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King Stranger, Make Me Strong! *PRIMER*

Commander / EDH Aggro Casual Midrange Multiplayer RG (Gruul)

NV_1980

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Creature (39)

Land (36)

Sorcery (4)

Commander (1)

Commander: Xenagos, God of Revels

Enchantment (10)

Artifact (7)

Instant (2)

Planeswalker (1)

Welcome to King Stranger Makes Me Strong !

Hi there! Welcome to the primer of my Gruul, Aggro-Ultra-Attack deck; commanded by Xenagos, God of Revels; King Stranger himself. Throughout his hedonist life, this Satyr has displayed an utter disregard for life. It is there to be taken advantage of, to be desired and enjoyed for nothing but pure pleasure. Yet maybe also for the purpose of chasing one’s ambitions of absolute rule over a pantheon; or an entire plane perhaps. So prepare yourself for a fast, powerful, unstoppable tide of Gruul’s forces, supported by a deity that empowers his favored children to destroy all that opposes them. This deck is meant to be played casually. It’s not meant to be used in a competitive fashion, but of course I welcome anyone to try! Feel free to comment on anything you (dis)like throughout this primer; I hope you will enjoy it!

Because his boosting ability is really quite remarkable. Anything (big) that was just summoned gets the ability to attack immediately at double its power and toughness. What makes it even better is that it’s triggered at the start of every combat phase during my turn, meaning that if can somehow convince my forces to forms ranks more than once per turn, I can also use Xenagos to boost (one of them) more than once a turn. Being a Theros-God, means that by default he is also indestructible, which means he’s not easily removed. That saves me a bit on recasting resources.

I use the following ten parameters to determine the strength of the deck. For each, I allocate a score of 5 (very good), 4 (good), 3 (mediocre), 2 (bad) or 1 (very bad); when totalized this score represents the power rating of the deck (maximum score is 50 points).

  • Mana: indicates the availability of mana sources within the deck.
  • Ramp: indicates the speed at which mana sources within the deck can be made available.
  • Card Advantage: indicates availability of filter- and draw resources represented within the deck.
  • Overall speed: indicates the deck’s potential for pace, based on resource availability and mana curve.
  • Combo: indicates the measure of combo-orientation of the deck.
  • Army: indicates the deck’s creature-army strength.
  • Commander: indicates how much the deck is commander-oriented/dependent (less dependency is better).
  • Interaction: indicates how much this deck can mess with opponents’ board states and turn-phases.
  • Resilience: indicates whether the deck can prevent and take punches.
  • Spellpower: indicates the availability and strength of high-impact spells.

Mana: 5

This deck’s gameplan of multiple attacks per turn and summoning new creatures after each attack requires quite a bit of energy in order to function well. Thus it’s well equipped to handle that; featuring six dorks, four creatures that provide mana through triggering mechanisms, four mana rocks, two cards that cheapen creature casting and two cards that can be triggered to untap all of my lands.

Ramp: 3

Fetching lands quicker boosts my energy-production. This deck features eight resources that either allow me to top-deck lands, play additional lands per turn or allow me to fetch lands from my library (some of the included cards feature multiple of these abilities).

Card Advantage: 5

Having copious amounts of mana at my disposal to cast creatures has no meaning unless I have lots of access to said creatures. To ensure that, the deck contains four direct-draw cards, six conditional-draw cards, two scry cards and several individual cards that allow me to top-deck, tutor or even steal.

Overall speed: 3

In some senses, this deck is a bit like X-men’s Juggernaut. If it’s allowed to achieve momentum, it basically becomes unstoppable. Due to its relatively high average CMC of 3.56, this usually takes a few turns but since well over half the deck’s non-land cards are resources of some type, the amount of turns required is on average not more than four.

Combo: 2

Two types of infinite combos have been added to this deck: infinite mana and infinite attacks.

Army: 5

Quite a powerful army resides within the depths of this deck. Of its thirty-eight creatures, twenty have power 4 or better. Its attack-power is further strengthened through the distribution of deadly abilities (deathtouch is an important one) and through the application of significant power-boosts (six options in total). It should be noted that its army-strength is especially potent when it attacks, and a bit less so when it defends.

Commander: 5

Xenagos, God of Revels’s ability is truly quite scary when applied to certain creatures. Yet this isn’t necessarily a win-condition. Due to its massive resources and attack-potential, this deck is perfectly capable at fending for itself while Xenagos gazes on from his position in the command-zone.

Interaction: 2

Not much interaction going on here, other than the odd bit of destruction, non-combat damage, inhibition and theft.

Resilience: 1

Not really built with staying-power in mind, though I did include a few gems that either prevent my creature spells from being countered by some ambitious blue player(s), as well as a few cards that grant my creatures hexproof.

Spellpower: 3

Most important to this deck’s non-creature casting arsenal includes five spells that increase the amount of attacks I can execute per turn, along with four overall haste enablers, two massive untap-enablers and a very potent power/toughness enhancer.

Total power score: 34

Compared to most of my decks, this one is a solid mid-ranged one. It’s got plenty of resources available and only needs a few turns before it really starts to pick up pace. Its army strength is quite potent and its assault capabilities are just about second to none. It does lack a bit in the interaction- and resilience departments, but it makes up for it through its pure ferocity. Xenagos’ doubling power fits perfectly within this setting as he adds those shattering hammer blows to my already powerful attacks.

This deck has been setup in such a way that attacking causes me to gain more energy through the generation of mana and/or treasure tokens AND hopefully also some additional draw. This allows me to either use the produced energy to quickly expand my force on the battlefield OR pump said energy into spell/abilities that allow me to attack the opposition again. The aim is to reach the ability to attack multiple times a turn by the time the mid-game starts and to vastly outpace my opponents in term of available sources on the field asap.

At least three cards in the starting hand ought to be lands (or two lands and a cheap-to-cast rock like Arcane Signet or Sol Ring). This is a must; I’m not going to start a game without this hand (even if I have to mulligan down to three cards). The ideal hand would also contain some additional ramp and/or low-cost draw options.

Ideally, I want to begin games by casting either some dorks (Birds of Paradise, Bloom Tender, Delighted Halfling, Lotus Cobra, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, casting some ramp-spells (Augur of Autumn, Dryad of the Ilysian Grove, Exploration, Nature's Lore, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Three Visits) or rocks. In case none of these options are in my hands during the first few turns, I’d turn to filtering/draw options like Garruk's Uprising, Mirri's Guile, Scroll Rack, Sensei's Divining Top.

Once I’ve got some basic resources available, I’ll usually start by summoning Xenagos, God of Revels. I do this because he can grant haste to whatever follows him onto the field (not to mention a substantial combat-stat bonus). However, if he’s still too expensive to summon at this stage, I’ll settle for other, cheaper haste enablers (like Fervor or Rhythm of the Wild) followed up (in order of priority) by some cheap combatants and/or utility creatures. Examples of these include Beast Whisperer, Managorger Hydra, Prowling Serpopard, Saryth, the Viper's Fang, Toski, Bearer of Secrets and Vexing Shusher.

Once the first combats have been fought, it’s time to get on with summoning the core cards required to pull off wins: triggered mana sources and spells/creatures that grant me additional combat phases. The goal is to create a vicious circle of generating mana by attacking and/or through the application of combat damage and then using that mana as fuel for the creation of new combat phases. The deck’s most potent mana sources for this are Ancient Copper Dragon, Grand Warlord Radha, Klauth, Unrivaled Ancient, Neheb, the Eternal and Old Gnawbone. The cards Nature's Will and Sword of Feast and Famine can also untap all my lands upon a successful attack, which by this stage should grant enough potential energy to fuel a new attack.

Additional attacks can be granted through the use of permanents like Aggravated Assault, Anzrag, the Quake-Mole, Hellkite Charger, Karlach, Fury of Avernus, Moraug, Fury of Akoum and Port Razer or maybe through the use of non-permanents like Relentless Assault and World at War.

While major battles are being fought, I’ll be working on adding those finishing touches required to blow the opposition away completely. Doubling or enhancing my creatures’ scores (again) through means like Pathbreaker Ibex, Unnatural Growth and Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus will help in this regard. Domri Rade’s ultimate will also go a long way towards providing me with definitive combat-victory. Last but not least, Shaman of Forgotten Ways has a really dirty trick up its sleeves that can set my opponents’ lives to 0 in an instant.

This deck contains a few interesting combos and synergies that are really fun to use.

Combos

Synergies

Reliable sources of mana, and some utility:

The cards I use to accelerate mana-availability:

What I need in order to draw, tutor or steal additional cards with:

  • Augur of Autumn: she allows me to top-deck three-fourths of my deck when I can get the city’s blessing.
  • Beast Whisperer: bit of a no-brainer in a deck featuring this many (non-token) creature spells.
  • Etali, Primal Storm: imagine facing three opponents (which is like always, in my EDH-meta). Now imagine having this in a deck that can easily attack multiple times per turn. You’re in value-heaven!
  • Garruk's Uprising: will be triggered by loads of creatures’ ETB-triggers within this deck.
  • Greater Good: can be used as a great reaction to an attempt to remove my (strong) critters.
  • Guardian Project: every creature entering on my side, grants me more draw.
  • Mirri's Guile: incredibly powerful ‘sort-of-scrying’ card that allows me to choose what card I want to draw this turn.
  • Ohran Frostfang: such an amazing card; turns all my creatures into no-touchies-unless-you-have-a-deathwish and then proceeds to punish opponents for not sacrificing their creatures to block mine by granting me draw.
  • Scroll Rack: one of my all-time favorite EDH cards for increasing my options by extending my (virtual-)hand-size.
  • Sensei's Divining Top: perfect scrying card as well as a nice draw-enabler in a pinch.
  • Toski, Bearer of Secrets: every attacker that successfully damages my opponents allows me a single draw. As games progress, that can quickly become pretty ridiculous.
  • Vizier of the Menagerie: in a deck as heavy on resources as this one, the ability to top-deck cast creatures is not to be underestimated.
  • Worldly Tutor: sometimes it helps to just search for that single creature that can tip the scales or make me win even harder.

See that horizon of teeth and claws over there? It’s heading towards you …

  • Aggravated Assault/Hellkite Charger: in a deck that features multiple ways to generate mana by damaging creatures (or opponents), these make it easy to keep attacking until everyone is dead.
  • Etali, Primal Conqueror  : wreaks havoc with opposing libraries upon ETB, providing me with some much loved value. Then, when the time is right, it basically transforms into an incarnation of the apocalypse.
  • Fervor/Rhythm of the Wild: more haste-enablers as back-up for Xenagos.
  • Heroic Intervention: good luck damaging/wiping my creatures.
  • Karlach, Fury of Avernus: only one attack per turn is so boring; why not have two?
  • Managorger Hydra: becomes stronger than strong pretty fast within a multi-player meta.
  • Moraug, Fury of Akoum: play a land during your pre-combat main-phase. Attack. Now untap all creatures and attack again. Now use one of the deck’s many possibilities to play a land in your post-combat main-phase. Untap all creatures and attack again!
  • Nature's Will: attack blue players with this on the table and then watch them squirm when they can’t do anything to prevent your casts in the post-combat main-phase.
  • Pathbreaker Ibex: by itself, it’s a repeatable Overrun. Include a stronger creature when attacking though, and it turns into a win-condition.
  • Port Razer: in a meta featuring multiple players, this guy will allow me to attack multiple times a turn (and he allows me to untap every critter each turn, provided he damages someone).
  • Quartzwood Crasher: as this deck features plenty of ways in which it can grant its occupants trample, this guy has the potential to create some truly stunning tokens.
  • Relentless Assault/World at War: more attacks; yay!
  • Saryth, the Viper's Fang: severely impedes the opponents’ choices in terms of blocking and targeting my (untapped) stuff. The untap-ability can also come in very handy on occasion.
  • Unnatural Growth/Zopandrel, Hunger Dominus: more doublers to support Xenagos and make creatures’ power/toughness scores even more ridiculous.

Bits and bobs that helps out my games while undoing yours:

  • Domri Rade: starts as additional card-advantage or creature-control enabler and then ends up as provider of the ultimate combat-bonus abilities.
  • Dragonmaster Outcast: bit of a small, vulnerable dragon generator, but can become very problematic when combined with Saryth, the Viper's Fang or Domri Rade’s ultimate.
  • Elder Gargaroth: holy moly; a very powerful beast that allows me to draw, gain life or it drops me one of its kids upon dealing damage.
  • Silverback Elder: such great options to apply when casting a new creature; most important one being the removal option for opposing enchantments/artifacts.
  • Sword of Feast and Famine: just another great way to make mana available after an attack; the forced discard is pretty nifty too.
  • The Great Henge: mana and card-advantage for a seemingly hefty price; until you notice its caveat.
  • Ulvenwald Tracker: helps me to remove creatures I don’t like by making them fight something of mine that’s powerful. Especially useful for commander-removal.
  • Vexing Shusher: frustrating blue to the end of time!

Currently not in here, for reasons described below.

  • Bloodthirster: it’s a savage combatant, but its major drawback is that it only untaps itself when damaging an opponent (instead of all my creatures), making it less effective for repeated assaults on the enemy compared to alternatives.
  • Deflecting Swat/Lightning Greaves/Swiftfoot Boots: nothing in my deck is so unique as to be completely indispensable, so I didn’t feel the need to go out of my way to overly protect specific stuff.
  • Ilharg, the Raze-Boar: currently not in my possession yet. Also not sure on all its up- and downsides in this deck. Will remain in the back of my mind for the time being.

I appreciate the time you took to read my primer. Hopefully it was entertaining and useful to you. If so, feel free to leave a +1 and/or feedback of any kind in the comments below. Thanks again!

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62% Casual

38% Competitive

Revision 2 See all

(2 months ago)

+1 Anzrag, the Quake-Mole main
-1 Combat Celebrant main
-1 Forest main
-1 Mountain main
-1 Shadow in the Warp main
-1 Xenagos, the Reveler main
Date added 3 months
Last updated 1 month
Legality

This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)

27 - 0 Mythic Rares

50 - 0 Rares

8 - 0 Uncommons

4 - 0 Commons
Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.64
Tokens Beast 3/3 G, Dinosaur Beast X/X G, Dragon 5/5 R, Emblem Domri Rade, Treasure
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