Judgment Day: Avacyn the Purifier EDH [PRIMER]

Commander / EDH Daedalus19876

SCORE: 809 | 602 COMMENTS | 97602 VIEWS | IN 315 FOLDERS


+200 Upvotes! (and update for AER) —Jan. 31, 2017

Thanks to many insightful suggestions and much support by the community here, this deck has reached a score of +200 upvotes, making it the 17th highest rated EDH deck on all of T/O!

I've also made adjustments to incorporate new cards from Aether Revolt, and although I'm still on the fence about one or two cards (particularly Quicksmith Spy vs Inspiring Statuary), the deck is nearly in its finished form now.

Thanks again to everyone who's helped me with this deck!

I've also cleared the comments that were accumulating below the deck.

Love-in-Theory says... #1

Congrats on 100+!

October 11, 2016 2:52 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #2

Love-in-Theory: I'm super happy that this deck has gotten so much recognition recently - it's gone from +60 to +106 in only a few weeks!

Your comments and suggestions have been invaluable, so thank you again! :)

October 11, 2016 2:58 p.m.

PartyJ says... #3

Grats on the 100+ mate!

Well deserved :)

Looing forward to a new goal ;)

October 11, 2016 6:39 p.m.

ODINnorman says... #4

So I'm pretty new to EDH but the format rules say the cards in your deck have to match the color identity of your commander. The color identity has always been explained to me as any mana symbol appearing on the card. http://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/gameplay/formats/commander

Am I missing something? Is there somewhere I'm not seeing that says you can run red spells when your commander has no red mana symbols anywhere on the card?

October 11, 2016 7:43 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #5

ODINnorman: Welcome to the format! It turns out that Avacyn is something of an odd exception to that rule. Her back side (Avacyn, the Purifier) has a color indicator that defines her color as being red. That makes her color identity RW, so it's legal to play spells of both colors.

Formally, it's because a card's color identity is the union of 1) all mana symbols appearing on the card and 2) all colors on both sides of the card. This is the same reason that Elbrus, the Binding Blade  Flip's color identity is black, or that Transguild Courier can only be played in five-color EDH. For reference, see comprehensive rules 903.4c.

What do you think of the deck? :)

October 11, 2016 7:56 p.m. Edited.

ODINnorman says... #6

Daedalus19876, thanks! Honestly the format seams formidable. Having played since 6th I'm seeing all sorts of amazing commanders that could be used but I've only ever done Standard and Casual formats so it's strange thinking in EDH terms when designing a deck. Thanks for the clarification on the color identity. Followup question: can one use Elbrus, the Binding Blade  Flip as a commander since the transformed version of the card is actually a Legendary Creature rather than a Legendary Artifact? With all the unblockable/shadow creatures out there I could have some fun with that!!!

As for this deck, I love that you're trying to capitalize on the transformation in the way you are. If you're giving Avacyn deathtouch before she flips then I would suggest the help of a previous Angelic powerhouse: Akroma. More specifically, her statue, Akroma's Memorial. Among many other amazing abilities, it gives your guys protection from red, which would be the damage source when you flip Avacyn. It would also alleviate some concern about getting the timing of the flip just right, since the memorial is a permanent.

October 11, 2016 8:44 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #7

Updated with a kill list! Check out my prior matchups.

October 13, 2016 12:13 a.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #8

Deck description has been updated!

Also, ODINnorman: Unfortunately, Withengar Unbound  Flip is not a legendary creature on his "day" side so he's not a legal commander. But many playgroups will let you use him anyway, if you clear it with them :)

October 13, 2016 2:30 p.m. Edited.

skyburial says... #9

Now that Kaladesh is out, I would definitely recommend Chandra, Torch of Defiance for the draw and ramp.

Pretty sick list of victories you've got there :)

October 13, 2016 5:35 p.m.

Casey4321 says... #10

I'm pleased to see I made Avacyn's hit list. Know this...She will return and we will exchange blows again. (I love this "rivalry" lol)

October 13, 2016 8:56 p.m.

kenfl24 says... #11

+1 This deck looks great. I'm not sure what changes I'd make if any but I'll suggest Balefire Liege and Ajani Vengeant

October 13, 2016 9:31 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #12

I played 13 games with this deck last night, and won all of them. Granted, we were using partial mulligans, which make it trivially easy to hand-sculpt.

I need to build a budget/gimmicky version of this deck for more casual playgroups. Anyone want to help? :)

October 14, 2016 1:28 p.m.

That's quite the Hitlist you have there

October 14, 2016 1:34 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #14

Love-in-Theory: It may be a tiny boastful, but it's accurate as far as I know haha :)

You or anyone else is always welcome to challenge me online if you want your commander to be added :D

October 14, 2016 1:39 p.m.

If only I knew how to do that lol

October 14, 2016 1:40 p.m.

MTGO? or an unoffical way to play online?

October 14, 2016 1:43 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #17

Love-in-Theory: Unofficial. I either play on Cockatrice or Untap.in -are you familiar with either?

With regards to the "hit list", it helps that I play in several relatively diverse play groups IRL.

It's also a list of all of the generals I've beaten at least once: I by no means win every game.

My win ratio is 1v1 is somewhere around 85%, and in 4-player free-for-all multiplayer it's probably 65%-ish?

(I really should add a hit list for my Sidisi deck: it would be quite a bit longer because I've had the deck for more time and it's better in multiplayer.)

October 14, 2016 1:45 p.m. Edited.

I know that Untap.in is browser based, and that Cockatrice is a program I think?

I'll check them both out and lets play sometime! I'd like to see this bad boy in action

October 14, 2016 1:55 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #19

Casey4321, Ocelot44, Love-in-Theory, PartyJ, et al:

Friends! Romans! Countrymen! Fellow voltron players!

An official commander tournament has been declared at my LGS.

I plan to enter my Avacyn (and possibly also Sidisi) deck, but since money is now on the line, I'm pulling out all of the stops. If "friendliness" and "politeness" no longer mattered, what would you add to this deck? Mass land destruction and stax effects come to mind, but what would you modify?

October 17, 2016 8:25 p.m.

Casey4321 says... #20

Biggest plan? Darksteel Plate Avacyn Catastrophe = Win the game.

Cataclysm is a must.

October 17, 2016 8:36 p.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #21

Casey4321: I think you mean Devastation ;)

Cataclysm, Razia's Purification, and Ruination are the first things that come to mind for me. After that, probably Static Orb and Armageddon and friends.

October 17, 2016 8:47 p.m.

Ocelot44 says... #22

If we're going no holds barred, go Grafted Exoskeleton. It's a big risk with an even bigger reward. Won't win you any friends, but it will win you games

October 18, 2016 12:09 a.m.

Ocelot44 says... #23

Think about it this way, if she's still on the white side and she has it equipped, when she flips, she gives each opponent 3 poison counters, and then she'd become an 8/6, becoming lethal to each opponent. I'd at least test it out

October 18, 2016 12:11 a.m.

Ocelot44 says... #24

She becomes an 8/7, actually, which is even better

October 18, 2016 12:13 a.m.

Daedalus19876 says... #25

Ocelot44: Yep, Grafted Exoskeleton was in the original draft of the deck. I took it out because it would get destroyed too often (taking Avacyn with it). I'll consider re-adding it (along with some shroud-granting effects etc).

October 18, 2016 1:33 a.m.