<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.davidnashart.com/" rel="noopener">David Auden Nash</a></em></p>
<p>With <em>Mirage</em>'s release in 1996, a group of cards was printed that changed the game forever: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <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>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Ritual" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Ritual</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; all cards that are still played in Commander today.</p>
<p>There is one card, however, that captured my attention: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Asmira, Holy Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Asmira, Holy Avenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Asmira, Holy Avenger"></div></div>
<p>This card dangled the idea of "Selesnya Aristocrats" in front of me for years, and for years I couldn't crack it.</p>
<p>That was, of course, until <em>March of the Machine</em> introduced a commander that presented a solution to my problem: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards side-by-side"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Polukranos Reborn"></div></div>
<p>The front side of Polukranos is lackluster, but the back side shines. On its face it seems like a Hydra typal deck, but what would happen if we paid <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> into the X for our Hydra spells? Most would enter and immediately die, triggering our commander to create two Hydra tokens.</p>
<p>That seems okay, but what if we had a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fecundity" href="#" target="_blank">Fecundity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play? Or a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Renewed Solidarity" href="#" target="_blank">Renewed Solidarity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Or an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fecundity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Renewed Solidarity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div></div>
<p>According to EDHREC, there are only 234 decks that fit the archetype of Selesnya Aristocrats, with the most popular commander being the aforementioned <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Asmira, Holy Avenger" href="#" target="_blank">Asmira, Holy Avenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Polukranos Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Polukranos Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leads a mere 37 of the 234 decks in the database.</p>
<p>Let's get cooking.</p>
<h2>Category #1: The Hydras</h2>
<p>Even though this deck operates as an Aristocrats deck, it needs the appropriate amount of Hydras to run smoothly.</p>
<p>Here are the Hydras that enter as 0/0s if we don't put mana into their X costs:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feral Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Feral Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genesis Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Genesis Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricopian"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feral Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Genesis Hydra"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goldvein Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Goldvein Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hooded Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Hooded Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hungering Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Hungering Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lifeblood Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Lifeblood Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mistcutter Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Mistcutter Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Neverwinter Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Neverwinter Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lifeblood Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mistcutter Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Neverwinter Hydra"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Primordial Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Primordial Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampant Rejuvenator" href="#" target="_blank">Rampant Rejuvenator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steelbane Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Steelbane Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vastwood Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Vastwood Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wildwood Scourge" href="#" target="_blank">Wildwood Scourge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wren&#039;s Run Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Wren&#039;s Run Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vastwood Hydra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wildwood Scourge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wren&#039;s Run Hydra"></div></div>
<p>The best thing about these Hydras is that we can use their abilities in the late game if we need to. A couple of examples: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genesis Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Genesis Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the classic "Commander staples" from 2015 that can grant insane value, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fun political tool, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hooded Hydra" href="#" target="_blank">Hooded Hydra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can come down as a morph creature in the early game and provide 1/1 Snakes later on.</p>
<p>With our commander transformed, we can cast these Hydras for one or two mana, generating two 3/3 Hydra tokens and triggering any other death effects we may have in play.</p>
<h2>Category #2: Dies Triggers</h2>
<p>Since our many Hydras are meant to die, I loaded this deck up with as many death triggers as possible.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fecundity" href="#" target="_blank">Fecundity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> draws cards when any creature dies, and even though it's symmetrical, opponents tend to like the extra value it brings.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Martyr&#039;s Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Martyr&#039;s Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> acts as the white version of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dictate of Erebos" href="#" target="_blank">Dictate of Erebos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this deck, as everyone will be forced to sacrifice a creature when one of ours dies.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> returns creatures to our hand when they die, allowing us to have explosive turns.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage" href="#" target="_blank">Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> either grows by +2/+2 or creates 2/2 Spirit tokens when a nontoken creature dies under our control.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Luminous Broodmoth" href="#" target="_blank">Luminous Broodmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings our Hydras right back to trigger our "death effects" all over again.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spinner of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Spinner of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spins us into a new creature when one dies (pun intended).</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Masamune" href="#" target="_blank">The Masamune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> doubles up all of our death triggers if it's equipped.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fecundity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Martyr&#039;s Bond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is this deck as well, and while it's not as useful for our Hydras that enter and immediately die, it's too good of a card to exclude in this strategy (especially when we're creating expendable Hydra tokens every turn).</p>
<h2>Category #3: Recursion</h2>
<p>Our creatures will die often, and that means we need a solid recursion package to ensure we can keep the engine running. This deck's package is pretty sweet:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valkyrie&#039;s Call" href="#" target="_blank">Valkyrie&#039;s Call</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will immediately return our Hydras when they die as flying Angels.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smile at Death" href="#" target="_blank">Smile at Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can recur two Hydras per turn with +1/+1 counters on them.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abiding Grace" href="#" target="_blank">Abiding Grace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> returns a one-mana Hydra to play on our end step.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hourglass of the Lost" href="#" target="_blank">Hourglass of the Lost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can return a huge number of creatures in one go.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sun Titan" href="#" target="_blank">Sun Titan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> recurs one permanent of our choice when it enters <em>and</em> attacks.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raise the Past" href="#" target="_blank">Raise the Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can reanimate a full graveyard of Hydras, as can <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Storm of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Creeping Renaissance" href="#" target="_blank">Creeping Renaissance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> returns all of our creatures from our graveyard to our hand, allowing them to be cast again.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valkyrie&#039;s Call"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smile at Death"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abiding Grace"></div></div>
<p>Okay, so we can reanimate our Hydras, but how do we win?</p>
<h2>Category #4: The "Secret Spice"</h2>
<p>Outside of our "combat damage with a bunch of Hydras" plan, we have a couple of ways to go infinite in this deck.</p>
<p>First, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nim Deathmantle" href="#" target="_blank">Nim Deathmantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nim Deathmantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashnod&#039;s Altar"></div></div>
<p>These two cards are notorious for their combo potential, but with our commander being transformed, we receive two 3/3 Hydra tokens whenever a nontoken Hydra dies. This means we can sacrifice both tokens to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashnod&#039;s Altar" href="#" target="_blank">Ashnod&#039;s Altar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to generate the mana needed to return a creature with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nim Deathmantle" href="#" target="_blank">Nim Deathmantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This process will grant us a net gain of one 3/3 token each time, allowing us to generate an infinite number of 3/3 tokens.</p>
<p>This might seem like a boring way to win, but with all of our death triggers in play, it'll make the turn feel more like a finely tuned Rube Goldberg Machine than anything else.</p>
<p>Our second combo involves <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tangleroot" href="#" target="_blank">Tangleroot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enduring Renewal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tangleroot"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricopian"></div></div>
<p>All we need for this to work is a one-mana Hydra in hand; let's say it's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for one green mana, and immediately gain one green back from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tangleroot" href="#" target="_blank">Tangleroot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricopian" href="#" target="_blank">Capricopian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will die, creating two 3/3 Hydra tokens and returning to our hand thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enduring Renewal" href="#" target="_blank">Enduring Renewal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Rinse, repeat.</p>
<p>This combo will also grant us an infinite number of 3/3 tokens, but in a more interesting way (in my opinion).</p>
<h2>Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p>That brings us to the end of this week's edition of <em>Bottom of the Barrel</em>! I hope you have enjoyed exploring this lesser-played commander/theme pairing with me! This was a super fun build, and while it seems extremely fragile, it's definitely something I'm looking forward to trying in paper.</p>
<p>Check out my deck list below!</p>
<h2>Polukranos Reborn Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Polukranos Reborn - Selesnya Aristocrats" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Polukranos Reborn // Polukranos, Engine of Ruin
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Anafenza, Unyielding Lineage
*1 Benevolent Hydra
*1 Capricopian
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Defiler of Vigor
*1 Elvish Mystic
*1 Feral Hydra
*1 Genesis Hydra
*1 Goldvein Hydra
*1 Hooded Hydra
*1 Hungering Hydra
*1 Karametra, God of Harvests
*1 Lifeblood Hydra
*1 Llanowar Elves
*1 Luminous Broodmoth
*1 Managorger Hydra
*1 Mistcutter Hydra
*1 Mondrak, Glory Dominus
*1 Moorland Rescuer
*1 Neverwinter Hydra
*1 Nyxborn Hydra
*1 Primordial Hydra
*1 Protean Hydra
*1 Rampant Rejuvenator
*1 Ranger of Eos
*1 Recruiter of the Guard
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Spinner of Souls
*1 Steelbane Hydra
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Vastwood Hydra
*1 Voracious Hydra
*1 Wildwood Scourge
*1 Wren&#039;s Run Hydra
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Abiding Grace
*1 Enduring Renewal
*1 Fecundity
*1 Martyr&#039;s Bond
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Renewed Solidarity
*1 Smile at Death
*1 Tribute to the World Tree
*1 Valkyrie&#039;s Call
[/Enchantments]
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Druid&#039;s Deliverance
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Rally the Ancestors
*1 Sundering Growth
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Creeping Renaissance
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Raise the Past
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Split Up
*1 Storm of Souls
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Herd Heirloom
*1 Hourglass of the Lost
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Nim Deathmantle
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Tangleroot
*1 The Masamune
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Bountiful Promenade
*1 Brushland
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*9 Forest
*1 High Market
*1 Horizon Canopy
*1 Hushwood Verge
*1 Lush Portico
*1 Mutavault
*1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
*1 Overgrown Farmland
*7 Plains
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Selesnya Sanctuary
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Temple Garden
*1 Temple of Plenty
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 War Room
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]"></span></div>


Selesnya Aristocrats With Polukranos Reborn

The Best Graveyard Cards of 2025 for Commander

Underplayed Partner Options for Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist|voc|119" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/algenpfleger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johannes Voss</a></em></p>
<p>Do you find yourself afflicted with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Morbid Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Morbid Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you view each Commander game as a literal <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death Match" href="#" target="_blank">Death Match</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Do you welcome <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death&#039;s Approach" href="#" target="_blank">Death&#039;s Approach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with open arms? If so, you may find yourself aligned with one of Commander's most popular archetypes: <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/aristocrats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aristocrats</a>.</p>
<p>This strategy involves sacrificing creatures for value, bringing them back, then sacrificing them again for even more value.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Morbid Curiosity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Death Match"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Death&#039;s Approach"></div></div>
<p>Aristocrats decks usually include <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, and frequently <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, sometimes branching off into other colors, like <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> aristocrats cards do exist, but they're much less common than other colors).</p>
<p>The strategy gets its name from cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cartel Aristocrat" href="#" target="_blank">Cartel Aristocrat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which defined the archetype as Commander was becoming more popular. But Aristocrats is so much more than just a name. It's become one of the most popular ways to play our format, with more than 84,000 decks on EDHREC centered around the strategy.</p>
<p>The most popular commanders are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teysa Karlov" href="#" target="_blank">Teysa Karlov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Meren of Clan Nel Toth" href="#" target="_blank">Meren of Clan Nel Toth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who provide a big boost to any deck's effectiveness from the command zone.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cartel Aristocrat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Teysa Karlov"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Meren of Clan Nel Toth"></div></div>
<p>But, what makes up the 99 of an aristocrats deck? And how do you make sure that you keep the value, and the blood, flowing in your pod? That's what this Guide intends to show you.</p>


<p>One way to conceptualize an Aristocrats deck is as a three-legged stool. Without any one of these three legs, the deck won't perform well. It's important to have a balance of all these components in your 99, and possibly even one of them in your command zone, to ensure that you'll have access to each of them when you need it.</p>
<p><strong>1. Sacrifice Outlets</strong></p>
<p>Sac outlets, or cards that let you sacrifice other creatures at a low cost (or no cost at all) are crucial to an Aristocrats deck's success. These cards ensure that you're making use of important death triggers, which a good Aristocrats deck will have plenty of.</p>
<p>Without a sac outlet, you're reliant on your opponents killing your creatures in combat, or with removal. If they see that you'll benefit from their death, your opponents likely won't do that. So, ensuring you've got a way to speed up the process of death is key.</p>
<p><strong>2. Sacrifice Fodder</strong></p>
<p>It's also important that you've got enough creatures to sacrifice. Whether that's creature tokens, disposable creatures, or creatures that can be brought back from the graveyard easily, it's important to have a lot of creatures that you won't mind killing.</p>
<p>Every deck is different, and most decks will pick one of those three types of creatures to focus on, while including the other two creatures secondarily.</p>
<p><strong>3. Sacrifice Payoffs</strong></p>
<p>Now, for the fun part. We'll hopefully have access to a cheap sacrifice outlet, and a lot of creatures to kill. But, if we don't have a payoff, we'll just be spinning our wheels. Whether the payoff for creatures dying is making more creatures, drawing cards, or even directly draining our opponents' life totals, we need some way to gain advantage from all the death we're causing.</p>
<p>This is the "leg" that most deckbuilders neglect: Aristocrats decks have a reputation for taking long, solitaire-esque turns with very little having changed at the end of them. Including enough sacrifice payoffs ensures that you avoid falling into that trap.</p>


<p>So, we've established the importance of each leg. Now let's talk about some specific cards that fill those roles well. I'll focus primarily on <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> cards, as most Aristocrats pilots will include it in their deck's color identity, but I'll branch out into other colors to showcase Commander's coolest tech.</p>
<p><strong>Sacrifice Outlets</strong></p>
<p>There's an abundance of sacrifice outlets available to Commander players, and I'll be focusing on the free ones. While low-cost ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleshtaker" href="#" target="_blank">Fleshtaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> certainly have their place, the difference between paying <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and paying <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for an effect is massive.</p>
<p>One of my favorite sac outlets is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Warren Soultrader" href="#" target="_blank">Warren Soultrader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which turns creatures into mana. At the low cost of just one life, this is essentially free in our 40-life format. Other great options include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Priest of Forgotten Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Priest of Forgotten Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for mana and card advantage at an efficient rate, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greater Good" href="#" target="_blank">Greater Good</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for the massive card advantage and graveyard-filling potential it provides.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Soultrader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Priest of Forgotten Gods"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greater Good"></div></div>
<p><strong>Sacrifice Fodder</strong></p>
<p>Decks often stick to one of three game plans: flooding the board with tokens, running a lot of disposable creatures in their 99, or including lots of creatures that can be recurred easily. I'll give one example for each.</p>
<p>Token creators, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophiomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ophiomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are particularly powerful when paired with free, instant-speed sacrifice outlets. When that condition is met, this Human Shaman can provide four creature tokens per table rotation - an incredible rate for just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>Cheap, disposable creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Greedy Freebooter" href="#" target="_blank">Greedy Freebooter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are also great, letting us gain little bits of value over and over again.</p>
<p>And, creatures that can bring themselves back from the graveyard easily, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ox of Agonas" href="#" target="_blank">Ox of Agonas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can be great inclusions too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ophiomancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Greedy Freebooter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ox of Agonas"></div></div>
<p><strong>Sacrifice Payoffs</strong></p>
<p>The most iconic card for modern Aristocrats decks, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also one of its most powerful payoffs. This Vampire is everything we want: It's cheap, it triggers off of <em>all</em> creatures dying - including our opponents' - and it can end games quickly. It should be automatically included in most every Aristocrats deck that can run it.</p>
<p>Other payoffs include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Market" href="#" target="_blank">Black Market</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can provide a truly remarkable amount of mana, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Battle of Hoover Dam" href="#" target="_blank">Battle of Hoover Dam</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which has two extremely useful modes in graveyard-centric decks.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Artist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Black Market"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Battle of Hoover Dam"></div></div>


<p>To show you an example of an Aristocrats deck, we'll be putting together an Orzhov (<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-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) list, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zahur, Glory&#039;s Past" href="#" target="_blank">Zahur, Glory&#039;s Past</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> at the helm. This Zombie Cat Warrior covers at least one of our three needs, acting as a free sacrifice outlet that we'll always have access to.</p>
<p>Plus, if we're able to get up to max speed (by making an opponent lose life on at least three separate turns), we'll get a nice sacrifice payoff too!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zahur, Glory&#039;s Past"></div></div>
<p>I like this commander for a few reasons. First, it's cheap; at just two mana, we'll be able to access Zahur early and often. Second, his color identity lets us access the best Aristocrats cards in Commander. Let's see what the rest of the deck has in store.</p>


<p><strong>Sacrifice Outlets</strong></p>
<p>We've got some powerful cards here, including some of the favorites I mentioned earlier. But, I've also included some Zombie-centric outlets, to lean into the typal theme that our commander encourages.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghoulcaller Gisa" href="#" target="_blank">Ghoulcaller Gisa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can provide a <em>ton</em> of 2/2 Zombie tokens for us, even if the average power of creatures in this deck is relatively low. Turning a 3/3 into three 2/2s is amazing, letting us trigger our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects and giving us more sacrifice fodder for later.</p>
<p>Speaking of, the recently released <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umbral Collar Zealot" href="#" target="_blank">Umbral Collar Zealot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fits right in as a backup version of our commander. Because we've got some reanimation effects, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unearth" href="#" target="_blank">Unearth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, available to us, being able to simultaneously sacrifice a creature and dump more cards into the graveyard is quite strong.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghoulcaller Gisa"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Umbral Collar Zealot"></div></div>
<p><strong>Sacrifice Fodder</strong></p>
<p>This list is focused pretty heavily on tokens. Our commander can make us tokens pretty frequently, and cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adeline, Resplendent Cathar" href="#" target="_blank">Adeline, Resplendent Cathar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia" href="#" target="_blank">Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="On Wings of Gold" href="#" target="_blank">On Wings of Gold</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are each useful ways for us to flood the board with creature tokens.</p>
<p>Adeline is probably the most powerful of the bunch, netting us three 1/1 tokens every single time we attack!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adeline, Resplendent Cathar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="On Wings of Gold"></div></div>
<p><strong>Sacrifice Payoffs</strong></p>
<p>Our death triggers are focused primarily on life loss, to ensure Zahur and our other max speed cards are as effective as possible. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cruel Celebrant" href="#" target="_blank">Cruel Celebrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim" href="#" target="_blank">Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marionette Apprentice" href="#" target="_blank">Marionette Apprentice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are all nice companions to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>We've also got card advantage pieces, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Morbid Opportunist" href="#" target="_blank">Morbid Opportunist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and mana advantage pieces, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pitiless Plunderer" href="#" target="_blank">Pitiless Plunderer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Because we're 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-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> deck, we've got no shortage of payoff pieces.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cruel Celebrant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Marionette Apprentice"></div></div>


<p>This deck's also got a fun Zombie subtheme. From <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gravecrawler" href="#" target="_blank">Gravecrawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Death Baron" href="#" target="_blank">Death Baron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we've got some of Commander's strongest undead in our 99.</p>
<p>We've also got more ways to make Zombie tokens, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="God-Eternal Oketra" href="#" target="_blank">God-Eternal Oketra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Liliana, Dreadhorde General" href="#" target="_blank">Liliana, Dreadhorde General</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, ensuring we'll have on-theme sacrifice fodder.</p>
<p>There's even typal cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Accursed Duneyard" href="#" target="_blank">Accursed Duneyard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptbreaker" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptbreaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in this list.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gravecrawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="God-Eternal Oketra"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Accursed Duneyard"></div></div>
<p>Other max speed cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Embalmed Ascendant" href="#" target="_blank">Embalmed Ascendant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gas Guzzler" href="#" target="_blank">Gas Guzzler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hour of Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Hour of Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, let us take advantage of the lifeloss we're sure to be spreading around the table, while also furthering our main game plan.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Embalmed Ascendant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gas Guzzler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hour of Victory"></div></div>


<p>And, finally, here's our full deck list:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="AristoCats" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="https://archidekt.com/decks/16857185/aristocats" cards="[Commander]
*1 Zahur, Glory&#039;s Past
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Anguished Unmaking
*1 Corrupted Conviction
*1 Deadly Dispute
*1 Despark
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Vanishing Verse
*1 Village Rites
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Ashnod&#039;s Altar
*1 Cursecloth Wrappings
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bastion of Remembrance
*1 Bitterblossom
*1 Funeral Room // Awakening Hall
*1 Hour of Victory
*1 On Wings of Gold
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 The Meathook Massacre
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
*1 Blood Artist
*1 Bloodghast
*1 Corpse Knight
*1 Cruel Celebrant
*1 Cryptbreaker
*1 Death Baron
*1 Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim
*1 Embalmed Ascendant
*1 Enduring Innocence
*1 Gas Guzzler
*1 Ghoulcaller Gisa
*1 God-Eternal Oketra
*1 Gravecrawler
*1 Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia
*1 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
*1 Lord of the Accursed
*1 Lurrus of the Dream-Den
*1 Marionette Apprentice
*1 Morbid Opportunist
*1 Nesting Bot
*1 Ophiomancer
*1 Pitiless Plunderer
*1 Priest of Forgotten Gods
*1 Reassembling Skeleton
*1 Teysa Karlov
*1 Umbral Collar Zealot
*1 Undead Augur
*1 Vengeful Bloodwitch
*1 Warren Soultrader
*1 Wayward Servant
*1 Welcoming Vampire
*1 Zulaport Cutthroat
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Damn
*1 Dewdrop Cure
*1 Raise the Past
*1 Reanimate
*1 Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation
*1 Unearth
*1 Victimize
[/Sorceries]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Liliana, Dreadhorde General
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Accursed Duneyard
*1 Amonkhet Raceway
*1 Bleachbone Verge
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fetid Heath
*1 Fountainport
*1 Godless Shrine
*1 Isolated Chapel
*1 Muraganda Raceway
*11 Plains
*1 Shattered Sanctum
*10 Swamp
*1 Tainted Field
*1 Vault of Champions
[/Lands]"></span></div>


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