I've loved your deck for a while now, and I think it's fantastic you've reached 500 upvotes! Congrats! I have to say that the Aikido archetype is becoming one of my favorites, and it's definitely different from anything I've ever encountered. I made a budget version of your deck and am slowly upgrading it as I can. Would you mind taking a look at it and giving me your thoughts? I'm eager to read what you have to say in your new section regarding tuning to your meta.

A Game of Thrones

Commander / EDH Abzkaban

SCORE: 11 | 2 COMMENTS | 566 VIEWS | IN 3 FOLDERS

Thanks for making a great guide. I have access to nearly all the lands you suggested in your most recent update except for the original dual lands. What would you suggest as replacements? I have all 3 of the filter lands, check lands, and pain lands available to use.

Congrats on the 500th! I see that you've finally embraced the Nabber (although I'm sad to see the stylish Curse of Opulence go - I'm guessing there's not enough agroo to be had in your competetive meta).

Anyway, does Alms Collector have a place here? It clashes with Smothering Tithe but could help prevent people from going out of control.

(Also, nitpick alert: Chaos Warp isn't part of the 'forger package? :) )

I am looking forward to the how to tune to your meta portion of the primer. My suggestion would be to check the themes on edhrec to get a good idea on which strategies are the most common. Also rite of the raging storm.

Well looking at the list I've made my decision, she is going back together again. Just a quick question. You play a few counterspells that counter blue stuff, any reason to exclude Burnout ?

Also what is your thought on Approach of the Second Sun in your wishboard? As right now it only contains 9 cards and 10 would be much nicer amount ;-)

Ripwater, sorry for the long delay. I have been busy trying to get ready for a big trip.

First, Burnout is a fine card, and for those facing lots of hard control, it may be a great addition. Thanks for the suggestion, it should probably be put on a list of possible alternate cards. It does not replace Red Elemental Blast or Pyroblast , but useful for some metas for sure.

I am not strong on Approach of the Second Sun . I did actually play it for a while. The long term announcement of your plans was always a bad choice. Maybe other people find it different, but for me, if I am announcing something, I want better than Approach of the Second Sun .

Finally, you all should check out the writeup by the Lab Maniacs Sigi and sickrobot on their latest control build. These guys are legit cEDH deckbuilders, and the writeup parallels the arguments I have put forward recently about control in cEDH. I don't need to stop everything. I need to stop things when it matters. Let others do your dirty work when you can. Read the writeup, check the deck. Different deck, for sure, but the goals and philosophy are parallel.

4C Rashmi - LabManiac_Sigi sickrobot

precociousapprentice Thanks for the response man, I'm looking forward to playing this deck soon! I have never ever played a deck like this and as a player who hates blue with a passion but still wants to play control, this might be the solution. Thank you for your primer and hopefully you keep updating your deck list as you are!

Hey there, love the deck, had it on my watch list for ages now.

I'm in love with this interaction and wanted to get your thoughts on it: Repercussion and utilizing damage-based sweepers such as Incite Rebellion and Blasphemous Act . Seems like a perfect way to turn an enemy's strength into a weakness. I know you don't like wraths, but this would be a win condition similar to Rakdos Charm. Obviously the deck needs to be lighter on creatures than your opponents' decks, and might be a little too cute, but if you're already encouraging combat between your opponents' creatures, this would help speed up the clock.

On a related note, I'm curious how you draw the line between damage redirecting rattlesnakes such as Stuffy Doll , Spitemare , Mogg Maniac , and Truefire Captain , compared to cards such as Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs and Marchesa's deathtouch? I read your comment where you say opponents have to attack you to get Stuffy Doll to work, but by having a clear, "you know exactly what will happen to you if you attack me," card laid out, much like Master of Cruelties, people should choose to attack elsewhere, therefore fulfilling its purpose as a rattlesnake; what's the difference?

Also wanted to bring up a few cards I haven't seen you or anyone else discuss:

Outmaneuver - found this while digging, and it looks HILARIOUS. Use on an opponent's attack against someone else to turn a blocked attack into a slaughter.

Similarly, because I love infect, Tainted Strike to turn a painful attack into an unexpected lethal one. Again, usable on an opponent's creature, your own Gisela, or a Sunforgered+Boros Charmed anything.

Traitor's Roar - expensive CMC, not an instant, but, another option for anti-tall tech, and can be conspired for even more massive damage. Not great, just wanted to mention it. In a similar vein, Agonizing Demise .

Searing Rays - another I found and just wanted to mention, since it's not great. Almost always going to be a worse Stronghold Discipline , but one mana cheaper, and useful for a mono-color heavy meta (Elves, etc.)

Lastly, because it's so beautifully perfect for an Aikido deck in art, flavor, effect, flavor text, everything: Turn the Tables . Just look at that art; the casual and hilarious smackdown! Read that flavor text; confident as hell! I know, 5 CMC is a lot to hold up, but I love it too much, picked one up in foil. I'm sure you can appreciate it, even if you'd never run it.

Shame you changed to such a drastically different meta; I've read what kind of decks you face now, and those are certainly trickier to "Aikido" around to victory. My meta is much more creature-combat focused, so I'm looking forward to something along your initial lines!

Again, great deck!

Shriveling Rot has an aikido angle to it but it's probably just clunkier than Rakdos Charm & Backlash since it requires removal, and people relying on infinitive sac combos can probably just stop for the turn. Still, it hasn't been mentioned so maybe someone can find a place for it.

Another question, ever tried out Nevermore ? Seems great to keep commanders out of the game?

Finally got to play the deck tonight! Lots of fun, but I really have to take my aggro mindset a bit away ;) Was quite triggerhappy with removing stuff. So some more practice is needed.

There was only one moment when I did not had an answer (and I had Sunforger on the field. I was being attacked by 6-7 big buffed up Mazirek Tokens, and on that moment I wished that there was a Settle the Wreckage in the deck to deal with a scenario like that. Right now you have nothing to deal with someone who doesnt go super wide, but also not attack with one big creature. We have nothing for the grey area in the middle, since Rakdos Charm doest not take care of 8-9 creatures coming your way

I also added a Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker instead of Tymna the Weaver and that really helped as well. She isnt a direct threath on the board, but people are reluctant to attack you or shoot damage in your face.

Also I'm really thinking about adding Nevermore . Tonight I was up against Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge and I really had problems dealing with her. The guy played a shit ton of "I take an extra turn card" for free with her looking for his combo. This really put me in the position of countering and removing his commander. In this situation a Nevermore would have been ideal, especially targeting a Grixis commander, since they kinda lac enchantment removal :)

But overal it was a very pleasant evening and looking forward to test her a bit more. precociousapprentice do you have any cards that you doubt about? Or where you go I would replace those with something of the cards you named above?

I find it very hard to make cuts right now since I really want to playtest your build!

Ripwater: The deck used to have Comeuppance , it might fit in better in your meta over Settle since it doesn't ramp the offending player. If you do decide to stick with it anyway, Acidic Soil would be a good complement, so as to take advantage of the drawback

Agreed about Comeupoance. Works really well in those situations, and helps with the Aikido theme. I also love Nevermore, and have run it in here. It paints a target, but sometimes that is worth it.

No time for more from me now. My connection is spotty. Writing from the Galapagos islands right now. Will address more when I am home. I do love the continued conversation in my absence, though.

Nada problema man, enjoy your (assumed) family vacation

Comeupoance is a killing machine in my LGS, i will stick with It.

Man, You changed the list, I Was caught by surprize, now I dont know what I was using, I take out some pieces for a Mardu aggro.

Do you still have the last version written down somewhere?

Coward_Token Are You Brazilian? My cellphone always correct no problem to nada problema lol

Patolea: I was going to write "no problemo" but then I looked up what "problem" actually is in Spanish

So, both for your deck and mine, What do you think of the new Bolt Bend ? The cost reduction may not happen much , but it's easy on the color base, CAN be cheaper, is a great ability to have available and most important, it fits in a Sunforger package quite well.

Also, as to questions you asked on that deck Bloodstained Chessboard a good while back, The diamonds have worked out wonderfully for escorting her majesty in early, and while the Fury Storm does drop a bit late, i've pulled some mass kills with it a few times. The other cards noted there were cut.

Hi have you considered Azra Oddsmaker ? I feel like it could replace Necropotence in the deck, losing your natural draw step always felt like a bad play in the early game, and the deck is already basically tutor tribal haha

ThaneGarrus That is certainly a neat card, may have to use it myself some time, but I feel it doesn't fit here. It's a more fragile permanent type, has more restrictions on the timing and quantity of the cards, and requires a gamble and an opening to execute, which may draw the ire of the one struck. Also the color restriction in necropotence means it often won't hit play quite that early. That's my take anyway, in the end it's up to precociousapprentice. It is a neat card though.

I think someone was asking about finding an older version of this deck (though I can't seem to find the specific comment again).

I have one here from Oct. 6th, 2018 for those interested: Marchesa: Politics, Aikido, & Control - Older Copy

This is pretty awesome TheCaptainsLog! I have been thinking about reconstructing an older version as well. I may link it in the primer, if that is OK.

precociousapprentice You are welcome to link it in the primer.