If you're building Chishiro, include these two staples

Commander (EDH) forum

Posted on Feb. 8, 2022, 12:19 a.m. by TypicalTimmy

Chishiro, the Shattered Blade is a new Commander from Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. If you decide to build him, Crown of Flames and Whip Silk will be great staples as they each cost 1 mana and can be returned for 1 mana. This is a cheap and fast way to build out an entire boardstate of 2/2 tokens who have menace.

If they also have haste, such as with Fervor or Fires of Yavimaya, you can also tap them for mana using something such as Cryptolith Rite. What this does is it will effectively double your mana production.

For example, suppose you have enough mana available to you for 3x castings of Crown of Flames and 2x returns, or a total of five mana. With haste and Cryptolith Rite, you can pay and that'll get you a 2/2 token. You can tap the token for to return the aura to your hand. From here, you still have 4x sources left. Each one will get you another 2/2, which can be immediately tapped to return the aura to your hand.

So rather than getting a total of two 2/2 tokens with five red mana, you get five 2/2 tokens. Now they all become tapped, but with any ETB damage effect, this can rapidly hurt everyone.

You can actually go infinite and win the game with this combo, too.

Now when the aura ETB, you get two 2/2 tokens. Tap one to return the aura, tap the second to cast it. It ETB, you get two more 2/2 tokens. Tap one to return, tap the other to cast. Two more 2/2 tokens.

Each time this happens, you stack damage.

It's a complex combo, but with so many redundant cards in Gruul, it'll easily be made.

So if you enjoy these sorts of combos, this one might just be for you.

You can also replace the haste and Cryptolith Rite with Mana Echoes and Chromatic Orrery.

Xenagos, the Reveler immediately comes to mind for far more mana, as does Nissa, Who Shakes the World. Her ability to make Forests add a second partners nicely with Whip Silk. Now each land pays for both the cost to cast and the cost to return. Merely having Nissa and Whip Silk equates to haste + Cryptolith Rite + token doubler.

Want to draw out your library? Boom, now you can.

Want to make sure pesky blue players can't stop you? Boom, now you can.

Want just one more way to deal damage to face? Boom, you got it.

Need some life? Boom, we got you.

Wanna swing for lethal? Boom, we got that too.

:) Gruul Enchantments just became a thing <3

Oh, and don't forget Storm ;D

TypicalTimmy says... #2

Epicurus, you know I'm building this nonsense lol

February 8, 2022 12:28 a.m.

ClockworkSwordfish says... #3

You can probably save a lot of money by just attaching the Whip Silk or Crown on Flames to Bramble Elemental every time rather than using a token doubler!

February 8, 2022 2:11 a.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #4

HOW HAVE I NEVER KNOWN ABOUT THAT CARD

February 8, 2022 2:26 a.m.

Omniscience_is_life says... #5

Brood Keeper, Akroan Conscriptor, Season of Growth, Druid of Horns, Gnarlback Rhino, and Fugitive Druid definitely all love these enchantments as well!

February 8, 2022 2:40 a.m.

ClockworkSwordfish says... #6

Don't forget Livewire Lash and Goldspan Dragon as well - the latter of which can singlehandedly let you play Crown of Flames or Silk Lash an infinite number of times. Forgeborn Oreads, do your thing!

February 8, 2022 2:56 a.m.

SteelSentry says... #7

If you're building all-in aura storm, Rancor + Phyrexian Altar is infinite ETB/death triggers.

February 8, 2022 3:45 a.m.

seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #8

Ghitu Firebreathing because redundancy?

Also, Gatherer of Graces + Rancor

Or Gatherer of Graces + Arachnus Web + Arachnus Spinner + Bramble Elemental + Maskwood Nexus for infinite tokens. This is above and beyond, but as you already started the ridiculousness.

February 8, 2022 2:40 p.m.

TriusMalarky says... #9

Just put a stack of these random cards that go infinite using this theme in some sleeves and laugh

it's snake time bois

February 8, 2022 8:55 p.m.

seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #10

I have some more: Somehow make Gargos, Vicious Watcher indestructible, then wipe the floor with whole board. Have him wear Blazing Sunsteel and/or Fiendlash and wish everybody a happy death day.

Oh, also wouldn't Cauldron of Souls be quite nice?

February 8, 2022 11:28 p.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #11

Confusion in the Ranks is brutal. Here's why.

Cast an aura that has a Return To Hand (RTH) ability.

The aura ETB.

You create a 2/2 Spirit token.

Now you need to manipulate the stack. Order them like this,

  • First: Activate the aura to RTH
  • Second: Exchange control of the enchantments
  • Third: Exchange control of the creatures

In top-down fashion, 3rd resolves first. You and your opponent exchange creatures. Great way to gain control of their Commander or combo piece

Next, enchantment swaps happen. They get your aura, you get their enchantment if they have one.

  • If nobody has an enchantment, the aura stays under your control.

Third, if the aura is under their control, your RTH activation resolves and it bounces back to you. You maintain control of their enchantment, but you keep yours ;)

  • Next

Even if they don't have an enchantment to swap, your RTH activation still resolves. RTH and re-cast.

You get another 2/2, who you swap out for one of theirs - again.

Take control of all their best creatures and give them a bunch of 2/2 chump blockers haha

This deck is stupid and I love it

February 9, 2022 3:58 a.m. Edited.

Gidgetimer says... #12

Confusion in the Ranks doesn't let you trade enchantments and then return the aura to your hand. There is no way to get the activation on the stack under the trigger. When your aura enters the battlefield both Confusion in the Ranks and Chishiro, the Shattered Blade will trigger and you can put the abilities on the stack in the order of your choosing. Only after both triggers have been put on the stack will you receive priority and be able to activate the RTH ability. The creature switch still works and is amusing. You just can't mix triggers and activations in the manner you were wishing.

February 9, 2022 5:55 a.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #13

So why is it I see on Game Knights Josh will occasionally say he wants to "hold priority" and put activations on the stack before other stack resolutions have resolved?

Is Josh cheating?

February 9, 2022 11:58 a.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #14

Ahh, I see now.

The RTH activation can't go beneath Ranks' swap ability, because the aura is already on the battlefield. You'd need to somehow get the RTH activation below the swap ability, which won't work because that implies activating the RTH ability BEFORE it ETB for Ranks to trigger.

Unless you have some massive mess about copying abilities, resolving and using flash, it wouldn't work.

February 9, 2022 3:16 p.m.

Gidgetimer says... #15

Exactly, the problem isn't activating the RTH ability before the other abilities resolve. It is activating the RTH ability before the others go on the stack.

February 9, 2022 8:34 p.m.

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