{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Toluz, Clever Conductor"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"\"Secret Commander: Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor\""},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Introduction"},{"insert":"\nAt first glance, this looks like a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Toluz, Clever Conductor"}},{"insert":" deck.\nIt isn't.\nThis deck is built around "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor"}},{"insert":". Toluz exists for one reason: to remove one of Gix's biggest weaknesses. Instead of treating discarded cards as a cost, Toluz turns them into a resource that can be reclaimed at exactly the right moment.\nMost Gix decks are limited by mono-black. They generate absurd value for a turn or two, but eventually run out of gas. Esper colors solve that problem by adding evasive creatures, repeatable looting, powerful protection, and additional card advantage while Toluz allows us to recycle entire hands after massive discard effects.\nThe result is a deck that can chain together multiple Gix activations in a single turn and play games that almost never look the same twice.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Deck Philosophy"},{"insert":"\nThis deck doesn't try to win with Toluz or Gix. It tries to win with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"whatever your opponents brought to the table. "},{"insert":"Toluz is simply a way to store away cards to get a bigger Gix activation. Resolving a large Gix activation means casting spells from your opponents' libraries. Sometimes that's a board full of giant green creatures. Sometimes it's a combo finish. Sometimes it's premium interaction. Every game offers different tools, making every game feel unique.\nWhen stealing your opponents' game plans isn't enough, the deck has its own finishers to close things out.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Why Toluz?"},{"insert":"\nTraditional Toluz lists focus on discard payoffs such as Bone Miser and attempt to generate overwhelming value from repeatedly drawing and discarding cards.\nThis deck goes in a completely different direction.\nToluz acts as a storage unit. Every loot effect quietly builds a second hand underneath your commander while you continue developing your board. When the time is right, sacrificing Toluz immediately reloads your hand and often enables another explosive Gix turn.\nThink of Toluz less as your commander and more as a rechargeable battery for Gix.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Game Plan"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ff9900","bold":true},"insert":"Early Game"},{"insert":"\nThe first few turns are all about setup.\nIdeally you begin with one or more evasive creatures such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Changeling Outcast"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Siren Stormtamer"}},{"insert":" . An empty first turn is perfectly acceptable if your hand develops well afterwards.\nTurn two usually develops another evasive creature or, even better, an evasive looter like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Looter il-Kor"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Wharf Infiltrator"}},{"insert":" , or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shoreline Looter"}},{"insert":" .\nToluz commonly comes down around turn three, if you dont have a treasure generating card, allowing every future loot trigger to quietly bank resources underneath her.\nFast mana changes everything. A "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sol Ring"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Ritual"}},{"insert":" , or similar acceleration can power out treasure engines like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Prosperous Thief"}},{"insert":" or"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grim Hireling"}},{"insert":" much earlier than expected.\nThe goal isn't dealing damage. The goal is building the engine.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ff9900","bold":true},"insert":"Mid Game"},{"insert":"\nOnce Toluz is online, begin assembling the pieces that make the deck explode.\nThe ideal battlefield contains:\nThree or four evasive creatures\nToluz\nGix (you can find him reliably using the different tutors: "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vampiric Tutor"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Demonic Tutor"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Scheming Symmetry"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Beseech the Mirror"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Lively Dirge"}},{"insert":")\nOne "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Coastal Piracy"}},{"insert":" effect ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bident of Thassa"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reconnaissance Mission"}},{"insert":" , and"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Enduring Curiosity"}},{"insert":" , which dramatically increase the number of cards you see every combat.\nAt least one Treasure producer like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grim Hireling"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Prosperous Thief"}},{"insert":" ,"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rev, Tithe Extractor"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Orochi Soul-Reaver"}},{"insert":" which convert attacks into mana, preparing for the deck's biggest turns.\n \n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ff9900","bold":true},"insert":"The Big Gix Turn"},{"insert":"\nEverything in the deck is designed to enable this moment:\n\nAttack with several evasive creatures."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Draw a huge number of cards and generate Treasures."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Loot away cards you don't currently need and store those discarded cards safely underneath Toluz."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Activate Gix."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Cast the best spells from your opponents' libraries and generate mana in the process."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Refill ur hand using "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Toluz "},{"insert":"or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Surge of Brilliance"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Shadow of the Grave"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Bag of Holding"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Vega, the Watcher"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" . "},{"insert":"Generate mana with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bone Miser"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gonti, Night Minister"}},{"insert":" ."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Do it again."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ff9900","bold":true},"insert":"Mana Engines: The Cards That Keep Gix Going"},{"insert":"\nDrawing cards is only half of the equation and the more or less easy part. The real challenge is generating enough "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"black mana"},{"insert":" to activate Gix again and again in the same turn.\nWhile Treasure producers like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Grim Hireling"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Prosperous Thief"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rev, Tithe Extractor"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Orochi Soul-Reaver"}},{"insert":" often provide enough mana on their own, there are many games where they don't. That's where the deck's true mana engines take over.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bone Miser"}},{"insert":": Bone Miser transforms every large discard into a burst of resources. During a big Gix activation, discarded lands become black mana, helping pay for the next activation immediately.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gonti, Night Minister"}},{"insert":" : Gonti rewards you for doing what the deck already wants to do: casting stolen cards from exile. Every spell cast from Gix becomes another source of mana, allowing your turns to continue long after most decks would have run out of resources.\n\nThese two creatures are often the difference between activating Gix once and activating him three or four times in a single turn.\nWhenever possible, try to resolve one of them before committing to your biggest Gix turn.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Possible Future Inclusion:"},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Skirge Familiar"}},{"insert":" fills a very similar role by allowing discarded cards to be converted directly into black mana. While it isn't currently part of the list, it remains one of the most interesting cards under consideration for future updates.\n\nThe deck is designed so that one successful activation frequently pays for the next one. When everything comes together, a single combat step can snowball into multiple Gix activations before your opponents ever untap again.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#ff9900","bold":true},"insert":"Sacrificing Toluz"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"You actually want Toluz to die. "},{"insert":"After several turns of looting, Toluz will have accumulated a second hand beneath her. Once you've assembled your engine—or simply need to reload—it is often correct to sacrifice her yourself rather than waiting for an opponent to remove her.\nThe deck includes several ways to do this on demand:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Abjure"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Flare of Denial"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Culling the Weak"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"High Market"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Tower"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Altar"}},{"insert":" \nEach of these cards serves a dual purpose. They either protect your combo, generate mana for another Gix activation, or simply convert Toluz into a fresh grip of cards exactly when you need them.\nLearning "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"when to sacrifice Toluz"},{"insert":" is one of the most important skills when piloting the deck. Waiting one turn too long may expose your stored cards to graveyard hate, while sacrificing too early can leave value on the table. Mastering that timing is one of the deck's biggest decision points.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Key Synergies"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" : "},{"insert":"The real commander. Everything else exists to make Gix bigger, faster, or more consistent."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Toluz, Clever Conductor"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" : "},{"insert":"Instead of protecting cards in your hand, Toluz protects future turns. Discarding becomes an investment rather than a drawback."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Bident of Thassa"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reconnaissance Mission"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Coastal Piracy"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Enduring Curiosity"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" + evasive creatures: "},{"insert":"the backbone of refilling ur hand is combat damage based card draw to fill ur hand and store away under Toluz. This way you find additional key pices"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Bone Miser"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" : "},{"insert":"While Bone Miser is commonly the centerpiece of discard decks, here it primarily functions as an engine that converts large Gix activations into even more mana (Zombies for Phyrexian Altar) , and cards enabling additional activations in the same turn."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Gonti, Night Minister"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" : "},{"insert":"Gonti rewards exactly what this deck already wants to do: cast spells from exile. As Gix starts stealing more and more cards, Gonti often generates enough mana to keep the chain going."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Surge of Brilliance"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Shadow of the Grave"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Bag of Holding"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" , and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Vega, the Watcher"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" : "},{"insert":"These cards serves as the an additional plan, refilling ur hand and allowing another explosive chains of Gix' activations."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Peter Parker's Camera"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Illusionist's Bracers"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" : "},{"insert":"Strong support pieces in the deck. Seeing twice as many cards from Gix dramatically increases the likelihood of finding game finishing interactions in ur opponents decks."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Protection of the Gameplan (Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor)"},{"insert":"\nExperienced opponents quickly recognize that Gix must never be activated. Since Gix is ur \"secret\" weapon and can not be recast from ur command zone he is prone to removal. Ur worst enemy are cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swords to Plowshares"}},{"insert":" or other exiling effects. Because of that, protecting Gix has the highes priorty. \nCountermagic such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swan Song"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"An Offer You Can't Refuse"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Abjure"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flare of Denial"}},{"insert":" keep him alive.\nMeanwhile "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Flawless Maneuver"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Selfless Spirit"},{"insert":" protect your board from sweepers.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Winning the Game"},{"insert":"\nThere isn't just one win condition.\nThe deck adapts to the table.\nSometimes Gix steals enough powerful cards from your opponents that you simply win using their own strategy against them.\nAgainst creature decks, that often means overwhelming the table with their own threats.\nAgainst combo decks, you may assemble their combo before they do.\nIf the stolen cards aren't enough, the deck has several powerful finishers of its own.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Torment of Hailfire"},{"insert":" ends games once Treasure production, Bone Miser, or Gonti create absurd amounts of mana.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Notorious Throng"},{"insert":" is arguably the strongest finisher in the list. Thanks to the Rogue subtheme, Prowl is consistently enabled. The extra turn is already excellent, but creating a massive army of Faerie Rogues usually means another devastating combat step full of additional card draw and Gix triggers.\nAdditional turn spells such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Time Warp"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Temporal Manipulation"},{"insert":" allow you to immediately capitalize on a successful Gix turn before opponents have any chance to recover.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Mulligan Guide"},{"insert":"\nLook for hands that establish your engine rather than explosive payoff pieces.\nIdeal opening hands contain:\nTwo or three lands"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"At least one evasive creature"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"A way to generate card advantage or loot"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Ramp if available"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You do "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"not"},{"insert":" need Gix in your opening hand."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck contains multiple tutors capable of finding him when you're ready to explode.\nAvoid hands that contain only expensive payoff cards without early creatures.\nThe first few combat steps are what make the entire deck function.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"#e60000","bold":true},"insert":"Closing Thoughts"},{"insert":"\nThis deck isn't interested in playing fair.\nIt quietly develops an innocuous board of evasive creatures while banking resources underneath Toluz. Then, in a single explosive turn, it draws enormous numbers of cards, generates mountains of mana, chains multiple Gix activations together, and starts casting the best spells from every opponent's deck.\nNo two games feel the same.\nSometimes you'll win with your own finishers.\nSometimes you'll win with someone else's.\nAnd that's exactly why this deck is so much fun to pilot.\n"}]}