Quandrix, the ProofQuandrix, the Proof | Art by Anastasia Ovchinnikova

As soon as I saw the new Elder Dragons in Secrets of Strixhaven, part of my brain started itching. Each of them gives our instants and sorceries an added effect, which led me to think about how to make them work without including anything other than these two card types.

So today we're talking about Quandrix, the ProofQuandrix, the Proof, and building a Commander deck with only instants, sorceries, and lands.

What Does Quandrix, the Proof Do?

QuandrixQuandrix was the one that got my attention first. Cascade is an extremely powerful ability and having a deck full of cascading cards seems like the recipe for a good time. In fact, we can pack the deck with over 60 spells and all of them will come with an added bonus - which sounds pretty good to me.

So, let's see what we're working with.

The Best Spells for Quandrix, the Proof

When approaching this deck, I focused on the mana value of the cards I was including. This is because whenever we cast a spell, we're also casting a spell with a lower mana value. So, it's very useful to know at any point what we might get out of the cards we cast.

Mana Values Zero and One

Starting with mana value zero, there aren't actually many options. I decided to include just one card: Inevitable BetrayalInevitable Betrayal. This is a very good card, especially at tables with a lower power level, where game-finishing creatures are more common. Getting an extra stealing effect whenever we cast a cheap one-mana spell sounds very good.

Additionally, if we were to suspend it and play it as intended, it isn't that bad either.

Our spells that cost one mana mainly cover two roles: cheap interaction and card draw. We get access to cards like Into the Flood MawInto the Flood Maw, Nature's ClaimNature's Claim, and PongifyPongify, all of which can deal with our opponents' boards in some way.

We also make good use of cheap cantrips that are usually only playable in 60-card formats. PreordainPreordain, PonderPonder, and Serum VisionsSerum Visions all allow us to manipulate the top of our library, which can be very good when we're trying to cascade as much as possible.

Mana Values Two and Three

Here is where the bulk of the list is. Considering how commander-centric this deck is, we want to include as many ramp spells as possible so that we're always able to recast QuandrixQuandrix if/when it gets removed.

For this reason, we're running the usual suspects, such as Rampant GrowthRampant Growth, Three VisitsThree Visits, and Nature's LoreNature's Lore, but more niche cards, like HarrowHarrow or Cycle of RenewalCycle of Renewal. While these cards aren't obscure by any means, they aren't your first go-tos when building the ramp package for your deck either.

Ideally, we get to cast them after QuandrixQuandrix has hit the battlefield, so that we're getting something more as compensation for our sacrificed land.

Within this mana value range, we can also find some extremely synergistic cards. First off, Double MajorDouble Major, the cheapest way we have to get an additional copy of our commander. And remember: the more cascades, the better.

Road of ReturnRoad of Return works as a reset button for our commander: if the commander tax ever gets too high, we can simply put it in our hand to circumvent it one time.

We can get good value out of Pieces of the PuzzlePieces of the Puzzle. Considering how many hits there are in our deck, we'll almost always get a good selection of cards to choose from.

Finally, we also deepen our interaction pool. Filter OutFilter Out is a home run of a card in this deck; in fact, we aren't running any nonland, noncreature permanents, so it'll always be a one-sided bounce effect. "What about creatures?" you may ask. Well, look no further than Run Away TogetherRun Away Together, which can also be a protection spell under very specific circumstances.

And then, my own evergreen pet card: Obscuring HazeObscuring Haze. While I include this card in every green deck I build, here it is as good as it can ever get. It's a free spell that cascades for its mana value (three) and that covers our greatest weakness (board presence).

Mana Values Four and Five

We're approaching the end of our mana curve, so we're starting to find the heavy hitters of the deck.

First, Press the EnemyPress the Enemy, one of the highlights of the list. At first, this seems like a very expensive counterspell with limited upsides, but the more you look at it, the better it gets.

First, it allows us to cast a spell for free, which is always nice. But the real magic happens if we cast it while our commander's on the battlefield. In fact, looking at the wording on Press the Enemy, we're casting the spell for free from our hand. This is extremely relevant because QuandrixQuandrix grants cascade to spells we cast from hand. This means we'll get the cascade trigger for Press the Enemy and for the free spell we cast afterwards.

Then, EvacuationEvacuation is another piece at our disposal to fight clogged boards. Considering we're always playing catch-up with other players to avoid their creatures stomping us, a board-resetting spell is always welcome.

Lastly, Quantum MisalignmentQuantum Misalignment reiterates a key concept of the deck, which is copying our commander. If everything goes as it should, this card alone grants us two additional QuandrixQuandrixs on the board.

That's three cascade triggers for each spell we cast. Things will get out of hand quickly.

Mana Values Six and Higher

The actual top end of our curve is reserved for our game finishers.

Once we've reached the late game, we want to follow one of two paths.

First, the game-finishing path. In this scenario, we cast Elminster's SimulacrumElminster's Simulacrum, Blatant ThieveryBlatant Thievery, or Clone LegionClone Legion to build a board out of nowhere. The added value we get from these expensive spells should be enough for us to overwhelm our opponents.

Alternatively, we press a reset button. This can either mean casting Flood of TearsFlood of Tears, setting everyone back and betting on the fact we'll be the fastest at rebuilding, or casting Wisdom of AgesWisdom of Ages, which gets us back a whole game's worth of instants and sorceries, netting us so much card advantage we'll be able to stitch together a win from there.

There's also a secret, third option, which is a special alternative for the very late game: Mnemonic DelugeMnemonic Deluge. This card is at its best when combined with one of the creature-cloning spells: getting three times the creatures and cascading for nine at the same time can only be backbreaking for our opponents.

Quandrix, the Proof Commander Deck List

To better see the decklist, I'll divide it into mana value categories.

Closing Thoughts on Quandrix, the Proof

I had a lot of fun brewing this deck. For me, Commander is synonymous with "gimmick," as I always try to build around a specific niche or to maximize a certain aspect of the deck. Quandrix, the ProofQuandrix, the Proof certainly is a very powerful card that can shine as a commander, but I wanted to see if it was possible to create something unusual around it. I think I succeeded in doing so.

The glaring weakness of this deck is its end game: It's difficult to piece together a winning board state in this color combination and using only instants and sorceries. The solution I included in the list, cloning, is one way to go about it, but I'm sure there are other options I haven't considered.

I have yet to try the deck out, but considering how much fun I had building it, I'm sure it'll be a blast to play. If you pick it up, I suggest you personalize your list as much as possible. You can consider my list as a blueprint, a starting point from which your imagination can branch. This idea is perfectly suited for a toolbox approach, since you have so much space to include all the tech cards you want, depending on your play style and your playgroup.

If you try the deck out, let me know how it fares in the comments!