Rule Zero: Avatar's Double-Faced Sagas as Commanders

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoic Rebuttal" href="#" target="_blank">Stoic Rebuttal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CChris+Rahn%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rahn</a></em></p>
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<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> </strong>This week, a rebuttal from The Salties from <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-salty-for-your-losses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this article</a>.</p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>Here's the episode we did just yesterday:</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="Bolcast 53 - The Salties Rebuttal and Michael Celani Returns" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EqT9c5NnqPk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, and this is me having another Diet Pepsi when my tummy hurts.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unstable Experiment"></div></div>
<p><i>The taste is worth the bubbles!</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
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<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
<p><em>Hi there,</em></p>
<p><em>A friend told me to listen to the most recent mailbag episode of The Bolcast because it sounded similar to a story I had told him about my playgroups’s last retreat. When he told me the submitter’s anonymous name, I knew immediately it was our friend. We throw around hegemon a lot. Who else does that!?</em></p>
<p><em>I am writing you to say we The Salties, and the rest of the group, are brewing up our retort. Like a blue player with two blue held up, we have a response.</em></p>
<p><em>We believe that the situation has been grossly misrepresented and seek to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help us Ugin.</em></p>
<p><em>Please stay tuned for what we have.</em></p>
<p><em>Sincerely,</em></p>
<p><em>The Salties</em></p>
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<div dir="auto">
<p><em>Hi there,</em></p>
<p><em>Sorry it took awhile to get this to you, our response is as follows:</em></p>
<p><em>It’s The Salties reporting for duty! We are the two players mentioned in your last mailbag. We felt some important context was missing, and after discussing with the other players in the pod, we wanted to share our perspective and some additional details. Every year we all set time aside from family, loved ones, and work to get together for this week-long Magic retreat with our friends. We look forward to it all year, and do so much work to make it special, even creating annual merch. </em></p>
<p><em>It’s a time for bonding, friendship, and fun for us all. The retreat isn’t a place for us to pit our Magic skills against each other - we have FNMs for that! It’s a space for us to unwind, let loose, and play a game we all love.</em></p>
<p><em>We want to begin with stating that we believe the Hegemon builds incredible decks, there is no doubt about that. But when his decks don’t align with the rest of the pod’s power level, it impacts the fun for the rest of us. There is a big difference between a deck technically qualifying as Bracket 3 (his favorite defense) and consciously lowering the power of decks to maintain the power level we are aiming for with our pod. While our decks have extremely even win rates (13–16%) for five of us, the Hegemon’s decks (including games where he didn’t pilot them) won 43% of our games. In fact, another member of our pod played his decks this year, and won every single game he played with them. On the other hand, when the Hegemon has played with our decks he hasn’t won.</em></p>
<p><em>Furthermore, we feel like an important part of healthy Commander games is respecting each other’s time. This was one of our primary complaints that we directly discussed with the Hegemon. More often than not, his turns have caused people to get up from the table and disengage, especially in the 5 and 6 player games. We can appreciate that this is him “playing optimally,” but this results in the game slowing to a crawl. Players have even scooped during his turn (something we don’t like doing and try to avoid) because his plays take so much time even when he is far ahead in the game. The rest of us consciously try to play more quickly to keep games moving, especially in the larger games. Despite us raising this concern, he has mentioned that he sees any adjustment of his play-style as sandbagging. We do not wish for him to sandbag cards or pull his punches, but just to keep the game moving rather than spend literal minutes trying to determine the correct play.</em></p>
<p><em>Finally, there are many formats for competitive play in Magic where winning at all costs is the expectation. Everyone in our group plays these formats except for him. We believe that the Hegemon’s lack of interest in other formats could be playing a role in some of our issues. Commander is his only competitive outlet for Magic. From our perspective, he approaches every Commander game as a competitive test, while the rest of us are looking for a more relaxed, varied experience when we play EDH.</em></p>
<p><em>This is a shared frustration and it’s not a short-term streak. However, we truly value his friendship and wish to continue to play together. This is the entire reason we tried to address the issues up front! We appreciate you taking the time to hear us out and hope you can help us manage this tricky situation.</em></p>
<p><em>Sincerely,</em><br />
<em>“The Salties”</em></p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Satya, Aetherflux Genius"></div></div>
</div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>Is this the first time we've had a rebuttal from the other side of a previously submitted story? Before we get into things here, I should note that I'm not quite looking to turn this into a regular thing that happens, but by all means, please send your side of the story to amithebolas@gmail.com if you recognize yourself in another submission.</p>
<p>If you aren't familiar with the original submission from Hegemon, please read it <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-salty-for-your-losses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>
<p>I really love how well this rebuttal approaches the conversation while also reminding Hedge that the group loves and values him as a friend while also reassuring him that you all still want to play with him. It's an excellent example of how to do this in your own playgroup. Specific points to improve on with some evidence, add an implied or expressed solution and a reminder that after all you're all friends, and you've got a solid rebuttal that feels respectful and appreciative.</p>
<p>Very well done, bravo.</p>
<p>This rebuttal also shows us that Hedge neglected to mention what I would argue is one of the more important pieces of the puzzle. This is, of course, the long turns. By being in the tank long enough for other players to disengage and some even scooping, I think Hedge may have omitted the worst offence.</p>
<p>Before we get into that, games of Commander that go into five or six players are a particular beast of their own. They can be longer than usual, they add another board or two which can complicate things a ton - I can see why Hedge would take lots of time to assess the board.</p>
<p>If everybody else is going quickly enough to match pace, Hedge is being the pause button, so on the one hand it makes sense Hedge wins a lot if he's taking time to plot the rest of his turns. If five-six player games are the norm, I hope you pick up a variant like Kingdoms or maybe three-way Two-Headed Giant. Heck, if Hedge is really building great decks, maybe you can play Archenemy!</p>
<p>That said, my first bit of advice is to help with turns taking a while would be to have players five and six be commentators or something rather than another participant in the game.</p>
<p>"But Mike, we like to play games with more than four players and we want to play a six-player game!" Heard! Bully for you! You can disregard my advice, but it might be helpful to recognize that this option is in your arsenal. Don't have time for a six-player game and everybody wants to play? Break up into two pods of three! Help you help yourselves!</p>
<p>Coming back to Hedge's turns taking long enough to get players to bow out. It seems like these lengthy turns are all about "playing optimally," which The Salties take issue with. I understand that everybody gets their competitive itch scratched elsewhere. Hedge isn't wrong for trying to scratch his with Commander, I just think the playgroup isn't the place for it every time.</p>
<p>From the perspective of The Salties, it seems like the Brackets aren't matching up, and rather than playing quickly with some abandon, Hedge is spending a lot of time trying to win. So folks aren't too pleased. It seems that winning is less important to the rest of the crew.</p>
<p>Hedge isn't wrong for wanting to win! What if that's just how Hedge likes to build the decks and play? Are there any complaints about turn lengths when Hedge is playing someone else's deck?</p>
<p>What I anticipated from the original submission if other players were to borrow Hedge's decks comes up - other players borrowed his decks and still won, which therefore leads to a confirmation of "okay his decks are too powerful," but with the data of his decks taking wins whether he pilots them or not plus the loss percentage when he borrowed other decks, it seems there's likely an imbalance.</p>
<p>Check on <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/edhrec-guide-to-commander-brackets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">your Bracket discussion</a>.</p>
<p>In the end, the best thing to do would be to keep having these conversations and find where you can compromise. Maybe there's a game where everybody is playing their strongest decks and really making an effort to win at all costs before the silly six-player game where everybody's playing a monocolored or colorless deck. Lots of ways to keep this top of mind to accommodate each other.</p>
<p>Either way, I'm impressed with this rebuttal and hope The Salties and Hegemon figure things out. I'm jealous of this retreat! I wish I could be there! It sounds so fun. You guys all have something so precious to celebrate in this playgroup, which is friendship and commitment to this event with and for each other.</p>
<p>I really wanted to get this response out there so everybody can see how it's done!</p>
<p>No Bolases. Keep me posted. I'm invested in the health of this playgroup! Thanks again!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Friendly Neighborhood"></div></div>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="9BdsTNvIez"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-rubbing-off-on-each-other/">Am I the Bolas? - Rubbing off on Each Other</a></p></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="sqX8U4x7nY"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-trending-away-from-removal/">Am I The Bolas? - Trending Away From Removal</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Am I The Bolas? - Trending Away From Removal&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-trending-away-from-removal/embed/#?secret=POREjjeT1w#?secret=sqX8U4x7nY" data-secret="sqX8U4x7nY" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="z7oyrOThUE"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-promise-of-retaliation/">Am I The Bolas? - Promise of Retaliation</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Am I The Bolas? - Promise of Retaliation&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/am-i-the-bolas-promise-of-retaliation/embed/#?secret=2jpioX09tP#?secret=z7oyrOThUE" data-secret="z7oyrOThUE" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Am I the Bolas? - A Rebuttal From the Salties

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | <em>Art by</em><em> <a href="https://michaelwalshcomics.com/">Michael Walsh</a></em></h6>
<p>Last year, the <em>Magic </em>Pride event was my favorite of the year. The premise is simple: all legendary creatures have partner. This format has a nearly limitless number of potential partner combinations to construct a strategy around. The greatest challenge for me isn't building a good deck, but choosing just one deck to play at the event. In this deck tech, we're going to be taking my signature commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and pairing him with my favorite commander from <em>Final Fantasy</em>: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malcolm, the Eyes"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary"></div></div>
<h2>What Do Cloud and Malcolm Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malcolm, the Eyes" href="#" target="_blank">Malcolm, the Eyes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a two-mana commander with flying and haste. Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, you get a Clue token. That's it. In the age of commanders that have two paragraphs of rules text, I find Malcolm's simplicity refreshing. The complexity lies in how to take advantage of Malcolm's abilities. Here, I'm primarily interested in leveraging Malcolm's speed and evasion. A two-mana creature with flying is going to get through in combat very often in the early stages of the game as most opponents will still be developing their mana and establishing their engines by the time Malcolm hits the red zone.</p>
<p>Unlike Malcolm, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has quite a bit of text to work through. When Cloud enters, you search your library for an Equipment card and put it into your hand. Then, while Cloud is equipped, his abilities as well as the abilities of any Equipment attached to him trigger twice. The tutor effect is going to be key in this deck. I'm a huge fan of toolbox-style decks that have a plethora of situational cards tied together by a powerful tutor effect and Cloud is a perfect fit.</p>
<p>These two commanders are going to come together to form a really sweet Voltron deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an easy way to find the best Equipment card for any given situation and Malcolm is an evasive creature that shouldn't be difficult to connect with. Additionally, both commanders are very good attackers! This means I can theoretically work towards a turn where I kill the two most threatening opponents at the table with commander damage in a single turn, leaving only one player alive to try to stop me.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Malcolm &amp; Cloud</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buster Sword"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blade of Selves"></div></div>
<p>The most important cards in any deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the command zone are the Equipment spells. I've fit as many of the best Equipment as I can get away with in this deck. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as most <em>Final Fantasy</em> fans would probably guess, has really strong synergy with Cloud. Getting to cast one spell from your hand for free is pretty good, but getting to do it twice when <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is equipped to Cloud is a ridiculous amount of value. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blade of Selves" href="#" target="_blank">Blade of Selves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also at its best when equipped to Cloud, as attacking with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blade of Selves" href="#" target="_blank">Blade of Selves</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> equipped will give you a bunch of copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sure, those copies are all going to get sacrificed to the legend rule, but each one of them will still get their enters trigger to search for an Equipment.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sigarda&#039;s Aid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Puresteel Paladin"></div></div>
<p>The weakest part of Equipment spells is that they cost mana to cast and additional mana to equip to a creature. No one wants to spend their hard-earned mana on equipping their creatures. Thankfully, a number of ways to cheat on these costs have been printed over the years. Taking a page directly out of Modern Hammer Time's playbook, this deck includes <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda&#039;s Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda&#039;s Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Puresteel Paladin" href="#" target="_blank">Puresteel Paladin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, two of the most mana-efficient ways to cheat Equipment onto your creatures. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forge Anew" href="#" target="_blank">Forge Anew</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bureau Headmaster" href="#" target="_blank">Bureau Headmaster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fighter Class" href="#" target="_blank">Fighter Class</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are also here to help give Cloud his <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buster Sword" href="#" target="_blank">Buster Sword</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> without having to spend all of my mana.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thoughtcast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Emry, Lurker of the Loch"></div></div>
<p>Between Malcolm's Clue tokens, artifact-based ramp, and the 15 Equipment cards in the deck, I expect this deck to have a lot of artifacts in play at any given time. I've included some cards with affinity or improvise to take full advantage of that. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thoughtcast" href="#" target="_blank">Thoughtcast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will often be a one-mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Divination" href="#" target="_blank">Divination</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Metallic Rebuke" href="#" target="_blank">Metallic Rebuke</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> becomes a one-mana <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Leak" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Leak</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> very early into most games. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Emry, Lurker of the Loch" href="#" target="_blank">Emry, Lurker of the Loch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ensures that none of your most important artifacts stay gone for long after being removed. Emry is particularly strong in a deck that plays <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mishra&#039;s Bauble" href="#" target="_blank">Mishra&#039;s Bauble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Bauble" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Bauble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as she'll often be able to tap to draw a card with one of those at the very least.</p>
<h2>How Do Malcolm &amp; Cloud Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska, Thrice Reborn"></div></div>
<p>The most common way that a Voltron deck wins games is through commander damage, typically dealt by a commander with a critical mass of Auras or Equipment attached. This deck is no exception. It isn't all Auras and Equipment, though. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jeska, Thrice Reborn" href="#" target="_blank">Jeska, Thrice Reborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a card I've been including as a finisher more and more often in my decks lately and this deck makes very good use of her. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Two-Handed Axe" href="#" target="_blank">Two-Handed Axe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> serves a similar purpose to Jeska, while being an Equipment that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Stoneforge Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Stoneforge Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can fetch.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kappa Cannoneer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Inkmoth Nexus"></div></div>
<p>It is important for any Voltron deck to have creatures that can get the job done in case the commanders are rendered uncastable, either by a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or prohibitively high command tax. With all of the powerful Equipment in this deck, any creature can easily become a lethal threat, but some cards in the deck are more well-suited than others to this purpose. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kappa Cannoneer" href="#" target="_blank">Kappa Cannoneer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an unblockable menace that is easy to cast and difficult to remove. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkmoth Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Inkmoth Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a land that can become a creature with infect. With a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sigarda&#039;s Aid" href="#" target="_blank">Sigarda&#039;s Aid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on the field, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Inkmoth Nexus" href="#" target="_blank">Inkmoth Nexus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can attack and then receive an instant-speed <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Colossus Hammer" href="#" target="_blank">Colossus Hammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> after blocks to kill a player in one hit!</p>
<h2>Malcolm &amp; Cloud Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Jeskai Stoneblade" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
*1 Malcolm, the Eyes
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Astrologian&#039;s Planisphere
*1 Blade of Selves
*1 Buster Sword
*1 Chrome Mox
*1 Colossus Hammer
*1 Conqueror&#039;s Flail
*1 Cori-Steel Cutter
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Mishra&#039;s Bauble
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Mox Amber
*1 Mox Opal
*1 Nettlecyst
*1 Pre-War Formalwear
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of Feast and Famine
*1 Sword of Fire and Ice
*1 Two-Handed Axe
[/Artifacts]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Dispel
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Final Fortune
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Force of Negation
*1 Force of Will
*1 Galvanic Blast
*1 Metallic Rebuke
*1 Misdirection
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Wear // Tear
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Combat Research
*1 Curiosity
*1 Curious Obsession
*1 Fighter Class
*1 Forge Anew
*1 Frostcliff Siege
*1 Guild Artisan
*1 Sigarda&#039;s Aid
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Bureau Headmaster
*1 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
*1 Esper Sentinel
*1 Forensic Gadgeteer
*1 Kappa Cannoneer
*1 Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Puresteel Paladin
*1 Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
*1 Sram, Senior Edificer
*1 Stoneforge Mystic
*1 Subtlety
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
[/Creatures]
[Lands]
*1 Academy Ruins
*1 Ancient Den
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Great Furnace
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Inkmoth Nexus
*1 Island
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mountain
*1 Plains
*1 Plateau
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Razortide Bridge
*1 Rustvale Bridge
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Silverbluff Bridge
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Spire of Industry
*1 Starting Town
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Training Center
*1 Tundra
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Volcanic Island
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]
[Sorceries]
*1 Eagle Vision
*1 Shattering Spree
*1 Thoughtcast
*1 Winds of Abandon
[/Sorceries]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>I'd place this deck into the lower end of the Optimized Bracket (4). The suite of interaction and ramp is packed with Game Changers, and this deck has a very fast gameplan that would most likely be overwhelming to less interactive decks in the lower brackets. It wouldn't be a big ask to tone it down to fit into the Upgraded Bracket (3) for someone that isn't as committed to playing cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Force of Will" href="#" target="_blank">Force of Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chrome Mox" href="#" target="_blank">Chrome Mox</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>This deck is made for players that like to feel like they're putting a puzzle together each turn. The decision trees start to get complicated as early as turn two where you have to decide which commander to deploy first, and then what Equipment Cloud will fetch first. While it is incredibly fun to navigate those decision trees, they come with a very real risk. Even the most skilled pilot could make a wrong choice early on in a game and doom themselves in the process. I love the feeling of that risk hanging over my head, but it certainly isn't for everyone.</p>
<p>I love building for this variant of Commander, even if I only get to play it twice a year. I'm excited to see what interesting combinations the people at my local game store came up with this year, and I'm equally excited to hear about what pairings the people in the comments have come up with!</p>
<p>For more Malcolm, the Eyes content, be sure to check out <a href="https://commandersherald.com/60-to-100-legacy-delver/">my article</a> about him over on Commander's Herald. Even with all of the awesome tools recent sets have given us, I believe this version of the deck still holds up.</p>


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