Can We Build a Commander Deck Around the Prepared Mechanic?

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emeritus of Ideation" href="#" target="_blank">Emeritus of Ideation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://evynfong.square.site/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evyn Fong</a></em></p>
<p>Hey everyone! I am Command Zoe, fresh off a very successful fundraiser for Trans Lifeline and ready to dive into <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/sos" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Secrets of Strixhaven</em></a>. Specifically I want to talk about the mechanic that has me the most excited: prepare.</p>
<p>Much like exert or monstrous, this mechanic is a state that creatures can become, and once a creature is prepared it can cast its prepared spell. This unprepares it, and it must be prepared again to cast again. The potential of this mechanic is limitless.</p>
<p>We have creatures coming that can cast <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a> multiple times. We even have creatures that can cast <a href="https://edhrec.com/banned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banned cards</a> and <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Reserved_List" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reserved List cards</a>.</p>
<p>So let's dive into the top 10 cards with this new effect and see just how wild the design team got with it.</p>
<h2>10. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vastlands Scavenger" href="#" target="_blank">Vastlands Scavenger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vastlands Scavenger"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>This is a bear necessity.</em></p>
<p>There are several things to look for when evaluating these new prepared mechanic. How much does it cost to cast the creature and then the spell? How good is this card without the spell? Is there a way to make it prepared multiple times, or is this a one time deal? And if it can become prepared again how much work is that?</p>
<p>Well, Vastlands Scavenger is a tank. For just three mana you get 4/4 worth of stats <em>that even gets deathtouch</em>. Stompy players are going to salivate at that stat line. That is better than a lot of creatures before its spell is even cast!</p>
<p>The spell itself is also incredibly powerful. It costs five, so it curves into itself very nicely, and then it mills seven cards deep to put <em>any </em>creature it finds directly onto the battlefield. As if that weren't enough, it then puts those other six cards into the <del>second hand</del> graveyard.</p>
<p>This card is just generically strong all around. It does everything that can be asked of a green creature. Its only slight drawback is that it can't become prepared multiple times. But with a stat line and prepared spell like that, does it really need to?</p>
<h2>9. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Skycoach Conductor" href="#" target="_blank">Skycoach Conductor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Skycoach Conductor"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Driver! Prepare my spell for me. Chop, chop!</em></p>
<p>Again we immediately are greeted with stats and keywords above their cost. Three mana for a 2/3 with <em>three</em> keywords including flying? <em>And</em> you can cast it at instant speed? Am I getting old or is that stat line just way too good for there to be more text on the card? Don't answer that.</p>
<p>The reason this card is on the list is that its prepared spell is essentially a blue <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudshift" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudshift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The fact that the creature also has flash let's All Aboard be used as interaction. There is so much utility in this card. It can re-prepare any card that prepares on enter - which is most of them - it can re-trigger any enters effects you have, it can avoid spot-removal, it can save an attacker or a blocker, and more. The possibilities of how to use it are endless.</p>
<p>Note that it cannot target Pilots, which keeps it from targeting itself over and over. This also means all of the recent changelings from <em>Lorwyn Eclipsed </em>also cannot be targeted. Unless...</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unnatural Selection"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Look - I don't know what I'm gonna do with this yet, but I don't like being told I can't do something...</em></p>
<h2>8. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scheming Silvertongue" href="#" target="_blank">Scheming Silvertongue</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scheming Silvertongue"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>They gave the popular girl a card too.</em></p>
<p>I am obsessed with this card. If this was a list of Zoe's favorite cards from the set she would be all 1o. She again is a stat-beast. At 1/3 with flying and lifelink, she very easily slots into most black decks. She dodges <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shock" href="#" target="_blank">Shock</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, regains health, and chump blocks old <em>and</em> new inklings with ease. But once you get any lifegain <em>or power buff</em> going and she can draw two cards every turn with her <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sign in Blood" href="#" target="_blank">Sign in Blood</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> spell.</p>
<p>And she's a vampire!</p>
<p>Just from a design standpoint, can we talk about how she gains you that life then turns it into card draw? She turns blood into power. <em>That is so flavorful and cool. </em>But it's also really good. It is very easy to gain one more life per turn on top of her lifelink in black to make her prepared over and over. The card draw, the drain and gain, the flavor.</p>
<p>No notes. 10/10 card. Not the most powerful on this list, but you won't ever be disappointed to see this in your hand.</p>
<h2>7. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Naktamun Lorespinner" href="#" target="_blank">Naktamun Lorespinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Naktamun Lorespinner"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>We are playing Wheel of Fortune and I am taking a W.</em></p>
<p>I am sensing a theme. All of these cards have stats above-rate. A three-mana 3/3 with relevant creature type in red excites the 1v1 player in me. I think this card in mono-red burn will be something special, but this article is about Commander. Is it still good? Yes. Absolutely. Wheel of Fortune is a whole archetype here!</p>
<p>The clause to become prepared with this very good boy is not that difficult to achieve. Just dump your hand! Aggro and Burn decks love this card.</p>
<p>But it's not just <em>your</em> hand it counts. If you're on any kind of discard list, this looks at your opponents' hands too. Sure it gives them more cards, but if they get more cards that's more cards to make them discard!</p>
<p>The bad news is that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekusar, the Mindrazer" href="#" target="_blank">Nekusar, the Mindrazer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> player you loathe just got a new toy. The good news is so long as you keep cards in your hand they can't wheel you over and over. More bad news though, keeping cards in your hand is bad against Nekusar. Wait why are they tapping out for four-</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sheoldred, the Apocalypse"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Gulp.</em></p>
<h2>6. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emeritus of Ideation" href="#" target="_blank">Emeritus of Ideation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emeritus of Ideation"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Don't do it; there is still time.</em></p>
<p>Does that say-</p>
<p>No. What? That is literally <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> printed on a card. I thought they weren't allowed to do that! Okay but how good is it really? It's a five mana 5/5 flyer with ward <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> in mono-blue? Okay what the heck, why does it also have Ancestral Recall.</p>
<p>How are there five cards higher than this?!</p>
<p>Power creep of stats aside, it is quite expensive to take advantage of this card's effect multiple times. Not only do you need to get to six mana, three of which must be blue pips, but to do it again you have to delve eight cards from your graveyard. And sure you get one free one, but ask any blue mage. Once you get a taste of low cost card draw you're going to want more.</p>
<p>Luckily blue is one of the colors that can mill itself, and drawing three cards will help you find those self-mill effects.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Loot, the Pathfinder"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Wow I can't believe they printed Ancestral Recall on a card; that's so </em>crazy<em>!</em></p>
<h2>5. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emeritus of Woe" href="#" target="_blank">Emeritus of Woe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emeritus of Woe"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Is it pronounced "Woah" or "Woah-ee"?</em></p>
<p>If <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> weren't impressive enough, how about a card that can tutor for entire game winning combos <em>by itself. </em>And she's a 5/4 for four mana! A viable threat that can find you whatever you need to win the turn after it's cast will be a lightning rod for your opponents' removal.</p>
<p>Two creatures dying on your turn to re-prepare isn't too hard to get to. Keep in mind it is <em>any</em> creatures dying, yours included! Aristocrats decks will love this card.</p>
<p>Notably the check for becoming prepared is at end step, so if Tutor gets cast the turn she's played she can immediately re-prepare. I wonder how relevant that will be in the color that likes to sacrifice creatures for mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wriggling Grub"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Altar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warren Soultrader"></div></div>
<p><em>Hey check out this neat sequence that conveniently let's you cast your prepared spell on curve while also re-preparing itself!</em></p>
<h2>4. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grave Researcher" href="#" target="_blank">Grave Researcher</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grave Researcher"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>He's researching how to kill you and he only gets tenure if he can bring you back.</em></p>
<p><em>What</em>.</p>
<p>Okay so it doesn't enter prepared and it has to survive a full turn cycle to start doing its thing, but that's where the drawbacks end. The body is powerful (stop me if you've heard that one before) and it can re-prepare every turn. Once you get to three creatures in your graveyard you can cast one of the most powerful cards ever printed every single turn. Every. Single. Turn.</p>
<p>And it helps you fill your yard to get there! And it smooths your draws! And <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reanimate" href="#" target="_blank">Reanimate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> isn't just <em>your</em> graveyard! And and and...</p>
<h2>3. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emeritus of Truce" href="#" target="_blank">Emeritus of Truce</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emeritus of Truce"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Learning to farm, but I ain't got ink.<br />
Doin harm, isn't how I think<br />
</em></p>
<p>Amazing stats, comes with a 1/1 flyer, relevant creature types, and gives you a <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>? All on a three-mana creature. This card is the perfect white creature. Not being able to re-prepare might hurt if it weren't in white, the color of "Exile target creature and return it to the battlefield."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ephemerate"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Lol. Lmao.</em></p>
<h2>2. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blazing Firesinger" href="#" target="_blank">Blazing Firesinger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blazing Firesinger"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Sing it out, sis.</em></p>
<p>Storm didn't need help, but they gave it help anyway. This one might end up being the best card on this list honestly, just because of a certain <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Displacer Kitten" href="#" target="_blank">notorious kitten that goes infinite with it</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>I could end up being wrong, but I think a two-card combo that makes infinite mana on turn four might be pretty strong. Any <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Flicker" href="#" target="_blank">Flicker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effect becomes ramp with her out, and it adds to your storm count! I'm sure that's fine.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Displacer Kitten"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>:3</em></p>
<h2>1. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yavimaya Bloomsage" href="#" target="_blank">Yavimaya Bloomsage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yavimaya Bloomsage"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>That's Channel on a </em>Magic <em>card...</em></p>
<p>No good can come of this. What can I say about this card that isn't covered by the card text? At least this one isn't <em>immediately </em>over-statted. It enters as a 2/2 and has to wait until end step for its third power. And at least it's seven power to become prepared. That's hard to do in green, right? So they put guard rails on this one.</p>
<p>Someone is going to get Channel-Exsanguinated at a Prerelease event, and I think that's beautiful.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stensian Sanguinist"></div></div></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>If I had an 11th card, it woulda been her...</em></p>
<h2>Until Next Time</h2>
<p>Thanks so much for taking the time to read my thoughts on the new prepared mechanic. I hope you enjoyed the preview of my favorite new mechanic. Be sure to check out all my articles <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/zoe-ley" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> as well as over at <a href="https://commandersherald.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander's Herald</a>, and follow me across all my <a href="http://linktr.ee/commandzoe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">socials</a> so you never miss an article!</p>


prepared mechanic

Can We Build a Commander Deck Around the Prepared Mechanic?

The 10 Best Prepared Cards in Secrets of Strixhaven