A Girl's Best Friend

Commander / EDH* BGW (Abzan, Junk) Counters Goodstuff Theme/Gimmick

Ainiv

Creature (30)

• 1x Abzan Falconer
• 1x Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit
• 1x Avatar of the Resolute
• 1x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Cazur, Ruthless Stalker  ^Flip
• 1x Chevill, Bane of Monsters
• 1x Corpsejack Menace
• 1x Cruel Celebrant
• 1x Daghatar the Adamant
• 1x Essence Warden
• 1x Eternal Witness
• 1x Gyre Sage
• 1x Heliod, Sun-Crowned
• 1x Huatli's Raptor
• 1x Juniper Order Ranger
• 1x Knight of Autumn
• 1x Managorger Hydra
• 1x Plaguecrafter
• 1x Polukranos, Unchained
• 1x Renata, Called to the Hunt
• 1x Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
• 1x Rishkar, Peema Renegade
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Scavenging Ooze
• 1x Slippery Bogbonder
• 1x Soul Warden
• 1x Stonecoil Serpent
• 1x Tymna the Weaver
• 1x Walking Ballista
• 1x Winding Constrictor

Enchantment (9)

• 1x Abzan Ascendancy
• 1x Citadel Siege
• 1x Doubling Season
• 1x Exquisite Blood
• 1x Hardened Scales
• 1x Hydra's Growth
• 1x Sanguine Bond
• 1x Sylvan Library
• 1x Together Forever

Land (36)

• 1x Blooming Marsh
• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Fetid Heath
• 1x Gavony Township
• 1x Godless Shrine
• 1x Grim Backwoods
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Karn's Bastion
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
• 1x Overgrown Tomb
• 1x Phyrexian Tower
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Razorverge Thicket
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Sandsteppe Citadel
• 3x Snow-Covered Forest
• 3x Snow-Covered Plains
• 3x Snow-Covered Swamp
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Vault of the Archangel
• 1x Verdant Catacombs
• 1x Windswept Heath
• 1x Wooded Bastion
• 1x Woodland Cemetery

Sorcery (6)

• 1x Damnation
• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Diabolic Intent
• 1x Farseek
• 1x Nature's Lore
• 1x Painful Truths

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Ajani, Mentor of Heroes

Commanders (2)

Instant (10)

• 1x Abzan Charm
• 1x Dromoka's Command
• 1x Eladamri's Call
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Flawless Maneuver
• 1x Heroic Intervention
• 1x Once Upon a Time
• 1x Pledge of Unity
• 1x Return to Dust
• 1x Swords to Plowshares

Artifact (6)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Chromatic Lantern
• 1x Phyrexian Altar
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sword of Truth and Justice
• 1x The Ozolith

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PROTOTYPE BUILD, EXPECT CHANGES!

This is an Abzan-colored Dual Commander deck with a +1/+1 beatdown strategy but it is made with flexibility of winning in mind.

What this deck is looking to do is to pump the team or the commander(s) with synergistic triggered abilities and spells. While also offering other benefits to cash in for those +1/+1 counters. This hopefully results in a rather modular and adaptable game experience that can win the game differently every round.

I am borrowing elements from several different archetypes: The ever popular dual enchantments of Sanguine Bond and Exquisite Blood for that tasty SUCC. And to set off that cascade of lifegain the deck uses Soul Sisters with Essence Warden and Soul Warden. As well as Infinite Combo with Walking Ballista and Heliod. And this can even be played as a Voltron type approach thanks to Hardened Scales, Citadel Siege and Sword of T&J. This deck is running a moderate amount of both land ramp, artifact ramp plus a couple mana dorks and there's always an argument to add more. Same applies for sweepers and spot removal. I am running "only" Abzan Charm, Plaguecrafter, Return to Dust and Swords to Plowshares for spot removal and just a Damnation for sweepers. I might add a second sweeper in the future if the need arises. I have also presented a sizeable suite of tutors that ease the assembly of a combo or board state. For board protection, this revision is running Heroic Intervention and Flawless Maneuver but there are some enchantment options that could be worthwhile for more safeguarding. Though spreading +1/+1 counters can be a form protection in and of itself. Speaking of that, for pump I have selected Abzan Ascendancy, Hydra's Growth, Pledge of Unity, Doubling Season, Together Forever, Juniper Order Ranger, Winding Constrictor, Corpsejack Menace, Anafenza and Renata to bolster the creatures. In the utility side of lands Vault of the Archangel and Gavony Township, as well as Oran-Rief to a lesser extent function as powerful buffers and can turn the tide easily. Some amount of card draw also exists in this list, namely Tymna the Weaver, Chevill, Once Upon a Time, Painful Truths and of course Sylvan Library. Finally the only Planeswalker in the deck currently is Ajani, Mentor of Heroes. He is here to spread the +1/+1 counters charitably and he can dig 4 cards deep in a pinch. He is a good boy.

And now a word about our dear generals: Even though I do love the art on Nikara, it's her Hyena friend Yannik that is the real star of the deck. While it is tempting to exile a really powerful creature for Yannik, it usually isn't worthwhile. I recommend choosing a creature that can spread a single counter to all your creatures especially if a counter doubling effect is present. (ex. 3 power for 3 remaining creatures, prioritizing those without summoning sickness) Although it might seem cruel, you can sac Yannik to get the exiled creature back and it is situationally worth it if the player decides to swap from Commander damage to killing everyone with Ballista. Yannik's exile effect can work as a way to protect an important combo piece for the future like Ballista. Nikara herself is a lot less stellar, but her evasion is extremely good with the Sword of Truth and Justice and she can draw a card or two sometimes. She can also sometimes be a decent early game threat thanks to her being a menace. And there will be times when she won't be needed at all, so she will sit on the command zone lookin' pretty.

Ikoria spoiler season is in full swing, I am sure there will be a handful of new cards that could slot in nicely to this deck and I will be keeping a close eye on that!

Date added	4 years
Last updated	3 years
Exclude colors	UR
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	11 - 0 Mythic Rares 55 - 0 Rares 18 - 0 Uncommons 7 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.66
Tokens	Spirit 1/1 W
Folders	Decks of interest