{"ops":[{"insert":"Animar is Bae"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Commander:"},{"insert":" Animar, Soul of Elements | "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Colors:"},{"insert":" Temur (Blue/Red/Green) | "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Format:"},{"insert":" Commander | "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bracket:"},{"insert":" [4]\nThe Commander"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This one is personal. When the first Commander precons were announced and one of them was Temur, the excitement was immediate. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" has been in the rotation ever since, going through countless iterations and builds over the years to arrive at this current version. He is the favourite commander of all time, full stop. The playmat, the deckbox, the tokens with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" on the back, all of it reflects a genuine and longstanding love for this card and what it represents. This is the deck that comes out when people want a strong matchup, sitting comfortably at bracket four though it doesn't pretend to hang with the absolute fastest mana everything goes cEDH-adjacent pods. It's still really good and it rewards playing with urgency and conviction.\nHow to Win"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The gameplan is sticking "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" and making him as big as possible as fast as possible, then either pushing through for commander damage or comboing off to close the game. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ancestral Statue"},{"insert":" is the cleanest combo piece in the deck, letting "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" grow infinitely large on his own by bouncing and recasting repeatedly. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cloudstone Curio"},{"insert":" is the other engine piece that enables chaining creatures and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Peregrine Drake"},{"insert":" extends or goes infinite alongside it. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Trophy Mage"},{"insert":" exists specifically to find "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Curio"},{"insert":" when you need it. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bard Class"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Stadium Vendors"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Etali"},{"insert":" form the favourite infinite combo in the deck and are worth setting up whenever the pieces are available. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Apex Devastator"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Maelstrom Wanderer"},{"insert":" dig for cheap hits through cascades and can chain into a winning position from seemingly nowhere. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Kefka Palazzo"},{"insert":" wins a surprising number of games through damage either during the combo or by generating a massive amount of it all at once.\nNotable Cards"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bard Class"},{"insert":" is the secret commander of the deck. With the density of legendary creatures in the list it does an enormous amount of work and shapes the gameplan more than any other non-commander card. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Oblivion Sower"},{"insert":" deserves a callout for how well it extends combos and keeps things going when you need a bit more reach, particularly alongside "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cloudstone Curio"},{"insert":". Everything in the deck marked as being on the cutting room floor has history here and hasn't been cut yet because of that history rather than because it's performing. Those cards will find their way out eventually but they've earned the right to stick around a little longer.\nPiloting the Deck"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This is a turbo deck and you need to play it like one. Every decision should be made with urgency. Get "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" out by turn three, start stacking counters immediately, and look for your combo pieces. Don't play reactively except when absolutely necessary. Your counterspells and protection pieces exist for one purpose: keeping "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" on the field and stopping something that would lose you the game outright. Don't spend them on minor threats. Red burn spells and blue bounce effects are your biggest threats since they bypass "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar's"},{"insert":" protection from white and black, so keep those answers available for exactly those scenarios. When you see a combo line open up commit to it fully and don't hesitate.\nWeaknesses"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Red burn and blue bounce are the primary removal threats since they get around "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar's"},{"insert":" built in protection. Fast mana bracket four pods that can win before you establish your engine are also a genuine challenge since even a very good "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" build has a ceiling against truly optimized fast mana decks. Disruption that hits "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" early before he has counters stacked can also significantly slow the deck down since rebuilding from scratch at the bracket four level is difficult.\nOpening Hand"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"You need a line to get "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" out by turn three with something to start stacking and some draw to keep the gas flowing. Going down to five to find that combination is absolutely worth it and has happened before. A hand without a clear path to a turn three "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Animar"},{"insert":" is a mulligan every time. The deck rewards aggressive mulliganing to find the right opener.\nMaybeboard"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The maybeboard is an active testing ground where things don't tend to stay long since decisions get made quickly on whether something earns its spot. Cards marked as being on the cutting room floor in the main deck have history with the deck and are holding on a little longer than pure performance would justify. They'll make their exit eventually.\n"}]}