Welcome back for another precon guide here on EDHREC! I’ve been on precon vacation since Duskmourn, but it’s time to get back to work. The precons for Aetherdrift have been revealed, so let’s dig into them and see what's good. We’ll kick things off by reviewing Living Energy, the green, blue, and red deck led by Saheeli, Radiant CreatorSaheeli, Radiant Creator.
Who Are the Commanders of Living Energy?
Saheeli is a 4/4 Human Artificer for four mana () that gives us an energy whenever we cast an Artificer or artifact spell. Then at the beginning of our combats we can pay three energy to make a token copy of a permanent we control, which becomes a 5/5 artifact creature in addition to any of its other types. The token has haste, and we have to sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
Based on all of this, it’s safe to expect a lot of artifacts and Artificers (duh), but hopefully also a lot of token shenanigans. Since we’re not in black, death triggers are pretty much off the table, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use artifacts to sacrifice our tokens for benefits before their end step trigger happens. We’ll see if this precon delves into that strategy. We should also hope for triggers from creatures and/or artifacts entering the battlefield.
Our backup commander is Pia Nalaar, Chief MechanicPia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic, a Human Artificer for three mana () that gives us two energy when one or more of our artifact creatures deal combat damage to a player (this is two energy per opponent, so the most we’ll get per combat is six energy). Then at the beginning of our end step we can pay one or more energy to make an X/X colorless Vehicle token named Nalaar Aetherjet with flying and crew 2, with X being equal to the amount of energy we spent.
Here’s the full deck list for Living Energy:
(DRC) - Living Energy
View on ArchidektCommander (1)
- 1 Saheeli, Radiant CreatorSaheeli, Radiant Creator
Creatures (27)
- 1 Aethersquall AncientAethersquall Ancient
- 1 Aethertide WhaleAethertide Whale
- 1 Aetherwind BaskerAetherwind Basker
- 1 Architect of the UntamedArchitect of the Untamed
- 1 Combustible GearhulkCombustible Gearhulk
- 1 Druid of PurificationDruid of Purification
- 1 DuplicantDuplicant
- 1 Elder GargarothElder Gargaroth
- 1 Lightning RunnerLightning Runner
- 1 Loyal ApprenticeLoyal Apprentice
- 1 Nissa, Worldsoul SpeakerNissa, Worldsoul Speaker
- 1 Ornithopter of ParadiseOrnithopter of Paradise
- 1 Peema Aether-SeerPeema Aether-Seer
- 1 Peema TrailblazerPeema Trailblazer
- 1 Pia Nalaar, Chief MechanicPia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic
- 1 Pia and Kiran NalaarPia and Kiran Nalaar
- 1 Rampaging AetherhoodRampaging Aetherhood
- 1 Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver
- 1 Rogue RefinerRogue Refiner
- 1 Sai, Master ThopteristSai, Master Thopterist
- 1 Servant of the ConduitServant of the Conduit
- 1 Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum
- 1 Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton
- 1 Territorial AetherkiteTerritorial Aetherkite
- 1 Triplicate TitanTriplicate Titan
- 1 Whirler RogueWhirler Rogue
- 1 Whirler VirtuosoWhirler Virtuoso
Artifacts (20)
- 1 Adaptive OmnitoolAdaptive Omnitool
- 1 Aetherflux ConduitAetherflux Conduit
- 1 Aetheric AmplifierAetheric Amplifier
- 1 Aetherworks MarvelAetherworks Marvel
- 1 Arcane SignetArcane Signet
- 1 Bespoke BattlewagonBespoke Battlewagon
- 1 Bootleggers' StashBootleggers' Stash
- 1 Chromatic LanternChromatic Lantern
- 1 Commander's SphereCommander's Sphere
- 1 Conjurer's ClosetConjurer's Closet
- 1 Cultivator's CaravanCultivator's Caravan
- 1 Decoction ModuleDecoction Module
- 1 Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves
- 1 Midnight ClockMidnight Clock
- 1 PanharmoniconPanharmonicon
- 1 Retrofitter FoundryRetrofitter Foundry
- 1 Sol RingSol Ring
- 1 Solar TransformerSolar Transformer
- 1 Soul-Guide LanternSoul-Guide Lantern
- 1 Talisman of CuriosityTalisman of Curiosity
Sorceries (6)
- 1 Attune with AetherAttune with Aether
- 1 Blasphemous ActBlasphemous Act
- 1 Chain ReactionChain Reaction
- 1 Confiscation CoupConfiscation Coup
- 1 Explosive VegetationExplosive Vegetation
- 1 One with the MachineOne with the Machine
Instants (5)
- 1 Arcane DenialArcane Denial
- 1 Chaos WarpChaos Warp
- 1 DisallowDisallow
- 1 Glimmer of GeniusGlimmer of Genius
- 1 Reality ShiftReality Shift
Planeswalkers (1)
- 1 Saheeli, Sublime ArtificerSaheeli, Sublime Artificer
Enchantments (2)
- 1 Era of InnovationEra of Innovation
- 1 Thopter Spy NetworkThopter Spy Network
Lands (38)
- 1 Academy RuinsAcademy Ruins
- 1 Aether HubAether Hub
- 1 Command TowerCommand Tower
- 1 Evolving WildsEvolving Wilds
- 1 Exotic OrchardExotic Orchard
- 6 ForestForest
- 1 Frontier BivouacFrontier Bivouac
- 1 Frostboil SnarlFrostboil Snarl
- 1 Hinterland HarborHinterland Harbor
- 5 IslandIsland
- 1 Karplusan ForestKarplusan Forest
- 5 MountainMountain
- 1 Overflowing BasinOverflowing Basin
- 1 Path of AncestryPath of Ancestry
- 1 Rootbound CragRootbound Crag
- 1 Sheltered ThicketSheltered Thicket
- 1 Shivan ReefShivan Reef
- 1 Slagwoods BridgeSlagwoods Bridge
- 1 Spire of IndustrySpire of Industry
- 1 Sulfur FallsSulfur Falls
- 1 Tanglepool BridgeTanglepool Bridge
- 1 Temple of EpiphanyTemple of Epiphany
- 1 Treasure VaultTreasure Vault
- 1 Vineglimmer SnarlVineglimmer Snarl
- 1 Yavimaya CoastYavimaya Coast
What Are the New Cards in Living Energy?
In addition to the two commanders, this deck also gives us eight brand new cards. Let’s start by looking at the artifacts.
First up is Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton, a 1/4 Construct that gives our Thopters +1/+1, and if we’d make an artifact token, we also get a 1/1 flying Thopter token. Treasures, Clues, Food, Blood, you name it. Any deck that’s focused on making tons of artifact tokens will get value from this card. For example, with a Sharding SphinxSharding Sphinx in play you can swing these Thopters in for combat, and snowball into more and more Thopters, with each one dealing damage via something like Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver or Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge.
Up next is Aetheric AmplifierAetheric Amplifier, a three-mana artifact that can tap for a mana of any color (who doesn’t love those?), or if you pump four mana into it you can double the counters on a permanent or on yourself. In this deck it’s meant to increase your energy, but there are certainly more uses for it elsewhere, like alternate win-cons The Millennium CalendarThe Millennium Calendar and Simic AscendancySimic Ascendancy. You’re paying more to activate it than, say, Vorel of the Hull CladeVorel of the Hull Clade or Zimone, Paradox SculptorZimone, Paradox Sculptor, but you’re also getting way more flexibility in which decks you can play this in, and what you can double.
Adaptive OmnitoolAdaptive Omnitool looks like a worse NettlecystNettlecyst at first glance, but the advantage you get from the attack trigger makes this a powerhouse in artifact decks, particularly Equipment Voltron decks looking to keep going tall.
Our last artifact is a tasty callback to one of my favorite Magic cards, Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir. It’s Aetherflux ConduitAetherflux Conduit, which gives you energy each time you cast a spell equal to the amount of mana spent to cast the spell. You can then tap it and pay 50 energy to draw seven cards and get an instant-speed OmniscienceOmniscience effect. This is far less of a juicy, win-the-game effect than what you get from Aetherflux Reservoir dealing 50 damage, but for energy decks it’s a very solid card.
Next up are the non-artifact creatures. We’ll start with a new legend that can’t lead the deck, but is exciting nonetheless. It’s Nissa, Worldsoul SpeakerNissa, Worldsoul Speaker. She ups the power on Architect of the UntamedArchitect of the Untamed’s landfall ability (Architect is also in the precon), and replaces the token production with a cost replacement effect. While this precon isn’t bursting with CultivateCultivates, you’re still gonna be playing enough lands to get a ton of energy from her. Even without extra lands and no other energy generation, if you hit all your land drops, you’ll get a free spell every four turns. Since we know this is the floor, I think the card is certainly worth it. Outside of energy decks, she’s gonna be an absolute monster in pretty much any landfall deck.
Territorial AetherkiteTerritorial Aetherkite has some great stats as a 6/5 flyer with haste. It also gives us two energy on entry, and offers us the option to pay any amount of energy and deal that much damage to each other creature. It’s an interesting update to Chandra’s IgnitionChandra’s Ignition and ExocrineExocrine, but not terribly exciting for Commander.
Rampaging AetherhoodRampaging Aetherhood feels far more useful, as it continues to pump out larger and larger amounts of energy on each of your upkeeps. It’ll be massive in no time, dealing tons of damage with trample, and the ward helps it to stick around.
Like Aetherhood, Peema TrailblazerPeema Trailblazer also has trample. It gives you energy equal to the combat damage it deals to opponents, and has an ability with the exhaust keyword (a new keyword for this set) that lets you pay six energy to put two +1/+1 counters on Trailblazer, then draw cards equal to the the greatest power among your creatures. Exhaust makes it so that you can only use this ability once for the permanent (you can do it again if it leaves and comes back to the battlefield.)
What Are the Themes and Strategies of the Deck?
Much like the Science! precon from Universes Beyond: Fallout, this deck is a combination of artifact and energy synergies. Saheeli also has an affinity for one of my favorite creature types, Artificer. This is an underappreciated type, and I’m very glad to see it getting some love here.
With all the energy the deck makes, we'll want some payoffs other than Saheeli's tokens. And the deck provides those payoffs, with cards like Aetherworks MarvelAetherworks Marvel, Nissa, Worldsoul SpeakerNissa, Worldsoul Speaker, Aethersquall AncientAethersquall Ancient, and several more.
The deck is also heavily focused on token generation. Both Saheeli and Pia Nalaar have the ability to make artifact tokens for an energy payment. We also have a lot of Thopters flying about, with Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton, Sai, Master ThopteristSai, Master Thopterist, and Thopter Spy NetworkThopter Spy Network all manufacturing the little bugs regularly. We can even get bigger tokens with Elder GargarothElder Gargaroth, Architect of the UntamedArchitect of the Untamed, and Retrofitter FoundryRetrofitter Foundry.
We’ve also got a bit of enter-the-battlefield shenanigans happening, with cards like Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver, Combustible GearhulkCombustible Gearhulk, and Aethertide WhaleAethertide Whale. And we’re enabling these further with the classic cards PanharmoniconPanharmonicon and Conjurer’s ClosetConjurer’s Closet.
How Do You Play Living Energy?
The deck is easy to play, with plenty of ramp and card draw to help keep you chugging along in the game. And, for the most part, the deck is pretty straightforward. Your goal is to make lots of energy, and use that energy to gain advantage.
That said, there’s a decent amount of cards in the deck that don’t work toward this goal. It feels like the designers wanted to play in the same energy/artifact space as Dr. Madison LiDr. Madison Li, but didn’t want to completely replicate that deck, hence the switch to Temur from Jeskai, and why the deck spends so much real estate on enter-the-battlefield effects.
The most exciting part of the deck is Saheeli, and her ability to make token copies of any permanent we control. What are our best targets to copy ? Here are my picks for the most value:
- Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum
- Combustible GearhulkCombustible Gearhulk
- Elder GargarothElder Gargaroth
- Druid of PurificationDruid of Purification
- DuplicantDuplicant
- Triplicate TitanTriplicate Titan
- Aethertide WhaleAethertide Whale
So how does the deck win? For the most part, we’re gonna be winning with combat. Saheeli can usually pop out a 5/5 attacker every turn. We’ve also got plenty of other tokens coming from the likes of:
- Sai, Master ThopteristSai, Master Thopterist
- Saheeli, Sublime ArtificerSaheeli, Sublime Artificer
- Retrofitter FoundryRetrofitter Foundry
- Thopter Spy NetworkThopter Spy Network
- Loyal ApprenticeLoyal Apprentice
- Stridehangar AutomatonStridehangar Automaton
While these make small tokens, it makes enough of them to make a big dent in opponents’ life totals.
For big attackers, we’ve got:
- Territorial AetherkiteTerritorial Aetherkite
- Elder GargarothElder Gargaroth
- Rampaging AetherhoodRampaging Aetherhood
- Combustible GearhulkCombustible Gearhulk
- Aethersquall AncientAethersquall Ancient
- Aetherwind BaskerAetherwind Basker
- Aethertide WhaleAethertide Whale
Between the little Thopters and the big beaters, you’ll have a pretty easy time getting those life totals down. But there’s one backup plan in the deck, and that’s Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver. This Human Artificer deals one damage to each opponent whenever an artifact enters your battlefield. It’s a well-known killer in other token and Treasure decks, and will definitely speed the game along here.
Is Living Energy Worth Buying?
Here’s my grade for this precon:
B+
This deck had a tough act to follow after Modern Horizons 3’s Creative Energy gave us the energy precon we've always wanted. While it’s not quite up to Creative Energy’s level, Living Energy sets itself apart enough to make it a worthy entry into the energy arsenal.
Saheeli, Radiant CreatorSaheeli, Radiant Creator is a solid, mid-level power commander. She’s a lot of fun to pilot, and being able to make copies of any of our permanents adds endless possibilities and replayability to the deck. Pia Nalaar, Chief MechanicPia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic does a fine job adding energy for the deck’s needs, but her Vehicle generation isn’t developed enough to consider running her as the deck’s leader.
The new cards are one of the biggest highlights of the deck. Aetheric AmplifierAetheric Amplifier will have endless options for commanders that want to play it, and Adaptive OmnitoolAdaptive Omnitool is going to find a home in almost any artifact-centric deck. Then there’s Nissa, Worldsoul SpeakerNissa, Worldsoul Speaker and Aetherflux ConduitAetherflux Conduit, both of which can make massive amounts of energy, but don’t need to be in energy decks to be great.
And our reprints here have a really good amount of value, with the standouts being Elder GargarothElder Gargaroth, Academy RuinsAcademy Ruins, and Retrofitter FoundryRetrofitter Foundry.
Can I make this energy deck better? Find out in my upgrade guide here. And make sure to check back soon for our guides for Eternal Might, right here on EDHREC.
More Precon Fun:
Your opinions are welcome. We love hearing what you think about Magic! We ask that you are always respectful when commenting. Please keep in mind how your comments could be interpreted by others. Personal attacks on our writers or other commenters will not be tolerated. Your comments may be removed if your language could be interpreted as aggressive or disrespectful. You may also be banned from writing further comments.