{"ops":[{"insert":"🦀 Contest Concept; TLDR"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rasaad yn Bashir is a Human Monk who never mentions Crabs, but he accidentally exploits the defining way Magic designs them: very low power and very high toughness."},{"insert":"\nRasaad turns their shells into weapons by letting them deal combat damage with toughness, while their tiny printed power remains unchanged. That means the same Crabs can sneak through with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Tetsuko Umezawa"},{"insert":", survive asymmetric effects like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Slaughter the Strong"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wave of Reckoning"},{"insert":", and turn defensive toughness pumps into offensive combat tricks.\nWith the initiative, Rasaad doubles the entire colony's toughness—including turning "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Charix, the Raging Isle from 0/17 into 0/34"},{"insert":".\nThe deck contains "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"25 actual Crabs and zero Changelings"},{"insert":". Sword Coast Sailor provides blue identity for the Crab population and helps Rasaad attack safely enough to trigger his initiative payoff.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Crabs have shells instead of swords. Rasaad makes the shell the sword."},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"🦀 Shell or High Water"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Crabs have shells instead of swords. Rasaad has decided the shell is the sword."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Magic has spent decades giving Crabs one of the most recognizable stat lines in the game: "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"tiny power and enormous toughness"},{"insert":". They're built to sit there, block things, and generally be much more intimidating sideways than they are forward.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rasaad yn Bashir"},{"insert":" sees things differently.\nRasaad isn't a Crab. He's a Human Monk. He doesn't mention Crabs anywhere in his text. But by allowing creatures to assign combat damage equal to their toughness rather than their power, he transforms one of the defining mechanical characteristics of Magic's Crabs into an offensive weapon.\nWhy the Background?"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Rasaad's "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Sword Coast Sailor"},{"insert":" Background doesn't mention Crabs either. Its job is twofold: it gives the deck blue color identity so Rasaad can lead Magic's predominantly blue Crab population, and it helps Rasaad attack safely. That's especially important because Rasaad has to attack while we have the initiative to double the colony's toughness.\nWelcome to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shell or High Water"},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🐚 The Shell Is the Sword"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The basic idea is wonderfully stupid:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Play Crabs. Turn them sideways. Hit people with their toughness."},{"insert":"\nA creature like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Crystacean"},{"insert":" normally has 1 power and 6 toughness. With Rasaad on the battlefield, that 1/6 attacks for "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"6"},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wishcoin Crab"},{"insert":" goes from 2/5 to effectively hitting for "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"5"},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Fortress Crab"},{"insert":" goes from 1/6 to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"6"},{"insert":".\nAnd then there's "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Charix, the Raging Isle"},{"insert":".\nCharix is a magnificent "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"0/17 Crab"},{"insert":".\nUnder Rasaad, that's already "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"17 combat damage"},{"insert":".\nBut Rasaad has another ability.\nWhenever he attacks while we have the initiative, he doubles the toughness of every creature we control until end of turn.\nSo Charix becomes a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"0/34"},{"insert":".\nAnd because Rasaad makes Charix assign combat damage using toughness:\nCharix hits for 34."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Apparently the correct way to operate an island is to pick it up and hit someone with it.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🏰 Take the Initiative"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"That 34-damage Charix isn't just magical Christmas land.\nThe deck deliberately includes an initiative package:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"White Plume Adventurer"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Aarakocra Sneak"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Goliath Paladin"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Seasoned Dungeoneer"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Trailblazer's Torch"},{"insert":"\nThese cards aren't here because this is secretly a Dungeon deck. They're here because "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"initiative is the ignition switch for Rasaad"},{"insert":".\nOnce we have it, attacking with Rasaad doubles the toughness of the entire Crab colony.\nA 1/6 becomes a 1/12.\nA 2/5 becomes a 2/10.\nA 0/17 becomes a 0/34.\nThe creatures Magic designed to be defensive speed bumps suddenly become the biggest attackers at the table.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"👻 Too Small to Block, Too Big to Survive"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The second half of the joke comes from the fact that Rasaad changes how our creatures deal damage...\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"But he doesn't change their power."},{"insert":"\nThat's extremely important.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive"},{"insert":" makes creatures with power or toughness 1 or less unblockable.\nOur Crabs just happen to have lots of tiny printed power.\nSo a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"1/6 Crustacean"},{"insert":" can be unblockable while dealing "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"6 damage"},{"insert":" through Rasaad.\nWith the initiative?\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"12 unblockable damage."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Access Tunnel"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Escape Tunnel"},{"insert":" exploit the same discrepancy. A creature can qualify for evasion because its printed power is tiny while simultaneously hitting like a truck because Rasaad cares about toughness.\nOur Crabs are simultaneously too weak to block and too strong to ignore.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🌊 Please Remain Calm During the Board Wipe"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Tiny power creates another advantage.\nThe deck's sweepers were selected specifically because they're unusually unfair when most of our creatures have enormous toughness and almost no power.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Slaughter the Strong"},{"insert":" asks everyone to keep creatures whose combined power totals 4 or less.\nThat's devastating for a conventional battlefield.\nFor a pile of 0- and 1-power Crabs?\nThat's practically a permission slip.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Fell the Mighty"},{"insert":" can use one of our tiny-power creatures as the benchmark and destroy everything larger.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dusk // Dawn"},{"insert":" punishes high-power creatures while many of our Crabs simply duck underneath it—and Dawn can later recover many of our low-power creatures.\nThen there's "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wave of Reckoning"},{"insert":".\nEach creature deals damage to itself equal to its own power.\nA conventional 6/6 punches itself for six.\nOur 1/6 Crab punches itself for one.\nIt turns out having terrible power is remarkably useful when everyone is required to punch themselves.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🐚 Toughness Pumps Are Combat Tricks"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Rasaad also changes the value of cards that normally look purely defensive.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Slagwurm Armor"},{"insert":" gives +0/+6.\nHere, that's effectively "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"six additional combat damage"},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Aegis of the Heavens"},{"insert":" gives +1/+7.\nThat's seven more damage.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bar the Door"},{"insert":" gives the whole team +0/+4, which can represent four additional damage "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"per attacking Crab"},{"insert":".\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Refuse to Yield"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Eland Umbra"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Stoneskin"},{"insert":" all play the same game.\nWe're not buffing the Crabs' weapons.\nWe're making their shells thicker.\nApparently that's the same thing now.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🦀 Yes, They're Actually Crabs"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"I wanted this to feel like a genuine Kindred deck rather than a toughness deck wearing a Crab costume.\nSo "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Shell or High Water contains 25 actual Crab creatures."},{"insert":"\nNo Changelings padding the count.\nNo army of generically efficient high-toughness creatures masquerading as honorary crustaceans.\nEven something as mechanically tempting as a 0/5 Turtle misses the point.\nThe limitations of the tribe are part of the deck.\nCards such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Reflections of Littjara"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Scuttletide"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Distant Melody"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Path of Ancestry"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unclaimed Territory"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Secluded Courtyard"},{"insert":" further reward us for committing to Crab Kindred rather than simply assembling Azorius goodstuff.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🌊 Crabs Do Crab Things"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Not every Crab is merely a pile of toughness.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Hedron Crab"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ruin Crab"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Iceberg Cancrix"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Scrabbling Skullcrab"},{"insert":" give the deck a natural mill subtheme.\nWe're not trying to become a dedicated mill deck. It's simply another behavior that Magic has repeatedly associated with Crabs.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mirelurk Queen"},{"insert":" turns that incidental milling into value.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Vexing Scuttler"},{"insert":" can recover an instant or sorcery.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mirrorshell Crab"},{"insert":" doubles as interaction.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Salvage Scuttler"},{"insert":" can recycle useful artifacts.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Crustacean Commando"},{"insert":" brings a Mutagen token along.\nThe colony is strange, but everybody has a job.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"📚 Keeping the Tide Coming"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Going wide with Crabs means our card advantage should reward us for doing exactly that.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Distant Melody"},{"insert":" can name Crab and refill our hand based on the size of the colony.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Keep Watch"},{"insert":" rewards the moment we send the colony into combat.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bident of Thassa"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Reconnaissance Mission"},{"insert":" reward Crabs that connect.\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Plagon, Lord of the Beach"},{"insert":" provides another payoff for the enormous-toughness creatures we're already playing.\nThis isn't a pile of generic Azorius draw engines.\nWhenever possible, the deck gets paid for doing something it already wanted to do.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🏝️ Why Rasaad?"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"That's ultimately the reason I chose "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rasaad yn Bashir"},{"insert":" for this challenge.\nHe doesn't share the tribe's creature type.\nHe doesn't mention the tribe.\nHe wasn't designed as a Crab commander.\nInstead, he accidentally understands something fundamental about how Magic has designed Crabs:\nTheir power isn't where their strength is."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Rasaad takes the characteristic that normally makes a Crab defensive and makes it lethal.\nSword Coast Sailor gives him access to the predominantly blue Crab population and helps Rasaad attack safely enough to trigger his initiative payoff.\nEverything else follows naturally from that interaction.\nLow power becomes evasion.\nLow power makes our sweepers asymmetric.\nHigh toughness becomes damage.\nToughness pumps become combat tricks.\nInitiative becomes a team-wide damage doubler.\nAnd a 0/17 island-sized Crab becomes a legitimate one-hit threat.\n"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"🦀 Shell or High Water"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"25 real Crabs."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Zero Changelings."},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"One Human Monk who has made a terrible discovery about crustacean-based warfare."},{"insert":"\nSometimes the best offense is a good defense.\nSometimes the best offense is "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"34 toughness worth of Crab."},{"insert":"\n"}]}