Can you untap too much?

Commander / EDH Casual Combo Elves GW (Selesnya) Lifegain Multiplayer

Keight

Land (30)

• 1x Bountiful Promenade
• 1x Brushland
• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x Command Tower
• 8x Forest
• 1x Fortified Village
• 1x Krosan Verge
• 1x Mistveil Plains
• 1x Path of Ancestry
• 5x Plains
• 1x Razorverge Thicket
• 1x Sapseep Forest
• 1x Savannah
• 1x Scattered Groves
• 1x Sungrass Prairie
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Windswept Heath
• 1x Wirewood Lodge

Combo (10)

• 1x Archangel of Thune
• 1x Elvish Archdruid
• 1x Marwyn, the Nurturer
• 1x Mirror Entity
• 1x Oracle of Nectars
• 1x Priest of Titania
• 1x Temur Sabertooth
• 1x Umbral Mantle
• 1x Wirewood Channeler
• 1x Wirewood Symbiote

Removal (6)

• 1x Aura Shards
• 1x Beast Within
• 1x Krosan Grip
• 1x Reclamation Sage
• 1x Song of the Dryads
• 1x Swords to Plowshares

Draw/Filter (4)

• 1x Abundance
• 1x Beast Whisperer
• 1x Genesis Wave
• 1x Sylvan Library

Ramp (15)

• 1x Arbor Elf
• 1x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Burgeoning
• 1x Elvish Archdruid
• 1x Elvish Harbinger
• 1x Exploration
• 1x Growing Rites of Itlimoc  ^Flip
• 1x Joraga Treespeaker
• 1x Llanowar Elves
• 1x Marwyn, the Nurturer
• 1x Priest of Titania
• 1x Quirion Elves
• 1x Utopia Sprawl
• 1x Wild Growth
• 1x Wirewood Channeler

Untap (11)

• 1x Magewright's Stone
• 1x Quest for Renewal
• 1x Quirion Ranger
• 1x Scryb Ranger
• 1x Seedborn Muse
• 1x Seeker of Skybreak
• 1x Thousand-Year Elixir
• 1x Umbral Mantle
• 1x Village Bell-Ringer
• 1x Wirewood Lodge
• 1x Wirewood Symbiote

Protection (8)

• 1x Dawn Charm
• 1x Ezuri, Renegade Leader
• 1x Grand Abolisher
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Shalai, Voice of Plenty
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x Sylvan Safekeeper
• 1x Temur Sabertooth

Recursion (1)

• 1x Eternal Witness

Commander (1)

Hate (11)

• 1x Authority of the Consuls
• 1x Aven Mindcensor
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Glowrider
• 1x Hall of Gemstone
• 1x Static Orb
• 1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
• 1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1x Thorn of Amethyst
• 1x Uba Mask
• 1x Vryn Wingmare

Tutor (9)

• 1x Chord of Calling
• 1x Crop Rotation
• 1x Eladamri's Call
• 1x Elvish Harbinger
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Green Sun's Zenith
• 1x Tithe
• 1x Worldly Tutor
• 1x Yisan, the Wanderer Bard

Wincon (5)

• 1x Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1x Ezuri, Renegade Leader
• 1x Felidar Sovereign
• 1x Mirror Entity
• 1x Test of Endurance

---

Sideboard

Other (7)

• 1x Arcane Lighthouse
• 1x Azor's Gateway  ^Flip
• 1x Concordant Crossroads
• 1x Creeping Renaissance
• 1x Heart Warden
• 1x Heroic Intervention
• 1x Seedcradle Witch

---

Maybeboard

Other (30)

• 1x Azor's Gateway  ^Flip
• 1x Concordant Crossroads
• 1x Elfhame Sanctuary
• 1x Emerald Charm
• 1x Essence Warden
• 1x Evolution Charm
• 1x Gilt-Leaf Seer
• 1x Glaring Spotlight
• 1x Greenseeker
• 1x Hua Tuo, Honored Physician
• 1x Immaculate Magistrate
• 1x Land Grant
• 1x Mikaeus, the Lunarch
• 1x Norn's Annex
• 1x Omnath, Locus of Mana
• 1x Orochi Leafcaller
• 1x Riftsweeper
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Scattershot Archer
• 1x Seedling Charm
• 1x Smothering Tithe
• 1x Soul Warden
• 1x Storm Herd
• 1x The Great Henge
• 1x Time of Need
• 1x Tithe Taker
• 1x Unclaimed Territory
• 1x Vedalken Orrery
• 1x Vizier of the Menagerie
• 1x Yeva, Nature's Herald

Tutor (9)

• 1x Attune with Aether
• 1x Fauna Shaman
• 1x Open the Armory
• 1x Steelshaper's Gift
• 1x Stoneforge Mystic
• 1x Sylvan Ranger
• 1x Sylvan Scrying
• 1x Traverse the Ulvenwald
• 1x Wirewood Herald

Draw/Filter (4)

• 1x Kindred Summons
• 1x Lifecrafter's Bestiary
• 1x Mentor of the Meek
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top

Wincon (2)

• 1x Helix Pinnacle
• 1x Joraga Warcaller

Land (24)

• 1x Blossoming Sands
• 1x Buried Ruin
• 1x Desert of the Indomitable
• 1x Emeria, the Sky Ruin
• 1x Fertile Thicket
• 1x Gaea's Cradle
• 1x Gavony Township
• 1x Graypelt Refuge
• 1x Homeward Path
• 1x Horizon Canopy
• 1x Memorial to Unity
• 1x Myriad Landscape
• 1x Naya Panorama
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1x Pendelhaven
• 1x Riftstone Portal
• 1x Selesnya Sanctuary
• 1x Stirring Wildwood
• 1x Temple of Plenty
• 1x Tranquil Expanse
• 1x Tranquil Garden
• 1x Tranquil Thicket
• 1x Vec Townships
• 1x Yavimaya Hollow

Untap (11)

• 1x Copperhorn Scout
• 1x Instill Energy
• 1x Nature's Chosen
• 1x Nissa, Genesis Mage
• 1x Patron of the Orochi
• 1x Seedcradle Witch
• 1x Staff of Domination
• 1x Sword of the Paruns
• 1x To Arms!
• 1x Unwinding Clock
• 1x Vitalize

Hate (5)

• 1x Ashes of the Abhorrent
• 1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
• 1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
• 1x Rest in Peace
• 1x Winter Orb

Recursion (2)

• 1x Buried Ruin
• 1x Reveillark

Ramp (18)

• 1x Beastcaller Savant
• 1x Bloom Tender
• 1x Channeler Initiate
• 1x Devoted Druid
• 1x Elvish Mystic
• 1x Elvish Spirit Guide
• 1x Frontier Guide
• 1x Gift of Estates
• 1x Gyre Sage
• 1x Heart Warden
• 1x Heritage Druid
• 2x Karametra's Acolyte
• 1x Mul Daya Channelers
• 1x Oracle of Mul Daya
• 1x Sylvan Caryatid
• 1x Viridian Acolyte
• 1x Weathered Wayfarer

Protection (13)

• 1x Angel's Grace
• 1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
• 1x Devoted Caretaker
• 1x Elvish Scout
• 1x Gaea's Herald
• 1x Ghostly Prison
• 1x Heroic Intervention
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 1x Melira, Sylvok Outcast
• 1x Selfless Spirit
• 1x Selfless Squire
• 1x Tajuru Preserver
• 1x Windborn Muse

Combo (8)

• 1x Purity
• 1x Selfless Squire
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Spike Feeder
• 1x Staff of Domination
• 1x Sunbond
• 1x Sword of the Paruns
• 1x Vernal Equinox

Removal (3)

• 1x Glissa Sunseeker
• 1x Knight of Autumn
• 1x Nullmage Shepherd

---

Intro:

The goal of this deck is to get a ton of mana, draw a bunch of cards, gain some life, and see where it takes you while abusing a bunch of the untap mechanics. It is designed primarily for a casual multiplayer setting. I feel it is low on hard removal and board wipes, while itself being quite susceptible to both, making it unlikely to be truly competitive. The main win conditions are gaining life for Felidar Sovereign / Test of Endurance / Aetherflux Reservoir , or swinging with Ezuri, Renegade Leader / Mirror Entity . Selvala, Explorer Returned is such a fun commander! She produces mana, she gains life, she draws cards, shes cheap to play and hard to ping off early. What more could you want in a commander!? Yes, she does draw cards for your opponents too, but that just makes you less of a target as people like drawing extra cards.

For general layout I will use the main, side and maybe to show the cards currently being run and those up for consideration/suggested. Main will be the current iteration of the deck. Side will be used for the cards I would like room for. And maybe will likely be an ever growing list of useful/interactive cards that might make it into the deck someday (or spawn a similar version on their own). I am open to any and all suggestions for the deck, so please let me know what you think!

Basic Game Plan:

Get Selvala, Explorer Returned into play and start getting that draw, ramping up, and gaining life. There are a lot of valuable and -drop cards in this deck so picking the correct order to play what you have can be impact-full. Maximizing what you can get into play in the early turns can help keep you alive/keep the machine running into the late game. Cards like Quirion Ranger / Scryb Ranger can be used the turn they come into play, so you can hold off playing them in favor of something you can tap (and then untap) like Arbor Elf .

Ex. Turn 1: Play Forest Arbor Elf . Turn 2: Forest , Quirion Ranger , Arbor Elf , Forest , Forest , return Forest with Quirion Ranger Arbor Elf , play Forest , Forest , Arbor Elf Forest , Forest , you now have 3 mana from a single land and two other cards on turn 2 and can play many of your other ramp/untap options and a myriad of choices in-between of what else you could play if you have it instead (thought nothing with sadly).

A lot of this deck focuses on mechanics to be used with both your commander and your other ramp elves. It helps to think of all the different ways you can play the cards you currently have and how those plays could change depending on what you may draw. You will often have very busy turns of tapping and untapping, keeping track of mana and color, and trying to get everything in the best order and potentially playing a bunch of cards, though be aware of what your playing and how others could view it. Playing Marwyn, the Nurturer rather than Selvala, Explorer Returned delays extra draw and life gain, but maximizes mana production. Casting Elvish Harbinger before activating Selvala, Explorer Returned ensures you get the extra mana and draw what you searched for, but if you don't NEED anything at the moment it may not be the best time to tutor. Which is better will depend on what you already have on board/in hand and what others have.

The Topic of Infinite:

This deck is designed for casual multiplayer play. As such, I will attempt to avoid the use of infinite mechanics as much as possible. I am aware that Umbral Mantle , Sword of the Paruns , and Staff of Domination can all be used with various parts of it to produce infinite mana. While they could fit well with the theme of the deck, I do not intend for them to be a part of the list. Infinite anything can be fun, but it also makes game play very repetitive, and your tutoring choices similar game to game (you want a tapper for + mana and an untapper and nothing else is worth while in most cases). If I end up playing in an environment where this isn't a problem (either other people are going infinite as well, or have regular answers to shut me/mine down) I may run them again. I am also aware of the interaction between Spike Feeder and Archangel of Thune / Sunbond . While I don't plan on running Sunbond , the other two have fun interactions with other cards like Selvala, Explorer Returned and Shalai, Voice of Plenty and work towards a Felidar Sovereign / Test of Endurance / Aetherflux Reservoir victory. They do feel like weak links as outside the combo I'm not sure there is enough life-gain to legitimize Archangel of Thune or enough counters being generated to gain much life off Spike Feeder , that coupled with the fact that neither of them are elves means they will likely be swapped out. There are also the interactions between Temur Sabertooth + Village Bell-Ringer and Wirewood Symbiote + Mirror Entity with the mana producers. These are slightly harder (more costly + more cards) to go infinite with, bring some nice tech options, and interact well with a lot of the decks core. For now I am happy with them despite the chance of infinite but will keep an eye on how often it becomes a problem. The last combo that I'm currently aware of is between Sensei's Divining Top , Selvala, Explorer Returned , and Paradox Engine . These together while not infinite mana/draw do produce as much draw as you want (to the point of killing yourself) and with at least one opponent, can generate an excess of mana. Selvala, Explorer Returned and Paradox Engine can do this on their own (or with help from the other mana tappers) but Sensei's Divining Top ensures that you get a spell to play again, over and over. For now the top is not a part of the deck/nor an imminent consideration.

Card Choices:

Here I will discus some of the current/former design choices in general, and some specific cards.

Lands: I am currently putting preference on lands that don't come into play tapped, and lands that count as forests. This is to try and ensure I have access to an untapped land for turn 1 and to maximize the value of cards like Arbor Elf and Quirion Ranger . I also need to be able to produce reliably so going for lands that offer both most efficiently will be key. I am not sure I have the correct balance of lands or the best number, that will be something that gets worked on over time and playtesting.

Ramp: Many standard options here. Of course the big 3, Priest of Titania , Elvish Archdruid , and Wirewood Channeler (honorable mention to Marwyn, the Nurturer who can also be a powerhouse). These rely on having at least a couple other elves around to power them up, which works well with our commander, and many of the other ramp creatures are elves. There are exceptions, like Birds of Paradise . I had originally started with Avacyn's Pilgrim to add another source of outside of lands ( Wirewood Channeler being able to produce both is so nice) but ended on birds because if I can't use an elf, I'll take the one that can produce any and potentially be useful late game as a blocker or swing over the top. Both could be an option if I find to hard to get reliably, or that Paradox Engine not untaping lands makes those that produce incredibly valuable late game. I went with Quirion Elves for producing both, being an elf, and as a -drop to try and smooth out the mana-curve. It is competing for 2nd turn with cards like Magewright's Stone , Priest of Titania , and Blind Obedience ; all of which will typically be better choices (depending on board state) so well see if it is worth it. The only other I'm not sure of is Elvish Spirit Guide . I like the idea of an extra mana on a turn I may need it, but it really only has value in the early game. After that, chances I need a single are slim (if it was may be a different story). It is an elf, but not a very good one to cast, just a plain 2/2 for so it will likely be one of the first on the chopping block (unless someone has a strong argument for keeping it).

Untap: Untap choices are also fairly straight forward. I have gone with mostly re-usable options over some of the one-off instants like Vitalize . They could be good so I'll keep them in mind, but for now I like these. Lots of them have good synergy being elves, returning forests, or untapping with Paradox Engine . Seedborn Muse can be particularly powerful as it lets you run your combo on your opponents turn (ideally at the end so they cant take advantage) but you have to be aware of cards like Uba Mask because whatever you draw will likely be lost (were not running all that many instants/flash).

Tutor: We get to run all kinds of good tutors. There are a ton of creatures we could want, a bunch of artifacts that make this deck so much fun, and a couple enchants to draw/filter/remove/protect. For the most part they are the standard and tutors. Some, like Yisan, the Wanderer Bard feel quite pricey and slow, but he works well with the theme and can be a great way to get Felidar Sovereign into play at the end of the turn before yours. He also can ramp up fast with Seedborn Muse / Paradox Engine /etc. Eldritch Evolution isn't in here because there isn't much I would want to sacrifice, and is yet another on top of all the rest. Steelshaper's Gift , Open the Armory , Stoneforge Mystic , and Idyllic Tutor are also not in at the moment because while there are things they can search for sometimes, there is only one Equipment when not running infinite, and only a couple of Aura/Enchants. This would mean if they were already in hand, these would be dead draws, and even if not, those would be the only things to search for and while they are great in conventional decks to get your combo/wincon, I'd rather have options of what I want to get. Sylvan Scrying is nice to be able to find any land, but it is by far not the most efficient option. I would go with the generally better Kodama's Reach / Cultivate but once again, another cost to compete with everything else. Rampant Growth will probably be the next tested, basic only but into play instead of hand could allow for some advantage.

Draw: Another set of fairly common draw/card advantage options here. Abundance and Sylvan Library can work fairly well with this deck though their power/drawbacks doesn't really show until Uba Mask comes out. Being able to filter for what you want with Abundance is nice, can also prevent you from accidentally milling yourself. Producing life for Sylvan Library isn't too bad, but does work counter to one of the win conditions so may have to take a hard look at how useful it really is. Beast Whisperer is also just a solid fit for the deck, lots of creatures and an elf.

Protection: Protection is mostly creature based, though sadly not very elf based. Preventing your opponent from doing things on your turn with Grand Abolisher also makes it harder for them to take advantage of the extra draw they get from Selvala, Explorer Returned and wastes everything they draw if Uba Mask is out (assuming I understand it correctly that once a turn ends, those cards are unable to be cast). Ezuri, Renegade Leader is great for regening your elves and dumping mana to give trample to swing with. I wish Sylvan Safekeeper was an elf, then it would be 100% worth. In the later game the deck tends to have much more land than it needs so having an option to use them as protection is nice. Lightning Greaves are another I like, but not sold on. Drop on turn 2 to haste Selvala, Explorer Returned out the gate is great, being able to protect her (or others) from removal is also nice, but it also means we may not be able to take full advantage of using some of the other untaps at the end of opponents turns if we do it that way. Temur Sabertooth apart from comboing well with cards like Wirewood Symbiote can also be used to remove a creature from danger, and protect itself at the same time. Again, wish there was an elvish equivalent.

Hate: Hate picks up where protection left off. While most of the protection tech is designed as a response, hate is directed at prevention. Making haste useless with cards like Blind Obedience and everything not a creature harder to cast with Glowrider and Thorn of Amethyst . Authority of the Consuls fits great in this deck, slowing creatures and generating life while it does it. Static Orb can almost feel unfair when you can bounce your land to get it untapped, generate more than enough mana with just a couple creatures and in some cases, just wait and untap everything on your opponents turn with Seedborn Muse . Hall of Gemstone is another one we can abuse, using our lands to generate while our creatures still produce . This also means, even if your opponent picks a color we don't want, we can generally still do things on their turn if we have to, such as activate Ezuri, Renegade Leader to regenerate or buff up our blockers, use Temur Sabertooth to save himself and another from a board wipe. Aven Mindcensor makes most forms of opponent tutoring useless, and Uba Mask can be used to great effect with our ability to make people draw, and draw a lot; losing all those cards when the turn ends.

Removal: Currently this deck is light in hard removal (and devoid of board wipes). While we could run Armageddon , Ravages of War and the like, and be totally fine without lands, it kinda ruins the game for everyone else. The goal of this deck is casual play and to me that means keeping the land removal to a minimum (you can argue that Static Orb violates this philosophy and I can agree with that and may look at other options in the future). The removal we do run is mostly the typical gudcards, there because they are effective at what they do, taking out that one thing giving you problems. With the exception of Aura Shards and potentially Reclamation Sage which can be used over and over.

Recursion: Eternal Witness is just a gudcard. Wish she were an elf.

Wincon: These are what I would like to use to win the game. Most follow a similar vein, based on winning off life-gain. But there is the option to swing tall, dumping mana into Ezuri, Renegade Leader and/or Mirror Entity for some big tramply elves. Or just dump that excess mana into Helix Pinnacle and hope for the best. The great thing is, unless someone has a complete lock preventing casting, untaping, attacking, etc., if they only have some of those, you could still have a chance at a win with one of these. The only one I'm unsure of is Aetherflux Reservoir . I like it, it's a good fit (life gain and using life to win), but in a multiplayer setting spending 50 life to try and kill one person would require a VERY specific board setup, not to mention it could be prevented/redirected. After some further testing Helix Pinnacle may be on the chopping block as well. Sure it can be easy to produce 20-30+ mana a turn, but as soon as you get to 50+ it starts to paint a target not just on you, but your potentially fragile mana elves. While I think it could still be a valid wincon Im not sure you can reliable have a board that will keep it and you safe through multiple turns (at least Felidar Sovereign / Test of Endurance only has to survive one turn).

Maybe:

• Linvala, Keeper of Silence seams like a solid addition to the Hate board, would shut down a lot of decks (including parts of my own if used against).
• Concordant Crossroads . Lots of synergy to be had there! Tap all my creatures the turn they come in, works with Authority of the Consuls and Blind Obedience to take away any advantage it may give opponents. Potentially strong card.
• Winter Orb is a standard gudcard but not sure it has a place here with Static Orb already potentially on the chopping block for fun ruining.
• Gyre Sage has the potential to be one of the mana powerhouses and is a -drop, but the deck doesn't really have a lot of varied power/toughness to pump her up. Sure it'll get a counter or two, but Marwyn, the Nurturer has much more potential even if she is a . Are some options for adding +1/+1 counters so not fully out.
• Glissa Sunseeker could be a great fit. Reusable removal (for artifact only), elf, not a -drop. With all the mana that can be produced and spent in increments could be strong.
• Purity + Selfless Squire . Here's a set of cards from two of the decks I took inspiration from (see below). On its own, Purity is a life gaining, anti-mill gudcard. And Selfless Squire is a decent save your ass kinda protector that ends with a big creature. Together, they could be a pumping, life-giving machine. Not sure is worth, but like the idea.
• Azor's Gateway  / Sanctum of the Sun This was actually a card I had never heard of and saw in Snap! Crackle! Opt! (Standard Jeskai Control) which popped up in a top-banner. And it could be all kindsa interesting. mechanics, some draw/exile which could be a little awkward, especially with Uba Mask , but! the results could be a ton of mana from the existing life-gain, of any color I want (baring Hall of Gemstone ), to spend on pumping Ezuri, Renegade Leader / Mirror Entity , to finish off Helix Pinnacle , or, and this is another card I found looking for ing elves, Oracle of Nectars . With nothing but these two, no casting, no attacking, just being on field: life doubling. Being able to untap and do it every turn with Seedborn Muse , disgusting.
• Oracle of Nectars . Interesting card, another elf with some tapping, life gain, and the dreaded cost. Works well with the theme, adds to the win condition, buffs the mana batts, combos with some other things. All round solid potential.
• Avacyn, Angel of Hope Just a gudcard. Make everything indestructible. Costs a lot of .
• Vizier of the Menagerie Interesting card, makes the worry about almost non-existent and negates Hall of Gemstone . Not an elf, not a tapper but could add to card advantage.
• Vernal Equinox could be a game maker. Able to get a surprise Felidar Sovereign or Test of Endurance into play right before your turn rather than needing t keep them/you alive till then. Able to abuse Paradox Engine on your opponents turns/make more use of Seedborn Muse , both while lessening the effect of Uba Mask . Can give your opponents some advantage as well, being able to cast on others turns, but thanks to Grand Abolisher it is possible to negate some of this.
• Vedalken Orrery a better Vernal Equinox .
• Quest for Renewal could be all kindsa good, will have to try and get it in to test how fast it goes off. Only creatures is a little unfortunate but still decent.

Recognition

This deck was originally inspired by Kholek's selvala-get-ralphed-competitive deck when I was looking for inspiration for my enchantress deck (coming eventually). I loved how it played and the idea of tapping and untapping all the time. Reading the comments I then found slayingmatt1234's elven-spaniards-ftw deck, with further ideas and combos. I highly recommend checking them both out if you intend to build a Selvala, Explorer Returned deck.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	3 - 1 Mythic Rares 47 - 3 Rares 27 - 2 Uncommons 10 - 1 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.49
Tokens	Beast 3/3 G