Derevi: Back to Basics

Commander / EDH

LabManiac_cobblepott

Creature (33)

• 1x Angel of Jubilation
• 1x Arbor Elf
• 1x Archon of Valor's Reach
• 1x Avacyn's Pilgrim
• 1x Aven Mindcensor
• 1x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Bloom Tender
• 1x Cursecatcher
• 1x Dryad Militant
• 1x Edric, Spymaster of Trest
• 1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
• 1x Ethersworn Canonist
• 1x Gaddock Teeg
• 1x Gilded Drake
• 1x Judge's Familiar
• 1x Kataki, War's Wage
• 1x Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
• 1x Leonin Arbiter
• 1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
• 1x Loyal Retainers
• 1x Mausoleum Wanderer
• 1x Noble Hierarch
• 1x Priest of Titania
• 1x Quirion Ranger
• 1x Reclamation Sage
• 1x Sakashima the Impostor
• 1x Sanctum Prelate
• 1x Siren Stormtamer
• 1x Spiketail Hatchling
• 1x Spirit of the Labyrinth
• 1x Thrasios, Triton Hero
• 1x Weathered Wayfarer
• 1x Yisan, the Wanderer Bard

Sorcery (4)

• 1x Eldritch Evolution
• 1x Green Sun's Zenith
• 1x Timetwister
• 1x Windfall

Land (28)

• 1x Arid Mesa
• 1x Breeding Pool
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 4x Forest
• 1x Gaea's Cradle
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 4x Island
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 2x Plains
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Savannah
• 1x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Tropical Island
• 1x Tundra
• 1x Verdant Catacombs
• 1x Windswept Heath
• 1x Wooded Foothills

Instant (12)

• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Chord of Calling
• 1x Crop Rotation
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Eladamri's Call
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Force of Will
• 1x Mental Misstep
• 1x Nature's Claim
• 1x Swan Song
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Worldly Tutor

Commander (1)

Enchantment (15)

• 1x Back to Basics
• 1x Carpet of Flowers
• 1x Compost
• 1x Earthcraft
• 1x Intruder Alarm
• 1x Mystic Remora
• 1x Reconnaissance
• 1x Rest in Peace
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Root Maze
• 1x Stasis
• 1x Stony Silence
• 1x Survival of the Fittest
• 1x Sylvan Library
• 1x Utopia Sprawl

Artifact (7)

• 1x Chalice of the Void
• 1x Grafdigger's Cage
• 1x Lotus Petal
• 1x Null Rod
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Static Orb
• 1x Winter Orb

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Maybeboard

Creature (8)

• 1x Captain Sisay
• 1x Fauna Shaman
• 1x Leonin Arbiter
• 1x Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker
• 1x Scryb Ranger
• 1x Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
• 1x Shalai, Voice of Plenty
• 1x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

Enchantment (5)

• 1x Aura Shards
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Living Plane
• 1x Overburden
• 1x Trade Routes

Artifact (2)

• 1x Grafdigger's Cage
• 1x Null Rod

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Stax is Bax!

Time for a return to our Derevi, Empyrial Tactician roots.

For me, no other commander has provided more interesting corners to study, whether it be the OG Glix era, Wizardball, Dorkslinging, or supporting Najeela Manland Aggro. The cEDH pendulum has finally swung back in support of stax occupying a legitimate presence in the meta beyond the occasional Blood Pod here or there. This list is geared toward establishing the best position from which to exploit this emerging development.

Back to Basics

The main idea here is a return to form of what Derevi lists are supposed to behave like According to Hoyle. Many faithful staples reprise their former roles and a good number of new additions join the company to create new levels of pain and horror for noncreature-oriented strategies. The Derevi gameplan is all about saying "no."

"No" to casting at least 50% of most decks.

• Chalice of the Void, Sanctum Prelate, Sakashima the Impostor, Archon of Valor's Reach

"No" to untapping.

• Root Maze, Stasis, Back to Basics, Static Orb, Winter Orb

"No" to tutors.

• Aven Mindcensor, Leonin Arbiter

"No" to creature strategies.

• Gilded Drake, Linvala, Keeper of Silence, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

"No" to artifact strategies.

• Kataki, War's Wage, Stony Silence, Null Rod

"No" to graveyard strategies.

• Dryad Militant, Scavenging Ooze, Rest in Peace

"No" to storm.

• Ethersworn Canonist, Eidolon of Rhetoric, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

"No" to drawing cards.

• Spirit of the Labyrinth

"No" to targeted removal.

• Sylvan Safekeeper, Shalai, Voice of Plenty

"No" to Force of Will, Ad Nauseam, Aetherflux Reservoir, Paradox Engine, Humility, and more

• Gaddock Teeg

"No" to fetchlands, Necropotence, Tymna the Weaver, Aetherflux Reservoir, Sylvan Library, Lim-Dul's Vault, phyrexian mana, sac outlets, Diabolic Intent, Eldritch Evolution, Dread Return, Birthing Pod, Plunge into Darkness, Razaketh, the Foulblooded, and many more

• Angel of Jubilation

The sheer number of lines you have available to quickly stall the board is truly breathtaking.

Chalice of the Void or Sanctum Prelate on 1 cmc will immediately blank about 25% to 33% of most decks. You could also just play both covering 1 and 2 cmc. That's about 50% of most decks, no sweat. Toss in Gaddock Teeg, Archon of Valor's Reach on 'Instant', Sakashima the Impostor as a Sanctum Prelate on 3 cmc or Archon of Valor's Reach on Sorcery, and you get the idea how difficult life can be for your opponents.

The above may sound like magical christmasland, but with all the support for creature tutors, pieces come together with very little effort. For example, Yisan, the Wanderer Bard, Gaea's Cradle and a handful of creatures can assemble Sylvan Safekeeper >> Gaddock Teeg >> Sanctum Prelate >> Sakashima the Impostor >> Seedborn Muse >> Archon of Valor's Reach >> Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite in a single combat step. Or failing that, Seedborn Muse will allow you to finish the assembly during your opponents' turns.

Note, the density of hate pieces is so high that you don't need to go looking for an elaborate lock sequence almost ever. Generally you just need to look for one or two pieces to complement what you've got in your opener and you're off to the races.

Plan of Attack

1. Stall the table...
2. Prevent removal (spot removal >> Sylvan Safekeeper, Fire Covenant / Toxic Deluge >> Angel of Jubilation, Earthquake effects >> Gaddock Teeg)...
3. Seek out a draw engine...
4. Combo out

Lots to come...

Date added	5 years
Last updated	5 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	9 - 0 Mythic Rares 56 - 0 Rares 16 - 0 Uncommons 9 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.03
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U
Folders	cedh, Derevi