<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valko Indorian" href="#" target="_blank">Valko Indorian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by Paolo Parente</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When <em>Mystery Booster Commander Edition</em> was announced, a number of incredible and risky designs were revealed. None caused as much discourse as those with the rulebreaker ability, however.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This week, we’re looking at a creature type that breaks the rules of <em>Magic</em> and shattered the Multiverse on multiple occasions. They almost conquered the Multiverse, and the repercussions of their invasion are still being felt.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Have you guessed it? It’s Phyrexians!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phyrexians are one of the original big bads of <em>Magic</em> lore. While it had been established that most beings were anchored to their home plane, outside of a few individuals, the Phyrexians managed to not only discover multiversal travel, but to take their entire plane with them.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Even after they were defeated the first time, the Phyrexians made like Cell and Buu in <em>Dragon Ball Z</em> and regenerated from a drop of oil to take over Mirrodin and make it New Phyrexia. They then used that as a base of operations to launch a full-scale multiplanar invasion that took an incredible combination of forces to defeat.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, even now, New Phyrexia remains, jettisoned into the Blind Eternities to return when the plot demands it.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Grand Unifier"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="All Will Be One"></div></div>
<h2><b>Phyrexian History</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phyrexia has been a part of <em>Magic</em> lore for about as long as <em>Magic</em> has had lore, going all the way back to the corruption of Urza’s brother, Mishra. Originally, they took over and corrupted their home plane, but, as planeswalkers happened upon their de facto homeworld, they used their oil to spread.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This oil has been reflected in poison counters, which are lethal to planeswalkers like the ones players role-play as, as well as oil counters in the multiplanar invasion. Both of these synergize with proliferate effects.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But these are small beans. If this was all Phyrexians aspired to, they wouldn’t be the feared force they are.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">No, Phyrexians have incredible power. It starts with their leadership, the Praetors. Elesh Norn’s various incarnations wreck games, and Sheoldred is a name even Standard players fear.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But their leadership isn’t the only powerhouse in the Phyrexian arsenal. Phyrexian oil corrupts, and Phyrexians not only provide their own powerhouses to new planes, they also turn the powerhouses of the plane itself against its own denizens.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we bring these elements together? And what does Valko bring to the table?</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Valko Indorian"></div></div>
<h2><b>What Does Valko Indorian Do?</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To be frank, I had to look up what Valko’s rulebreaker ability did. It doesn’t help that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tolabow, Loch Rascal" href="#" target="_blank">Tolabow, Loch Rascal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has already received errata, which shows that the ability is not entirely intuitive.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But what is that ability?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To start with, Valko is considered to have a color identity of mono-black because it only has black pips in its mana cost and no other pips exist anywhere on the card. As a result, we should only be able to use black or colorless spells and lands that are within the monoblack color identity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So why don’t we just go with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth" href="#" target="_blank">K&#039;rrik, Son of Yawgmoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Well, the rulebreaker ability gives Valko commander decks the ability to use Phyrexian cards of any color identity. The rest of the deck needs to follow the mono-black identity, however, so we can’t use the guild signets or even Arcane Signet for mana fixing. We can also use any basic lands we want, but, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Signet" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Signet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Command Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Command Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will only make black mana.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While rulebreaker increases the number of playable Phyrexians we have, it’s not the only benefit Valko provides. Valko also gives our Phyrexians menace and lifelink, making them difficult to block and to race properly.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After all, you can’t expect a multiversal menace to play fair.</span></p>
<h2><b>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valko Indorian" href="#" target="_blank">Valko Indorian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since Valko is a thematic commander from a thematic set, we’re going to build a strongly thematic deck. This is a Phyrexian deck, through and through, so we will be using cards that either are Phyrexians or have Phyrexian in the name. We will still try to do the jobs of a regular deck, however.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Plague Myr"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Belbe, Corrupted Observer"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For ramp, we’re using primarily mana dorks. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plague Myr" href="#" target="_blank">Plague Myr</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Phyrexianized Myr that makes colorless instead of colored mana and has infect. Belbe, meanwhile, is a Phyrexianized legendary creature that makes mana for each player we damage, which can be quite a lot if we’re the aggressor.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Plaguelord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bone Shredder"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Plaguelord" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Plaguelord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bone Shredder" href="#" target="_blank">Bone Shredder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are removal spells with strong pedigrees. The Plaguelord was the titular Rock from The Rock decks, referring to The Rock and His Minions, itself a reference to "The Rock and His Millions", a catchphrase from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deranged Hermit" href="#" target="_blank">Deranged Hermit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> provided the “minions”, the Plaguelord sacrificed the tokens to clear the board. We use it to a similar effect.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bone Shredder, meanwhile, was a kitchen table fixture. It’s a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terror" href="#" target="_blank">Terror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on a stick, with echo balancing its power out. Reanimator decks loved re-using the ETB, which made it strong despite the echo cost.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Arena"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Rager"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Arena" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Arena</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and Rager are also classic Phyrexian cards with strong pedigrees. Arena is an example of a permanent that isn’t a Phyrexian but is within our color identity, working with the theme. It’s also just a generically powerful card and black staple.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phyrexian Rager is a <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>-style card that, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bone Shredder" href="#" target="_blank">Bone Shredder</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, comes with a body and has historically been played in Reanimator decks. We use it as a Phyrexian creature that draws cards.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Tower"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Seedcore"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mana is a bit of a tricky balancing act for this deck, as we are a five-color deck that is base black. Black struggles a bit with mana fixing, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Command Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Command Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as mentioned earlier, isn’t an option. We do have lands like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Seedcore" href="#" target="_blank">The Seedcore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that can make mana of any color, but lack pips, so they’re within our identity.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Tower" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Tower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meanwhile, is another mono-black staple that also fits our theme. We might not use it perfectly, but mana ramp is at a premium, and this is a way to sacrifice smaller creatures for the greater good.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But how do we close the game out?</span></p>
<h2><b>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valko Indorian" href="#" target="_blank">Valko Indorian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck Win?</b></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tyrranax Rex"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our Phyrexians are here to dominate combat. We’re looking to present a huge board of gigantic creatures, a combination of the most powerful leaders of Phyrexia and their biggest and baddest minions. Elesh Norn is the combination of a massive team anthem and a stifling stax effect, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tyrranax Rex" href="#" target="_blank">Tyrranax Rex</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the unofficial perversion of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Carnage Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Carnage Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, sharing uncounterability, trample, and a protection effect. Just imagine Tyrranax and Elesh Norn together!</span></p>
<h2>The Deck List</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Valko Indorian Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="&nbsp;
[Commander]
*1 Valko Indorian
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Creatures]
*1 Akki Scrapchomper
*1 Armored Scrapgorger
*1 Axiom Engraver
*1 Belbe, Corrupted Observer
*1 Blight Titan
*1 Blightsteel Colossus
*1 Bone Shredder
*1 Cankerbloom
*1 Chancellor of the Annex
*1 Chancellor of the Dross
*1 Chancellor of the Forge
*1 Chancellor of the Spires
*1 Chancellor of the Tangle
*1 Davvol, Evincar of Rath
*1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
*1 Entomber Exarch
*1 Etched Monstrosity
*1 Evangel of Synthesis
*1 Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres
*1 First-Sphere Gargantua
*1 Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor
*1 Greven, Predator Captain
*1 Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
*1 Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant
*1 Massacre Wurm
*1 Myr Convert
*1 Ovika, Enigma Goliath
*1 Phyrexian Debaser
*1 Phyrexian Defiler
*1 Phyrexian Delver
*1 Phyrexian Denouncer
*1 Phyrexian Fleshgorger
*1 Phyrexian Gargantua
*1 Phyrexian Infiltrator
*1 Phyrexian Ingester
*1 Phyrexian Missionary
*1 Phyrexian Plaguelord
*1 Phyrexian Rager
*1 Phyrexian Vivisector
*1 Plague Myr
*1 Priest of Yawgmoth
*1 Psychosis Crawler
*1 Scrapwork Rager
*1 Scrawling Crawler
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
*1 Skinrender
*1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
*1 Tyrranax Rex
*1 Urabrask the Hidden
*1 Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Phyrexian Tribute
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Phyrexian Etchings
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Phyrexian Altar
*1 Phyrexian Atlas
*1 Phyrexian Lens
*1 Phyrexian Totem
*1 Phyrexian Vault
[/Artifacts]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Cascading Cataracts
*1 Cavern of Souls
*5 Forest
*5 Island
*5 Mountain
*1 Multiversal Passage
*1 Phyrexian Tower
*5 Plains
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*10 Swamp
*1 The Seedcore
*1 Unclaimed Territory
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
*1 War Room
*1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
[/Lands]
&nbsp;"></span></div></span></p>
<h2><b>Conclusion</b></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Phyrexians have a range of commanders, including multiple <em>Mystery Booster</em> commanders. With Praetors, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Germ" href="#" target="_blank">Germ</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens, and minions, there are lots of routes Phyrexians can go.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How would you build Phyrexians? And who would you use to command them?</span></p>


Building Phyrexian Typal with Valko Indorian

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ekthi, Contaminator Priest" href="#" target="_blank">Ekthi, Contaminator Priest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/faribakhamseh">Fariba Khamseh</a></span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I've been playing a lot of Vintage Cube recently, which has led me to cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nettlecyst" href="#" target="_blank">Nettlecyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a good few times. That card rocks in artifact-centric decks, and I've become quite fond of its living weapon ability. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having an Equipment enter the battlefield as an instant threat, rather than requiring further mana investment for a realized benefit, is super strong. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So when I saw Ekthi as the very first card from the upcoming <em>Mystery Booster</em> product, I jumped at the opportunity! Let's see what's up with this Phyrexian Cleric.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ekthi, Contaminator Priest"></div></div></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">What Does Ekthi </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Do?</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">For <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-3" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Ekthi is a 3/3 that gives all of our other Phryexians +1/+1. It also gives each of our Equipments living weapon, allowing us to create a 0/0 Phyrexian Germ and attach the Equipment to that Germ when an Equipment enters the battlefield.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Germ"></div></div>
<p>Equipment with living weapon tend to cost a bit more than tradtional cards in the category, because they come pre-equipped on a disposable creature.</p>
<p>When we get into the 99 I've put together for Ekthi, you'll see that providing what amounts to a free equip to every Equipment we cast can get out of hand quickly. Some Equipment are balanced by high activated ability costs, after all.</p>
<p>In a roundabout way, I'm reminded of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bruenor Battlehammer" href="#" target="_blank">Bruenor Battlehammer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Both of these commanders allow us to put Equipment on our creatures for free, and buff those creatures too. But, Breunor's buff is purely offensive while Ekthi's anthem allows our Germs to live on after our Equipment are detached!</p>
<p>We'll use Ekthi's abilities to cheat on equip costs, making some of the best Equipment in Commander even better. We'll crash through with evasive, bulky creatures and make great use of some recently printed cards as we cruise to victory.</p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Key Cards for </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ekthi</span></h2>
<p>The best Equipment in this entire deck is <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>. Assuming we've got our commander on the field, we can spend just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> to put an 11/11 Phyrexian Germ onto the board with this artifact. That's an unbeatable rate, and comes with virtually no drawbacks!</p>
<p>We can create other big bodies with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nettlecyst" href="#" target="_blank">Nettlecyst</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blackblade Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Blackblade Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hulkbuster Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Hulkbuster Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>All of these Equipment let us pay a pretty small amount of mana for a huge body! If we want to stack a bunch of modifications onto one creature, though, we can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Golem-Skin Gauntlets" href="#" target="_blank">Golem-Skin Gauntlets</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Swordsman&#039;s Steel" href="#" target="_blank">Swordsman&#039;s Steel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thran Power Suit" href="#" target="_blank">Thran Power Suit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>That play pattern can be useful in getting through board stalls, especially if we group those Equipment on an evasive creature like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cid, Freeflier Pilot" href="#" target="_blank">Cid, Freeflier Pilot</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Colossus Hammer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blackblade Reforged"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Golem-Skin Gauntlets"></div></div>
<p>There's also a great supporting cast of creatures in this deck. <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> is the best color for Equipment in Commander, after all, so I've slotted card advantage engines like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Armored Skyhunter" href="#" target="_blank">Armored Skyhunter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, tutors like <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 even life gain enablers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haliya, Guided by Light" href="#" target="_blank">Haliya, Guided by Light</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into this deck.</p>
<p>I want to talk about Haliya a bit more, though, because she's fantastic in this deck specificially. She'll let us gain one point of life when an Equipment enters, and let us gain another when the Germ token our commander creates hits the field. If we're casting more than one spell per turn, odds are we'll gain the requisite life to draw a card with her!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Armored Skyhunter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haliya, Guided by Light"></div></div>
<p>Because Equipment are artifacts, I've included some neat removal spells like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Banish to Another Universe" href="#" target="_blank">Banish to Another Universe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dispatch" href="#" target="_blank">Dispatch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>These cards will be operating at maximum effectiveness throughout the game, providing us with great effects for just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>Similarly, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fabrication Foundry" href="#" target="_blank">Fabrication Foundry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will let us cast our Equipment more easily while also serving as a repeatable way to bring artifacts back from the beyond.</p>
<p>This is great to have, as cards like <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> will likely be targeted with opposing removal early and often.</p>
<p>To round out the artifact synergy package, I added in <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thousand Moons Smithy" href="#" target="_blank">Thousand Moons Smithy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. We can tap Equipment with little consequence to flip this card over, and then use it to flood the board with increasingly frightening Gnomes!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Banish to Another Universe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Fabrication Foundry"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thousand Moons Smithy"></div></div>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">How Does This </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Commander Deck Win?</span></h2>
<p>We'll be able to take some pretty big bites out of opposing life totals with our equipped Germs. But, in case we need a bit of extra help, I've included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Andúril, Narsil Reforged" href="#" target="_blank">Andúril, Narsil Reforged</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>We'll have a pretty wide board, allowing us to ascend with ease, and making the pair of +1/+1 counters that this blade puts on our creatures even more potent. If we've got just five creatures on the battlefield, this Equipment provides us with a boost of 10 power and toughness each turn!</p>
<p>If we're in the mood for keyword soup, we can cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Long-Lost Lances" href="#" target="_blank">Long-Lost Lances</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (from the <em>Hobbit</em> scene box) to provide all of our creatures with first strike and vigilance. Those are both super powerful combat abilities, and it's crazy strong to dole them our for just <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>.</p>
<p>But, what's better than first strike? Double strike! I've included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Halvar, God of Battle" href="#" target="_blank">Halvar, God of Battle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to double the combat effectiveness of our 99. This deity will make our creatures hit twice as hard, and can help us shuffle Equipment around if we feel inclined to do so.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Andúril, Narsil Reforged"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Long-Lost Lances"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Halvar, God of Battle"></div></div>
<p>Finally, I wanted to talk a bit about the Phyrexian side of this decklist. All of the tokens that our commander creates have that creature type, as does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Elesh Norn" href="#" target="_blank">Elesh Norn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This four-drop is a neat control piece on its face, but it can become a potent one-sided board wipe when transformed.</p>
<p>If we manage to get all the way to chapter three, we'll wipe almost everything out of existence (except for our Equipment and the Phrexyian Germ tokens that they're attached to). Other Phyrexians in our 99, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Phyrexian Censor" href="#" target="_blank">Phyrexian Censor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scrawling Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Scrawling Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, will be spared too.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elesh Norn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Phyrexian Censor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scrawling Crawler"></div></div>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ekthi, Contaminator Priest Commander Deck List</span></h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Ethikal Hoops" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ekthi, Contaminator Priest
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Ardenn, Intrepid Archaeologist
*1 Armored Skyhunter
*1 Balan, Wandering Knight
*1 Cid, Freeflier Pilot
*1 Cloud, Midgar Mercenary
*1 Codsworth, Handy Helper
*1 Elesh Norn // The Argent Etchings
*1 Haliya, Guided by Light
*1 Halvar, God of Battle // Sword of the Realms
*1 Kemba, Kha Enduring
*1 Kíli the Resourceful
*1 Leonin Shikari
*1 Myr Convert
*1 Phyrexian Censor
*1 Plague Myr
*1 Puresteel Paladin
*1 Scrawling Crawler
*1 Skrelv, Defector Mite
*1 Sram, Senior Edificer
*1 Stoneforge Mystic
*1 Stonehewer Giant
*1 Suture Priest
*1 Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow
*1 Zenith Chronicler
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Banish to Another Universe
*1 Forge Anew
*1 Mantle of the Ancients
*1 Skrelv&#039;s Hive
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Adaptive Omnitool
*1 Andúril, Narsil Reforged
*1 Basilisk Collar
*1 Bitterthorn, Nissa&#039;s Animus
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Buster Sword
*1 Colossus Hammer
*1 Conformer Shuriken
*1 Fabrication Foundry
*1 Golem-Skin Gauntlets
*1 Hulkbuster Armor
*1 Lavaspur Boots
*1 Lightning Greaves
*1 Long-Lost Lances
*1 Masterwork of Ingenuity
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Nazgûl Battle-Mace
*1 Nettlecyst
*1 Pip-Boy 3000
*1 Shadowspear
*1 Skullclamp
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of Hearth and Home
*1 Sword of Vengeance
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Swordsman&#039;s Steel
*1 Thousand Moons Smithy // Barracks of the Thousand
*1 Thran Power Suit
*1 Whispersilk Cloak
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Phyrexian Rebirth
*1 Sunfall
*1 White Sun&#039;s Twilight
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Dispatch
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Razorgrass Ambush // Razorgrass Field
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Abandoned Air Temple
*1 Adagia, Windswept Bastion
*1 Ancient Den
*1 Buried Ruin
*1 Darksteel Citadel
*1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
*1 Inkmoth Nexus
*1 Monumental Henge
*26 Plains
*1 The Mycosynth Gardens
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Mystery Booster Commander Edition</em> has brought some really interesting cards to the format. We've seen references to obscure characters in <em>Magic</em>'s vast lore, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sash and Waistcoat, Unmen" href="#" target="_blank">Sash and Waistcoat, Unmen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, printed alongside what will surely be format-warping bombs, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Uugguu, the Omniplasm" href="#" target="_blank">Uugguu, the Omniplasm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sash and Waistcoat, Unmen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Uugguu, the Omniplasm"></div></div>
<p>I'm all for interesting new commanders, especially if it means I can write a deck tech about one of them, but some of these cards give me pause.</p>
<p>The rulebreaker cards are fun, but may lead to somewhat generic gameplay. Let's look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Everforger" href="#" target="_blank">The Everforger</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as an example. It's great that we can include a wider variety of artifacts (and basic lands) in our 99, as that <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=%28%28t%3Aartifact+and+t%3Acreature%29+or+t%3Aequipment%29+commander%3Acolorless+game%3Apaper+legal%3Aedh&amp;unique=cards&amp;as=grid&amp;order=name">opens up a full 800 cards</a> for us to potentially place in a decklist.</p>
<p>But, in that case, why not just build an artifact-centric deck with more colors in its identity, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Breya, Etherium Shaper" href="#" target="_blank">Breya, Etherium Shaper</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Everforger"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breya, Etherium Shaper"></div></div>
<p>As another example, let's look at <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Seluma, Light of Aysen" href="#" target="_blank">Seluma, Light of Aysen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. She lets us put all of Commander's Angels into one deck!</p>
<p>That's neat, but there's just three Angels outside of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> that synergize with other Angels in any meaningful way.</p>
<p>Seluma will differ from a typical, mono-colored Angels deck by the inclusion of some curve-toppers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aurelia, the Law Above" href="#" target="_blank">Aurelia, the Law Above</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and some synergy pieces like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Errant and Giada" href="#" target="_blank">Errant and Giada</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. But, the deck will be largely the same as other Angelic lists!</p>
<p>I struggle to see the merit in bending commander's rules so heavily for such a minor difference in gameplay.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Seluma, Light of Aysen"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aurelia, the Law Above"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Errant and Giada"></div></div>
<p>I'm curious to hear your thoughts on <em>Mystery Booster</em><em> Commander</em>, and on rulebreaker cards specifically. Drop me a line in the comments, and thanks for reading.</p>


Build a Mono White Equipment Commander Deck with Ekthi, Contaminator Priest

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashaya&#039;s Enduring Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Ashaya&#039;s Enduring Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/anto-finnstark/albums/1742197">Anato Finnstark</a></em></p>
<h2>The Planting of Seeds</h2>
<p>Hello, and welcome! This week we have a special deck tech centered on a brand new commander that was very recently revealed in an upcoming release. That set, <em><a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/mbc">Mystery Booster: Commander Edition</a></em>, has a number of sweet new options for all of us to try out.</p>
<p>A number of these cards got my attention for more personal reasons (Remember that five-color deck from the <em>Duels of the Planeswalkers</em> games? I managed to somewhat recreate it, thanks to this set!).</p>
<p>That said, there was one that got my attention. One that's sure to cause no small number of eye rolls because of rules shenanigans. Without further ado:</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ashaya&#039;s Enduring Bond"></div></div>
<p>A sorcery? In the command zone? What heresy is this? Why, you guessed that right. We have a sorcery as our Commander today. What a time to be alive! Anyway, the effect is very simple:</p>
<p>We discover equal to the amount of mana spent to cast the card, but we need a legendary creature or planeswalker in order to cast it.</p>
<p>As the game goes on, this'll mean that we get to discover three, then five, etc. So, in order to make this work, we need to keep casting this card over and over. But first, we cover the main obstacle.</p>
<h3>Legends Abound</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Azusa, Lost but Seeking"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Selvala, Heart of the Wilds"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hugs, Grisly Guardian"></div></div>
<p>We'll need a lot of ramp to keep consistently casting our, umm, commander. That said, we also need at least one legendary creature or planeswalker to be able to cast it.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there's a number of legendary options in our colors that have both. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Azusa, Lost but Seeking" href="#" target="_blank">Azusa, Lost but Seeking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will let us play two additional lands on each of our turns. On the other hand, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Selvala, Heart of the Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Selvala, Heart of the Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will ramp us to great heights, assuming we have a big creature out.</p>
<p>We also have access to other effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mina and Denn, Wildborn" href="#" target="_blank">Mina and Denn, Wildborn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which not only let us play an additional land each turn, but they can give one of our creatures trample for the turn.</p>
<p>There's also a number of bigger creatures that can help us get there. If you want to lean hard into the creature count, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nikya of the Old Ways" href="#" target="_blank">Nikya of the Old Ways</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will double our mana, making stuff easier to cast.</p>
<p>If we can buff her, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Photon, Mighty Marvel" href="#" target="_blank">Photon, Mighty Marvel</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will give us quite a boost. Another option is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hugs, Grisly Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Hugs, Grisly Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. He'll let us play extra lands, but also exile stuff that we can cast until our next turn ends. Speaking of Exile...</p>
<h3>A Sojourn Through Exile</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Savvy Trader"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Passionate Archaeologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nalfeshnee"></div></div>
<p>Since discover lets us cast stuff via exile, we can take advantage of that in a burgeoning number of ways. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nalfeshnee" href="#" target="_blank">Nalfeshnee</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spider-Verse" href="#" target="_blank">Spider-Verse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will allow us to copy anything we cast from exile.</p>
<p>In addition, we can lower our opponent's life totals with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Passionate Archaeologist" href="#" target="_blank">Passionate Archaeologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nico Minoru, Runaway" href="#" target="_blank">Nico Minoru, Runaway</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In addition, the last level of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bard Class" href="#" target="_blank">Bard Class</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will let us cast stuff from exile on top of ramping us and buffing our creatures through its other two stages.</p>
<p>However, I do want to stress that this is just one way to build this deck. A deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ashaya&#039;s Enduring Bond" href="#" target="_blank">Ashaya&#039;s Enduring Bond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can lean into an exile-matters deck, but it also needs a good chunk of legendary creatures and planeswalkers to be able to cast it.</p>
<h3>Forms of Fellowship</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeska, Thrice Reborn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Knuckles the Echidna"></div></div>
<p>A lot of legendary creatures and planeswalkers have plenty of utility, so it is best to mix and match to our tastes. For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard" href="#" target="_blank">Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will protect our board in the event of a wipe. <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> will do some incredible damage with her tripling ability.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Knuckles the Echidna" href="#" target="_blank">Knuckles the Echidna</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will ramp us, and do some damage. That alternate win condition will often be irrelevant here, as we won't likely be amassing enough artifacts to pull it off.</p>
<p>Other options include <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth" href="#" target="_blank">Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can ramp us and put a creature into play if she deals damage. <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> gives us a second land drop and, with enough mana, can out a creature into play as well.</p>
<p>In addition, both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Etali, Primal Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Etali, Primal Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, if you're so inclined) and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Plargg and Nassari" href="#" target="_blank">Plargg and Nassari</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can cast stuff from exile each turn. If you're tapping into the exile theme (or as a subtheme), both cards would be good includes to consider.</p>
<p>That said, my list for this week doesn't play into the exile theme so much. In fact, I was building this deck, and came up with this list purely by accident.</p>
<h3>The Deck List</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Oh Ashaya, Ashaya!" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Ashaya&#039;s Enduring Bond
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Absorbing Man and Titania
*1 Alena, Kessig Trapper
*1 Anzrag, the Quake-Mole
*1 Avatar Kyoshi, Earthbender
*1 Avatar Roku, Firebender
*1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
*1 Braulios of Pheres Band
*1 Bristly Bill, Spine Sower
*1 Captain Lannery Storm
*1 Dragonhawk, Fate&#039;s Tempest
*1 Etali, Primal Storm
*1 Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood
*1 Gimli of the Glittering Caves
*1 God-Eternal Rhonas
*1 Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard
*1 Halana and Alena, Partners
*1 Halana, Kessig Ranger
*1 Hugs, Grisly Guardian
*1 Ilharg, the Raze-Boar
*1 Jamie McCrimmon
*1 Jolene, the Plunder Queen
*1 Kamahl, Heart of Krosa
*1 Karlach, Fury of Avernus
*1 Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient
*1 Klothys, God of Destiny
*1 Knuckles the Echidna
*1 Kodama of the East Tree
*1 Leatherhead, Iron Gator
*1 Legolas Greenleaf
*1 Loot, Exuberant Explorer
*1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
*1 Moraug, Fury of Akoum
*1 Muerra, Trash Tactician
*1 Neyith of the Dire Hunt
*1 Nikya of the Old Ways
*1 Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth // Temple of Cultivation
*1 Old Gnawbone
*1 Photon, Mighty Marvel
*1 Plargg and Nassari
*1 Radha, Heart of Keld
*1 Raph &amp; Mikey, Troublemakers
*1 Rhino, Barreling Brute
*1 Roxanne, Starfall Savant
*1 Ruby, Daring Tracker
*1 Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
*1 Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
*1 Spider-Man, Miles Morales
*1 Surrak and Goreclaw
*1 Surrak, the Hunt Caller
*1 Surtr, Fiery Jötun
*1 Sutina, Speaker of the Tajuru
*1 The Earth King
*1 Thor, Asgard&#039;s Avenger
*1 Wolverine, Fierce Fighter
*1 Xenagos, God of Revels
*1 Zilortha, Strength Incarnate
*1 Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Chandra, Awakened Inferno
*1 Freyalise, Llanowar&#039;s Fury
*1 Garruk, Curse Breaker
*1 Jeska, Thrice Reborn
*1 Minsc &amp; Boo, Timeless Heroes
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Commercial District
*12 Forest
*1 Game Trail
*1 Karplusan Forest
*12 Mountain
*1 Plaza of Heroes
*1 Rockfall Vale
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Spire Garden
*1 Stomping Ground
*1 Thornspire Verge
*1 Training Compound
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h3>Closing Out</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xenagos, God of Revels"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Absorbing Man and Titania"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Anzrag, the Quake-Mole"></div></div>
<p>Quite the accident, huh? The 99 of this list has nothing but lands, creatures, and planeswalkers. This, in turn, ensures that our commander is easy accessible, limited only by the amount of mana we have.</p>
<p>And that's the other bit of good news: We've got a ton of ramp in the list, so we can cast our commander much of the time, most of the time.</p>
<p>If you want to end games, it's simple. This is a <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/gruul">Gruul</a> deck, after all. We just simply need to smash, smash, and do even more smashing. Firstly, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xenagos, God of Revels" href="#" target="_blank">Xenagos, God of Revels</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Absorbing Man and Titania" href="#" target="_blank">Absorbing Man and Titania</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> amplify the damage output, putting our opponents on a clock.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anzrag, the Quake-Mole" href="#" target="_blank">Anzrag, the Quake-Mole</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Karlach, Fury of Avernus" href="#" target="_blank">Karlach, Fury of Avernus</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, both of which give us extra combat steps while dealing chunks of damage.</p>
<p>We can't win by commander damage, so we pummel our opponents into a pulp instead.</p>
<h3>Everlasting Bonds</h3>
<p>And there we have it. A unique deck for a unique commander (not so sure about the former). And now, I turn to you, the readers. What commanders from <em>Mystery Booster: Commander Edition</em>, are you looking to build, be they online or for real?</p>
<p>Which ones make your eyes roll? Let me know in the comments. Next week, we return to normal with a remastered precon I've been itching to publish for some time now.</p>


rulebreaker

Building Phyrexian Typal with Valko Indorian

Build a Mono White Equipment Commander Deck with Ekthi, Contaminator Priest

Ashaya's Enduring Bond Deck Tech

Maular, the Next Evolution | Tech the Deck