Too-Specific Top 10 - Aggro Advisors

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ellivere of the Wild Court" href="#" target="_blank">Ellivere of the Wild Court</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://burmak.ru/">Dmitry Burmak</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gylwain, Casting Director" href="#" target="_blank">Gylwain, Casting Director</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://aurorefolny.com/">Aurore Folny</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Syr Armont, the Redeemer" href="#" target="_blank">Syr Armont, the Redeemer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by<a href="http://www.magali-villeneuve.com/"> Magali Villeneuve</a>)</h6>
<p>Hello readers! My name is Beth, Queen of Cardboard, and this is the Precon Primer for the<em> Wilds of Eldraine Commander</em> deck <em>Virtue and Valor</em>. This deck may seem like just another enchantment deck, especially since it's coming on the heels of the <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/enduring-enchantments-precon-primer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Enduring Enchantments</em> deck</a> from <em>Commander Masters. </em>But if you look at the face commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ellivere of the Wild Court" href="#" target="_blank">Ellivere of the Wild Court</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you'll note that the deck comes with a brand new Aura token type: Roles. Roles may seem confusing at first, but they're a perfect way to bring your token players and enchantment players together with one deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ellivere of the Wild Court"></div></div>
<p>Ellivere is a four-cost Selesnya (green/white) 4/4 with a powerful ETB and attack trigger, creating a Virtuous Role token attached to another target creature. In addition to this ability, you're awarded a card draw any time an enchanted creature you control deals combat damage to a player. This is quite possibly one of the most synergistic cards I've seen in a while. And if you're a "cute card" lover like me, I want to tell you this one gets a 10/10.</p>
<p>But what's in a Role?</p>
<h2>Role for Value</h2>
<p>This is one of the few decks that I actually went back and played straight off the list, just to get used to this new mechanic.</p>
<p>There are seven Roles in <em>Wilds of Eldraine.</em> The other six roles are Royal, Sorcerer, Monster, Young Hero, Cursed, and Wicked. While you can only get Virtuous from Elliver, other cards in the the deck give you access to Monster, Sorcerer, Royal, and Young Hero.</p>
<p>So what do these roles do?</p>
<ul>
<li>Monster — Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has trample.</li>
<li>Royal — Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has ward 1.</li>
<li>Sorcerer — Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has “Whenever this creature attacks, scry 1.”</li>
<li>Young Hero — Enchanted creature has “Whenever this creature attacks, if its toughness is 3 or less, put a +1/+1 counter on it.”</li>
<li>Virtuous — Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each enchantment you control.</li>
</ul>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monster // Sorcerer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Royal // Young Hero"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Monster|twoc|1"></div></div>
<p>In addition to Ellivere, you have three other cards that grant Roles in the deck, most notably, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gylwain, Casting Director" href="#" target="_blank">Gylwain, Casting Director</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the alternate commander. Unfortunately, for those who like seeing new cards in action, out of the 15 Role-giving cards available in these colors, this deck only included four.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gylwain, Casting Director"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Giant Inheritance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Syr Armont, the Redeemer"></div></div>
<h2>Enchantress Staples</h2>
<p>While the <em>Enduring Enchantments</em> deck focuses on Sagas and enchantment creatures, this one is all about Auras. Thanks to a commander that passes these out like candy, the Virtuous role is a star in the deck whether you use Gylwain or Ellivere as your main commander. The Totem Armors <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snake Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Snake Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bear Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Bear Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> come in extremely useful when these big creatures ultimately are destroyed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Umbra Mystic" href="#" target="_blank">Umbra Mystic</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives Totem Armor to all your Auras, which overcomes board wipes and targeted removal. Constellation also makes a return in this deck, giving you value for each enchantment entering the battlefield.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archon of Sun&#039;s Grace"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eidolon of Blossoms"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Setessan Champion"></div></div>
<p>The two all-stars in this deck are <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Songbirds&#039; Blessing" href="#" target="_blank">Songbirds&#039; Blessing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantle of the Ancients" href="#" target="_blank">Mantle of the Ancients</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. If we're being completely honest here, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantle of the Ancients" href="#" target="_blank">Mantle of the Ancients</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is ridiculously good, especially when you bring back all your enchantments that your opponents thought were gone after casting a piece of key removal. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Songbirds&#039; Blessing" href="#" target="_blank">Songbirds&#039; Blessing</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> allows you to quickly move through the deck, finding more Auras and enchantment creatures to overcome your opponent with.</p>
<h2>Anthems Abound</h2>
<p>The steady strength of this deck is through anthem effects. The Virtuous Role gives the enchanted creature +1/+1 for each enchantment you control. In addition to this Role, there are the Auras <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mantle of the Ancients" href="#" target="_blank">Mantle of the Ancients</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Mask" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Mask</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sage&#039;s Reverie" href="#" target="_blank">Sage&#039;s Reverie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This deck truly is giving you the option to go both wide and tall, quickly creating several big creatures that can be especially hard to defend against.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aura Gnarlid"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Eidolon of Countless Battles"></div></div>
<p>In addition to your Aura anthem cards, there are two creatures that have anthem effects for themselves. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aura Gnarlid" href="#" target="_blank">Aura Gnarlid</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is especially nasty here because it can't be blocked by creatures with lesser power. There's a good chance if you're waiting to put this onto the battlefield that your creatures are also the biggest on the battlefield, giving you a huge, unblockable, killing machine. The Eidolon also pumps itself or can be Bestowed as an Aura to pump another creature. Pair either of these two with flying or trample and you've got two game-ending creatures.</p>
<h2>Interaction, I Barely Know Her</h2>
<p>One weakness of this deck is the lack of instant speed interaction and removal. While the <em>Fae Dominion</em> precon abounds in interaction, this deck has a total of two instants and five sorceries, not including the Adventure card <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Realm-Cloaked Giant" href="#" target="_blank">Realm-Cloaked Giant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Of the seven removal cards in the deck, three of them cost more than five mana, making removal seem like an afterthought. We're relying purely on overcoming the opponent by playing enchantment after enchantment as quickly as possible.</p>
<h2>Reprints, Not for the Weak</h2>
<p>This deck contains a LOT of reprints. However, in this list, they work. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Transcendent Envoy" href="#" target="_blank">Transcendent Envoy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jukai Naturalist" href="#" target="_blank">Jukai Naturalist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> make all your Aura spells cheaper to cast, while <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> makes all enchantment spells cheaper. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Destiny Spinner" href="#" target="_blank">Destiny Spinner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> helps with the lack of interaction in the deck, making the majority of your spells uncounterable. And you've got tons of card draw in reprints like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enchantress&#039;s Presence" href="#" target="_blank">Enchantress&#039;s Presence</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sage&#039;s Reverie" href="#" target="_blank">Sage&#039;s Reverie</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snake Umbra" href="#" target="_blank">Snake Umbra</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Enchantress&#039;s Presence"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sage&#039;s Reverie"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snake Umbra"></div></div>
<p>While it would have been nice to see these functions on new cards, these reprints provide essential value and make the deck incredibly difficult for opponents to deal with. This is a classic case of "If it's not broke, why fix it?" Or in the <em>Magic </em>world, "If there's a card that does it, why make a new one?"</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>While this deck tries to introduce a new mechanic, there are several Roles and cards missing that would have been easy includes in this list. While Ellivere is powerful and a perfect fit for this deck, you could interchange the face commander and alternate commander with ease, as Gylwain provides almost as much value as Ellivere. The Virtuous Role being applied multiple times a turn is insane, and with a flicker package you're going to make and destroy enemies on the board in a succinct manner. It makes sense that this Role is only available via one card in all of <em>Wilds of Eldraine</em>.</p>
<p>If you're looking to upgrade this deck, first look at the weaker enchantment Auras and non-enchantment creatures. I've got more info available in my <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/virtue-and-valor…on-upgrade-guide/">Virtue and Valor Precon Upgrade Guide article</a>.</p>
<p>If you liked this article you might want to read:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wilds-of-eldraine-the-starring-roles/">Wilds of Eldraine: The Starring Roles</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-command-zone-virtue-and-valor-wilds-of-eldraine-precon-upgrade-guide-the-command-zone-556-mtg-edh-magic/">The Command Zone - “Virtue and Valor” Wilds of Eldraine Precon Upgrade Guide | The Command Zone 556 | MTG EDH Magic</a></li>
<li><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-over-under-predicting-the-popularity-of-wilds-of-eldraine-commanders/">The Over/Under - Predicting the Popularity of Wilds of Eldraine Commanders</a></li>
</ul>


Virtue and Valor - Precon Primer

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"> (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor" href="#" target="_blank">Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/katemaxpaint">Ekaterina Burmak</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Cunning Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Cunning Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/dopaprime">Livia Prima</a> | <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/evynfong">Evyn Fong</a> )</span></h6>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Hello Friends. I'm Beth, Queen of Cardboard, and I'm here to review the new <em>Wilds of Eldraine Commander</em> precon deck, Fae Dominion. This is a Faerie typal deck, and the face commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor" href="#" target="_blank">Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, not only pumps your Faeries, but rewards you with card draw when your Faeries die, at the cost of one life. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">As one of two precons from <em>Wilds of Eldraine,</em> this deck features a well known creature type and is strong straight of the box, with plenty of flyers and ways to get in for combat damage. It also features over 20 instant and sorcery cards to thwart your opponents, compared to a measly eight in its partner deck, Virtue and Valor.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Glamorous Fae</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor" href="#" target="_blank">Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a three-cost Dimir (blue/black) 2/3 Faerie Noble. This relatively inexpensive commander is easy to cast, pumps your other Faeries, and with flying and deathtouch he can be difficult for opponents to deal with. Though he's not very large, he can get in early game for several points of commander damage, or if you'd like to build a board state, he's a creature that can protect your own life total by becoming a deterrent to combat by your opponents. In addition, he lends to great card advantage by providing a card draw for every Faerie death. Since most Faeries are rather cheap to cast, this can be a huge help both early and mid-game. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">It's safe to say that this commander does everything you could want in a typical Faerie deck, but if losing life isn't your style, it's an easy swap for the alternate commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Cunning Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Cunning Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I'd say my only complaint at this point is that there's not a lot of recursion, so you're going to need to rely on your ability to create Faeries to maintain a board state.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Check out the decklist below:</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Fae Dominion Precon" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Alela, Cunning Conqueror
*1 Archmage of Echoes
*1 Blightwing Bandit
*1 Brazen Borrower // Petty Theft
*1 Cloud of Faeries
*1 Faerie Bladecrafter
*1 Faerie Formation
*1 Faerie Seer
*1 Glen Elendra Archmage
*1 Glen Elendra Liege
*1 Halo Forager
*1 Hullbreaker Horror
*1 Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare
*1 Malleable Impostor
*1 Mocking Sprite
*1 Nettling Nuisance
*1 Nightveil Sprite
*1 Nymris, Oona&#039;s Trickster
*1 Obyra, Dreaming Duelist
*1 Oona, Queen of the Fae
*1 Picklock Prankster // Free the Fae
*1 Puppeteer Clique
*1 Quickling
*1 Rankle, Master of Pranks
*1 Scion of Oona
*1 Shadow Puppeteers
*1 Sower of Temptation
*1 Spellscorn Coven // Take It Back
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Consider
*1 Dig Through Time
*1 Fact or Fiction
*1 Frantic Search
*1 Illusionist&#039;s Gambit
*1 Keep Watch
*1 Opt
*1 Perplexing Test
*1 Reality Shift
*1 Reckless Spite
*1 Repulse
*1 Run Away Together
*1 Snap
*1 Spell Stutter
*1 Theoretical Duplication
*1 Thrilling Encore
[/Instants]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Dimir Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Midnight Clock
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Misleading Signpost
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Dominance
*1 Wayfarer&#039;s Bauble
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Kindred Dominance
*1 Nightmare Unmaking
*1 Tegwyll&#039;s Scouring
[/Sorceries]
[Enchantments]
*1 Reconnaissance Mission
*1 Reflections of Littjara
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Choked Estuary
*1 Command Tower
*1 Darkwater Catacombs
*1 Dimir Aqueduct
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Faerie Conclave
*13 Island
*1 Myriad Landscape
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Secluded Glen
*1 Sunken Hollow
*12 Swamp
*1 Tainted Isle
*1 Temple of Deceit
*1 Temple of the False God
[/Lands]"></span></div>


<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">The deck features many reprints, bringing back several favorites featured in Throne of Eldraine. And new cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spell Stutter" href="#" target="_blank">Spell Stutter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Misleading Signpost" href="#" target="_blank">Misleading Signpost</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are just a few fun additions that give you plenty of tricks to overcome your opponents both on the battlefield and off.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Let's check out the strengths of this deck together.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Fae Tricksters</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malleable Impostor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nettling Nuisance"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blightwing Bandit"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">This deck is full of tricksters and attempts to win by surprising your opponents. Most of the creatures aren't terribly big, so playing it well means tricking your opponent into a disadvantageous play.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">If you've been asking for more removal in your Commander precons, this is the deck for you. The deck features one-sided board wipes, counterspells, and other removal. With cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Dominance" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Dominance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nightmare Unmaking" href="#" target="_blank">Nightmare Unmaking</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Reality Shift" href="#" target="_blank">Reality Shift</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snap" href="#" target="_blank">Snap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you'll always have a way to remove a problem.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Adventure cards are also found here, giving extra value with both a non-permanent and permanent spell in one card. Going on an Adventure might not happen often in this deck, but the four included are full of value, with only <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hypnotic Sprite" href="#" target="_blank">Hypnotic Sprite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> being a fairly vanilla Faerie and providing little to no extra value as a creature. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Brazen Borrower" href="#" target="_blank">Brazen Borrower</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can come in handy at any time, as its flash ability makes it easy to cast and provides a body on the field in a time of need.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hypnotic Sprite"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Brazen Borrower"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Picklock Prankster"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spellscorn Coven"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">I'll be honest, this deck has a lot going for it. My only complaint is that for a new player, it might have <em>too</em> much going for it. You've got copy spells, combat tricks, life gain, life drain, and a whole lot of cards to play during your opponents' turns. This isn't a bad thing, just something to keep in mind, and when teaching a new player this might not be the deck I reach for. For those who love Faeries or lots of interaction, it's easy to see why this deck has become so popular.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Let's take a look at the other cards that you can use as a commander in this deck.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Cunning Combat</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Alela, Cunning Conqueror"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">The alternate commander is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Cunning Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Cunning Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While she's a little more expensive than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor" href="#" target="_blank">Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, she rewards you both for casting spells during your opponents' turns and also for dealing combat damage with Faeries. She's a four-cost 2/4 Faerie Warlock that gives you a 1/1 Faerie Rogue for each spell you cast during each opponent's turn <em>and</em> Goads creatures on your opponent's board when your Faeries deal combat damage to them. Supporting her, you have several Faeries with flash, and did I mention the 17 instants in the deck?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Quickling"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Malleable Impostor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scion of Oona"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">This deck is begging you to play cards during your opponents' turns, and the rewards for doing so can completely disrupt any strategy that's thrown your way. If that's not enough, you've got a little surprise in the one non-Fae creature in the list, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hullbreaker Horror" href="#" target="_blank">Hullbreaker Horror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. While I'm not a huge fan of cards showing up just because they're good, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hullbreaker Horror" href="#" target="_blank">Hullbreaker Horror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is going to give you lots of value for doing what the deck is trying to do, pester your opponents and distract from your tiny pokes along the way.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">In addition to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Cunning Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Cunning Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, you're provided with three other creatures that you could swap in for the commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nymris, Oona&#039;s Trickster" href="#" target="_blank">Nymris, Oona&#039;s Trickster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Oona, Queen of the Fae" href="#" target="_blank">Oona, Queen of the Fae</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. In my opinion, the only other good option is Obyra.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Obyra is simple, with the ability to drain your opponents when Faeries enter your battlefield. While there are options outside of the deck for this commander that would be smooth, within the precon there are only five cards that deal with life loss. Most of them make <em>you</em> lose life, not your opponents. Only <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Bladecrafter" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Bladecrafter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> helps you gain life and, simply put, this strategy is too slow without upgrading or changing the deck entirely. The other two options, Nymris and Oona, are much more expensive mana wise and don't have as much value as either <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor" href="#" target="_blank">Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alela, Cunning Conqueror" href="#" target="_blank">Alela, Cunning Conqueror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Conclusion</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Faeries are easily one of the favorite typal decks to play, and this precon's popularity has proven that. It far outsells the other <em>Wilds of Eldraine</em> precon deck, Virtue and Valor, at my local game store.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">Having played against the deck, I can say that it presents a threat and has a lot of responses for just about any situation. However, without a solid life-draining strategy, and little recursion, I find this deck to be annoying without an easily defined win condition. Yes, it has counterspells, and yes it has removal, but against a deck that also has those things and large creatures or board wipes, these little guys will be stuck in your graveyard, and there's not much to do after that. I write this knowing full well I'm in the minority here, but that's okay.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif;">If you like this deck but you'd like it to be a little more synergistic, you can check out my Precon Upgrade guide <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/fae-dominion-precon-upgrade-guide/">here</a>.</span></p>


Fae Dominion - Precon Primer

<p style="text-align: right;">(Sliver Gravemother | Art by <a href="http://www.rahnart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Rahn</a>)</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hello everyone! I’m Bert from the Scrap Trawlers, where we do EDH on a budget. Today we're taking a look at the Sliver Swarm precon from <em>Commander Masters</em>. Our face commander this time around is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Gravemother" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Gravemother</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which makes our deck Sliver typal. As always, let’s go over how the deck plays, the strengths and weaknesses, and which new and reprinted cards are worth chasing. Let’s get into it!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Mother’s Love</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sliver Gravemother"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s give our face commander, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Gravemother" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Gravemother</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another glance, shall we? She's a five-mana, five-color commander, and her first line of text is that the “legend rule” doesn't apply to Slivers you control. This has some powerful synergies with Slivers as they have strong legendary creatures at their disposal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The next line of text gives each Sliver in our graveyard </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encore </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">X, where X is its mana value. This enables some amazing recursion for our deck that already has a dynamic board presence. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly, she has Encore herself, allowing you to get an additional use out of her rather than immediately sending her into the command zone. Silver Gravemother wants to be played a bit later in the game so that we can profit off of the </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encore </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">ability and give our Slivers even more effects from one another.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s go ahead and take a look at the list. </span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Silver Swarm" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Sliver Gravemother
[/Commander]
&nbsp;
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Herald&#039;s Horn
*1 Icon of Ancestry
*1 Pillar of Origins
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Blade Sliver
*1 Blur Sliver
*1 Bonescythe Sliver
*1 Bonesplitter Sliver
*1 Brood Sliver
*1 Capricious Sliver
*1 Cleaving Sliver
*1 Clot Sliver
*1 Cloudshredder Sliver
*1 Constricting Sliver
*1 Crypt Sliver
*1 Crystalline Sliver
*1 Diffusion Sliver
*1 Firewake Sliver
*1 Galerider Sliver
*1 Gemhide Sliver
*1 Harmonic Sliver
*1 Hatchery Sliver
*1 Hibernation Sliver
*1 Hollowhead Sliver
*1 Lavabelly Sliver
*1 Lazotep Sliver
*1 Manaweft Sliver
*1 Megantic Sliver
*1 Might Sliver
*1 Necrotic Sliver
*1 Quick Sliver
*1 Realmwalker
*1 Regal Sliver
*1 Rukarumel, Biologist
*1 Sentinel Sliver
*1 Shifting Sliver
*1 Sinew Sliver
*1 Sliver Hivelord
*1 Spiteful Sliver
*1 Striking Sliver
*1 Synapse Sliver
*1 Syphon Sliver
*1 Taunting Sliver
*1 Titan of Littjara
*1 Two-Headed Sliver
*1 Venom Sliver
*1 Winged Sliver
[/Creatures]
&nbsp;
[Sorceries]
*1 Cleansing Nova
*1 Crippling Fear
*1 Cultivate
*1 Decimate
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Farseek
*1 Harsh Mercy
*1 Nature&#039;s Lore
*1 Three Visits
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
&nbsp;
[Enchantments]
*1 Descendants&#039; Fury
[/Enchantments]
&nbsp;
[Instants]
*1 For the Ancestors
[/Instants]
&nbsp;
[Lands]
*1 Ash Barrens
*1 Canopy Vista
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*1 Flood Plain
*3 Forest
*1 Frontier Bivouac
*1 Grasslands
*1 Irrigated Farmland
*2 Island
*1 Jungle Shrine
*2 Mountain
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Mystic Monastery
*1 Nomad Outpost
*1 Opulent Palace
*1 Path of Ancestry
*2 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Sandsteppe Citadel
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Scattered Groves
*1 Seaside Citadel
*1 Secluded Courtyard
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*1 Sunken Hollow
*2 Swamp
*1 Unclaimed Territory
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With this list we have a good setup for a Slivers deck that has the power to swarm the board. Slivers in particular are a creature type that excels with multiple creatures on the board that provide a buff to all of the creatures.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s go ahead and get specific in what our deck's strengths are!</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Slithering Swarm</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harmonic Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Two-headed Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Manaweft Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having an astonishing 43 creatures in the deck, it’s safe to say that we are an aggro deck that aims to spread our creatures around the board so that we can overrun our opponents. The average mana value this time around is 3.13, which is really good out of the box.<br />
</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So how do the vital parts of the deck fare? Well, let's go ahead and talk about the elephant in the room. The mana base leaves much to be desired. The amount of tap-lands (lands that enter the battlefield tapped) that we have really slows down what is supposed to be an aggressive and low-to-the-ground deck. On that same note, the deck does have a decent bit of ramp, but for a five-color deck, I want to see more. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have some of the typical green staples, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature’s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature’s Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, so that's a good start.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next, we're missing a consistent form of card draw in the deck. Included is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which over the course of the game will draw us a vast amount of cards, but it’s the only recurring card draw that doesn't revolve around combat. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Herald’s Horn" href="#" target="_blank">Herald’s Horn</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> does its best, but giving us card draw is only half of what we want this card to do for us. Some good board wipes are included that'll see our Slivers live and prosper. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harsh Mercy" href="#" target="_blank">Harsh Mercy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will be great unless our opponent is in a typal deck like we are. We also have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crippling Fear" href="#" target="_blank">Crippling Fear</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cleansing Nova" href="#" target="_blank">Cleansing Nova</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are great options when it comes to board wipes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is probably the first time in a while that I'm a bit disappointed with a precon out of the box. Once again I'm asking for a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> reprint in a typal deck that is aggressive and cares about specific creature types. The mana base needs a bit of an upgrade, even if that's just including a few more basics and fetches, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Terramorphic Expanse" href="#" target="_blank">Terramorphic Expanse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Evolving Wilds" href="#" target="_blank">Evolving Wilds</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I will go into more detail into what can be fixed in my Upgrade Guide so be on the lookout for that. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So what <em>am</em> I happy with? Well, the creature suite is solid and our number of board wipes is right. We just need a bit more help in the other departments to make the deck flow a bit more. Enough about the negatives though, let’s take a look at those sweet new Commander cards that were printed in this deck. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">New to the Swarm</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have ten new cards this time around, including Sliver Gravemother, so let’s go over all of them. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rukarumel, Biologist"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Capricious Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Lazotep Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The alternate commander is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rukarumel, Biologist" href="#" target="_blank">Rukarumel, Biologist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, who allows you to create a typal deck for the type of your choice. They make it so that nontoken creatures you control and creature spells that you cast are the selected type, as well as all Slivers you control. I'm interested to see lists for this commander once everyone starts to brew.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Capricious Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Capricious Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a four-mana Sliver that gives our Slivers the ability to impulse draw when they deal combat damage to a player. I'm a huge fan of this Sliver and the potential that it has. I mean, if you </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Encore</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> it and get copies, it just provides a massive amount of card advantage. Next is another one of my favorite new cards, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lazotep Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Lazotep Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This card is a powerhouse by itself. Not only does it protect our board against wipes by making it so that we Amass whenever a Sliver dies, but it also gives Slivers we control </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Afflict </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">2</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> which disincentivizes our opponents from blocking. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Regal Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Titan of Littjara"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hatchery Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some additional cards that make this deck stand out have to be <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatchery Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Hatchery Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Titan of Littjara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. When it comes to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hatchery Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Hatchery Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Replicate is a powerful effect that lets us double up on buffs in the late game. It can come down early, but really shines during later turns where you actually have the mana to replicate your spells. I am a huge fan of the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monarch </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Regal Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Regal Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> adding it to the game is just what I love to see. It also makes it easier to take the Monarch back, which is not always the case. Next we have our typal titan, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Titan of Littjara" href="#" target="_blank">Titan of Littjara</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, giving us a bit of card draw on entering the battlefield and attacks. I'm not a huge fan of this, but the amount of cards you can draw off of it in this deck is nothing to scoff at. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Descendants’ Fury"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="For the Ancestors"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Taunting Sliver"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lastly we have <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Descendants’ Fury" href="#" target="_blank">Descendants’ Fury</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Ancestors" href="#" target="_blank">For the Ancestors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Taunting Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Taunting Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is strong, as it gives us the ability to Goad our opponents' creatures and open them up from an attack from our buffed up Slivers. If I've learned one thing this year, it’s how powerful G</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">oad</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> can be when you have multiple instances of it. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="For the Ancestors" href="#" target="_blank">For the Ancestors</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fine card, but I would honestly just prefer that it be a card draw spell. It does have the added benefit of having F</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">lashback</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> which allows us to use it an additional time. [/el]Descendants’ Fury[/el] is a weird card as it has you give up your board presence for a chance to get something a bit more powerful. If we had a lower number of creatures and knew what we would get off of it, I think it would be a lot better, but with 43 creatures it’s a bit too random for me. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Returned to the Horde</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the new cards also comes the return of some old ones. One I am sure that people are excited to see is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sliver Hivelord" href="#" target="_blank">Sliver Hivelord</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It's a very powerful card, giving our Sliver creatures some protection in the form of indestructible. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seeing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloudshredder Sliver" href="#" target="_blank">Cloudshredder Sliver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> brings me joy as it's a powerful and efficient card giving our Slivers two notable abilities. I've already talked about the ramp package reprints <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cultivate" href="#" target="_blank">Cultivate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature’s Lore" href="#" target="_blank">Nature’s Lore</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Farseek" href="#" target="_blank">Farseek</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which are always welcome to show up in products such as this. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher’s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher’s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is also a great card to see included.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sliver Hivelord"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloudshredder Sliver"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vanquisher’s Banner"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Overall, we could have used some more noteworthy reprints, but we definitely have a bunch of Slivers that were included that I haven’t mentioned. </span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Final Thoughts</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While it’s not my favorite deck, I like what the Sliver Swarm precon is trying to do. The deck has some synergies built in even though it's missing a bit of the gears that make the deck tick. Be sure to let me know what </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> think about the deck in the comments below. Come back next time so we can go over some upgrades for the deck. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make sure to check back for more precon guides from us Scrap Trawlers. The other Trawlers are coming up with the guides for the other decks, so be sure to check them out. You can also check out our budget content over on </span><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitch</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">YouTube</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and follow us on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/scraptrawlers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>


typal

Too-Specific Top 10 - Aggro Advisors

Virtue and Valor - Precon Primer

Fae Dominion - Precon Primer

Sliver Swarm - Precon Primer