98
9/15/2021
Balan
Deck Size: 100
Commander
Legal
Est deck cost: $754.36
Salt sum: 53
No deck tags
98
9/15/2021
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Commander

Qty: 1 Price: $2.29
Balan, Wandering Knight

First strike Balan has double strike as long as two or more Equipment are attached to it. {1}{W}: Attach all Equipment you control to Balan.

Creature
Balan, Wandering Knight (c17) 2

Commander

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Land

Qty: 36 Price: $73.40
Buried Ruin

{T}: Add {C}. {2}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.

Land
Buried Ruin (jmp) 491
Cathedral of War

This land enters tapped. Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) {T}: Add {C}.

Land
Cathedral of War (m13) 221
Command Beacon

{T}: Add {C}. {T}, Sacrifice this land: Put your commander into your hand from the command zone.

Land
Command Beacon (c15) 56
Desert of the True

This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {W}. Cycling {1}{W} ({1}{W}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Land
Desert of the True (hou) 174
Drifting Meadow

This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {W}. Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Land
Drifting Meadow (c20) 271
Homeward Path

{T}: Add {C}. {T}: Each player gains control of all creatures they own.

Land
Homeward Path (c13) 295
Inventors' Fair

At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control three or more artifacts, you gain 1 life. {T}: Add {C}. {4}, {T}, Sacrifice Inventors' Fair: Search your library for an artifact card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. Activate only if you control three or more artifacts.

Land
Inventors' Fair (kld) 247
Plains

({T}: Add {W}.)

Land
Plains (bfz) 251a
Rogue's Passage

{T}: Add {C}. {4}, {T}: Target creature can't be blocked this turn.

Land
Rogue's Passage (c17) 272
Scavenger Grounds

{T}: Add {C}. {2}, {T}, Sacrifice a Desert: Exile all graveyards.

Land
Scavenger Grounds (hou) 182
Secluded Steppe

This land enters tapped. {T}: Add {W}. Cycling {W} ({W}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

Land
Secluded Steppe (mh1) 245
Tectonic Edge

{T}: Add {C}. {1}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Destroy target nonbasic land. Activate only if an opponent controls four or more lands.

Land
Tectonic Edge (c14) 313
Throne of the High City

{T}: Add {C}. {4}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: You become the monarch.

Land
Throne of the High City (cn2) 80
War Room

{T}: Add {C}. {3}, {T}, Pay life equal to the number of colors in your commanders' color identity: Draw a card.

Land
War Room (cmr) 361
Zhalfirin Void

When this land enters, scry 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put that card on the bottom.) {T}: Add {C}.

Land
Zhalfirin Void (dom) 249

Land

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Artifact

Qty: 26 Price: $253.74
Archaeomancer's Map

When this artifact enters, search your library for up to two basic Plains cards, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle. Whenever a land an opponent controls enters, if that player controls more lands than you, you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.

Artifact
Archaeomancer's Map (c21) 12
Basilisk Collar

Equipped creature has deathtouch and lifelink. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it. Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.) Equip {2} ({2}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Artifact
Basilisk Collar (mm3) 216
Blackblade Reforged

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each land you control. Equip legendary creature {3} Equip {7}

Artifact
Blackblade Reforged (dom) 211
Bloodforged Battle-Axe

Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, create a token that's a copy of this Equipment. Equip {2}

Artifact
Bloodforged Battle-Axe (c17) 50
Colossus Hammer

Equipped creature gets +10/+10 and loses flying. Equip {8} ({8}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Artifact
Colossus Hammer (m20) 223
Commander's Plate

Equipped creature gets +3/+3 and has protection from each color that's not in your commander's color identity. Equip commander {3} Equip {5}

Artifact
Commander's Plate (cmr) 305
Conqueror's Flail

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each color among permanents you control. As long as this Equipment is attached to a creature, your opponents can't cast spells during your turn. Equip {2}

Artifact
Conqueror's Flail (c16) 53
Hammer of Nazahn

Whenever Hammer of Nazahn or another Equipment you control enters, you may attach that Equipment to target creature you control. Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has indestructible. Equip {4}

Artifact
Hammer of Nazahn (c17) 51
Infiltration Lens

Whenever equipped creature becomes blocked by a creature, you may draw two cards. Equip {1}

Artifact
Infiltration Lens (som) 167
Liquimetal Torque

{T}: Add {C}. {T}: Target nonland permanent becomes an artifact in addition to its other types until end of turn.

Artifact
Liquimetal Torque (mh2) 228
Loxodon Warhammer

Equipped creature gets +3/+0 and has trample and lifelink. Equip {3}

Artifact
Loxodon Warhammer (cmr) 465
Marble Diamond

This artifact enters tapped. {T}: Add {W}.

Artifact
Marble Diamond (c14) 248
Mind Stone

{T}: Add {C}. {1}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.

Artifact
Mind Stone (c15) 259
Mystic Forge

You may look at the top card of your library any time. You may cast artifact spells and colorless spells from the top of your library. {T}, Pay 1 life: Exile the top card of your library.

Artifact
Mystic Forge (m20) 233
Nettlecyst

Living weapon (When this Equipment enters, create a 0/0 black Phyrexian Germ creature token, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each artifact and/or enchantment you control. Equip {2}

Artifact
Nettlecyst (mh2) 231
Prowler's Helm

Equipped creature can't be blocked except by Walls. Equip {2}

Artifact
Prowler's Helm (ths) 219
Robe of Stars

Equipped creature gets +0/+3. Astral Projection — {1}{W}: Equipped creature phases out. (Treat it and anything attached to it as though they don't exist until its controller's next turn.) Equip {1}

Artifact
Robe of Stars (afc) 11
Shadowspear

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample and lifelink. {1}: Permanents your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. Equip {2}

Artifact
Shadowspear (thb) 236
Sol Ring

{T}: Add {C}{C}.

Artifact
Sol Ring (c20) 252
Swiftfoot Boots

Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. It can attack and {T} no matter when it came under your control.) Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Artifact
Swiftfoot Boots (a25) 234
Sword of Fire and Ice

Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from red and from blue. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, this Equipment deals 2 damage to any target and you draw a card. Equip {2}

Artifact
Sword of Fire and Ice (mma) 216
Sword of War and Peace

Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from red and from white. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, this Equipment deals damage to that player equal to the number of cards in their hand and you gain 1 life for each card in your hand. Equip {2}

Artifact
Sword of War and Peace (nph) 161
Thought Vessel

You have no maximum hand size. {T}: Add {C}.

Artifact
Thought Vessel (plst) C15-55
Tome of Legends

This artifact enters with a page counter on it. Whenever your commander enters or attacks, put a page counter on this artifact. {1}, {T}, Remove a page counter from this artifact: Draw a card.

Artifact
Tome of Legends (eld) 332
Trailblazer's Boots

Equipped creature has nonbasic landwalk. (It can't be blocked as long as defending player controls a nonbasic land.) Equip {2}

Artifact
Trailblazer's Boots (zen) 208
Umezawa's Jitte

Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, put two charge counters on Umezawa's Jitte. Remove a charge counter from Umezawa's Jitte: Choose one — • Equipped creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. • Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn. • You gain 2 life. Equip {2}

Artifact
Umezawa's Jitte (bok) 163

Artifact

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Sorcery

Qty: 7 Price: $24.13
Open the Armory

Search your library for an Aura or Equipment card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.

Sorcery
Open the Armory (cmr) 34
Sevinne's Reclamation

Return target permanent card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. If this spell was cast from a graveyard, you may copy this spell and may choose a new target for the copy. Flashback {4}{W} (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

Sorcery
Sevinne's Reclamation (c19) 5
Single Combat

Each player chooses a creature or planeswalker they control, then sacrifices the rest. Players can't cast creature or planeswalker spells until the end of your next turn.

Sorcery
Single Combat (war) 30
Slash the Ranks

Destroy all creatures and planeswalkers except for commanders.

Sorcery
Slash the Ranks (cmr) 47
Steelshaper's Gift

Search your library for an Equipment card, reveal that card, put it into your hand, then shuffle.

Sorcery
Steelshaper's Gift (5dn) 19
Winds of Abandon

Exile target creature you don't control. For each creature exiled this way, its controller searches their library for a basic land card. Those players put those cards onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. Overload {4}{W}{W} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change "target" in its text to "each.")

Sorcery
Winds of Abandon (mh1) 37
Wrath of God

Destroy all creatures. They can't be regenerated.

Sorcery
Wrath of God (ema) 38

Sorcery

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Creature

Qty: 17 Price: $166.63
Archon of Emeria

Flying Each player can't cast more than one spell each turn. Nonbasic lands your opponents control enter tapped.

Creature
Archon of Emeria (znr) 4
Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist

At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may attach any number of Auras and Equipment you control to target permanent or player. Partner (You can have two commanders if both have partner.)

Creature
Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist (cmr) 10
Armored Skyhunter

Flying Whenever this creature attacks, look at the top six cards of your library. You may put an Aura or Equipment card from among them onto the battlefield. If an Equipment is put onto the battlefield this way, you may attach it to a creature you control. Put the rest of those cards on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Creature
Armored Skyhunter (cmr) 11
Drannith Magistrate

Your opponents can't cast spells from anywhere other than their hands.

Creature
Drannith Magistrate (iko) 11
Esper Sentinel

Whenever an opponent casts their first noncreature spell each turn, draw a card unless that player pays {X}, where X is this creature's power.

Creature Artifact
Esper Sentinel (mh2) 12
Ethersworn Canonist

Each player who has cast a nonartifact spell this turn can't cast additional nonartifact spells.

Creature Artifact
Ethersworn Canonist (2xm) 14
Giver of Runes

{T}: Another target creature you control gains protection from colorless or from the color of your choice until end of turn.

Creature
Giver of Runes (mh1) 13
Grand Abolisher

During your turn, your opponents can't cast spells or activate abilities of artifacts, creatures, or enchantments.

Creature
Grand Abolisher (m12) 19
Indomitable Archangel

Flying Metalcraft — Artifacts you control have shroud as long as you control three or more artifacts. (An artifact with shroud can't be the target of spells or abilities.)

Creature
Indomitable Archangel (som) 11
Leonin Shikari

You may activate equip abilities any time you could cast an instant.

Creature
Leonin Shikari (c17) 66
Mangara, the Diplomat

Lifelink Whenever an opponent attacks with creatures, if two or more of those creatures are attacking you and/or planeswalkers you control, draw a card. Whenever an opponent casts their second spell each turn, draw a card.

Creature
Mangara, the Diplomat (m21) 27
Mother of Runes

{T}: Target creature you control gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.

Creature
Mother of Runes (ema) 22
Puresteel Paladin

Whenever an Equipment you control enters, you may draw a card. Metalcraft — Equipment you control have equip {0} as long as you control three or more artifacts.

Creature
Puresteel Paladin (2xm) 26
Sram, Senior Edificer

Whenever you cast an Aura, Equipment, or Vehicle spell, draw a card.

Creature
Sram, Senior Edificer (aer) 23
Stoneforge Mystic

When this creature enters, you may search your library for an Equipment card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. {1}{W}, {T}: You may put an Equipment card from your hand onto the battlefield.

Creature
Stoneforge Mystic (wwk) 20
Sun Titan

Vigilance Whenever this creature enters or attacks, you may return target permanent card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Creature
Sun Titan (c15) 82
Thalia, Heretic Cathar

First strike Creatures and nonbasic lands your opponents control enter tapped.

Creature
Thalia, Heretic Cathar (emn) 46

Creature

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Enchantment

Qty: 4 Price: $94.96
Authority of the Consuls

Creatures your opponents control enter tapped. Whenever a creature an opponent controls enters, you gain 1 life.

Enchantment
Authority of the Consuls (kld) 5
Land Tax

At the beginning of your upkeep, if an opponent controls more lands than you, you may search your library for up to three basic land cards, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle.

Enchantment
Land Tax (plst) BBD-94
Sigarda's Aid

You may cast Aura and Equipment spells as though they had flash. Whenever an Equipment you control enters, you may attach it to target creature you control.

Enchantment
Sigarda's Aid (emn) 41
Smothering Tithe

Whenever an opponent draws a card, that player may pay {2}. If the player doesn't, you create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")

Enchantment
Smothering Tithe (rna) 22

Enchantment

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Instant

Qty: 9 Price: $139.21
Blacksmith's Skill

Target permanent gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. If it's an artifact creature, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Instant
Blacksmith's Skill (mh2) 6
Dispatch

Tap target creature. Metalcraft — If you control three or more artifacts, exile that creature.

Instant
Dispatch (mm2) 15
Enlightened Tutor

Search your library for an artifact or enchantment card, reveal it, then shuffle and put that card on top.

Instant
Enlightened Tutor (ema) 9
Flawless Maneuver

If you control a commander, you may cast this spell without paying its mana cost. Creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn.

Instant
Flawless Maneuver (c20) 26
Generous Gift

Destroy target permanent. Its controller creates a 3/3 green Elephant creature token.

Instant
Generous Gift (cmr) 375
Path to Exile

Exile target creature. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Instant
Path to Exile (mm3) 17
Silence

Your opponents can't cast spells this turn.

Instant
Silence (m10) 31
Swords to Plowshares

Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.

Instant
Swords to Plowshares (a25) 35
Teferi's Protection

Until your next turn, your life total can't change and you gain protection from everything. All permanents you control phase out. (While they're phased out, they're treated as though they don't exist. They phase in before you untap during your untap step.) Exile Teferi's Protection.

Instant
Teferi's Protection (c17) 8

Instant

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Deck Info

Deck stats

48 pips - 40 cards
27 mana - 27 cards
0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 1 card
0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 1 card
0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 1 card
0 pips - 0 cards
0 mana - 1 card
0 pips - 0 cards
16 mana - 15 cards
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Description

{"ops":[{"insert":"Balan is an interesting case: A walking alpha strike that all but negates the downside of voltron equipment builds (primarily mana hunger), who nonetheless only scrapes just under 300 decks on EDHREC. This could come from a number of different causes, but I would theorize it's largely due to him coming in 2017's least popular commander precon in a time when mono white had I would venture half the tools it does now, and having to compete with Sram's card-draw-in-the-zone for his same archetype. \n\nThe build here is of course very simple: Play a bunch of low-cost-high-impact equipment, flip on Balan's magnet, then knock a player at a time into next month. But given that people are unlikely to sit idle while staring down a feline death machine, the deck leans into mono white's more oppressive tendencies to draw out removal and weaken defenses. A small but non-negligible hatebear package in Thalia, Heretic Cathar, Ethersworn Canonist (on which the deck easily breaks parity), Archon of Emeria, and Drannith Magistrate are all annoying enough to issue opponents ultimatums as far as targeted removal when paired with Balan while also shutting down greedier strategies which can easily outpace voltron's game plan. It also runs the trio of Silence, Conquerer's Flail, and Grand Abolisher to shut down things like fogs and other such ways opponents may try and pull a fast one. \n\nProtection is paramount to voltron, and this is an area where the intervening years have been very kind to Balan. Blacksmith's skill protects him from wipes and targeted removal for a single mana while (yeah, yeah, I know) flawless maneuver does so for free. Mother of Runes was rightly a staple in many voltron decks due to granting conditional evasion or protection on the fly, and having another of her in Giver of Runes certainly doesn't hurt. Given that Balan with a mountain of metal on his back is certain to draw some attention, outmaneuvering disruption can handily catch the offending player off guard if they get too cocky and set them up for lethal with the amount of evasion and buffing now strapped onto rare-to-mythic equipment.\n\nAll this being said, getting Balan to stick can be a challenge if you're playing a group familiar with the deck. While it's fairly easy to get him out on turns two to three, failing to untap with him will set the deck back as many as two whole turns. While he evades the downside of equipment and sports a relatively low CMC, he lacks the haste of popular voltron leaders like Zurgo or Aurelia. As such, establishing a controlling presence is desirable as a diversionary tactic. \n\nOverall, Balan isn't going to look a lot different than most equipment decks but his newfound ability in mono white to turn the tide on his Achilles heels make him a potent commander to rack up quick KO's or those oh-so-satisfying gotcha-wins against opponents who underestimate his now heightened ability to endure.\n"}]}
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