<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Woe" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Woe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by rk post</span></i></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since <em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em> came out, we’ve explored the students at the Arcavios Academy, with <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-wizard-typal-with-kaza-roil-chaser">Wizards</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-warlock-typal-with-honest-rutstein">Warlocks</a>, as well as the the mascots of the colleges, with <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-inkling-typal-with-felisa-fang-of-silverquill">Inklings</a>, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-pest-typal-with-blech-loafing-pest">Pests</a>, and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-fractal-typal-deck-with-primo-the-unbounded">Fractals</a> (but not <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-spirit-typal-with-millicent-restless-revenant">Spirits</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/decyphering-the-new-elemental-commander-mass-of-mysteries">Elementals</a>, as those had been discussed in <em>Innistrad</em> and <em>Lorwyn</em>, respectively). But there is one…secret Typal strategy that was part of both <em>Strixhaven</em> sets, getting a major glow-up in the most recent visit.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have you guessed it? It’s <a href="http://edhrec.com/tags/avatars">Avatars</a>!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avatars have taken a variety of forms, both in art and in gameplay mechanics, since their introduction. In <em>Strixhaven</em>, Avatars represent raw, primordial mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wandering Archaic" href="#" target="_blank">Wandering Archaic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was a standout from that initial foray, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wildgrowth Archaic" href="#" target="_blank">Wildgrowth Archaic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> shows the polychromatic beauty of the creature type, which brings together all colors of mana and all planes of existence. Avatars truly represent the spirit of Pride and couldn’t be more perfect to highlight as the calendar flips from May to June.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avatars represent everything from strong emotions, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, to whole planes of existence, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Soul of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Many powerful characters from Universes Beyond have also featured the Avatar type, although they don’t necessarily mesh well, mechanically or lore-wise, with the in-universe Avatars. It is cool, however, to see the depth and breadth of the creature type.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avatar Aang"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sauron, the Dark Lord"></div></div>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avatar History</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The earliest Avatars are also among the more iconic: the Avatar cycle from <em>Prophecy</em>. Each is an eight-mana creature with gaudy stats and conditions for a massive cost reduction. They are also named after strong emotions and feature some form of evasion; three fly, one tramples, and one has fear. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Woe" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Woe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in particular, was an early Commander staple, as it cares about creatures in all graveyards, taps to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terror" href="#" target="_blank">Terror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and is a six-power creature that many decks can’t block.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another major cycle of Avatars was the Soul cycle from <em>Magic 2015</em>. These creatures have a form of evasion along with two activated abilities, one that is repeatable on the battlefield and one that does the same effect but only once and from the graveyard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul of New Phyrexia" href="#" target="_blank">Soul of New Phyrexia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, in particular, is a solid defense for board wipes and can often surprise opponents when sprung out of the graveyard.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we win a game with six- and eight-mana creatures? And what kind of commander could bring them together?</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karona, False God"></div></div>
<h2><strong>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karona, False God" href="#" target="_blank">Karona, False God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s certainly fitting to write about a false god in the wake of the finale of <em>The Boys</em>, given Homelander’s fate (no spoilers here). For as long as Commander has been a format, I’ve seen people trying to solve the intriguing puzzle the Karona poses. Its abilities are funky, exciting, and, seemingly, built for multiplayer.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Karona is all five colors plus a generic mana for a 5/5 haste creature. The haste is particularly important because each player untapps and gains control of it during their upkeep. These two elements are what separate <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Threaten" href="#" target="_blank">Threaten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mind Control" href="#" target="_blank">Mind Control</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, making Karona fairly strongly red-aligned. Lore-wise, this makes sense, as Karona is a version of Jeska, who has typically been red, like in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Warrior Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Warrior Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Thrice Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Thrice Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The real sauce, though, comes with Karona’s triggered ability. When Karona attacks, all creatures of the type of its controller’s choice get a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Giant Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Giant Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It’s worth noting that this occurs regardless of who controls the creature, so it’s important to note changelings and type overlap. Luckily, though, few players seem to run incidental Avatars nowadays, so we can supercharge our board with little fear.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But what would an Avatar deck look like? And what support would they need?</span></p>
<h2><strong>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karona, False God" href="#" target="_blank">Karona, False God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avatars are large creatures, representing sprawling concepts like powerful emotions and whole planes of existence. As a result, they boast large mana values and stats. These make it difficult to create a cohesive identity, as amassing a board of multiple large creatures has historically been difficult. Thankfully, many have abilities to reduce their cost or be relevant in different zones.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wildgrowth Archaic"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Soul of Ravnica"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wildgrowth Archaic" href="#" target="_blank">Wildgrowth Archaic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul of Ravnica" href="#" target="_blank">Soul of Ravnica</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> both care about the amount of colors we’re playing, although they also both provide value, even if our colors aren’t fixed. The Archaic gets bigger the more colors of mana we use, but can also be an early chump blocker if needed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soul of Ravnica" href="#" target="_blank">Soul of Ravnica</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a flying threat and draws cards equal to the amount of colors among permanents we control. Doing this multiple times if it’s out can be backbreaking, while it still functions from the grave to push us through slogs.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Avatar of Woe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overlord of the Hauntwoods"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Woe" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Woe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overlord of the Hauntwoods" href="#" target="_blank">Overlord of the Hauntwoods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are powerful creatures that have been played in multiple formats due to their ability to circumvent their high mana costs. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avatar of Woe" href="#" target="_blank">Avatar of Woe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>’s powers were mentioned earlier, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overlord of the Hauntwoods" href="#" target="_blank">Overlord of the Hauntwoods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its ilk can be cast for an impending cost, triggering ETBs (enter the battlefield effects) such as its own ability to make an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everywhere|TDSK|16" href="#" target="_blank">Everywhere</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> land token, helping us ramp and fix our mana.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Diluvian Primordial"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deus of Calamity"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The primordials of <em>Ravnica</em>, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diluvian Primordial" href="#" target="_blank">Diluvian Primordial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the demigod cycle of <em>Shadowmoor</em> and <em>Eventide</em>, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deus of Calamity" href="#" target="_blank">Deus of Calamity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, may be pricey, but they are undoubtedly powerful. The primordials do powerful things with opposing card zones, while the demigods are able to be cast flexibly because of their hybrid costs and dominate combat.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we get these big bodies out?</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Persist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodline Bidding"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodline Bidding" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodline Bidding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are reanimation effects that either have low mana costs or can be cast for less. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Persist" href="#" target="_blank">Persist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plays off of the subtle advantage Avatars have by being powerful creatures that somehow aren’t legendary, despite feeling like they could be. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodline Bidding" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodline Bidding</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent means of recovering from board wipes, bringing a whole board back because they share a type.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Soul Stone"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Belbe&#039;s Portal"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Soul Stone" href="#" target="_blank">The Soul Stone</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a ramp piece that pulls double duty as a reanimation spell late. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Belbe&#039;s Portal" href="#" target="_blank">Belbe&#039;s Portal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meanwhile, lets us drop our big creatures directly into play. Since many of them have strong ETBs, like the primordials, we can trigger them at instant speed while completely disrupting our opponents’ combat plans.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The World Tree"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ketria Triome"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Five-color decks often have difficulty with their manabases, but ours is fairly simple. On one hand, we have nonbasics like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The World Tree" href="#" target="_blank">The World Tree</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which make mana of any color. On the other hand, we have the Triomes, which mesh well together to fix our mana, but slow our spells a bit. Still, the mana fixing and cycling option help us cast our spells and draw out of flood, which we need to function.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we close the game out?</span></p>
<h2><strong>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karona, False God" href="#" target="_blank">Karona, False God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span><i> </i>Commander Deck Win?</strong></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kindred Summons"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selvala&#039;s Stampede"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our primary means of winning is via card quality, beating in with large creatures grown by our commander that dwarf what opponents are casting. This is a risky proposition unless we have ways of creating our large creatures quickly, which our ramp and reanimation spells do.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Being in green provides another benefit, however. As a large creature stompy deck, we can play powerful spells that put multiple large creatures out at a time. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Summons" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Summons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can put many Avatars out as long as we had some to begin with, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Selvala&#039;s Stampede" href="#" target="_blank">Selvala&#039;s Stampede</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can drop Avatars from our hand and deck.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Karona, False God Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Karona, False God
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Avatar of Fury
*1 Avatar of Growth
*1 Avatar of Might
*1 Avatar of Slaughter
*1 Avatar of Woe
*1 Body of Knowledge
*1 Deus of Calamity
*1 Diluvian Primordial
*1 Divinity of Pride
*1 Dominus of Fealty
*1 Ghastlord of Fugue
*1 Luminate Primordial
*1 Muldrotha, the Gravetide
*1 Nobilis of War
*1 Overbeing of Myth
*1 Overlord of the Boilerbilges
*1 Overlord of the Floodpits
*1 Overlord of the Hauntwoods
*1 Overlord of the Mistmoors
*1 Oversoul of Dusk
*1 Primeval Protector
*1 Primeval Spawn
*1 Sauron, Lord of the Rings
*1 Scion of Darkness
*1 Sepulchral Primordial
*1 Soul of Eternity
*1 Soul of New Phyrexia
*1 Soul of Ravnica
*1 Soul of Zendikar
*1 Wandering Archaic // Explore the Vastlands
*1 Wildgrowth Archaic
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Belbe&#039;s Portal
*1 Cauldron of Essence
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Monster Manual // Zoological Study
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Soul Stone
*1 Urza&#039;s Incubator
*1 Whip of Erebos
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Bloodline Bidding
*1 Cultivate
*1 Farseek
*1 Incarnation Technique
*1 Kindred Charge
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Open the Way
*1 Patriarch&#039;s Bidding
*1 Persist
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Reanimate
*1 Selvala&#039;s Stampede
*1 Skyshroud Claim
*1 Three Visits
*1 Tooth and Nail
*1 Will of the Abzan
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Growth Spiral
*1 Kindred Summons
*1 Planar Genesis
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Wild Pair
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Forbidden Orchard
*4 Forest
*1 Indatha Triome
*4 Island
*1 Jetmir&#039;s Garden
*1 Ketria Triome
*1 Mana Confluence
*4 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*4 Plains
*1 Raffine&#039;s Tower
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Reflecting Pool
*1 Savai Triome
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*4 Swamp
*1 The World Tree
*1 Unclaimed Territory
*1 Xander&#039;s Lounge
*1 Zagoth Triome
*1 Ziatora&#039;s Proving Ground
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Avatars are a type that has been around for a while, both in-universe and beyond. This build was focused on in-universe Avatars, but there are lots of ways to go, and not all of them use all five colors.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how would you build Avatars? And which commander would you choose?</span></p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/building-wizard-typal-with-kaza-roil-chaser</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/building-inkling-typal-with-felisa-fang-of-silverquill</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/decyphering-the-new-elemental-commander-mass-of-mysteries</p>


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avatar typal

Building Avatar Typal with Karona, False God