{"ops":[{"insert":"**This is my submission to the September Deckbuilding Challenge**\n\nThis deck revolves around a tight, explosive and synergistic loop: load the graveyard with 2 power Minotaurs, stack Anthem effects, then reanimate the entire board for a sudden, overwhelming board presence that few decks can match. \nBecause some of the most powerfull and synergistic minotaurs have a baseline power of 2, They can be targeted by reanimation spells like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Smile at Death"}},{"insert":" and"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Alesha, Who Smiles at Death"}},{"insert":" but once they hit the battlefield, the anthem effects immediately \"turn on\" and apply a massive buff to the creatures that just entered, which can boost their power by a significant amount the second they hit the battlefield and turn them into massive threats. \n\n1. GRAVEYARD SETUP AND MASS REANIMATION \nUsind looting effects, tutors and discard outlets fill the graveyard with creatures to reanimate. Cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Faithless Looting"}},{"insert":" provide a way to filter the hand, while cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Buried Alive"}},{"insert":" tutor cards directly into the graveyard to be reanimated later. Another card of note is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Key to the City"}},{"insert":" because it provides both a way to fill the graveyard and provides combat Evasion to attacking creatures. \nOnce the anthems are online, cards like Alesha, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Unburial Rites"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reanimate"}},{"insert":" take up the key role of bringing these cards back to the battlefield in one fell swoop. \n\n2.ANTHEM SCALING AND LEATHAL COMBAT STEPS \nThe anthem suite ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shared Animosity"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kragma Warcaller"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flowering of the White Tree"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Coat of Arms"}},{"insert":" ) turns the revived minotaurs from small creatures into a lethal stampede. \nOnce the board hae been pumped, extra combats (like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aggravated Assault"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Moraug, Fury of Akoum"}},{"insert":" loops) multiply the damage until the whole table collapses.\n3. VOLTRON PIVIOT - THE BACKUP WINCON\nIf the graveyard plan is disrupted, either by graveyard hate, removal, or tempo, This deck can easily piviot to a secondary strategy in which it forces the opponent to make a very tough decision:\nEither to block the massive Minotaur army and risk taking lethal commander damage \nOr\nBlock the commander and take a load of damage from the Minotaur army \nThis 5 card package includes the following cards \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swiftfoot Boots"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blackblade Reforged"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Embercleave"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sigarda's Aid"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hammer of Nazahn"}},{"insert":" \nThese cards combined with the existing anthem effects push Alesha to leathal levels forcing opponents into the lose-lose situation mentioned earlier. \nThis piviot ensures that there is always a path to victory, even with heavy graveyard disruption.\n\nWHY THIS SYNERGY WORKS SO WELL \nUniform power in the graveyard = consistent recursion \nAnthem stacking = explosive board states \nCombat based recursion and extra combats = compounding damage \nThe Voltron piviot adds:\nExtra scaling damage that leads to a major threat via the commander\nA backup plan that uses the same combat-based resources \nEquipment that dosent interfere with the main tribal synergy\n\nAll of these synergies turn combat damage from a concern to an inevitably: the whole point of the deck.\n\nGAMEPLAN\n\nThe game plan consists of 3 main phases that flows naturally from early game setup, mid game explosion, and a late game overwhelming combat-based finish. Every card in this list supports a phase in the plan and some even multiple. This deck is built so you can piviot between them at any time depending on the board state. \n\nPHASE 1: Early Game \nThe whole point of this phase is setup. Deploying mana rocks, filling the graveyard, and setting up anthems.\nGoals:\nFill graveyard with Minotaurs either by tutoring or discarding\nPlay early anthems to set up future reanimation \nDeploy mana rocks, cost reducers, and ramp to secure the ease of play in later phases\nKeep Alesha safe until you're ready to use her \n\nKEY CARDS FOR PHASE 1\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Faithless Looting"}},{"insert":" : fills up the graveyard and filters the hand\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Buried Alive"}},{"insert":" : tutors minotaurs directly into the graveyard to make sure there is always something to reanimate \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Key to the City"}},{"insert":": discard outlet + evasion\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Herald's Horn"}},{"insert":" : cost reduction + card advantage \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ragemonger"}},{"insert":" : makes Minotaurs cost less to cast\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shared Animosity"}},{"insert":": Early anthem that scales later \nMoxen and fast mana: improves ease of play in later phases and makes sure you can get your cards out quickly and efficiently \n\nWhat Youre Building Towards:\nA graveyard full of minotaurs, at least one anthem effect online, and a couple of mana rocks to keep the game flowing in later turns\nThis sets the stage for an explosive mid game\n\nPHASE 2: Mid Game \nThis is where the deck becomes dangerous. With plenty of minotaurs in the graveyard and anthems on the board, you can begin to start to mass reanimate them and build up a massive board \nGoals: \nAttack with Alesha to revive minotaurs. Using Reconnaissance to remove Alesha from combat becomes a pretty neat trick because she triggers when she attacks not when she does damage which allows you too keep her safe enough to be used again \nUse recursion cards to bring back multiple creatures \nStack anthem effects and pump the board \nApply pressure through combat \n\nKEY CARDS FOR PHASE 2\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Alesha, Who Smiles at Death"}},{"insert":" : repeatable recursion engine \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Unburial Rites"}},{"insert":" : two recursion effects in one card.\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Smile at Death"}},{"insert":" : Mass reanimation \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reanimate"}},{"insert":" : cheap reanimation\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chainer, Nightmare Adept"}},{"insert":" : discard outlet and haste enabler \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flowering of the White Tree"}},{"insert":" : massive boost for creatures and ward for legends \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kragma Warcaller"}},{"insert":" : Haste enabler, +2/+0 for Minotaurs and immediate pressure \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reconnaissance"}},{"insert":" : Effective combat trick\n\nWhat This Phase accomplishes: \nMinotaurs ETB small but the stacked anthem effects will immediately rewrite the stats and turn them into a massive threat and setting up for the finishing turn\n\nPHASE 3: LATE GAME \nOnce the board is large enough and you can transition to the final phase, where the goal is to chain extra combats and turn your board into an overwhelming threat that easily overwhelms the table.\nGoals: \nProtect your board \nChain extra combats \nPush for lethal damage \nUse anthem scaling \nOverwhelm blockers \nWin the game decisively \n\nKEY CARDS FOR PHASE 3\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aggravated Assault"}},{"insert":" : goes infinate with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Neheb, the Eternal"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Relentless Assault"}},{"insert":" : straightforward, extra combat\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Breath of Fury"}},{"insert":" : can go infinate. Explosive chain reaction \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Moraug, Fury of Akoum"}},{"insert":" : Extra combat with landfall \n\nWhy This Phase is So Strong:\nAnthem effects scale multiplicatively, not additivley\nEach combat multiplies your damage by multiple times, turning a modest board into a major threat.\n\nVOLTRON PIVIOT \nIf your graveyard gets exiled or someone removes Alesha, the option to piviot to a voltron becomes an extremely useful asset. \nThis compact 5 card package can turn a relatively small alesha into a major threat for commander damage. \nAlternatively, this can even be used as a finisher. With Sigarda's Aid on the battlefield, it can even turn equipment into a sort of combat trick that can make for a surprising victory. By playing a card like Emberclave right before the combat damage phase and having Sigarda's Aid instantly equipping it, and giving it double strike you can double the damage being done by your most powerful creature without really anyone being able to do anything about it.\n\n\nSumming up the plan in one sentence would be something like this: \nSetup graveyard, inflate board, chain extra combats, win through overwhelming pressure or commander damage. \n\nMATCHUPS\nBecause this deck has a very defined identity: combat based inevitably, recursion, and a voltron piviot, the diffrent matchups will fall into fairly clear patterns. Some will lose instantly and some will pose a very difficult challange requiring precise sequencing, strategy, and strategic piviots. Here's the breakdown of some of the most popular archetypes: \nCREATURE BASED MIDRANGE: FAVORABLE \nThese decks rely almost solely on incremental value and combat presence, exactly the type of board state that the stampede overwhelms \n\nWHY YOURE FAVORED:\nAnthem will always outpace creature sizing \nMass reanimation undoes removal \nExtra combats multiply damage faster than they can stabilize \nMinotaurs often enter larger than their entire board \n\nGAMEPLAN\nEarly anthems \nReanimate in waves \nChain combats \n\nKEY CARDS \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shared Discovery"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kragma Warcaller"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Relentless Assault"}},{"insert":" \n\nCreature midrange simply cant keep up with the stampede\n\nCONTROL/BOARD WIPES: SKILL TESTING BUT WINNABLE\nThe goal of a control deck is to slow you down with removal, counterspells. This matchup is winnable but it will require you to play smart\n\nWhy This Matchup is Even:\nThey can remove Alesha\nThey can exile your graveyard \nThey can wipe your board repeatedly \n\nWhy You Can Still Win:\nYou rebuild faster than they can answer \nYour recursion turns removal into minor setbacks \nVoltron pivot punishes these decks\nProtection suite is very strong \n\nGAMEPLAN\nDon't over extend into wipes \nHold recursion until after removal\nPivot to voltron if graveyard hate appears \n\nKEY CARDS \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Teferi's Protection"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Boros Charm"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hammer of Nazahn"}},{"insert":" \n\nControl decks can slow you down, but they can rarely stop you\n\nGRAVEYARD HATE/STAX: CHALLENGING \nThese decks directly attack your engine. But you have tools.\n\nWHY ITS HARD \nExile effects stop mass reanimation \nStax pieces slow down your combat sequencing \nAlesha becomes much harder to use \n\nWHY YOU STILL HAVE OUTS \nYour voltron piviot bypasses graveyard hate \nAnthems still make creatures huge \nRecursion suite is diverse \n\nGAMEPLAN\nIdentify hate pieces early \nRemove or play around them\nPiviot to voltron if needed\nUse Alesha only if safe\n\nKEY CARDS \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blackblade Reforged"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swiftfoot Boots"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Embercleave"}},{"insert":" \n\nThis is your hardest matchup but the pivot keeps you alive \n\nFAST COMBO: UNFAVORABLE WITHOUT PRESSURE \nThese decks try to win before combat matters. You can beat them, but you will need to apply a lot of pressure early \n\nWHY ITS TOUGH\nthey dont care about combat\nThey dont care about your board \nThey win through their library or hand \n\nWHY YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE \nYour deck can explode early \nYour commander applies repeatable pressure \nYour voltron piviot kills fast \n\nGAMEPLAN\nMilligan for fast hands \nApply pressure early \nUse extra combat aggressively \nDon't wait for the perfect reanimation turn\n\nKEY CARDS \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Neheb, the Eternal"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aggravated Assault"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Embercleave"}},{"insert":" \n\nFast combo is your \"race matchup; you win by hitting hard and early and comboing quickly \n\nTOKEN SWARM/GO WIDE: VERY FAVORABLE \nToken swarms rely on quantity over quality, which anthems and extra combats shred \n\nWHY YOURE FAVORED \nYour creatures become much larger than Tokens \nDeathtouch from Felhide Petrifier makes blocking nearly impossible \nExtra combats multiply damage way beyond the ability to chump\n\nGAMEPLAN \nStick to anthems \nAttack repeatedly \nReanimate in waves\n\nKEY CARDS \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Felhide Petrifier"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Coat of Arms"}},{"insert":" \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Breath of Fury"}},{"insert":" \n\nToken decks crumble under your scaling\n\nCONCLUSION \nAt its core, this deck relies on one goal: combat inevitably. Whether its chaining combats, stampedeing with Minotaurs, or pure voltron commander damage. This deck applies an unmatched amount of pressure that decks just simply cant keep up with.\nThe graveyard plan gives you an explosive midgame with turns that few decks can match. Bringing back up to 3 or 4 creatures per turn. The anthems multiply damage into massive amounts with the stampede online. And the voltron piviot ensures that even under heavy disruption, Alesha can still be a major threat.\nThis deck rewards sequencing, smart plays, critical thinking, creativity and smart combat moves. Making sure that the player stays engaged and has fun every game. This deck is resilient, it can play fast, it can grind, it can even combo. No matter what happens, there is a path to victory. And that makes this deck feel like a stampede every game.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"}]}