How Can I Put Mindless Automaton into my Atraxa Deck?
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on Aug. 10, 2022, 9:14 p.m. by DemonDragonJ
I would like to put Mindless Automaton into my Atraxa, Praetors' Voice EDH deck, because it could provide amazing card advantage in that deck, but I am not certain which card to remove in favor of it. My first choice was Abzan Falconer, since this deck already contains both Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Akroma's Memorial, but the redundancy there is good, and replacing the falconer with the automaton would increase the deck's average converted mana cost, so the next choice is Azor's Elocutors, since replacing that card would decrease the deck's average converted mana cost, and the elocutors would make me a target, since there is no way that my opponents shall allow it to survive. I did also consider replacing Otherworld Atlas with the automaton, but I would like to have both cards in the deck, for redundancy.
What does everyone else say about this? How can I put Mindless Automaton in my Atraxa deck?
bushido_man96 says... #3
At first glance, I agree with TheOfficialCreator. Why provide everyone else card draw, especially if you're not playing a group hug deck.
Then I checked the decklist. You have 40 lands, at it appears you do not have very many card draw spells. I'd swap out some lands for more card draw. I'd feel comfortable running 37 lands, but if you only want to cut two to get to 38, you'd probably still feel comfortable about it. I'd still drop Otherworld Atlas, as it's just a bad card, and you don't want to tie all of your card draw effects to Atraxa's proliferation ability. If you run that up to where everyone at the table is drawing 4 cards per turn, then you are just filling your opponents' hands with answers to your problems. Some simple card draw spells like Night's Whisper, Harmonize, Sign in Blood, and Ambition's Cost are all very reliable card draw spells that don't require a board state or your commander doing it's thing to draw some gas. Sometimes after a board wipe, you just need to draw a few cards to get things rolling again.
I'd say the same for your ramp package, too. It seems a bit light, especially with such a commander that is 4 CMC of 4 different colors. You're not running any colored ramp, save Chromatic Lantern, which kind of counts. Personally, I'd run more of a green land ramp package and replace it with Arcane Signet, and then stick with the few colorless rocks you have that you can proliferate counters onto.
Sorry, got a bit long there, but I hope you find some of this information helpful.
August 11, 2022 5:44 p.m.
Dangerwillrobinson79 says... #4
I get massive value out of Esper Sentinel. It gives me all the card draw for 1 cmc. I pulled the memorial because 7 cmc, regardless of coolness, left it dead in hand more often than not.
August 11, 2022 6:05 p.m.
bushido_man96 says... #5
Esper Sentinel is only one piece of card advantage, and you can't count on drawing it every game. And smart opponents will remove it. I agree it's a great card draw engine, but you need more than that.
August 11, 2022 9:44 p.m.
Dangerwillrobinson79 says... #6
Have you met my friend Rhystic Study? They’re a powerful duo!
August 13, 2022 9:53 p.m.
Dangerwillrobinson79 says... #7
Here's mine. Fairly low cmc and card draw is almost never an issue. Voltraxa, friends & auras
TheOfficialCreator says... #2
I would personally swap the Atlas out, since it benefits your opponents as well, and this creature doubles as a possible blocker/attacker. The drawing is a good bonus as well.
Removing the Elocutors not only deprives you of a possible win con, it takes you out of a red herring which could delay the removal of your true threats.
August 10, 2022 9:47 p.m.