Cheap
The core rebel package is cheap, as in all the rebels (changelings included) came up to about $5 when I put it into TCGplayer. all you need to do is throw in plains, mana rocks and a bunch of big white bulk rares and you have a pretty solid deck.
Easy and flexable ways to build
ANY white card you like or never get the chance to use can go in this deck with ease. Some cards that I put in here for that reason are Crovax, Ascendant Hero, Comeuppance, Martyr's Bond and Akroma, Angel of Wrath
As long as you have the Rebels package and plenty of mana, you can fill the rest of the deck with whatever you want to. Like seriously I have Akroma, Angel of Wrath in my version of the deck not because it adds very much to the deck, but because I like the original Art. Also in my head-cannon she seems to be the perfect angel for the rag-tag underdogs that are the rebels.
Card Advantage
The way Lin Sivvi, Defiant Hero plays is really cool. Lin Sivvi is a mana dump, encouraging you to use her ability every turn, and most rebels you can grab have abilities similar. Exp. Ramosian Captain, Ramosian Lieutenant, Ramosian Revivalist. This means that your hand starts filling up with cards. The problem with mono white commanders has always been their lack of way to get card advantage. Lin Sivvi is a card advantage machine, but you need a TON of mana.
A easy to understand and repeatable win condition
Most if not all toolbox commanders degenerate into the the same strategy and Lin Sivvi is no different, though it takes a while to set up. The play pattern is simple:
- Play commander
- Right before your turn grab rebels with Lin Sivvi.
- Play a land on your turn, maybe a mana rock and pass.
- Repeat step 1 and 2 until you get a bunch of rebels and mana.
- play Mirror Entity and swing for probably lethal.
This is the way you will win most games, but like i said it is really slow. some people will see it coming . this leads me to my next point...
Rebels Kinda Suck
Yes this is a pro. When all your rebels are 1/1s, 1/2s, 1/3s and 2/2s, you do not look very threatening. Use this to politic your way into not being the target.
WARNING! NEVER LIE! NEVER SAY "How am I going to kill you with a bunch of little dudes?" and then proceed to kill them with a bunch of buffed up dudes. This is a sure fire way to get targeted first every time you bring this deck out.
But Don't correct them if they falsely assume you are not a threat.
No one knows what Rebels do
unless your friends were playing when rebels were part of a standard overpowered deck: (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=sideboard/feature/20030617a) (#freelinsivvi). I doubt they even know rebel tribal exist, let alone the strength and weaknesses of the deck. This will work be advantageous for your first couple games, but don't get too comfortable. The good players will start to figure out what you are doing and when that happens, you will have to work harder for the win.
The Romosians
Ramosian Captain, Ramosian Lieutenant, Ramosian Sergeant make up a cool core of rebels, get enough mana and these guys will allow you to double or triple your rate of rebel tutoring. I also really like the symmetry and flavor of the cards, Ramosian Captain looks protically cool with her eyepatch and flowy claok.
Ramosian Revivalist is an OK card too, though I never really see it shine, might want to leave this one out.
Toolbox
We have many rebels that do a lot of really neat things. So what we can do is fill our deck with cards that synergize with specific rebels, Draw and play those cards then tutor up the appropriate rebel. This is my favorite thing about this deck, how the combination of normally mediocre cards and rebels can be really interesting and cool. I will get to all the little combos later, but take Pariah's Shield and Cho-Manno, Revolutionary for example. Cho-manno is an OK card, but equip it to the Pariahs shield and it becomes silly.
A list of some of the tools at our disposal:
- Whipcorder is a great little card that helps you with your devotion and can tap down pesky creatures.
- Bound in Silence is a rebel permanent card, So can get tutored up with our commander and attached to a creature we want pacified. Pretty cool right?
- Changeling Hero can protect a creature (Probably lin Sivvi) from a board wipe, also is a neat combo with Twilight Shepherd.
- Reveille Squad allows us to deter attacks and also untap our Commander or Ramosians to get more Value.
- Rappelling Scouts is a way of dealing with any type of flyers and Thermal Glider and Nightwind Glider are ways of blocking big demons and dragons.
- What if I told you Rebels has 2 cards that hate on 20% of the field. Well Lawbringer and Lightbringer, are our 2 very specific hate cards. We can get, them sac-em, shuffle them back in to use again.Thousand-Year Elixir works quite will with most of this deck but especially for the bringers. I have thought of running Distorting Lens for the bringers as well.
- WE HAVE AN INFINITE COMBO!
in rebels...
that we can tutor up...
Outrider en-Kor + Task Force allows you to get an infinitely big butt Task force. attack with it and use Condemn and you will realize why we have Condemn in here instead of Swords to Plowshares
- Children of Korlis is a pretty great card that you can use to regain some life, shuffle back in with your commander, and get back again on the same turn to get double (or infinite if you have enoughg mana) the life back we have lost that turn. Pretty sweet.
- Jhovall Queen is there if you need a 4/7 vigilance for some reason.
You can add or subtract any of those cards. There are also plenty of rebels that I do not include like Riftmarked Knight that can be added if you desire.
Rebel Tactics
Pious Warrior, Defiant Vanguard, and Shield Dancer might be my favorite cards ever.
Lets say your oponent is attacking with a Master of Cruelties, Have lin sivvi pull out Defiant Vanguard and be filled with glee as you remove a horrible threat.
Opponent swinging with a 40/40 without trample? tutor up Pious Warrior and laugh to your hearts content.
I have not used Shield Dancer to great effect but there might come a day she is useful, and if worst come to worst you can just not tutor for her.
Given enough time and mana rebels can come back from almost anything except malicious graveyard hate. the Changeling Hero + Twilight Shepherd has led me too some long games where I just keep staying in the game.
