Sen Triplets or Breya, Etherium Shaper?
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on July 18, 2017, 7:16 a.m. by BS-T
Pretty much sums up the decision I'm making for my next EDH project...
I own a Paradox Engine, Doubling Cube, Panharmonicon, Chromatic Lantern and wanted to do something Artifact focused since my decks don't tend to rely that heavily on mana rocks etc.
I'm not looking to go all infinite combo or hard lock, maybe pillow fort if that seems like a good way to take it. Doesn't need to be crazy competitive, 75% theory is where I'm headed.
It'd be good to get peoples opinions on whether brings enough to the table to make Breya, Etherium Shaper a better choice than Sen Triplets to lead the line (though obviously the Panharmonicon angle is good with Breya). Also, what are some good directions to take Artifact-heavy decks in with these commanders? Since I own a Sen Triplets, does it belong in the 99 if Breya is up top?
I'm working on a bit of a budget but could lean to one or two big ($15ish) inclusions (Master Transmuter seems like a popular one to go for?). I'll probably be including an Unwinding Clock as my first purchase for the deck in any event.
Hope to hear what you all think.
landofMordor says... #3
Yeah, honestly I'd say it depends on your playstyle. Breya lends herself to a bit more combo, while Triplets are control. Another possible commander for you would be Sharuum the Hegemon, which retains the (relative) simplicity of Esper colors while increasing artifact synergy (Panharmonicon). Again, you can do degenerate things any way you go, it just depends on the method you choose. Although, I should note that for a budget-ish build, a 3-color landbase is way easier than a 4-color one.
Hope that helps! Cheers.
July 18, 2017 noon
I think you should figure out the playstyle you think you will like more. What are you going for with this deck? Both decks can be a lot of fun, but they play completely differently.
I find Breya will be the more Competitive choice, so if that's your concern, she is your choice. Triplets are a great choice for an average deck. I especially like Triplets as a primary EDH deck as it plays differently every time.
As already mentioned by somebody else, Triplets has the cheaper mana base.
July 18, 2017 12:39 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #5
I found Breya to be a tad repetitive where the obvious goal is to play an infinite mana combo and burn everyone to death. If you're not doing that I found it difficult to make the deck feel cohesive.
The Triplets are another thing entirely. They lend themselves to a similar control deck, but because of their ability you don't really have to build around them at all which leaves the 99 totally up to you.
Basically it depends on what you like to do. 75% will make the combo route less consistent, so you could build either deck to suit you. I like the addition of red to have a bit of a reanimation suite.
July 18, 2017 2:19 p.m.
DrunkManSquakin666 says... #6
Never underestimate the power another color brings to the table. The mana base is bound to be horrifically expensive, but it's scary what one can achieve with just Thopter Sword and a Reckless Fireweaver on the board, for example.
Also, Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast can be rather crazy.
In short, why not both? Run the Twins in your Breya deck. >=3
July 18, 2017 3:14 p.m.
So much to consider I think it's even harder now!
As much as I am tempted to add Red by DrunkManSquakin666's Daretti, Ingenious Iconoclast and Calliber's selection I think I'll see how I go with the Girls for now since I've got them. As MindAblaze and iAzire suggest, it sounds like they could be easier to diversify and be a bit less linear, something I was concerned about. I won't be taking the hard control elements too far since with a group of players I tend to feel like so much of the deck needs to be counterspells that you don't have room to put in all the fun stuff you want!
landofMordor - Sharuum is a definite include especially as I do need to find non-Red recursion (good catch again MindAblaze) I think I can find enough in white or maybe with graveyard shuffling in blue.
Does anyone have any 'under the radar' suggestions for good Artifact synergy, thoughts on Master Transmuter, ah heck, even the obvious good stuff in case I miss it!?
July 19, 2017 1:08 a.m.
DrunkManSquakin666 says... #8
Thopter Sword is notorious in Modern, but I get the feeling that not as many people know how deadly it can be in Commander as should be the case, because of its synergy with other cards.
Thopter Foundry + Sword of the Meek and Ashnod's Altar or Krark-Clan Ironworks is the most obvious example. Infinite life and mana is nothing to scoff at, especially when you can then use that mana to gain infinite life, again, and produce infinite 1/1 flyers with which you can swarm the table into submission.
Thopter Sword and Time Sieve gives you infinite turns with 5 mana. With 4 mana, you could swap out Thopter Sword for Myr Battlesphere and Nim Deathmantle to achieve the same effect.
Swap out Sieve for Altar or Ironworks and you have infinite tokens with Battlesphere and Mantle.
Altar + Mantle + any creature that produces at least two tokens on entry will yield infinite tokens, as well.
Ironworks/Altar + Mantle + Wurmcoil Engine +2 mana yields infinite 3/3 beaters.
Even something like Disciple of the Vault or Marionette Master can be deadly with Thopter Sword.
Sydri, Galvanic Genius + Aetherflux Reservoir + WUB mana murders everything to death until it dies...
There are ridiculous numbers of infinite combos and other deadly synergies out there. Those are just my favorite ones. =3
July 19, 2017 2:06 a.m.
landofMordor says... #9
Hm. Under the radar suggestions for artifact synergy...I have an Oloro, Ageless Ascetic deck that I've geared toward artifacts (no pun intended) and here's what I've learned from piloting that deck:
Recursion is easily available in Black for any artifact creatures, such as Phyrexian Reclamation, Unburial Rites, etc. Artifacts are also good at recurring themselves, like through Scrap Trawler and Myr Retriever. So I wouldn't worry too much about recursion in Esper colors. Furthermore, you've got insane tutors in your colors, from Sphinx Summoner to Thalia's Lancers to Djeru, With Eyes Open...and since you're in the best flicker colors, you can use Conjurer's Closet, Ghostly Flicker, etc to re-use those abilities and other ETB abilities like Sharuum's or Filigree Angel.
I really love playing Chief Engineer and Inspiring Statuary for hidden little mana advantages. You could also go Thopter "tribal" with Sharding Sphinx, Thopter Spy Network, Efficient Construction, etc. All of that kinda lends itself to an "artifact aristocrat" deck of sorts, but other synergies just depend on how you want to build the deck. However, if you get a list put together, I'd be glad to take a look!
My comments lean away from combo, since that's not my playstyle, but you can also build using the aforementioned infinite combos.
July 19, 2017 7:16 a.m.
Amazing help landofMordor, thanks. I'll try to get a decklist together in the next few days
July 19, 2017 9:58 a.m.
Tough going but I've made a reasonable start: Six eyes to blink with.
Definitely need to look at the cuts - I have 8 non-basic land slots set aside (Ancient Den, Arcane Sanctum, Darksteel Citadel, Dromar's Cavern, Inventors' Fair, Mana Confluence, Seat of the Synod, Vault of Whispers) so need to make around 30 cuts from the list to add basics and any other utility suggestions (the usual Evolving Wilds, Ghost Quarter etc.
I am running a lot of mana rocks to abuse Paradox Engine and Unwinding Clock though so maybe less lands is fine...
Calliber says... #2
Yes, red actually does bring enough to the table to make Breya, Etherium Shaper an excellent choice. Cards like: Reckless Fireweaver, Trash for Treasure, Daretti, Scrap Savant, Hellkite Tyrant just to name a few because there's some very good interactions to work with in red. Red acts in a very different manner when incorporated into her deck and it's quite fun and unexpected.
That's not to take away from Sen Triplets. That card is a stand-alone card. As commander you don't even need to build around it and have a completely different strategy in the 99. You could include it in any deck as a 99 that runs Esper colors and always be happy to draw it.
You have no bad choice here. Breya gives you more options to choose from, that's about it.
July 18, 2017 11:14 a.m.