<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/davidgaillet">David Gaillet</a>
As we prepare to return to the plane of <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Arcavios">Arcavios</a> for a second set based around the magical school of <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Strixhaven">Strixhaven</a>, it makes sense to look at some of the abilities and themes that were featured last time in order to prepare ourselves to maximize any of those that are revisited. One of the abilities that crossed the curriculum was Magecraft, which made me think about my own deck designed around a similar ability.
The easiest comparison to draw for Magecraft is prowess. Both are abilities attached to creatures, both care about casting noncreature spells, and both encourage players to play a lot of spells in the same turn. As we saw with the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-otter-typal-with-alania-divergent-storm">Otter Typal</a> deck a few weeks back, Magecraft and prowess ride that balance between creature decks and spellslinger decks, with typal synergies further complicating the math.
We’ll see how this <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a> Commander Deck Tech finds its balance, while also highlighting the focus and power Monks are known for in Magic and Dungeons and Dragons.
<h2>Monk History</h2>
Whenever Magic visits a set inspired by an Asian country, Monks seem to come with them. This makes sense, given the spread of Buddhism around the continent, as well as the focus on meditation present in several religions that originated there. Monks trace their lineage back to Portal, mostly in white, and then the <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Jukai">Jukai</a> region of <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Kamigawa">Kamigawa</a> gave them some green support. Neither of these gave them any sense of identity, however.
It wasn’t until <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Tarkir">Tarkir</a> that Monks really felt like a supported type, coinciding with the introduction of the <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Jeskai_Way">Jeskai</a> wedge and their signature ability, the aforementioned prowess. Returns to Kamigawa and Tarkir have helped shore up the numbers, and even Avatar: The Last Airbender added to our numbers, as did Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur’s Gate. As a result, we have a hodgepodge of Monks that have some slight overlaps in abilities.
Most recently, several Monks were printed with the ability Flurry, which triggers when the second spell is cast on a particular turn. Since we are playing many cheap instants and sorceries in order to trigger prowess, this happens to work well with what we are doing.
But how do we make Monks unique from general spellslinger decks, and how do we win games with our synergies?
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest"></div></div>
<h2>What Does <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a> Do?</h2>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a> might not be the strongest Monk commander, but he is the most aggressive. Shu Yun is one of the Fate Reforged commanders that gives access to a wedge color identity because of his activated ability, but he only requires blue mana to cast and either red or white to activate. This means that we can have our commander out and usable without having to fix our mana, which is important for a nongreen aggressive three-plus color deck, as we can easily cast him turn three and use him turn four without help or even needing a fourth land.
While his prowess is a powerful passive ability, the triggered ability to give out double strike to any creature, not even just our own, is part of what makes Shu Yun such a fun and versatile commander. We can use our opponents’ aggression against each other, if we so choose, in what feels like a very Akido-like situation.
But how do we win with our cheap little prowess creatures? And how do we keep from getting smacked on the crackback?
<h2>Key Cards for <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a></h2>
Monks are a surprisingly versatile creature type, largely because their design has changed so much. The tricky part is limiting our scope. Since we are looking to be aggressive and cast multiple spells in a turn, we’re going to limit ourselves to Monks that cost three or less mana. Even with that limitation, there are still quite a lot of different Monks we have access to.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monk Realist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Venerable Monk"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Monk Realist" href="#" target="_blank">Monk Realist</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venerable Monk" href="#" target="_blank">Venerable Monk</a> were among the first Monks to see print, both of which are small white creatures with enters-the-battlefield (ETB) abilities. The Realist is a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naturalize" href="#" target="_blank">Naturalize</a> on a stick, while <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Venerable Monk" href="#" target="_blank">Venerable Monk</a> gains life. Both of these happen to work well with <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unsummon" href="#" target="_blank">Unsummon</a> effects, which fits me, Unsummoned Skull, to a T!
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Abbot of Keral Keep"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zephyr Scribe"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abbot of Keral Keep" href="#" target="_blank">Abbot of Keral Keep</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zephyr Scribe" href="#" target="_blank">Zephyr Scribe</a> represent the prowess and prowess-adjacent Monks. The Abbot has an ETB that lets us play the top card of our library, which makes it a solid topdeck or <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unsummon" href="#" target="_blank">Unsummon</a> target. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zephyr Scribe" href="#" target="_blank">Zephyr Scribe</a> is a looting effect that lets us re-use the looting ability when we cast a noncreature spell.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mantis Rider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fleet-Footed Monk"></div></div>
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantis Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Mantis Rider</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleet-Footed Monk" href="#" target="_blank">Fleet-Footed Monk</a> are evasive Monks that make solid use of our commander’s ability to grant double strike. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantis Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Mantis Rider</a> was a staple in Modern Humans decks because of its ability to come out swinging with evasive damage while still presenting a blocker. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fleet-Footed Monk" href="#" target="_blank">Fleet-Footed Monk</a> can’t be blocked by high-power creatures, kind of like a primitive version of skulk, and can become dangerous to block with double strike or any pump effect.
But how do we trigger our commander’s ability consistently?
The short answer is, we use as many cheap noncreature spells as we do Monks, so any spell off the top has a 50/50 chance of being either a Monk, which can draw cards, or a cheap noncreature spell, which, in turn, has a 50/50 chance of drawing a card (cantripping).
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Opt"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faithless Looting"></div></div>
Our most common type of noncreature spell is cheap card draw. We want spells that cantrip, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opt" href="#" target="_blank">Opt</a>, or cards that let us dig deep into our deck, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faithless Looting" href="#" target="_blank">Faithless Looting</a>. We want to be able to leave mana up to activate our commander’s ability, so typical typal draw effects, like <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a>, are less useful here.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monk Class"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snap"></div></div>
Running <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Monk Class" href="#" target="_blank">Monk Class</a> in a Monk deck seems obvious from a flavor perspective, but the card is surprisingly useful. Its first ability is like Flurry, reducing the cost of our second spell each turn. When we level it up, we can bounce a nonland permanent. And, with its last ability, we can simulate <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Abbot of Keral Keep" href="#" target="_blank">Abbot of Keral Keep</a>’s ETB each upkeep.
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snap" href="#" target="_blank">Snap</a> is another bounce spell, but a bit more of a straightforward one. Still, it was printed in the broken-in-half <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Urza%27s_block">Urza’s Block</a>, specifically Urza’s Legacy, and has seen play in a variety of formats, including…Legacy. What makes it so powerful? It has the ability to untap two lands when it resolves. While we’re not using it for broken effects, we can use it to fix our mana if we have too much blue, in addition to having a free prowess-enabler.
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Command Tower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Exotic Orchard"></div></div>
Speaking of fixing our mana, like the Grixis () Robots deck <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-robot-typal-with-dr-eggman">last week</a>, our manabase is primarily built around making sure our lands enter untapped and we can cast our spells on time. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Command Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Command Tower</a> and <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exotic Orchard" href="#" target="_blank">Exotic Orchard</a> are two of the best cards in the business at doing this, although <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exotic Orchard" href="#" target="_blank">Exotic Orchard</a> is a bit risky because it makes us reliant on our opponents to fix our mana.
<h2>How Does This <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest" href="#" target="_blank">Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest</a> Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Akroma&#039;s Will"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spare from Evil"></div></div>
Our win conditions are ways to break parity on board; we can absolutely win without them, but they make winning much easier. In particular, we want noncreature spells that enable us to continue to get in for damage when opponents have blockers. <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Akroma&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Akroma&#039;s Will</a> should have most modes active on any given turn, as our commander can come out on turn three regardless of whether our mana is fixed. 
<a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spare from Evil" href="#" target="_blank">Spare from Evil</a> gives us and our creatures protection from noncreatures, which can be used defensively, as a <a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fog" href="#" target="_blank">Fog</a>, or aggressively, as a means of making it really hard to block. As a two-mana means of invalidating blockers, which triggers prowess, we can use it to enable massive swings. With double strike, we can easily end a player or two!
In short, we’re looking to win by attacking with small Monks while players are setting up, then growing them while invalidating blockers when the game goes long. The early tenderizing damage enables big swings late, making Monks a solid aggressive typal deck despite being three colors.
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Abbot of Keral Keep
*1 Bloodfire Expert
*1 Cori Mountain Stalwart
*1 Devoted Duelist
*1 Devout Monk
*1 Dragon Bell Monk
*1 Elusive Spellfist
*1 Enlightened Ascetic
*1 Equilibrium Adept
*1 Firebending Student
*1 Flamehold Grappler
*1 Fleet-Footed Monk
*1 Jeskai Devotee
*1 Jeskai Sage
*1 Jeskai Student
*1 Lone Missionary
*1 Mantis Rider
*1 Mistfire Adept
*1 Monastery Mentor
*1 Monastery Swiftspear
*1 Monk Realist
*1 Monk of the Open Hand
*1 Poised Practitioner
*1 Soulfire Grand Master
*1 Sunset Strikemaster
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Venerable Monk
*1 Wingblade Disciple
*1 Zephyr Scribe
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 Akroma&#039;s Blessing
*1 Akroma&#039;s Will
*1 Azorius Charm
*1 Bounce Off
*1 Brainstorm
*1 Curate
*1 Faithful Mending
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Fumble
*1 Impulse
*1 Just the Wind
*1 Mental Note
*1 Opt
*1 Snap
*1 Spare from Evil
*1 String of Disappearances
*1 Thrill of Possibility
*1 Unsubstantiate
*1 Whispers of the Muse
*1 You Come to a River
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Bond of Discipline
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Serum Visions
*1 Tormenting Voice
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Levitation
*1 Monk Class
*1 Seal of Removal
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Aether Spellbomb
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Battlefield Forge
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flood Plain
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Inspiring Vantage
*1 Island
*1 Mountain
*1 Plains
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Sulfur Falls
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
Monks are a fun and flexible aggressive creature type, but they are a bit removed from the multi-strike class from Dungeons and Dragons. Extra combat steps could capture this, while Shu Yun’s abilities could lend to an interesting Voltron build if we wanted to lean into Equipment or Auras.
But how would you build Monks? And who would you have command the other variants?

flurry

Building Monk Typal with Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest