Building a commander deck... Help
Deck Help forum
Posted on July 21, 2020, 2:03 p.m. by theleastobvious
Hey all, I want to get started on building a commander deck but don't know where to start. I want something that has the option to go infinite should I require it, but also something that can be fun and casual. as far as colour combos, I'm thinking a blue green, but I'm open to suggestions.
In my basic sense I want to be seen as the underdog or not a threat until the last possible second, then in one fell swoop, take the game. "I want to wipe the floor with my opponent, while the don't even know what happened"
When you say you want something that can go infinite, are you talking about comboing specifically with the commander, or just in the deck generally?
July 21, 2020 2:09 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #4
SynergyBuild would you say make Yisan, the Wanderer Bard commander then?
July 21, 2020 2:14 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #5
Massacar having a combo that can go infinite, but only if I want to. so not an auto trigger that is the only way the deck works
July 21, 2020 2:15 p.m.
WolfWitcher518 says... #6
i'd stay away from mono colored commanders. more colors means more options, and if you're trying to do any sort of infinite combo you'll need blue and possibly black to help tutor up your combo pieces.
July 21, 2020 2:16 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #7
Luckily, Mono-Green already had the most options, with the best ramp, nearly the best card draw, tutors to fine any of them etc.
I made a list similar in nature to what you were talking about: General Yisan Sort of Budget
You can play it casually or competitively, just depending on what you find whenever you want to!
July 21, 2020 2:39 p.m.
You want a deterministic loop, which is most of the real "infinite" combos in mtg anyway. Yisan, the Wanderer Bard could definitely be a good commander, but I agree that going for at least a 2 color commander can help you have a lot more variety to work with.
Depending on what types of combos you're interested in (infinite mana, infinite tokens, mill, ETB, etc...) you have a huge array of options open to you. Now with your preferred simic colors; that combo is very conducive to working on infinite mana and draw (these are by no means limitations, just particular strengths).
For example, you could very easily assemble a Peregrine Drake + Deadeye Navigator/Karametra's Acolyte + Umbral Mantle infinite mana engine. Then you can dump that mana into something like Helix Pinnacle, Walking Ballista, Simic Ascendancy.
Now Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy would be extremely strong for this sort of strategy, but he will probably get hit with a lot of hate. So you could always build it around one of the Zegana's or Edric, Spymaster of Trest if you want to play politics while getting draw.
July 21, 2020 2:58 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #9
Massacar Sadly, for competitive viability, while Kinnan is tier two, and Edric is tier 2.5, Yisan is almost always tier 1, and is a more popular casual and competitive commander, one of the highest in all regards!
The fact is, not only are those combos slow and durdly and all sorcery speed, not as the original question asked, they also are sign-posted, and aren't played in common casual settings, and are more pricy. Yisan is cheaper, faster, better in competitive, better in casual, and can find the combo, but also doesn't have dead cards without it, since you can find anything you want!
July 21, 2020 3:03 p.m.
SynergyBuild I didn't see anything by the OP about needing to work at instant speed. They also specifically asked for something that can be fun and casual while facilitating infinite combos (and simic color identity), which to me conveys that this isn't meant for cEDH making the tier list less applicable. I met all the criteria listed in the post...
I'm not trying to besmirch Yisan here, I am just providing possible options for builds.
July 21, 2020 3:08 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #11
- In my basic sense I want to be seen as the underdog or not a threat until the last possible second, then in one fell swoop, take the game.
The last second is instant speed, see the old legacy High Tide for this strategy of waiting for an opponent to cast the game-winning spell, and storming/comboing off in response.
July 21, 2020 3:12 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #12
Like I think Massacar's could work if it included Alchemist's Refuge but I definitely agree that using instant speed with give me more of a last second advantage, and keep the deck more unknown until the moment of death.
July 21, 2020 3:12 p.m.
SynergyBuild I am familiar with High Tide. I apologize for not interpreting their statement that literally...
theleastobvious go with whatever seems fun (Also see, Vedalken Orrery. There are so many different points you can build a EDH deck from, (themes, strategies, etc) so do whatever seems the most fun to you. Yisan will be fun, but is far from you only path forward. I hope you enjoy whatever you brew up!
July 21, 2020 3:17 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #14
SynergyBuild What if I ran Yisan in a Yannifar elf deck. Then I could Use the blue enchantments that allow me to untap my manadorks And I can give the Elves haste.
July 21, 2020 3:55 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #17
My favorite deck for stupid not-so-obvious combo has been Lazav, the Multifarious although I'm replacing it with Mairsil, the Pretender
really soon.
July 21, 2020 4:31 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #18
Vannifar is sadly a sorcery speed combo enabler that no one really doesn't expect to win. It basically wins immediately whenever it is tapped. Sorry!
July 21, 2020 5:07 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #19
So SynergyBuild you'd say that Yisan, the Wanderer Bard would be the best suited for my setup?
July 21, 2020 5:25 p.m.
RNR_Gaming says... #20
SynergyBuild Yisan has fallen off :( it cannot keep up with partners and kenrith/consultation decks. I played him for like 3-4 years it just doesnt kick the same as it use to. Still strong just not as good in cedh; can still be a high power fun commander that offers a lot of lines. Also, OP both Yisan and Vannifar are super consistent; maybe something like asuza could be better for more variance in game play.
July 21, 2020 5:27 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #21
What about Experiment Kraj or Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle
July 21, 2020 5:27 p.m.
theleastobvious says... #22
RNR_Gaming do you mean Azusa, Lost but Seeking??
July 21, 2020 5:28 p.m.
RNR_Gaming says... #23
Yeah, I cannot spell. You'll fall into the trap of being able to do the same line every time with Yisan and Vannifar.
July 21, 2020 5:48 p.m.
TriusMalarky says... #24
Why in quack is Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle so expensive? The guy has $2 last I checked, so I kept him, and now here he is at $12.
July 21, 2020 6:01 p.m.
RNR_Gaming says... #25
uh because the commanders quarter just did a video on him.
July 21, 2020 6:03 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #26
@RNR_Gaming actually Yisan has become much stronger within the wake of the Flash banning, and while Demonic Consultation endgames are incredibly strong, the lists still reliant on Isochron Scepter are easily preyed on with the Caustic Caterpillar/Collector Ouphe builds, and even before then the old Ravenous Slime builds were really strong.
I'll admit, green as a midrange color has been lagging behind white, which due to Drannith Magistrate/Aven Mindcensor has been given a ton, Collector Ouphe in the command zone is still letting Yisan get free wins time and time again, as well, it's become incredibly resilient to the countermagic of the blue based consult lists with Allosaurus Shepherd and Destiny Spinner's recent releases, I mean in the last 3-4 years, Veil of Summer, Force of Vigor, Ravenous Slime (I mean, it was super big in Yisan for the age of Hulk), Kenrith's Transformation, Manglehorn, Runic Armasaur, Finale of Devastation (easily the best wincon), Castle Garenbrig, Blast Zone, Prismatic Vista, etc. all help the list in both value and consistency.
While I'd argue that it actually has been doing better than most partner powerhouses in the past (Tymna/Tana, Tymna/Kraum, Thrasios/Vial Smasher) due to new cards making the tutor effect more and more powerful, the format also homogenized around the consult+value+interactive strategy. While yes, Thrasios/Tymna, Kenrith, Najeela, Gitrog, Kess, and a few others are tier 1, Yisan is too. The reason artifact based Iso-rev strategies aren't as popular as they were pre-flash is because in the time flash was the big thing, Collector Ouphe and Force of Negation were printed. I mean, Drannith Magistrate too, but that card less-so, as that was really after the banning.
July 21, 2020 6:12 p.m. Edited.
RNR_Gaming says... #27
They took my boy off the database :'( added him to outdated.
July 21, 2020 6:52 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #28
RNR_Gaming Yisan never left it? If you mean https://cedh-decklist-database.xyz/primary.html
I mean, under outdated there isn't a single mono-green list, you misreading things?
July 23, 2020 3:04 a.m.
RNR_Gaming says... #29
That cedh page said he got removed. Though he's still there...wonder what's up
July 23, 2020 12:50 p.m.
SynergyBuild says... #30
Strange, I never saw it leave, the discord for Yidan are still active and the primer is still updated I think xD
July 23, 2020 12:54 p.m.
RNR_Gaming says... #31
Idk I've been on edric so I can interact on the same axis as control decks so I haven't kept up with yisan post eldraine.
SynergyBuild says... #2
Yisan, the Wanderer Bard is right up your alley, it has a strong tutor ability that can be activated at instant speed.
You go from Wirewood Symbiote into Priest of Titania, then using that mana, each turn you (with the help of Llanowar Elves, Fyndhorn Elves, Elvish Mystic, Boreal Druid, etc.) you can win super fast, just by getting Temur Sabertooth out.
Also, it's incredibly budget!
With Wirewood Symbiote, Priest of Titania, Temur Sabertooth, and a cheap elf, as well as the Priest tapping for at least 4 mana, (Elvish Archdruid, Karametra's Acolyte, etc. all work) you can make infinite mana. Toss in a card like Great Oak Guardian to make them all infinitely big and untap them infinitely, you should be able to get the win. Acidic Slime bounced infinitely is great too!
July 21, 2020 2:08 p.m.