Tetsuko Umezawa: A Mono-Blue Guide to Compleation

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ravenous Rats" href="#" target="_blank">Ravenous Rats</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | <a href="http://www.carlcritchlow.com/">Art by Carl Critchlow</a></h6>
<h1>Rats, Baby!</h1>
<p>Welcome back to <em>Singleton Shmingleton</em>, where I bend the singleton rules of Commander by building decks with as many functional reprints of a certain card as possible. This week we're going to be talking about a classic engine of redundancy, everyone's favorite Rat. Or maybe <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rat Colony" href="#" target="_blank">second favorite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relentless Rats" href="#" target="_blank">third favorite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Marrow-Gnawer" href="#" target="_blank">Fourth favorite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Whatever, it's in the top twenty.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ravenous Rats"></div></div>
<p>That's right, this week we're building around the most underwhelming two-for-one imaginable, the card that has been filling out draft decks since <em>Urza's Destiny</em>. Two mana gets us a 1/1 and makes the opponent discard. They've printed three new versions of this effect within the last two years, which brings us up to five, which is fine but nothing to brag about.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rats" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="*Burglar Rat
*Corrupt Court Official
*Elderfang Disciple
*Ravenous Rats
*Virus Beetle"></span></div>

<p>But this is a design space they've been playing around in for a long time, and there's plenty of redundancy if we widen the scope just a little bit. Here's a non-exhaustive list of cheap creatures that take a card from an opponent's hand when they enter the battlefield.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Rats" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="*Acquisitions Expert
*Brain Maggot
*Chittering Rats
*Elite Spellbinder
*Kitesail Freebooter
*Mardu Skullhunter
*Mesmeric Fiend
*Miasmic Mummy
*Mindleech Ghoul
*Nimble Larcenist
*Rotting Rats
*Sin Collector
*Thought-Knot Seer
*Tidehollow Sculler
*Tourach, Dread Cantor
*Vendilion Clique"></span></div>

<hr />
<p>Some versions of this effect are better than others. Some target an opponent, while some make each opponent discard. Some give the card back when they leave play, some make us discard as well. The nice thing is that we actually have room to be picky when building because there are twenty-one of these cards!</p>
<p>None of them see enormous amounts of play, with the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ravenous Rats" href="#" target="_blank">original</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> showing up in 2966 decks and the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mardu Skullhunter" href="#" target="_blank">least popular</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only seeing play in 94 decks. One card that is surprisingly low is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Miasmic Mummy" href="#" target="_blank">Miasmic Mummy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which forces you to discard as well but is also a Zombie. Zombie decks are perfect for breaking the symmetry of this effect by abusing their graveyards, and this little guy deserves more than 2870 decks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elderfang Disciple" href="#" target="_blank">Elderfang Disciple</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burglar Rat" href="#" target="_blank">Burglar Rat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> see the most play since they say "each opponent," and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Virus Beetle" href="#" target="_blank">Virus Beetle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is catching up with them fast. All three slot into decks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tergrid, God of Fright" href="#" target="_blank">Tergrid, God of Fright</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tinybones, Trinket Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Tinybones, Trinket Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Raven Man" href="#" target="_blank">The Raven Man</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Those are all fine homes, but I wonder if mono-black really has the tools to capitalize on what these little critters offer.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elderfang Disciple"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tinybones, Trinket Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tergrid, God of Fright"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>What Do They Offer?</h2>
<p>All of these creatures provide disruption and a small amount of pressure. In twenty-life formats, 1/1s and 1/2s can eventually add up to a good chunk of damage, but in Commander these stats are basically negligible, so we'll have to take advantage of the bodies in other ways.</p>
<p>A tried and true way to take advantage of enter-the-battlefield abilities is to blink our Rats, both individually with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ephemerate" href="#" target="_blank">Ephemerate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or en masse using cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostway" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostway</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With enough redundancy, we can blink our Rats until our opponents are emptyhanded.</p>
<p>What's cool about this interaction is the ability to force our opponents to discard at instant speed. Outside of weird cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Piracy Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Piracy Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, there are very few instant-speed ways to interact with people's hands. It's why <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vendilion Clique" href="#" target="_blank">Vendilion Clique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is so special in 60-card formats. One play pattern that comes up with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vendilion Clique" href="#" target="_blank">Vendilion Clique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and almost no other card is to play the Clique in the opponent's draw step in order to be able to nab whatever they drew before they can play it. We can replicate this pattern with our blink spells, casting them just as our opponents draw and before they can play anything, effectively locking them out of playing any sorcery-speed cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vendilion Clique"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Some Sweet Interactions</h2>
<p>The best card in our deck is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadeye Navigator" href="#" target="_blank">Deadeye Navigator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. That won't come as a surprise to anyone who was around when players were asking for it to catch a ban, nor even for anyone who has just seen the card work. Deadeye and a Rat form the strongest engine in the deck, as with just two mana for each opponent we can stop their draws without spending any cards of our own.</p>
<p>Some of our Rats don't work very well with blink. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kitesail Freebooter" href="#" target="_blank">Kitesail Freebooter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only takes a card until it leaves play, so it's the worst one. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mesmeric Fiend" href="#" target="_blank">Mesmeric Fiend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tidehollow Sculler" href="#" target="_blank">Tidehollow Sculler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are worded differently, though, since they have two triggered abilities instead of one. If we blink them in response to their enter-the-battlefield trigger, the second ability resolves first and attempts to give the card back before we take it. Then the first ability takes the card for good. This won't help when we need to time our blinks to our opponents' draw steps, but it can help when people still have multiple cards in hand.</p>
<p>Once we get our engine running, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherize" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rebuild" href="#" target="_blank">Rebuild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> become very strong. Returning cards to hand is usually a tempo play that doesn't actually gain card advantage, but we can use our Rats to make our opponents discard all of the goodies they just picked up. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cyclonic Rift" href="#" target="_blank">Cyclonic Rift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s single-target mode can basically be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vindicate" href="#" target="_blank">Vindicate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in our deck (not that Cyclonic Rift needed to get better).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherize"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rebuild"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cyclonic Rift"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Some Realism</h2>
<p>If all of this sounds a little optimistic to you, you're exactly right. This deck suffers the same problem that other discard decks face: if our opponents get ahead on board or find some other way to gain card advantage, they can overpower us. We put a target on our heads by making our opponents discard those fun cards they wanted to cast, even if we aren't doing anything broken. Our lock isn't incredibly strong; it relies on us drawing blink spells for every opponent every turn, and many of our Rats give cards back when they die.</p>
<p>But maybe our weakness is a hidden strength (it's funny how you can say that in multiplayer). We can use our disruption politically, lock down the draws of the opponent who's farthest ahead, then give the rest of the table the ability to catch up. We can slow the game down very well, but we still need a way to win.</p>
<p>Here's where we can turn to a combo I've been putting in a lot of decks recently. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mindcrank" href="#" target="_blank">Mindcrank</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> makes our opponents mill when they lose life, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Duskmantle Guildmage" href="#" target="_blank">Duskmantle Guildmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s ability makes them lose life when they mill. I like this combo because it's very compact. Both pieces cost two mana, so they can sneak in whenever there's a window. Our deck is also full of two-drops, so we can add a <em>Transmute</em> package easily.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Duskmantle Guildmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mindcrank"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muddle the Mixture"></div></div>
<p>If you're not a fan of combos, you can try to grind opponents out with Rats and beat down with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yorion, Sky Nomad" href="#" target="_blank">Yorion, Sky Nomad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Soulherder" href="#" target="_blank">Soulherder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It will be a lot harder, but it does sound like a heckuva good time. Rounding out the deck we have some ways to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mentor of the Meek" href="#" target="_blank">draw cards</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, some ways to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Return to the Ranks" href="#" target="_blank">recur</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> our Rats if they get killed, and some general purpose answers.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Which Card? Discard." site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Aminatou, the Fateshifter
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Abdel Adrian, Gorion&#039;s Ward
*Acquisitions Expert
*Agent of Treachery
*Brago, King Eternal
*Burglar Rat
*Bygone Bishop
*Charming Prince
*Chittering Rats
*Corrupt Court Official
*Deadeye Navigator
*Dimir Infiltrator
*Displacer Kitten
*Duskmantle Guildmage
*Elderfang Disciple
*Kitesail Freebooter
*Lurrus of the Dream-Den
*Mardu Skullhunter
*Mentor of the Meek
*Mesmeric Fiend
*Miasmic Mummy
*Mindleech Ghoul
*Mistmeadow Witch
*Nimble Larcenist
*Ravenous Rats
*Rotting Rats
*Sin Collector
*Soulherder
*Sun Titan
*Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
*The Raven Man
*Tidehollow Sculler
*Tinybones, Trinket Thief
*Tourach, Dread Cantor
*Vendilion Clique
*Virus Beetle
*Welcoming Vampire
*Yorion, Sky Nomad
[/Creature]
[Instant]
*Acrobatic Maneuver
*Aetherize
*Blur
*Cloudshift
*Cyclonic Rift
*Eerie Interlude
*Ephemerate
*Ghostly Flicker
*Ghostway
*Illusionist&#039;s Stratagem
*Lae&#039;zel&#039;s Acrobatics
*Momentary Blink
*Muddle the Mixture
*Path to Exile
*Predict
*Rally the Ancestors
*Rebuild
*Semester&#039;s End
*Shred Memory
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Ascend from Avernus
*Return to the Ranks
[/Sorcery]
[Artifact]
*Arcane Signet
*Mindcrank
*Panharmonicon
*Sol Ring
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*Mind Slash
*Tocasia&#039;s Welcome
[/Enchantment]
[Land]
*Arcane Sanctum
*Ash Barrens
*Command Tower
*Dimir Aqueduct
*Dismal Backwater
*Drowned Catacomb
*Evolving Wilds
*Glacial Fortress
*4x Island
*Isolated Chapel
*Orzhov Basilica
*7x Plains
*Scoured Barrens
*8x Swamp
*Tainted Field
*Temple of Deceit
*Temple of Enlightenment
*Temple of Silence
*Terramorphic Expanse
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Until Next Time</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manalith"></div></div>
<p>You don't want to miss this next one, folks. I'm going to take on one of the pillars (get it?) of the format to see if I can make a functional deck out of nothing but overcosted ramp. If <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manalith" href="#" target="_blank">Manalith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wasn't already the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-manaliths/">most</a>-<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/in-the-margins-manalith/">written</a>-<a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/ranking-every-mana-rock-with-edhrec-part-8-two-ramp-or-not-two-ramp/">about</a> <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/too-specific-top-10-common-core/">card</a> on this website, it will be now.</p>


Singleton Shmingleton - Ravenous Rats

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.tylerjacobsonart.com/">Tyler Jacobson</a>)</h6>
<h1>Epic Preparations</h1>
<p>Hello, EDHREC fans! I’m Bernardo, 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>Let's talk about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons" href="#" target="_blank">Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons"></div></div>
<p>Cheap commanders are great. I love how they always give us a consistent curve. Hapatra's an amazing turn-two play, sometimes considered to be at her best in those earlier stages of the game, where she can reliably attack without having to worry about blockers. Attack opponent X, then put counters on opponent Y's creatures? Awesome! It's especially amazing that there are so <em>many</em> synergies Hapatra can make use of: counters, tokens, deathtouch... she can do a lot for such a cheap body.</p>
<p>-1/-1 counters can be harder to build around than +1/+1 counters, not just because we see more +1/+1 counter effects in <em>Magic </em>sets, but also because 'controlling an enemy board' has a smaller range than 'buffing up my own board'. However, -1/-1 counters don't have to our primary focus with Hapatra. Perhaps we could turn that into a subtheme instead and give her a new archetype that will greatly benefit from keeping a big board under control.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Ingredients</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lolth, Spider Queen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vraska, Golgari Queen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk Relentless"></div></div>
<p>There are two big things that make Hapatra a great tool for controlling the board. First, shrinking enemy creatures is a natural part of her gameplan, and that will constantly make the most threatening creatures a lot less threatening. Second, we get deathtouch creatures as a reward whenever we do this! Those are amazing defensive creatures. That much potential for board control, on such a cheap body, is just <em>perfect</em> for a Superfriend strategy!</p>
<p>Vraskas, Garruks, Lolths, all these planeswalkers need good defenses for us to reach their amazing ultimate abilities. With Hapatra leading the charge, our turn-two commander will create a huge defensive line that keeps our 'walkers super safe, and super deadly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Contagion Clasp"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smell Fear"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Sage"></div></div>
<p>Not only that, but both -1/-1 counter decks and Superfriends decks are strategies that naturally want to play a ton of cards with <em>Proliferate</em>! In Hapatra Superfriends, these cards get even more impressive, simultaneously acting as a defensive tool <em>and </em>speeding up the clock to help our 'walkers reach their ultimates more quickly. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contagion Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Contagion Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Contagion Clasp" href="#" target="_blank">Contagion Clasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are great incremental value engines whose initial value goes into overdrive with our commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smell Fear" href="#" target="_blank">Smell Fear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be a strong removal spell, acting as a type of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doom Blade" href="#" target="_blank">Doom Blade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with powerful upside. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plaguemaw Beast" href="#" target="_blank">Plaguemaw Beast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is slow and clunky, but we're in no rush here, so having this consistent source of<em> Proliferate</em> is very much appreciated.</p>
<p>We protect our planeswalkers so well that we don't need to run a bazillion of them. They'll be super hard to kill regardless, so we can pick the very best 'walkers, and the ones we're playing pack plenty of power. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lolth, Spider Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Lolth, Spider Queen</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> are great value planeswalkers with kits that mesh really well with our commander, from their static abilities to their ultimates. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Apex Predator" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Apex Predator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> continues to be one of the most exciting top-end Golgari planeswalkers out there, providing solid board control and creating more and more bodies. Even weird ones, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Unleashed" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Unleashed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, can act as a 'support' planeswalker, allowing our commander to get through pesky chump blockers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skinrender"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Banewhip Punisher"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician"></div></div>
<p>While we're not trying to exclusively craft a -1/-1 counters deck, our deck still has the need for a solid -1/-1 counters package, so that Hapatra can get things started in the first place. Finding the right balance of these cards might be a bit meta-dependent, since creature-heavy environments might get more mileage out of cards that put -1/-1 counters onto every creature in play. My preferred approach is to avoid going in <em>too</em> deep with these effects because we really only need a handful of deathtouch tokens to fortify our Superfriends against a bevy of attackers.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth, Thran Physician" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth, Thran Physician</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be the best all-around card in the deck, providing an absolute amount of value and versatility (which includes a nasty combo). <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grim Affliction" href="#" target="_blank">Grim Affliction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> wouldn't normally make the cut, but that additional <em>Proliferate </em>is just too dang good, making blockers and pumping up a 'walker. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banewhip Punisher" href="#" target="_blank">Banewhip Punisher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a good value creature, providing a solid delayed removal and a body to go with it. Heck, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnifex Demon" href="#" target="_blank">Carnifex Demon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just crazy powerful when it hits in the mid-game! We care very little about the fact that it friendly-fires our own tokens, because Hapatra will just replace them!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Mixture</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Hapatra Superfriends" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*Birds of Paradise
*Elves of Deep Shadow
*Festering Mummy
*Banewhip Punisher
*Evolution Sage
*Carth the Lion
*Skinrender
*Yawgmoth, Thran Physician
*Plaguemaw Beast
*Carnifex Demon
*Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
[/Creature]
[Planeswalker]
*Nissa, Voice of Zendikar
*Garruk Relentless
*Garruk, Unleashed
*Sorin the Mirthless
*Vraska, Golgari Queen
*Lolth, Spider Queen
*Nissa, Vital Force
*Nissa, Who Shakes the World
*Ob Nixilis Reignited
*Vraska the Unseen
*Wrenn and Seven
*Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
*Liliana, Dreadhorde General
*Ugin, the Ineffable
*Vraska, Relic Seeker
*Garruk, Apex Predator
*Karn Liberated
*Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
[/Planeswalker]
[Enchantment]
*Oath of Nissa
*Crumbling Ashes
*The Meathook Massacre
*Blowfly Infestation
*Nest of Scarabs
[/Enchantment]
[Artifact]
*Skullclamp
*Sol Ring
*The Ozolith
*Contagion Clasp
*Lightning Greaves
*Swiftfoot Boots
*Sword of Truth and Justice
*Contagion Engine
[/Artifact]
[Instant]
*Malakir Rebirth
*Nature&#039;s Claim
*Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*Infernal Grasp
*Grim Affliction
*Khalni Ambush
*Hagra Mauling
[/Instant]
[Sorcery]
*Farseek
*Nature&#039;s Lore
*Rampant Growth
*Smell Fear
*Three Visits
*Bala Ged Recovery
*Cultivate
*Kodama&#039;s Reach
*Toxic Deluge
*Damnation
*Skyshroud Claim
*Turntimber Symbiosis
*Black Sun&#039;s Zenith
*Agadeem&#039;s Awakening
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Blooming Marsh
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Darkbore Pathway
*Ghost Quarter
*Grasping Dunes
*Ifnir Deadlands
*Karn&#039;s Bastion
*Llanowar Wastes
*Mana Confluence
*Nesting Grounds
*Nurturing Peatland
*Overgrown Tomb
*Phyrexian Tower
*Rogue&#039;s Passage
*Shizo, Death&#039;s Storehouse
*Tainted Wood
*Tectonic Edge
*Temple of Malady
*Twilight Mire
*Undergrowth Stadium
*Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*Woodland Cemetery
*Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
*6 Forest
*6 Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div>
<hr />
<div id="mtgh_f554a" class="mtgh">
<div class="header">
<p>There are so many cool support cards for counters strategies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crumbling Ashes" href="#" target="_blank">Crumbling Ashes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a staxy way of dealing with problematic creatures without having to over-commit with our counters. Spreading this effect around is always better for our <em>Proliferate</em> triggers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nest of Scarabs" href="#" target="_blank">Nest of Scarabs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great redundant piece for our commander, although it has the potential to create more tokens with cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Black Sun&#039;s Zenith" href="#" target="_blank">Black Sun&#039;s Zenith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we don't really invest all that much on these massive counter-placing spells.</p>
</div>
<hr />
<div class="header">
<h2>Methodology</h2>
</div>
</div>
<p>For opening hands, we're mainly looking for some early ramp and a planeswalker or two. Our mana curve might be a bit higher than other decks, what with all these planeswalkers, but since we have such a cheap commander, we can easily get our early game covered. Hapatra can snipe some early mana dorks an utility creatures, but even if we can't find another creature to put a -1/-1 counter onto, don't be afraid to put one onto Hapatra herself! Those deathtouch blockers are instrumental to protecting our planeswalkers once they start to arrive.</p>
<p>By the mid-game we should have at least one or two Snakes, which means the planeswalker arrival can finally commence! It will start a little slow, but with every 'walker we cast, we'll keep up with our enemies and the speed of our clock will increase. It's great to keep Hapatra in play if we can, but we don't need to be too afraid of losing her, because her cheap mana cost means we can always get her back really easily.</p>
<p>The late game often is kind to us, barring explosive aggro or combo decks. Very often, we can reach a post-Wrath board state that leads into a minor game stall-out, and at that moment, if we manage to land a planeswalker like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska, Relic Seeker" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska, Relic Seeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even plain <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ob Nixilis Reignited" href="#" target="_blank">Ob Nixilis Reignited</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, we can take control the pace of the game. Importantly, our deck does not have 'explosive' plays - we're not casting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tooth and Nail" href="#" target="_blank">Tooth and Nail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Torment of Hailfire" href="#" target="_blank">Torment of Hailfire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for a sudden victory, for instance - but with a little bit of scrappiness and clever timing, our slow-and-steady gameplan will be almost impossible for our enemies to dismantle.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Epic Results</h2>
<p>There's always room for improvement and adaptation for a list like this! Since this is a two-themed deck, we certainly run into that classic issue where, by the time we are finished including lands and general-purpose staples, we're somewhat card-slot-starved. It's entirely possible to choose to focus on one of those themes more than the other or to try a more middle-of-the-road approach.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Chain Veil"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smokestack"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Chain Veil" href="#" target="_blank">The Chain Veil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerful card in Superfriends lists, allowing for two (or even more) activations on the same turn. I thought it felt a smidge clunky in this deck, but you could totally choose to use it if you want extra planeswalker power!</p>
<p>Another powerful planeswalker staple I didn't include in this list is <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>, which arguably could increase our explosive potential. I chose to omit this card because ultimately I think opponents are more likely to focus on taking you down if they know your deck has a <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> that can auto-ultimate planeswalkers. This could be a meta call, though! If you like doubled loyalty and doubled Snake tokens, this is another exciting staple you could try.</p>
<p>And of course, you could make this alternative Hapatra brew even <em>more </em>alternative! If you'd like to go for a more Stax-oriented shell, that might be another powerful way to protect a board of planeswalkers, while we lose nothing but a few spare Snake tokens. We'd probably have to play fewer payoff cards (for instance, losing some of the <em>Proliferate</em> cards), but overall I think this themes and our commander could mesh pretty well if you're interested in making the deck a bit more vicious!</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Epic Experiment</em>! What do you think of this list? Do you have any questions about the deck? Which cards did you like? Which did you not? Was this Epic Experiment a success? Please let me know in the comments below!</p>


Epic Experiment - Hapatra Superfriends

Archetune-Up - With AAAARMS Wide Open

Epic Experiment - Extus, Oriq Overlord

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varina, Lich Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Varina, Lich Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/igorkieryluk">Igor Kieryluk</a>)</h6>
<h1>Unlimited Power</h1>
<p>Did you know that EDHREC has an <a href="https://edhwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page">EDH Wiki</a>? Go check it out, if you haven’t already; it’s written by the community <em>for </em>the community, and there’s a lot of cool stuff in there! <em>Deep Analysis</em> is series where we learn about an archetype using its Wiki page, then apply this new knowledge to build a deck.</p>
<p>In this article we'll be covering the Self-Mill archetype.</p>
<h4>"Self-mill is a strategy that focuses on placing as much of one’s own library into the graveyard as quickly as possible, most commonly for the purposes of using cards in that graveyard for additional resources, <a href="https://edhwiki.com/wiki/Recursion">recursion</a>, and/or <a href="https://edhwiki.com/wiki/Reanimator">reanimation</a>."</h4>
<p>Self-Mill is a flexible archetype because, while the name describes our general gameplan, it doesn't really tell us what we're doing with it. The most common types of Self-Mill decks are either Spellslinger-based or creature-based; both of these have similar patterns, but their payoffs are different.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Color Identity</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Dimir</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazav, the Multifarious"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taigam, Sidisi&#039;s Hand"></div></div>
<p>Dimir is the core color combination for Self-Mill. Blue offers plenty of enablers, while black provides both enablers and payoffs.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Golgari</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Izoni, Thousand-Eyed"></div></div>
<p>Golgari loves building up a graveyard for their usual shenanigans. Green works very similar to black, providing a solid combination of enablers and payoffs, which makes the color combination work. It's important to note that this color combination somewhat locks decks leaning towards this archetype into being more creature-centric.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Sultai</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Muldrotha, the Gravetide"></div></div>
<p>Sultai has all the Golgari/Dimir goodies, coupled with some of the most powerful commanders out there. One nice thing about this color combination's commander pool is how they tend to be build-enabling, making each deck unique.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Grixis</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kess, Dissident Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sedris, the Traitor King"></div></div>
<p>Grixis is an undervalued color combination for this, even though it has <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kess, Dissident Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kess, Dissident Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is a very popular commander for the strategy. The addition of red to Dimir makes the archetype that much more explosive, and having more wheel and discards effects really smooths out the early/ mid-game.</p>
<hr />
<h2>An Example Deck</h2>
<p>There are plenty of different directions that we can take. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varina, Lich Queen" href="#" target="_blank">Varina, Lich Queen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, is a great commander for a Self-Mill strategy: she's in a good color combination and she supports Zombies, a tribe that really benefits from the archetype. However, even though she's a great tribal commander, I tend to enjoy playing her more in control shells (I even <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/epic-experiment-varina-control/">wrote an article</a> about her a couple years back). Varina is a great mana sink that allows us to play an effective reactive game where we eventually start creating Zombie tokens that can be used to dig through our deck, fueling Varina even more, gain life, and establish a prominent board state.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Self-Mill Varina" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Varina, Lich Queen
[/Commander]
[Artifact]
*Codex Shredder
*Sol Ring
*Wand of Vertebrae
*Arcane Signet
*Fellwar Stone
*Mesmeric Orb
*Perpetual Timepiece
*Talisman of Dominance
*Talisman of Hierarchy
*Talisman of Progress
*Skyclave Relic
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Stitcher&#039;s Supplier
*Mire Triton
*Screeching Skaab
*Armored Skaab
*Hullbreacher
*Egon, God of Death
*Notion Thief
*Risen Executioner
*Wonder
*Narfi, Betrayer King
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Training Grounds
*Court of Cunning
*Anointed Procession
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Mental Note
*Opt
*Path to Exile
*Stubborn Denial
*Swords to Plowshares
*Thought Scour
*Arcane Denial
*Counterspell
*Cyclonic Rift
*Despark
*Disdainful Stroke
*Dovin&#039;s Veto
*Heartless Act
*Heliod&#039;s Intervention
*Mission Briefing
*Anguished Unmaking
*Frantic Search
*Empty the Pits
*Fact or Fiction
* Commit // Memory
*Dig Through Time
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*Narset, Parter of Veils
[/Planeswalker]
[Sorcery]
*Preordain
*Serum Visions
*Discovery // Dispersal
*Day&#039;s Undoing
*Bond of Insight
*Day of Judgment
*Deep Analysis
*Dread Return
*Wrath of God
*Final Parting
*From Under the Floorboards
*Unburial Rites
*Echo of Eons
*Merciless Eviction
*Treasure Cruise
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Adarkar Wastes
*Arcane Sanctum
*City of Brass
*Clearwater Pathway
*Command Tower
*Drowned Catacomb
*Exotic Orchard
*Fabled Passage
*Fetid Pools
*Ghost Quarter
*Glacial Fortress
*Godless Shrine
*Hallowed Fountain
*Irrigated Farmland
*Mana Confluence
*Morphic Pool
*Prismatic Vista
*Sea of Clouds
*Tectonic Edge
*Underground River
*Watery Grave
*Westvale Abbey
*8 Snow-Covered Island
*4 Snow-Covered Plains
*4 Snow-Covered Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div></p>
<hr />
<h3>Self-Mill</h3>
<p>These cards are our enablers; they feed Varina and allow us to do play some nice payoffs. There are basically two types: consistent and one-shot.</p>
<p><strong>Consistent Self-Mill</strong></p>
<p>These are slower sources of Mill; their value lies in either providing constant value or having some secondary effect also attached to itself, or both.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Codex Shredder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mesmeric Orb"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Court of Cunning"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Codex Shredder" href="#" target="_blank">Codex Shredder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mesmeric Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Mesmeric Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wand of Vertebrae" href="#" target="_blank">Wand of Vertebrae</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Egon, God of Death" href="#" target="_blank">Egon, God of Death</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perpetual Timepiece" href="#" target="_blank">Perpetual Timepiece</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Court of Cunning" href="#" target="_blank">Court of Cunning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>One-Shot Self-Mill</strong></p>
<p>One-shot effects are great for setting us up in the earlier portions of the game. After that, their value rapidly diminishes because we can fuel our graveyard just by playing cards. Plus, the consistent sources can also keep a constant flow of cards. One thing to notice is that they're all Zombies, which interacts pretty well with our commander.</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armored Skaab" href="#" target="_blank">Armored Skaab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mire Triton" href="#" target="_blank">Mire Triton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Screeching Skaab" href="#" target="_blank">Screeching Skaab</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stitcher&#039;s Supplier" href="#" target="_blank">Stitcher&#039;s Supplier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3>Self-Mill Payoff</h3>
<p>We run low on payoffs, but it's a more of a conscious choice than a lack of options. It's pretty easy to find them with all the Milling going around, so, by putting fewer in, we have a more consistent deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Narfi, Betrayer King"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wonder"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Empty the Pits"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narfi, Betrayer King" href="#" target="_blank">Narfi, Betrayer King</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wonder" href="#" target="_blank">Wonder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Empty the Pits" href="#" target="_blank">Empty the Pits</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dread Return" href="#" target="_blank">Dread Return</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unburial Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Unburial Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3>Thieves Combo</h3>
<p>The thieves combo is the combination of a "thief" effect, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Notion Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Notion Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and a wheel effect. This combo is great because we can have access to both parts of it in our graveyard, and they help us control our opponents by denying them cards. Now, it's important to recognize that some wheel effects reset our graveyard, which might be seen as counterproductive, because it undoes all the self-mill work we've done. However, I think we should look at this as an opportunity, since filling the graveyard is what helps us find this combo in the first place, and after all, we'll have to discard lots of cards right back into the graveyard afterward!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Notion Thief"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Echo of Eons"></div></div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hullbreacher" href="#" target="_blank">Hullbreacher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Notion Thief" href="#" target="_blank">Notion Thief</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Commit // Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Commit // Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Echo of Eons" href="#" target="_blank">Echo of Eons</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day&#039;s Undoing" href="#" target="_blank">Day&#039;s Undoing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p>Now let’s go check what we should be looking out for when playing with a Self-Mill deck.</p>
<h4>"Self-mill decks are exceptionally vulnerable to effects that exile cards from graveyards, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Relic of Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Relic of Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Such effects can wholly undo an entire game's worth of work from a self-mill deck and significantly hamper their strategy by eliminating an enormous pool of card advantage.</h4>
<h4>Self-mill decks that focus on eliminating their entire library run the risk of losing the game when they attempt to draw a card from an empty library if they do not locate a game-winning card such as Laboratory Maniac. This can make the self-mill deck hyper-reliant on a few key cards, which allows opponents to vastly incapacitate their strategy if those linchpin cards are removed."</h4>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Laboratory Maniac"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relic of Progenitus"></div></div>
<p>Graveyard hate is something that we should always worry about; some of our most effective pieces of our gameplan consist on using them either to fuel Varina or to cast spells from the graveyard. However, there's one silver lining: our commander is a powerful engine that can help us recover from bad situations, although we often need a little push to get started, and she offers a clear line of play that isn't as reliant on the graveyard.</p>
<p>Decking out is certainly something that we should worry about in longer games. We do have some three different <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Timetwister" href="#" target="_blank">Timetwister</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects, and they do help us, but it's still dangerous.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kess, Dissident Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazav, the Multifarious"></div></div>
<p>If you like making Zombie tokens but aren't particularly fond of the control shell above, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sidisi, Brood Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Sidisi, Brood Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great commander that has a somewhat similar kit.</p>
<p>If the spellslinger/control aspects are more your thing, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kess, Dissident Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Kess, Dissident Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a powerhouse option.</p>
<p>If you want something <em>very</em> different, but which still retains the above deck's flexibility, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazav, the Multifarious" href="#" target="_blank">Lazav, the Multifarious</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a toolbox commander you may enjoy.</p>
<hr />
<div>
<h2>Commander-Specific and Color-Specific Cards</h2>
<p>If you do decide to give self-mill a try, but don't know which cards in the list above are strictly there for self-mill or just for that commander, I've compiled some parting lists to help sort it out!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anointed Procession"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Training Grounds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fragmentize"></div></div>
</div>
<p>Commander-Specific cards</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anointed Procession" href="#" target="_blank">Anointed Procession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Training Grounds" href="#" target="_blank">Training Grounds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="From Under the Floorboards" href="#" target="_blank">From Under the Floorboards</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li>(Both Zombie lords are kind of reliant on having the Zombie tokens)</li>
</ul>
<p>Color-Specific cards: White</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talisman of Hierarchy" href="#" target="_blank">Talisman of Hierarchy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Talisman of Progress" href="#" target="_blank">Talisman of Progress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anointed Procession" href="#" target="_blank">Anointed Procession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anguished Unmaking" href="#" target="_blank">Anguished Unmaking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Despark" href="#" target="_blank">Despark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dovin&#039;s Veto" href="#" target="_blank">Dovin&#039;s Veto</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><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></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swords to Plowshares" href="#" target="_blank">Swords to Plowshares</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Day of Judgment" href="#" target="_blank">Day of Judgment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fragmentize" href="#" target="_blank">Fragmentize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Merciless Eviction" href="#" target="_blank">Merciless Eviction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unburial Rites" href="#" target="_blank">Unburial Rites</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><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></li>
</ul>
<p>And that’s it for this article. Now I want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on this list or on Self-Mill based decks in general. What archetype do you want to see covered next?</p>
<p>While this series will focus on just archetypes, <a href="https://edhwiki.com/wiki/Main_Page">there’s a ton of other cool community-built content in the Wiki</a>. Check it out, and feel free to contribute, if you’d like!</p>


Deep Analysis - Self-Mill

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| Art by <a href="http://www.rahnart.com/">Chris Rahn</a></h6>
<h1>Time to Make a New Friend</h1>
<p><em>Companions</em> are a game-changer. They give us access to a free card from the start of the game in exchange for some deckbuilding restrictions (and, of course, they now have an extra three-mana tax). Here on <em>Collected Company</em>, we’re going to take a look at all of them and see how we can build around their quirks.</p>
<p>Let's talk about one of the most powerful <em>Companions</em> out there, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jegantha, the Wellspring"></div></div>
<p>Jegantha's restriction is pretty minor because cards with the same mana symbol can be easily replaced. The most noticeable losses are <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> effects and big top-end cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Craterhoof Behemoth" href="#" target="_blank">Craterhoof Behemoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While the above is true, there are still some "hidden" restrictions when using Jegantha. Commanders like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jodah, Archmage Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Jodah, Archmage Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will have trouble finding expensive cards to cheat out with the restriction. Artifact-heavy lists won't really benefit from having Jegantha as a <em>Companion</em>. There's also the case of needing to build a deck in a more color-intensive way to get full use of Jegantha's kit.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, let's talk about Jegantha's kit: it's pretty amazing! Having this kind of access to such a powerful mana dork is game-changing. There are plenty of powerful commanders that have the WUBRG cost that can be fully paid with Jegantha, which can lead into a huge tempo swing if we get to play Jegantha before our commander. Take <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The First Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">The First Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example: it really appreciates having the huge tempo turn before getting cast. And don't even get me started on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Najeela, the Blade-Blossom" href="#" target="_blank">Najeela, the Blade-Blossom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>....</p>
<p>However, it's hard to get full benefits from Jegantha. Decks that play it well are the ones that tend to invest in some form of WUBRG activated ability or that are trying to cast multiple spells a turn.</p>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seedborn Muse" href="#" target="_blank">Seedborn Muse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><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> effects</li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overrun" href="#" target="_blank">Overrun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2>Endless Possibilities</h2>
<div><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ramos, Dragon Engine"></div></div></div>
<div></div>
<div><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramos, Dragon Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Ramos, Dragon Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a commander that tends to have lots of multicolored spells, which are used to generate mana via its activated ability. Jegantha really helps the deck by providing both the color-fixing needed to consistently cast those spells and by accelerating so that we get to the point of casting multiple spells a turn. Ramos lists tend naturally trends towards tricolor spells, so not only we get full benefit from our <em>Companion</em>, but we also don't lose all that much with its restrictions.</div>
<div>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Progenitus" href="#" target="_blank">Progenitus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Expansion // Explosion" href="#" target="_blank">Expansion // Explosion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Supreme Verdict" href="#" target="_blank">Supreme Verdict</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Debt to the Deathless" href="#" target="_blank">Debt to the Deathless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cruel Ultimatum" href="#" target="_blank">Cruel Ultimatum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omniscience" href="#" target="_blank">Omniscience</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Horde of Notions"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Horde of Notions" href="#" target="_blank">Horde of Notions</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great tribal commander to showcase the power of Jegantha in a tribal setting. Horde provides a useful mana sink (that can even recur Jegantha), and having Jegantha makes getting multiple activations out of the commander much easier. Elementals as a whole don't lose all that much, aside from some tribal support. The fact that Jegantha is an Elemental plays really well with Horde, too, since we get to save it from the occasional non-exile removal.</p>
<div>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Omnath, Locus of Rage" href="#" target="_blank">Omnath, Locus of Rage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Avenger of Zendikar" href="#" target="_blank">Avenger of Zendikar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nyxbloom Ancient" href="#" target="_blank">Nyxbloom Ancient</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sisay, Weatherlight Captain"></div></div>
<p>Commanders with a powerful activated ability that can be accelerated by Jegantha also can make great use of it. These commanders often struggle to find the balance between paying for their ability and playing cards from hand. This combination allows for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sisay, Weatherlight Captain" href="#" target="_blank">Sisay, Weatherlight Captain</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> players to have more flexible turns where they don't need to overextend, allowing them to hold on to interaction for longer.</p>
<div>
<h3>Notable Exclusions</h3>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kamahl&#039;s Druidic Vow" href="#" target="_blank">Kamahl&#039;s Druidic Vow</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashiok, Dream Render" href="#" target="_blank">Ashiok, Dream Render</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narset, Parter of Veils" href="#" target="_blank">Narset, Parter of Veils</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eerie Ultimatum" href="#" target="_blank">Eerie Ultimatum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bolas&#039;s Citadel" href="#" target="_blank">Bolas&#039;s Citadel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<hr />
<h2>It's Alive!</h2>
</div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niv-Mizzet Reborn"></div></div>
<p>The combination of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is quite an impressive one: Niv provides the cards and Jegantha provides the mana. The best part about this duo is that it's very easy to fully use Jegantha's mana ability because we have access to a bunch of different guild-colored cards.</p>
<p>Just like many Niv-Mizzet Reborn lists out there, our deck gravitates towards a control shell. We use our commander's ETB to fill our hand with powerful spells, and we have the mana (thanks to Jegantha) to cast some of them right away. However, we still need a way to win the game: enter planeswalkers. Planewalkers are a great type to mix with Niv 4.0 because they are resilient win conditions that are spread among the color pie, giving us plenty of great choices. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaya, Ghost Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Kaya, Ghost Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venser, the Sojourner" href="#" target="_blank">Venser, the Sojourner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a great way to get a consistent chain of Niv-Mizzet's ETB, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ral Zarek" href="#" target="_blank">Ral Zarek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, Master of the Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, Master of the Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allow us to untap Jegantha. As for game-ending planeswalkers, we're packing some powerful ones: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Teferi, Hero of Dominaria" href="#" target="_blank">Teferi, Hero of Dominaria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can quickly get out of control if we get to emblem, and don't underestimate <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sorin, Grim Nemesis" href="#" target="_blank">Sorin, Grim Nemesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>; we have a deck that isn't very aggressive but that packs a lot of punch, so the +1 ability can really make a difference. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Garruk, Cursed Huntsman" href="#" target="_blank">Garruk, Cursed Huntsman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can quickly get out of control with its tokens and can be great in post-board-wipe scenarios, and his ultimate is really powerful with other token-producers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ral Zarek"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kiora, Master of the Depths"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garruk, Cursed Huntsman"></div></div>
<p>Our control suite is really important, but it's not as straightforward as other decks. We do need to consider the color identity of the cards that we're including so that we have a more reliable Niv trigger. Each guild has a certain tendency that we can explore to improve our consistency. Dimir, for example, is filled with counterspell goodies, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Countersquall" href="#" target="_blank">Countersquall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but it also has lots of great removal/counterspell hybrids, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drown in the Loch" href="#" target="_blank">Drown in the Loch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dimir Charm" href="#" target="_blank">Dimir Charm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, that are usually live for most of the game. Finding the perfect balance is a fun challenge that rewards the time we put into it.</p>
<p>We're choosing to go with as few non-guild-colored cards as possible, but there's certainly the case to add a few more high-impact staples, such as <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>, into the mix. In fact, all of our non-hits are cards that are dedicated to smooth out our mid-game, by either color-fixing, or simply by accelerating us in the early game. Flexible ramp spells, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skyshroud Claim" href="#" target="_blank">Skyshroud Claim</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are even better because they can also thin our deck, which on its own isn't that relevant, but, in conjunction with our fetch lands, can make a difference.</p>
<p>Our priority is to get Jegantha online as soon as possible; our impact on the board is much more... impactful when we untap with it. Getting to use Jegantha to pay for our commander means that we have the mana to cast at least one extra spell on this turn, which is usually a huge tempo swing in our favor. This curve is really something else, and it's mainly the reason why I felt that enablers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Panharmonicon" href="#" target="_blank">Panharmonicon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or blinks in general, felt a bit unnecessary, as they play kind of awkwardly with our setup.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Niv-Mizzet and Jegantha Superfriends" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*Niv-Mizzet Reborn
[/Commander]
[Companion]
*Jegantha, the Wellspring
[/Companion]
[Artifact]
*Sol Ring
*Arcane Signet
*Chromatic Lantern
[/Artifact]
[Creature]
*Birds of Paradise
*Baleful Strix
*Bloom Tender
*Coiling Oracle
*Qasali Pridemage
*Faeburrow Elder
*Knight of Autumn
*Radha, Heart of Keld
*Uro, Titan of Nature&#039;s Wrath
*Polukranos, Unchained
*Keranos, God of Storms
[/Creature]
[Enchantment]
*Oath of Kaya
*Assemble the Legion
*Mirari&#039;s Wake
*Oath of Teferi
[/Enchantment]
[Instant]
*Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*Azorius Charm
*Boros Charm
*Countersquall
*Despark
*Dimir Charm
*Dovin&#039;s Veto
*Drown in the Loch
*Growth Spiral
*Izzet Charm
*Orzhov Charm
*Rakdos Charm
*Fire Covenant
*Kolaghan&#039;s Command
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*Dack Fayden
*Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
*Teferi, Time Raveler
*Kaya, Ghost Assassin
*Kiora, Master of the Depths
*Nahiri, the Harbinger
*Ral Zarek
*Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
*Venser, the Sojourner
*Garruk, Cursed Huntsman
*Sorin, Grim Nemesis
*Vraska, Relic Seeker
*Garruk, Apex Predator
[/Planeswalker]
[Sorcery]
*Dreadbore
*Farseek
*Hull Breach
*Nature&#039;s Lore
*Reborn Hope
*Three Visits
*Deafening Clarion
*Last One Standing
*Decimate
*Skyshroud Claim
*Solar Blaze
*Bring To Light
*Escape to the Wilds
*Merciless Eviction
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*Arid Mesa
*Blood Crypt
*Bloodstained Mire
*Breeding Pool
*City of Brass
*Command Tower
*Exotic Orchard
*Flooded Strand
*Godless Shrine
*Hallowed Fountain
*Indatha Triome
*Ketria Triome
*Mana Confluence
*Marsh Flats
*Misty Rainforest
*Overgrown Tomb
*Pillar of the Paruns
*Polluted Delta
*Raugrin Triome
*Sacred Foundry
*Savai Triome
*Scalding Tarn
*Steam Vents
*Stomping Ground
*Temple Garden
*Verdant Catacombs
*Watery Grave
*Windswept Heath
*Wooded Foothills
*Zagoth Triome
*2 Forest
*2 Island
*2 Mountain
*2 Plains
*2 Swamp
[/Land]"></span></div></p>

<hr />
<h2>This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship</h2>
<p>This list is something else. The combination of mana and card draw is impressive, and it shows the power of Jegantha as a mana dork. The deckbuilding restriction never was in the way of the deckbuilding process, and it felt like a nuisance more than anything else.</p>
<p>I was quite impressed on how Jegantha played out. The <em>Companion </em>tax change certainly reduced some of the possibilities for it, but Jegantha's impact didn't get completely destroyed like it felt with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zirda, the Dawnwaker" href="#" target="_blank">Zirda, the Dawnwaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In fact, Jegantha felt very similar to Zirda, but it was overall better than its Boros counterpart because it was not as restrictive.</p>
<p>That’s it for this <em>Collected Company</em>! What do you think about this article? What are your thoughts on <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jegantha, the Wellspring" href="#" target="_blank">Jegantha, the Wellspring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Which<em> Companion</em> do you want to see covered next? Share your opinions in the comments.</p>


Collected Company - Jegantha

Dual Shot - Dynamic Stall

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pramikon, Sky Rampart" href="#" target="_blank">Pramikon, Sky Rampart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/richardwright">Richard Wright</a>)</h6>
<h1>Pramikon, Forting Up Games Since 2019!</h1>
<p>Hello, Commander faithful! I hope you’ve all enjoyed the holidays, regardless of where you are and whether the weather is frightful or not. Hopefully your snow-covered lands feel a little more on-theme for the season! This is <i>Replacement Commanders</i>, the series where we look at the legendary creatures from the annual precon product from <i>Wizards of the Coast</i> that are not on the front of the package and brew a list or two around their unique abilities! This week we're tackling one of the more difficult commanders from <em>C19...</em></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Pramikon, Sky Rampart</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pramikon, Sky Rampart"></div></div>
<p>To start, I’ve always struggled to find comfort or success with Jeskai decks. My best showing was with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck where I managed to one-shot someone out of the game somewhere around turn seven (only to die immediately from the other two players who didn't want to become the next victim). Scaring the table shouldn’t be a problem with Pramikon, though. At least, not until it’s too late and the game is firmly in our grasp.</p>
<p>I admit, I openly scoffed at Pramikon during the product’s preview season and thought it was more of a niche joke card than anything else. However, every time I have seen the precon deck or decks built with Pramikon in the command zone since, I have been thoroughly impressed, and my mind has been changed. Being able to read the game early and protect yourself from getting attacked by two-thirds of your opponents is a powerful effect. We can use this control effect especially well by setting up some defenses and forcing our opponents to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. Let’s break down the important cards and parts of the deck!</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Brick and Mortar</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wall of Denial"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="High Alert"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mystic Barrier"></div></div>
<p>The first thing to do is, of course, work on the defenses. Most people won’t expect much when the Pramikon deck is dropping a few early Walls and defenders, so there’s a good chance everyone will look elsewhere for more profitable attacks.</p>
<p>Pramikon gets particularly weird if we somehow manage to get two of them in play, such as with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sakashima the Imposter" href="#" target="_blank">Sakashima the Imposter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spark Double" href="#" target="_blank">Spark Double</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Helm of the Host" href="#" target="_blank">Helm of the Host</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If one Pramikon chooses left, and the other chooses right... no one can attack at all, leaving us free to potentially find victory through noncombative ways. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Barrier" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Barrier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works as well, since two opposing choices means there is no choice at all!</p>
<p>Aside from these locking pieces, we want Walls and defenders that give us a touch of value along with just a big butt that gets in the way of our enemies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wall of Omens" href="#" target="_blank">Wall of Omens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mnemonic Wall" href="#" target="_blank">Mnemonic Wall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wall of Stolen Identity" href="#" target="_blank">Wall of Stolen Identity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> all have different kinds of value, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog Bank" href="#" target="_blank">Fog Bank</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wall of Frost" href="#" target="_blank">Wall of Frost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wall of Denial" href="#" target="_blank">Wall of Denial</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are fairly resilient blockers. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Alert" href="#" target="_blank">High Alert</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provided redundancy for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, the Strategist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks, and for Pramikon, it allows us to be offensive as well as defensive. Imagine winning a game by taking someone out with the walls of your fortress instead of the monsters within!</p>
<p>Alright, now we know a few staples. Let's take a look at some different potential strategies for Pramikon.</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Feeding the Flames</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hunted Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disrupt Decorum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Benevolent Offering"></div></div>
<p>Even if we have ways to prevent folks from attacking, that’s not always the way to victory. Reading the other players in the early game can give us an idea of which player we can allow to attack us, and which players we would prefer to attack elsewhere. Once Pramikon is on the battlefield and directing traffic, we can help the battle get a little bloodier. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disrupt Decorum" href="#" target="_blank">Disrupt Decorum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the type of thing we're looking for, forcing everyone to attack in the only direction they can, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Goblin Spymaster" href="#" target="_blank">Goblin Spymaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides a body while forcing aggression. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fumiko the Lowblood" href="#" target="_blank">Fumiko the Lowblood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also does a good job of forcing opponents to attack.</p>
<p>I really enjoy how effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Benevolent Offering" href="#" target="_blank">Benevolent Offering</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> work in this scenario, where we choose one player (who can't attack us) to get creatures and pick a different player (who has almost no creatures) to gain life, while reaping both rewards for ourselves. The Hunted creatures <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Lammasu" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Lammasu</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hunted Phantasm" href="#" target="_blank">Hunted Phantasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> also provide us a means of throwing troops into the fray, while also giving us some beefy bodies. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rite of the Raging Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Rite of the Raging Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provides consistent bodies each turn, while protecting you even from the person who may attack you.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Will Kenrith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Venser, the Sojourner"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sarkhan the Masterless"></div></div>
<p>We also need to know what precious cargo we're defending. Unsurprisingly, Jeskai has access to several great Planeswalkers, so we can use Pramikon to stop folks from attacking our awesome Superfriends. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rowan Kenrith" href="#" target="_blank">Rowan Kenrith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Will Kenrith" href="#" target="_blank">Will Kenrith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are fantastic, since Will’s minus ability helps make our Planeswalkers cheaper and Rowan’s ultimate doubles our walkers' abilities. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venser, the Sojourner" href="#" target="_blank">Venser, the Sojourner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to reset Pramikon if the flow of combat changes and we'd rather folks attack in a new direction, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chandra, Awakened Inferno" href="#" target="_blank">Chandra, Awakened Inferno</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> puts the game on a clock even if we're not attacking. Finally, if we <em>do </em>like combat, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sarkhan the Masterless" href="#" target="_blank">Sarkhan the Masterless</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a hilarious surprise attack from out of nowhere.</p>
<p>There are a ton of support cards in this list that fit in well, including <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza’s Ruinous Blast" href="#" target="_blank">Urza’s Ruinous Blast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Wipe" href="#" target="_blank">Time Wipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as Wraths that keeps our commander safe, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oath of Teferi" href="#" target="_blank">Oath of Teferi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for an additional activation of our Planeswalkers and reset Pramikon if necessary. Put it all together with some of the common ramp and card advantage cards, and I think a Pramikon deck might look something like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Another Brick in the Walls" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Pramikon, Sky Rampart
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Fog Bank
*1 Fumiko the Lowblood
*1 Goblin Spymaster
*1 Hunted Dragon
*1 Hunted Lammasu
*1 Hunted Phantasm
*1 Mnemonic Wall
*1 Sakashima the Impostor
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Spark Double
*1 Wall of Denial
*1 Wall of Frost
*1 Wall of Omens
*1 Wall of Stolen Identity
[/Creature]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Chandra, Awakened Inferno
*1 Elspeth, Sun&#039;s Champion
*1 Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor
*1 Rowan Kenrith
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
*1 Sarkhan the Masterless
*1 Teferi, Temporal Archmage
*1 Teferi, Time Raveler
*1 Tezzeret, Artifice Master
*1 The Wanderer
*1 Venser, the Sojourner
*1 Will Kenrith
[/Planeswalker]
[Instant]
*1 Aetherspouts
*1 Benevolent Offering
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Swan Song
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Artifact]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Helm of the Host
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 The Chain Veil
*1 Thran Dynamo
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*1 Ever-Watching Threshold
*1 High Alert
*1 Land Tax
*1 Mystic Barrier
*1 Oath of Teferi
*1 Rite of the Raging Storm
*1 Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantment]
[Sorcery]
*1 Approach of the Second Sun
*1 Austere Command
*1 Disrupt Decorum
*1 Time Wipe
*1 Urza&#039;s Ruinous Blast
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorcery]
[Land]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Boros Garrison
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Forgotten Cave
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Interplanar Beacon
*7 Island
*1 Izzet Boilerworks
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Maze of Ith
*6 Mountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*6 Plains
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Secluded Steppe
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Land]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Seth’s Great Wall of Jeskai</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doorkeeper"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nesting Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vent Sentinel"></div></div>
<p>I wanna test out one more potential build path for Pramikon. “Wall tribal” was the first thing I heard folks discussing when it was previewed. I scoffed at this at the time, because it seemed like such a silly thing to do, and because I do overall think <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, the Strategist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the better option for this idea.</p>
<p>Still, Pramikon did present an interesting opportunity to run two cards that I have always been a fan of: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doorkeeper" href="#" target="_blank">Doorkeeper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vent Sentinel" href="#" target="_blank">Vent Sentinel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <em>Rise of the Eldrazi's </em>defender-matters subtheme is hilarious, and it's the one thing Arcades can't do with Defenders that Pramikon lets us play around with.</p>
<p>On the subjects of defenders, I personally love <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nesting Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">Nesting Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as a way of making them for a pretty low investment. Since almost all our creatures have Defender, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="High Alert" href="#" target="_blank">High Alert</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a much more important card in this version of the list. This gives us the inclination to also add in ways to protect it or bring it back, should it wind up in our graveyard. For instance, since it's a three-mana permanent, it gives us a reason to include <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>, which also works great with things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Auramancer" href="#" target="_blank">Auramancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Oh, and since we're so defensive... I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Approach of the Second Sun" href="#" target="_blank">Approach of the Second Sun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as another defensive win condition.</p>
<p>While I struggled slightly with the list to get enough walls that I felt were high enough value, the deck ultimately looks like this:</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Seth and his Wall of Jeskai" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Pramikon, Sky Rampart
[/Commander]
[Creature]
*1 Aether Membrane
*1 Aetherflame Wall
*1 Amaranthine Wall
*1 Auramancer
*1 Basilica Guards
*1 Burnished Hart
*1 Colossus of Akros
*1 Consulate Skygate
*1 Crashing Drawbridge
*1 Doorkeeper
*1 Electrostatic Field
*1 Fog Bank
*1 Geist of the Archives
*1 Golden Guardian
*1 Gomazoa
*1 Guard Gomazoa
*1 Guardian of the Ages
*1 Hover Barrier
*1 Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch
*1 Ludevic&#039;s Test Subject
*1 Mnemonic Wall
*1 Nesting Dragon
*1 Perimeter Captain
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Sun Titan
*1 Vent Sentinel
[/Creature]
[Instant]
*1 Aetherspouts
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Eerie Interlude
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Return to Dust
*1 Settle the Wreckage
*1 Swan Song
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Artifact]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Boros Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Sphere
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Hedron Archive
*1 Izzet Signet
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Thran Dynamo
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifact]
[Sorcery]
*1 Approach of the Second Sun
*1 Austere Command
*1 Time Wipe
*1 Vandalblast
[/Sorcery]
[Enchantment]
*1 Ever-Watching Threshold
*1 High Alert
*1 Land Tax
*1 Smothering Tithe
[/Enchantment]
[Land]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Boros Garrison
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Command Tower
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*7 Island
*1 Izzet Boilerworks
*7 Mountain
*1 Mystic Monastery
*8 Plains
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
[/Land]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Time to Hit the Bricks!</h2>
<p>It’s crazy to think Walls and defenders can make their own viable decks in Commander. I never quite bought into the hype behind <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, the Strategist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when he was revealed, though I do credit him with at least providing card advantage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pramikon, Sky Rampart" href="#" target="_blank">Pramikon, Sky Rampart</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> may not provide that kind of advantage, but the benefits and value are still there with the right build. There are still many more <i>Replacement Commanders</i> left to go, though!</p>
<p>Feel free to <a href="https://www.twitter.com/DM_Cross">follow me on Twitter</a> and check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/praetormagic">YouTube channel</a> that I do with my friends called Praetor Magic. We also stream regularly on <a href="https://www.twitch.tv/praetormagic">Twitch</a>, as well as hosting a <a href="https://discord.gg/CrNHmTE">public Discord server</a> dedicated to talking about Magic of all kinds! Hope to see you there and until next time,</p>
<p>Thanks for reading!</p>


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