<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iroh, Grand Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Iroh, Grand Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/mangamie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fahmi Fauzi</a></em></p>
<p>This week on <em>Beyond the Multiverse</em>, the series where I brew decks using only Universes Beyond cards, I'm doing one last deck tech from <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/tla" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Avatar: The Last Airbender</em></a> (<em>ATLA</em>). The character I'm showcasing today is one that could mostly be built from the set itself, barring one or maybe two other sets. He's one who, to the surprise of no one, is a fan favorite to everyone who's watched the show.</p>
<p>Who is it that I'm covering? <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iroh, Grand Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Iroh, Grand Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iroh, Grand Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Iroh, Grand Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Iroh, Grand Lotus"></div></div>
<p>Zuko's uncle (and honestly, a better father than Ozai ever was) has much wisdom to give, be it to other characters in the show, or even to us. This is best showcased with a subtype that, before <em>ATLA</em>, showed up exactly one set before it.</p>
<p>I speak of Lessons.</p>
<p>Lessons got a massive boost with the set, providing an incredible amount of utility rather than being the draft chaff that it was in the past. With Iroh, he can recur them again for a single colorless mana. However, we also need other instants and sorceries to better support those Lesson cards.</p>
<p>Having said this, the natural direction for an Iroh deck is <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spellslinging</a>.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Iroh, Grand Lotus" href="#" target="_blank">Iroh, Grand Lotus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<h3>Lessons to Be Learned</h3>
<p>I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Iroh's flashback-granting ability only applies on our turn, so we can't do any shenanigans on our opponents' turns. That said, we can still take advantage of this drawback. Like I said, Lessons tend to gravitate around being more utility-based.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shared Roots" href="#" target="_blank">Shared Roots</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a great example of this. It's a spell that's identical to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rampant Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Rampant Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but it's also a Lesson, which is something Iroh can make cheaper when cast from the graveyard.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shared Roots"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Whirlwind Technique"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Redirect Lightning"></div></div>
<p>We also have Lesson spells that aren't clones of older spells, but rather unique ones. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Whirlwind Technique" href="#" target="_blank">Whirlwind Technique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reckless Blaze" href="#" target="_blank">Reckless Blaze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> have effects that didn't exist in older sets, especially the former and its airbending ability. These are welcome additions to our Lesson repertoire, expanding what they could already do.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chakra Meditation" href="#" target="_blank">Chakra Meditation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ensures we don't need to discard cards if we have enough Lessons in the graveyard, yet letting us draw. It gets crazy when paired with Iroh, and enough Lessons to flash back in one turn (more on this soon).</p>
<p>Also, to better protect Iroh himself, as he sits at a hefty six mana, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Redirect Lightning" href="#" target="_blank">Redirect Lightning</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will help keep removal off his back.</p>
<h3>Other Homework</h3>
<p>Of course, we'll need to complement those Lesson cards with non-Lesson instants and sorceries, whose main roles will essentially be filling in the blanks. That said, Iroh will have us pay full price for these, so I went with as many cheap non-Lessons as I could.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Frantic Search|tle|159"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Opt|ltc|194"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hull Breach|40k|224"></div></div>
<p>On the one hand, there's cheap cantrips like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Opt|ltc|194" href="#" target="_blank">Opt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Consider|tle|157" href="#" target="_blank">Consider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are easily castable from the graveyard with Iroh's ability. On the other, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wreck and Rebuild|who|169" href="#" target="_blank">Wreck and Rebuild</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which will either give us a land (while fueling the yard for Iroh!) or destroying an artifact or enchantment.</p>
<p>The main deckbuilding advice I'll give about Iroh is exactly all this. We need to keep our non-Lesson spells cheap. That way, we can easily flash them back with Iroh.</p>
<p>In addendum, what the Lesson cards don't cover, our non-Lesson cards should cover the rest of the bases.</p>
<h2>Iroh, Grand Lotus Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Going Universes Beyond-Iroh, Grand Lotus" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Iroh, Grand Lotus
[/Commander]
[Instants]
*1 Abandon Attachments
*1 Accumulate Wisdom
*1 Beast Within
*1 Big Score
*1 Bolt Bend
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Combustion Technique
*1 Consider
*1 Cyber Conversion
*1 Cycle of Renewal
*1 Elemental Teachings
*1 Energybending
*1 Entish Restoration
*1 Frantic Search
*1 It&#039;ll Quench Ya!
*1 Manamorphose
*1 Octopus Form
*1 Opt
*1 Origin of Metalbending
*1 Overwhelming Victory
*1 Redirect Lightning
*1 Sokka&#039;s Haiku
*1 Unexpected Windfall
*1 Whirlwind Technique
*1 Zuko&#039;s Exile
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Blasphemous Act
*1 Cathartic Reunion
*1 Cultivate
*1 Deep Analysis
*1 Expressive Iteration
*1 Faithless Looting
*1 Farseek
*1 Hull Breach
*1 Kodama&#039;s Reach
*1 Ponder
*1 Preordain
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Reckless Blaze
*1 Regrowth
*1 Rite of Replication
*1 Shared Roots
*1 Storm of Memories
*1 True Ancestry
*1 Water Whip
*1 Waterbending Lesson
*1 Wreck and Rebuild
[/Sorceries]
[Creatures]
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Erebor Flamesmith
*1 Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch
*1 Gran-Gran
*1 Guttersnipe
*1 Jeong Jeong, the Deserter
*1 Longshot, Rebel Bowman
*1 Storm, Force of Nature
*1 The Lion-Turtle
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Chakra Meditation
*1 Fiery Inscription
*1 Propaganda
*1 Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
[/Artifacts]
[Lands]
*1 Abstergo Entertainment
*1 Command Tower
*1 Dreamroot Cascade
*1 Evolving Wilds
*1 Exotic Orchard
*7 Forest
*1 Frostboil Snarl
*1 Game Trail
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*7 Island
*7 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Reflecting Pool
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Rootbound Crag
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Terramorphic Expanse
*1 Vineglimmer Snarl
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>Experience Is the Best Teacher</h3>
<p>Remember the point I said I'd come back to? Basically, it's how we win. Not only do we have effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Longshot, Rebel Bowman" href="#" target="_blank">Longshot, Rebel Bowman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but also casting multiple spells in one turn gets us there. We'll eventually have enough instants and sorceries to flash back that we could pull off an explosive turn. During that time, we'll have finished setting up. The trick is to get enough Lesson cards in the bin to make this possible.</p>
<p>Since Iroh only reduces Lessons to a single mana, we'll need enough of them to make it happen. Alternatively, we have cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm, Force of Nature" href="#" target="_blank">Storm, Force of Nature</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm of Memories" href="#" target="_blank">Storm of Memories</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Guttersnipe|ltc|220"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm, Force of Nature"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Longshot, Rebel Bowman"></div></div>
<p>Secondly, the other way is through the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guttersnipe|ltc|220" href="#" target="_blank">Guttersnipe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its ilk. I already mentioned Longshot, who's among the best of these, but <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fiery Inscription" href="#" target="_blank">Fiery Inscription</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is just as good. In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Erebor Flamesmith" href="#" target="_blank">Erebor Flamesmith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a weaker effect, but can come out sooner. So, too, does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch" href="#" target="_blank">Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but that also recurs your spells to use again.</p>
<h3>Spreading Our Teachings</h3>
<p>Expanding our horizons into in-universe sets gives us some major boons. Above all, the most important card to add is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Storm-Kiln Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Storm-Kiln Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. With this, we can keep chaining Lessons with Iroh by using the Treasure tokens the Artist makes.</p>
<p>In addition, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Birgi, God of Storytelling" href="#" target="_blank">Birgi, God of Storytelling</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> functions in an identical fashion. So, too, does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, except the Lesson cards will be free. Not only that, but the non-Lesson cards become much cheaper, too!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Storm-Kiln Artist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Birgi, God of Storytelling"></div></div>
<p>Meanwhile, we get access to the remaining Lesson cards. However, a lot of these aren't worth it. There's a few standouts, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Introduction to Prophecy" href="#" target="_blank">Introduction to Prophecy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but nothing significant to write home about. But, it'd still be at home with Iroh. I can only imagine what a deck would look like if we ran just Lesson cards for our instants and sorceries.</p>
<p>Our win conditions get much better here, too. Examples include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ignite Memories" href="#" target="_blank">Ignite Memories</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <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>. So, once you finish setting up, and your opponents can't stop you, go nuts (without the squirrels, of course)!</p>
<h3>Class's End</h3>
<p>I doubt this'll be the last time we'll get a stronger focus on Lessons. Perhaps we'll see them in a certain in-universe set this year?</p>
<p>Coming soon is <em>Lorwyn Eclipsed</em>, and that set's looking really cool. That next one won't be our traditional <em>Universes Beyond</em> article, but instead, it'll be 100 percent in-universe. But that won't mean I don't have some restrictive shenanigans in place. Tune in next week to see what I have in store for you.</p>


lessons

Iroh, Grand Lotus Teaching Lessons in Universes Beyond

Top 10 Lessons in Commander