<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grumgully, the Generous" href="#" target="_blank">Grumgully, the Generous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="https://www.mceran-art.com/">Milivoj Ćeran</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo Melibeu, and this is <em>Epic Experiment,</em> a series where we throw all common sense aside and experiment with some unusual strategies, changing how we normally build our deck. Is it going to work? Who knows?! We’re making science here. When you’re an Izzet mage, blowing things up is half the fun.</p>
<p>This week we'll be exploring one of the most interesting commanders released in <em>Throne of Eldraine. </em>He's a very generous Goblin whose versatility makes him incredibly fun to build around: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grumgully, the Generous" href="#" target="_blank">Grumgully, the Generous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grumgully, the Generous"></div></div>
<p><strong>Each other non-Human creature you control enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it. </strong></p>
<p>Observation 1:</p>
<p>While I appreciate the versatility of the card, I feel that there's something wrong with the non-Human cards of <em>Throne of Eldraine</em>. They feel a lot like Changelings, whose support is helpful, but may erode a little bit of a tribe's unique identity.</p>
<p>Observation 2:</p>
<p><em>Persist</em> creatures come back into play with a -1/-1 counter, which Grumgully's +1/+1 counter would eliminate. With a free sacrifice outlet, that means we have a important combo piece in the command zone, and with red in the color identity, we even have great ways to capitalize on the infinite ETB triggers that result from this combo.</p>
<p>Observation 3:</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grumgully, the Generous" href="#" target="_blank">Grumgully, the Generous</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> puts counters on both nontoken <em>and</em> token creatures entering the battlefield. This opens up quite a few ways to build him, and makes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animation Module" href="#" target="_blank">Animation Module</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in particular, quite strong.</p>
<p>Observation 4:</p>
<p>As a Goblin commander, Grumgully seems great. A <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallic Mimic" href="#" target="_blank">Metallic Mimic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone is awesome, and access to green creature-based tutors and card draw can really boost the consistency of the tribe.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Old Formula</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Grumgully-Sig.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-41175" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Grumgully-Sig.png" alt="" width="546" height="284" /></a></p>
<p>As we can see, the average Grumgully list tries to utilize the interaction between Grumgully and creatures with <em>Persist</em> to make infinite ETB effects with a sacrifice outlet. There's also a low-key Goblin tribal strategy hidden within those cards, which we can see with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Matron" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Matron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcbound Ravager"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hardened Scales"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Death&#039;s Presence"></div></div></div>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/epic-experiment-olivia-modular/">Back in April</a>, I wrote about an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Olivia, Mobilized For War" href="#" target="_blank">Olivia, Mobilized For War</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> build that sought to use her as a way to put counters on <em>Modular</em> creatures. When <em>Modern Horizons</em> was released, I saw some great additions to that list. Then <em>Throne of Eldraine</em> was spoiled, and with it came this very strange Goblin, with crazy art and basically the same ability I was using Olivia for. The best part is that Grumgully is a Gruul commander, meaning that we actually get +1/+1 counter support from green, which is something we didn't have when we were in Rakdos!</p>
<p>Grumgully is great as a support for this kind of <em>Affinity</em> aggro, because the robots used in the deck are never Humans that Grumgully would ignore. This, combined with the counter support from green, means that we go tall pretty quickly. <em>Modular</em> creatures are a great way to keep from getting blown out by single-target removal, since the counters can just go to another creature.</p>
<p>Some of the new cards available to us really shift the list into overdrive. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Truth and Justice" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Truth and Justice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is great protection against target-based exile removal and has the powerful upside to <em>Proliferate</em> our counters, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pir, Imaginative Rascal" href="#" target="_blank">Pir, Imaginative Rascal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great ways to increase the number of counters that we get, turning even our smaller creatures into giants.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Great Henge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrap Mastery"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Return of the Wildspeaker"></div></div>
<p>Not only do we get those amazing enablers, we also get plenty of great support! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inspiring Call" href="#" target="_blank">Inspiring Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is flexible card draw that can be used as the ultimate "Gotcha!" against a control player's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of God" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Getting to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is always a treat, and accruing even more counters while drawing cards is an amazing feeling. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death&#039;s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Death&#039;s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effectively gives all of our creatures <em>Modular, </em>and even stacks with the actual <em>Modular </em>creatures.</p>
<p>Like its Rakdos counterpart, we are also packing a reanimator package to get full advantage of our death triggers. The Goblin trio of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Welder" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Welder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great source of constant in-and-out-of-the-battlefield triggers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also always a great way to come back into the game. Just be careful about possible enemy artifacts coming back, too.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Grumgully Affinity" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Artifact]
*Everflowing Chalice
*Animation Module
*Skullclamp
*Sol Ring
*Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*Arcane Signet
*Fellwar Stone
*Gruul Signet
*Mind Stone
*Talisman of Impulse
*Throne of Geth
*Sword of Truth and Justice
*Mystic Forge
*Cauldron of Souls
*the Great Henge
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Hangarback Walker
*Stonecoil Serpent
*Walking Ballista
*Arcbound Worker
*Goblin Welder
*Sparring Construct
*Arcbound Ravager
*Arcbound Slith
*Arcbound Stinger
*Goblin Engineer
*Loyal Apprentice
*Myr Retriever
*Steel Overseer
*Chief of the Foundry
*Evolution Sage
*Foundry Inspector
*Iron Bully
*Pir, Imaginative Rascal
*Scrap Trawler
*Shimmer Myr
*Thopter Engineer
*Tuskguard Captain
*Arcbound Crusher
*Arcbound Hybrid
*Arcbound Reclaimer
*Traxos, Scourge of Kroog
*Arcbound Bruiser
*Arcbound Fiend
*Triskelion
*Wurmcoil Engine
*Myr Battlesphere
[/Creature]
[Sorcery]
*Trash For Treasure
*Chain Reaction
*Triumph of the Hordes
*Scrap Mastery
*Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
*Blasphemous Act
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*Heroic Intervention
*Return to Nature
*Chaos Warp
*Inspiring Call
*Return of the Wildspeaker
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*Jiang Yanggu, Wildcrafter
*Daretti, Scrap Savant
*Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalker]
[Enchantment]
*Hardened Scales
*Rhythm of the Wild
*Death&#039;s Presence
[/Enchantment]
[Land]
*Command Tower
*Stomping Ground
*Spire Garden
*City of Brass
*Mana Confluence
*Karplusan Forest
*Rootbound Crag
*Temple of Abandon
*Karn&#039;s Bastion
*Inventors&#039; Fair
*Buried Ruin
*Ghost Quarter
*Tectonic Edge
*12 Forest
*11 Mountain
[/Land]"></span></div>
<hr />
<p>The list packs a lot of punch, especially with all the great support that gives our creatures combative keywords. For haste, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thopter Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Thopter Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhythm of the Wild" href="#" target="_blank">Rhythm of the Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tuskguard Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Tuskguard Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives trample to all creatures with +1/+1 counters (which is basically all of them). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also helps us protect ourselves against board destruction.</p>
<p>For standalone threats, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Traxos, Scourge of Kroog" href="#" target="_blank">Traxos, Scourge of Kroog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is a nice beater regardless of counters, since we can constantly untap it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stonecoil Serpent" href="#" target="_blank">Stonecoil Serpent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a great beater that can grow regardless of how much we support it, but we also have plenty of support to give it.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Methodology</h2>
<p>For our opening hand, we're looking for easy access to our commander. Even though they won't necessarily allow us to play our commander before turn three, a two-mana rock like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gruul Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Gruul Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great way to accelerate our turns without sacrificing our curve. Also, as an aggressive deck, we need a few creatures to go with our hand. If we happen to find an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Animation Module" href="#" target="_blank">Animation Module</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, this is an army-in-a-can, and can pretty much carry us all the way if we manage to keep Grumgully alive.</p>
<p>The early game is pretty much divided into two parts: before Grumgully, and after Grumgully. The first part is all setup, which means that we'll be building towards playing our commander, so we're either developing our mana or playing support cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hardened Scales" href="#" target="_blank">Hardened Scales</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Transitioning to the mid-game involves capitalizing on all the preparations we've made. In other words, curving out on mana is the most important part of our plan.</p>
<p>In the mid-game we should have a strong board presence, with our commander making any creatures we play just a little bigger. This is where we need to find the "bigger guns" and support cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Great Henge" href="#" target="_blank">The Great Henge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cauldron of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Cauldron of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These cards help us survive the point of the game where people start casting Wraths, since sheer brute force won't get us through them alone.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triumph of the Hordes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tuskguard Captain"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Traxos, Scourge of Kroog"></div></div>
<p>In the late game we have all sorts of epic plays, from great draw spells (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rishkar&#039;s Expertise" href="#" target="_blank">Rishkar&#039;s Expertise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), to great finishers (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triumph of the Hordes" href="#" target="_blank">Triumph of the Hordes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), or even comeback tools like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrap Mastery" href="#" target="_blank">Scrap Mastery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We're vulnerable to a removal-heavy opposition since we tend to need a wide board, but since we can go pretty tall pretty fast, it eases the burden of having to close out quickly.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Domri, Anarch of Bolas"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Forge"></div></div>
<p>For those seeking potential upgrades, planeswalkers are great additions to the list. There are many Gruul planeswalkers that can provide the needed support for our creatures and synergize pretty well with our counters and our <em>Proliferate </em>effects. In that vein, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doubling Season" href="#" target="_blank">Doubling Season</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great addition to the list if we're adding more planeswalkers.</p>
<p>For faster acceleration in more aggressive metas, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curse of Opulence" href="#" target="_blank">Curse of Opulence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can help us get ahead of the opposition. On the other hand, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (and probably some more ways to cheat it into play) can help fight through more control-oriented metas. The list goes pretty deep with artifact creatures, so cutting some of the them to add more streamlined card draw might help balance the deck out.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment!</em> What do you think about this list? Is this a well-oiled machine? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which didn’t you? Was the <em>Epic Experiment</em> a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Grumgully Affinity

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trail of Mystery" href="#" target="_blank">Trail of Mystery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://raymondswanland.com/">Raymond Swanland</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello, and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each fragment that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background love. This time around we’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roon of the Hidden Realm" href="#" target="_blank">Roon of the Hidden Realm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Roon of the Hidden Realm"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Roon of the Hidden Realm is a Rhox Soldier from an undisclosed plane who is believed to guard the gate to an ethereal world. He was brought up by a devout family, but was drawn towards warlike pursuits, against their wishes. Roon joined the Herald's Army, where he gained prowess in combat. Some time later, after years of battle, his company mistakenly slaughtered a number of innocents. As a result, he deserted the battalion and took to wandering in the wilderness, where he received a vision of the Hidden Realm, during which he was told he was the keeper of its secrets.</p>
<p>Roon then embarked on a pilgrimage to rally people to his cause. His compelling personality attracted many, and he became a prophet with legions of followers. Roon doesn't actively seek out conflict, but when he perceives a threat, he will eliminate it quickly and efficiently. For those who believe in him, he is a great guardian who will one day open the gate to eternal glory.</p>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<hr />
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonName.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41035 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonName.jpg" alt="" width="429" height="103" /></a></p>
<p>The Hidden Realm is an ethereal world, a plane between planes: the Blind Eternities. Planeswalkers traverse the space between planes in an instant and only get a glimpse of the great beyond. The Blind Eternities is represented by the use of the exile zone: it lies outside of the game, yet lies within the game.</p>
<p>This is the non-realm of the Eldrazi titans: Ulamog, Kozilek, and Emrakul. Since time immemorial they've ravaged and wasted entire planes to satiate their unlimited hunger. Trapped for a time, their release from their stone prison spelled horrific disaster for the denizens of Zendikar.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kozilek, Butcher of Truth"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emrakul, the Aeons Torn"></div></div>
<p>The Eldrazi exist half as an idea and half as beings of great power, and their occupancy of the Blind Eternities all but seals their inclusion in our flavor-fueled Hidden Realm deck.</p>
<p>While we're definitely going to include the legal titans, the dynamic of this ethereal form provides the greater foundation of the deck. What other cards exist partially in spirit and partially in body? <em>Morph</em> and <em>Manifest</em> creatures. We'll delve into this more later.</p>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/tokens.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41047 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/tokens.jpg" alt="" width="460" height="319" /></a></p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonCost.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41033 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonCost.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="81" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Green: </strong>Tapping into the awesome power of nature, green relies on instinct and natural symbiosis while embracing the duality of nature as both orderly and chaotic.</p>
<p><strong>White: </strong>Order and law are to be obeyed before all else. White cares for the good of the many before the good of the few.</p>
<p><strong>Blue: </strong>Slow, methodical, and highly intelligent. Seeking opportunity, blue is a collection of resources and it advocates tinkering and creating the things needed for survival.</p>
<p><strong>Bant (green, white and blue): </strong>Colors of the honorable warrior. Soldiers in the shard of Bant worship order and think of the group before the individual. Individuals aligned with Bant on the plane of Alara are primarily aligned with white.</p>
<p>The philosophy of the honorable warrior fits most directly with white's ideals, so what do green and blue provide? Green supplies an appreciation for nature and the way in which disputes are handled in the wild. Blue provides a tactical mind and a plotting intelligence that guides the Soldiers of Bant toward success. Blue and green are an enemy color pairing, often struggling to blend their ideals together. With white in the mix, there is a definitive set of rules and laws to follow which makes Bant an incredibly dangerous adversary.</p>
<p>Roon came from a devout family that did not want war to be his life, and ultimately they had their way. He is still considered a warlord, but the tragedy in his past pushed him away from violence towards leadership. He has been tempered by the experience and follows a more strict ethos than he did as a frontline grunt.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonArt.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41032 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonArt.jpg" alt="" width="561" height="411" /></a></p>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">(Art by <a href="https://steveprescott.com/">Steve Prescott</a>)</h6>
<p>This heavily armored rhino-man is prepared for battle, as if he is calling for a charge, yet none of his followers are anywhere to be seen. The only thing around him is this dark ominous fog; is he conjuring some beast from the Hidden Realm? Perhaps he himself coalesced from the fog. The ethereal nature of his power is intriguing and lends itself to the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obscuring Aether" href="#" target="_blank">Obscuring Aether</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of<em> Morph</em> and <em>Manifest</em> creatures quite nicely.</p>
<p>The subtle nod to his color identity can be found in the gems inlaid in his pole-arm. This is my favorite piece of his artwork, something I did not notice until I had the enlarged image right in front of me. Roon is from a Commander set, the format we all love that pays more attention to color identity than any other format. It is one of the defining characteristics and fundamental restrictions that helps our format stand apart, and I wanted to give some extra credit to Mr. Steve Prescott for finding such a unique way to convey that aspect of the game in this legend's artwork.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonType.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41037 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonType.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="48" /></a></p>
<p>Though the story blurb states that the plane Roon calls home is unknown, Alara is the only plane we know of that contains Rhox, so it's logical to conclude that that's where he's from. Furthermore, the Rhox on Alara were only found in the Bant shard of the plane, before the Conflux, when everything got all jumbled up. As Roon is aligned to the colors of Bant, the signs that he is from Alara are too obvious to ignore.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonRules.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41036 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonRules.jpg" alt="" width="547" height="230" /></a></p>
<p>In this deck, we're going to try to take advantage of the face-down mechanics to cheat out large creatures. The primary enabler is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scroll of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Scroll of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When exiled with Roon's ability, the <em>Manifest</em> or <em>Morph</em> creature will re-enter the battlefield face-up. This can be a great way to cheat mana costs of expensive creatures.</p>
<p>There are now a number of cards that have a repeatable <em>Manifest</em> ability in Roon's colors: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whisperwood Elemental" href="#" target="_blank">Whisperwood Elemental</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides board protection as well as <em>Manifest </em>creatures, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Temur War Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Temur War Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> interacts very well with Roon's ability, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mastery of the Unseen" href="#" target="_blank">Mastery of the Unseen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides a mana sink and a touch of lifegain, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> enables utilization of stranded <em>Manifest</em> cards. The connecting thread of these cards is that they access the top card of the library. To choose the card that is <em>Manifested, </em>we can include a selection of top-deck manipulation cards, the highlights being <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pondering Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Pondering Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scroll Rack" href="#" target="_blank">Scroll Rack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace, the Mind Sculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Jace, the Mind Sculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scroll of Fate"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Primordial Mist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scroll Rack"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor Text:</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonFlavor.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41034 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonFlavor.jpg" alt="" width="545" height="67" /></a></p>
<p>We've already explored space manipulation, so it's time to explore time. What sort of time mage would Roon be if he didn't win with an infinite turn loop?</p>
<p>The three pieces we need are Roon, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Warp" href="#" target="_blank">Time Warp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eternal Witness" href="#" target="_blank">Eternal Witness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's a simple loop that needs a number of pieces to work, but it'll eventually win the game. That's boring, though! Let's bring some spice to the idea of time manipulation. <em>Suspend</em> is a mechanic that modifies the timing of spells, sending them to exile and ticking down towards their casting. It will not make a large appearance in the deck, but when given a choice between <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Search for Tomorrow" href="#" target="_blank">Search for Tomorrow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> we're going with the <em>Suspend</em> card.</p>
<p>Finally, I can't talk about time without touching on one of <em>Magic's</em> premiere time mages: Teferi. Though he himself will make no appearance in planeswalker form, I thought it fitting to include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi&#039;s Protection" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi&#039;s Protection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as <em>Phasing</em> is yet another way to depict the ethereal nature of Roon's power.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Warp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Search for Tomorrow"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teferi&#039;s Protection"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<hr />
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonBasics.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-41082 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/roonBasics.jpg" alt="" width="676" height="311" /></a></p>
<p>For this deck I've selected the full art basic lands from the original <em>Zendikar </em>set. The massive amount of raw mana on the plane of Zendikar drew the Eldrazi titans to it, and it has drawn me to it as well. The lands are vibrant and the art depicts unusual and alien formations, a perfect fit for this deck.</p>
<p>There's no way to sugar-coat this one - the deck is expensive. The initial idea revolves around the Eldrazi titans, which cost around $30 each, and with those as our starting place I threw any idea of having a budget-friendly deck out the window. There are two cards over $100 (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace, the Mind Sculptor" href="#" target="_blank">Jace, the Mind Sculptor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illusionary Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Illusionary Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scroll Rack" href="#" target="_blank">Scroll Rack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> takes our third most expensive card slot, coming in around $60 and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Dreadnought" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Dreadnought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> falls just after it at $50. Filling it out with some fetch lands and tutors, the deck costs roughly $850 to assemble yourself, and that's being generous.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Illusionary Mask"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Dreadnought"></div></div>
<p>Why include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illusionary Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Illusionary Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Dreadnought" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Dreadnought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the first place? I'm glad you asked. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Illusionary Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Illusionary Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a strange card with a lot of words, but basically it allows us the flexibility to play non-<em>Morph</em> creatures face-down. With the Mask, we're allowed to pay more for the card we play face-down, but we must pay at least the entire cost of the card, including colored mana. A lot of the time, this will actually provide a reduced cost to a <em>Morph</em> and still allows us to flip it over normally, or let the trigger of the Mask flip it.</p>
<p>The second trick involves the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Dreadnought" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Dreadnought</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If we play the Dreadnought face-down with the Mask, we can flip it up on another turn to avoid the negative enters-the-battlefield ability. This works with the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scroll of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Scroll of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as well, by putting the Dreadnought face-down and flipping it up after it has entered. This particular synergy does not play nicely with Roon's ability to flip face-down creatures, though, so be careful.</p>
<p>Is this combo worth $200? Probably not, but we're doing it anyway!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Hidden Realm" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Roon of the Hidden Realm
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Phyrexian Dreadnought
*1 Ainok Survivalist
*1 Den Protector
*1 Icefeather Aven
*1 Kadena&#039;s Silencer
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Stratus Dancer
*1 Voidmage Apprentice
*1 Willbender
*1 Echo Tracer
*1 Eternal Witness
*1 Flickerwisp
*1 Jeskai Infiltrator
*1 Nantuko Vigilante
*1 Chromeshell Crab
*1 Ixidor, Reality Sculptor
*1 Pondering Mage
*1 Riftwing Cloudskate
*1 Vesuvan Shapeshifter
*1 Whisperwood Elemental
*1 Brine Elemental
*1 Deadeye Navigator
*1 Quicksilver Dragon
*1 Root Elemental
*1 Temur War Shaman
*1 Thousand Winds
*1 Apex Altisaur
*1 Deep-Sea Kraken
*1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
*1 Kozilek, the Great Distortion
*1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
*1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
*1 Emrakul, the Promised End
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Illusionary Mask
*1 Scroll Rack
*1 Lifecrafter&#039;s Bestiary
*1 Scroll of Fate
*1 Thousand-Year Elixir
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Ponder
*1 Search for Tomorrow
*1 Supreme Verdict
*1 Time Warp
*1 Time Wipe
*1 Rishkar&#039;s Expertise
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Eladamri&#039;s Call
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Release to the Wind
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Land Tax
*1 Mastery of the Unseen
*1 Secret Plans
*1 Trail of Mystery
*1 Cloudform
*1 Lightform
*1 Primordial Mist
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
*1 Ugin, the Ineffable
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Flooded Strand
*9 Forest
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*9 Island
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Nimbus Maze
*5 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Scattered Groves
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>My closing thought to you, dear reader, is to please not assemble this deck. I make these things so you don't have to! But, if any of you do, please show me, because I would love to see it in action.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - The Hidden Realm

Archetune-Up - Isperia's Flying Circus

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonveil Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Moonveil Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.toddlockwood.com/">Todd Lockwood</a>)</h6>
<h1>Aggressive Expansion</h1>
<p>Greetings, everyone, and welcome back to <em>Monomania</em>. In this article series we build mono-colored decks as a way to explore ramp and draw packages that are synergistic with our particular deck’s strategy, challenging staples and misconceptions about the color pie.</p>
<p>Now that we have Eldraine out of our system, let’s revisit an underloved mono-red general from earlier this year. When revealed, he was quickly dismissed as a worse version of the previous iteration of the character. I’m not so convinced of this description, however, so let’s take a look.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin"></div></div>
<p>At the time of writing this article, this guy is only listed as the general of 149 decks on EDHREC. While this isn’t pitiful within the field of mono-red generals, it isn’t stellar either. <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>, the original version of this card, helms 1,510 decks, and is by far the most popular mono-red commander of the past two years, eclipsing the second-place <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Daretti, Scrap Savant" href="#" target="_blank">Daretti, Scrap Savant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who leads 649 decks. Because of the color’s reputation and restrictions, I don’t believe that any mono-red commander will rise to challenge Krenko for quite some time.</p>
<p>That being said, does the Tin Street Kingpin deserve to be regarded more highly? I believe so. Last May, <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/author/mason-brantley/">Mason Brantley</a> wrote a fantastic article on the new Krenko for his series, <em>Underdog's Corner</em>. He and I came up with fairly similar lists, and if you want to read both of our takes on this commander, you can read his article <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/underdogs-corner-krenko-tin-street-kingpin/">here</a>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bravado"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Throne of the God-Pharaoh"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Betrothed of Fire"></div></div>
<p>The idea here isn’t necessarily a novel one—this style of deck can win out of nowhere with some favorable combination of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aggravated Assault" href="#" target="_blank">Aggravated Assault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and our general on the battlefield. Mob Boss decks will almost always include a similar win condition.</p>
<p>However, the style of the Kingpin in particular is what I find rather compelling. At his core, Kingpin wants to incorporate elements of Voltron strategies. Instead of jamming creatures to snowball our board, the Kingpin wants to buff his attack through other card types. This general is more interested in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Claws of Valakut" href="#" target="_blank">Claws of Valakut</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Siege Gang Commander" href="#" target="_blank">Siege Gang Commander</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It seems nearly as explosive as Mob Boss, but also folds in another element—this bad boy can go tall, wide, or threaten to do both. While many may think that you have to choose one of these, in some cases there's no need to pick favorites. I’ve had some success with my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Faren, the Hengehammer" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Faren, the Hengehammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/monomania-takes-on-eldraine-best-friend-auditions/">recently featured on <em>Monomania</em> </a>that also goes both tall and wide. Let’s see what we can come up with and whether this commander lives up to the prestigious Krenko name.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Fuel for the Cause</h2>
<p>Because of the unique characteristics of the Kingpin, there are a few special considerations for how we want to ramp in order to support his strategy.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Braid of Fire"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battle Hymn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brightstone Ritual"></div></div>
<p>With <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonveil Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Moonveil Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cavalier of Flame" href="#" target="_blank">Cavalier of Flame</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and our collection of firebreathing effects such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shiv’s Embrace" href="#" target="_blank">Shiv’s Embrace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, big mana becomes exceedingly effective for us. These three ramp effects will all hopefully produce ridiculous amounts of mana and allow us to funnel it into pumping our general or our team. This can help us swing for lethal or simply produce even more tokens.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Braid of Fire" href="#" target="_blank">Braid of Fire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, specifically, is a mono-red all-star. If budget is not an issue, this card can and should be included in almost every mono-red deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle Hymn" href="#" target="_blank">Battle Hymn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brightstone Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Brightstone Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a little more restrictive but still fit right at home in any Krenko deck, old or new.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skirk Prospector"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dockside Extortionist"></div></div>
<p>Then we have a few mana-production effects stapled onto creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skirk Prospector" href="#" target="_blank">Skirk Prospector</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can both fuel big plays as well as find the extra mana needed to power out an important piece to our strategy. Often, this Prospector will facilitate the game-ending plays that involve <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Purphoros, God of the Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Purphoros, God of the Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and/or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Impact Tremors" href="#" target="_blank">Impact Tremors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when attacking isn’t an option. Any Goblin lying around can help play several cards in a turn. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dockside Extortionist" href="#" target="_blank">Dockside Extortionist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doesn’t fulfill precisely the same function, but works better on its own to provide flexible Treasure for later use.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of the Animist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dowsing Dagger"></div></div>
<p>Finally, we have a few Equipment that can both ignite our strategy and our ramp at the same time. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an automatic inclusion in any deck with a shade of Voltron, and I argue <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dowsing Dagger" href="#" target="_blank">Dowsing Dagger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> should be considered for a similar reason: it pumps the Kingpin’s attack, then flips into an extremely powerful land. If we can connect with our commander on turn four or five with the Dagger equipped, we will vault ourselves several turns ahead of our opponents in the mid-game.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Off the Rails</h2>
<p>This deck will live and die by its card advantage package: if we can’t cycle through cards effectively, we may not find the necessary pieces to truly spike the power of our board state and win the game.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dire Fleet Daredevil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abbot of Keral Keep"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dark-Dweller Oracle"></div></div>
<p>As always, rent-before-you-buy-it card advantage in red is actually very good. Even these examples that dig through relatively little of our deck will help us find what we need when we need it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark-Dweller Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Dark-Dweller Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the creature most geared toward our strategy; on a post-Krenko board, we should have a few useless Goblins to play around with.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Outpost Siege"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vance’s Blasting Cannons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ignite the Future"></div></div>
<p>Expanding on impulsive draw, we have a few other ways to exile the top cards of our library. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Outpost Siege" href="#" target="_blank">Outpost Siege</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vance’s Blasting Cannons" href="#" target="_blank">Vance’s Blasting Cannons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are staples within our color and earn their spot here.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ignite the Future" href="#" target="_blank">Ignite the Future</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a newcomer, but has proven to be powerful. The key text here is 'until the end of your <em>next</em> turn.' I really like this card not only because it gives us a little more flexibility in playing the exiled cards than we normally see, but also because the <em>Flashback</em> ability here is deceptively powerful. With even a couple good flips, it's worth the eight mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infiltration Lens"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mask of Memory"></div></div>
<p>Finally, we have two Equipment that can help us dig through our cards—one that triggers when a creature blocks Krenko, and another that triggers when Krenko deals damage to a player. Both synergize with our strategy and earn a slot in the deck.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Deck</h2>
<p>Now that we have the skeleton for a fun and powerful Krenko deck, let’s put it all together with a decklist. You’ll notice that this deck is distinctively <em>not</em> Goblin tribal. Many of his decks listed on EDHREC are Goblin tribal, but I think this is a trap: outside of a few Goblins that really grease our engine, Krenko brings his own army in a can and doesn’t need much support in that regard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dragon Mantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stoneforge Masterwork"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haze of Rage"></div></div>
<p>Among other notable inclusions here we have a few effects that should supercharge our commander’s ability. Firebreathing is a deceptively powerful effect with our commander, and any card that grants this ability is immediately worth consideration. As such, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dragon Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Dragon Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Flames" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Flames</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fiery Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Fiery Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make the cut. Although we have to dump mana into this ability, firebreathing allows us to essentially spend one red mana for one Goblin token and to make our commander more threatening.</p>
<p>We can also run a couple of Equipment that will pump the Kingpin’s attack by significant amounts. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Masterwork" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Masterwork</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes our general do his best impression of <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>, doubling our tokens every time we attack. Not only that, but this card can easily pump Krenko to 21 attack in just a turn or two. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a higher floor but a lower ceiling. Because it buffs our commander based on the number of lands we control, he will almost always net a baseline +3/+3, and later in the game, the Blackblade could grant +10/+10.</p>
<p>Finally, I’ve included a suite of ways to pump our team enough to knock players out of the game through combat damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haze of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Haze of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an egregiously underrated Commander card, seeing play in only 364 decks on EDHREC. We have a low curve, and following up playing multiple spells in a single turn with playing this card can quickly end games, and even if it doesn't, we can always just buy it back. In addition, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marton Stromgald" href="#" target="_blank">Marton Stromgald</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moonveil Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Moonveil Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coat of Arms" href="#" target="_blank">Coat of Arms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Running Down the Stairs" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Krenko, Tin Street Kingpin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Skirk Prospector
*1 Abbot of Keral Keep
*1 Dark-Dweller Oracle
*1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
*1 Dockside Extortionist
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Goblin Chieftain
*1 Goblin Trashmaster
*1 Marton Stromgald
*1 Purphoros, God of the Forge
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Cavalier of Flame
*1 Moonveil Dragon
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Brightstone Ritual
*1 Battle Hymn
*1 Arcbond
*1 Chaos Warp
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Gamble
*1 Vandalblast
*1 Haze of Rage
*1 Light Up the Stage
*1 Chain Reaction
*1 Ignite the Future
*1 Seize the Day
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Blasphemous Act
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Infiltration Lens
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Stoneforge Masterwork
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Dowsing Dagger
*1 Endless Atlas
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Prowler&#039;s Helm
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Throne of the God-Pharaoh
*1 Trailblazer&#039;s Boots
*1 Hammer of Nazahn
*1 Coat of Arms
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Crown of Flames
*1 Dragon Mantle
*1 Quest for the Goblin Lord
*1 Betrothed of Fire
*1 Braid of Fire
*1 Bravado
*1 Emblem of the Warmind
*1 Fiery Mantle
*1 Ghitu Firebreathing
*1 Goblin Bombardment
*1 Impact Tremors
*1 Thunderous Might
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 Boggart Shenanigans
*1 Claws of Valakut
*1 Shared Animosity
*1 Bedlam
*1 Outpost Siege
*1 Shiv&#039;s Embrace
*1 Vance&#039;s Blasting Cannons
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Arch of Orazca
*1 Castle Embereth
*1 Desert of the Fervent
*1 Flamekin Village
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Goblin Burrows
*1 Looming Spires
*23 Mountain
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Shinka, the Bloodsoaked Keep
*1 Smoldering Crater
*1 Spinerock Knoll
*1 Zoetic Cavern
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>How do you all feel about this Kingpin? Is he interesting enough to warrant a few more decks on EDHREC, or should we all give up and worship at the altar of the Mob Boss? Let me know in the comments below! Remember to EDHREC responsibly: always dig a little beyond the statistics. I’ll see you all on down the road.</p>


Monomania – Running Down the Stairs

Commander Showdown - Marchesa vs Kenrith

Replacement Commanders - I Vant to Suck Your Blood!

Mechanically Minded - Food

Commander Focus — Kykar, Wind's Fury

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Willbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Willbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/izzymedrano">Dan Scott</a>)</h6>
<h1>"Stay on Target..."</h1>
<p>Welcome back to another <em>Forgotten Harvest,</em> where we dig deep into the bulk boxes of <em>Magic</em> to forage for hyper-underplayed cards that see play in 300 decks or less on EDHREC. Today, for the first time in this series, we're going to be tackling a Simic deck.</p>
<p>Given the stigma, for lack of a better word, that can come with playing Simic, I feel compelled to set expectations before I unveil this week's strategy. This series focuses on cards that see the least amount of play. These won't be the most powerful cards, and may not make for the most powerful deck. In the right strategy, though, a card which sees barely any play may become usable. If you do want to try out the cards we cover in this article, be aware of the perceptions players have when playing against a color combination like Simic, which is often expected to make crazy things happen with, for instance, +1/+1 counters.</p>
<p>This time, I'm scraping a strategy together based completely on the act of targeting. It's going to feel a lot like a Simic Spellslinger deck, heavily relying on instants and sorceries to target creatures on all sides of the battlefield. We're going to have to make sure that the deck stays creature-focused while also providing enough spells to still make it feel like a Spellslinger deck.</p>
<hr />
<h2>"Stay on Target..."</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="One Dozen Eyes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triton Fortune Hunter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wild Defiance"></div></div>
<p>A token strategy will be key to our success. We'll depend on cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silverfur Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Silverfur Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Docent of Perfection" href="#" target="_blank">Docent of Perfection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talrand, Sky Summoner" href="#" target="_blank">Talrand, Sky Summoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to play simultaneously into the token and Spellslinger archetypes. However, there's always room for more traditional token production, too. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="One Dozen Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">One Dozen Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorites, and the swarm it provides is just what we're looking for. This collection of menacing eyes only sees play in 211 decks.</p>
<p>In addition to token strategies, we're also looking for other cards that care about being the target of a spell. The <em>Heroic</em> creatures from <em>Theros</em> block fit the bill quite well, and a number of them are hyper-underplayed. In that vein, we're running <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triton Fortune Hunter" href="#" target="_blank">Triton Fortune Hunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wavecrash Triton" href="#" target="_blank">Wavecrash Triton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who see play in 80 and 35 decks, respectively; the associated card draw and spot removal, in the form of tapping down opposing creatures, will both be quite helpful.</p>
<p>Now that we have a mess of creatures, how can we capitalize on them becoming targeted by our spells? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gargos, Vicious Watcher" href="#" target="_blank">Gargos, Vicious Watcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can help us out with that, fighting opposing creatures when one of our creatures becomes a target, and so can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Wild Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which only appears in 247 decks. Truly the heart of the deck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Wild Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> buffs our targets by an extra +3/+3, which can be huge when paired with an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Open into Wonder" href="#" target="_blank">Open into Wonder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a field full of critters.</p>
<hr />
<h2>"Stay on Target..."</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sway of Illusion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sea Kings&#039; Blessing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sylvan Paradise"></div></div>
<p>We've covered the targets, so let's talk about the spells that'll be doing the targeting. After some research, I've been able to find only three spells that can target an infinite number of creatures for a set cost: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sway of Illusion" href="#" target="_blank">Sway of Illusion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sea Kings&#039; Blessing" href="#" target="_blank">Sea Kings&#039; Blessing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sylvan Paradise" href="#" target="_blank">Sylvan Paradise</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. All three qualify as hyper-underplayed, appearing in only 160, 34, and 11 decklists, respectively. You can tell this is <em>Forgotten Harvest</em> when I'm bringing up obscure cards from <em>Legends!</em></p>
<p>While it's clear to see that none of the cards are terribly powerful (changing colors is sooooo <em>Invasion</em> block), when they're paired with the cards we've already discussed, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Wild Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, they quickly become <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s. Even better, when we cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sea Kings&#039; Blessing" href="#" target="_blank">Sea Kings&#039; Blessing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dismiss into Dream" href="#" target="_blank">Dismiss into Dream</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Willbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Willbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play, it will completely decimate the opposing battlefields. I opted not to run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Concordant Crossroads" href="#" target="_blank">Concordant Crossroads</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, but if you find great success with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Willbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Willbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you should consider adding it.</p>
<p>Some final notes on these three instants: I added in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> specifically to abuse these three cards. Scepter is particularly useful here because it <em>casts</em> a copy of the exiled instant. This is very relevant for the <em>Heroic</em> creatures, as they require a <em>cast</em> spell to target them, and won't trigger off a <em>copy </em>of a spell.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battlefield Thaumaturge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Crowd Goes Wild"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polymorphous Rush"></div></div>
<p>If you thought those color-change instants were the only trick I included in this deck, think again! This deck definitely makes the most of a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battlefield Thaumaturge" href="#" target="_blank">Battlefield Thaumaturge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, lowering the cost of our pump spells down to almost nothing, and it's only in 168 decks, to boot! When paired with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Crowd Goes Wild" href="#" target="_blank">The Crowd Goes Wild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (221 decks) or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrive" href="#" target="_blank">Thrive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (253 decks), you can perma-pump the entire team for only one green mana.</p>
<p>Adding in a third card, perhaps you could use a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polymorphous Rush" href="#" target="_blank">Polymorphous Rush</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, found in 255 decks, and some blue mana to make a few extra copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silverfur Partisan" href="#" target="_blank">Silverfur Partisan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> before casting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrive" href="#" target="_blank">Thrive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With all those Wolf target triggers stacking, your army is going to be gigantic! (Again, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Concordant Crossroads" href="#" target="_blank">Concordant Crossroads</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Memorial" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Memorial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be worth an add if you're having trouble keeping the tokens around until you can take them to the red zone.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>"Stay on Target..."</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Band Together"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phantasmal Form"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rethink"></div></div>
<p>This is all well and good, but we still haven't addressed two key pieces of a Commander deck: removal spells, and an actual commander!</p>
<p>For creature removal, I've tried to keep on-theme, and that means looking at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Band Together" href="#" target="_blank">Band Together</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Combo Attack" href="#" target="_blank">Combo Attack</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both of these cards allow us to target two of our creatures while eliminating an opposing one. Combined with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Wild Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it should be easy to build up enough power to take out the biggest beefcake on the other side of the field. These cards are currently in 242 and 55 decks, respectively.</p>
<p>While not typically considered removal, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phantasmal Form" href="#" target="_blank">Phantasmal Form</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent way to instantaneously shrink a huge attacker, making it easily blockable. As many of you have read in previous articles, I'm a big fan of these kinds of shenanigans, especially given the political role they can play. Add that a cantrip is baked into the instant, as well as its flexibility in potentially letting you target two of your own creatures for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wild Defiance" href="#" target="_blank">Wild Defiance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> triggers, and this card seems like a great fit.</p>
<p>This deck gave me the chance to slot in one of my favorite soft counterspells, hailing from all the way back in <em>Prophecy.</em> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rethink" href="#" target="_blank">Rethink</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is currently in 154 decks, and while it's not the best option when countering an opponent's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Path to Exile" href="#" target="_blank">Path to Exile</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it's perfect for countering mass creature removal, like <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 <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Rebirth" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Rebirth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I've found it to be an effective counter that no one sees coming.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Edric, Spymaster of Trest"></div></div>
<p>Normally, I'd lead with the commander in one of these articles, but if you've looked at the field of Simic commander candidates, you'd see that there are no options that directly play into what this deck is trying to do. Simic just doesn't sling spells that much, and usually waits until Temur adds red to the mix to focus on instants and sorceries.</p>
<p>However, this deck is still missing a key element, and it's a big one: card draw. So much of this deck is going to rely on getting the key cards in hand together at the right moment. Given this, and the heavy token theme, I think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edric, Spymaster of Trest" href="#" target="_blank">Edric, Spymaster of Trest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the best pick. Yes, there's something to be said for using <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tatyova, Benthic Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Tatyova, Benthic Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as she's capable of more reliable draw, but her high CMC is concerning to me, so I opted for Edric in my build.</p>
<p>Let's take a look at the list!</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Target Run" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards=""></span></div></p>
<p>[Commander]<br />
*1 Edric, Spymaster of Trest<br />
[/Commander]</p>
<p>[Creatures]<br />
*1 Birds of Paradise<br />
*1 Llanowar Elves<br />
*1 Battlefield Thaumaturge<br />
*1 Maraleaf Pixie<br />
*1 Eternal Witness<br />
*1 Gyre Engineer<br />
*1 Silverfur Partisan<br />
*1 Spellseeker<br />
*1 Triton Fortune Hunter<br />
*1 Wavecrash Triton<br />
*1 Archaeomancer<br />
*1 Master of the Wild Hunt<br />
*1 Murmuring Mystic<br />
*1 Niblis of Frost<br />
*1 Talrand, Sky Summoner<br />
*1 Docent of Perfection<br />
*1 Willbreaker<br />
*1 Gargos, Vicious Watcher<br />
[/Creatures]</p>
<p>[Instants]<br />
*1 Giant Growth<br />
*1 Sea Kings' Blessing<br />
*1 Sylvan Paradise<br />
*1 Warriors' Lesson<br />
*1 Cyclonic Rift<br />
*1 Muddle the Mixture<br />
*1 Sway of Illusion<br />
*1 Symbiosis<br />
*1 Band Together<br />
*1 Beast Within<br />
*1 Combo Attack<br />
*1 Krosan Grip<br />
*1 Phantasmal Form<br />
*1 Polymorphous Rush<br />
*1 Rethink<br />
*1 Synchronized Strike<br />
*1 Unwind<br />
*1 Mystic Genesis<br />
[/Instants]</p>
<p>[Sorceries]<br />
*1 The Crowd Goes Wild<br />
*1 Thrive<br />
*1 Ghostform<br />
*1 Nature's Lore<br />
*1 Open into Wonder<br />
*1 Rampant Growth<br />
*1 Call to Mind<br />
*1 Calming Verse<br />
*1 Pull from the Deep<br />
*1 Blessings of Nature<br />
*1 One Dozen Eyes<br />
*1 Rise from the Tides<br />
*1 Ezuri's Predation<br />
[/Sorceries]</p>
<p>[Artifacts]<br />
*1 Sol Ring<br />
*1 Brain in a Jar<br />
*1 Isochron Scepter<br />
*1 Runechanter's Pike<br />
*1 Simic Signet<br />
*1 Commander's Sphere<br />
*1 Crystal Shard<br />
*1 Erratic Portal<br />
*1 Primal Amulet<br />
[/Artifacts]</p>
<p>[Enchantments]<br />
*1 Season of Growth<br />
*1 Wild Defiance<br />
*1 Metallurgic Summonings<br />
*1 The Mirari Conjecture<br />
*1 Dismiss into Dream<br />
[/Enchantments]</p>
<p>[Lands]<br />
*1 Alchemist's Refuge<br />
*1 Arcane Lighthouse<br />
*1 Botanical Sanctum<br />
*1 Breeding Pool<br />
*1 Command Tower<br />
*1 Detection Tower<br />
*1 Flooded Grove<br />
*12 Forest<br />
*1 Hinterland Harbor<br />
*13 Island<br />
*1 Misty Rainforest<br />
*1 Novijen, Heart of Progress<br />
*1 Yavimaya Coast<br />
[/Lands]</p>
<p>[/Deck]</p>

<hr />
<h2>"You're All Clear Kid, Now Let's Blow This Thing and Go Home!"</h2>
<p><a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/tenor.gif"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-40816 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/tenor.gif" alt="" width="498" height="249" /></a></p>
<p>Thanks so much for staying on target during this action-packed <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>! To show my appreciation, I've provided a place for your questions, comments, and snide remarks in the comments below. I'd love to talk more about not-so-obvious Simic strategies, soft-counterspells you think should be played more often, and how I could better turn this deck into Wolf tribal (I tried so hard to make it happen, folks!).</p>
<p>If you have an idea for a future <em>Forgotten Harvest</em>, be it a hyper-underplayed card, a strategy in need of some love, or a commander that doesn't have a home in an archetype yet, let me know. I've done several articles from reader suggestions, and I'm always looking for more. Also, be sure to tune in next time when I tell the tale of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer" href="#" target="_blank">Brudiclad, Telchor Engineer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seven Dwarves" href="#" target="_blank">Seven Dwarves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>


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