Atraxa and the Super Friends - Mission Statement

Comments are most welcome as I am always trying to improve the deck.

Atraxa, Praetors' Voice is a fantastic commander. I don't think that anyone would doubt that given that her colors provide the best ramp, tutor, control and survivability. The colors also unlock some of the most broken planeswalkers in the game, and while we don't have the sheer broken combo of Saheeli or the disgusting potential of Ral Zarek, we still have some insanely good single-turn monstrosities that allow us to dominate and control a board completely.

I set out to create a relatively fair super friends deck that could compete in a more competitive setting if need be. It was with this in mind, that I first started building up the Super Friends deck of my dreams and abandoned the old Sliver Queen 5-color beast of the past, for this much darker brew focusing on controlling the early game and forging a nigh impenetrable cadre of heroes in the mid-game.

The wrapper is fair, the plays need to be precise and you must gauge your opponents carefully because misplays can land you in a losing position quickly.

That said, slight variants of this beast have taken down pods of 4, 5 and 6 at my LGS and in my competitive playgroup, I've pulled off an Ugin, the Spirit Dragon ultimate into an Ajani Steadfast ultimate with Nissa, Vital Force emblem followed by an opponent dropping All is Dust and recovering with a Day's Undoing into Ugin, Deepglow Skate to start the process again - this time falling into a Liliana Vess for the end.

It's resilient and controls enough of the early and mid-game to be seen as a necessary ally in group play. Try it out and tell me what you think.

  • You play group based commander.
  • You like control decks.
  • You like Planeswalkers.
  • You like sweeping.
  • You like slowing other's roll and keeping steady play.
  • You like appearing as one thing and suddenly morphing into another.
This deck isn't cheap. That said, the main issue, as usual, is the mana base. You can certainly make some substitutions to lower the price. Using Temple of Deceit instead of Underground Sea or Seaside Citadel or Sandsteppe Citadel will drive costs down considerably.

The deck does take some practice to ensure that you understand what hands are viable to keep and which should be pitched. Also, know your playgroup. You'll need your sideboard to help adjust for the Spikes that tend to fill more competitive LGS groups.

Clearly, when playing this deck the goal is to double up on the loyalty of all your planeswalkers, and the best way to do that is with Doubling Season . In nearly every circumstance getting this card on board is your first priority. This will change depending on the first pass around the table and what your opponents are playing.

You are not running too many counters in the deck. Control, in this case, derives from handling board state and interaction with that state. In most cases, you will devastate the board and work to maintain a lead in resources against your opponents. Control the flow of game breaking artifacts with both Aura Shards and Aura of Silence .

Copy Enchantment is here for Doubling Season , but don't hesitate to go for a more dastardly hold against the other decks on the playing field. If you can essentially tax a player out with two Aura of Silence do it, know your position on the board and go hard against your opponents.

Clever Impersonator is an absolute beast as it plays to all the strengths you need at any moment. Plus it allows for three effective Doubling Season s on the board at a time. Ridiculous.

Deepglow Skate is amazing and is unassuming enough that it will win you games when you should not win.

In this section, we discuss individual card choices and why some merit a greater position over others.
The deck revolves around the Super Friends and so we need to ensure that the friends we are gathering are the friends we really want to go to war with. There are three qualities that I look for in the friends that I take into a Commander battle:
  • Cost
  • Ultimate
  • Utility
The Must-haves!
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon is the top dog here. With a relevant uptick, a game swinging downtick, and the second best ultimate among the Super Friends in this collection, Ugin is the immediate first include for me.

Tamiyo, Field Researcher is the second auto-include for me. While her uptick is not always relevant, when it is, it nets you cards. Her downtick is always a positive. Her ultimate breaks the game wide open and is basically an auto-scoop once it fires.

Ajani Steadfast is narrower but he's the best enabler you could hope for in this deck. His uptick can be weak or strong depending on the board state and what you have going. His downtick can get another walker over the hump and his ultimate is well... Forcefield is a really, really good card and when you don't need to pay for it, it is even better.

Teferi, Temporal Archmage is great for set-up. If you happen to land him while you have a doubling season on the board get his emblem. You have ways to drag him back, but getting his emblem is a massive boon. His uptick is solid. His downtick can swing a turn/game completely into your favor depending on where you are at any given time. And that ultimate. That ultimate is cray-cray.

The Good to have!

Venser, the Sojourner is my favorite planeswalker of all time. Everything he does in my wheelhouse. He is, however, a difficult play. His uptick, in a deck like this, is clearly amazing. Being able to re-pop any of your nearly exhausted planeswalkers back to full - hachimachi! His downtick is a complete surprise to most people and when used with the other planeswalkers can be a win from nowhere. His ultimate - do I need to go on about this. The ultimate control experience. Everything you cast is a way to eradicate the board.

Sorin, Grim Nemesis is another interesting play. His uptick is fascinating in a commander game and with such beefy spells in your deck often results in a pain fest. His downtick eliminates threats or finishes an opponent. His ultimate puts players, potentially all players on a really efficient clock.

Sorin Markov is a beast. His uptick is not great, clearly. His ultimate, is nice, but really Mindslaver on an Arcane Ruins is better. Now, his downtick is just stupid in commander and ends games quickly.

Vraska the Unseen is a great play and coupled with... say... Venser ends games. Her uptick is a way to keep you alive. Her downtick helps keep the board under control and other planeswalkers at bay. Her ultimate - again, game ending.

Nissa, Vital Force is a newer addition. She's a good add in that she gives you a beatstick to swing when necessary. Her downtick, clearly is good in a deck like this. Her ultimate is underrated. With burgeoning and Azusa, Lost but Seeking you will have many extra card draws.

The Nice to have!

Jace, the Living Guildpact is an anomaly. He's a maligned planeswalker for a good reason. However, in this deck he can be a real superstar. Uptick, card advantage and graveyard manipulation. Downtick, some defense or bounding your team. Ultimate - supreme disadvtange for your opponents - nearly always results in a scoop.

Jace, Unraveler of Secrets is just kinda nice to have. Scry and get a card is a nice uptick. Creature control on the downtick. Ultimate is a no brainer.

Jace, Architect of Thought is another solid performer. Uptick is weaker. MIni- Fact or Fiction is nice on the downtick and lastly, using Bribery + on all your opponents is just demoralizing.

Narset Transcendent can be hit or miss. When she hits - she is formidable. Getting an extra draw on uptick. Being able to recast a potent spell on rebound is always nice on a downtick. For an ultimate, you get an improved version of Gaddock Teeg , oppression at its finest.

Tamiyo, the Moon Sage controls the board - or at least somewhat controls the board. In a multiplayer game, her downtick can be a massive boon. Her ultimate set up a game-ending chain of events.

Tezzeret the Seeker mana advantage on the uptick, getting the artifact that you need on the downtick and it can be a game-ending ultimate.

Liliana Vess upticking feels weak. Downtick is great. And her ultimate typically will end games.

Filling out the Super Friends!

Here you have the rest of the team. I won't go into their benefits and drawbacks as you can do some of that research yourselves.

Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury Ramp, control and card draw.

Elspeth, Sun's Champion Attackers/defenders, board wipe, and enhancement. I take her over her two counterparts, though it can be a toss up between her and Elspeth, Knight-Errant

Ajani Unyielding Card advantage, Swords to Plowshares , support.

Dovin Baan Defense, life and card advantage, Static Orb effect.

Garruk, Apex Predator Anti-planeswalker, attack/defense, board control-life gain, and game ending emblem.

Jace, the Mind Sculptor Fateseal, Brainstorm , bounce, and a devastating ultimate against a single-target.

Ob Nixilis Reignited Card draw, board control, and Phyrexian Tyranny without the buyout.

Now, for the rest.

Here are the alternates that I often think about including and why I don't.

Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver Slow, slow, slow.

Elspeth, Knight-Errant I don't typically win with creatures.

Garruk, Primal Hunter Again, creatures are not the primary driver in the deck.

Gideon Jura Gideon, Ally of Zendikar Gideon, Champion of Justice I like Gideon - but in commander he is very limited.

Kaya, Ghost Assassin Newer - not really tested, but she is slow.

Liliana of the Veil Love her in modern, here not so much.

Sorin, Lord of Innistrad Sorin, Solemn Visitor Creature thing - thought the sac ultimate is nice.

Tezzeret the Schemer May test him.

Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas not enough artifacts to fuel the engine.

We're not a creature deck, but we have creatures. Each one serves a purpose.

Academy Rector searches up critical Doubling Season or other necessary enchantments.

Azusa, Lost but Seeking gets ramp rolling.

Clever Impersonator is great at helping you out with whatever is necessary - second Doubling Season anyone?

Consecrated Sphinx is still one of the best creatures in the format.

Deepglow Skate is a beast. Insane in a planeswalker deck.

Eternal Witness is a greay way to return the cards that are hated off the field.

Felidar Guardian serves a great purpose of resetting a planeswalker or retriggering an ult when applicable. Great new addition from Aether Revolt.

Gilded Drake is always a staple. Great at just controlling the scariest thing around.

Rasputin Dreamweaver serves the purpose of making me happy, because I have loved this card since I first opened it years ago.

Aura of Silence adds a little tax to opponents and adds some control element to the board.

Aura Shards might be a playgroup or LGS choice, but this is a huge addition to the deck.

Burgeoning is a great way to ramp.

Copy Enchantment handles the doubling of the Doubling Season

Doubling Season is the key to the deck. It's stupid good with planeswalkers.

Sylvan Library allows for deeper digging and grabbing what you need, when you need it.

Artifact choices are made for the ramp efficacy and what they can do to control the game or provide the long-term goal of the deck.

Chromatic Lantern is a pretty obvious choice for ramp and fixing.

Fellwar Stone because someone is likely to be playing your colors.

Grim Monolith better version of the Basalt Monolith.

Mana Crypt is another great ramp artifact.

Null Brooch is contentious - because you are playing blue, but having this counter on a stick is always great.

Planar Bridge such a great addition. Can really make the game yours quickly.

Planar Portal another tutor. You need tutors.

Sol Ring is likely the best ramp spell of all time.

Sorceries in the deck are set for sweeping the board. Getting what you need and getting back what you need.

Cataclysm is a hoser. Once you have advantage take advantage of your supremacy by crushing your opponents soul.

Council's Judgment great way to sweep dangerous creatures off the board.

Damnation Wrath of God Supreme Verdict Rout Clear the board. Clear the board. Clear the board.

Merciless Eviction Makes sure something doesn't come back.

Day's Undoing Time Reversal Get back all the things!

Demonic Tutor Get the thing you need.

Control what gets through, but really - protect your stuff.

Brainstorm dig for what you need.

Counterspell the best ever is still the best.

Disallow flexible counter, and surprise trick when someone attempt that Memory Jar .

Enlightened Tutor go get Doubling Season .

Force of Will keep it in the back pocket. It's always good to have.

Mana Drain while counterspell is likely the best - maybe this really is.

Swords to Plowshares this is definitely a play choice for my LGS and playgroup.

Vampiric Tutor You know what you're going to get with this.

EDITS:

4/20

  • Rasputin Dreamweaver
  • Time Reversal

  • Oracle of Mul Daya

  • Time Spiral

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Date added 7 years
Last updated 4 years
Legality

This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

29 - 0 Mythic Rares

53 - 0 Rares

6 - 0 Uncommons

3 - 0 Commons

Cards 97
Avg. CMC 3.67
Tokens Construct 0/0 C, Emblem Ajani Steadfast, Emblem Dovin Baan, Emblem Elspeth, Sun's Champion, Emblem Gideon of the Trials, Emblem Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, Emblem Nissa, Vital Force, Emblem Tamiyo, Field Researcher, Emblem Tamiyo, the Moon Sage, Emblem Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, Emblem Teferi, Temporal Archmage, Emblem Venser, the Sojourner, Knight Ally 2/2 W, Soldier 1/1 W
Folders EDH Decks, Commander, Inspiration, Gauntlet, Top Decks
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