No Kwain, No Gain [PRIMER]

Commander / EDH Counterspell Group Hug Mill Primer Tap/Untap Wheels WU (Azorius)

GodzSoldier

Card Draw (17)

• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Dictate of Kruphix
• 1x Esper Sentinel
• 1x Flux
• 1x Font of Mythos
• 1x Frantic Search
• 1x Gitaxian Probe
• 1x Howling Mine
• 1x Kami of the Crescent Moon
• 1x Loran of the Third Path
• 1x Minds Aglow
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Standstill
• 1x Temple Bell
• 1x Tolarian Winds
• 1x Vision Skeins
• 1x Windfall

Ramp (8)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Chrome Mox
• 1x Gemstone Caverns
• 1x Lotus Petal
• 1x Mox Diamond
• 1x Smothering Tithe
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sol Talisman

Tutor (4)

• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Idyllic Tutor
• 1x Long-Term Plans
• 1x Mystical Tutor

Mill (2)

• 1x Forced Fruition
• 1x Psychic Corrosion

Protection (2)

• 1x Propaganda
• 1x Solitary Confinement

Land (32)

• 1x Arid Mesa
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Flood Plain
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Gemstone Caverns
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 8x Island
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Mystic Gate
• 9x Plains
• 1x Port Town
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Windswept Heath

Removal (6)

• 1x Consuming Tide
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Day of Judgment
• 1x Loran of the Third Path
• 1x Slaughter the Strong
• 1x Wrath of God

Engine (4)

• 1x Alhammarret's Archive
• 1x Drumbellower
• 1x Teferi's Ageless Insight
• 1x White Plume Adventurer

Win Con 1 (3)

• 1x Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
• 1x Laboratory Maniac
• 1x Leveler

Win Con 2 (2)

• 1x Omniscience
• 1x Show and Tell

Commander (1)

Interaction (15)

• 1x An Offer You Can't Refuse
• 1x Arcane Denial
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Delay
• 1x Dovin's Veto
• 1x Fierce Guardianship
• 1x Force of Negation
• 1x Force of Will
• 1x Grand Abolisher
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Mandate of Peace
• 1x Pact of Negation
• 1x Render Silent
• 1x Silence
• 1x Swan Song

Other (3)

• 1x Folio of Fancies
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Teferi's Puzzle Box

Combo (2)

• 1x Mind Over Matter
• 1x Parallel Thoughts

Hug of Death (1)

• 1x Divine Intervention

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Maybeboard

Other (36)

• 1x AEtherize
• 1x Aetherspouts
• 1x Alms Collector
• 1x Cheatyface
• 1x Divine Intervention
• 1x Dream Trawler
• 1x Foil
• 1x Ghostly Prison
• 1x Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
• 1x Interdict
• 1x Island Sanctuary
• 1x Isperia, Supreme Judge
• 1x Meishin, the Mind Cage
• 1x Mind Over Matter
• 1x Narset, Parter of Veils
• 1x Noble Benefactor
• 1x Oath of Lieges
• 1x Oblation
• 1x Ominous Seas
• 1x Open the Vaults
• 1x Otherworld Atlas
• 1x Private Research
• 1x Rebuff the Wicked
• 1x Reins of Power
• 1x Shabraz, the Skyshark  ^Flip
• 1x Soul Warden
• 1x Spiritual Asylum
• 1x Telepathy
• 1x Temporary Truce
• 1x Tempting Contract
• 1x Thought Reflection
• 1x Tidal Barracuda
• 1x Time Wipe
• 1x Tolarian Kraken
• 1x Truce
• 1x Well of Ideas

Land (1)

• 1x Grasslands

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Thanks to everyone for help making this the top voted Kwain deck on tappedout!!! It's been my first and favorite baby to pilot! (That isn't graveyard related that is :p)

INTRO to the deck playstyle!

This deck is perfect for all power levels! Except maybe against perfect thrasios decks. This deck is not only a simple deck, but is fun for everyone to play with, and can be played in a way that can be close to competitive. This deck was made in mind of the words "Anti-Arch Enemy". Since this is a group hug deck that feeds cards, others can quickly snowball, and there is just enough of everything in this deck to keep the game going slow, until you either force everyone to draw their entire deck, or until you empty your own deck using a double wheel effect (Windfall + Teferi's Ageless Insight or Leveler + Laboratory Maniac) or another great value line. Also a "Doomsday pile" has been added to the deck if you feel you want to win games a bit faster in certain match ups. Or if you prefer to take it easy on the table, you can DRAW instead haha.

Ways to CHEAPEN/WEAKEN the deck

You could easily build a more budget version of this deck not using any of the strong counter spells with either cheaper counters, or none at all. Depends on how badly you want to advance your own board state and win, because holding up mana for interaction slows you down considerably. You can also choose to remove Laboratory Maniac and Jace, Wielder of Mysteries and focus on just milling your opponents. All lands can be replaced with Basics (but keep in mind you may not have both colors in your starting hand as often). Check out the Maybe Board for card options to replace cards you can't run as those were all cards that I've previously used and tested in the deck and find they are great inclusions in playstyles of this deck. Note: There aren't any direct mill cards except for Psychic Corrosion as milling makes you an enemy much faster than owning an Atraxa haha. However it's just too good to not have. Mill decks can be boring sometimes, and generally make people afraid of the deck quicker than we want. Psychic corrosion may scare people and can cause you alot of attention, you should win within 2 or 3 turns after playing it, so use it wisely when you think you'll be winning in a few turns or so, as a sneaky Folio of Fancies and Windfall can steal a win.

Ways to IMPROVE the deck

If you included Mind Over Matter this deck could easily start to compete against more competitive decks with the addition of this one card win con. Keep in mind, Temple Bell is a better option than Kwain, Itinerant Meddler, but both can get you a win if the enemy isn't careful. You could also add Narset, Parter of Veils but I wanted to stay true to the group hug appearance, as once it's in your deck, everyone will think of only the worst in your deck and act accordingly. I'm currently experimenting with Omniscience to see how it plays out (so far it's fairly obvious why it's good), especially alongside Parallel Thoughts which can be cracked open all in one turn to cheat out an omniscience and your entire wincon kit.

Notable WEAKNESSES

While it shouldn't have to be said, Hullbreacher like effects are detrimental to all win cons of this deck, but I'm sure at least the other opponents will help remove the effect if you cannot. An almost immediate loss, is Smothering Tithe. While this deck tries to be Anti-Arch as best it can, Tithe gives so much of an advantage, the player who holds it usually wins within 2 turns of playing it. It must be dealt with at ALL costs. While this deck wouldn't love stacks, it doesn't mind the pace of it, as you're allowed to play your more expensive win cons as a setup.

And that's my deck tech!! Hope you love the deck as much as I have! It's truly fun to play with and against no matter how new or experienced the players are, as it's up to the player how the deck will turn out! Enjoy!

Future Update Thoughts

While I'm always looking to push my favorite decks to their ultimate power level, I don't think it's achievable to take the deck to the Cedh level that I want it at. While you can fit the deck with Isochron Scepter and Mind Over Matter, these win cons wouldn't give a unique advantage over other decks with the same Wincons, so the deck I believe has reached its climax as a Power Level 8.... But that's OK!!! The deck is already one of my favorites in all of magic based on its easy to play and fun political play style. As I find new cards and test what cards I don't use alot in the deck, like Body of Knowledge, I'll keep trying to weed any cards that aren't quite as flexible as I'd want them to be. I feel that there aren't many though, so the only reason I'd change future cards would to put in fun cards like Divine Intervention for a more fun "Wincon" HAHA. If you've read this far, then surely you have an interest in this type of deck as well, so I'd love to hear if you have any recommendations or thoughts!

Top Ranked	Achieved #24 position overall 1 year ago Achieved #20 position in Commander / EDH 1 year ago Achieved #2 position in Commander / EDH Counterspell 1 year ago Achieved #2 position in Commander / EDH Group Hug 1 year ago
Date added	2 years
Last updated	8 months
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	12 - 0 Mythic Rares 49 - 0 Rares 13 - 0 Uncommons 9 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.78
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U, Dungeon: Undercity, Skeleton 4/1 B, The Initiative, Treasure, Treasure
Folders	Horde zombies, Try Decks, Decks for Mag, Potential Commander Decks, Ideas, Commander