EDH Deck based on Voting
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Dec. 19, 2019, 1:22 p.m. by NivStormfront
I recently came across the card Ballot Broker . This card inspired me to find a way to build a deck themed around voting and democracy using cards with the Will of the Council, Council's Dilemma, and Assist mechanics. However, once I started looking around for these cards I realized how few of them there are. So my question is, are there any other mechanics or cards that would fit a deck like this? Additionally, I'm struggling to find a good commander for this style of deck, so any recommendations on that front would be welcome as well.
Curses generally fit well with casual politics decks. You can reveal that you are casting the curse, then ask players to vote on who gets cursed prior to declaring the target.
December 19, 2019 1:53 p.m.
Queen of Curses ala Queen Marchesa (Long May She Reign) is a awesome commander who brings the Monarch mechanic into the deck. To accompany your previously mentioned subthemes you could utilize Curses - which are a typical sub-theme of the Queen 's. Since she is mardu, you can also include the previously mentioned Ballot Broker for your voting/politics cards. Speaking of which, if you choose the queen you will have 15 of the previously mentioned cards to choose from - mentioned below:
Voting Cards Show
For wincons, you have some very exciting options in the form of Captive Audience , Generous Gift + Demonic Pact , and Approach of the Second Sun . And, if you were to ever be in a 1v1 scenario Overwhelming Splendor outright cripples your opponent's combat damage based strategies. So, what do you think?
December 19, 2019 2:44 p.m. Edited.
Oh, and one additional fun tidbit about Queen Marchesa (Long may she reign) is the first ruling entry on Gatherer:
"8/23/2016 - The last ability of Queen Marchesa (long may she reign) checks to see if an opponent is the monarch as your upkeep begins. If no opponent is the monarch, Queen Marchesa’s (long may she reign) ability won’t trigger at all. Queen Marchesa’s (long may she reign) ability will also check to see if an opponent is the monarch as it tries to resolve. If no opponent is the monarch at that time, Queen Marchesa’s (long may she reign) ability will have no effect."
December 19, 2019 2:48 p.m.
Sorry to flood the post, but I meant to say Harmless Offering , NOT Generous Gift as a possible wincon.
December 19, 2019 2:51 p.m.
Additionally, there are thirty-nine cards with "Any player may activate this ability." Gatherer link.
While most of those provide an equal boon for everyone, which might not be what you want, Deadly Designs allows multiple players to pay into the ability--but you're ultimately the one who gets to decide what creatures get destroyed, allowing you to reward players who paid into it. There are also a number of options that allow players to work together to take out larger threats, which would be in-line with what you are looking for.
December 19, 2019 2:58 p.m.
NivStormfront says... #8
Thank you all for the recommendations! This is exactly what I was looking for.
December 19, 2019 7:34 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #9
EDHREC recently had an article on this subject. If you'd like some ideas here is the link.
December 19, 2019 9:54 p.m.
Mj3913 I second this, also Kenrith, the Returned King is a great option for a voting commander as well.
December 19, 2019 10:45 p.m.
GhostChieftain says... #11
Kenrith, while being a solid card and a good option for this style of deck, is a bit of a flavor fail. Queen marchesa also. To me voting implies a democracy or republic, king or queen implies monarchy. (I understand that some places with a royal family are actually democracies and the royal family have very little actual power, just a lot of wealth and influence)
That being said, kenrith or Karona, False God might be your best options imo.
December 20, 2019 11:51 a.m.
GhostChieftain, Let me get this straight - you think Queen Marchesa (long may she reign) is a flavor fail? I think Bite of the Black Rose , Ballot Broker , and Capital Punishment have something to say. The Queen's court offers a choice even though the decision has already been made. I disagree with your assessment of Queen Marchesa (long may she reign).
December 20, 2019 12:36 p.m.
GhostChieftain says... #13
I do. Monarchs don't need a vote, (unless they are simply a figurehead) they just decide what will happen. That is why I feel it is a flavor fail.
December 20, 2019 2:42 p.m.
GhostChieftain, Monarchs do have Executive Councils, so it is possible that they may have individuals who advise on issues. Besides, the Queen is never at a disadvantage, as the idea behind this deck is to rig the votes in her favor:
"The King-in-Council or the Queen-in-Council, depending on the gender of the reigning monarch, is a constitutional term in a number of states. In a general sense, it would mean the monarch exercising executive authority, usually in the form of approving orders, in the presence of the country's executive council."
December 20, 2019 2:47 p.m. Edited.
GhostChieftain says... #15
Fair enough, thank you for being civil and informative.
December 20, 2019 3:15 p.m.
LVL_666, even if you can validate having a monarch as a flavor fit in a voting deck it does seam to be a lot of work to explain how to get there and I'm not sure if that's worth it as it would be safe to assume that most people see any monarch as absolute power or a figurehead and nothing in between.
Much like a joke, if you have to explain it then it isn't funny; here if you have to explain it then it doesn't work.
December 20, 2019 3:18 p.m.
GhostChieftain, oh but of course! We're only having a spirited debate! I enjoy just talking about magic in general - and when it comes to flavor/vorthos, well...I enjoy discussing that the most. Pervavita, I understand what you mean. But despite your perceptions, monarchs (in real life) have councils that they occasionally defer power to. Additionally, wizards has gone out of their way to associate voting (Will of the Council) with Queen Marchesa (long may she reign) through the flavor text of previously mentioned spells (I posted some up top). Your personal opinion doesn't beat established precedent - and facts.
December 20, 2019 3:35 p.m. Edited.
To be clear I am not saying one way or another on what my opinion is of how a monarch works in game/RL/or specifically Marchesa's council/city/nation. I was simply pointing out that the vast majority of people do not view this as haw a monarch works and thus the need to explain it detracts from what is really the point of an on flavor commander. Thus what I was meaning by a joke being funny as an example.
December 20, 2019 4:30 p.m.
"I was simply pointing out that the vast majority of people do not view this as haw a monarch works and thus the need to explain it detracts from what is really the point of an on flavor commander."
Pervavita, using hyperbole doesn't help prove the point you're trying to make - who are these "vast majority"? You have no metrics, no examples, just again your own personal skewed perception of how the world views Monarchies. Lets start by looking a look at popular culture - Game of Thrones. As part of the show's lore, a monarchy known as he Six Kingdoms has a Great Council as part of it's Elective Monarchy:
"The Six Kingdoms, ruled by the Kings of the Andals and the First Men of various houses chosen by a Great Council as part of an elective monarchy. Previously ruled by House Lannister, before that House Baratheon, and before that House Targaryen. Current monarch is Bran I the Broken." Source"
Then there's the real world example ancient Rome - A source of inspiration for many popular books and movies. It too was an Elective Monarchy: "The illusion of being elected from the Senate continued when Tiberius succeeded to the purple. Whilst over time the principle weakened as republican government passed into distant history to the effect that the Empire became, functionally, an absolute monarchy the office of Roman and Byzantine emperor remained vaguely elective (albeit with the election procedure never strictly defined, but generally understood to be a matter for the Senate). For instance, whilst the first five Emperors were all descended from Julius Caesar, in each case their position was proclaimed, not inherited as of right. Claudius, the fourth Emperor, in particular stands out, being "elected" to office once the Praetorian Guard had made it clear he was their candidate." Source
Given the many real world depictions of an Elective Monarchy that are in many popular works that are consumed for example Gladiator, starring Russell Crowe which grossed $187.7 million in the United States and Canada and $269.9 million in other territories for a total of $457.6 million, against a production budget of $103 million. In North America, the film earned $34.8 million in its opening weekend at 2,938 theaters, topping the box office.) Source
I must reiterate that Queen Marchesa (Long many she Reign) is 100% on flavor for a deck that involves Voting mechanics. You don't actually need to explain this correlation from a flavor standpoint because depictions of an Elective Monarchy have been in popular works since the times Julius Caesar.
December 21, 2019 10:49 a.m.
Pervavita, I feel like my argument wasn't really concise - so let me summarize. Queen Marchesa (Long May she Reign) is representative of an Elective Monarchy in MTG. By you suggesting that a nameless, faceless, vast majority of people can only interpret Monarchies as some King in a Castle is preposterous. People who have been at least remotely exposed to works inspired by ancient Rome would be aware that it had a Council - and at some point an appointed Dictator - who was considered a Monarch.
December 22, 2019 9:45 a.m.
We have taken this vastly off course from the intended question so I will leave it with simply this. I am not saying your argument is wrong or right as that was never my intent but rather that the majority of people view a monarch not as elected but as a supreme ruler who has all if not the final say and as such you would need to explain to most people that "No no, this Monarch uses a council and here is some historical reference to what I mean". Yes I do use a hyperbole because I am short handing to make my point so not to need a poll. As above (before I started) others were talking to you about this point until you needed to explain it.
At the end of the day it is a difference of opinion and is our original posters choice on how to handle the information.
December 22, 2019 2:01 p.m.
Pervavita, while yes i'll agree that we've definitely derailed the subject of this thread - I felt obligated to argue with you (by the way this is super fun for me) because you're trying to argue that your opinion is backed up by a made up group of people that you define as a "majority". Then you justify it because you're "short handing" your argument? That's weak - and makes your original point of what's considered on flavor for Queen Marchesa (Long may she Reign) just as weak. At the end of the day it's not a difference of opinion - its awareness of culture, literature, and entertainment.
If you want to continue, we can go to the Blind Eternities. There's a forum just for stuff like this! :)
Pervavita says... #2
I think in this your looking to manipulate the table to do what you want even when giving them choices so I would look at the most resent Commander preconstructed decks and see what fun they have for you.
Goad as a mechanic also looks good as your opponents get to chose who to attack but it's not you so thus it's really what you wanted.
O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami would play into this as your opponents aren't going to chose to attack you even though they do have the choice too. It also works in that you get all the voting cards. Toss in an Assault Suit and now the Kami swings every ware but at you and well watch the mayhem unfold.
Xantcha, Sleeper Agent also gives your opponents something to do that should fit on theme.
Overabundance should help ramp you but also gives your opponents choices that aren't always the best for them.
December 19, 2019 1:37 p.m.