Not Your Average Bears: A Story Lost to the Ages

Commander / EDH* MachoGau

SCORE: 66 | 40 COMMENTS | 12179 VIEWS | IN 33 FOLDERS


I had to reread the deck name before I got it. Then I lol'd.

October 29, 2016 8:34 p.m.

MachoGau says... #2

Glad you liked it lol :3

October 30, 2016 4:22 p.m.

Sirghe says... #3

I love everything that's happening here. I've been chomping at the bit to build with them!!!

October 30, 2016 9:57 p.m.

Guardians says... #4

Phelddagrif please :) its so cute and happy!

October 31, 2016 1:29 p.m.

Guardians says... #5

Also I think Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter is part of the LGBT community

October 31, 2016 1:31 p.m.

MachoGau says... #6

While I agree that Phelddagrif is adorable (and great because targetable hug is wonderful), I think it belongs in a much more huggy deck than what I've got here. With Kynaios and Tiro already giving so much to my opponents, I can't really afford to include its 4/4 tramply flying goodness. I personally feel that Phelddagrif works best in its own deck but thanks for the suggestion :>

October 31, 2016 1:39 p.m.

Guardians says... #7

Makes sense, I didn't really read the decription first

October 31, 2016 1:44 p.m.

skyburial says... #8

Love the innuendo in the deck title. This commander makes me smile, such a giant boon to LGBT culture. Two badass gay dudes bringing the nations together.

In the deck I've been testing, I find that things that close the gap that the near-symmetrical end-of-turn ability provides take your win cons to the next level. Mirari's Wake is excellent at this because even though your opponents are playing extra lands, you're getting twice as much mana from yours. You've got the right idea with Consecrated Sphinx.

Another great one in this deck is Dragonmaster Outcast. More often than not people aren't going to want to use spot removal on a 1/1. And you're usually up to 6 lands by turn 3 with Kynaios and Tiro.

Upvoted.

October 31, 2016 5 p.m.

TransMarx says... #9

I laughed pretty hard at the name <3 I love the Meletis boys n.n

November 1, 2016 11:04 p.m.

Folcon says... #10

I'd consider Crucible of Worlds for this deck. If you plan to destroy your own lands, you may as well have a way of getting them back. Plus, it's great with fetchlands.

November 2, 2016 5:55 p.m.

MachoGau says... #11

@Folcon I wholeheartedly agree. I've been testing it with Splendid Reclamation as a budget alternative since not a lot of folks want to shell out 50-70 bucks for a Crucible of Worlds. That said, Crucible is much too good to ignore for me, personally. The freedom it gives me to bring back fetches and also safely include Ghost Quarter or Strip Mine (or both) is so nice. Thanks for the suggestion!

I should have a primer set up to go in a couple days or so, so if you wanted to check back in then to see various reasons for card inclusion as well as alternative options to some of the cards listed as well as different archetypes for the deck.

November 2, 2016 7:58 p.m.

Waterseas says... #12

How do you not have Life from the Loam in here...? The card is actually just insane, and honestly better than even Crucible in this deck.

November 6, 2016 1:52 a.m.

MachoGau says... #13

@Waterseas I'm glad you asked! It was chopped in the painful, painful process that is getting the deck to 100 cards. While it is amazing that it basically guarantees our land drop off of Kynaios and Tiro and any other additional land effects we have in play, I decided that Dredge 3 wasn't something I was willing to do (even though it works SO well with Kynaios and Tiro's end of turn ability). The deck does have ways to recur things from the graveyard, namely Emeria Shepherd, Sun Titan, and Eternal Witness but these cards are here to retrieve threats that have been removed by opponents. I don't feel secure enough in these cards to actively drop cards from my library into my graveyard. In that way, I find Crucible of Worlds is a stronger inclusion.

That said, I do suggest Life from the Loam as a budget alternative and I'm definitely going to test more with it. While it won't be taking the Crucible's slot, Karametra and Splendid Reclamation are both potentially on the chopping block. Thanks for your input :3

November 6, 2016 2:52 a.m.

NathanJS1293 says... #14

I can't even begin to explain how helpful it was reading through all of your notes on this deck. I can't seem to figure out how I want to build with these guys, and I think this will point me in the right direction.

November 6, 2016 10:28 a.m.

urgumflux says... #15

your only artifact/enchantment removal is Sylvan Reclamation. maybe a Nature's Claim or Council's Judgment would work?

November 7, 2016 1:39 a.m.

MachoGau says... #16

@racemaster
Hey thanks, glad that it was of help!

@urgumflux
Thanks for pointing this out. I was actually debating whether Seal of Cleansing, Return to Dust or Krosan Grip would be worthwhile inclusions. I'm currently finding Brago, King Eternal quite lacking with the shortage of mana rocks and etb creatures in the deck. He's strong but I'm not sure he fits into my card criteria. SO long story short, several card slots are looking to open up and I think some more removal is in order.

November 7, 2016 5:19 p.m. Edited.

Folcon says... #17

November 8, 2016 7:19 p.m.

Thanks for the primer: still can't say they're the comms for me...but it's good to at least understand em better, so ta!Would Derevi, Empyrial Tactician work well with this kind of deck?

November 9, 2016 7:34 p.m.

MachoGau says... #19

@reaperOscuroCore
Funny you should mention, because I'm currently working on the deck's first multi-card update. Several cards are underperforming and need to be replaced. I was considering Derevi, Empyrial Tactician as having a pseudo Amulet of Vigor for tapped lands like Magosi, the Waterveil seems nice. I decided against though since Derevi seems to really shine in either her own commander deck, or the control/stax version of this deck paired with something like Hokori, Dust Drinker and fun red cards like Collapsing Borders.

November 9, 2016 8:22 p.m.

Ah kk makes sense. I was thinking more as a punishment for opponents, to join with abolisher: tapping their lands with him/dragonlord out makes em less able to instant/activatr until their turn. Still, you're bound to build LOTS of hate that way, so lol yea...Ah talking about that,Frozen AEther, Kismet? Or would that fit the control archetype you mentioned instead?And I'm sure you've already checked all the landfall cards, so I'm surprised no retreats! Wow love the look of Tunneling Geopede, an impact tremors for landfall...

As for your updates: I'd replace fellwar with your removed ingot -that indestructibility seems more valuable. What an interesting card is chaosphere! Prefer the alt you mentioned, however if you were interested in only the aggressive side of sphere, Dense Canopy gives you that. Lore, obvs...still you ain't short on mana, what about Skyshroud Claim?

November 10, 2016 8:15 a.m.

Casey4321 says... #21

Oviya Pashiri, Sage Lifecrafter states in the lore that she had a wife. I thought I would share that for you if you are interested in more LGBT representation in MTG. +1 for a lovely deck and primer.

November 11, 2016 11:17 a.m.

Casey4321 says... #22

I missed Guardians comments. My apologies.

November 11, 2016 11:19 a.m.

MachoGau says... #23

Hey again @reaperOscuroCore! To answer your questions, yes Frozen AEther and Kismet definitely fall into the control archetype. I also considered Tunneling Geopede early on and to be honest it still is under consideration. I haven't gotten to test with it much but my fear is that its effect will turn the table against my board without being impactful enough.

Dense Canopy is indeed on the aggressive side. Regrettably Chaosphere (potentially Spidersilk Armor instead) provide a defensive option since Flying abounds in EDH. If you wanted to run an effect like Dense Canopy, I'd actually recommend Bower Passage. It's often overlooked but it's a one-sided Dense Canopy!

Also, no worries @Casey4321, always glad to see comments :>

November 13, 2016 12:27 p.m.

I adore your ideas for these guys! Just a few things I want to pick you brain about. Have you considered Purphoros, God of the Forge as a way to push through to victory with landfall triggers on token producers when you can't rely on combat? Additionally, Kruphix, God of Horizons seems like a great way to make sure you keep all the cards you draw neatly in hand and are never wasting mana. Alhammarret's Archive appears incredible both with the lifegain and the the extra cards you are drawing!

Is there any concern of accidentally decking yourself? I feel like Consecrated Sphinx alone could possibly lead to that, and there are lots of other means packed in there of accelerating draws to awesome leads but possibly deadly results.

All in all you've given me a lot of great ideas and direction for these fellas and I can't wait to start shaping my own deck! Thanks and good luck!

November 13, 2016 11 p.m.

MachoGau says... #25

Hey @callmekowalski, I'm very glad you like the deck. Purphoros, God of the Forge was actually not under consideration at all! I'll probably add a section to the primer for cards that would be very useful to run had I not already run them in other decks. Purphoros is currently a shining star in a Intet the Dreamer blink deck so he regrettably won't be making an appearance here.

Secondly, I do like Kruphix, God of Horizons. He's currently on the list of cards that very well may make it into the deck if something else is under-performing and the reasons for adding him, as you've highlighted are amazing. Alhammarret's Archive is a card I've been looking to use for a long time and does immediately work with Kynaios and Tiro so that's definitely something for me to look at (I completely overlooked it!).

And to answer your final question, I have absolutely no qualms about decking myself! Consecrated Sphinx's ability (thankfully) is a may ability so I'm never required to draw those cards. Additionally, the Sphinx almost never survives a full round around the table ;P

I'm very happy the primer's helped out and am very happy for the feedback! Good luck!

November 13, 2016 11:39 p.m. Edited.

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