The Hobbit: a cEDH Set Review

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Thranduil, the Elvenking | Art by <a href="https://www.patreon.com/MagaliVilleneuveArtworks">Magali Villeneuve</a></em></p>
<p>Well folks, previews for <em>Magic</em>'s return to Middle-earth via <em>The Hobbit</em> have been roll-roll-rolling, and things are already looking to shake up cEDH — and not just with new cards for the 99. May I introduce you to the newest legendary creature to grace the format with a one-card win condition — <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thranduil, the Elvenking" href="#" target="_blank">Thranduil, the Elvenking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thranduil, the Elvenking"></div></div>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thranduil, the Elvenking" href="#" target="_blank">Thranduil, the Elvenking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>Coming in at <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-b" 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, Thranduil, the Elvenking is a legendary 5/6 Elf Noble creature with one static and one triggered ability. First, Thranduil has all activated abilities of all Elf cards in your graveyard. Second, whenever another legendary Elf you control enters, draw two cards, then discard a card.</p>
<p>Getting that triggered ability out of the way first, cEDH isn't really known for a critical mass of good, legendary Elves. Sure, there are some decks led by Elves, but the mainboard of your average cEDH list isn't running a legendary Elf, and Thranduil here is no exception. So, as far as that triggered ability is concerned, we can ignore it going forward.</p>
<p>On to the real reason Thranduil is going to put up numbers at competitive tables: that static ability. If you've ever played against a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Necrotic Ooze" href="#" target="_blank">Necrotic Ooze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo deck before, then you already know how trivially easy it is to dump the right creatures into the graveyard, only to suddenly be facing down a single creature capable of taking out the entire table at once.</p>
<p>Fortunately for Thranduil, that same principle applies in equal measure even when the restriction of just Elf cards is put on it. That's right, pitch away the right creatures and Thranduil can readily become a lethal powerhouse in a single turn.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thranduil, the Elvenking" href="#" target="_blank">Thranduil, the Elvenking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<h3>Graveyard Fillers</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Buried Alive"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Survival of the Fittest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brain Freeze"></div></div>
<p>Starting off with the ways to fill up our graveyard, there are three primary types: targeted <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Entomb" href="#" target="_blank">Entomb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>-like effects, discard effects, and mass mill.</p>
<p>As far as the first camp is concerned, the only targeted effect used is actually <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, simply because it is so much better than the likes of Entomb or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unmarked Grave" href="#" target="_blank">Unmarked Grave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in that it is more worthwhile to spend those card slots on tutoring for Buried Alive than it is to run single-target effects.</p>
<p>Thranduil needs three key Elves in the graveyard in order to close out the game, and Buried Alive achieves exactly that, pitching three creatures from your deck straight into the graveyard. So, as we'll see later, resolving a Buried Alive usually means ending the game.</p>
<p>Moving to discard effects, the two primary contenders here are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survival of the Fittest" href="#" target="_blank">Survival of the Fittest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (an all around staple of green that we'd be running even if we didn't care about the graveyard at all), and the Stax piece <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chains of Mephistopheles" href="#" target="_blank">Chains of Mephistopheles</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Given enough mana, Survival of the Fittest can also assemble the three-card trifecta on its own, as tutoring for each requisite Elf just to discard it as part of the next Survival activation is a wholly worthwhile strategy.</p>
<p>Last but not least, mass mill. Like Buried Alive, this deck really just runs one card, but it's a doozy: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brain Freeze" href="#" target="_blank">Brain Freeze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sit back, wait for a particularly nasty stack battle, then throw out a Brain Freeze at the end of it and watch as you mill an easy 20+ cards for 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Plus, it's a combo piece.</p>
<h3>Pseudo-Haste Enablers</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thousand-Year Elixir"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu"></div></div>
<p>So, we've found a way to get our Elf pile into the graveyard, now what? Well, just about any way you assemble it, the combo involves tapping a creature somewhere along the line, so this deck also runs a selection of effects that enable you to tap your creatures as soon as possible. Tyvar, Thousand-Year Elixir, and Shang-Chi all permit activating activated abilities as though your creatures had haste, which is exactly what we're looking for.</p>
<h2>How Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thranduil, the Elvenking" href="#" target="_blank">Thranduil, the Elvenking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Win?</h2>
<h3>Buried Alive Combo</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Devoted Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zameck Guildmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Incubation Druid"></div></div>
<p>Alrighty, on to the main attraction: Thranduil's one-card combo with Buried Alive. Here's how it works:</p>
<ul>
<li>Starting point: Thranduil is in play and can tap to activate activated abilities (either because it entered on an earlier turn or you control a pseudo-haste enabler).</li>
<li>Cast <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Buried Alive" href="#" target="_blank">Buried Alive</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, searching your library for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Devoted Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Devoted Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zameck Guildmage" href="#" target="_blank">Zameck Guildmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Incubation Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Incubation Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then put them into your graveyard.</li>
<li>Now that Thranduil has all activated abilities from those Elves, pay <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-g" 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> to put three +1/+1 counters on it <em>(thanks to Incubation Druid's adapt ability).</em></li>
<li>Rinse and repeat the following step three times: tap Thranduil for three mana (<em>thanks to Incubation Druid's mana ability)</em>, then untap Thranduil by putting a -1/-1 counter on it (<em>thanks to Devoted Druid's untap ability</em>).</li>
<li>Once the prior loop is done, you should have at least <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" 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 class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and six other mana thanks to Thranduil activations. Additionally, Thranduil will have no +1/+1 counters and no -1/-1 counters on it, as those counters will have canceled out as a state-based action.</li>
<li>Repeat the previous three steps until you have infinite <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and infinite <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. Then, begin looping Incubation Druid's adapt ability with Zameck Guildmage's card draw ability, cycling through putting +1/+1 counters on Thranduil and then removing those counters to draw cards.</li>
</ul>
<p>The end of this combo will present you with infinite mana and your entire deck in your hand. From here, you can either close out the game with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or an infinitely-large board thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Finale of Devastation" href="#" target="_blank">Finale of Devastation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3>Hermit Druid Combo</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hermit Druid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deathrite Shaman"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dread Return"></div></div>
<p>Next up, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hermit Druid" href="#" target="_blank">Hermit Druid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Since this deck doesn't run any basic lands, activating Hermit Druid will mill the entire deck. From here, you can either flashback Dread Return to put <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> into play (assuming you have three creatures to sacrifice), or you can iterate through the same infinite mana combo with Devoted Druid and Incubation Druid, replacing Zameck Guildmage with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deathrite Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Deathrite Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, as you'll have the ability to infinitely tap/untap Thranduil in order to activate Deathrite Shaman's second ability a number of times equal to the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard, draining the table for a probably-lethal amount.</p>
<h3>Classic Combos</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thassa&#039;s Oracle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Praetor&#039;s Grasp"></div></div>
<p>As far as classic cEDH combos are concerned, this deck runs the Dimir-classic Tainted Fish combo (Thassa's Oracle and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Demonic Consultation" href="#" target="_blank">Demonic Consultation</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>/<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tainted Pact" href="#" target="_blank">Tainted Pact</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), as well as the ability to steal an opponent's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combo — thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Praetor&#039;s Grasp" href="#" target="_blank">Praetor&#039;s Grasp</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> — as the deck already runs both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brain Freeze" href="#" target="_blank">Brain Freeze</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond" href="#" target="_blank">Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as synergy pieces (mill and discard).</p>
<h2><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thranduil, the Elvenking" href="#" target="_blank">Thranduil, the Elvenking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> cEDH Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Thranduil cEDH" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Thranduil, the Elvenking
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Badgermole Cub
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Deathrite Shaman
*1 Delighted Halfling
*1 Devoted Druid
*1 Elves of Deep Shadow
*1 Elvish Spirit Guide
*1 Faerie Mastermind
*1 Hermit Druid
*1 Incubation Druid
*1 Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy
*1 Mockingbird
*1 Orcish Bowmasters
*1 Priest of Titania
*1 Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu
*1 Thassa&#039;s Oracle
*1 The Cabbage Merchant
*1 Wan Shi Tong, Librarian
*1 Zameck Guildmage
[/Creatures]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler
[/Planeswalkers]
[Sorceries]
*1 Buried Alive
*1 Culling Ritual
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Dread Return
*1 Finale of Devastation
*1 Flash Photography
*1 Grim Tutor
*1 Imperial Seal
*1 Praetor&#039;s Grasp
*1 Yawgmoth&#039;s Will
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Autumn&#039;s Veil
*1 Borne Upon a Wind
*1 Brain Freeze
*1 Cabal Ritual
*1 Chord of Calling
*1 Commandeer
*1 Crop Rotation
*1 Culling the Weak
*1 Dark Ritual
*1 Demonic Consultation
*1 Dramatic Reversal
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Force of Negation
*1 Force of Will
*1 Lim-Dûl&#039;s Vault
*1 Mental Misstep
*1 Mindbreak Trap
*1 Misdirection
*1 Mystical Tutor
*1 Pact of Negation
*1 Swan Song
*1 Tainted Pact
*1 Vampiric Tutor
*1 Veil of Summer
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Chrome Mox
*1 Lion&#039;s Eye Diamond
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Mox Diamond
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Talisman of Resilience
*1 Thousand-Year Elixir
*1 Wishclaw Talisman
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Carpet of Flowers
*1 Chains of Mephistopheles
*1 Copy Enchantment
*1 Mirrormade
*1 Mystic Remora
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Survival of the Fittest
*1 Wild Growth
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Ancient Tomb
*1 Bayou
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Boseiju, Who Endures
*1 Breeding Pool
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Gaea&#039;s Cradle
*1 Gemstone Caverns
*1 Mana Confluence
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Mistrise Village
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Starting Town
*1 Tropical Island
*1 Undercity Sewers
*1 Underground Sea
*1 Verdant Catacombs
*1 Watery Grave
*1 Windswept Heath
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thranduil, the Elvenking" href="#" target="_blank">Thranduil, the Elvenking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is another solid option in the world of Sultai midrange decks. Granted, it's a pretty expensive commander at five mana, but don't discount the potency of a one-card win condition that's supported by a deck chock-full of engines.</p>


thranduil the elvenking

The Hobbit: a cEDH Set Review

Thranduil, the Elvenking | A cEDH One-Card Combo