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Musashi's Mosh Pit [Primer]

Commander / EDH* Aggro Casual Haste Midrange Multiplayer Primer RBW (Mardu) Theme/Gimmick Tokens Vigilance

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Land (35)

Sorcery (4)

Creature (26)

Enchantment (8)

Commander (1)

Instant (15)

Artifact (11)

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Creature (33)

Enchantment (23)

Sorcery (6)

Land (6)

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Artifact (5)

Nitōichi - Two Swords As One:

As a nod to Miyamoto Musashi, Isshin makes use of Musashi's Nitōichi -Two Swords As One- dueling style. "In this technique, the swordsman uses both a large sword and a 'companion sword' at the same time, such as a katana with a wakizashi."

Isshin's ability, art, and name are all flavorful nods to Musashi's unique dueling style. Isshin doubles all attack triggers in a manner that lend themselves well to relentless offense or hardy defense.

In unison, these capabilities should let the deck either become the beat down once boards are cleared, or play defensively and politically, forcing the rest of the table to fight each other.

Isshin can lean heavily into various avenues such as:

  • Offense/Go Wide with tokens

  • Exalted and Equipment dueling

  • Forced Combat Control and Pillow Fort.

For this build I will lean most heavily into a Tokens Go Wide build, but include some political and control elements that can fit pretty seamlessly.

This deck changed a lot in the months since I started brewing it, and is now focused on the Aggro Go Wide theme. I'm excited to see how this deck will continue to evolve over time.

"A man cannot understand the art he is studying if he only looks for the end result without taking the time to delve deeply into the reasoning of the study."

My custom Musashi sleeves. The source image is a woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi

My Moxfield version of the deck - This version is always most up to date, especially during spoiler season. Spoilers tend to get added to Moxfield within a day of being posted online.

Considerations & Swaps

Making the last few cuts for this deck have been challenging. Here are cards that I own that I'm most likely to swap in and play-test:

  • Intangible Virtue - Excluded so far because it only cares about Token creatures

  • Always Watching - Exluded so far because it only cares about non-token creatures.

  • Cunning Rhetoric - The effect wasn't much of a deterrant the more I thought about it, especially since it triggered per opponent, instead of per creature attacking.

  • Custodi Soulcaller - Some more recursion could be useful in particularly grindy games. The deck currently runs 11 creatures at 3cmc or below ( 8 at 3cmc, and 3 at 2cmc), although the 3cmc slot especially has some spicy options for potential recursion.

  • Fable of the Mirror-Breaker   - A Saga with the upsides of mana acceleration and optional looting. The backside is like a pseudo-Kiki Jiki and can create some token clones for combat.

  • Florian, Voldaren Scion - Florian could be great card advantage for a deck that aims to play aggressively and throw a lot of combat damage around. He could be useful for digging for Rattlesnake effects and removal/interaction.

  • Guardian of Faith - Flexible board protection

  • Phyrexian Arena - Something I had in initial drafts of the deck. The more I play tested it, and played the deck, the more I felt that it was out of place pacing-wise. In early game it competed with ramp, getting Isshin online, or curving into a creature for Isshin to improve on Turn 3 or 4. Beyond a Turn 4 play, this felt clunky and slow.

  • Raid Bombardment - Front load some damage on token swings

  • Shared Animosity - A board full of tokens gets that much scarier. Would be more useful for smashing through other board states, especially if my creatures lack evasion.

  • Thorough Investigation - I like Clue tokens and Investigation, but I like them a bit more in other decks. The stapled on dungeon value was cool, but I think I generally prefer to leave mana up for removal/interaction

  • Faith's Reward - Boardwipe insurance that hits all my permanents. I'd like to include it, but 4 cmc kinda sucks to hold up, and creatures are more vulnerable to board wipes than other permanents in my meta.

  • Hoarding Ogre - Treasures are good.

  • Grim Hireling - Although Hireling is a combat damage trigger I think it could have some potential since a wider board can be harder to block, and Brutal Hordechief exists.

  • Kardur, Doomscourge

  • Mangara, the Diplomat - Dissuades attacks, since it could lead to drawing 2 cards. Also gives spell-slingers something to pause and consider. Swapped out recently since it didn't trigger off either of its clauses much at all.

  • Marton Stromgald - I swapped him out for Purphoros, God of the Forge. I figured that Purphoros has the upside of being Indestructible, is a beefier Impact Tremors, can add some Firebreathing if I have the mana up, and is a much beefier body than Marton when it is a creature.

  • Smothering Tithe - It's good. That much is obvious and not much else needs to be said lol. If I'm lacking for mana or taxing effects, then I know what could help fix that.

  • Winota, Joiner of Forces - I currently have Fireflux Squad in the deck, which I've liked in play-testing. Winota could be a future include, but I think I would need to up my Human count a bit, as I currently have 9 in the 99 that Winota could hit with her ability, as of 2/22/22.

  • Sun Titan - I had this in the initial build, but eventually cut it for some other effect around 5cmc. It's slower than Custodi Soulcaller in some ways, but has the upside of recurring other permanents in addition to creatures.

Upgrades

These are cards I don't currently own, but could be strong inclusions in the deck. These are all kind of expensive in their own rights. For me, all of the permanents carry a little tagline of " At worst it's removal bait, at best it can lead to some blowout turn."

  • Blade of Selves - Giving Myriad to something that shouldn't typically have it seems really fun. My biggest reasons for not pursuing it (yet) are that it costs about $20 as of 2/12/22, and that it's 6 total mana to cast and equip it.

  • Sneak Attack

  • Aurelia, the Warleader - Extra combats are cool, but feel a bit unnecessary for now. I think that there is too much setup needed in terms of getting a Vigilance anthem on board so that all of my creatures can swing in on every extra combat.

  • Scourge of the Throne - 6 cmc, doesn't have Haste, and it has an extra hoop to jump through for the extra combat. The extra hoop isn't super restrictive, but something to keep in mind.

  • Utvara Hellkite - Getting a board full of dragon tokens seems pretty fun and crazy, but 8 mana is a lot, especialy if I don't have a Haste enabler ready.

Eldrazi Titans and Annihilator Drazis are obviously worth mentioning, but are not my personal playstyle, and are cards I wouldn't pick up. Additionally, I think the steep CMCs of most Eldrazi aren't worth it, especially in Mardu colors.

As with any deck that isn't running Green, this deck is going to play a whole lotta Mana rocks.

Rocks

As of 3/13/22, I removed Fellwar Stone and Talisman of Indulgence for Tome of Legends and Vicious Conquistador. After playing the deck IRL a few times, I felt that the deck is already low enough to the ground that I can spare a couple of mana rocks.

"Ramp"

These cards aren't ramp in the traditional sense, but have an even higher ceiling thanks to Isshin:

  • Zhentarim Bandit - Can produce treasures on swing, and the "may" trigger is helpful for scaling if needed.
  • Sword of the Animist - It can grab 2 Basics per swing now. Will be super helpful even if it only triggers once or twice.
  • Captain Lannery Storm - Pumping out 2 treasures per swing with Isshin active will be spicy.
  • Battle Angels of Tyr - More so of a "catch up" mechanic than ramp, but does help generate a bit of Treasure. Will most likely be used against whomever is running the most Green ramp.

I could split hairs a bit, but this is my umbrella for "burst" draw (2 or more cards in 1 instance), Cantrips (1 for 1), and repeated Draw:

  • Canyon Slough - Cycling in a pinch or if Mana on board is well established, and a tapped land isn't needed
  • Savai Triome - Same idea as Canyon Slough
  • Skullclamp - This deck aims to create a bunch of creature tokens, so might as well get some extra mileage out of them.
  • Village Rites - Another instant speed option to sac a token to, or maybe a creature that's about to eat some removal anyways.
  • Deadly Dispute - Great card. I like the flexibility for the sacrifice requirement.
  • Plumb the Forbidden - "Oh you're going to Rakdos Charm me? What if I just-".
  • Tome of Legends - I wanted another piece of repeatable draw that would be lower to the ground than Phyrexian Arena and Mangara, the Diplomat, and could be used more proactively than both of those cards.
  • Commissar Severina Raine - A slightly worse Skullclamp, which should be right at home in a deck full of token producers.
  • Tymna the Weaver - Tymna synergizes with swinging at multiple opponents, which will become easier with token swarms. Early on she may help us draw off attacking the least defended opponent(s).
  • Battle Angels of Tyr - More of a "catch up" draw, but will still be useful in closing the gap when needed.
  • Tectonic Giant - Can impulse draw on one or both triggers if needed.

Under Consideration

Removal

Board wipes and spells that destroy or exile single to multiple targets:

Under Consideration

  • Slaughter the Strong - A boardwipe that Isshin can dodge, and also helps get rid of bigger creatures that may be Hexproof and/or Indestructible. Replaced with Retribution of the Meek because it was 1 white pip less intensive to cast.

Interaction & Protection

I tend to think of "Interaction" as any effects that prevent opponents from interacting with my board, spells being cast, or their own resources as intended.

  • Scavenger Ground - This replaced Bojuka Bog. Even though it's generic mana, I wanted the option have it come in untapped, and I can keep Scavenger Grounds around until I need to activate it most.
  • Authority of the Consuls - Great early-mid game play, as it can leave potential blockers tapped down for a turn. The incremental lifegain has helped me before.
  • Reconnaissance - Pseudo Vigilance that also removes combat damage after combat is pretty damn great every time I've played it.
  • Dauthi Voidwalker - Creatures die a lot in normal games of EDH. Can hose Graveyard based decks, and force someone to play a removal piece on Dauthi. Also has the upside of being able to cast exiled cards from other players' Dauthi Voidwalkers.
  • Dolmen Gate - Help my dudes swing away (relatively) unscathed.
  • Grand Crescendo - I like that it's essentially a board protection spell for WW, but has the X upside to add some token creatures in if I can spare the mana.
  • Impact Tremors - Damage to the face of the entire table is fun.
  • Rakdos Charm - I love modal spells
  • Tibalt's Trickery
  • Deflecting Swat - Kind of a Swiss Army knife. Good spell is good.
  • Flawless Maneuver
  • Akroma's Will - Useful for defensive board protection, but should ideally be use for protecting an Alpha Strike.
  • Iroas, God of Victory - Like a beefier Dolmen Gate on a beefy body.
  • Purphoros, God of the Forge
  • Balor - I really like that this hits the rest of the table and gets even more benefit from Isshin. All modes can target opponents where they'll get the most mileage.
  • Mezzio Mugger - Will typically be cast for its Blitz cost, but may be hard cast if conditions are favorable. Can impulse draw and steal from opponents, up to 2 cards each turn with Isshin out.
  • Elder Brain - Hand destruction in mid-late game when an opponent would want to keep answers in hand is great. The upside of getting to play what they've exiled is nice.

Under consideration

  • Mana Tithe - Who ever expects a white counter spell? Just gotta hope they're tapped out for follow up responses.

  • Pyroblast - Blue Mages Hate This One Weird Trick

  • Smothering Tithe - I have a copy. It's an obvious include because it's so good. Will wait and see which 4-5cmc creature or enchantment feels most lackluster as a potential swap.

Here are the meat and potatoes of Isshin's attack trigger doubling for offense and defense

Offense - The Katana

Creature Token creation

Painful slices

Cards that punch heavily on their own, or frontload damage before blocks

Anthems and Buffs

Defense - the Wakizashi

This section has been significantly downsized, as I've removed some of the defensive elements to lean into aggro and removal a bit more.

These are all routes for Isshin that I think are cool and worth mentioning.

My initial build had a sprinkling of Exalted, but I decided against this route since board states in my meta tend to get gummed up, and I already have a couple of Voltron type builds.

This route could utilize equipment and its support with Exalted to go very tall with a single creature.

Exalted Triggers

Samurai & Warrior "Exalted" from Neon Dynasty

I won't name them all, but a few examples

Maybe instead of being full on aggro, give the rest of the table better incentive to fight eachother, or force them to.

Curses

Goad

Monarch

Forced Combat

Forced Combat Payoffs

Not a definitive list, but generally some types of effects that could work with forced combats as creatures may block and die:

Rattlesnakes

More Musashi quotes that lend themselves to the concepts for brewing with Isshin-

  • "In battle, if you you make your opponent flinch, you have already won."

  • “If you do not control the enemy, the enemy will control you”

  • “The primary thing when you take a sword in your hands is your intention to cut the enemy, whatever the means. Whenever you parry, hit, spring, strike or touch the enemy's cutting sword, you must cut the enemy in the same movement. It is essential to attain this. If you think only of hitting, springing, striking or touching the enemy, you will not be able actually to cut him.”

  • “The important thing in strategy is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions”

I played some much needed games with friends last night. I played Isshin in two of the four games we played. Both games had plenty of back and forth from everyone involved, and felt like everyone had at least one turn where they popped off. All in all, the games felt close and balanced.

Game 1

Commanders: Isshin, Kangee, Sky Warden, Alela, Artful Provocateur, and Kardur, Doomscourge

This game was deadlocked fairly early on. Kangee and Alela were able to start build boards of small fliers pretty quickly, and mostly swung at each other initially to be the more dominant air force. Kangee played a fairly early Kinjalli's Sunwing (maybe turn 3 or 4), which had the double edged effect of helping keep Alela's swarm of Fairie tokens tapped and in-check.

Although I had removal to take out the Sunwing, I decided to instead use it on a Skullclamp on Alela's board, since it was being used to grind tokens into draw. Isshin's best play was a getting an early Duelist's Heritage, and offering up two instances of double strike to whatever creatures didn't hit me. Sadly my aggro strategy was fairly hamstrung, and I couldn't keep pace with Alela and Kangee. A mid-game boardwipe eventually reset everyone.

Kardur won a game of attrition, basically from being repeatedly bounced with Conjurer's Closet. We were all too busy swinging at each other, and Kardur quickly mopped us up later.

Game 2

Commanders: Isshin, Kardur, Doomscourge, Chatterfang, Squirrel General, and Krav, the Unredeemed//Regna, the Redeemer

Another token heavy and fairly balanced game. The biggest differences were that Isshin was able to keep pace with Chatterfang and Krav/Regna (Token aristocrats) in terms of early token production, thanks to Captain's Claws, and Kardur was not able to set up a blink engine to keep us swinging at each other.

This game consisted of plenty of back and forth between all boards. I got to live an Isshin goal by swinging out a board full of 8 Kor Ally tokens accumulated from Captain's Claws, pumping them with Battle Cry from Hero of Bladehold, and getting the ETB damage from Hero of Bladehold's 4 tokens from Purphoros, God of the Forge, all while having Iroas, God of Victory online.

I got everyone else near-death, but was quickly hated out after. As I said before that swing, "This next play is called 'I am at 16 life, and I want to be a problem'. So I hope you all understand what happens next".

It ultimately doesn't really matter all that much, but I am proud that this is (currently) the #1 Isshin deck on TappedOut and Moxfield. My Moxfield version of the deck is also my first that is more popular on that site than on TappedOut.

This is now my first deck to break 100 votes on both my Moxfield and Tappedout profiles. Lol what.. Beginner me on Tappedout 9 years ago would be so happy.

All in all, internet points don't really mean much, but it does make me happy that so many people have engaged with this deck and something about it resonated with them. I've spent a lot of time writing and updating this primer and have had a lot of fun doing so. I hope as this deck continues to evolve, people will continue to find something about this deck and primer that they enjoy engaging with.

Will this always be the #1 Isshin deck on both sites? Probably not. For me, this is a personal achievement as someone who has been on Tappedout for almost 9 years, and started with very janky decks and half-baked descriptions/primers.

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WH40K testing — Sept. 22, 2022
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The War Hammer 40K decks are all spoiled now, so that means it's now time for Unfinity spoilers! Yay.

I'm pretty excited to play Commissar Severina Raine in this deck. She seems likes a decent finisher with a full enough board and some Haste enabling, if possible. I really like her as a slightly worse Skullclamp as well. For now, I removed Breena, the Demagogue to test out Commissar. I prefer my swaps to be the same CMC, or have a cheaper piece replace something more mana intensive.

It looks like I might be playing some games tomorrow night with friends. I won't have Commissar by then, but will get one more ride with Breena. Regardless if I've played Breena in this deck, or one of my friends plays it in theirs, but I thought she made the most sense as a swap out. The donating draws to opponents, and doubly so with Isshin felt risky. I got the sense that donated draws eventually came back to bite, as they would accelerate the drawing for other aggro decks that I would want to be racing for board presence.

I hope to have some fun games and updates worth posting after tomorrow night.

Sunday Spell Slinging — Sept. 4, 2022
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Plat-testing Dominaria United changes — Aug. 20, 2022
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First games in a while — Aug. 6, 2022
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Minor updates - Games on the horizon — Aug. 4, 2022
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Comment clean up — July 5, 2022
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First summer games — June 18, 2022
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Post Commander Legends 2 - D&D Boogaloo changes — May 28, 2022
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Post New Capenna changes - Accidentally deleted — May 9, 2022
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A couple more games - Attrition Fruition — April 11, 2022
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3 more games, & Isshin's first two Ws — March 29, 2022
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First couple of games in. — March 12, 2022
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Chat with a friend - Token Focused — Feb. 22, 2022
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Play testing some swap outs — Feb. 16, 2022
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41% Casual

59% Competitive

Top Ranked
Date added 7 months
Last updated 2 days
Legality

This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)

9 - 0 Mythic Rares

57 - 0 Rares

17 - 0 Uncommons

5 - 0 Commons
Cards 100
Avg. CMC 2.69
Tokens Cat 1/1 W w/ Lifelink, Cat Soldier 1/1 W, Copy Clone, Elephant 3/3 G, Goblin 1/1 R, Human 1/1 R, Human 1/1 W, Inkling 2/1 WB, Kor Ally 1/1 W, Soldier 1/1 W, Treasure, Zombie 2/2 B
Folders Attack harmonicon, Following, Isshin, EDH, Theme, EDH, Favorite Decks, Hello, I am stealing your deck. Thanks!, Cool, EDH, See all 43
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