaea's Herald"}},{"insert":" (either it baiting a counter/removal or resolve) tap for 2G to play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Migratory Greathorn"}},{"insert":" and get a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Forest"}},{"insert":" (biggest color in deck, though another Island might be fine) leaving Helga untapped with 3 power, so on an opponents turn if they search their library we can play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wan Shi Tong, Librarian"}},{"insert":" (but lets assume we didn't get the chance because fetch's are turned off and no one is running normal tutors)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Untap, Upkeep, Draw, we have "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wan Shi Tong, Librarian"}},{"insert":" and 7 other cards in hand, access to 10 mana and still have land drop for turn."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nLet me explain all the cards that are devoted to getting Helga down on turn 2. \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Birds of Paradise"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delighted Halfling"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gilded Goose"}},{"insert":" all on their own grant the power to ramp to 3 and tap for One of any color to fill the gaps (this is why duels are so important)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Molt Tender"}},{"insert":" requires the use of a Fetch land, so that there is a card in bin to exile for One of any color."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arboreal Grazer"}},{"insert":" requires 3 lands in opening (the only two lands that can not tap for mana the turn they are played are also on this list, and this guy can just put them in to play and then there is no problem, also this guy is a rare exception for wanting two cards from this category in the opening hand, also allows a way to ramp in a shock land without needing to pay the 2 life)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elvish Spirit Guide"}},{"insert":" requires the other lands to tap for U and W but she does a great job of accomplishing the goal and is not able to be removed by the proverb (Bolt the Bird)"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lotus Petal"}},{"insert":" quite easy, play turn 1 or 2 depending on preference or concern of turn 1 artifact hate, downside is similar to Goose and one other card on this list, which is not still having this in play to use on turn 3 to start building up Helga right away, so I won't shy away from a hand that has this and another piece from this category for an opener."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Green Sun's Zenith"}},{"insert":" X is 0 to get "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dryad Arbor"}},{"insert":" tale as old as time... or at least 2011, requires a duel and the other land to tap for the 3rd color. Also Arbor can never be in opening hand to use Sun, but can be in the opening hand with Grazer to cheat it in."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Irrigation Ditch"}},{"insert":" alright I have teased this a bit, it is a really bad option on its own but still gets the job done, the other land needs to tap for W, and Turn three will untap with One land and Helga at 1 power so hopefully their is a second card from this category or a 3rd land in the opener which will require a Hail Mary "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Migratory Greathorn"}},{"insert":" to play onto Helga herself, even worse but still better than nothing are "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Huntmaster Liger"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vulpikeet"}},{"insert":" , worse again if no 3rd land "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Parcelbeast"}},{"insert":" to start growing Helga or naked "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wan Shi Tong, Librarian"}},{"insert":" /"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Goose Mother"}},{"insert":" just to develop some play."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flare of Cultivation"}},{"insert":" pairs well with Grazer because there will be Three lands in play turn 1 and guaranteed Fourth turn 2 while still playing Helga. Still Fine with others just trading killable creatures with land drops to get the job done. Can even do Sun/Arbor into this and get to thinning the deck even faster."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gemstone Caverns"}},{"insert":" one of three \"Leyline step\" pieces, there will usually be a card in hand worth exiling, and even if it is a hard decision then that means the hand is rich with gasoline and the decision is arguing between the 99.997 and 99.998 percentile play."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leyline of Abundance"}},{"insert":" truly the best at greeding with the others of this category. Allowing 1 land hands to be possible, got a Duel and Bird that is enough and on top of that it gives +1 G to Helga to allow multicolored casting from her alone. "},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Once Upon a Time"}},{"insert":" probably the worst in category however it fills the roll of improving the odds to get the other options, and feasibly this deck could go down to 5 cards, something like ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Command Tower"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Molt Tender"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dreamtail Heron"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fleetfoot Panther"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Once Upon a Time"}},{"insert":" ) it is a little more than 99% chance to see at least 1 more land in those 5 cards, meaning I could play Helga on turn 2, and mutate the Heron onto Tender drawing 2 cards from in to start catching back up to even. I even have the Panther to bounce Tender if I kept it on the top of the pile. or lets say I have a 2nd land instead of Tender like this ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Command Tower"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dreamtail Heron"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fleetfoot Panther"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Once Upon a Time"}},{"insert":" ) I now have exactly 7 cards in the deck that can fix this, so somewhere between 53 and 54% which is a lot better than getting the god 4 and top deck from another mulligan. And that is just if I see "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Once Upon a Time"}},{"insert":" so low, If my hand at 7,7,6 are close and have it, the I will likely keep the hand for the same reasons."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"this also goes into another card I love, but have not decided to add it to the deck yet, but fills a similar role to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Once Upon a Time"}},{"insert":" , in that it increases the odds of seeing a good hand during the mulligan. That card is of course "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Serum Powder"}},{"insert":" meaning while digging I could have 7/7/7/6/5 or 7/7/6/6/5 or 7/7/6/5/5 plus any of those having "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Once Upon a Time"}},{"insert":" to add 5 more cards seen to find the part needed. (honestly I may have talked my self into it and I hope I remember to update this along with the deck list."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe Mutate mechanic is the purpose of the build, I am sure other people can build \"better\" Helga decks and some can build \"better\" Mutate decks, my brain for some reason could only decide to even try and figure out how mutate works because of Helga's triggered ability. Here is the meat and potatoes of the mechanic and its use with Helga. Mutate is an alternate cost (generally cheaper but not sure on every single card printed) but just because the Mutate cost may be 3, the actual Mana Value is 4 (or greater) and would trigger Helga. When a creature Mutates it becomes one creature with the target. Top of pile determines the creatures (name, color, type, stats) however the entire stack adds to the abilities (Activated, Triggered, Static and their subsidiaries) so mutating a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Majestic Auricorn"}},{"insert":" onto a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stormchaser Drake"}},{"insert":" you would first draw a card for targeting the drake, but after resolving you would have either a (Stormchaser Drake- 1U Creature-Drake Flying, Vigilance [Whenever it's the target of spell you control, draw a card.] [ Whenever it mutates gain 4 life.] 2/1) or a (Majestic Auricorn- 4W Creature-Unicorn Flying, Vigilance [Whenever it's the target of spell you control, draw a card.] [ Whenever it mutates gain 4 life.] 4/4) .... then gain 4 life for it mutating. Now as stated earlier the stack is one creature, so now what if "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Doom Blade"}},{"insert":" ? Well both cards go to the graveyard but only 1 death trigger happens. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swords to Plowshares"}},{"insert":" ? both cards get exiled, only 1 leaves trigger. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Momentary Blink"}},{"insert":" ? bother cards exile, but both cards have \"return to the battlefield\" timestamped on them, so both come back but not mutated because you are not paying the mutate casting cost because you not casting it... so 1 leaves trigger and 2 enters triggers. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Unsummon"}},{"insert":" ? both cards to hand, 1 leaves trigger, but now from hand you can recast and mutate again. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Doom Blade"}},{"insert":" but the stack is my commander? all cards go to your command zone, 1 leaves trigger. Your commander is a special property of the card itself between zones allowing you to cast it from the command zone, all the other cards do not have that property and are no longer mutated after leaving the battlefield so any and all of them are stuck until the end of game. Get it? Got it? Good! So besides what our opponents do to our creatures, the interaction we care about is back to hand! (though a abandon them all in the command zone sounds like a fun Bracket 1 gimmick deck)\n \nThe bounce mechanic (Return to Owners Hand) is a key piece for several reasons. Sometimes in the early turns the best or only mutate target is the mana dork ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Birds of Paradise"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Delighted Halfling"}},{"insert":" ) and in this great singleton format this deck is limited in the number of creatures with a mutate casting cost, so it needs to bounce the stack and mutate them on to better creatures as they are drawn. Next as an important reminder that all the decks mutate creatures have a mana value of 4 or greater and casting them multiple times (usually a bit cheaper "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Parcelbeast"}},{"insert":" ) but still Trigger Helga's ability to draw, gain a life, and get bigger. Which is why Helga is not a good target, or even to be considered a target for the mutate cards unless it is really desperate and in a 20+ turn game, or whiffed starting hand. If the deck bounces her to get the mutate creature back then it has to start her from square 1 again (also she is already a big target and I don't want to incidentally loose a key piece to Swords now being a 2 for 1). Now onto the most important part of bouncing!! it is all about the copies, so lets say we have "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief"}},{"insert":" in play and we cast "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Huntmaster Liger"}},{"insert":" for it's mutate cost targeting "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Birds of Paradise"}},{"insert":" , we then trigger Ivy and make a copy of Huntmaster targeting her, both resolve, and we have Two 3/4 Flyers that give each other creature +1/+1 (including Helga). Now I could go to combat and swing two 4/5 flyers at my opponents, or tap the mutated bird for a Blue Mana and play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shrieking Drake"}},{"insert":" returning both "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Birds of Paradise"}},{"insert":" and the actual card for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Huntmaster Liger"}},{"insert":" , then Tap Helga for the exta +2 and recast Huntmaster now targeting my drake, and putting another copy on Ivy. My Mutated Drake gives +1/+1 for mutating once, but my Mutated Ivy gives +4/+4 (two separate +2/+2 triggers) and now I can swing with a 9/10 Flyer instead of an \"8/10\". Similar things happen with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spawnwrithe"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Conclave Evangelist"}},{"insert":" except It goes more wide by making multiple tokens. \n\nStax - I know, regardless of your opinion the word itself brings up groans and moans from a crowd as players remember their worst time playing against "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stasis"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Counterbalance"}},{"insert":" + "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sensei's Divining Top"}},{"insert":" , yet most will be just as quick to justify playing "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhystic Study"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grave Pact"}},{"insert":" , some may not even realize that some of their cards are Stax like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lavaspur Boots"}},{"insert":" or sometimes its just about you building \"good\" who wouldn't run "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Jokulhaups"}},{"insert":" in a Super Friends or Enchantment deck. The point is, no matter what eventually you have to break parody to try and end the game (preferably win, but i've been in my share of 3+hour I won't scoop out of spite games). If we didn't and it was all 99 lands and a commander that had mana value 99, people would just loose in turn order no need to play. That being said here is a description of how my Stax pieces fit into and actually break parody to try and stay ahead of the curve, with hopefully leaving enough room for people to bring a challenge (If I built it unbeatable it would be just as boring)\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trinisphere"}},{"insert":" is just about the best for this deck as it does a lot less to hinder my plays as after my commander is down my favorite number is 4, Most mutate costs are already 3 or higher and agian I am trying to trigger Helga as much as possible early I am playing 4 drops or higher. It really only turns of cheap bouncing in the later stage of the game for itself, but some of the bounce cards are already mana value 3 or make up for it by having Flash. (notably "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rescuer Chwinga"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sunpearl Kirin"}},{"insert":" are also examples that say bounce a permanent so at the end of an opponents turn I can net -1 mana, to turn back on "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shrieking Drake"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Faerie Impostor"}},{"insert":" for cheap powerful turns)\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Collector Ouphe"}},{"insert":" is also key defense early, stopping my opponents "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sol Ring"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Treasure"}},{"insert":" and being able to out Tempo me during turns 3-5. The only two artifacts it turns off for me are "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lotus Petal"}},{"insert":" which is only in the deck as a way to play Helga on turn 2 so it will be gone before Collector is on the field, and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Giggling Skitterspike"}},{"insert":" who can get bigger just through the mutate if I feel Collector is still protecting me more than the +5/+5 would benefit me, or I can waste a bounce on Collector allowing me to get the +5/+5. The only other possible Nonbo is with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Souvenir Snatcher"}},{"insert":" but again, if I have amassed the better board or Artifacts I can just bounce Collector and use them.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yasharn, Implacable Earth"}},{"insert":" can come down early enough, and will shut down Fetch Lands, Tax Pyrexia mana, and turn off Sac Happy tokens players. All while being a 4 drop to further my own game plan.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gaddock Teeg"}},{"insert":" all of my non creature spells are 3 or lower except for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leyline of Abundance"}},{"insert":" which is discard fodder after turn 0 anyway. Even when Teeg is paired with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trinisphere"}},{"insert":" I am not stopping people from playing the game, they just have to play at exact intervals of 3 mana or play creatures. \n\nAll the other Stax are similar but smaller impact effects, taxes on non creatures, limiting library searches to keep Fetch lands and other tutors to reading a tabloid instead of the whole Library of Congress. All in an effort to be just enough to compete in the final leg of the race, instead of tripping out the gate or most importantly being able to limit other racers from dogpiling as the deck makes a show to be best in class. \n\nI have plenty of Maybeboard cards that I am still testing, if people like the deck overall but you want to make your own changes feel free. I know some people might want to cut expensive duels because they don't want to proxy/want to build budget (I think it can work but main point to keep it in spirit is 99% of the lands need to make colored mana and come into play untapped). Some people may want to run Gamechangers, I have no problem with them myself just at some point making the list decided that was a personal design restriction for this deck specifically. If people are wondering its actual play threshold, it is designed to be Archenemy to Bracket 2 but still beatable, and also able to punch up to lower Bracket 4 but will feel like a challenge and feel extra satisfying in it's victory. I recently ran into a Video that measures deck power by total Mana Value (lower number = stronger) so if that is interesting to people current count is 187 (Not sure if Helga's ability itself and the fast pace to get her online should have a swing on that at all)\n\nOther than that I would hope the rest of the deck as is can be self explanatory, though I can hopefully answer any questions people may have. Sorry for the lengthy Ted Talk and subpar comedy routine. I mostly just hope people who are interested in an unprecedented way to play this commander. \n"}]}