Pattern Recognition #374 - Eshki, Commander of Adventure

Features Opinion Pattern Recognition

berryjon

10 July 2025

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Hello Everyone! My name is berryjon, and I welcome you all to Pattern Recognition, TappedOut.Net's longest running article series. Also the only one. I am a well deserved Old Fogey having started the game back in 1996. My experience in both Magic and Gaming is quite extensive, and I use this series to try and bring some of that to you. I dabble in deck construction, mechanics design, Magic's story and characters, as well as more abstract concepts. Or whatever happens to catch my fancy that week. Please, feel free to talk about each week's subject in the comments section at the bottom of the page, from corrections to suggested improvements or your own anecdotes. I won't bite. :) Now, on with the show!

So, a few things to note with this way this deck developed.

First is that I really need a way to address my opponenet's board state. While swinging with an ever-growing Commander is certainly an option, in 4-player games, I still have to worry about everyone else. And that means board removal. As I mentioned in the video, Cyclonic RiftGC is a good option, while has a lot of damage-based mass removal. The thought of casting Blasphemous Act and having Eshki survive because she's got 14+ toughness is one I can't ignore, but I'll have to balance out the mana curve.

The other thing I need to address it Sacrifice effects. Yes, this is the wheelhouse of but I can only protect my Commander for so long before something hits it. Reaching out of Historic Brawl, Assault Suit is certainly an option, but I was thinking of dipping into Phasing as an alternate means of protection. From Slip Out the Back to March of Swirling Mist to Ripples of Potential in Commander. Or Reality Ripple. Should look for that in my LGS's bulk bin.

Other than those two aspects, I like the deck and all it really needs it tuning, not improvements! For now at least. Until more Adventures and Omens and the like arrive.

Thank you all for watching and reading, and I'll see you all next week!

Until then, please consider donating to my Pattern Recognition Patreon. Yeah, I have a job (now), but more income is always better, and I can use it to buy cards! I still have plans to do a audio Pattern Recognition at some point, or perhaps a Twitch stream. And you can bribe your way to the front of the line to have your questions, comments and observations answered!