The Top 10 Most Played Commander Cards from FDN

Singleton Shmingleton - Spider Spawning

Aetherdrift Set Review - Blue

2024’s EDHighlights -  Arabella, Abandoned Doll

Top 10 Loot Effects

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/dft/364/kolodin-triumph-caster"> Kolodin, Triumph Caster</a> | Art By: <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CJohn+Stanko%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">John Stanko</a> )</h6>
<p>One often needs the fastest car and a steely resolve to win a race. We might not be racing for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Aetherspark" href="#" target="_blank">The Aetherspark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but we are racing to see who can finish first in a game of Commander.</p>
<p>There are a ton of great commanders in the upcoming set <em>Aetherdrift</em>, but one that emphasizes putting the pedal to the metal is <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kolodin, Triumph Caster"></div></div>.</p>
<p>Buckle up as we hit the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Muraganda Raceway" href="#" target="_blank">Muraganda Raceway</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and pump up the volume on our interplanar radio while we listen to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Country Roads" href="#" target="_blank">Country Roads</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Today, I will be your driver, and like always, my name is Nick. This deck might not be about family, but get ready to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Start Your Engines" href="#" target="_blank">Start Your Engines</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and enjoy another <em>Tech The Deck</em>.</p>
<h2>Pit Crew</h2>
<p>The first step to having a good racing team is having a good pit crew along for the ride. And what better way to introduce the crew than by talking about the commander of the deck, our crew chief, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kolodin, Triumph Caster" href="#" target="_blank">Kolodin, Triumph Caster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<p>Why is Kolodin in charge of this deck over other classic vehicle cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Depala, Pilot Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Depala, Pilot Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? To me, Kolodin is very special and interesting.</p>
<p>The ability to allow any vehicle (or mount) that enters to become crewed (or saddled) is a great way to get around the most annoying parts of a deck that wants to run vehicles (or mounts).</p>
<p>But sometimes, people want to cause problems for our crew chief, who must rely on the team he has assembled to help win the race.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Depala, Pilot Exemplar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astor, Bearer of Blades"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hotshot Mechanic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Interface Ace"></div></div>
<p>First up, the former crew chief of the vehicle archetype is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Depala, Pilot Exemplar" href="#" target="_blank">Depala, Pilot Exemplar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She allows us to drive a bit beefier of a machine thanks to giving all vehicles +1/+1 and can allow us to dig deeper into our deck whenever she becomes tapped.</p>
<p>This means we do not even have to attack with Depala, and thanks to having three power, she does a good job at driving most of the vehicles we have at our disposal.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astor, Bearer of Blades" href="#" target="_blank">Astor, Bearer of Blades</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, has some text that is thoroughly irrelevant to us in this deck. What they do have is a great way to grab whatever vehicle in the top seven cards of our deck and take some of these hard-to-handle machines with large crew requirements and simplify them so that anyone or anything in our deck can sit nicely behind the wheel.</p>
<p>The best racers out there owe much of their success to a group or sometimes one single <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hotshot Mechanic" href="#" target="_blank">Hotshot Mechanic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card looks unassuming, but once the other racers (our opponents) catch on to how vital Kolodin is to this deck running smoothly, a one-drop creature that can crew anything costing Crew 1 - Crew 4 can keep our wheels turning.</p>
<p>Occasionally, a driver might face a tough choice of which car to take for a spin around the track. That is when <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Interface Ace" href="#" target="_blank">Interface Ace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes in to save the day.</p>
<p>This creature allowed you to crew up two vehicles simultaneously on all your turns. If the worst part about this card is that I can only crew one car on another racer's turn, they are welcome on my crew any race day.</p>
<h2>High Octane Racing</h2>
<p>A part of racing that is never discussed is that sabotage is one of the greatest dangers to a racing team—sabotage in the form of our opponents sending our vehicles to the scrapyard, aka... the graveyard.</p>
<p>When that happens, we have a few ways to get our team back on track. The first thing to do is to give one of our vehicles a bit of a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tune Up" href="#" target="_blank">Tune Up</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>After we do some work, we will never need to get behind the wheel of that vehicle ever again.</p>
<p>If our entire garage gets sent to the junkyard, then as a crew, we only have one option: cross the finish line first. That one trick is to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Push the Limit" href="#" target="_blank">Push the Limit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on what we know as racing.</p>
<p>All joking aside, this is an all-star card in this deck. Mass reanimation is something that many decks look for when constructing their 99.</p>
<p>On top of bringing all your vehicles and mounts back to the battlefield, it turns them into creatures and gives all creatures you control, NOT just the ones you got back, haste for a turn.</p>
<p>Finally, if we get stranded on the mid-race track, we must remember to re- <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Start Your Engines" href="#" target="_blank">Start Your Engines</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>If we find ourselves without a crew to drive, pilot, or steer any of our various vehicles, this card will let them run wild. The +2/+0 is a nice bonus that I won't scoff at.</p>
<h2>Cards We Run So We Don't Crash</h2>
<p>A good racer must know that being out on the track can get dangerous. But the first thing a racer needs to be aware of is how much life they have left to use for fuel. To help with this, we run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armed and Armored" href="#" target="_blank">Armed and Armored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to let us surprise our opponents with a massive board of blockers or as a way to finish them off at instant speed.</p>
<p>It will be no surprise to us that our vehicles will be the first thing that the rest of the table attempts to get rid of, and rightfully so.</p>
<p>So we need some ways to protect them from a removal spell. I choose to outfit the pit crew with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blacksmith&#039;s Skill" href="#" target="_blank">Blacksmith&#039;s Skill</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Clever Concealment" href="#" target="_blank">Clever Concealment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These allow us to save key vehicles or the entire fleet from our opponents' attempts to slash your tires.</p>
<h2>Sick Whips</h2>
<p>The most important part of the deck outside of our commander is our litany of vehicles and the "mods" we have for them. The deck runs 27 vehicles, and instead of talking about each and everyone, I will show off a few of my favorites.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Reaver Titan"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Midnight Crusader Shuttle"></div></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mobile Homestead"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mechtitan Core"></div></div>
<p>To me, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reaver Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Reaver Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the most underrated vehicles in the game. It's a massive 10/10, blasts everyone for five damage on the attack, and is hard to get off the board thanks to its <em>Void Shields</em>.</p>
<p>Understandably, it was not a card many people would have seen because it was in <em>Warhammer 40,000 Commander.</em> At Crew-4, this card is reasonable even if we do not have Kolodin on the board, but it gets so much better when he is.</p>
<p>Another vehicle from a <em>Universes Beyond Commander</em> product, this time courtesy of <em>Doctor Who</em>, the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Midnight Crusader Shuttle" href="#" target="_blank">Midnight Crusader Shuttle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes an opponent face a villainous choice.</p>
<p>Either option will give them one less blocker to try and stop us with, but they at least get to decide if they loan us a creature or if it gets sent to their scrapyard instead.</p>
<p>A Vehicle that cares about Mounts, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mobile Homestead" href="#" target="_blank">Mobile Homestead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might not significantly damage our opposition, but it will help us keep playing on a curve and not go off the track as we take another left turn at high speeds.</p>
<p>Cheap and efficient is the game's name with this mobile home, and sometimes, that's just what a good racing team needs.</p>
<p>Lastly, the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mechtitan Core" href="#" target="_blank">Mechtitan Core</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just one of the most fabulous cards around regarding Vehicles. We should have plenty of other vehicles to send inside our deck to do their best impression of a transformer.</p>
<h2>The Mods</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Siege Modification"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aerial Modification"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nahiri&#039;s Resolve"></div></div>
<p>We only have two modifications that we can give to any of our various "rides" in this deck. Whether it be siege or aerial, the purpose is another way to let a vehicle circumvent the need to be crewed or have a way to function without our commander.</p>
<p>One reason I wanted to take a closer look at this deck outside of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kolodin, Triumph Caster" href="#" target="_blank">Kolodin, Triumph Caster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card that I thought was junk. That card is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nahiri&#039;s Resolve" href="#" target="_blank">Nahiri&#039;s Resolve</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It might have been the decks that I played or looked at for different articles.</p>
<p>It might have been the standard environment where this five-mana "do nothing" enchantment premiered, or maybe it was a multi-year plant.</p>
<p>I am not sure if I could have made a more perfect card for this deck without making it too strong if I tried.</p>
<p>Pumping our creature's power and giving them haste are two of the most important things when playing an aggressive strategy and, in our case, running an aggressive race.</p>
<p>The timing of when your artifacts return to the battlefield synergizes so well with Kolodin. As long as we can keep our commander alive, the resolve will let us swing with all our Vehicles and Mounts every single turn without needing them to be crewed. It is by far my favorite card for this deck.</p>
<h2>Crossing The Finish Line</h2>
<p>Sometimes, the best way to win a race is to drive faster than the competition. It's nothing fancy, just good old-fashioned racing. That is precisely what we are trying to do with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kolodin, Triumph Caster" href="#" target="_blank">Kolodin, Triumph Caster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> behind the wheel.</p>
<p>It is a straightforward RW aggressive strategy, but instead of using creatures in the traditional sense, we are using things like the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderhawk Gunship" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderhawk Gunship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><em>Aetherdrift</em> looks like an exciting set of cards for all commander players, but I want to hear if you share that thought or if you think this set will spin out at the starting line.</p>
<p>Let me know what you think of Kolodin, the set as a whole, or your favorite vehicle, even if it did not make the list. Maybe you feel the deck should focus on Mounts instead.</p>
<p>Either way, let me know, and try not to get run over by a speeding <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bomat Bazaar Barge" href="#" target="_blank">Bomat Bazaar Barge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spire Mechcycle" href="#" target="_blank">Spire Mechcycle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I have been and will continue to be Nick; this has been another deck we have teched.</p>


Tech The Deck - Parhelions, Clown Cars, and Hamspheres

Borderland Explorer – Inquisitor Eisenhorn

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Felidar Retreat" href="#" target="_blank">Felidar Retreat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | art by <a href="https://www.ralphhorsley.co.uk/">Ralph Horsley</a></h6>
<p>Happy February! My name is Ben, and you may know me from <em>Conditions Allow</em>, my article series on EDHREC and <a href="https://commandersherald.com/tag/conditions-allow/">Commander's Herald</a>. It is my great pleasure to bring the Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest to EDHREC.</p>
<p>This will be a monthly contest with a different theme each month.</p>
<p>Your goal is to build a Commander legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.</p>
<p>Whoever gets the most votes will be crowned the winner, although all three finalists receive a prize.</p>
<p>This is the second contest of the year, so we're focusing on the number two. Specifically, two color decks that do something unexpected.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saw It Coming"></div></div>
<div></p>
<h3>What’s The Contest All About?</h3>
<p>Working within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded store credit to <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/">cardsphere.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>For February's deckbuilding contest, brew a two color Commander-legal deck with a theme or strategy not usually seen in those colors. The more unexpected your deck's theme is, the better.</strong></p>
<p></div>
<div></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>One of <em>Magic: The Gathering's</em> defining features is the color pie, which defines what each of the five colors can do in the game. This ensures each color plays differently, and allows players to express themselves through the cards they choose to include in their decks.</p>
<p>Each of these identities can also be interpreted in different ways, which opens up many different styles of play even among the same colors.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Felidar Retreat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blasphemous Act"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lifetap"></div></div></p>
<p>With thirty years of cards to choose from, however, there's no reason to limit your deckbuilding to what the color pie says. Every year we get new cards that push and pull the colors in different directions.</p>
<p>Can you build a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> landfall deck, or a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> control deck? What about a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> lifegain deck? You're not supposed to, but that shouldn't stop us from trying.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hobbit&#039;s Sting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Young Wolf"></div></div></p>
<p>This is also a great exercise for building a color pair you're very familiar with. Thinking outside the box is a great way to break old patterns and reignite a passion you might've lost.</p>
<p>Similarly, this could be the perfect time to revisit a color pair you don't like. What used to be strange and unwieldy can become fresh and invigorating when approached from a different angle.</p>
<p>If you love Burn decks, try porting that to Azorius, or take your favorite Orzhov deck and rebuild it as Simic.</p>
<p></div>
<h3>How To Participate</h3>
<ul>
<li>Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on <a href="https://archidekt.com/">Archidekt</a> that satisfies the prompt.</li>
<li>Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed.</li>
<li>Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed.</li>
<li>Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed.</li>
<li>Strictly one deck submitted per user.</li>
</ul>
<p>Reply to the <a href="https://archidekt.com/forum/thread/11254934">Archidekt newspost</a>, or submission post on the <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36">Archidekt Discord</a> with a link to your deck before <strong>9:00 pm EST</strong> (UTC -5, currently) on <strong>Wednesday, February 12, 2025</strong> (do not submit the same deck in multiple places). Only one submission per user! From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!</p>
<div></p>
<p>On <strong>Wednesday, February 19, 2025</strong>, we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck. Each finalist will be awarded credit on cardsphere.com. The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:</p>
<ul>
<li>1st Place Prize - $250</li>
<li>2nd Place Prize - $150</li>
<li>3rd Place Prize - $100</li>
</ul>
<p></div>
<p>Finalists will be contacted via email or Discord (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on <strong>Wednesday, February 26, 2025</strong>. Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free-- <a href="https://www.cardsphere.com/">register here</a> if you don't have an account already!</p>
<p><a href="https://archidekt.com/contestRules">Official contest rules</a>.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join the Archidekt <a href="https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36">public Discord server</a>. We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!</p>


Deckbuilding Contest - February 2025

<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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