<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Machinations" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Machinations</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.gregstaples.com/">Greg Staples</a>)</h6>
<h1>The Truth Hurts</h1>
<p>In Commander, it doesn’t make much sense to mill your opponents. There are certainly synergies and combos you can put together, but milling just can’t keep up.</p>
<p>Most mill cards are designed around a sixty-card deck in a one-on-one format. In Commander, you have to account for three 100-card decks.</p>
<p>Even if you go hard on politics so you only have to mill one or two opponents, you’ll likely run out of steam halfway through the game.</p>
<p>On the other hand, you can always build some alt-win contingencies into your deck. But then you’re making it even harder to focus on milling your opponents. This creates a negative feedback loop, where you need to focus even more on non-mill strategies.</p>
<p>The best way to combat this is to shift your mentality...</p>
<p><strong>Bring only chaos. Leave only suffering.</strong></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Millstone"></div></div>
<h6><em>The titular millstone, old but not forgotten.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Mill Yourself</h2>
<p>The most straightforward way to bring milling to any game of <em>Magic</em> is to simply mill yourself. Afterall, who’s going to stop you?</p>
<p>From Golgari’s unhealthy obsession with recycling to blue’s misunderstanding of delayed gratification, you have plenty of options at your disposal.</p>
<p>Even red looks at the graveyard and thinks “yeah, that’s where I want my cards to be.”</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Octavia, Living Thesis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anger"></div></div>
<h6><em>Self-mill may not be wise, but it can be effective.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>But Why Do That?</h3>
<p>The main reason to self-mill is to expedite your ability to access certain abilities.</p>
<p>You can speedrun your cards from the library to the battlefield with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muldrotha, the Gravetide" href="#" target="_blank">Muldrotha, the Gravetide</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or you can create a horde of fungus zombies with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Mycotyrant" href="#" target="_blank">The Mycotyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>You might prefer a less overtly fast-tracked influence on the game. Then a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can always return the graveyard back into your hand.</p>
<p>Or you might prefer exciting and explosive turns. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> facilitates exactly that, assuming you can pay the costs.</p>
<p>At its core, self-mill facilitates <strong>efficiency</strong> in your deck. Whatever you’re trying to do, self-milling will make it happen faster. Not only for Golgari colors, but across the color pie.</p>
<p>And if you’re playing against a black deck, maybe they’ll force some discards on you to help you out... if you ask nicely.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grist, the Hunger Tide"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lost Monarch of Ifnir"></div></div>
<h6><em>Allowing these cards anywhere near a graveyard is a mistake.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Trash Your Cards</h2>
<p>But there’s more ways to get cards into your graveyard than just milling. Self-inflicted discarding and surveilling are the obvious choices.</p>
<p>But you can always sacrifice permanents that come back for round two. You can draw too many cards, being forced to discard at the end of your turn. The world is your oyster, if throwing away your hand were a pearl.</p>
<h3>Self-Discard</h3>
<p>Lowering costs a la <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer" href="#" target="_blank">Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> helps offset the wonky hands you’ll have trashing your cards. Discarding cards from your hand is basically playing them for free if your graveyard is accessible.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist" href="#" target="_blank">Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even lets you convert that into a small army! Combine this with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temmet, Naktamun&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Temmet, Naktamun&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and you can have an army of superpowered Zombies for the low cost of your entire hand.</p>
<p>A full graveyard can empower something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rielle, the Everwise" href="#" target="_blank">Rielle, the Everwise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but these sorts of cards’ strengths aren’t fully unlocked until you’re actively discarding cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hashaton, Scarab&#039;s Fist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Temmet, Naktamun&#039;s Will"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Oskar, Rubbish Reclaimer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rielle, the Everwise"></div></div>
<p>Assuming you have an idea in-mind for a graveyard-centric deck, any combination of self-milling, surveilling, sacrificing, and self-discarding will be useful. So how do you actually go about discarding cards?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Blood Tokens</h4>
<p>Blood tokens give limited discard while also synergizing with artifact and Vampire decks. While not the most mana-efficient, token generation can always be expedited.</p>
<p>Plus, these have enough synergy with certain Vampire cards to keep you alive as you put your library in a shredder.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anje, Maid of Dishonor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Fountain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Odric, Blood-Cursed"></div></div>
<h6><em>These bloodsuckers are undead, the graveyard is their second home.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Activated Effects</h4>
<p>Certain commanders, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anje Falkenrath" href="#" target="_blank">Anje Falkenrath</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have activated abilities to discard. Others happen passively.</p>
<p>Whether used as your commander or not, having a few activated abilities to cause discards can ensure you have flexibility in your plays.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malfegor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flubs, the Fool"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sauron, the Dark Lord"></div></div>
<h6><em>If you’re already milling your library, why not discard your hand?</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Draw, Discard</h4>
<p>Any number of “draw a card, then discard a card” effects exist in the game. Sometimes, you even end up with net positive card draw!</p>
<p><em>Other times</em>, they have an alternative effect which is just as diabolical.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thirst for Discovery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Locust God"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrill of Possibility"></div></div>
<h6><em>Izzet really does like tinkering with trashed cards.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Surveil?</h4>
<p>Surveilling is really just self-mill but with the added benefit of walking-back your choice if you want what’s on the top of your deck.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, you surveil in smaller quantities than you self-mill. Further, your graveyard is going to be accessible if you’re self-milling.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazav, the Multifarious" href="#" target="_blank">Lazav, the Multifarious</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is nice to have in a deck that involves self-mill, self-discard, or anything similar. But surveilling as a whole isn’t really required.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nyx Weaver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magar of the Magic Strings"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grolnok, the Omnivore"></div></div>
<h6><em>Your graveyard really is just a second hand at this point.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What About Them?</h2>
<p>Up until now, this article was focused on self-mill, self-discard, and similar attributes. The reason is simply because mill on a three-way split with 100-card decks isn’t as feasible as other formats.</p>
<p>However, that isn’t to say you are <em>unable</em> to implement it.</p>
<p>There are really two specific flavors of targeted milling when it comes to Commander. You can either focus on milling one person at a time. Or you can focus on milling everyone at once.</p>
<h3>One Person</h3>
<p>While not the fastest method of winning, focusing your mill on a single player at a time gives you the ability to negotiate who you’ll mill and when. You aren’t making enemies by accidentally ruining the plan of the person next to you.</p>
<p>Just be aware, this means you’re vulnerable to “one-and-done” syndrome. That being, where you make an alliance with one player, you each take out a target, and then you’re in a one-on-one.</p>
<p>Given that in order to properly mill a 100-card deck you likely spent most of your resources, you might not be able to mill your former partner fast enough. Particularly given how late in the game this confrontation would take place.</p>
<p>Just don’t focus all your mill on a single player and you’ll be fine. <strong>Always have a contingency</strong>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Captain N&#039;ghathrod"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phenax, God of Deception"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Mindskinner"></div></div>
<h6><em>A selection of cards to ensure one specific player has a bad time.</em></h6>
<h3>Everyone</h3>
<p>Certainly the more expressive option of the two options, this very might paint a target on your back. You might not be the largest threat, but you’re quite the large and painful thorn in the side of everyone.</p>
<p>That being said, there’s a few ways to go about this.</p>
<p>The most straightforward is to play cards that mill everyone. Or if you’re feeling protective of your own library, cards that mill everyone else.</p>
<p>This won’t tend to win you games on their own, but multiple of them add up over time. Particularly when paired with a more targeted approach.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ruin Crab"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fractured Sanity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindcrank"></div></div>
<h6><em>None of these are subtle, though they certainly are effective.</em></h6>
<p>Further, there are cards that scale off of milling or otherwise have some sort of synergy with it. Use these to supplement your main sources of milling.</p>
<p>Don’t pivot away from your core strategy, but make sure you can support yourself while working through it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Syr Konrad, the Grim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Wise Mothman"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Consuming Aberration"></div></div>
<h6><em>Not every card that mills is about the sheer volume.</em></h6>
<p>You can put the pressure on the pod, decreasing hand sizes across the board in order to make every decision count. Afterall, you can make a deck that thrives off of your hand size being slashed in half. Why can’t they?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark Deal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter, Misanthropic Guide"></div></div>
<h6><em>This is certainly the most direct of the various methods.</em></h6>
<h3>Just Exile Them</h3>
<p>Sometimes you don’t want to mill your opponents, you want to remove them from existence. Their cards, not the opponent's. Though when I go up against an Eldrazi deck, I certainly would prefer if my opponent ceased to exist.</p>
<p>Which is why it’s so fitting that the Ingest keyword is typical to Eldrazi Drones. Exiling the top card of your opponent’s deck when you deal damage to them isn’t a lot. But anything that copies creatures or can transfer Ingest?</p>
<p>Or even just using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crumbling Sanctuary" href="#" target="_blank">Crumbling Sanctuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with otherwise normal beatdown strategies? That’s how you remove a library from existence.</p>
<p>Pair it with the aforementioned milling strategies and even a Golgari player can’t turn it to their advantage. Blue players will help you along with all their card draw. White’s ability to exile and gain life doesn’t help when you’re playing off the battlefield.</p>
<p>Even red players will get hesitant to impulse draw if you’re slashing their deck.</p>
<p>While they can exile the top card of their deck and play it that turn, should they? When they’re just speeding their time to deck-out?</p>
<p>If this specific strain of milling appeals to you, check out <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-mill">this article</a> all about exiling-as-milling, plus a listing of some of the most notorious milling cards out there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jace, the Mind Sculptor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger"></div></div>
<h6><em>If you see these, I hope you aren’t too attached to your library.</em></h6>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Why Mill?</h2>
<p>To mill in Commander is to show up to a game with chaos in your heart and an underdog mentality. You are purposely putting yourself at a disadvantage in order to make a more interesting game dynamic.</p>
<p>I respect that. I’ll curse your name and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> any <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ruin Crab" href="#" target="_blank">Ruin Crab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on sight, but it’s certainly a respectable way to play! Particularly in the case where targeted milling is used as a force of negotiation.</p>
<p>The ability to promise “not” to do something is <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/commander-unoptimized-group-hugs">just as powerful as anything a Group Hug can provide.</a> It’s much like countering in that respect, but that’s for another article.</p>
<p>Remember to always mill responsibly!</p>


Milling, Even In Commander

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse" href="#" target="_blank">An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.dallasillustration.com/">Dallas Williams</a>)</h6>
<h1>Blue Players, We Need To Talk</h1>
<p>Welcome back to Commander <em>Unoptimizied</em>. When it comes to the color pie, most folks curse the name of blue players the most.</p>
<p>Black is “disappearing” any perceived threat like some sort of mafioso while green is crashing the mana economy harder than Wall Street.</p>
<p>White is banishing your cards to the shadow realm as red rolls a die to decide whether you get to see turn three or not.</p>
<p>But blue players hold a special place in the hearts of the<em> Magic</em> community. A place of darkness and hatred.</p>
<p>Which is a shame, since blue has some fantastic cards, synergies, and strategies that get ignored. And I say this as a green player, so that’s how you know it’s bad. Please note, this article isn't about how playing blue makes you a bad person, but merely a social look at how most blue players are supposed to play versus other ways they can play.</p>
<h2>Why The Blue Hate?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Drain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Force of Will"></div></div><br />
<em>It’s really quite simple.</em></p>
<h3>Counters, Man</h3>
<p>It isn’t as if the vitriol towards counters is unwarranted. Whether they’re blocking your commander from being cast or preventing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from starting your engine, a well-timed counter ruins your game.</p>
<p>Or, at least, that’s what most players feel. The accuracy of this is to be determined, given how reactive counters are. Afterall, you’re not going to “win” many games but only countering cards.</p>
<p>But you sure can stop others from winning!</p>
<p>In any case, counters’ whole function in the game is to prevent other players from enacting their plans. And in casual Commander, that often means stopping everyone’s “cool thing.”</p>
<p>So instead of continuing the momentum of the game or ticking down the clock, all most counters accomplish is stalling.</p>
<p>To utilize counters effectively, blue players are unable to utilize them in a fun way. The entire table will thank the blue player for countering <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or laugh when you shut down a last-ditch <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farewell" href="#" target="_blank">Farewell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>But there’s no reason to, at least when you know your opponent has a Bracket 3 deck and is sitting on their Game Changers.</p>
<p>Mechanically, you’re incentivized to only counter your opponents’ best cards. Which just so happen to be the cards most people sit down at the table hoping to play the most.</p>
<h2>How To Fix It</h2>
<p>The simple answer is to remove counters from a deck. Blue has tons of options outside of countering, from card draw to returning permanents to their owner’s hand to scrying.</p>
<p>Not to mention its synergies with other colors, from Dimir Ninjutsu to Izzet elemental spam.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satoru Umezawa"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yuriko, the Tiger&#039;s Shadow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satoru, the Infiltrator"></div></div><br />
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eris, Roar of the Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zaffai, Thunder Conductor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elemental Masterpiece"></div></div><br />
<em>Blue has tons of options even ignoring “annoying” ones like mill.</em></p>
<p>That being said, any color can “not” counter spells. So while the immediate answer to counters being too hostile towards casual gaming is to just not use them, that just removes a part of blue’s identity. As frustrating as counters can be, that doesn’t mean they don’t have a place at the table.</p>
<p>Thus, it’s a matter of countering responsibly.</p>
<h2>What To Counter</h2>
<p>There are many targets to counter, but some feel more insulting to the one getting countered than others.</p>
<p>Or, in another sense, certain cards are less likely to frustrate your friends when they get shut down than others.</p>
<h3>“I Win” Cards</h3>
<p>Game-winning conditions such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> generally are fair game to counter.</p>
<p>Who would blame you? Afterall, most players sit down to win a game of Commander, so preventing yourself from losing might get a groan but ultimately cause no harm.</p>
<p>And fun fact, Approach of the Second Sun being countered on its first casting doesn’t preclude the second casting from winning the game.</p>
<p>Further, you only win the game when Approach of the Second Sun’s second casting is resolved. So if you’re going to counter it, counter that second casting.</p>
<p>Unless you’re trying to exile it with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Negation" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Negation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which might just end your friendship.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blue Elemental Blast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Red Elemental Blast"></div></div>
<p><em>Certain things just have a certain way about them...</em></p>
<h2>Other Counters</h2>
<p>One of the funniest things you can do is to counter a counter. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Negation" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Negation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> their <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. And then they might well counter you back!</p>
<p>This is the sort of interaction that can be incredibly tense, awesome, or hilarious depending on how your group treats your games.</p>
<p>And so most of the time, folks will be so wrapped up in the moment that there’s no complaints about all the countering going on.</p>
<p>And you can always jump into the countering of other players’ interactions, adding to the chaos or drama however you see fit.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pyroblast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hydroblast"></div></div>
<p><em>...of coming together in pairs.</em></p>
<h2>Engine Pieces</h2>
<p>This is where things get nebulous.</p>
<p>If you know a few infinite combos, countering <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Unlife" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Unlife</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could act as preventative measures for future game-enders. Afterall, you know what the opponent has in-store, so why let them get it out?</p>
<p>But that’s also looping back to the core issue with countering.</p>
<p>Just because someone plays <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drivnod, Carnage Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Drivnod, Carnage Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn’t mean they’re going to chain that into an infinite combo.</p>
<p>They might, and that’s certainly something to watch out for. But plenty of players just want to burn you the old fashioned way without a tutor or exploit.</p>
<p>So while it’s certainly competitively advisable to counter <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and put an end to his <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, there’s nothing to say that’s what the player was doing. They could have just wanted burn and card draw with cool dragon art.</p>
<p>It’s oftentimes best to wait to counter a player’s final combo piece, rather than the tutor setting it up in the first place.</p>
<p>Not from competitive perspective, but from the perspective of having fun. Let your friends or pod members play their decks, even if you stop them from winning.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niv-Mizzet, Parun"></div></div><br />
<em>Lucky for you, if they play THIS card you can save the counter for the combo piece.</em></p>
<h2>When To Counter</h2>
<p>It’s not as if everything else is off-limits from countering. Anything feasible can be countered, even without coming off as a stereotypical Blue player trying to ruin the pod’s fun. But oftentimes, this determination is subjective.</p>
<h3>You’re About To Lose</h3>
<p>Countering cards that are going to cause you to lose the game is valid, even if they aren’t explicitly “play this and win” cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite" href="#" target="_blank">Hidetsugu&#039;s Second Rite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when you’re at ten life.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triskaidekaphobia" href="#" target="_blank">Triskaidekaphobia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you’re around thirteen. Even something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will often fall into this.</p>
<p>If you’re in a position where you’re going to lose the game and someone plays something to capitalize off of that, counter it! If they get upset, they’re getting upset over you playing the game. So no need to worry.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shock"></div></div>
<p><em>Countering a Shock can be worth it if you’re at one life.</em></p>
<h3>There’s No Other Way</h3>
<p>There are also times when you simply don’t have another answer to a card. Or you just don’t want to deal with them, for whatever reason.</p>
<p>Certainly, you could <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cut Down" href="#" target="_blank">Cut Down</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> if you’re multicolored.</p>
<p>But monoblue doesn’t have much permanent removal outside of counters and stuns. While it might be frustrating to have your cool creature countered, it’s just as frustrating to have it neutered with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pacifism" href="#" target="_blank">Pacifism</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or exiled with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Borrowed Time" href="#" target="_blank">Borrowed Time</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Sometimes, removal is the only response to a threat you can wield effectively.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unstoppable Slasher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bruvac the Grandiloquent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse"></div></div>
<h3>Negative Leverage</h3>
<p>The most interesting use-case of counters is as a negotiation tactic. So long as you’re comfortable running an extortion racket on your friends, that is.</p>
<p>As mentioned in my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/commander-unoptimized-group-hugs">previous article</a> discussing Group Hugs, negotiations involve leverage. I primarily discussed positive leverage—giving something good as your part of the bargain.</p>
<p>Here, however, is a prime example of negative leverage—promising to NOT doing something bad.</p>
<p>The ability to say “I WON’T counterspell your Commander if you…” is a powerful tool. And depending on how focused on mechanics your group is, potentially the MOST powerful tool you have available.</p>
<p>Based on your pod’s culture, negotiation might be more important than statlines. Or, your word could mean nothing.</p>
<p>Moreso than even the subjectivity of how much of a threat certain spells are, the political weight of a counter is something to establish with your pod before the game begins.</p>
<h2>The Bottom Line</h2>
<p>Countering isn’t a bad mechanic nor are blue players bad people for using it. It’s frustrating when your Commander can’t hit the battlefield. Shutting down an integral part of your engine feels like a smack in the face.</p>
<p>But at the end of the day, that’s what playing Commander is for. To see these challenges, struggle through them, and work with the other players to overcome them.</p>
<p>If they counter your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm of Saruman" href="#" target="_blank">Storm of Saruman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that means someone else could play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh" href="#" target="_blank">Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Just because <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> got countered doesn’t mean <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will.</p>
<p>Though if you feel your resident blue player is targeting you, just talk to them. Ask them, out of game, if they realize how much they’re impacting the fun you’re having. Because that’s what everyone at the table wants, to have fun.</p>
<p>As heartless as Blue players might seem, they'll tone it down if you ask.</p>


Countering Etiquette - Blue Players, We Need To Talk

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitter Reunion" href="#" target="_blank">Bitter Reunion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://jakemurraystudio.com/">Jake Murray</a>)</h6>
<h1>Becoming Your Pod’s Military Industrial Complex</h1>
<p>Aggro, the first to deal damage. Midrange and its early game chaos. Control, with its faithful counters and removal. And... the furtive Group Hug, so easily forgotten. With the strength of the pod, they challenged notions of traditional play…</p>
<p>Except the Aggro player crashed out turn four. The Control player spent all their mana to keep the Midrange player stunlocked all game.</p>
<p>The only one to profit was the Group Hug player, who never had a win-con. So now you’re three hours into a “forty-minute game of Commander” where decking out is the largest threat you’ll face.</p>
<p>Let’s pour some gasoline on the dumpster fire that is an average game of Commander, shall we?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gluntch, the Bestower"></div></div>
<p><em>I first learned about Group Hugs with Gluntch and never recovered.</em></p>
<h2>What is Group Hug?</h2>
<p>A group hug is when you get more than two people, traditionally three through nine, and you have all of them hug at the same time.</p>
<p>Generally, this begins as a traditional hug with further individuals clinging to that central connection, effectively trapping them.</p>
<p>In Magic, though, it’s a bit more tongue-and-cheek given only one person can win Commander.</p>
<p>The core premise of a Group Hug deck is that your commander’s ability, and perhaps the rest of your deck, functions to assist the other players in their gameplans.</p>
<p>This can be through life gain, card draw, creature creation/buffing, or any other means of empowering your opponents.</p>
<p>The example I always think of is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gluntch, the Bestower" href="#" target="_blank">Gluntch, the Bestower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who chooses three different players to give benefits to every one of your turns.</p>
<p>Crucially, Gluntch cannot choose the same player for every benefit. Therefore, its controller is “forced” to help multiple players. And so the group hug widens to encompass the entire table.</p>
<p>Aggro players want to win quickly. Midrange tries to secure the early game and clean up later. Control wants to ruin everyone’s fun. But Group Hug?</p>
<h2>Why Group Hug?</h2>
<p>Group Hug is a flexible playstyle, capable of being played in any color combination to varying degrees of effectiveness. Multi-colored commanders such as those below:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kenrith, the Returned King"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Círdan the Shipwright"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Well, black shows up least often, but that was to be expected.</em></strong></p>
<p>There are a few different types of people who would willingly choose to help their opponents in Commander.</p>
<p>You might know some of them. You might be one of them. But you must first understand your enemy to defeat your enemy.</p>
<h3>Chaos Gremlins</h3>
<p>The first type are the chaos gremlins.</p>
<p>These are individuals who, for whatever reason, didn’t come to win. They came to cause chaos and enable their friends to enact mutually assured destruction.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zedruu the Greathearted" href="#" target="_blank">Zedruu the Greathearted</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an example, actively supplying your opponents creatures while sustaining yourself via card draw and life gain.</p>
<p>Pair it with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harmless Offering" href="#" target="_blank">Harmless Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tahngarth, First Mate" href="#" target="_blank">Tahngarth, First Mate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and suddenly you’re a cardboard arms dealer.</p>
<p>The goal of these chaos gremlins isn’t to “win,” the goal is to cause problems. Oftentimes, they have no win condition built into their deck.</p>
<p>While technically enabling their opponents to take one another out helps get them closer to victory, these decks often can’t stand on their own.</p>
<p>Expect to see a lot of goading your opponents’ creatures to attack everyone but the chaos gremlin and then… Nothing.</p>
<p>Because the chaos gremlin won as soon as they sat down to play.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zedruu the Greathearted"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmless Offering"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tahngarth, First Mate"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>These might not "win games," but they sure make them memorable!</em></strong></p>
<h3>Speedrunners</h3>
<p>Some folks wanna watch the world burn. And they don’t have all night! So they grease the wheels of the game, “helping” everyone insofar as it expedites the ending of the game.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yurlok of Scorch Thrash" href="#" target="_blank">Yurlok of Scorch Thrash</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> would fall under this. Sure, it reintroduces mana-burn into the game, where you lose life if you have unspent mana left.</p>
<p>But it also gives free mana to every player. Jund mana, but mana nonetheless. Black has removal. Red can damage. Green can buff. Even if circumstantial, this still is a benefit to the speedrunner’s opponents.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives card draw at the cost of damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xyris, the Writhing Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Xyris, the Writhing Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> rewards opponents for taking commander damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vazi, Keen Negotiator" href="#" target="_blank">Vazi, Keen Negotiator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives free treasure tokens to opponents explicitly so you can profit from them.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kami of the Crescent Moon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Howling Mine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selvala, Explorer Returned"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>The game will NOT last long with all this card draw.</em></strong></p>
<h3>Realpolitik</h3>
<p>Then there are polysci majors. You think I’m joking, but I’m quite serious!</p>
<p>Commander is fundamentally a game of negotiation. As useful as mana is, as powerful as card draw is, nothing matters if the blue player can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> your most powerful spell and the red player keeps your board clear with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breaking Point" href="#" target="_blank">Breaking Point</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>You need to be able to communicate effectively with the other players to ensure the heat is off of you.</p>
<p>But to do that you need leverage.</p>
<p>Negative leverage—“not” doing something—is well and good. Promising to not swing your 16/16 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kalonian Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Kalonian Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at someone will have some weight to it!</p>
<p>But positive leverage—giving something—is so much more effective. Think of how much leverage <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ms. Bumbleflower" href="#" target="_blank">Ms. Bumbleflower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives by offering card draw to a blue player.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Group Hug goes from being an instrument of chaos to a bargaining chip. These are the Group Hug players who are the most dangerous. Because unlike their chaos gremlin siblings, they almost always have a plan.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breaking Point"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kalonian Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ms. Bumbleflower"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Positive or negative, leverage is always useful.</em></strong></p>
<h3>A Terrible Example</h3>
<p>A Group Hug player might have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist" href="#" target="_blank">Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. Because they have protection from all the 4/3 Salamanders their opponents now control, their opponents focus on fighting one another.</p>
<p>If opponents attack them with non-Salamanders, they use their Salamanders as blockers. Once the Salamanders die, the Group Hug player has the fewest creatures and gets more Salamanders. Likely at a higher rate than everyone else through means such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Parallel Lives" href="#" target="_blank">Parallel Lives</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The Group Hug player counters anything that would destroy their commander. They use their card draw from blue and mana from green to make their creatures stronger than anyone else's’.</p>
<p>Perhaps they have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri&#039;s Predation" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri&#039;s Predation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kibo, Uktabi Prince" href="#" target="_blank">Kibo, Uktabi Prince</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensure they have some degree of offensive capability.</p>
<p>In short, they have a “functional” deck or some degree of win condition independent of relying on their opponents bludgeoning each other to zero life.</p>
<p>The rates of success on this vary, though, particularly given that reputations tend to be easy to acquire and hard to leave behind. And once you reveal yourself to be a schemer, no one will ever trust you again.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gor Muldrak, Amphinologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezuri&#039;s Predation"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kibo, Uktabi Prince"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Sometimes, your deck needs a lil extra kick to it.</em></strong></p>
<h2>Synergies</h2>
<h3>Synergy With Blue</h3>
<p>Of course blue players would take “helping your friends” and make it evil. Though it is quite devious, so I give them some credit.</p>
<p>When looking at Group Hug commanders, a great deal of them have blue in some capacity. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kwain, Itinerant Meddler" href="#" target="_blank">Kwain, Itinerant Meddler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great example. On its face, Kwain is simply a helpful card that gives everyone more card-draw and life gain.</p>
<p>And then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, the Radiant Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, the Radiant Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns this cute and funny little rabbit into number #2 on the IRS Most Wanted List for tax evasion.</p>
<p>Not to mention, it is never a good idea to allow blue players to draw cards. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Minn, Wily Illusionist" href="#" target="_blank">Minn, Wily Illusionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> aside, the sheer nonsense a blue player can wreak when allowed more than a single card in-hand is simply unacceptable.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Council of Four"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ian Malcolm, Chaotician"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braids, Conjurer Adept"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>Blue players really know how to twist everything to their benefit, huh?</em></strong></p>
<h3>Synergy With Proliferate</h3>
<p>Did you know Proliferate affects any player or permanent with tokens that you choose? This means that if you have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, you control whether or not the green players get to have fun. All those +1/+1 counters could be doubled—quadrupled—if only they do what you say.</p>
<p>And why would they turn on you? You are keeping their creatures afloat. They’ll save you for last, always. Yet with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres" href="#" target="_blank">Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you drew enough cards to be able to respond to them with an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherize" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Suddenly, they really need you to proliferate again… And then... you become indispensable.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherize"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>This is the definition of malicious compliance.</em></strong></p>
<h3>Synergy With Goading</h3>
<p>Goading creatures force pressure on your opponents while leaving you safe. However, commanders such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kros, Defense Contractor" href="#" target="_blank">Kros, Defense Contractor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leave the goaded creature with a shield token and a “go get ‘em, champ!” <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rendmaw, Creaking Nest" href="#" target="_blank">Rendmaw, Creaking Nest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spams the board with flying tokens who attack anyone but you.</p>
<p>In effect, these sorts of commanders do the heavy lifting of forcing everyone to fight one another without relying on the agreement of your opponents.</p>
<p>And, because you’re playing Group Hug and actively assisting your opponents strategies, they’ll see no reason to stop you. Let them fight, and they will take your gifts. You and the survivor will deal with the one-on-one when it comes to it.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tribute to Horobi"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kardur, Doomscourge"></div></div>
<p><strong><em>If you want to goad your opponent, simply give them more creatures to goad!</em></strong></p>
<h2>Word of Warning</h2>
<p>No one who plays Group Hug legitimately wants you to succeed. If they claim to, they are lying. Take them out swiftly and resist their temptations as you would an evil spirit.</p>
<p>If possible, flee like your life is on the line. The rest of your pod will distract them long enough for you to escape. Their sacrifice shall not be in vain, for you shall live a happy, hugless life.</p>
<p>Wait, that sounds so sad.</p>


Commander Unoptimized - Group Hugs

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Dragon Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Dragon Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.rahnart.com/">Chris Rahn</a>)</h6>
<h1>Do You Have Fun Playing Commander?</h1>
<p>I know far too many people who play commander only to complain before, during, and after each match about how the game is "unplayable" due to whatever card shut down their infinite combo.</p>
<p>Everything about <em>Magic</em> is oriented towards hyper-optimization, from the commander you choose to the tutors you use to the engine you mulligan three times to set up.</p>
<p>And if you’re anything like the folks I’m playing against, you probably forfeit once you realize you didn’t draw the perfect starting hand. Which is unfortunate for everyone!</p>
<p>Some of the best and most exciting games of <em>Magic</em> come from those times when your plans fall apart. At that point, you have to rely on your backup strategies and your own skills as a player.</p>
<p>Call it casual, call it unoptimized, or just say it's noncompetitive. But it doesn't matter what name you call it. Building a deck around synergies as opposed to a specific engine leads to more flexible play.</p>
<p>And despite the fact that every card in your deck isn't a gear under your commander's engine, it lets you respond to your opponents' strategies much more effectively.</p>
<p>So let’s talk flexibility.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Isperia, Supreme Judge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Erebos, God of the Dead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Neheb, Dreadhorde Champion"></div></div>
<p><em>These effects are useful even if not your commander!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Robustness Is Not Flexibility</h2>
<p>The common wisdom in deck-building is to keep it lean. Cut out anything that isn’t essential. If you’ve got the room for it, build in redundancies.</p>
<p>This is your tutors and graveyard retrieval and all the nonsense that solely exists to ensure the game goes exactly how you want it to.</p>
<p>But that doesn’t make your deck more flexible, that just makes it more robust. Which, don’t get me wrong, is a wonderful trait for a deck to have!</p>
<p>But it doesn’t matter how many counters you put on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, Sun-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, Sun-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when he gets flickered or how many cards I draw when I exile all your copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse" href="#" target="_blank">Sheoldred, the Apocalypse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Being able to turn-two your commander with the perfect opening hand is great in a vacuum, but being able to adapt to the strategies of your opponents is even better.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Get Weird With It!</h3>
<p>I’m a green player at heart, so if you catch me reading a card that says anything other than “+1/+1 counter” or “trample,” you know I’ve been replaced by a Shapeshifter.</p>
<p>But even green, whether Stompy or Landfall or Voltron, has options. You have good artifact and enchantment removal.</p>
<p>Cards that force fights or deal damage based on your power. And of course its mana production is second to none.</p>
<p>Your Stompy deck might be able to go toe-to-toe with a mono-red Aggro, but what about a Control deck? What did you include in your deck to deal with your commander getting hit with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Murder" href="#" target="_blank">Murder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<p>What if your opponent uses <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Render Inert" href="#" target="_blank">Render Inert</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to get a 20/20 by turn three, or you just don’t have the perfect card to respond at the perfect moment?</p>
<p>That’s why you should build in at least two contingencies that synergize with—but aren’t reliant on—your commander.</p>
<p>That way, you always have the option of tackling things from a different angle. Not to mention that's just far more interesting of a game to play!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seshiro the Anointed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dosan the Falling Leaf"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yasharn, Implacable Earth"></div></div>
<p><em>Green cards are more than "big power and mana."</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Even Lifegain Has Options</h2>
<p>For the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, Sun-Crowned" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, Sun-Crowned</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> example from earlier, it’s a staple in mono-white Lifegain decks. Oftentimes, these decks are built to be a tough nut to crack.</p>
<p>Life triggers whenever a creature enters the battlefield, plenty of lifelink, and a few cheeky exiling cards to ensure you can’t effectively block them.</p>
<p>So how can you add to that?</p>
<p>You can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Giada, Font of Hope" href="#" target="_blank">Giada, Font of Hope</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to create a platoon of Angels with flying, vigilance, and lifelink. This benefits from having Heliod on the field but is still useful without him!</p>
<p>You can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines" href="#" target="_blank">Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to build upon the enter the battlefield (ETB) effects to double Heliod’s effectiveness while simultaneously opening the door for more broad ETB effects.</p>
<p>You can even build your chaff with something like the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Horn of Gondor" href="#" target="_blank">Horn of Gondor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> which has no direct relevance to Heliod.</p>
<p>It covers a completely different niche that your deck was unable to address previously. And if you add all three, you can have a subset of your deck devoted to Angels and Humans with ETB effects that then can be buffed by Heliod! Completely independent of your main strategy if the strike team fails.</p>
<p>You haven’t removed anything core to your strategy or limited your commander. But now it doesn’t hurt you nearly as bad if your commander gets targeted or your life gain gets prevented.</p>
<p>For instance, what do you do if they <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aether Snap" href="#" target="_blank">Aether Snap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after you fully invested in making your commander a 25/25? Or just block Heliod with 1/1 counters?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gaffer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eight-and-a-Half-Tails"></div></div>
<p><em>Maximize your life-gain and keep your creatures safe!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>That Doesn't Support My Commander!</h3>
<p>But that’s exactly the point. It lets you fall back on contingencies if your commander’s strategy isn’t working.</p>
<p>It’s easier to implement this style of deckbuilding into multi-color decks, since that doubles or even triples your options. Let’s stick with Heliod but jump over to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, the Radiant Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, the Radiant Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>If you’re building a deck where you force your opponent to draw tons of cards so you can flash your cards for cheap, you might include cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Errant and Giada" href="#" target="_blank">Errant and Giada</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kwain, Itinerant Meddler" href="#" target="_blank">Kwain, Itinerant Meddler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>But that doesn’t preclude you from investing in something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ephara, God of the Polis" href="#" target="_blank">Ephara, God of the Polis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oji, the Exquisite Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Oji, the Exquisite Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Ephara’s an enchantment so she benefits from Heliod’s ETB. Oji is useful if you get out the Warped Eclipse and can spam multiple cards every turn.</p>
<p>But neither of them are directly reliant on the core strategy of playing cards on opponents’ turns, meaning that if you add a little bit of token creation with something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darien, King of Kjeldor" href="#" target="_blank">Darien, King of Kjeldor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even just a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Leonin Warleader" href="#" target="_blank">Leonin Warleader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you can get additional benefits from Ephara every turn.</p>
<p>Blue has tons of ETB card draw and tapping on its creatures, so flickering those with Oji gives you additional space to play around in.</p>
<p>But these aren’t the sorts of cards that come to mind when you think of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Heliod, the Radiant Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Heliod, the Radiant Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. They aren’t something your opponents are going to plan around or even expect.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fblthp, Lost on the Range"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brago, King Eternal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gandalf, White Rider"></div></div>
<p><em>Capitalize off of your card-draw and action economy.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Play The Players, Not The Game</h2>
<p>Commander is fundamentally a social game, where you’re playing the pod as much as you’re playing the cards themselves. The least mechanically-relevant—but arguably the most skill-based—aspect of flexibly building your decks is to keep your intentions hidden.</p>
<p>Your deck might be 70-80% exactly what the opponents are thinking it’ll be. Maybe your early game “proves them right.”</p>
<p>But then you play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Solphim, Mayhem Dominus" href="#" target="_blank">Solphim, Mayhem Dominus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muxus, Goblin Grandee" href="#" target="_blank">Muxus, Goblin Grandee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck and the whole table looks at you funny.</p>
<p>No one expected a Phyrexian Horror in a Goblin deck, so no one was focused on shutting down your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roiling Vortex" href="#" target="_blank">Roiling Vortex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragonspark Reactor" href="#" target="_blank">Dragonspark Reactor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with 10 power counters on it. They focused on removing your tokens and minimizing the amount of Goblins you had.</p>
<p>Because you played them like fools.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Imodane, the Pyrohammer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Torbran, Thane of Red Fell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Purphoros, God of the Forge"></div></div>
<p><em>There are always more ways to deal damage.</em></p>
<h3>Keep Up The Pressure</h3>
<p>Now you deal double damage with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lightning Bolt" href="#" target="_blank">Lightning Bolt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and all the other damaging spells you have. Normally, they get used to clear the field for your Goblins. But now they can be pivoted into for direct damage if the situation calls for it.</p>
<p>All the while, you’re still churning out Goblins and using Muxus as a beatstick. Your horde of Goblins protects you from attacks while applying pressure.</p>
<p>Your opponents have to choose between dealing with the non-combat damage bolstered by Solphim or the direct damage from your Goblins.</p>
<p>And then you throw out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>You’re keeping your opponents’ attention divided between multiple avenues of threats, but every Goblin you have triggers <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raid Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Raid Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Raid Bombardment doubles from Solphim. Solphim is a big creature alongside Muxus and Etali. Etali gets you more Goblins while burning cards from the opponents’ decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Etali, Primal Conqueror"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rionya, Fire Dancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Baron of Tin Street"></div></div>
<p><em>And there are always more creatures to spam!</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Force Tough Decisions</h3>
<p>No choice the opponents make is the “right” choice, which means you’re winning the mental game. Then it’s a matter of skill in play as well as in card selection to ensure you win the match.</p>
<p>Maybe they exile Solphim and take out Etali, thinking that your Goblins aren't a big deal. So you whip out <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and Muxus is superpowered.</p>
<p>If they focus on the Goblins, you have a solid defender in Solphim and nonstop doubled damage from all the cards you get from Etali. Not to mention, you’ll always have more Goblins!</p>
<p>If you play flexibly and you aren’t afraid to pivot when your core strategy isn’t working, you will be in a much better position than the players struggling to get their engines to work.</p>
<p>Not to mention, flying by the seat of your pants while desperately cobbling together ad hoc solutions is some of the most fun you can have in magic.</p>
<p>Though, I am a green player, so maybe this “thinking” stuff is just too hard for me. I’ll get back to you on that in the next article.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forest Bear"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Colossification"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rosheen, Roaring Prophet"></div></div>
<p><i>Bear + Colossification = Roaring Profit</i></p>


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