<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh" href="#" target="_blank">Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>| by <a href="https://www.chrisseamanart.com/">Chris Seaman</a></em></p>
<p>Do you enjoy playing a blend of tempo and control, carefully balancing the cards in your hand against the messy stack-battles cEDH is known for?</p>
<p>Do you like building up resources, only to pounce at the last second? Do you like the broken shenanigans enabled by a zero-cost commander, but care little for the early-game pressure that can come with playing black?</p>
<p>If this sounds like you, then I have a cEDH deck for you; let me introduce you to the partner pair of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh" href="#" target="_blank">Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>What Do <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh" href="#" target="_blank">Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker" href="#" target="_blank">Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>First up, Rograkh. For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, this 0/1 legendary red Kobold Warrior creature with first strike, menace, trample, and partner doesn't do anything on its own, other than add red to your deck's color identity.</p>
<p>However, when you look at the roster of cEDH staples, you'll quickly find that red is a dominating color thanks to the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and so much more. So, even though Rograkh doesn't do anything on its own, the contribution of red to this deck's color identity is already a worthwhile payoff.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh"></div></div>
<p>Secondly, being a zero-cost commander is worth its weight in gold these days. From free interaction like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to guaranteeing that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Amber" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Amber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is effectively a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Ruby" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Ruby</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Rograkh's mana cost of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-0" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> is a huge resource in and of itself.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker"></div></div>
<p>Next up, Ishai. For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, this 1/1 legendary Bird Monk creature with flying and partner has "Whenever an opponent casts a spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker."</p>
<p>In practice, Ishai here works a lot like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silas Renn, Seeker Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Silas Renn, Seeker Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, albeit with some late-game potential. That is, there will be plenty of games where Ishai never comes out of the command zone and all it offers is the addition of white and blue to the color identity, and that's more than enough.</p>
<p>In some games, however, Ishai will get cast early on when you have nothing else to do, then turns will pass, spells will be cast, and this initially-innocuous 1/1 flier will become a lethal attacker thanks to the triggered ability.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for RogIshai</h2>
<h3>Rograkh Support</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Springleaf Drum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fierce Guardianship"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Infernal Plunge"></div></div>
<p>Like any good Rograkh deck, RogIshai is chock-full of spells that turn your zero-cost commander into a dangerously powerful resource.</p>
<p>Rocks like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Amber" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Amber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Springleaf Drum" href="#" target="_blank">Springleaf Drum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Paradise Mantle" href="#" target="_blank">Paradise Mantle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are always live, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Plunge" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Plunge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an excellent ritual to push through when you're in dire need of burst mana, and cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fierce Guardianship" href="#" target="_blank">Fierce Guardianship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flare of Duplication" href="#" target="_blank">Flare of Duplication</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are powerful, zero-mana interaction.</p>
<h3>Engine Spam</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirrormade"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Steal Enchantment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archivist of Oghma"></div></div>
<p>As a midrange control deck that loves the late game, RogIshai is running just about every viable source of card advantage under the sun, as well as plenty of ways to snag a copy of whatever your opponents are running.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirrormade" href="#" target="_blank">Mirrormade</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Copy Enchantment" href="#" target="_blank">Copy Enchantment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are the premier <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> clones, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steal Enchantment" href="#" target="_blank">Steal Enchantment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does exactly what's in the name.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archivist of Oghma" href="#" target="_blank">Archivist of Oghma</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a solid way to draw extra cards whenever an opponent searches their library, despite falling slightly out of favor when an almost-strictly better version of that effect was printed via <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wan Shi Tong, Librarian" href="#" target="_blank">Wan Shi Tong, Librarian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (which is, of course, also in this deck).</p>
<p>While the commanders themselves may not have a direct synergy with these cards, the deck as a whole is designed to extract as much as possible from them by running both a critical mass (as seen by the copy effects) and by churning them out as early as possible with the Rograkh-enabled mana sources.</p>
<p>Make no mistake, card advantage engines are always good, but RogIshai in particular does an excellent job at putting them to work.</p>
<h2>How Does RogIshai Win?</h2>
<h3><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Combo</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brain Freeze"></div></div>
<p>Once you've stacked your engines sky-high, drawn as many cards as your hand can handle, and sufficiently amassed a critical mass of interaction, the game all comes down to one combo: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>This deck runs the classic Izzet package of Breach, Lion's Eye Diamond, and Brain Freeze, which presents a mana-positive loop that infinitely mills out any number of target players' libraries thanks to the increasing storm count which comes from each point in repeatedly escaping <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and then <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brain Freeze" href="#" target="_blank">Brain Freeze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> from your graveyard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grinding Station"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mox Opal"></div></div>
<p>Alternatively, the Underworld Breach loop enabled by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grinding Station" href="#" target="_blank">Grinding Station</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and any mana rock that taps for a positive amount without enters-the-battlefield restrictions (such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Opal" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Opal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) can generate arbitrarily large amounts of mana and storm count while also churning through your deck (tap your mana rock for mana.</p>
<p>Sacrifice it to Grinding Station to mill three cards, escape-cast the mana rock by exiling three cards from your graveyard in addition to paying the mana cost.</p>
<p>Grinding Station will untap when it enters, then rinse and repeat. Eventually you'll find Brain Freeze, at which point a massive storm count usually serves as the closer.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wheel of Fortune"></div></div>
<p>Lastly, the deck has the mana-neutral Underworld Breach loop of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wheel of Fortune" href="#" target="_blank">Wheel of Fortune</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and Lion's Eye Diamond.</p>
<p>This will cause each player to discard their hand, draw seven cards, then rinse and repeat as you iterate through recasting both the Wheel and the Diamond.</p>
<p>Again, you'll eventually find Brain Freeze, at which point a massive storm count will close the game.</p>
<h2>RogIshai cEDH Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="RogIshai cEDH" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker
*1 Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Borne Upon a Wind
*1 Brain Freeze
*1 Chain of Vapor
*1 Commandeer
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Dizzy Spell
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Flare of Duplication
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Force of Negation
*1 Force of Will
*1 Gifts Ungiven
*1 Into the Flood Maw
*1 Intuition
*1 Louisoix&#039;s Sacrifice
*1 Mental Misstep
*1 Mindbreak Trap
*1 Misdirection
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Orim&#039;s Chant
*1 Pact of Negation
*1 Pyroblast
*1 Red Elemental Blast
*1 Redirect Lightning
*1 Silence
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Swan Song
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chrome Mox
*1 Grinding Station
*1 Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Mox Amber
*1 Mox Diamond
*1 Mox Opal
*1 Paradise Mantle
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Archivist of Oghma
*1 Birgi, God of Storytelling // Harnfel, Horn of Bounty
*1 Clever Impersonator
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Faerie Mastermind
*1 Hullbreaker Horror
*1 Mockingbird
*1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
*1 Ranger-Captain of Eos
*1 Simian Spirit Guide
*1 Storm-Kiln Artist
*1 Subtlety
*1 Tataru Taru
*1 Valley Floodcaller
*1 Vivi Ornitier
*1 Voice of Victory
*1 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Copy Enchantment
*1 Curse of Opulence
*1 Mirrormade
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 Steal Enchantment
*1 Underworld Breach
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Flash Photography
*1 Gamble
*1 Idyllic Tutor
*1 Infernal Plunge
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Rite of Flame
*1 Sevinne&#039;s Reclamation
*1 Wheel of Fortune
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 City of Brass
*1 City of Traitors
*1 Command Tower
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Gemstone Caverns
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Plateau
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Starting Town
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Tarnished Citadel
*1 Tundra
*1 Volcanic Island
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>Despite being a dedicated <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck, RogIshai really has solidified itself as one of cEDH's premier control decks.</p>
<p>If you've been looking for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="" href="#" target="_blank"></a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="" href="#" target="_blank"></a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck that takes a bit more of a measured approach to having a zero-mana commander, then this is the deck for you.</p>


decklist

Building a RogIshai (Rograkh and Ishai) cEDH Deck