{"ops":[{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"AFK the Deck"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Summary to Pilot"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod, the Radiant Dawn "},{"insert":"deck aims to flip the tables of gameplay by playing on our opponents turn while skipping our own turns. \n\nStart by playing effects to get the whole table drawing extra cards. Set up protections that last \"until your next turn\" (such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Noble Heritage"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The One Ring"},{"insert":") but then prolong their effects by skipping as many turns as possible (ideally with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Chronatog "},{"insert":"or its totem variant). Key to the deck is tutoring up and playing "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unwinding Clock"},{"insert":" which lets us untap all our mana rocks each turn so we can cast spells on our opponents' turns using "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod's "},{"insert":"ability to give all our cards "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Flash"},{"insert":". Our goal is to draw-out our opponents with a blow-out chain of X draw spells ("},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Prosperity"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Fascination"},{"insert":","},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Sky Scribing"},{"insert":", etc).\n\nDetailed Strategy"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Early Game (Turns 1-6)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Our early game is all about set-up. Ramp with mana rocks, and get out as many "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Howling Mine"},{"insert":" effects as we can. Prioritize playing our artifact lands, and anything that will let us draw when it is not our turn ("},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Smuggler's Share"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Temple Bell"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Faerie Mastermind"},{"insert":" are our best options). We won't have many turns going into the mid game, so play any creatures with tap effects early to get rid of their summoning sickness (such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Walking Atlas"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Kwain, Itinerant Meddler"},{"insert":"), as well as any upkeep-triggered protection effects so we can trigger them before the mid game (such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Noble Heritage"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Orzhov Advokist"},{"insert":").\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Mid Game (Turns 6-9)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Timing our pivot to the mid game is crucial and is signaled by playing "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod "},{"insert":"and flipping him to his backside on the same turn. Before we bring the commander out we should have 3 things ready. If we do not have these things, focus on drawing more cards and tutoring key pieces.\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"At least 7 mana on the field (enough to play and flip Heliod). "},{"insert":"Our commander's front side means almost nothing to us. You can choose to delay the flip till your next turn, but this is risky as we leave ourselves open to interaction from our opponents."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Something to make the table draw extra cards - including ourselves."},{"insert":" Drawing when it is not our turn is crucial to the strategy of skipping our turns, and making our opponents draw helps in playing higher-cost spells on our opponents' turns."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unwinding Clock"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" in hand, play, or have a way to tutor for that card"},{"insert":". Without this card our resources on our opponents turns will diminish as we play spells and we won't be able to skip turns efficiently. If we have a few draw spells in hand (especially an X spell) we could chain into this card or a tutor if we feel pressured to move our strategy forward."},{"attributes":{"list":"ordered"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nOnce in the mid game, we want to draw and play cards during our opponents turns, taking advantage of "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod's "},{"insert":"cost-reduction and ability to give all our cards "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Flash"},{"insert":". \nUse small table-wide draw effects to continue playing mana rocks and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Howling Mine "},{"insert":"effects until we get a way to start skipping turns; "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Chronatog "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Chronatog Totem"},{"insert":" give us infinite skips, while "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Meditate, Eater of Days, "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Magosi, the Waterveil"},{"insert":" give us a few well-timed skips which can prolong a protection effect while we continue our strategy."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"With a skip turn enabler, its time to focus on protection. It can be amazing timing to start skipping turns once our opponents have taken deals from "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Noble Heritage"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Orzhov Advokist"},{"insert":", otherwise our best go-to cards are "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The One Ring"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Stasis Coffin "},{"insert":"which both grant "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Protection from Everything"},{"insert":" until our next turn. Since we have have multiple protection effects, we can trigger one of them while only having limited turn-skips to buy us time to either find a true skip turn enabler, or bring about the end game."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Use any excess tutors to grab necessary pieces. Remember that since we have "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Flash "},{"insert":"on all our cards, throwing down a protection effect at instant-speed even when not fully set-up can be a worthy strategy."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"Late Game (Playing on Other Players' Turns)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"With our commander online, a skip-turn enabler, and decent protection, we have reached our late game. Continue playing mana rocks and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Howling Mine "},{"insert":"effects, using "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod's "},{"insert":"cost-reduction and "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Flash "},{"insert":"abilities. Cards like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Walking Atlas"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Archaeomancer's Map"},{"insert":" will allow us to continue playing lands, but our main source of mana will be our mana rocks and artifact lands being untapped each turn by "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unwinding Clock"},{"insert":". We want to keep our opponents drawing as many cards as possible until we are ready to spring the end-game (likely in response to another opponent trying to win).\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true},"insert":"End Game (Turn Unknown)"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Bringing about the end game is all about preference - bring it about when you feel the game has lasted long enough, in response to a player trying to win, or in response to someone disrupting your board. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Forced Fruition"},{"insert":" as well as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Prosperity "},{"insert":"and other X draw spells are our finishers. As we make our opponents draw cards, our spells get cheaper, allowing us to play artifacts for free, or chain into even-more draw spells. 2-3 table-wide X draw spells are usually enough to draw our entire deck, so switch to targeted X draw spells (like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Blue Sun's Zenith"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Drown in Dreams"},{"insert":") or count the remaining cards in your deck before the 3rd casting (we want our opponents to have little to no library, but we need to stop shy of decking ourselves). Since we are skipping our turns, our opponents will run out of cards before we do if they can't find a way past our protections.\n\nProblem Solving - AKA: Interaction"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"For the most part, we do not care about our opponents' board states so long as our key combo pieces remain untouched. If something threatens "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod"},{"insert":", our "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unwinding Clock"},{"insert":", or an opponent is too close to winning, we have a variety of options:\nCounterspells like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rewind "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unwind "},{"insert":"not only protect our stuff, but net-gain us mana if our commander is online; "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Spell Burst"},{"insert":" is a particularly nasty late game counter as it has "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Buyback"},{"insert":". "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Winds of Abandon"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod's Intervention "},{"insert":"can snipe any combo about to pop-off before we're ready for the end game. "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cosmic Intervention"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Sudden Disappearance"},{"insert":" are recovery spells in the event of a mass-artifact wipe that we are unable to counter; they do reset our commander, but if he is also in the blast we can afford to take 1 turn to re-enable him before going AFK on our turns again."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Chronomantic Escape"},{"insert":" can keep attacking decks at bay, such as those that stop damage from being prevented or rely on attack-triggers; the spell also re-"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"suspends "},{"insert":"itself which can help us reapply protection if we're forced to take a few of our own turns."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Orbs of Warding"},{"insert":" can give us "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Hexproof "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Solitary Confinement"},{"insert":" gives us "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Shroud"},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Otawara, the Soaring City"},{"insert":" if drawn in the mid or late game is great for bouncing "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Unwinding Clock"},{"insert":" so we can avoid targeted removal and then re-play it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Tyrite Sanctum "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Lightning Greaves"},{"insert":" can help protect "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod "},{"insert":"if those cards reach us in the early game, or can help us recover after a wipe in the mid game."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Platinum Angel "},{"insert":"is a catch-all for any opponent finding clever ways to win or eliminate us from the game."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"As a last-resort, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Teferi's Protection "},{"insert":"can save us from unavoidable consequences, and its effects will persist through all our skipped turns, making us truly AFK for a few passes around the table while our opponents fight amongst themselves."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Finally, remember that with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Heliod "},{"insert":"online everything we play has "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Flash"},{"insert":", so we can respond to most everything (other than split-second) including trying to stretch for the end game in response to any play from an opponent - potentially forcing them to lose while their interaction is still on the stack, or at worst crippling their deck enough for us to draw-out victory."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nUpgrades and Budget Alternatives"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The maybeboard contains cards that can provide some variation on this deck's theme. Some of these might be alternative choices depending on your budget or your personal tastes. Some key callouts include:\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Hilthain Rope"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Pendant of Prosperity"},{"insert":" can take the deck a bit more in the group-hug direction."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Settle the Wreckage, Swiftfoot Boots, "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Island Sanctuary"},{"insert":" can be budget alternatives for "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Winds of Abandon, Lightning Greaves, "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Teferi's Protection"},{"insert":"."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Darksteel Forge, Academy Ruins, Mithral Coat, "},{"insert":"and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Pact of Negation"},{"insert":" can be upgrades to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cosmic Intervention, Buried Ruin, Lightning Greaves"},{"insert":", and any counterspell."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Don't Move "},{"insert":"works as a continuous board wipe against any creatures that need to tap and can be an upgrade from "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Winds of Abandon"},{"insert":", but the card can be a bit punishing for a casual play group given our deck's ability to skip infinite turns, resulting in slowed gameplay and us becoming the archenemy; I suggest clearing this card with your playgroup before including it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"}]}