<p style="text-align: right;"><i><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mister Fantastic" href="#" target="_blank">Mister Fantastic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/gintonio">Gintas Galvanauskas</a></i></p>
<p><i>Marvel Superheroes</i> is right around the corner, and with it comes not one but four new four-color commanders for none other than <i>Marvel’</i>s first family.</p>
<p>As a kid, they were mostly those characters who showed up in the Secret Wars saga of the <i>Spider-Man</i> cartoon. I’d go on to read various comics with them in it, including the <i>Ultimate Fantastic Four</i> run in full.</p>
<p>I don’t have the full scope of appreciation that <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/its-clobberin-time-with-the-thing-commander-deck-tech">Bennie</a> does, but I know and enjoy them well enough to appreciate the cleverness of the designs.</p>
<p>They all care about noncreature spells and interact with them in different ways, but Mister Fantastic himself has a quirky hook in copying triggered abilities.</p>
<p>I realized that there’s one noncreature card type whose entire purpose is triggered abilities…</p>
<p>And with that, my mind went to the races…</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mister Fantastic"></div></div>
<h2>What Does <i>Mister Fantastic</i> Do?</h2>
<p>Mister Fantastic is a 2/4 for <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with vigilance and reach. He has two relevant abilities. First, he draws a card at the beginning of combat if you’ve cast a noncreature spell.</p>
<p>Noncreature spell is a very wide swath of spells, so this is a trivial condition to achieve on most turns with very little adjustment to deck construction.</p>
<p>Second, he has an activated ability <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> that lets him copy a triggered ability twice.</p>
<p>Triggered abilities are nearly as commonplace as noncreature spells– just look for “at”, “when”, or “whenever”.</p>
<p>There are a wide array of directions that this deck can run down just on this alone– even cEDH is a possibility, as <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-mister-fantastic-for-cedh">Harvey McGuinness</a> shows.</p>
<p>Mister Fantastic could go a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/spellslinger">Spellslinger </a>route, using instants and sorceries to guarantee card draw, while copying triggers from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcane Bombardment" href="#" target="_blank">Arcane Bombardment</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>I’m a little more straightforward and enjoy the idea of a card type that interacts with both parts: <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/sagas">Sagas</a>.</p>
<p>Hoping to cast a noncreature spell and hold up mana to activate Mister Fantastic isn’t always going to work out, but Sagas have plenty of powerful chapter abilities after the first which are worth getting two extra bites of.</p>
<p>Let’s examine this particular solution…</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <i>Mister Fantastic</i></h2>
<p>The deck needs three unique elements to win: Sagas, cards which key off of Sagas in some way, and copying effects. First of note: this deck runs 25 Sagas– pretty standard, seeing as they’re the whole point of the deck.</p>
<p>Because of that, they have to fulfill some basic deck functions like card advantage (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rediscover the Way" href="#" target="_blank">Rediscover the Way</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), ramp (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Weatherseed Treaty" href="#" target="_blank">The Weatherseed Treaty</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), and removal (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Fall of Lord Konda" href="#" target="_blank">The Fall of Lord Konda</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>). After that, things get more fun.</p>
<p>Some Sagas can double as threats, like the transforming ones from <i>Neon Dynasty</i> and <i>Avatar: the Last Airbender</i>.</p>
<p>This deck runs two in particular that don’t transform but do warp the board state enough to present potentially lethal damage: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora Bests the Sea God" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora Bests the Sea God</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roar of Endless Song" href="#" target="_blank">Roar of Endless Song</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Games gotta end.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Legend of Kuruk"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="There and Back Again"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Elspeth Conquers Death"></div></div>
<p>The Sagas are good, but with a little extra spice, they can get a lot more exciting.</p>
<p>There are three kinds of cards which interact with Sagas: those which directly call out Sagas (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satsuki, the Living Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Satsuki, the Living Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, more general enchantment-matters cards (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Starfield Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Starfield Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), and the Historic batch (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass" href="#" target="_blank">Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>).</p>
<p>There are three essential ways these cards can help magnify the saga cards: manipulate lore counters, draw cards, or reduce their costs.</p>
<p>Manipulating lore counters is a good way to either rewind to a powerful first chapter or help skip through the boring middle to its finale, like the aforementioned Satsuki or the new <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chong and Lily, Nomads" href="#" target="_blank">Chong and Lily, Nomads</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Enchantress effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satyr Enchanter" href="#" target="_blank">Satyr Enchanter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are always good in decks like this, ensuring the cards keep flowing even if <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mister Fantastic" href="#" target="_blank">Mister Fantastic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is locked in the N-Zone for the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>Finally, reducing the costs of the Sagas helps reduce the strain on our mana, potentially ensuring we can cast a Saga and copy its first chapter.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Starnheim Courser" href="#" target="_blank">Starnheim Courser</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the best due to it also reducing the cost of artifacts (for a grand total of 40 cards it cheapens).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Garnet, Princess of Alexandria"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Historian&#039;s Boon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Weaver of Harmony"></div></div>
<p>Finally, copying effects: a form of redundancy for our commander. There are two ways this could go: other cards that copy <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/triggered-abilities">triggered abilities</a> <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Strionic Resonator" href="#" target="_blank">Strionic Resonator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or cards that copy the Sagas themselves. This deck opted for the latter.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Estrid&#039;s Invocation" href="#" target="_blank">Estrid&#039;s Invocation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can not only copy any of our Sagas but flicker itself to keep the stories going.</p>
<p>Several cards actually have triggered abilities themselves to copy Sagas, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ondu Spiritdancer" href="#" target="_blank">Ondu Spiritdancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meaning Mister Fantastic can copy <i>those</i> instead to give us four copies of a Saga.</p>
<p>This is a theme that can really get out of hand.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yenna, Redtooth Regent"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Copy Enchantment"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Sixth Doctor"></div></div>
<p>The research is done, let’s run some trials…</p>
<h2>How Does the Deck Win?</h2>
<p>This is a value grind deck, hoping to pick up enough cardboard and put it on the table to overwhelm opponents. Every Saga will essentially cast three or more spells, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mister Fantastic" href="#" target="_blank">Mister Fantastic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can triple some of those over time.</p>
<p>Copying effects like the power-doubling of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Roar of Endless Song" href="#" target="_blank">Roar of Endless Song</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will take a few small threats and make them indomitable.</p>
<p>There are some cards in the deck that represent a big endgame push by interacting with the graveyard: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eivor, Wolf-Kissed" href="#" target="_blank">Eivor, Wolf-Kissed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eiganjo Dynastorian" href="#" target="_blank">Eiganjo Dynastorian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Eivor helps fill the graveyard while cheating in Sagas, and Eiganjo Dynastorian can cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Replenish" href="#" target="_blank">Replenish</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to suddenly reanimate all of those milled enchantments.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eivor, Wolf-Kissed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Triumphant Reckoning"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rydia, Summoner of Mist"></div></div>
<p>Finally, there is the token angle. There is one card that really takes this game plan and pushes it to the extreme: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Blind Mice" href="#" target="_blank">Three Blind Mice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Its second and third chapters make a copy of any token you control– meaning that if you have any token copies of the Saga itself, it can make a copy of itself and keep repeating endlessly– thankfully a win condition in and of itself due to the pump effect in the final chapter.</p>
<p>Even if it doesn’t get copied, this deck has a nice amount of ways to make tokens so there will always be something worth copying. This list lacks token doublers like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Anointed Procession" href="#" target="_blank">Anointed Procession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but it’s an easy consideration.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Three Blind Mice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ondu Spiritdancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adagia, Windswept Bastion"></div></div>
<p>Great– the prototype should be just about ready…</p>
<h2><i>Mister Fantastic </i>Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Mister Fantastic" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Mister Fantastic
[/Commander]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Chromatic Lantern
*1 Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Conviction
*1 Talisman of Curiosity
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Talisman of Unity
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Ballad of the Black Flag
*1 Battle for Bretagard
*1 Battle of Frost and Fire
*1 City of Death
*1 Copy Enchantment
*1 Elspeth Conquers Death
*1 Estrid&#039;s Invocation
*1 Heaven Sent
*1 Historian&#039;s Boon
*1 Jugan Defends the Temple // Remnant of the Rising Star
*1 Kiora Bests the Sea God
*1 Mirrormade
*1 Rediscover the Way
*1 Roar of Endless Song
*1 Scroll of Isildur
*1 Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
*1 Tale of Tinúviel
*1 The Bath Song
*1 The Curse of Fenric
*1 The Fall of Lord Konda // Fragment of Konda
*1 The Legend of Kuruk // Avatar Kuruk
*1 The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku
*1 The Legend of Yangchen // Avatar Yangchen
*1 The Night of the Doctor
*1 The Phasing of Zhalfir
*1 The Weatherseed Treaty
*1 There and Back Again
*1 Three Blind Mice
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*1 Barbara Wright
*1 Chong and Lily, Nomads
*1 Eiganjo Dynastorian // Replenish
*1 Eivor, Wolf-Kissed
*1 Entity Tracker
*1 Garnet, Princess of Alexandria
*1 Ian Chesterton
*1 Ondu Spiritdancer
*1 Rydia, Summoner of Mist
*1 Satsuki, the Living Lore
*1 Satyr Enchanter
*1 Starfield Mystic
*1 Starnheim Courser
*1 Summon: Fenrir
*1 Summon: Yojimbo
*1 Sythis, Harvest&#039;s Hand
*1 The Sixth Doctor
*1 Verduran Enchantress
*1 Weaver of Harmony
*1 Yenna, Redtooth Regent
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Cultivate
*1 Farseek
*1 Triumphant Reckoning
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Chaos Warp
*1 Swords to Plowshares
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Adagia, Windswept Bastion
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Coastal Peak
*1 Command Tower
*1 Fabled Passage
*2 Forest
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Glittering Massif
*1 Hall of Heliod&#039;s Generosity
*1 Hinterland Harbor
*5 Island
*1 Jetmir&#039;s Garden
*1 Ketria Triome
*1 Mountain
*1 Path of Ancestry
*3 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Radiant Summit
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Scorched Geyser
*1 Sodden Verdure
*1 Spara&#039;s Headquarters
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sunpetal Grove
*1 Turbulent Springs
*1 Turbulent Steppe
*1 Turbulent Wilderness
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<p>It’s clobbering time.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Some final notes: there are a lot of interesting sub-themes which could have been explored in more depth. More copying effects like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lithoform Engine" href="#" target="_blank">Lithoform Engine</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Peter Parker&#039;s Camera" href="#" target="_blank">Peter Parker&#039;s Camera</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> could act as additional redundancy or magnify what <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mister Fantastic" href="#" target="_blank">Mister Fantastic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is doing.</p>
<p>A streak of token doublers could also be good. This is more focused on the Sagas themselves and aims for the Core (2) bracket, as it is a slower card type.</p>
<p>A few tutors could make the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Blind Mice" href="#" target="_blank">Three Blind Mice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> plan more consistent and bump this up to Upgraded (3) pretty easily. This deck is <i>almost</i> five-color, but not quite.</p>
<p>Dropping black is barely noticeable, to be honest, aside from a few nice hits like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Narci, Fable Singer" href="#" target="_blank">Narci, Fable Singer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Binding the Old Gods" href="#" target="_blank">Binding the Old Gods</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If you feel it necessary to hit all five colors, try good old <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tom Bombadil" href="#" target="_blank">Tom Bombadil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (I wrote about him <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/rebuilding-tom-bombadil-with-final-fantasy">here</a>)– if you want a more reigned-in Saga experience, Princess Garnet is a fantastic way to start.</p>
<p>I hope very much that this narrowing-down of Mister Fantastic’s open-ended theme provides some interest, or some inspiration down a different path! Let me know what wide-open commander you’ve taken down narrower streets.</p>


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