Ikra Tarl, the Boorish Usurper (Voltron)

Commander / EDH BRGW

natephil

Land (39)

• 1x Ash Barrens
• 1x Blood Crypt
• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Caves of Koilos
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Dragonskull Summit
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Exotic Orchard
• 3x Forest
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Grand Coliseum
• 1x Jungle Shrine
• 1x Karplusan Forest
• 1x Kessig Wolf Run
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 3x Mountain
• 1x Nomad Outpost
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 1x Overgrown Tomb
• 3x Plains
• 1x Rootbound Crag
• 1x Sacred Foundry
• 1x Sandsteppe Citadel
• 1x Skarrg, the Rage Pits
• 1x Slayers' Stronghold
• 1x Stomping Ground
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 3x Swamp
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse
• 1x Windswept Heath

Instant (9)

• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Beast Within
• 1x Boros Charm
• 1x Hatred
• 1x Krosan Grip
• 1x Return to Dust
• 1x Sylvan Reclamation
• 1x Tainted Strike
• 1x Utter End

Artifact (16)

• 1x Alhammarret's Archive
• 1x Argentum Armor
• 1x Batterskull
• 1x Bow of Nylea
• 1x Commander's Sphere
• 1x Conqueror's Flail
• 1x Darksteel Plate
• 1x Gruul Signet
• 1x Mask of Memory
• 1x Selesnya Signet
• 1x Strionic Resonator
• 1x Sunforger
• 1x Sword of the Animist
• 1x Sword of Vengeance
• 1x Trailblazer's Boots
• 1x Well of Lost Dreams

Enchantment (15)

• 1x Alpha Authority
• 1x Armadillo Cloak
• 1x Asceticism
• 1x Bear Umbra
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Brave the Sands
• 1x Cradle of Vitality
• 1x Mammoth Umbra
• 1x Mirari's Wake
• 1x Righteous Aura
• 1x Sanguine Bond
• 1x Sigarda's Aid
• 1x Sphere of Safety
• 1x Spirit Mantle
• 1x Sunbond

Sorcery (4)

• 1x Farseek
• 1x Fell the Mighty
• 1x Rampant Growth
• 1x Toxic Deluge

Commanders (2)

Creature (15)

• 1x Ageless Entity
• 1x Ankle Shanker
• 1x Defiant Bloodlord
• 1x Iroas, God of Victory
• 1x Karlov of the Ghost Council
• 1x Nylea, God of the Hunt
• 1x Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant  ^Flip
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Saskia the Unyielding
• 1x Stonehoof Chieftain
• 1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1x Thunderfoot Baloth
• 1x Tymna the Weaver
• 1x Urabrask the Hidden
• 1x Wall of Reverence

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Maybeboard

Creature (11)

• 1x Archangel of Thune
• 1x Bastion Protector
• 1x Dragonlord Dromoka
• 1x Grenzo, Havoc Raiser
• 1x Kambal, Consul of Allocation
• 1x Odric, Lunarch Marshal
• 1x Sapling of Colfenor
• 1x Serra Avatar
• 1x Sigarda, Host of Herons
• 1x Spirit en-Dal
• 1x Treasury Thrull

Artifact (8)

• 1x Cathar's Shield
• 1x Diviner's Wand
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Hero's Blade
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x Sword of Kaldra
• 1x Sword of War and Peace

Enchantment (6)

• 1x Aggravated Assault
• 1x Angelic Benediction
• 1x Celestial Mantle
• 1x Ethereal Armor
• 1x Gratuitous Violence
• 1x Starfield of Nyx

Sorcery (3)

• 1x Ashes to Ashes
• 1x Toxic Deluge
• 1x World at War

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It was love at first sight. Bruse has always loved big butts, but he was never really able to develop a real relationship before because he was stuck out in Zendikar battling Eldrazi or herding those stubborn Pillarfield Ox en. But now that he's found a lady to reign him down, Bruse is gonna help his bodacious naga lover kick some ass.

This is a Voltron approach to the partner commander decks. Bruse seems like a great support card for gaining tons of life with your buttlink (and now lifelink + double strike) naga wizard. Upon first contact with a base power/toughness Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper you're netting 20 life, awesome! The strategy is pretty straight forward; load Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper up with equipment and auras to make her unstoppable, be as blitzy as possible and give Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder good evasion or protect him from dying when attacking so you trigger his ability each combat. The deck right now feels like it's at an awkward stage of straddling between trying to be a little pillow forty just so I don't fold to commander damage every time, and being a blitzy/aggro/voltron deck.

Some interesting interactions include things like:

Sunbond on Ikra + any life link enablers like: Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder , Armadillo Cloak , Wall of Reverence , etc. If you enchant Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper , she can get huge after one swing.

Ageless Entity + Wall of Reverence can gain you tons of life and if you have Sunbond enchanting Ikra, or Cradle of Vitality out it gets super fun! Ageless Entity gets huge, and I love smashin face with a big dude. So do Ikra and Bruse.

Alpha Authority + Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper = unblockable Shidiqi

Hatred will not only gain you back the life you paid to give Ikra +x/+0, but you'll gain back life equal to her power AGAIN in the second combat phase (if you target her with Bruse). And since you'l also gain life back equal to her toughness, Hatred is always worth the risk and will definitely kill someone off if you give her trample with something like Armadillo Cloak .

There are a few classic voltron artifacts in this deck like Batterskull or Argentum Armor and some things I haven't put in yet like Champion's Helm and obviously the swords. I am however considering things like Cathar's Shield or Slagwurm Armor to keep it fun. Gotta love big butts. If I put these in I would consider putting Doran, the Siege Tower back in again.

Bastion Protector and Archangel of Thune will go in as soon as I get copies.

Please comment! I put this deck up here in order to improve it and tune it so any advice you give would be super helpful.

Date added	7 years
Last updated	3 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	10 - 0 Mythic Rares 46 - 0 Rares 20 - 0 Uncommons 12 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.54
Tokens	Beast 3/3 G, Phyrexian Germ 0/0 B
Folders	Sounds Fun - EDH