<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Key art from Foundations | Image credit: Wizards of the Coast</em></p>
<p>Wizards of the Coast makes many changes to <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> with each set release. Amid that chaos, it's great that they've decided to keep one particular set in print (and in the Standard rotation) through 2029. Today, we're examining <em>Magic: The Gathering: </em><em>Foundations</em>, the <em>Magic</em> core set to outdo all other core set expansions that have come before it.</p>
<p><em>Magic: The Gathering: Foundations</em> came out on November 15th, 2024, to great commercial acclaim. This article seeks to explore a few different aspects of the <em>Foundations</em> paradigm shift:</p>
<ul>
<li>What made the set so iconic?</li>
<li>What changes did it bring to <em>Magic</em>?</li>
<li>How did players handle the changes?</li>
</ul>
<p>Now, it's important to note that <em>Foundations</em> is legal in Standard until 2029. Therefore, the changes it's brought are still active today in more metagames than normal. So in a sense, players are <em>still</em> handling those changes. With that in mind, let's discuss!</p>
<h2><em>Foundations</em>: A Gold Standard Core Set</h2>
<p>When <em>Foundations</em> came out, players clamored to purchase it. This is in stark contrast to most any core set from <em>Magic</em>'s extensive history, save perhaps for <em>Alpha</em>, <em>Beta</em>, or <em>Unlimited</em>. Stores sold out of the product quite fast.</p>
<p>Why is this? Well, some of it has to do with the return of the concept of core products. Players often have bemoaned the complexity creep of <em>Magic</em>. A core set often keeps sets around it from warping formats far too much for people's liking. But in 2021, after <em>Core Set 2021</em>, Wizards of the Coast stopped printing core products. It turns out the next three years would cause the craving for a little more simplicity to be heightened. So when <em>Foundations</em> was announced, players celebrated.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bloodthirsty Conqueror"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doubling Season"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Twinflame Tyrant"></div></div>
<p>Furthermore, <em>Foundations</em> showcases the aesthetic core of exactly what <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> is (or, in a sense, <em>was</em>) supposed to be. It was high fantasy, but it was also everything that we have come to know the game's story to contain. It even featured five Planeswalker characters to tie everything back into <em>Magic</em>'s original properties. This was a crucial move amid the downsizing of planeswalker cards in sets.</p>
<p>Even more importantly than the aesthetics to many players, the set contained a ton of really high-value cards. We can't stress enough how important it was to see a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bloodthirsty Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Bloodthirsty Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Twinflame Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Twinflame Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in packs. These cards are now iconic to the game as a whole because of their initial inclusion here. Furthermore, reprints like <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> certainly helped the set along.</p>
<p>All of these factors, from the previous deprivation of core sets to the aesthetics and mechanics of what came after, make <em>Foundations</em> more than just the best core set, but one of the best sets out today.</p>
<h2><em>Foundations</em> Changed How We Think About the Game</h2>
<p>When <em>Foundations</em> came out, a few key changes came with it that altered <em>Magic</em> just slightly enough to bypass some players' registry.</p>
<p>For one, the templating on cards changed a little bit to include the "this [object]" text, with this text replacing the card's name. This was mainly just done to free up space in the text boxes of cards, which have often been seen as too cluttered by complexity creep. After all, <em>Magic</em> was, and still is, the most complex tabletop game in the world, according to those in the know.</p>
<p>Additionally, enchantments now use the frame popularized by the original <em>Theros</em> block for its enchantment creatures. The reasoning cited by Wizards of the Coast includes the need to make enchantments look more unique, like how artifacts are and generally always have been. This is an intuitive change and a noticeable one at that.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Homunculus Horde"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valkyrie&#039;s Call"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Baton of Morale"></div></div>
<p>Finally, a mechanical change to the game: <em>Foundations</em> moved the assignment of combat damage to the combat damage step. In addition, Wizards made it so that any amount of damage dealt could be assigned to the appropriate blockers. This is a subtle change and one that puts a modicum more value on attacking creatures. It also simplifies combat a ton for newer players. Plus, it actually gives all nine players who still like banding something to mull over!</p>
<p>All in all, players appreciated these changes to the game. Though they were mostly cosmetic changes or ones that assist design in the future, these changes were welcomed by the playerbase.</p>
<h2><em>Magic</em>'s Beginner Box: A New Product for New Players</h2>
<p>The Beginner box from <em>Magic: The Gathering: Foundations</em> was another important tool for <em>Foundations</em>' overwhelming success as a set. It was a product designed to teach the game to new players. In this way, it allowed <em>Foundations</em> to appeal to a newer, less-enfranchised set of players and prospective players.</p>
<p>When I covered New York Comic Con 2024, Wizards of the Coast formally invited me to Hasbro's Manhattan offices to look over the <em>Foundations</em> Beginner Box. <a href="https://commandersherald.com/commanders-herald-hits-the-big-apple-for-new-york-comic-con/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I covered this experience back then on Commander's Herald</a>, and the memory of that meeting still sticks with me as a high point of that trip. Honestly, what an absolute thrill that experience was!</p>
<p>But, being the enfranchised player that I was and still am, Wizards felt it unnecessary to run through a demo game with me, which, due to the crunch of time, I completely understand. Still, I got hold of a copy after the set was officially released and found it to be a great teaching tool.</p>
<h2>The Starter Collection: A Masterful Way to Begin</h2>
<p>Another extremely helpful tool in making <em>Foundations</em> popular was the Starter Collection. This bundle-adjacent product contained several packs, as well as all the staple cards you might want from the set to help build decks. This also included multiple reasonably powerful rares and mythics.</p>
<p>In addition, this product included a clickwheel life counter and a deckbuilder's guide for newer players.</p>
<p>Overall, this product seemed <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">more popular than others in the <em>Foundations</em> </span>line. Seldom do I see it on shelves even today, and even when I see other products from this core set on shelves. This seems like a hallmark of a successful product!</p>
<h2><em>Foundations Jumpstart</em>: A Return to Wondrous Form</h2>
<p>The last sealed product I'll discuss in this retrospective is the <em>Foundations Jumpstart</em> set. This supplemental product wasn't legal in Standard, but it was sure as all heck popular! It was a return to form for the <em>Jumpstart</em> concept, but with many years of Wizards of the Coast's lessons learned about how to make that kind of set work.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taeko, the Patient Avalanche"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rev, Tithe Extractor"></div></div>
<p>New cards like <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-ninja-typal-with-taeko-the-patient-avalanche" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taeko, the Patient Avalanche</a> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rev, Tithe Extractor" href="#" target="_blank">Rev, Tithe Extractor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> freshened up the <em>Jumpstart</em> format, while a whole slew of reprints piqued many players' interest and kept their engagement. Anime treatments abounded with this supplemental expansion to <em>Foundations</em>. This likely helped the case of local game stores keeping the set on shelves.</p>
<p>All in all, <em>Foundations Jumpstart</em> was an amazing <em>Magic</em> product.</p>
<h2>Popular <em>Foundations</em> Cards</h2>
<p>With that, it's time we examine the most popular legendary creature cards in <em>Magic: The Gathering: Foundations</em>! In this analysis, we are only going to look at the core set, and <em>not Foundations Jumpstart</em>. Otherwise, this would take a <em>while</em>, since it'd be like we were covering two sets at once. Let's begin!</p>
<p>The three most popular new commander-eligible cards in <em>Foundations</em> are currently:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Loot, Exuberant Explorer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tinybones, Bauble Burglar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Niv-Mizzet, Visionary"></div></div>
<ul>
<li>At #3 we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Loot, Exuberant Explorer" href="#" target="_blank">Loot, Exuberant Explorer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. At the time of writing, Loot pilots 3,928 decks, putting him at a ranking of #553 overall. It doesn't feel like Loot is doing too much for Commander until you take into account his utility in the 99 of decks, paired with the notion that 553rd is actually a high ranking amongst legendary creatures in all of <em>Magic</em>.</li>
<li>Clocking at #2 is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, Visionary" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, Visionary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The Firemind and newest Living Guildpact of Ravnica has a ton of usage in Commander, namely as a member of the 99. However, this Niv-Mizzet is also a synergistic counterpart to his original card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as well as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Niv-Mizzet, Parun" href="#" target="_blank">Niv-Mizzet, Parun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These other two iterations of the character combo off with Visionary to great effect. As a result, this card commanders 5,972 decks and is ranked at #350 overall.</li>
<li>Finally, the most popular commander from <em>Foundations</em> proper is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tinybones, Bauble Burglar" href="#" target="_blank">Tinybones, Bauble Burglar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Tinybones is an interesting case in this instance. He only commands 6,080 decks and is therefore ranked only seven ranks up from Niv-Mizzet, Visionary at #343. This said, he actually ranks highest overall amongst his iterations, <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="Tinybones, the Pickpocket" href="#" target="_blank">Tinybones, the Pickpocket</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The reason actually eludes me, especially given that Trinket Thief is a much older card and both it and Pickpocket are more interesting cards. Nevertheless, the ranking of #343 overall makes Tinybones, Bauble Burglar the most popular <em>Foundations</em> commander in the format.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>There were no Commander decks released for <em>Foundations</em>, despite the mass of exciting legendary creatures in the set. This may be the one thing that the set truly lacked. It would've been a truly great place to release more Starter Commander Deck products.</p>
<p>Even so, <em>Magic: The Gathering: Foundations</em> was a stellar product release. Paired with its handling of starter-friendly products and the delicate <em>Jumpstart</em> subset development, many <em>Magic</em> players will agree that <em>Foundations</em> is most definitely the best <em>Magic</em> core set since 1993.</p>
<p>With that, let's open the floor to you, dear readers! How do you feel about <em>Magic: The Gathering: Foundations</em>? Did you like how Wizards of the Coast handled the set? What was your favorite product tied to it? Furthermore, how do you feel about it being in print until 2029? Sound off in the comments below!</p>
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Examining Magic: The Gathering: Foundations, One Year Later

The Top 10 Most Played Commander Cards from FDN

Under the Radar - Hurska Sweet-Tooth

Top 10 Interesting &#038; Interactive - Foundations

MTG Foundations: Choosing Your Color

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/j25/49/gornog-the-red-reaper">Gornog, the Red Reaper</a> | Art by: <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CIshikawa+Kenta%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Ishikawa Kenta</a>)</h6>
<h1>Warriors Come Out to Play!</h1>
<p>Red Hot! That is the deck that we have for you today. I will not fluff this one too much with an intro because this deck is too strong for an intro. This deck is too <strong>hot</strong> for an into. This deck is too much of a <strong>Warrior</strong> for an intro. This deck is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gornog, the Red Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Gornog, the Red Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and I am Nick. The most important thing you need to know about this deck is that Cowards can't block Warriors. Here we go!</p>
<h2>I Thought You Said Eggnog.</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gornog, the Red Reaper"></div></div>
<p>The only cow that I would never want to meet in a dark alley alone at night. I have been in love since I saw the spoiler for this card. I might be alone, however, since the Red Reaper is the fifth most-built commander from <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/j25">Foundations Jumpstart</a>.</em> I thought, why aren't more people building this deck?</p>
<p>And there is only one conclusion that I could formulate in my mind. Everyone else is a Coward. Originally thought of as a bit of a joke, like on cards, the phrase, Cowards can't block Warriors, is a key aspect of this deck. So, outside of Gornog, the Red Reaper, how will we make all of the opponents' creatures quake in their boots?</p>
<h2>Cowardice.</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kargan Intimidator"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="An-Zerrin Ruins"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Roaming Throne"></div></div>
<p>The most unfortunate part about this deck is that the depth of cards that can turn creatures you do not control into Cowards is not vast. However, decks have been built on slimmer margins than those we work with.</p>
<p>The first one is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kargan Intimidator" href="#" target="_blank">Kargan Intimidator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. An occasional player in standard occasionally, the intimidation can do a bit of everything as long as we have some mana to spare. It's a bit small on the back side, but we can deal with that if our opponents ever figure out how to block.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="An-Zerrin Ruins" href="#" target="_blank">An-Zerrin Ruins</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card I had never heard of before putting together this list. If you ever face someone playing a typal deck of their own, this card will stonewall them as a nice side benefit, but in this deck, it provides turn-by-turn lockdown ability, clearing the way for our creatures to pump out more damage. I will admit that this card is a bit slower than something like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Static Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Static Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but we want our board to remain untouched by this effect.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roaming Throne" href="#" target="_blank">Roaming Throne</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> choosing the creature-type Warrior is a phrase that will strike fear into the heart of players at a table for games to come after this deck. The throne will allow us to get more benefit out of Gornog by not triggering off of each Warrior that attacks, and it will pump our team even higher when we attack, thanks to the increasing numbers of Cowards. Roaming Throne is a staple in typal decks, and while it is a card that I am not the biggest fan of because of how good it is, this deck does need a boost in some places.</p>
<p>A once major player in the world of EDH, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strionic Resonator" href="#" target="_blank">Strionic Resonator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does a lot of work in this deck. With 25 of our 32 total creatures having some triggered ability, the possibilities might not be endless with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strionic Resonator" href="#" target="_blank">Strionic Resonator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but they are plentiful. The ability I most want to copy is the one from our commander, but there are other fun options in the deck.</p>
<h2>Tokens.</h2>
<p>You get a war when you remove the creature type's first three letters from most of our deck. And what does the war of this deck need but more and more Warriors? The best way to do that in the game is to make tokens. And the color red makes tokens with a flare.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kindred Charge"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flamerush Rider"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirror-Style Master"></div></div>
<p>Red is a color that likes to make tokens but does not like them to stick around. We could do something about this, like adding a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sundial of the Infinite" href="#" target="_blank">Sundial of the Infinite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but instead, I would make more and more tokens. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Molten Echoes" href="#" target="_blank">Molten Echoes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to double up on every attacking Warrior we make. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Charge" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Charge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a bit expensive at six mana, but it has no restriction if we have tokens lying around and can allow us to attack with token copies of creatures we might want to hold back. I am unsure why we would ever do that since this deck lives on a 90-degree angle.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flamerush Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Flamerush Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror-Style Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror-Style Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are both great by themselves and together. The Backup ability allows <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror-Style Master" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror-Style Master</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to always have a modified creature to copy. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flamerush Rider" href="#" target="_blank">Flamerush Rider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Having Dash lets us get a copy of a creature every turn for four mana. A bonus card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uncivil Unrest" href="#" target="_blank">Uncivil Unrest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, not only helps out these two cards by giving them haste but can allow our other creatures to become modified if we put a counter on them instead.</p>
<p>One card in this deck is a personal favorite of mine. Much like this deck, it does not come with a guarantee and can do nothing or anything, depending on how the coins fall.</p>
<h3>Mirror March.</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mirror March"></div></div>
<p>This might be my favorite red enchantment in the game. I also think it is an absolute slam dunk in this deck. I have to stress this card does not guarantee the user's success; it depends on how many coins come your way, but when they do, the rewards will be great. Some cards can be duds in this deck to get copies of, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archetype of Aggression" href="#" target="_blank">Archetype of Aggression</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manic Vandal" href="#" target="_blank">Manic Vandal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Those, however, are the floor for this card. The ceiling can be as high as fifteen copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zealous Conscripts" href="#" target="_blank">Zealous Conscripts</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> stealing an entire board. Or an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ogre Battledriver" href="#" target="_blank">Ogre Battledriver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with five identical friends. Even a few extra copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Devilish Valet" href="#" target="_blank">Devilish Valet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be game-changing.</p>
<p>But I told you that this deck had some hot tech to it. And sometimes, that hot tech stares back at you in the mirror. Specifically <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Box" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Box</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3>Mirror Box.</h3>
<p>What is inside this box is a whole bunch of legends.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gimli of the Glittering Caves"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lovisa Coldeyes"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mirror Box" href="#" target="_blank">Mirror Box</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows us to change the game by throwing the legend rule out the window. This allows us to get even more triggers from our big bovine boy <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gornog, the Red Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Gornog, the Red Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving our same-named legends a nice +1/+1 boost. It could be many copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lovisa Coldeyes" href="#" target="_blank">Lovisa Coldeyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make our team massive.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor" href="#" target="_blank">Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> making their best impression of Cowards can't block Warriors by saying the survivors it makes are not allowed to do anything to you. Maybe you want all of the copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gimli of the Glittering Caves" href="#" target="_blank">Gimli of the Glittering Caves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to contest with one another for who can get the most counters.</p>
<p>Or maybe you want to make opponents never think about blocking even if they do not have a single Coward with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Neheb, the Eternal" href="#" target="_blank">Neheb, the Eternal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and one of the most unfun mechanics in Afflict.</p>
<h2>Spice Cabinet.</h2>
<p>Much like the proverbial pepper, this deck has spice, at least concerning my pallet. If we cannot turn everything on the board into Cowards, we need another way to clear the way. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Insurrection" href="#" target="_blank">Insurrection</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> used to be the go-to for how a red deck would win the game. Most people have decided that the card is for those who regularly complain about back pain. Nowadays, it is all about goad.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disrupt Decorum"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spectacular Showdown"></div></div>
<p><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 a card most players have run across at the table, and it should be seen more often. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectacular Showdown" href="#" target="_blank">Spectacular Showdown</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another card that surprised me while building. <em>Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate</em> is a set that will never stop giving commander players hidden gems, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spectacular Showdown" href="#" target="_blank">Spectacular Showdown</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is, well, spectacular.</p>
<p>Versatility is the name of the game, and it is either targeting one particular creature you do not want to swing your way or turning into the most insane way to dish out massive amounts of damage with a vast quantity of double-striking creatures.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up.</h2>
<p>This is one of the most fun decks I have ever teched. It is fun and fast, and I will never get bored of telling players that Cowards can't block Warriors. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gornog, the Red Reaper" href="#" target="_blank">Gornog, the Red Reaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might not be for everyone, and I think that my lane of leaning into tokens and turning other creatures into Cowards might be a bit off the wall in terms of a build for this deck.</p>
<p>If you are not a Coward, and I know you are not, then you should check out the rest of the decks that I have teched or any of the other articles that I have done, ranging from planeswalkers to being wrong on the power level of cards in set reviews. You can also check out many <a href="https://commandersherald.com/articles/">fantastic articles here or on Commanders Herald</a>.</p>
<p>As always, I have been Nick. Thanks for checking out how I teched this deck.</p>
<h2>Deck List.</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Warriors Come Out to Play!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Gornog, the Red Reaper
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Aggravated Assault
*1 An-Zerrin Ruins
*1 Mirror March
*1 Molten Echoes
*1 Rising of the Day
*1 Shared Animosity
*1 Uncivil Unrest
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Anger
*1 Archetype of Aggression
*1 Aspiring Champion
*1 Brighthearth Banneret
*1 Combat Celebrant
*1 Death-Greeter&#039;s Champion
*1 Devilish Valet
*1 Falkenrath Marauders
*1 Flamerush Rider
*1 Frontier Warmonger
*1 Gimli of the Glittering Caves
*1 Iraxxa, Empress of Mars
*1 Jaxis, the Troublemaker
*1 Kargan Intimidator
*1 Karlach, Fury of Avernus
*1 Laelia, the Blade Reforged
*1 Lovisa Coldeyes
*1 Manic Vandal
*1 Markov Blademaster
*1 Mirror-Style Master
*1 Moraug, Fury of Akoum
*1 Neheb, the Eternal
*1 Ogre Battledriver
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Roaming Throne
*1 Star Athlete
*1 Taurean Mauler
*1 Varchild&#039;s War-Riders
*1 Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor
*1 Voldaren Thrillseeker
*1 Zealous Conscripts
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Coat of Arms
*1 Cursed Mirror
*1 Dolmen Gate
*1 Helm of the Host
*1 Mirror Box
*1 Patchwork Banner
*1 Ruby Medallion
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Strionic Resonator
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Instants]
*1 Big Score
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Great Train Heist
*1 Savage Beating
*1 Valakut Awakening // Valakut Stoneforge
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Disrupt Decorum
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Isengard Unleashed
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Kindred Charge
*1 Mana Geyser
*1 Seize the Day
*1 Spectacular Showdown
[/Sorceries]
[Lands]
*1 Arena of Glory
*1 Cavern of Souls
*1 Fabled Passage
*27 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Talon Gates of Madara
*1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>




Tech the Deck - Gornog, the Red Reaper

Brew For Your Buck - Plagon Defenders on a Budget

Foundations: How to Build Mana Bases

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<a href="https://scryfall.com/card/j25/54/shroofus-sproutsire">Shroofus Sproutsire</a> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CYukihiro+Maruo%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art">Yukihiro Maruo</a>)</h6>
<h1>Just a Fun Little Guy</h1>
<p>People have told me that I am a fun guy. Luckily, no one has ever told me I am a fungi. The same cannot be said for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shroofus Sproutsire" href="#" target="_blank">Shroofus Sproutsire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Few things in magic take a player back to the old days as much as making a Saproling token. I aim to make many of these little guys, and I am using a crop of cards that some players know all too well and others will be seeing for the first time.</p>
<p>It is fitting that Shroofus Sproutsire comes from <em>Foundations Jumpstart</em> because we are returning to the format's foundations with this one. I am Nick, and I hope you will join me as I Tech this Deck.</p>
<h2>There is a Fungus Among Us</h2>
<p>Two creature types in the game are forever joined at the hip; <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?as=grid&amp;order=name&amp;q=type%3Afungus+%28game%3Apaper%29+is%3Apaperart">Fungus</a> and Saproling. <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Plenty of Fungus creatures</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">, even six, have become legendary</span>. But it wasn't until Shroofus that we got the first legendary creature - Saproling. So why is this a big deal? Because Shroofus is just a little guy, and it would not be very nice if you were mean to him. I joke, but this is a very cool commander with many synergies with cards seen across the many years the game has been around. So, let's go deep into the forest and find some fungi.</p>
<h3>Mushroom Monsters</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thallid|FEM|74d"></div></div>
<p>It's the most classic of the monsters in our list and the one that explains the core of what our creatures are all about. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thallid" href="#" target="_blank">Thallid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can remove spore counters to make Saproling tokens. It's a simple effect, but without help, it will take three turns after casting before you can get a single 1/1 creature. While this effect isn't fast, it's frequent across many other Fungi.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Utopia Mycon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savage Thallid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Psychotrope Thallid"></div></div>
<p>Four more Fungus monsters, all with the same ability to get spore counters. But each one brings its twist to the same recipe. Utopia Mycon is not only the lone creature not having Thallid in its name of the above four, but it also can cash in your tokens for mana. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Savage Thallid" href="#" target="_blank">Savage Thallid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings a double dose of older themes with Regenerate, a keyword that card designers have moved away from as years gone by.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Psychotrope Thallid" href="#" target="_blank">Psychotrope Thallid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> might be one of the best of the bunch outside of the Mycon. If we are not making mana, the next best thing to do is draw cards, and this Thallid knows a thing or two about drawing cards. Finally, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vitaspore Thallid" href="#" target="_blank">Vitaspore Thallid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can allow us to send in our commander immediately or use some of our other nonfungus creatures in this deck when they hit the board.</p>
<p>But all of these cards have the same problem: they're slow. Even if all the other players let me put these four creatures on the board on turn one, they still would not look great when I got around to my fourth turn. The best scenario is I now have four additional 1/1 creatures, and I can parlay that into mana or card draw. The worst case is right before I get enough counters, someone casts a <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>, and I am out of the game. So what do we do to go faster?</p>
<h2>We Evolve</h2>
<p>Join me in the glorious evolution of this deck featuring a green all-star for any strategy that requires someone to carry a dice bag with them, <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Evolution Sage"></div></div>. Proliferation is one of the best ways to send our Saproling generation into overdrive. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolution Sage" href="#" target="_blank">Evolution Sage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the best cards for helping us out since all it requires is to make our land drops. We also have a few extra pieces of proliferation to pair up with the sage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cankerbloom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Karn&#039;s Bastion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Staff of Compleation"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cankerbloom" href="#" target="_blank">Cankerbloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Swiss army knife creature offering us proliferation, artifact removal, and enchantment removal on a cheap body with great stats. I have undervalued this card for a long time, but I am glad that I got to see just how good they could be before putting this deck together.</p>
<p>Karn's Bastion gives us a repeatable proliferation effect on a land, so playing it with Evolution Sage on the battlefield should make you chuckle at the table. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Staff of Compleation" href="#" target="_blank">Staff of Compleation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does cost three life every time we want to use it, getting the one last counter we need could make all the difference. Believe it or not, we have a few other ways to use this proliferation in our deck besides strictly adding spore counters.</p>
<h3>Proliferating the Proliferation</h3>
<p>Proliferation would have been much different if it specified what counters you could add. Luckily for us and many other players, it does not. So, what are we proliferating outside of spore counters and +1/+1 counters?</p>
<p>How about Fading? <div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Saproling Burst"></div></div> gives us a choice between a single 7/7 token that slowly shrinks until it is no more or a surprise of seven 1/1 tokens that will only be around for a single turn. But what if we could add more counters? Not only could we get multiple tokens that could be larger than a 1/1, but we could also increase the number of 1/1s that we can make.</p>
<p>Maybe you need to close out the game and do not have many turns left. If you have a few counters on your <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beastmaster Ascension" href="#" target="_blank">Beastmaster Ascension</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> but not enough creatures to get the magic number of seven, proliferation can help you close out the game.</p>
<p>Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Door of Destinies" href="#" target="_blank">Door of Destinies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can get more and more and MORE counters growing our mushroom army. But the heart of this deck is and always will be the Saproling tokens, so let me show you what we've got.</p>
<h2>Saproling Synergies</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brightcap Badger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thelonite Hermit"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Verdant Force"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sprout Swarm"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brightcap Badger" href="#" target="_blank">Brightcap Badger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of my favorite cards in the deck because it does everything. Makes Saproling creatures for us at instant speed and every end step. As well as turning all of our Saprolings and Fungi into mana dorks. Saddly, as a Badger Druid, it will not gain any synergies from our next card, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thelonite Hermit" href="#" target="_blank">Thelonite Hermit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thelonite Hermit" href="#" target="_blank">Thelonite Hermit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does have an expensive Morph cost at 3<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span><span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> after playing it face down, the payoff is worth the steep investment. Four 1/1 tokens that get buffed up will do just as well, if not better, than most of the cards in our deck at closing out a game or keeping us alive.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Verdant Force" href="#" target="_blank">Verdant Force</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is objectively past their prime. But I would be forced to turn in my deck building license if I did not include it in the list. We are in mono green, so there is a reasonable chance we can cast this large lad ahead of the curve, even with the heavy mana requirement. If we can't, we also run <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tendershoot Dryad" href="#" target="_blank">Tendershoot Dryad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> so that we can win the game.</p>
<p>A few cards in this deck will elicit a groan from others at the table, but one, in particular, has the possibility of sending someone into a breakdown.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sprout Swarm"></div></div>.</p>
<p>If you ever find a player who was around when this card first came out, be careful when mentioning <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sprout Swarm" href="#" target="_blank">Sprout Swarm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With the mix of Convoke and Buyback <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, the swarm will eventually give someone an unending swarm of Saprolings. This card can only be described as a mistake that should never have seen the light of day. But luckily for us, we got to pair it up with our happy little mushroom man. Sometimes, saddly, Saprolings beating down your opponents is not enough to win the game. So, the last part of our deck is where all the spice lives.</p>
<h2>Spicy Mushrooms</h2>
<p>Every good deck needs a plan B. Since our deck combines Fungus and Saproling typal, we start the game around plan C. Never fear because alternate win conditions are here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triumph of the Hordes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Strixhaven Stadium"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Epic Struggle"></div></div>
<p>While it might be cheating to consider <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Triumph of the Hordes" href="#" target="_blank">Triumph of the Hordes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strixhaven Stadium" href="#" target="_blank">Strixhaven Stadium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as alternative ways to win the game, giving all of our creatures trample and infect drastically changes the math during the combat step. One moment, all of your opponents think they are safe with a few creatures to block; the next, they are shuffling up for game two. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strixhaven Stadium" href="#" target="_blank">Strixhaven Stadium</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a risky card for most decks. Ideally, we should have less incurred risk since we should have enough creatures to stop getting counters removed from the stadium, and we can pair it with proliferation to up the counters as close to ten as possible.</p>
<p>There is no way that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Epic Struggle" href="#" target="_blank">Epic Struggle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can be considered anything but an alternative to winning the game. The biggest downside to this card, and the reason most people have never seen it on a battlefield, is that it will become the immediate target no matter what. Someone will try to remove it, your creatures, or you from the game before losing to this card. But if you can pull off the win, it becomes a card where the name perfectly fits the feeling coursing through your body.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shroofus Sproutsire" href="#" target="_blank">Shroofus Sproutsire</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card I expect to show up at a surprising amount of tables. It's a bit of a perfect storm for a commander deck. The art of this card is adorable, and while no one would ever say this card is broken, it can be made to be powerful. This deck hits the perfect middle on the Venn diagram of a new player getting into the format and a long-time player trying to recapture the feelings when they first found themselves tapping lands and slinging spells.</p>
<p>If you want to see more content around the new cards from <em>Foundations</em> or <em>Foundations Jumpstart,</em> check out the other deck techs I did or any other fantastic articles on both EDHREC and Commander's Herald. Once again, I'm Nick, and I will see you the next time we Tech the Deck.</p>
<h2>Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Fun Guy - Shroofus Sproutsire Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Shroofus Sproutsire
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Commander&#039;s Plate
*1 Door of Destinies
*1 Idol of Oblivion
*1 Patchwork Banner
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Staff of Compleation
*1 Strixhaven Stadium
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Asceticism
*1 Beastmaster Ascension
*1 Doubling Season
*1 Elven Chorus
*1 Epic Struggle
*1 Night Soil
*1 Parallel Lives
*1 Saproling Burst
*1 Song of the Dryads
*1 Sporogenesis
*1 Tribute to the World Tree
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Brightcap Badger // Fungus Frolic
*1 Cankerbloom
*1 Champion of Lambholt
*1 Circle of Dreams Druid
*1 Craterhoof Behemoth
*1 Elvish Farmer
*1 Evolution Sage
*1 Insidious Fungus
*1 Jaheira, Friend of the Forest
*1 Mycoloth
*1 Nemata, Grove Guardian
*1 Ohran Frostfang
*1 Psychotrope Thallid
*1 Renata, Called to the Hunt
*1 Ruxa, Patient Professor
*1 Saryth, the Viper&#039;s Fang
*1 Savage Thallid
*1 Sporecrown Thallid
*1 Sporemound
*1 Sporesower Thallid
*1 Tendershoot Dryad
*1 Thallid
*1 Thelonite Hermit
*1 Thunderfoot Baloth
*1 Undercellar Myconid
*1 Utopia Mycon
*1 Verdant Force
*1 Vigor
*1 Vitaspore Thallid
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Collective Unconscious
*1 For the Common Good
*1 Fungal Sprouting
*1 Harvest Season
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Overrun
*1 Pest Infestation
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Triumph of the Hordes
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Fungal Rebirth
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Return of the Wildspeaker
*1 Second Harvest
*1 Sprout Swarm
*1 Wrap in Vigor
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*26 Forest
*1 Fountainport
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Mosswort Bridge
*1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Three Tree City
*1 Tranquil Thicket
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<hr />
<h4>Read more:</h4>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="LhebFMNuRv"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/rally-the-ancestors-50-lands-and-a-plan/">Rally the Ancestors - 50 Lands and a Plan</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="qP6oeO4dx2"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-beast-in-me-slinza-the-spiked-stampede-deck/">The Beast In Me - Slinza, the Spiked Stampede Deck</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;The Beast In Me - Slinza, the Spiked Stampede Deck&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-beast-in-me-slinza-the-spiked-stampede-deck/embed/#?secret=jYtpmsxLso#?secret=qP6oeO4dx2" data-secret="qP6oeO4dx2" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


foundations