Shalai, Voice of Protection

Commander / EDH* Angels GW (Selesnya) Hatebears

sonofzeal

Creature (33)

• 1x Akroma, Angel of Wrath
• 1x Angel of Jubilation
• 1x Archon of Valor's Reach
• 1x Avacyn's Pilgrim
• 1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
• 1x Baneslayer Angel
• 1x Beast Whisperer
• 1x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Devoted Druid
• 1x Eight-and-a-Half-Tails
• 1x Elvish Mystic
• 1x Gaddock Teeg
• 1x Giver of Runes
• 1x Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma
• 1x Herald of War
• 1x Intrepid Hero
• 1x Juniper Order Ranger
• 1x Llanowar Elves
• 1x Lyra Dawnbringer
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Nullmage Advocate
• 1x Pulsemage Advocate
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Scavenging Ooze
• 1x Scute Mob
• 1x Selvala, Explorer Returned
• 1x Sephara, Sky's Blade
• 1x Sigarda, Host of Herons
• 1x Spurnmage Advocate
• 1x Sublime Archangel
• 1x Sunblast Angel
• 1x Sylvan Safekeeper
• 1x Vigor

Instant (13)

• 1x Eladamri's Call
• 1x Emerge Unscathed
• 1x Feat of Resistance
• 1x Generous Gift
• 1x Gods Willing
• 1x Heliod's Intervention
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Redeem the Lost
• 1x Return of the Wildspeaker
• 1x Shelter
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Veil of Summer
• 1x Wrap in Vigor

Artifact (11)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Champion's Helm
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Lifecrafter's Bestiary
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Marble Diamond
• 1x Selesnya Signet
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x The Immortal Sun
• 1x Tome of Legends

Enchantment (7)

• 1x Bear Umbra
• 1x Colossal Majesty
• 1x Hyena Umbra
• 1x Land Tax
• 1x Mirari's Wake
• 1x Oblivion Ring
• 1x Privileged Position

Commander (1)

Land (35)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Bountiful Promenade
• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 11x Forest
• 12x Plains
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Sungrass Prairie
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 1x Temple Garden
• 2x Wooded Bastion

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Cultivate

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Maybeboard

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Asceticism

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This is one of my first EDH decks, and still very much a Work In Progress. My wife chose Shalai for my next commander out of a list, and I'm just plain fond of the card in Constructed. Let's see what we can do with it in EDH.

There's two obvious ways to play Shalai, because there's two main abilities she has. The other Shalai decks I've seen have focused on her activated ability, so their strategy is going wide with weenies and tokens to maximize targets for her +1/+1 counters, with a sub-theme of things that benefit from those counters or produce more of them.

I wanted to focus more on her Hexproof ability. The idea is to devote deck space to hate-magnets like Tendershoot Dryad or Intrepid Hero, that Shalai can protect. The other class of cards that's needed are things that can protect Shalai in turn, like Mother of Runes or Swiftfoot Boots. Some cards, like Sephara, Sky's Blade or Vigor, fit both categories. And cards like Wrap in Vigor or Teferi's Protection give options against boardwipes too.

I'm still tuning it up, but I expect this deck to be robust against most hate, and do well in political multiplayer games - not by having Group Hugs, but simply by encouraging opponents to hate on each other because hating on you is harder, leaving you open to have the strongest board state in the late game.

Date added	4 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 0 Mythic Rares 36 - 0 Rares 17 - 0 Uncommons 17 - 0 Commons
Cards	101
Avg. CMC	2.94
Tokens	Elephant 3-3 G