I first started playing MtG about 10 years ago via janky kitchen-table "Modern" with my college friends. We dove into EDH around 2019 & haven't looked back since.

I aim for high-powered casual, & when it makes sense to, usually include at least 1 combo wincon to help close grindy games. I like to have some variance in my play & only run a couple of suboptimal tutors in my combo-y decks.

is quickly becoming my favorite 3 color combo. Red & Black have grown on me the most since I've started playing MtG, especially EDH, and are probably my favorite single colors.


Decks currently owned/played in paper:


If you want an idea of my meta check out our page Mages of Magic Meta. Deck lists may vary by account, but this is more or less a list of the commanders in the meta, and a hub to our accounts and deck lists.

You can also find me on Moxfield if you're interested.

Crow-Umbra says... #1

That's awesome that your sister had that experience KBK7101. Wish I could have gone too haha, but work is getting intense right now.

Pancoast seems like a cool guy. I've exchanged some emails with him, & appreciated his responses to my questions. I'm not sure if you follow him on any social media, but he also seems kinda goofy on his art reveal posts during spoiler season(s).

Again, I appreciate you thinking of me. I hope you put one of those signed copies to good use.

May 9, 2023 10 p.m.

KBK7101 says... #2

No problem! When she told me that she was going (was in the area for work and her friend works for the convention center or something) she asked if I wanting anything from any artists. I saw Pancoast's name and you were the first person I thought of! Lol I was also kinda jealous as I've never been to anything like that before. She said it was really cool, though! She also said that Pancoast was "the most normal looking and acting man I've ever met". Lol

I've tried to get her to learn to play but she's never been interested, sadly. Haha

May 9, 2023 8:08 p.m.

Crow-Umbra says... #3

Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness KBK7101, I deeply appreciate it. I'm actually already using a signed Ryan Pancoast AP as my Isshin for my deck! I got it a couple of months ago; he's a super nice guy.

I'm glad your sister got to go to Magic Con and meet him in person. It must have been an awesome experience! If you aren't already, I def think you should keep one for yourself, and maybe your sister should build her own Isshin deck and use the other!

I appreciate you thinking of me, it means a lot from one internet stranger to another. Have fun and keep turning those Aggro cards sideways.

May 9, 2023 7:34 p.m.

KBK7101 says... #4

Hey, dude!

My sister was at Magic Con Minneapolis this past weekend and got me two foil Isshins, both signed by artist Ryan Pancoast! Being the biggest Isshin fan I know, I was wondering if you might be interested in one? Not sure about the rules about asking that kinda stuff here but I don't know how to private message people on this site. Sorry if I'm going about this the wrong way. Lol

May 9, 2023 7:22 p.m.

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Thank you for the shout out, and happy I could contribute!

I've checked in on your site periodically since leaving my initial suggestions on your original thread, and have enjoyed seeing the site evolve. You are definitely trying to quantify the chasm of the Power Level 7 ratings haha.

I will need to sit and check it out in greater detail, but I have enjoyed the various new filtering features you've introduced to the search options and results outputs. I also like your suggested talking points for pre-game discussions.

If I notice any hiccups or discrepancies I will definitely keep you posted. Keep up the good work!

May 26, 2023 2:40 p.m.

Nice first deck! I'd recommend checking out Ratadrabik of Urborg and Hofri Ghostforge as some additional means to recycle your Legends. I think Ratadrabik could fit right in, since about 22 of your 28 creatures are Legends.

May 25, 2023 6:09 p.m.

I will preface my feedback by acknowledging that I don't currently own my Thalia/Gitrog deck in paper and haven't played it at all IRL.

I think you are spot on in being heavy on the ramp. Since Thalia/Gitrog already has the extra land drop effect stapled on to them, I think you could stand to cut 3-4 of your 1 drop mana dorks, and 1-2 other Extra Land Drop effects. For similar reasons, I think you could safely cut Smothering Tithe. Yes, it's a great card, but I think you already have a ton of ramp, and Thalia/Gitrog taps down your opponents' lands, so it feels a bit extra. I think some of the following could be helpful:

I hope these are helpful suggestions.

May 18, 2023 11:52 a.m.

Thank you for the comment Benwatts14, I appreciate it.

Once Zimone and Dina were spoiled, I decided to build them instead because I had 88/100 cards already in my collection, and one of my good friends was also brewing Thalia/Gitrog, so I wanted to do something he wasn't lol. For what it's worth, his Thalia/Gitrog deck is more a Legends Matter theme. I haven't seen his list, as he hasn't made it public on Moxfield.

May 18, 2023 11:38 a.m.

Said on Obi-Spawn Kenobi v1...

#5

I'm glad your coworkers were able to give you some additional feedback & insight. The stuff you added will be super helpful.

I think next steps for further mana base tuning could be to convert a couple of your Signets into the last two Talisman of ____ in that cycle.

I'd say check out Fervent Charge as a future swap with Cathars' Crusade. Putting a bunch of counters on your team is helpful, but keeping track of a bunch of dice with each trigger can be annoying in actual irl practice lol.

If you expand on your treasure subtheme more since you have Revel in Riches, Lannery Storm, & Battle Angels, I'd suggest checking out Professional Face-Breaker & Goldspan Dragon.

Face-Breaker rewards you for going wide, & can turn your treasures into impulse draw in a pinch. Goldspan's mana generation is roided out with Isshin. Def a pricier upgrade, but a good one.

Your deck is looking solid. You have a good foundation to keep building on

May 13, 2023 4:48 p.m.

Said on Obi-Spawn Kenobi v1...

#6

Your mana curve on this version of your Isshin deck looks nice. Love that value slide lol.

At quick glance, I'm digging some of the changes you've made compared to the $75 version

May 13, 2023 2:43 p.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#7

My bad, didn't mean to double post. I got a Thopters Deployed error page on my initial attempt. I wasn't sure if it went through.

May 12, 2023 10:17 a.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#8

Happy to help. I always found it helpful over the years when people would give me more detailed explanations as to why a swap or suggestion made sense over what I was playing. Basically anything deeper than "this card is good/this card is better".

I think you can probably swap out Greatsword of Tyr for Arcane Signet. Helps your color fixing and ramp a bit more on curve. Twohanded Axe can be swapped with any of the following:

  • Scapegoat as another board protection effect. Sac a creature token & return as many of your creatures to hand as you need to. Helps dodge a variety of boardwipes, & lets you pace out your board re-deployment as needed.

  • Brave the Sands a helpful Vigilance anthem that can also help you get more mileage out of your extra combat steps that specify when your creatures untap. Also helpful for making your board "wider", especially in early game or after wipes.

  • Deadly Dispute Sac a creature token or artifact to draw 2 & make a treasure token. Not bad.

  • Tibalt's Trickery as a funky counterspell option. Offers some versatility in terms of protecting your stuff against wipes or targeted removal, or can be used more proactively against someone else's combo piece.

In regards to my deck list, you can either follow this link, or hop over to my profile, and it should be near the top.

May 12, 2023 10:15 a.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#9

Happy to help. I always found it helpful over the years when people would give me more detailed explanations as to why a swap or suggestion made sense over what I was playing. Basically anything deeper than "this card is good/this card is better".

I think you can probably swap out Greatsword of Tyr for Arcane Signet. Helps your color fixing and ramp a bit more on curve. Twohanded Axe can be swapped with any of the following:

  • Scapegoat as another board protection effect. Sac a creature token & return as many of your creatures to hand as you need to. Helps dodge a variety of boardwipes, & lets you pace out your board re-deployment as needed.

  • Brave the Sands a helpful Vigilance anthem that can also help you get more mileage out of your extra combat steps that specify when your creatures untap. Also helpful for making your board "wider", especially in early game or after wipes.

  • Deadly Dispute Sac a creature token or artifact to draw 2 & make a treasure token. Not bad.

  • Tibalt's Trickery as a funky counterspell option. Offers some versatility in terms of protecting your stuff against wipes or targeted removal, or can be used more proactively against someone else's combo piece.

In regards to my deck list, you can either follow this link, or hop over to my profile, and it should be near the top.

May 12, 2023 10:08 a.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#10

No prob, glad the suggestions were to your liking! First and foremost, I'd say to focus your upgrades on the aspects of the deck that you have the most fun with, especially in the context of your playgroup or LGS meta.

Personally, I've had a lot of fun running Isshin as a Tokens Go-Wide strat for the past year. My deck is currently running about 12 of the same creatures you currently are. If you're interested, my decklist has a primer which discusses some of the card choices I've made.

Once you are ready to make more upgrades, I think that Wayfarer's Bauble, Greatsword of Tyr, Two-Handed Axe, and Argentum Armor can be your next round of cuts for more synergistic swaps. Argentum Armor is the first one I'd probably swap; it's 12 total mana for a +6/+6 buff and destroying 2 permanents on an attack (if Isshin is out). Dismantling Wave or Wear / Tear could be swaps for Argentum Armor if you want another multi-target removal option. I'd lean Wear/Tear

May 12, 2023 2:10 a.m.

I'm not sure what I would be as a commander. The stuff I've played is kinda all over the place. But if Crow Umbra was a card......


Crow Umbra

Enchantment-Aura

Enchant creature.

Enchanted creature gets flying and "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card then discard a card."

Totem Armor


I'm sure this needs to be balanced a bit more by maybe requiring the discard to happen before the draw, or maybe making the CMC more color intensive. I figured the Looting/Rummaging style draw on combat damage could also tie into crows/corvids being scavengers.

I wanted to add a +1/+2 buff as a nod to Storm Crow, but that seemed a bit too far for what I already have up there.

May 12, 2023 1:59 a.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#12

Just thought of a few more potential additions that could still fit your themes. All of these are ETB power buffing anthems, with various upsides:

A few more budget-ish suggestions:

  • Scapegoat is a mana and wallet efficient board protection effect, especially for token strats.

  • Plumb the Forbidden is an excellent draw option for token strats, especially in response to boardwipes. One of my most fun plays was using this in response to a Living Death so my board was already in the graveyard to be brought back with my opponent's attempted wipe.

  • Soul Partition pulls double duty as either a (temporary) removal piece, or a protection piece for one of your permanents.

May 12, 2023 1:28 a.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#13

Glad we're on the same page carpecanum lol. I think Myriad/ETB damage is a great budget route for Isshin lists that can serve as a decent foundation for potential upgrades.

To build off your Ankle Shanker suggestion, I'd also like to throw in Vault of the Archangel and Kaya, Geist Hunter could serve as additional Deathtouch anthems. Kaya is also a budget-ish option for token doubling. I think Vault of the Archangel should replace Temple of the False God. Temple is very slow, and not super useful in a 3+ color deck.

Mayhem Patrol can be a useful 2 drop and can be Blitzed out if needed for a cantrip draw.

May 11, 2023 12:58 p.m.

Said on Obi-Wan Budget...

#14

The recent Aurelia Multiverse Legends reprint is such a huge benefit to budget decks. I know your overall budget is $75, but do you have a budget per card? I have a few suggestions within budget that I think could push your deck a little more without breaking the bank:

  • I think you can probably cut Heiko Yamazaki, the General and Raiyuu, Storm's Edge you currently have 5 Warriors & 3 Samurai in deck. From playing Isshin extensively this past year, you definitely want to be attacking with more than one creature per combat haha. Solo attacking usually only happens in early game or after recovering from board wipes.

  • Since you already have Duke Ulder Ravengard and Hammers of Moradin, you could lean a bit more into Myriad. Hammers of Moradin is one of my favorite cards in my list, and usually punches above its weight. Some other Myriad creatures you could include are Genasi Enforcers and Elturel Survivors.

  • To pair with Myriad and your creature token production in general, I'd recommend getting in some ETB damage effects like Corpse Knight, Impact Tremors, and/or Witty Roastmaster. This helps get some damage in "around" defenses, and softens up opponents even further for when your creatures connect.

  • I think Delina, Wild Mage could be an eventual swap/upgrade to Flamerush Rider. Yes, you can Dash out the Rider, but the copies that Delina makes are not Legendary, which can have a higher ceiling on doubling up those triggers you typically wouldn't be able to.

  • Karlach, Fury of Avernus could be a budget-ish (less than $10) swap for Raiyuu if you want another extra combat effect. Karlach doesn't even need to attack, she just checks if you are attacking.

  • Breena, the Demagogue or Karazikar, the Eye Tyrant could be potential swaps with Glint-Sleeve Siphoner. Both are a blast, and add some fun political wrinkles to games while helping you (and opponents) draw cards. They're high risk/high reward. Breena can help grow herself or your other threats, and Karazikar can help deflect aggro away with Goad.

  • Lastly, I'd recommend Gruesome Realization as a swap for Faithless Looting. Yes, Looting is cheap & has Flashback, but it isn't super helpful in this deck since you're not utilizing your graveyard as a resource. Gruesome Realization has helped me cut down other opposing creature token boards in a few games, or drawn me cards if I wasn't playing against those types of strats.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. Overall your deck has decent synergy, but I think a handful of the suggested swaps can get it a bit more honed in. Hope you have fun with Isshin, he's a blast.

May 11, 2023 11:39 a.m.

Said on Samurai Tribal...

#15

I'd recommend checking out Conjurer's Mantle. Works with your equipment subtheme & Isshin. It has a Samurai in the art to boot lol.

May 10, 2023 9:59 p.m.

Said on Crow-Umbra...

#16

That's awesome that your sister had that experience KBK7101. Wish I could have gone too haha, but work is getting intense right now.

Pancoast seems like a cool guy. I've exchanged some emails with him, & appreciated his responses to my questions. I'm not sure if you follow him on any social media, but he also seems kinda goofy on his art reveal posts during spoiler season(s).

Again, I appreciate you thinking of me. I hope you put one of those signed copies to good use.

May 9, 2023 10 p.m.

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Finished Decks 58
Prototype Decks 25
Drafts 0
Playing since Dragon's Maze
Points 2580
Avg. deck rating 30.85
T/O Rank 7
Helper Rank 5
Favorite formats Commander / EDH
Suppressed formats Standard, Alchemy, Brawl, Historic, Pioneer, Modern, Pauper, Legacy, Vintage, Pauper EDH, Gladiator, Highlander, Duel Commander, Pauper Duel Commander, Leviathan, 1v1 Commander, Premodern, Oldschool 93/94, Limited, Pre-release, Planechase, Archenemy, Vanguard, Tiny Leaders, Oathbreaker, Block Constructed, Arena, Casual, Unformat, Quest Magic
Cards suggested / good suggestions 759 / 364
Cards Added/Fixed 76
Last activity 3 days
Joined 9 years