<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://victoradameart.com/">Victor Adame Minguez</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, everyone, my name's Jonathan and today I'll be talking about a topic I've grown attached to without even noticing it: modular deckbuilding.</p>
<p>Little by little, I've started liking this way of creating new decks and now it's always one of the first ideas that come to my mind when I think about how to craft a deck list.</p>
<p>But, what exactly is modular deckbuilding?</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Concept of Modular Deckbuilding</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hammer of Nazahn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trelane, Squire of Gothos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Auramancer&#039;s Guise"></div></div>
<p>To give you an example of modular deckbuilding, we only need to go back to last month. At the end of July, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/jonathan-zucchetti">I wrote an article</a> discussing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. There, I wanted to highlight this card as an interesting Voltron option. To do so, I divided my deck tech into two sections.</p>
<p>First, I described the core of the deck, with cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extraplanar Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Extraplanar Lens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slip Out the Back" href="#" target="_blank">Slip Out the Back</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Turn Aside" href="#" target="_blank">Turn Aside</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. These cards are the cornerstones of the whole list, providing what the deck needs the most: mana and protection. These are fundamental elements for every Voltron strategy; in fact, you always want enough mana to cast and/or equip your buffing spells and you want to protect your main attackers in as many ways as possible. What's important to notice is that this section only counted eighty cards out of the 100 needed for a full Commander deck.</p>
<p>What about the other twenty cards, you say? Well, instead of simply describing which Voltron options I included in the deck list, I decided to present two alternatives: either Auras or Equipment. To be more precise, I built two lists of twenty cards each, one for each card type. In this way, you could choose to run one version or the other of the same deck. Not only that, you could also decide to acquire all the cards needed for both versions and swap back and forth from one to the other depending on what you want to play in every given game.</p>
<p>This is exactly what I mean by "modular deckbuilding": decks with a central core completed by one or more groups of cards that can be swapped in/out between games.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Pros and Cons of Modular Deckbuilding</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kilo, Apogee Mind"></div></div>
<p>Let's consider another commander that can be the object of modular deckbuilding: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In this case, we would establish a core made up of lands, ramp and interaction as usual, as well as a number of cards that allow us to tap and untap our commander, to take full advantage of its ability.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Steel Overseer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lux Cannon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Guide of Souls"></div></div>
<p>From here, we could swarm the board with +1/+1 counters with creatures like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Steel Overseer" href="#" target="_blank">Steel Overseer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Walking Ballista" href="#" target="_blank">Walking Ballista</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hangarback Walker" href="#" target="_blank">Hangarback Walker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Or we could use charge counters, thanks to their widespread presence on cards such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lux Cannon" href="#" target="_blank">Lux Cannon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everflowing Chalice" href="#" target="_blank">Everflowing Chalice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan Forge" href="#" target="_blank">Titan Forge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Maybe we even want to play with energy counters, taking advantage of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Guide of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Guide of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Satya, Aetherflux Genius" href="#" target="_blank">Satya, Aetherflux Genius</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wrath of the Skies" href="#" target="_blank">Wrath of the Skies</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>The main positive aspect of going down this deckbuilding route is variety. This is especially relevant when you particularly like a commander: in this way, you can keep on playing it even while always changing your strategy! Commander is a format that thrives on personal taste and expression and showing off all the various aspects of your favorite general could be the highlight of the night for someone.</p>
<p>This idea isn't free from negative sides. Above all, you'll be messing with your consistency. Having to create a core that works for two different, although similar, builds, you have to forgo specific pieces in favor of more generically good inclusions. For example, in the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> scenario, +1/+1 counters aren't necessarily tied to artifacts, and even some builds of energy deck do not favor this permanent type. So, in order to coordinate everything with the core of the deck, you might end up not including a card like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dispatch" href="#" target="_blank">Dispatch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which would be a slam dunk in the charge counters build.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Open-Ended and Closed-Ended Commanders</h2>
<p>Explaining what exactly characterizes a good commander for modular deckbuilding isn't as easy as it seems.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kaalia of the Vast"></div></div>
<p>One could say that it should be open-ended, and by this I mean it shouldn't force the deck builder into an obvious strategy. For example, typal decks are usually not very open-ended. Think about the most popular typal commanders, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Edgar Markov" href="#" target="_blank">Edgar Markov</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Krenko, Mob Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Krenko, Mob Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Sure, you could run some specific subsets of creatures (like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conspicuous Snoop" href="#" target="_blank">Conspicuous Snoop</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lines in a Goblin deck), or maybe even different subthemes (like sacrifice or +1/+1 counters in a Vampire deck), but the main core of the strategy is usually well-structured and hardly ever changes. It would be very difficult to find enough flex slots to present two properly functional and actually distinct versions of a typal deck.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, we can find exceptions to this rule in cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kaalia of the Vast" href="#" target="_blank">Kaalia of the Vast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This will always lead a typal strategy but it expands on this theme in a way that enables modular deckbuilding. You can create a stable core and alternate between Angels, Demons and Dragons as you like, easily going from one version to the other between games. The key here is taking a usually closed-ended style of deck and introducing just enough variables to reduce its specificity.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Problem of Being "Too Generic"</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mayael the Anima"></div></div>
<p>But we can also find counter-counter examples just as easily. Let's take a look at the recently crowned most popular commander of all time: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's an undeniably beloved card but it's also as undeniably generic. Its two abilities synergize with each other, but neither of them is specific enough to foster a clear line of deckbuilding. The result is that it becomes a "control" commander which, as we say in Italy, <em>significa tutto e niente</em> (literally, "means anything and nothing"). Don't get me wrong, I really like this card and I thought about building it as a personal deck; still, it's almost impossible to outline the "core" of the deck and, as a consequence, the flex slots. In other words, if everything can be swapped in and out, we're no longer talking about modular deckbuilding, but rather about two completely different lists.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed" href="#" target="_blank">Y&#039;shtola, Night&#039;s Blessed</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a glaring example of this kind of "too generic" commander, it's far from being the only one. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mayael the Anima" href="#" target="_blank">Mayael the Anima</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was my first approach to modular deckbuilding. The idea was creating a very deep pool of creatures with power greater than five and select a certain amount at random before each match. As impractical as it sounds (and actually is), it resembles the idea of having a main core and some flex slots around it. Yet, the randomness of the selection kind of invalidates the idea of modular deckbuilding, as you're not really choosing the version of the deck you're playing. Sure, you could create theme-specific or typal-specific packages and rotate them, but then you would also need to make space for synergies and interactions within the theme/creature type, thus eroding the main core more and more.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Key to Modular Deckbuilding</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magda, Brazen Outlaw"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn"></div></div>
<p>In the end, I think that the whole modular deckbuilding debate revolves around one word: options. Just like branching paths in a video game, having multiple options fosters curiosity and the thrill of discovery, whereas linear worldbuilding can become boring and uninspiring. But too many options can create a daunting sensation of overabundance, leading to decision paralysis.</p>
<p>Before concluding this article, I wanted to highlight some more commanders that are precisely in the sweet spot between "too generic" and "too specific".</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a cEDH powerhouse and it might feel like a "solved" commander. By this, I mean that it's been played and optimized to the point that nothing original can come from it. And to this I say: that's a lie. Once you've established the Dwarf core, you can go for at least four different builds. You could create a pure Dwarf deck, using the flex slots for typal synergies and some additional creatures of this type. But you could also care more about the second ability of your commander, going for either a dedicated artifact deck or a go-wide Dwarf deck with huge Dragons as finishers. Lastly, you could also go all-in on the Treasure-generating abilities and including token synergies.</p>
<p>Just like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice" href="#" target="_blank">Atraxa, Praetors&#039; Voice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a commander that has been talked about a lot. <em>A lot</em>. But, just like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, it can count on Proliferate as an extremely open-ended keyword. For this reason, rather than play one of the already-seen builds, you could be playing all of them! Access to four colors means you have all the tools you need to create a rock-solid core. From there, you can expand on the infinite number of counters that exist in <em>Magic</em>. +1/+1, loyalty, poison, -1/-1: whatever you like can fit in. Comically enough, no game will be the same as the previous one with a commander that many consider boring and repetitive.</p>
<p>Finally, a personal favorite: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Actually, this card is here to represent a whole group: double-faced creatures, especially those where it's easy to get access to both halves. I personally started to build a modular deck around it, with one configuration centered on the "convoke" part and the other on the "persist" part. This creates an interesting dichotomy, where the first option is easier to play, as it benefits from the default half of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn" href="#" target="_blank">Eirdu, Carrier of Dawn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, but it's also easier to disrupt. The second option is trickier to pull off, as you'll need to flip your general first, but then rewards you with combos galore.</p>
<hr />
<p>That's it for now! What do you think of this deckbuilding idea? Do you think there are other characteristics that help the modular deckbuilding of a commander? Would you try this approach yourself? Let me know in the comments below!</p>


How Modular Deckbuilding Works in Commander

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.joelchaimholtzman.com/">Joel Chaim Holtzman</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, everyone, my name's Jonathan and today I'll be talking about an interesting new card from the upcoming <em>Star Trek Commander</em> set: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. On the surface, this mono-blue commander may seem like a nothing-burger: just a bunch of keywords on a body. But, with a bit of attention, we can actually build an interesting deck around it. So, without further ado, let's see what this Q creature has in store for us.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Main Concept</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trelane, Squire of Gothos"></div></div>
<p>One thing I truly appreciate about this commander is how relaxing it is to read. Nowadays, every card seems to have an overly convoluted textbox crowded with triggers and mechanics. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of <em>Magic</em> evolving and exploring new design spaces, and I love building around niche interactions. Nonetheless, from time to time it's refreshing to see a simple, to-the-point card without any additional layers.</p>
<p>And that's precisely what today's commander offers. For six mana we get an unblockable 4/5 with vigilance and ward <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-2" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>. That's it: as we say in Italian, <em>niente fronzoli</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of Feast and Famine"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Trelane, Squire of Gothos"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Auramancer&#039;s Guise"></div></div>
<p>At the same time, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turns out to be sneakily strong as a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/voltron">Voltron</a> commander. Just to be clear, by "Voltron" I mean a strategy that revolves around piling up Auras and/or Equipment onto a creature in order to create a one-man army. What makes this creature a good recipient for stat-buffing spells are precisely its keywords. Unblockable means we can count on a guaranteed hit (I'm looking at you, <em>Jujutsu Kaisen</em> fans) during each of our combat steps. Additionally, vigilance makes sure we're never open to other players' attacks after we've swung at them. Lastly, ward helps with this strategy's biggest weakness, defending us from removal that sets Voltron decks back so much.</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Spice</h2>
<p>When building this deck, I wanted to do something different. Mono-blue Voltron is not a common theme by any means, but I also thought I could go the extra mile for something even more exotic.</p>
<p>First, I wanted <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to be the only creature in the deck. I don't really have a reason to justify this decision other than wanting to stick to the bit as much as possible.</p>
<p>All in all, if we want only one creature to be as big as possible, what do we need other creatures for? Jokes aside, this decision comes with multiple consequences attached. First, we're a bit weaker to removal, as they'll all be targeted to our only body on the board; we won't be able to present alternative threats, as we fully rely on our commander. At the same time, not having to spread our buffs means our creature will quickly grow into a serious menace to our opponents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Counterspell"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hammer of Nazahn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Octopus Umbra"></div></div>
<p>Then, I couldn't really decide between playing Auras, Equipment or both. So I decided not to decide. What I mean is I divided the deck into three sections.</p>
<p>First, an 80-card core comprising mana sources, interactions, protection spells and Trelane itself. These cards will always be present in the deck and function as the backbone of the strategy. Then, I created two 20-card pools: one for Equipment and one for Auras. In this way, before each game, you can decide to play either complementary deck depending on your mood, the other decks at the table, or you can let fate choose for you and pick at random. Actually, you could also shuffle the two side-decks together into a pile and pick twenty random cards out of it!</p>
<hr />
<h2>The Core of the Deck (and Its List)</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Extraplanar Lens"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Slip Out the Back"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Turn Aside"></div></div>
<p>The first goal of the bulk of our deck is accumulating mana. Our commander costs six mana, which is not a low cost at all, and then we also want to cast a bunch of Auras/Equipment to suit it up. So, considering how mana-hungry the deck is, we run fifteen mana rocks.</p>
<p>Other than the usual suspects, I wanted to highlight two cards. First, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud Key" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud Key</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is an awesome flexible inclusion that can fit perfectly both our Enchantment and our Artifact plan. Then, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Extraplanar Lens" href="#" target="_blank">Extraplanar Lens</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is hardly worth it (even in monocolor builds), but here it can shine and give us tons of mana we'll gladly accept.</p>
<p>We also want to run quite a lot of interaction. Our deck is on the slower side, so we want to control the board before we start smacking everyone. At the same time, we also want to pack a lot of spells that can protect our commander and make sure all of our investment doesn't go to waste. For this reason, I included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the list, but also more specific variants specifically designed to defend our general, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Turn Aside" href="#" target="_blank">Turn Aside</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Similarly, cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Slip Out the Back" href="#" target="_blank">Slip Out the Back</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shore Up" href="#" target="_blank">Shore Up</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are more than welcome, as they're cheap ways to keep <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> safe.</p>
<h2>The Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Trelane Core" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Trelane, Squire of Gothos
[/Commander]
[Draw]
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Flow of Knowledge
*1 Rhystic Study
*1 Waterbending Scroll
[/Draw]
[Interactions]
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Counterspell
*1 Dispel
*1 Intervene
*1 Into the Flood Maw
*1 Negate
*1 Pongify
*1 Rapid Hybridization
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Snap
*1 Spectral Deluge
*1 Swan Song
*1 Three Steps Ahead
*1 Turn Aside
*1 Unsubstantiate
[/Interactions]
[Protection]
*1 Change of Plans
*1 Magic Damper
*1 March of Swirling Mist
*1 Octopus Form
*1 Shore Up
*1 Slip Out the Back
*1 You See a Guard Approach
[/Protection]
[Ramp]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Cloud Key
*1 Coalition Relic
*1 Coldsteel Heart
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Extraplanar Lens
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Liquimetal Torque
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Mirrormade
*1 Sapphire Medallion
*1 Sky Diamond
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Star Compass
*1 Thought Vessel
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Ramp]
[Land]
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Command Beacon
*30 Island
*1 Lórien Revealed
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Plaza of Heroes
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Tyrite Sanctum
[/Land]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>The Auras</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curiosity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanishing"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eldrazi Conscription"></div></div>
<p>The first possible alternative to complete the deck is with Auras. The main benefit of this strategy is that they only have an upfront cost: once cast, they stick on our commander forever. Of course, the main downside is that we'll lose them all if our creature gets destroyed.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> synergizes particularly well with Auras with a triggered ability upon dealing combat damage to a player, because they're sure to activate thanks to the unblockability clause. Cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curious Obsession" href="#" target="_blank">Curious Obsession</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Combat Research" href="#" target="_blank">Combat Research</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are especially good, as they'll keep our engine going turn after turn.</p>
<p>Then, we also want to get some protection for our Enchantments. As mentioned before, removals tend to heavily hinder a Voltron deck's game plan, especially when it's centered around Auras. For this reason, having access to cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanishing" href="#" target="_blank">Vanishing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Diplomatic Immunity" href="#" target="_blank">Diplomatic Immunity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eel Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Eel Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (on top of the built-in protection our commander can count on) helps us feel safer about buffing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> even further.</p>
<p>Lastly, we also want to be able to pack a punch and take out players when needed. In this department, look no further than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Eldrazi Conscription" href="#" target="_blank">Eldrazi Conscription</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, an oldie (but also a goodie) at finishing off games. Additionally, we can use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Corrupted Conscience" href="#" target="_blank">Corrupted Conscience</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (which pairs very well with an unblockable creature) to immediately threaten game-ending attacks. And if this isn't enough, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Super State" href="#" target="_blank">Super State</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will take care of the rest, multiplying our damage significantly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Auras" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Enchantments]
*1 Alexi&#039;s Cloak
*1 Arcanum Wings
*1 Auramancer&#039;s Guise
*1 Combat Research
*1 Corrupted Conscience
*1 Curiosity
*1 Curious Inquiry
*1 Curious Obsession
*1 Diplomatic Immunity
*1 Eel Umbra
*1 Eldrazi Conscription
*1 Estrid&#039;s Invocation
*1 Fool&#039;s Demise
*1 Nerd Rage
*1 Octopus Umbra
*1 Psychic Impetus
*1 Security Bypass
*1 Super Intelligence
*1 Super State
*1 Vanishing
[/enchantments]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>The Equipment</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hammer of Nazahn"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grafted Exoskeleton"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Excalibur, Sword of Eden"></div></div>
<p>Equipment come with a big upside compared to Auras: even if our commander gets removed, they stick on the battlefield. Sure, we'd have to pay the equip cost again, but that's way better than losing our cards altogether. At the same time, equip costs are also the big downside for these cards. In other words, not only do Equipment have an upfront cost, they also have a delayed one, and at times it can be tricky to get all the mana we need.</p>
<p>A core part of this strategy is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hammer of Nazahn" href="#" target="_blank">Hammer of Nazahn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which makes us ignore equip costs and grants an incredible layer of protection to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is one of our top priorities when casting something like a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fabricate" href="#" target="_blank">Fabricate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>In this case as well, we get access to a cheeky player-deleting button thanks to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grafted Exoskeleton" href="#" target="_blank">Grafted Exoskeleton</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. What's even nicer is that we can ignore its downside completely, since we won't ever equip it to any creature other than our commander.</p>
<p>But the true king of finishing blows is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Excalibur, Sword of Eden" href="#" target="_blank">Excalibur, Sword of Eden</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It can easily be free to cast thanks to its built-in cost reduction; it's clearly designed to be held by legendary creatures and the +10 buff to power is very close to a death sentence via commander damage.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Equipment" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Artifact]
*1 Blackblade Reforged
*1 Buster Sword
*1 Commander&#039;s Plate
*1 Excalibur, Sword of Eden
*1 Fireshrieker
*1 Grafted Exoskeleton
*1 Hammer of Nazahn
*1 Inquisitor&#039;s Flail
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Masterwork of Ingenuity
*1 Mithril Coat
*1 Swiftfoot Boots
*1 Sword of Feast and Famine
*1 Sword of Fire and Ice
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 The Aetherspark
*1 Thran Power Suit
[/Artifact]
[Synergy]
*1 Fabricate
*1 Scour for Scrap
*1 Sculpting Steel
[/Synergy]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> turned out to be a very fun commander to build around. Sure, it's a bit expensive for what it offers, but it's the perfect canvas to paint a beautiful Voltron portrait on. It can attack and defend very well, and it also has a first layer of protection: basically everything you want from a creature loaded with buffs. And this is precisely the reason why I chose not to include any other creature in the deck list: the whole show is about our commander and our commander only.</p>
<p>Regarding the three-decks structure, I chose to go down this route because it granted the maximum degree of flexibility. It almost felt like building a sideboard for a 60-card deck. The decks I'm presenting are anything but definitive lists: you are more than free and welcome to personalize them and create your own pool of Auras/Equipment based on your local meta and the decks you most often face (or even just the cards you like to play!)</p>
<p>Additionally, you could go even further, creating even deeper pools of cards from which you'd select twenty before every game. They could be two separated decks (as in my example) or only one with both card types mixed together. In the end, the most important thing at a Commander table is having fun and experimenting, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Trelane, Squire of Gothos" href="#" target="_blank">Trelane, Squire of Gothos</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> feels to me like a perfect leader to support your ingenuity and creativity!</p>
<p>This is all from me for now, let me know in the comments below what you think of this build and how you'd play this commander!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


trelane squire of gothos

How Modular Deckbuilding Works in Commander

Trelane, Squire of Gothos | One Creature, Two Decks