227 views2 months ago
Commander
Size: 100Salt sum: 32.73
 avatar

Magesofthebeach

227 views2 months ago
Commander
Size: 100Salt sum: 32.73

Choose your preferred layout. You can mix and match options using the View as & Group by drop-downs above.

{"ops":[{"insert":"So, your first question is probably - why?\n\nWell, the appeal of Commander as a format is that you get to start every game with a card in your hand, I'm just taking that idea to its logical conclusion.\nThis is a deck with 6 possible companions, the most a deck can achieve without running only lands. (Lutri is blocked by the cowards on the rules committee, Lurrus is incompatible with Keruga, as Gyaruda is with Obosh, and only Whytz can run Yorion as a companion, although sadly color identity means that's the only companion he can run.)\nAnd on a meta level, companion as a mechanic offers an interesting opportunnity for the out of the box deckbuilder. How many times have you wanted to try out a silly deck with a fun deckbuilding restriction, like 'Norman Osbourne but all the cards have to cost 2 mana', only for the table, acting in justified distrust, to sidewalk slam you out of existence before the silly gimmick can be apparent? (Or on the other side, had a player tell you that this Urza deck isn't like any of the others, only for them to Winter Orb you out of the game?) Companion is a way for the rules of the game to ensure the table that you are actually sticking to the silly gimmick. You pick your companion at the start of the game, and you can't deviate from the restriction without actually cheating (as opposed to merely lying, the social form of cheating). The more you run, the more information you provide to the table about the potential threats, or lack thereof, you present.\n\nNow, on the subject of cheating... technically 6 companions doesn't function. The format rules say your sideboard can contain a maximum possible 1 card as your companion. That said, if I have built a deck that follows 6 companion restrictions, I feel like I deserve to start with an extra 6 cards in my hand, that I have to pay 3 mana each to cast, in exchange for the kneecaps I gave up. This is a Bracket 2 deck, we're about doing silly things, it's not a crazy ask. But if you are at a table full of Rules Prosecutors (the most aggressive form of the Rules Lawyer), the deck is designed to function and win games using Umori or Jegantha as the sole companion, so it's not a huge deal.\n\nAlthough, perhaps 'design' is too generous a word to use. Our deck, including our commander, have to follow all the companion restrictions. Just by picking Arkazon we've locked ourselves into:\nOnly playing cards with mana value 3+, and lands"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Only playing planeswalkers and lands"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Only playing cards with an odd mana value"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This makes things a bit rough, at least with the Lurrus restriction we could have tried a low to the ground strategy, and a typical creature based commander would still give plenty of options Umori wouldn't object to. Odds only is the win we get here over the alternative, because while there are plenty of amazing planeswalkers at 2, 4, and 6, there aren't enough at 2 to realistically have any plays before turn 4 most games. And while Bracket 2 commander is slow, not doing anything for 4 turns is devastating regardless of format or pod. My masochism has also given us these restrictions:\nAll cards must have an activated ability"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"No card can have 2 of the same symbol in the casting cost"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"All the creatures must be a Cat, Elemental, Nightmare, Dinosaur, or Beast."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"In order, Zirda's restriction is meaningless. Planeswalkers, by definition, always have activated loyalty abilities, so we've satisfied that prong. (Side note: this restriction does still technically prevent us from running certain lands. Urza's Saga, a card that would not be good in this deck anyways, has no activated abilities. It's a saga with a "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"triggered ability"},{"insert":" that gives it activated abilities, meaning you can't run it while you have Zirda as a companion. Aren't the rules fun?) Jegantha's restriction is deeply meaningful for the deck. Planeswalkers, as the icons of Magic, are often used to show what colors, and their combinations, care about at their core. And they tend to reflect this in their casting cost, making 1(X)(X), where (X) is a colored mana pip, an "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"incredibly"},{"insert":" common cost for planeswalkers, that we are now locked out of. Lastly, there's Kaheera's restriction. You would think, given all our other restrictions, this would be meaningless. We satisfy the restriction by running no creatures that aren't any of those types (which "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"does"},{"insert":" count), because we run 0 creatures. However, Grist is a planeswalker that would be otherwise legal in this deck, that unfortunately counts as an "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Insect"},{"insert":" during deckbuilding. Kaheera locks us out of a low curve option that makes tokens and removes creatures. Bad kitty.\n\nAll in all, that gives us 63 potential inclusions for this deck, including our commander and all the new Mystery Booster Commander planeswalkers. Yeah, that's correct, we "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"only"},{"insert":" have 63 options for legal includes. We're running them all. A lot of them are very bad. Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord only does things if you have used Lorwyn Oko's +2 this game. But he's still technically a more valuable card than another land so... he goes into the deck. We put every possible ingredient in the stew, so what came out?\n\nShockingly, an actually playable deck. It's not going to win any tournaments any time soon, but if the standard of Bracket 2 is \"be comfortable playing this against a precon\", then this deck absolutely qualifies. Planeswalkers as a card type are just that pushed. Arkazon ends up having great synergy with companions as a mechanic, making him the canonically correct choice for an all planeswalker all companion deck (which I know you all were just desperate to make), over the other potential choice, Jared Carthalion. Increasing loyalty to remove threats to your board is great protection, and it turns out adding a companion to your hand is a great use of a Black Lotus token. And, as a bonus, if he sticks around long enough Arkazon refills your hand, which is very valuable if you haven't found your draw walkers yet. There's just enough ramp that we can, from time to time, go from 3 to 5 and get Arkazon a little early, but putting out a three mana walker that protects itself gives you a decent foothold into playing the game. The deck has obvious weaknesses, such as our need to play a bunch of cards with niche use cases, but Kasamina helps shore them up. While her ultimate isn't doing much of anything, giving War of the Spark planeswalkers plus abilities to help them stick around longer is very meaningful, and turning a useless walker into a fractal factory does a lot to shore up your board. We have enough removal options that we can disable individual threats to our board most of the time, but if the table gangs up on you, or one player amasses a token horde, there's likely not much you can do about it. And our three blink walkers end up being stars of the game a lot of the time, letting you play a walker, benefit from their very strong minus ability, and then have them come back rested and refreshed with default loyalty later. Aminatou even lets you double up on the target's ability, letting you get a lot of advantage pretty quickly.\n\nTo end the game, there are lots of planeswalkers with game ending ultimates, it's fairly hard to lose after popping the ult on Venser, the Sojourner or Teferi, Hero of Dominaria. But the best one by a country mile is Chandra, Legacy of Fire. Not only does she produce cartloads of mana the second she hits the table, but every time you pass she domes the whole table based on your board size. It's hard to board wipe planeswalkers, meaning you can usually stick a fair few out, but even with a large army of tokens, it can be hard to translate the advantage they give you into actual lethal damage. She fixes that problem and allows you to convert a card advantage victory into real actual victory.\n\nMystery Booster Commander is the first set you could make a deck like this function in, with as many companions as this. Arkazon, Venser, Sifa, and our Unlucky friend all help make the deck churn along and give it the mass of functional cards it needed to work in reality. Arkazon is the only captain I'd have at it's helm (at least until Urza's head is freed from silver-border purgatory), and he's a true captain, showing all the mortals why he's the final boss of Shandalar, taking names even with one (or six) hands tied behind his back.\n\n\n\tAn afterword, for the people who (somehow) haven't had enough of my ramblings about this deck. Firstly, because our companions are in our sideboard, they don't count against everyone else's companion restrictions, otherwise Jegantha couldn't mix with any of the others, Obosh and Umori would have beef, and Umori would fail their own condition. In addition, our manabase, while seemingly basic, is a considered decision, being the one part of the deck I had any discretion in creating. Commander is, luckily enough, a format where you can pass for 2 turns without instantly exploding. That gives us a little time to both fix our mana, and desperately squeeze our any advantage we can muster from our lands. Fetches have been the game's mana fixing solution for 23 years now, making them an obvious pick. Triomes would give us the best coverage, but being able to control your draws early on is way too valuable an advantage to give up. Getting all 5 colors on turn 5 is super important, but we do that consistently enough as is with surveils that we don't need to include triomes. Running the basics is a must, otherwise you risk getting blown out by every Ghost Quarter that passes by your table. In addition, you do need creature tokens to stick around to protect your walkers, and when Path to Exile is one of the most played removal spells in the format, not running a suite of basics to recover from it would be a real mistake. We don't run shocks or dual lands, because we need the rest of the land space for premier fixing (Command Tower, Interplanar Beacon, etc), or for utility (Takenuma is one of the very few ways this deck can recover a planeswalker that's died). It's probably mathematically correct to cut some number of surveils for shocks, but because basics are fetchable to turn fetches into untapped mana, you don't end up being punished enough of the time for it to be worth it to do that math. The land I'll get the most flack for is probably Untaidake. It's a tapland that costs life, can't cast the commander, and can't pay for companions to get into your hand. On the other hand, this is a deck where you are nearly guaranteed to not be able to play on curve during turns 1, 2, and 4. You can afford to play a tapland, and being able to play a 3 mana walker on 3, into a 5 mana one on 4 is more valuable than being able to 100% play Arkazon on 5 (and there are hands that let you do that anyways! The Unluckiest Planeswalker ends up being our mastermind's best friend). Mobilized District is also a useful meatshield (dirtshield?) for your walkers in a pinch, and a deck that seeks to cut out some of the more unhelpful planeswalkers (cough, Sorin), probably just wants to run more manlands. I didn't because the activation costs fighting with the planeswalkers you want to cast are clunky, and because unfetchable taplands "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"really"},{"insert":" need to justify themselves, but I can absolutely hear and respect the arguments for many of them.\n"}]}
Arzakon
+2: Arzakon deals 3 damage to any other target.
−3: Create a Black Lotus token. (It's a
artifact with "
, Sacrifice this token: Add three mana of any one color.")
−7: Each player shuffles their hand and graveyard into their library, then draws seven cards.
Arzakon can be your commander.
Legendary Planeswalker - Arzakon
Arzakon (mbc) 33

Commander

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse
+1: Create a 2/3 blue and black Nightmare creature token with "Whenever this token attacks or blocks, each opponent exiles the top two cards of their library."
−3: Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand, then that player exiles a card from their hand.
−7: You may cast up to three spells from among face-up cards your opponents own from exile without paying their mana costs.
Legendary Planeswalker - Ashiok
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse (thb) 208
Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast
+1: Create a 1/1 colorless Construct artifact creature token with defender.
−1: You may sacrifice an artifact. If you do, destroy target artifact or creature.
−6: Choose target artifact card in a graveyard or artifact on the battlefield. Create three tokens that are copies of it.
Legendary Planeswalker - Daretti
Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast (cn2) 74
Dovin, Grand Arbiter
+1: Until end of turn, whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, put a loyalty counter on Dovin.
−1: Create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying. You gain 1 life.
−7: Look at the top ten cards of your library. Put three of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Legendary Planeswalker - Dovin
Dovin, Grand Arbiter (voc) 153
Garruk, Apex Predator
+1: Destroy another target planeswalker.
+1: Create a 3/3 black Beast creature token with deathtouch.
−3: Destroy target creature. You gain life equal to its toughness.
−8: Target opponent gets an emblem with "Whenever a creature attacks you, it gets +5/+5 and gains trample until end of turn."
Legendary Planeswalker - Garruk
Garruk, Apex Predator (m3c) 262
Huatli, Warrior Poet
+2: You gain life equal to the greatest power among creatures you control.
0: Create a 3/3 green Dinosaur creature token with trample.
−X: Huatli deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures. Creatures dealt damage this way can't block this turn.
Legendary Planeswalker - Huatli
Huatli, Warrior Poet (xln) 224
Jared Carthalion
+1: Create a 3/3 Kavu creature token with trample that's all colors.
−3: Choose up to two target creatures. For each of them, put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of colors it is.
−6: Return target multicolored card from your graveyard to your hand. If that card was all colors, draw a card and create two Treasure tokens.
Jared Carthalion can be your commander.
Legendary Planeswalker - Jared
Jared Carthalion (dmc) 2
Jiang Yanggu
+1: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
−1: If you don't control a creature named Mowu, create Mowu, a legendary 3/3 green Dog creature token.
−5: Until end of turn, target creature gains trample and gets +X/+X, where X is the number of lands you control.
Legendary Planeswalker - Yanggu
Jiang Yanggu (gs1) 22
Kaito Shizuki
At the beginning of your end step, if Kaito entered this turn, he phases out.
+1: Draw a card. Then discard a card unless you attacked this turn.
−2: Create a 1/1 blue Ninja creature token with "This token can't be blocked."
−7: You get an emblem with "Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, search your library for a blue or black creature card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle."
Legendary Planeswalker - Kaito
Kaito Shizuki (neo) 226
Kasmina, Enigma Sage
Each other planeswalker you control has the loyalty abilities of Kasmina.
+2: Scry 1.
−X: Create a 0/0 green and blue Fractal creature token. Put X +1/+1 counters on it.
−8: Search your library for an instant or sorcery card that shares a color with this planeswalker, exile that card, then shuffle. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost.
Legendary Planeswalker - Kasmina
Kasmina, Enigma Sage (stx) 196
Lukka, Bound to Ruin
Compleated (
can be paid with
,
, or 2 life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters.)
+1: Add
. Spend this mana only to cast creature spells or activate abilities of creatures.
−1: Create a 3/3 green Phyrexian Beast creature token with toxic 1.
−4: Lukka deals X damage divided as you choose among any number of target creatures and/or planeswalkers, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control as you activate this ability.
Legendary Planeswalker - Lukka
Lukka, Bound to Ruin (one) 207
Ob Nixilis, the Adversary
Casualty X. The copy isn't legendary and has starting loyalty X. (As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power X. When you do, copy this spell. The copy becomes a token.)
+1: Each opponent loses 2 life unless they discard a card. If you control a Demon or Devil, you gain 2 life.
−2: Create a 1/1 red Devil creature token with "When this token dies, it deals 1 damage to any target."
−7: Target player draws seven cards and loses 7 life.
Legendary Planeswalker - Nixilis
Ob Nixilis, the Adversary (snc) 206
Oko, Lorwyn Liege
At the beginning of your first main phase, you may pay
. If you do, transform Oko.
+2: Up to one target creature gains all creature types. (This effect doesn't end.)
+1: Target creature gets -2/-0 until your next turn.
Legendary Planeswalker - Oko
Oko, Lorwyn Liege // Oko, Shadowmoor Scion (ecl) 61Oko, Lorwyn Liege // Oko, Shadowmoor Scion (ecl) 61
Sarkhan Unbroken
+1: Draw a card, then add one mana of any color.
−2: Create a 4/4 red Dragon creature token with flying.
−8: Search your library for any number of Dragon creature cards, put them onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Legendary Planeswalker - Sarkhan
Sarkhan Unbroken (dtk) 230
Teyo, Geometric Tactician
When Teyo enters, create a 0/4 white Wall creature token with defender and flying.
+1: You and target opponent each draw a card.
−2: Choose left or right. Until your next turn, each player may attack only the nearest opponent in the last chosen direction and planeswalkers controlled by that opponent.
Legendary Planeswalker - Teyo
Teyo, Geometric Tactician (cmm) 725
Teyo, the Shieldmage
You have hexproof. (You can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
−2: Create a 0/3 white Wall creature token with defender.
Legendary Planeswalker - Teyo
Teyo, the Shieldmage (plst) WAR-32
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator
Your opponents can't gain life.
−2: Create a 1/1 red Devil creature token with "When this token dies, it deals 1 damage to any target."
Legendary Planeswalker - Tibalt
Tibalt, Rakish Instigator (plst) WAR-146

Creature Creation

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
+1: Distribute three +1/+1 counters among one, two, or three target creatures you control.
+1: Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal an Aura, creature, or planeswalker card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
−8: You gain 100 life.
Legendary Planeswalker - Ajani
Ajani, Mentor of Heroes (jou) 145
Dack Fayden
+1: Target player draws two cards, then discards two cards.
−2: Gain control of target artifact.
−6: You get an emblem with "Whenever you cast a spell that targets one or more permanents, gain control of those permanents."
Legendary Planeswalker - Dack
Dack Fayden (ema) 199
Elminster
Whenever you scry, the next instant or sorcery spell you cast this turn costs
less to cast, where X is the number of cards looked at while scrying this way.
+2: Draw a card, then scry 2.
−3: Exile the top card of your library. Create a number of 1/1 blue Faerie Dragon creature tokens with flying equal to that card's mana value.
Elminster can be your commander.
Legendary Planeswalker - Elminster
Elminster (clb) 274
Lord Windgrace
+2: Discard a card, then draw a card. If a land card is discarded this way, draw an additional card.
−3: Return up to two target land cards from your graveyard to the battlefield.
−11: Destroy up to six target nonland permanents, then create six 2/2 green Cat Warrior creature tokens with forestwalk.
Lord Windgrace can be your commander.
Legendary Planeswalker - Windgrace
Lord Windgrace (c18) 43
Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
+2: Target opponent exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile a nonland card. Until end of turn, you may cast that card without paying its mana cost.
+1: Each opponent exiles two cards from their hand.
−4: Nicol Bolas deals 7 damage to target opponent, creature an opponent controls, or planeswalker an opponent controls.
−12: Exile each nonland permanent your opponents control.
Legendary Planeswalker - Bolas
Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh (2x2) 260
Quintorius Kand
Whenever you cast a spell from exile, Quintorius Kand deals 2 damage to each opponent and you gain 2 life.
+1: Create a 3/2 red and white Spirit creature token.
−3: Discover 4.
−6: Exile any number of target cards from your graveyard. Add
for each card exiled this way. You may play those cards this turn.
Legendary Planeswalker - Quintorius
Quintorius Kand (lci) 238
Ral, Izzet Viceroy
+1: Look at the top two cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the other into your graveyard.
−3: Ral deals damage to target creature equal to the total number of instant and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard.
−8: You get an emblem with "Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, this emblem deals 4 damage to any target and you draw two cards."
Legendary Planeswalker - Ral
Ral, Izzet Viceroy (grn) 195
Rowan, Scholar of Sparks
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost
less to cast.
+1: Rowan deals 1 damage to each opponent. If you've drawn three or more cards this turn, she deals 3 damage to each opponent instead.
−4: You get an emblem with "Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may pay
. If you do, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy."
Legendary Planeswalker - Rowan
Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // Will, Scholar of Frost (stx) 156Rowan, Scholar of Sparks // Will, Scholar of Frost (stx) 156
Sarkhan the Mad
0: Reveal the top card of your library and put it into your hand. Sarkhan deals damage to himself equal to that card's mana value.
−2: Target creature's controller sacrifices it, then that player creates a 5/5 red Dragon creature token with flying.
−4: Each Dragon creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target player or planeswalker.
Legendary Planeswalker - Sarkhan
Sarkhan the Mad (plst) ROE-214
Tasha, the Witch Queen
Whenever you cast a spell you don't own, create a 3/3 black Demon creature token.
+1: Draw a card. For each opponent, exile up to one target instant or sorcery card from that player's graveyard and put a page counter on it.
−3: You may cast a spell from among cards in exile with page counters on them without paying its mana cost.
Tasha, the Witch Queen can be your commander.
Legendary Planeswalker - Tasha
Tasha, the Witch Queen (clb) 294
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
+1: Draw a card. At the beginning of the next end step, untap up to two lands.
−3: Put target nonland permanent into its owner's library third from the top.
−8: You get an emblem with "Whenever you draw a card, exile target permanent an opponent controls."
Legendary Planeswalker - Teferi
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (plst) DOM-207
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
+2: Create two 0/1 black Thrull creature tokens.
+1: You may sacrifice another creature or planeswalker. If you do, draw two cards, then draw another card if the sacrificed permanent was a commander.
−10: Gain control of all commanders. Put all commanders from the command zone onto the battlefield under your control.
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools can be your commander.
Partner
Legendary Planeswalker - Szat
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools (cmr) 153
The Royal Scions
+1: Draw a card, then discard a card.
+1: Target creature gets +2/+0 and gains first strike and trample until end of turn.
−8: Draw four cards. When you do, The Royal Scions deals damage to any target equal to the number of cards in your hand.
Legendary Planeswalker - Rowan Will
The Royal Scions (plst) ELD-199

Draw Power

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Arid Mesa
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Mountain or Plains card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Arid Mesa (mh2) 436
Bloodstained Mire
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Swamp or Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Bloodstained Mire (mh3) 216
City of Brass
Whenever this land becomes tapped, it deals 1 damage to you.
: Add one mana of any color.
Land
City of Brass (tmc) 62
Command Tower
: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Land
Command Tower (msc) 234
Commercial District
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Mountain Forest
Commercial District (mkm) 259
Elegant Parlor
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Plains Mountain
Elegant Parlor (mkm) 260
Flooded Strand
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Plains or Island card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Flooded Strand (mh3) 436
Forest
(
: Add
.)
Basic Land - Forest
Forest (trk) 325
Great Hall of the Citadel
: Add
.
,
: Add two mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast legendary spells.
Land
Great Hall of the Citadel (ltr) 254
Hedge Maze
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Island Forest
Hedge Maze (mkm) 262
Interplanar Beacon
Whenever you cast a planeswalker spell, you gain 1 life.
: Add
.
,
: Add two mana of different colors. Spend this mana only to cast planeswalker spells.
Land
Interplanar Beacon (cmm) 1004
Island
(
: Add
.)
Basic Land - Island
Island (trk) 320
Lush Portico
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Plains Forest
Lush Portico (mkm) 263
Mana Confluence
, Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color.
Land
Mana Confluence (jou) 163
Marsh Flats
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Plains or Swamp card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Marsh Flats (mh2) 437
Meticulous Archive
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Plains Island
Meticulous Archive (mkm) 264
Misty Rainforest
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Forest or Island card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Misty Rainforest (mh2) 438
Mobilized District
: Add
.
: This land becomes a 3/3 Citizen creature with vigilance until end of turn. It's still a land. This ability costs
less to activate for each legendary creature and planeswalker you control.
Land
Mobilized District (cmm) 1011
Mountain
(
: Add
.)
Basic Land - Mountain
Mountain (trk) 324
Plains
(
: Add
.)
Basic Land - Plains
Plains (trk) 318
Plaza of Heroes
: Add
.
: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a legendary spell.
: Add one mana of any color among legendary permanents you control.
,
, Exile this land: Target legendary creature gains hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Land
Plaza of Heroes (msc) 255
Polluted Delta
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for an Island or Swamp card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Polluted Delta (mh3) 224
Raucous Theater
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Swamp Mountain
Raucous Theater (mkm) 266
Reflecting Pool
: Add one mana of any type that a land you control could produce.
Land
Reflecting Pool (clb) 358
Scalding Tarn
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for an Island or Mountain card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Scalding Tarn (mh2) 439
Shadowy Backstreet
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Plains Swamp
Shadowy Backstreet (mkm) 268
Starting Town
This land enters tapped unless it's your first, second, or third turn of the game.
: Add
.
, Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color.
Land - Town
Starting Town (fin) 289
Swamp
(
: Add
.)
Basic Land - Swamp
Swamp (trk) 321
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
: Add
.
Channel —
, Discard this card: Mill three cards, then return a creature or planeswalker card from your graveyard to your hand. This ability costs
less to activate for each legendary creature you control.
Legendary Land
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire (neo) 278
Thundering Falls
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Island Mountain
Thundering Falls (mkm) 269
Undercity Sewers
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Island Swamp
Undercity Sewers (mkm) 270
Underground Mortuary
(
: Add
or
.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Land - Swamp Forest
Underground Mortuary (mkm) 271
Untaidake, the Cloud Keeper
Untaidake enters tapped.
, Pay 2 life: Add
. Spend this mana only to cast legendary spells.
Legendary Land
Untaidake, the Cloud Keeper (chk) 285
Verdant Catacombs
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Swamp or Forest card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Verdant Catacombs (mh2) 440
Windswept Heath
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Forest or Plains card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Windswept Heath (mh3) 440
Wooded Foothills
, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Mountain or Forest card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Land
Wooded Foothills (mh3) 441

Land

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Domri, Anarch of Bolas
Creatures you control get +1/+0.
+1: Add
or
. Creature spells you cast this turn can't be countered.
−2: Target creature you control fights target creature you don't control.
Legendary Planeswalker - Domri
Domri, Anarch of Bolas (war) 191
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter
Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has "
: Add one mana of any color."
−1: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Legendary Planeswalker - Yanggu
Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter (j25) 677
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
Whenever a creature you control with power 4 or greater enters, draw a card.
−1: Untap target permanent.
Legendary Planeswalker - Kiora
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner (plst) WAR-232
The Unluckiest Planeswalker
Rulebreaker — A deck with this commander can have Aura cards of any color identity and any basic land cards.
+1: Add one mana of any color. When you spend this mana to cast an Aura spell this turn, create a 1/1 red Gremlin creature token.
−3: Discard your hand, then draw cards equal to twice the number of Auras you control. For each Aura attached to you, attach it to an opponent of your choice.
The Unluckiest Planeswalker can be your commander.
Legendary Planeswalker
The Unluckiest Planeswalker (mbc) 26

Ramp

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Tamiyo, Compleated Sage
Compleated (
can be paid with
,
, or 2 life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters.)
+1: Tap up to one target artifact or creature. It doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.
−X: Exile target nonland permanent card with mana value X from your graveyard. Create a token that's a copy of that card.
−7: Create Tamiyo's Notebook, a legendary colorless Book artifact token with "Spells you cast cost
less to cast" and "
: Draw a card."
Legendary Planeswalker - Tamiyo
Tamiyo, Compleated Sage (neo) 238

Recursion

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Angrath, the Flame-Chained
+1: Each opponent discards a card and loses 2 life.
−3: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step if it has mana value 3 or less.
−8: Each opponent loses life equal to the number of cards in their graveyard.
Legendary Planeswalker - Angrath
Angrath, the Flame-Chained (rix) 152
Dakkon, Shadow Slayer
Dakkon enters with a number of loyalty counters on him equal to the number of lands you control.
+1: Surveil 2.
−3: Exile target creature.
−6: You may put an artifact card from your hand or graveyard onto the battlefield.
Legendary Planeswalker - Dakkon
Dakkon, Shadow Slayer (mh2) 192
Domri Rade
+1: Look at the top card of your library. If it's a creature card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.
−2: Target creature you control fights another target creature.
−7: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control have double strike, trample, hexproof, and haste."
Legendary Planeswalker - Domri
Domri Rade (rvr) 179
Jaya, Venerated Firemage
If another red source you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals that much damage plus 1 to that permanent or player instead.
−2: Jaya deals 2 damage to any target.
Legendary Planeswalker - Jaya
Jaya, Venerated Firemage (plst) WAR-135
Karn Liberated
+4: Target player exiles a card from their hand.
−3: Exile target permanent.
−14: Restart the game, leaving in exile all non-Aura permanent cards exiled with Karn. Then put those cards onto the battlefield under your control.
Legendary Planeswalker - Karn
Karn Liberated (j22) 97
Kaya the Inexorable
+1: Put a ghostform counter on up to one target nontoken creature. It gains "When this creature dies or is put into exile, return it to its owner's hand and create a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying."
−3: Exile target nonland permanent.
−7: You get an emblem with "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may cast a legendary spell from your hand, from your graveyard, or from among cards you own in exile without paying its mana cost."
Legendary Planeswalker - Kaya
Kaya the Inexorable (khm) 218
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper
+1: Exile up to two target cards from a single graveyard. You gain 2 life if at least one creature card was exiled this way.
−1: Exile target nonland permanent with mana value 1 or less.
−5: Kaya deals damage to target player equal to the number of cards that player owns in exile and you gain that much life.
Legendary Planeswalker - Kaya
Kaya, Orzhov Usurper (rvr) 194
Oko, Thief of Crowns
+2: Create a Food token. (It's an artifact with "
,
, Sacrifice this token: You gain 3 life.")
+1: Target artifact or creature loses all abilities and becomes a green Elk creature with base power and toughness 3/3.
−5: Exchange control of target artifact or creature you control and target creature an opponent controls with power 3 or less.
Legendary Planeswalker - Oko
Oko, Thief of Crowns (eld) 197
Teferi, Time Raveler
Each opponent can cast spells only any time they could cast a sorcery.
+1: Until your next turn, you may cast sorcery spells as though they had flash.
−3: Return up to one target artifact, creature, or enchantment to its owner's hand. Draw a card.
Legendary Planeswalker - Teferi
Teferi, Time Raveler (rvr) 232
Ugin, Eye of the Storms
When you cast this spell, exile up to one target permanent that's one or more colors.
Whenever you cast a colorless spell, exile up to one target permanent that's one or more colors.
+2: You gain 3 life and draw a card.
0: Add
.
−11: Search your library for any number of colorless nonland cards, exile them, then shuffle. Until end of turn, you may cast those cards without paying their mana costs.
Legendary Planeswalker - Ugin
Ugin, Eye of the Storms (tdm) 1
Vraska the Unseen
+1: Until your next turn, whenever a creature deals combat damage to Vraska, destroy that creature.
−3: Destroy target nonland permanent.
−7: Create three 1/1 black Assassin creature tokens with "Whenever this token deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game."
Legendary Planeswalker - Vraska
Vraska the Unseen (c19) 207
Vraska, Regal Gorgon
+2: Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature. That creature gains menace until end of turn.
−3: Destroy target creature.
−10: For each creature card in your graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
Legendary Planeswalker - Vraska
Vraska, Regal Gorgon (grn) 269

Removal

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Chandra, Legacy of Fire
At the beginning of your end step, Chandra deals X damage to each opponent, where X is the number of planeswalkers you control.
+1: Add
for each planeswalker you control.
0: Remove a loyalty counter from each of any number of permanents you control. Exile that many cards from the top of your library. You may play them this turn.
Legendary Planeswalker - Chandra
Chandra, Legacy of Fire (cmm) 735

THE FINISHER

(Ctrl to add secondary)
Jegantha, the Wellspring
Companion — No card in your starting deck has more than one of the same mana symbol in its mana cost. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for
as a sorcery.)
: Add
. This mana can't be spent to pay generic mana costs.
Legendary Creature - Elemental Elk
Jegantha, the Wellspring (ecc) 125
Kaheera, the Orphanguard
Companion — Each creature card in your starting deck is a Cat, Elemental, Nightmare, Dinosaur, or Beast card. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for
as a sorcery.)
Vigilance
Each other creature you control that's a Cat, Elemental, Nightmare, Dinosaur, or Beast gets +1/+1 and has vigilance.
Legendary Creature - Beast Cat
Kaheera, the Orphanguard (iko) 224
Keruga, the Macrosage
Companion — Your starting deck contains only cards with mana value 3 or greater and land cards. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for
as a sorcery.)
When Keruga enters, draw a card for each other permanent you control with mana value 3 or greater.
Legendary Creature - Dinosaur Hippo
Keruga, the Macrosage (iko) 225
Obosh, the Preypiercer
Companion — Your starting deck contains only cards with odd mana values and land cards. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for
as a sorcery.)
If a source you control with an odd mana value would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals double that damage to that permanent or player instead.
Legendary Creature - Horror Hellion
Obosh, the Preypiercer (iko) 228
Umori, the Collector
Companion — Each nonland card in your starting deck shares a card type. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for
as a sorcery.)
As Umori enters, choose a card type.
Spells you cast of the chosen type cost
less to cast.
Legendary Creature - Ooze
Umori, the Collector (iko) 231
Zirda, the Dawnwaker
Companion — Each permanent card in your starting deck has an activated ability. (If this card is your chosen companion, you may put it into your hand from outside the game for
as a sorcery.)
Abilities you activate that aren't mana abilities cost
less to activate. This effect can't reduce the mana in that cost to less than one mana.
,
: Target creature can't block this turn.
Legendary Creature - Elemental Fox
Zirda, the Dawnwaker (iko) 233

Sideboard

(Ctrl to add secondary)

Deck Info

Deck stats

21 pips - 21 cards
22 mana - 17 cards
28 pips - 27 cards
22 mana - 17 cards
25 pips - 25 cards
23 mana - 18 cards
26 pips - 25 cards
26 mana - 21 cards
22 pips - 20 cards
24 mana - 19 cards
0 pips - 0 cards
10 mana - 7 cards
CategoriesQtyOdds
Click charts to focus on cards
Deck extras (0)

Description

{"ops":[{"insert":"So, your first question is probably - why?\n\nWell, the appeal of Commander as a format is that you get to start every game with a card in your hand, I'm just taking that idea to its logical conclusion.\nThis is a deck with 6 possible companions, the most a deck can achieve without running only lands. (Lutri is blocked by the cowards on the rules committee, Lurrus is incompatible with Keruga, as Gyaruda is with Obosh, and only Whytz can run Yorion as a companion, although sadly color identity means that's the only companion he can run.)\nAnd on a meta level, companion as a mechanic offers an interesting opportunnity for the out of the box deckbuilder. How many times have you wanted to try out a silly deck with a fun deckbuilding restriction, like 'Norman Osbourne but all the cards have to cost 2 mana', only for the table, acting in justified distrust, to sidewalk slam you out of existence before the silly gimmick can be apparent? (Or on the other side, had a player tell you that this Urza deck isn't like any of the others, only for them to Winter Orb you out of the game?) Companion is a way for the rules of the game to ensure the table that you are actually sticking to the silly gimmick. You pick your companion at the start of the game, and you can't deviate from the restriction without actually cheating (as opposed to merely lying, the social form of cheating). The more you run, the more information you provide to the table about the potential threats, or lack thereof, you present.\n\nNow, on the subject of cheating... technically 6 companions doesn't function. The format rules say your sideboard can contain a maximum possible 1 card as your companion. That said, if I have built a deck that follows 6 companion restrictions, I feel like I deserve to start with an extra 6 cards in my hand, that I have to pay 3 mana each to cast, in exchange for the kneecaps I gave up. This is a Bracket 2 deck, we're about doing silly things, it's not a crazy ask. But if you are at a table full of Rules Prosecutors (the most aggressive form of the Rules Lawyer), the deck is designed to function and win games using Umori or Jegantha as the sole companion, so it's not a huge deal.\n\nAlthough, perhaps 'design' is too generous a word to use. Our deck, including our commander, have to follow all the companion restrictions. Just by picking Arkazon we've locked ourselves into:\nOnly playing cards with mana value 3+, and lands"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Only playing planeswalkers and lands"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Only playing cards with an odd mana value"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This makes things a bit rough, at least with the Lurrus restriction we could have tried a low to the ground strategy, and a typical creature based commander would still give plenty of options Umori wouldn't object to. Odds only is the win we get here over the alternative, because while there are plenty of amazing planeswalkers at 2, 4, and 6, there aren't enough at 2 to realistically have any plays before turn 4 most games. And while Bracket 2 commander is slow, not doing anything for 4 turns is devastating regardless of format or pod. My masochism has also given us these restrictions:\nAll cards must have an activated ability"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"No card can have 2 of the same symbol in the casting cost"},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"All the creatures must be a Cat, Elemental, Nightmare, Dinosaur, or Beast."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"In order, Zirda's restriction is meaningless. Planeswalkers, by definition, always have activated loyalty abilities, so we've satisfied that prong. (Side note: this restriction does still technically prevent us from running certain lands. Urza's Saga, a card that would not be good in this deck anyways, has no activated abilities. It's a saga with a "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"triggered ability"},{"insert":" that gives it activated abilities, meaning you can't run it while you have Zirda as a companion. Aren't the rules fun?) Jegantha's restriction is deeply meaningful for the deck. Planeswalkers, as the icons of Magic, are often used to show what colors, and their combinations, care about at their core. And they tend to reflect this in their casting cost, making 1(X)(X), where (X) is a colored mana pip, an "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"incredibly"},{"insert":" common cost for planeswalkers, that we are now locked out of. Lastly, there's Kaheera's restriction. You would think, given all our other restrictions, this would be meaningless. We satisfy the restriction by running no creatures that aren't any of those types (which "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"does"},{"insert":" count), because we run 0 creatures. However, Grist is a planeswalker that would be otherwise legal in this deck, that unfortunately counts as an "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Insect"},{"insert":" during deckbuilding. Kaheera locks us out of a low curve option that makes tokens and removes creatures. Bad kitty.\n\nAll in all, that gives us 63 potential inclusions for this deck, including our commander and all the new Mystery Booster Commander planeswalkers. Yeah, that's correct, we "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"only"},{"insert":" have 63 options for legal includes. We're running them all. A lot of them are very bad. Sorin, Imperious Bloodlord only does things if you have used Lorwyn Oko's +2 this game. But he's still technically a more valuable card than another land so... he goes into the deck. We put every possible ingredient in the stew, so what came out?\n\nShockingly, an actually playable deck. It's not going to win any tournaments any time soon, but if the standard of Bracket 2 is \"be comfortable playing this against a precon\", then this deck absolutely qualifies. Planeswalkers as a card type are just that pushed. Arkazon ends up having great synergy with companions as a mechanic, making him the canonically correct choice for an all planeswalker all companion deck (which I know you all were just desperate to make), over the other potential choice, Jared Carthalion. Increasing loyalty to remove threats to your board is great protection, and it turns out adding a companion to your hand is a great use of a Black Lotus token. And, as a bonus, if he sticks around long enough Arkazon refills your hand, which is very valuable if you haven't found your draw walkers yet. There's just enough ramp that we can, from time to time, go from 3 to 5 and get Arkazon a little early, but putting out a three mana walker that protects itself gives you a decent foothold into playing the game. The deck has obvious weaknesses, such as our need to play a bunch of cards with niche use cases, but Kasamina helps shore them up. While her ultimate isn't doing much of anything, giving War of the Spark planeswalkers plus abilities to help them stick around longer is very meaningful, and turning a useless walker into a fractal factory does a lot to shore up your board. We have enough removal options that we can disable individual threats to our board most of the time, but if the table gangs up on you, or one player amasses a token horde, there's likely not much you can do about it. And our three blink walkers end up being stars of the game a lot of the time, letting you play a walker, benefit from their very strong minus ability, and then have them come back rested and refreshed with default loyalty later. Aminatou even lets you double up on the target's ability, letting you get a lot of advantage pretty quickly.\n\nTo end the game, there are lots of planeswalkers with game ending ultimates, it's fairly hard to lose after popping the ult on Venser, the Sojourner or Teferi, Hero of Dominaria. But the best one by a country mile is Chandra, Legacy of Fire. Not only does she produce cartloads of mana the second she hits the table, but every time you pass she domes the whole table based on your board size. It's hard to board wipe planeswalkers, meaning you can usually stick a fair few out, but even with a large army of tokens, it can be hard to translate the advantage they give you into actual lethal damage. She fixes that problem and allows you to convert a card advantage victory into real actual victory.\n\nMystery Booster Commander is the first set you could make a deck like this function in, with as many companions as this. Arkazon, Venser, Sifa, and our Unlucky friend all help make the deck churn along and give it the mass of functional cards it needed to work in reality. Arkazon is the only captain I'd have at it's helm (at least until Urza's head is freed from silver-border purgatory), and he's a true captain, showing all the mortals why he's the final boss of Shandalar, taking names even with one (or six) hands tied behind his back.\n\n\n\tAn afterword, for the people who (somehow) haven't had enough of my ramblings about this deck. Firstly, because our companions are in our sideboard, they don't count against everyone else's companion restrictions, otherwise Jegantha couldn't mix with any of the others, Obosh and Umori would have beef, and Umori would fail their own condition. In addition, our manabase, while seemingly basic, is a considered decision, being the one part of the deck I had any discretion in creating. Commander is, luckily enough, a format where you can pass for 2 turns without instantly exploding. That gives us a little time to both fix our mana, and desperately squeeze our any advantage we can muster from our lands. Fetches have been the game's mana fixing solution for 23 years now, making them an obvious pick. Triomes would give us the best coverage, but being able to control your draws early on is way too valuable an advantage to give up. Getting all 5 colors on turn 5 is super important, but we do that consistently enough as is with surveils that we don't need to include triomes. Running the basics is a must, otherwise you risk getting blown out by every Ghost Quarter that passes by your table. In addition, you do need creature tokens to stick around to protect your walkers, and when Path to Exile is one of the most played removal spells in the format, not running a suite of basics to recover from it would be a real mistake. We don't run shocks or dual lands, because we need the rest of the land space for premier fixing (Command Tower, Interplanar Beacon, etc), or for utility (Takenuma is one of the very few ways this deck can recover a planeswalker that's died). It's probably mathematically correct to cut some number of surveils for shocks, but because basics are fetchable to turn fetches into untapped mana, you don't end up being punished enough of the time for it to be worth it to do that math. The land I'll get the most flack for is probably Untaidake. It's a tapland that costs life, can't cast the commander, and can't pay for companions to get into your hand. On the other hand, this is a deck where you are nearly guaranteed to not be able to play on curve during turns 1, 2, and 4. You can afford to play a tapland, and being able to play a 3 mana walker on 3, into a 5 mana one on 4 is more valuable than being able to 100% play Arkazon on 5 (and there are hands that let you do that anyways! The Unluckiest Planeswalker ends up being our mastermind's best friend). Mobilized District is also a useful meatshield (dirtshield?) for your walkers in a pinch, and a deck that seeks to cut out some of the more unhelpful planeswalkers (cough, Sorin), probably just wants to run more manlands. I didn't because the activation costs fighting with the planeswalkers you want to cast are clunky, and because unfetchable taplands "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"really"},{"insert":" need to justify themselves, but I can absolutely hear and respect the arguments for many of them.\n"}]}
Support us on Patreon to remove ads
AutoNew CategoryMaybeboardSideboardPinned Cards