This is a Peasant Commander deck. No rares, no mythics.
A little while back a deckbuilding challenge was presented at my FLGS: build a Commander deck that contained no rares. Now, traditionally Peasant EDH decks can use any creature as its general, but we took it a step further and limited it to any common or uncommon Legendary creature, this way it would still be completely legal as an actual Commander deck.
As an additional personal rule, I have restricted my card selection to only what I have in my collection; I cannot, therefore, go out and buy specific cards for this deck. If I pulled it from a booster, it's fair game, but otherwise, I've spent a total of $0.50 on this deck, and that was for the general, Sivitri Scarzam.
The basic theory behind this deck in particular is that whatever my opponents play is bound to be better than whatever I have, so I filled the deck with counterspells, removal, and mind control effects. Initially, most of the creatures were unblockable, too, since this way they could get past those big nasties that any regular EDH deck has; I've started to steer away from that, though, as I play with the deck more and I see what works.
There was also Spellshaper sub-theme in the deck, meaning that simply having cards in my hand that I can discard for assorted effects is quite important. This was mostly replaced with looter, scry, and other card selection.
~~~~~
EDIT:
Some small adjustments.
Out: Tideforce Elemental, Retreat to Coralhelm, Traumatic Visions, Quicksilver Geyser, Breaker of Armies, Pilgrim's Eye, Seer's Lantern, Cadaver Imp. Mind Control, Far / Away
In: Jhessian Thief, Deep Analysis, Counterspell, Mystical Teachings, Vexing Scuttler, Dimir Signet, Prismatic Lens, Death Denied. Lay Claim, Final Reward
More tweaks:
Out: Burnished Hart, Banewhip Punisher, Sigiled Starfish, Ruthless Deathfang, Shimmering Grotto, Fleshbag Marauder, Necromantic Summons, Blind Zealot.
In: Mind Stone, Ravenous Chupacabra, Whirler Rogue, Bone Picker, Ifnir Deadlands, Innocent Blood, Animate Dead, Wight of Precinct Six.
I'm not sure about all of these tweaks, but I'm willing to experiment.
~~
In: Blizzard Specter Out: Bone Picker. I want to try out the Specter to see if it's any good.
~~
May 17, 2018:
I'm making some tweaks with Dominaria. I may need to undo some of this, but it looks promising.
In: Memorial to Folly, Memorial to Genius, Zhalfirin Void, Pilgrim's Eye, and Merfolk Trickster
Out: Warped Landscape, Rogue's Passage, Tragic Slip, Kozilek's Channeler, Faerie Trickery
Also, I am going to try changing Commanders, since I've opened a Rona, Disciple of Gix. It feels bad to cut Sivitri Scarzam, but it's worth at least trying Rona for a bit.
~~
August 2018:
I made a few more adjustments, now that Rona, Disciple of Gix is at the helm (who is working out very well, by the way):
In: Skyscanner, Fell Specter, Wayfarer's Bauble, Psychic Symbiont, The Eldest Reborn, Skittering Surveyor, Reliquary Tower
Out: Artisan of Kozilek, Blizzard Specter, Havoc Demon, Innocent Blood, Guard Gomazoa, Dreamscape Artist, Blighted Fen.
I am also looking to get a Suspicious Bookcase for the deck, but I either need to get lucky and open one, or prioritize getting one in my next draft....
September 2018:
IN: Suspicious Bookcase
OUT: Merfolk Trickster
The Trickster seems good in theory, but it hasn't really impressed me in practise. The Bookcase should work well as a way to get consistent damage through, though. Plus, Rona can get it back.
April 2020:
Overdue update. Fairly major changes last year, including the addition of planeswalkers and a focus on flicker combo to finish games.
OUT:
Azure Mage, Blighted Cataract, Desert of the Glorified, Desert of the Mindful, Dissipate, Doom Blade, Final Reward, Grip of Desolation, Jace's Ingenuity, Lay Claim, Murder, Oblivion Strike, Ponder, Prophet of Distortion, Reckless Spite, Silumgar Sorcerer, Skinrender, Snuff Out, Spawning Bed, Suspicious Bookcase, Thassa's Emissary, The Eldest Reborn, Ulamog's Nullifier, Vampire Nighthawk, Void Shatter, Vulturous Aven
IN:
Ashiok, Dream Render, Barren Moor, Blood for Bones, Cryptic Caves, Dimir Guildmage, Displace, Final Parting, Ghostly Flicker, Illusionist's Stratagem, Lonely Sandbar, Meteor Golem, Murmuring Mystic, Mystic Sanctuary, Narset, Parter of Veils, Nightveil Predator, Nihil Spellbomb, Notion Rain, Ob Nixilis, the Hate-Twisted, Portal of Sanctuary, Price of Fame, Scholar of the Ages, Sinister Sabotage, Spark Harvest, Tomebound Lich, Watcher for Tomorrow, Worn Powerstone
