Fire Lord Azula - Destroy Your Enemies on a Budget

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noctis, Heir Apparent" href="#" target="_blank">Noctis, Heir Apparent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.winonanelson.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Winona Nelson</a></em></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Hi there, and welcome to another deck tech highlighting a brand-new commander. Just like in previous articles, we're here to...</p>
<ul>
<li>Highlight interesting game plan(s) for a new commander</li>
<li>Build a budget-friendly (~$40) "Core" power level deck following these plans</li>
<li>Work through important card categories and discuss notable inclusions</li>
<li>Include a decklist and a deck checklist</li>
<li>Go through mid-budget upgrades (&lt;$20 per card) as options to invest more into this strategy.</li>
</ul>
<p>For this week, let's take a look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noctis, Heir Apparent" href="#" target="_blank">Noctis, Heir Apparent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I'm excited about Noctis for many reasons, but the biggest ist that I <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-a-barret-avalanche-leader-commander-deck" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brewed around</a> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barret, Avalanche Leader" href="#" target="_blank">Barret, Avalanche Leader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> when it was first spoiled several months ago and it will be interesting to see how an "Equipment attaching for free" commander in the exact opposite colors will shake out.</p>
<p>If you're inspired by this type of strategy, maybe you could even make <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> vs. <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> Equipment-matters duel decks.</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Noctis, Heir Apparent" href="#" target="_blank">Noctis, Heir Apparent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Noctis, Heir Apparent"></div></div>
<p>But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's figure out what this commander is all about!</p>
<p>First, Noctis cares about creatures entering during combat. How do creatures enter in the middle of a turn? Great question! We'll discuss this in more detail later on.</p>
<p>Second, Noctis cares about Equipment. If we can fulfill the requirement of causing a creature to enter during combat, we can attach swords, hammers, and all sorts of other weapons to our creatures for free. The more creatures enter, the more free equips we can get!</p>
<p>Third, this commander can protect itself. If we leave up <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, we can save Noctis from removal at will, whether it's facing something like <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> or <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>.</p>
<p>Finally, this commander combos with itself. If we send Noctis on a journey into exile, he will come back during our declare attackers step, triggering his own ability. As an added bonus, he comes back unblockable when this happens.</p>
<h2>Creatures Entering During Combat</h2>
<p>How can we make sure creatures enter during combat? As a reminder, the combat phase has five steps:</p>
<ul>
<li>Beginning of Combat</li>
<li>Declare Attackers</li>
<li>Declare Blockers</li>
<li>Combat Damage</li>
<li>End of Combat</li>
</ul>
<p>We can't normally cast creatures during this phase, so how can we maximize our commander's ability?</p>
<h3>Declare Attackers – Creating Tokens With Activated and Triggered Abilities</h3>
<p>With Noctis on the battlefield, cards that create tokens when they attack (like old-school <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geist of Saint Traft" href="#" target="_blank">Geist of Saint Traft</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or new-school <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dalkovan Packbeasts" href="#" target="_blank">Dalkovan Packbeasts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) gain some added utility. This will also work if Noctis was in exile and just entered at the beginning of our declare attackers step.</p>
<h3>Declare Blockers – Ninjutsu</h3>
<p>Looking at the EDHREC page for Noctis, it's immediately apparent that ninjutsu is a great fit for this commander. Unlike <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Geist of Saint Traft" href="#" target="_blank">Geist of Saint Traft</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or creatures with mobilize, ninjutsu has the added bonus of attaching equipment <em>after </em>blocks have been declared.</p>
<p>Ninjutsu is a little weird and has all sorts of interesting interactions, so check out <a href="https://cardgamebase.com/mtg-ninjutsu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article</a> to learn more! Also, stay tuned for an upcoming ability called sneak, which is very similar to ninjutsu and will debut in <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/new-york-comic-con-2025-magic-the-gathering-panel-recap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</a></em>.</p>
<h3>Anytime – Instants That Create Tokens/Creatures With Flash</h3>
<p>It's easy to miss at first glance, but Noctis actually works on defense too! This is where creatures with flash and instant-speed ways to create tokens – both largely absent in decks that that have been brewed so far – come in.</p>
<p>Many cards that can cause creatures to enter at instant speed already have great synergy with power-boosting Equipment (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drake Hatcher" href="#" target="_blank">Drake Hatcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Meek" href="#" target="_blank">a very specific Equipment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thopter Foundry" href="#" target="_blank">Thopter Foundry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), or Equipment in general (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kemba, Kha Enduring" href="#" target="_blank">Kemba, Kha Enduring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>Flash creatures are great, because they can be used on offense after blockers are declared or on defense as a hidden blocker that comes with a Equipment attached for free. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whitemane Lion" href="#" target="_blank">Whitemane Lion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wydwen, the Biting Gale" href="#" target="_blank">Wydwen, the Biting Gale</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are reusable, leading to a lot of versatility and free equips at will.</p>
<p>Overall, we'll want to leave up extra mana to protect Noctis with its own ability, so flash threats make a lot of sense.</p>
<h2>The Equipment</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vorpal Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adaptive Omnitool"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dowsing Dagger"></div></div>
<p>Just like with the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Barret, Avalanche Leader" href="#" target="_blank">Barret, Avalanche Leader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck we brewed, low-mana value, high-equip cost Equipment are what this strategy is all about.</p>
<p>We're sticking to some old favorites, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossus Hammer" href="#" target="_blank">Colossus Hammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and adding new, color-specific tools like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Key to the Vault" href="#" target="_blank">The Key to the Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Machinist&#039;s Arsenal" href="#" target="_blank">Machinist&#039;s Arsenal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that go particularly well with an unblockable commander.</p>
<div>
<h2>Noctis, Heir Apparent Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Noctis, Heir Apparent" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Noctis, Heir Apparent
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Adeline, Resplendent Cathar
*1 Cathar Commando
*1 Chromium, the Mutable
*1 Covert Technician
*1 Dalek Squadron
*1 Dalkovan Packbeasts
*1 Drake Hatcher
*1 Ertai Resurrected
*1 Geist of Saint Traft
*1 Genku, Future Shaper
*1 Grave Titan
*1 Hydroelectric Specimen // Hydroelectric Laboratory
*1 Jacked Rabbit
*1 Kemba, Kha Enduring
*1 Kutzil&#039;s Flanker
*1 Lion Sash
*1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror
*1 Niambi, Esteemed Speaker
*1 Nymris, Oona&#039;s Trickster
*1 Prosperous Thief
*1 Reservoir Kraken
*1 Resolute Reinforcements
*1 Restoration Angel
*1 Shadrix Silverquill
*1 Threefold Thunderhulk
*1 Weeping Angel
*1 Whitemane Lion
*1 Wydwen, the Biting Gale
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Generous Gift
*1 Grip of Phyresis
*1 Intrude on the Mind
*1 Resculpt
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Waterlogged Teachings // Inundated Archive
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Hour of Reckoning
*1 Open the Armory
*1 Suppression Ray // Orderly Plaza
*1 Supreme Verdict
[/Sorceries]
[Artifacts]
*1 Adaptive Omnitool
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Captain&#039;s Claws
*1 Colossus Hammer
*1 Cranial Plating
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Dowsing Dagger // Lost Vale
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Machinist&#039;s Arsenal
*1 Ogre&#039;s Cleaver
*1 Orzhov Signet
*1 Retrofitter Foundry
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Sword of the Meek
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Hierarchy
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 The Key to the Vault
*1 Thopter Foundry
*1 Vorpal Sword
*1 Wrecking Ball Arm
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Glasswing Grace // Age-Graced Chapel
*1 Quest for the Holy Relic
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Azorius Chancery
*1 Caves of Koilos
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dalkovan Encampment
*1 Darkwater Catacombs
*1 Desolate Mire
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Great Arashin City
*6 Island
*1 Orzhov Basilica
*1 Path of Ancestry
*6 Plains
*1 Port Town
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Shineshadow Snarl
*1 Skycloud Expanse
*1 Sunken Hollow
*5 Swamp
*1 Underground River
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Deck Checklist</h2>
<ul>
<li>51 mana sources (36 lands, 9 mana rocks, 4 MDFCs, 2 misc.)</li>
<li>36 ways to make creatures enter during combat</li>
<li>13 Equipment</li>
<li>9 card draw/selection/search</li>
<li>9 targeted disruption</li>
<li>4 mass disruption</li>
</ul>
<h2>Mid-Budget Upgrades</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Voice of Victory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dour Port-Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Andúril, Flame of the West"></div></div>
<p>There are a tons of cards that can improve this deck, while still staying below a $20 price tag for each.</p>
<p>If you want to focus on improving consistency through adding ramp and card draw, try:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dour Port-Mage" href="#" target="_blank">Dour Port-Mage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skullclamp" href="#" target="_blank">Skullclamp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of the Animist" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of the Animist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sword of Forge and Frontier" href="#" target="_blank">Sword of Forge and Frontier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (this won't cause your own <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>/<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>/<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> Equipment to fall off like some of the other Swords that grant protection might)</li>
</ul>
<p>If you want to create more tokens during combat, try:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ainok Strike Leader" href="#" target="_blank">Ainok Strike Leader</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Andúril, Flame of the West" href="#" target="_blank">Andúril, Flame of the West</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blade of Selves" href="#" target="_blank">Blade of Selves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p>To improve your disruption and protection suite, try:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Voice of Victory" href="#" target="_blank">Voice of Victory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Void Rend" href="#" target="_blank">Void Rend</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conqueror&#039;s Flail" href="#" target="_blank">Conqueror&#039;s Flail</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p>If you're interested in ending the game quickly with unblockable commander damage, try:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aettir and Priwen" href="#" target="_blank">Aettir and Priwen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Caduceus, Staff of Hermes" href="#" target="_blank">Caduceus, Staff of Hermes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excalibur, Sword of Eden" href="#" target="_blank">Excalibur, Sword of Eden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
<li><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Genji Glove" href="#" target="_blank">Genji Glove</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p>Of course, there's also the simple option of maxing out on Ninjas with classic legendary creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Higure, the Still Wind" href="#" target="_blank">Higure, the Still Wind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni" href="#" target="_blank">Ink-Eyes, Servant of Oni</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
</div>
<div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>I hope you enjoyed reading about this low-budget Core deck inspired by a new commander.</p>
<p>Can you see any other interesting interactions that can arise when we're attaching Equipment in the middle of combat? Is there ever a reason to attach an Equipment during the end of combat step? Let the EDHREC community know in the comments below!</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="ZZSH4y1zpE"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/garland-royal-kidnappers-theft-masterclass/">Garland, Royal Kidnapper's Theft Masterclass</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Garland, Royal Kidnapper&#039;s Theft Masterclass&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/garland-royal-kidnappers-theft-masterclass/embed/#?secret=ZyKEQd9VgU#?secret=ZZSH4y1zpE" data-secret="ZZSH4y1zpE" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="mKYmWkHupa"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/beyond-the-multiverse-the-final-fantasy-sendoff/">Beyond the Multiverse - The Final Fantasy Sendoff</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Beyond the Multiverse - The Final Fantasy Sendoff&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/beyond-the-multiverse-the-final-fantasy-sendoff/embed/#?secret=FZhqZ8g3P4#?secret=mKYmWkHupa" data-secret="mKYmWkHupa" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
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