{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Flow of Damage"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"June 2026 Archidekt submission\n\nWhat this Deck is about"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Oros, the Avenger"}},{"insert":" - a largely forgotten alternate timeline dragon from the Planar Chaos expansion (2007) - leads this deck for which "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"incoming damage is not a bad thing"},{"insert":", but a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"resource we want to embrace, redirect and use to our advantage"},{"insert":". \n\nThe core (pun inteded) group of creatures are the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"en-Kor from the Tempest block"},{"insert":", who have the rather unique ability to redirect damage to other creatures without any cost. This obscure group of six creatures, together with other powerful redirecting effects will make it impossible for our opponents to correctly calculate attack outcomes against us. They will also let us make every damage-based wipe effect we play ourselves more or less one sided. \n\nThe main goal is "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"to funnel as much damage as possible to a creature that rebounds damage to our opponents or their creatures"},{"insert":". Oros acts as an enabler by being an additional board wipe in the command zone.\n\nHow it Plays"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"As its title says, this deck is all about manipulating and shaping the Flow of Damage on our side of the battlefield. \n\nThe source of the damage can vary: We can either use incoming damage from our unsuspecting opponents or we can add damage to the system ourselves. \n\nThe deck really starts to shine in the latter case, because we're not dealing damage to single targets, but to all creatures."},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" For each creature that can re-route damage to the place where we want it, that effectifely equals a multiplier. "},{"insert":"\n\nTake this example: \nOn our battlefield we have: \n1 "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nomads en-Kor"}},{"insert":"\n1 "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Warrior en-Kor"}},{"insert":"\n1 "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Barbed Servitor"}},{"insert":"\n\nNow we play a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blasphemous Act"}},{"insert":". \nNot only do all our creatures survive if we redirect the damage from the Kors to the Servitor. \nWe also do a whopping 39 damage to an opponent. \n\nBut that is just the start. \nWe can also do stuff like that reactively when we're being dealt a killing blow by casting something like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Martyrdom"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gideon's Sacrifice"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Saving Grace"}},{"insert":" and turning all incoming damage against the player who wanted to kill us. In that way, the decks strategy works like a deterrent, because it's never safe to attack us. \n\nReflecting it back on our opponents is only one way of using damage for this deck though. \nWe can funnel it towards "},{"insert":{"card-link":"High Priest of Penance"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trapjaw Tyrant"}},{"insert":" to remove bothersome permanents, towards "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Feldon, Ronom Excavator"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flumph"}},{"insert":" to draw additinal cards, towards "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bellowing Aegisaur"}},{"insert":" to buff all our creatures, or towards "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Raphael, Ninja Destroyer"}},{"insert":" to generate loads of mana. \n\nThings finally get really out of hand if we manage to get a Kor-creature into the graveyard and then exile it via "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Agatha's Soul Cauldron"}},{"insert":". Now even more creatures start to act as funnels and multipliers to feed our damage converters. \n\nAnd finally, a special mention has to go to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Arcbond"}},{"insert":", which becomes an absolute powerhouse in this deck because it can send damage in circles between payoffs and funnel creatures, increasing it every round to go infinite.\n\nSpeaking of infinite: there are several combos in this deck that fit the theme. \nEquip Blazing Sunsteel on "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brash Taunter"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Barbed Servitor"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stuffy Doll"}},{"insert":"or any other payoff that we made indestructible - "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Boom"},{"insert":". \nPut "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pain for All"}},{"insert":" on an indestructible payoff that can target itself - "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Boom"},{"insert":".\nSimilar comobs are possible with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fiendlash"}},{"insert":".\n\nAn indestructible Raphael with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pyrohemia"}},{"insert":" is very fun too of course. \n\nNot to forget the 8 other sources of damage to all creatures the deck includes, last but not least Oros himself (even if he sadly doesn't do damage to the en-Kors themselves). And a special mention to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dawnsire, Sunstar Dreadnought"}},{"insert":" which is a one-shot kill combined with any card that can redirect damage to an opponent. \n\nTo round out the deck, we have Ramp and Draw packages and a sprinkle of Recursion. \n\nSpecial mentions go to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mask of Memory"}},{"insert":" (opponents won't like to block our attacks, so it will trigger often), "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tortured Existence"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ripples of Undeath"}},{"insert":" as additional ways to get en-Kor creatures to the graveyard for Agatha's Soul Cauldron.\n"}]}