Knuckles the Echidna Commander Deck Tech

Knuckles the Echidna | Art by Tyler Walpole

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another deck tech; I'm Command Zoe. This time we're going to be looking at one of the new commanders from the Sonic Secret Lair, Knuckles the Echidna!

Knuckles is a fan favorite character from the original Sega Genesis games; he was a rival of Sonic before teaming up with him in a later installment. I'm excited to show you this list I brewed up, but first let's take a look at him

Get it? He's the keeper of the Master Emerald, so he cares about rocks!
Anyway, that's why I'm running Mox Emerald in here — that's cool right?

What Does Knuckles the Echidna Do?

Knuckles is a straightforward but incredibly powerful commander. He has three keywords that work well with each other, he grants all his controller's creatures the ability to create Treasure tokens upon dealing combat damage to a player, and then he has an upkeep trigger that wins the game with thirty artifacts.

The idea of the design is to have him hit the board and immediately generate two Treasures using a combination of haste and double strike, with trample on there to guarantee he doesn't get chump-blocked.

With only two power, he's not dealing a ton of damage, but that doesn't matter because the goal is to win Treasure tokens on the upkeep trigger.

There are three other mono-red commanders that care about Treasure tokens: Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, Magda, Brazen Outlaw, and Magda, the Hoardmaster.

Both Magdas come with some sort of payoff for those Treasures, but none of them are quite as powerful as "win the game".

Knuckles probably wont be able to reach the high-highs of Brazen Outlaw, which is a cEDH deck, but he is a fun card with a very powerful effect, which would be perfect for any of brackets 2, 3, or 4.

This Knuckles deck is going to be within Bracket 3. It technically has three extra turn spells in cards like Final Fortune, but it can't chain them. They're only in the deck to be able to trigger Knuckles' upkeep-ability immediately.

Key Cards for Knuckles the Echidna

The main win condition in this deck is quite obviously Knuckles' second ability, so we want to rush up to twenty-nine total permanents on the board then cast both key card of the deck: Mycosynth Lattice.

Following that up with an extra turn spell will allow an instant win off of Knuckles when the turn rolls over to the next upkeep.

In addition to these, two keys to the deck are the tutors to get them out. Everything else is there to push the board to thirty permanents.

This is still technically bracket two because I'm not-
What are you all doing with those torches and pitchforks?

To help get there the deck has Reckless Handling, Inventors' Fair, and Goblin Engineer, which can be used in conjunction with cards like Trash for Treasure or either of Daretti's cards to get the Mycosynth Lattice out.

Goblin Matron can play a game of telephone to get it out by searching for the Engineer first. It can also snag a Grenzo, Havoc Raiser in case more permanents are needed but none are in hand.

Both flavors work! Trade your Treasures for permanents that make more Treasures!

Instant board state cards, like Brass's Bounty, can be extremely useful at making the final push to thirty cards.

Playing it along with Magda, Brazen Outlaw can go for infinite by snagging Lattice plus Clock of Omens. Tap the Magda plus a Treasure to untap the Magda. Make a new Treasure, and use it infinitely. Then just sacrifice 5 Treasures at a time to spit the entire deck's permanents onto the battlefield, then finally win by sacrificing Anger to a sac outlet and attacking with everything.

How Does This Knuckles the Echidna Commander Deck Win?

Getting to thirty permanents can be difficult, so there are some tricks to make a lot all at once.

With Krark-Clan Ironworks plus Song of Totentanz or Hell to Pay, each artifact sacrificed will turn into two new permanents, effectively doubling the number on the board if there is a Lattice out.

There are a few other ways to do the same that take more set up, like adding Xorn and Treasure Vault to KCI, or using Goldspan Dragon as the Treasure-doubler.

I just need to roll a 16 or better, but I don't have advantage...

In terms of alternate win conditions, there's only one, since the commander comes with its own "win the game" ability. However, Hellkite Tyrant is strictly better in terms of how many permanents are needed, so it goes in the ninety-nine. Needing one third the number of permanents is too good to give up, and the theft ability is nothing to write off either.

Knuckles the Echidna Commander Decklist

Conclusion

Thanks for taking the time to read this deck tech on Knuckles the Echidna. I think he's quite a strong commander and has a lot of potential for upgrade into the Bracket 4 arena.

I had a lot of fun playing it; Treasures are a blast, and getting the win off of the extra turn felt incredible. I hope you get to give it a try yourself because it is such a blast to pilot. If you like making Treasures and scraping out value you will love this deck.

If you missed it make sure you check out my last deck tech on Mog, Moogle Warrior, and be sure to follow me on twitch where you can find me playing this deck sometimes.