This started as a Kemba, Kha Regent tribal/voltron deck. I really enjoyed the cat tribal theme, and had a lot of fun playing it. That said, with my other main EDH deck being Krenko, Mob Boss, token generation started to feel stale, and despite the different playstyles (voltron vs. aggro-combo), they started to feel similar. It was then that I discovered the lovely Isamaru, Hound of Konda. At first, I scoffed at the idea of a mono-white Grizzly Bears of a general, but I came to the realization: 2 general damage on turn two ain't bad. Throw some swords on there? Now we're talking! Sure, Isamaru doesn't make tokens, but he's FAST, so I dropped the tribal element (not a lot of support for Hound tribal, unfortunately), and instead incorporated a solid Stax element, dropping Kemba's cats and expensive equipment in favor of cheap equipment and ways to shut down the board for our opponents. No longer are we trying to fill the board with 2/2 cats, but instead we're getting a turn one commander, giving him a personal armory, then locking down the board in our favor.
Why Play Isamaru, Hound of Konda?
You like to play FAST: You've got a turn one commander, that's pretty cool. The fact that he swings for 2+ on turn 2? Even cooler. Like its general, this deck has a very low average CMC, coming in at 2.39. By the time that green player has ramped into their first fatty and the red player's got a couple tokens, your board is fully set up. Again, very cool.
You don't like abilities: You want to tap your commander to make tokens or reanimate dead creatures or "parley"??? Get outta here with that nonsense, we're giving this dog a SWORD (or nine) and turning him sideways.
You don't mind recasting your commander: Isamaru just costs ONE mana. He gets bolted or pathed? Not a big deal, play him next turn, and the turn after that, and after that. While even one recasting can seriously hurt some commanders, Isamaru's got plenty of lives (not nine, though, that's cats). In addition, this deck is chock-full of ways to protect the pup - turn two Hyena Umbra/Flickering Ward followed up by Holy Mantle and/or Spectra Ward gives you one resilient pup.
You like dogs: Look at that friendly ball of fluff, who COULDN'T love such a sweet dog? Go ahead, pet him, I'm sure it'll be fine.
Umezawa's Jitte? More like Umezawa's JEEZ that's expensive.
Budget Choices
Most of this deck isn't THAT pricey (the TCGPlayer mid estimate comes out to just under $400, and 70 of the 100 cards are under $3), but a handful of cards are responsible for half the cost themselves:
Sword of Fire and Ice/Sword of Light and Shadow/Umezawa's Jitte: (The other Swords of X and Y fall in this category, but these two are the biggest culprits) There's tons of budget equipment out there that can be swapped in here. Kusari-Gama and Magebane Armor immediately come to mind, but there's tons of <$1 equipment out there, so whatever works for you. With that in mind, the Swords are really good (I particularly like Sword of Feast and Famine), and Jitte can win you the game easily. Sword of Body and Mind is easily the least essential of the Swords, but they're all nice to have.
Stoneforge Mystic: She's a great, cheap tutor for this deck, and her ability often lets you skim the cost of an equipment by one, which is nice. That said, she's REALLY expensive, and I feel like she's only getting more expensive. Unfortunately, I don't really have any budget replacements for her (other than Steelshaper's Gift and Stonehewer Giant, which we're both already running). Relic Seeker would probably be a suitable replacement. Otherwise, Grab one in Italian, hope for a reprint, or just don't run her - it's really not the end of the world.
Ancient Tomb/Flagstones of Trokair: Ancient Tomb is nice with all the equipment you're looking to cast and equip to Isamaru, and Trokair gives you a land post-MLD. Neither of them are particularly essential, and you could just run Plains in their place. If you want, some cheap ramp in the form of Knight of the White Orchid or Expedition Map can serve as a pseudo-Trokair.
Enlightened Tutor: This card's real good, and if you don't have it, it should probably be the first thing you pick up of any of these costlier cards, and that goes for any deck running white. In the mean time, your budget replacements for Stoneforge Mystic should be sufficient to grab artifacts, and Enduring Ideal and/or Plea for Guidance can tutor your enchantments. They're not great, but they'll do.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant: Elspeth's second ability is GREAT for voltron commanders (and if you can get her ultimate, that's cool, too). If Elspeth is a bit pricy, Ajani, Caller of the Pride's second ability is even better, but ticks him down instead of up. That said, his first ability isn't bad at all.
Inkmoth Nexus: Inkmoth here provides an alternative wincon in case Isamaru gets hated out of the game - simply animate it and throw all of your equipment and swing for likely lethal infect damage. Instead, you could simply run another Plains, but if you were looking for an alternate wincon, a card like Kemba, Kha Regent could make a suitable replacement.
Who IS Isamaru?
He's a dog from Kamigawa! But if you want a bit of backstory about him, you can read his entry here:
"Bark bark bark, bark bark." - Isamaru
Isamaru was the great white akita dog of daimyo Takeshi Konda. He was well-trained by Konda himself, but like Konda's own daughter, he suffered from the daimyo's lack of attention after Konda's crime. He found a great companion in Michiko.
Isamaru was present when Toshi Umezawa arrived to free Michiko from her own room, where she was locked away by her father after her journey to Jukai. Later, when O-Kagachi approached Eiganjo, General Takeno released Isamaru from the gates of the castle to give the dog a chance to survive. Isamaru ran to Eiganjo's evacuated population and helped them fight the akki horde that assailed the Towabara plains.
Even later, Isamaru was seen in Towabara again when Toshi arrived to borrow a battle moth from the remaining stables. He was with Constable Aoyama, who tried to prevent Toshi from stealing the animal. Toshi willed himself into the shadows and transported Isamaru to Jukai, near Michiko's position.
Thank you for a fantastic post! This list looks highly tuned.
What do you think of Bastion Protector, perhaps in lieu of Indomitable Archangel? It's a buff, a shield, and a body, for a low price. You may have found otherwise, but I don't see targeted removal of your equipment being a major issue, especially since you have around 30 of them.
Kemba, Kha Regent could be an alternate win condition for games where Isamaru has been hated out or the board is otherwise unfavorable.
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Thank you for a fantastic post! This list looks highly tuned.
What do you think of Bastion Protector, perhaps in lieu of Indomitable Archangel? It's a buff, a shield, and a body, for a low price. You may have found otherwise, but I don't see targeted removal of your equipment being a major issue, especially since you have around 30 of them.
Kemba, Kha Regent could be an alternate win condition for games where Isamaru has been hated out or the board is otherwise unfavorable.
Thanks a lot! Bastion Protector honestly looks great, can't say I've ever seen it before! Archangel is a leftover from Kemba, and I'm not in love with it here, but do you think it would be a better cut than Spirit en-Dal. I really like Spirit's ability, but repeatedly paying two would grow annoying, and it's the creature in this deck I feel weakest about.
Kemba would certainly make a nice alternate win condition; I've seen Inkmoth Nexus used as an alternate wincon for voltron decks whose commander gets hated out, and I'd be very interested in trying that out.
Cataclysm seems like it's right up your alley. Amazing card in both Voltron and Stax decks, and this deck is both.
I'm generally a big fan of Cataclysm, but I worry that with the amount of equipment and enchantments we're working with, it could hurt us more than help us. I'm under the impression it'd sometimes be a great draw, but with a board full of Swords and umbras/wards, it'd be a bad topdeck.
I'm generally a big fan of Cataclysm, but I worry that with the amount of equipment and enchantments we're working with, it could hurt us more than help us. I'm under the impression it'd sometimes be a great draw, but with a board full of Swords and umbras/wards, it'd be a bad topdeck.
If it would hurt you more than your opponents then, just like with any sweeper, don't cast it. I mean, you run Armageddon but I'm guessing that you don't just slam it down after playing your land for the turn when everyone else is established with mana rocks/dorks. On the other hand, Isamaru with a single equipment and a single aura could struggle to compete against whatever your opponents decide to keep because this is battlecruiser Magic, after all.
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You would never guess, at the terrifying sight of the man, that Hunding was as charming a companion as one could wish for.
I'm generally a big fan of Cataclysm, but I worry that with the amount of equipment and enchantments we're working with, it could hurt us more than help us. I'm under the impression it'd sometimes be a great draw, but with a board full of Swords and umbras/wards, it'd be a bad topdeck.
If it would hurt you more than your opponents then, just like with any sweeper, don't cast it. I mean, you run Armageddon but I'm guessing that you don't just slam it down after playing your land for the turn when everyone else is established with mana rocks/dorks. On the other hand, Isamaru with a single equipment and a single aura could struggle to compete against whatever your opponents decide to keep because this is battlecruiser Magic, after all.
Fair enough, I think it'd be a fine choice in the appropriate meta. Mine is one fairly devoid of huge creatures that could beat Isamaru post-Cataclysm, so I think I'll think about adding it.
Couple things, first Eight-and-a-half Tails is a much better choice, he's strictly better than Ismamaru.
Second you have too few creatures. You are gonna find, especially in multilayer that your general is a lightning rod for removal, and often times he will be killed so many times he gets impractical to cast, especially if you stick with the hound. You'll feel silly paying 6 mana or more for a 2/2 vanilla. And without many other creatures in your deck you won't have many targets for your euqipment. They are a few more creatures that work well with equipment, some that tutor, some that allow equipping at instant speed or for free, etc.
Last you have too many equipment, you will find, especially with a couple more ways of tutoring them, that you will favor a relative few of them. I started with 20+ in my deck, but I only ever went after a small few, now I have 11, the 5 swords, 3 pieces of Kaldra, and a few pieces that grant hexproof. I'd prolly include the Jitte if I had it but I don't.
Couple things, first Eight-and-a-half Tails is a much better choice, he's strictly better than Ismamaru.
Second you have too few creatures. You are gonna find, especially in multilayer that your general is a lightning rod for removal, and often times he will be killed so many times he gets impractical to cast, especially if you stick with the hound. You'll feel silly paying 6 mana or more for a 2/2 vanilla. And without many other creatures in your deck you won't have many targets for your euqipment. They are a few more creatures that work well with equipment, some that tutor, some that allow equipping at instant speed or for free, etc.
Last you have too many equipment, you will find, especially with a couple more ways of tutoring them, that you will favor a relative few of them. I started with 20+ in my deck, but I only ever went after a small few, now I have 11, the 5 swords, 3 pieces of Kaldra, and a few pieces that grant hexproof. I'd prolly include the Jitte if I had it but I don't.
Well, I would honestly disagree on 8.5 being strictly better; I enjoy him, but I don't think he fits this deck personally. A fine commander, but I'm looking to hold three man open, ready to respond to threats as need be. Regardless, I simply enjoy Isamaru for flavor.
I had Brass Squire and Auriok Windwalker in the Kemba build, and they often felt like dead weight. Relic Seeker's tutoring is perhaps worth inclusion, as is Auriok Salvagers for recursion. Any other recommendations? Also, I think adding Command Beacon would be a nice way to potentially remedy a 6+ CMC Isamaru.
The pieces of Kaldra feel too expensive to cast and equip, but I'll note the # of artifacts, and look to them when making cuts, thanks!
Bark bark, mother****ers.
Isamaru, Hound of Many Swords
Mono-White Voltron
1x Isamaru, Hound of Konda
Artifact (32)
1x Basilisk Collar
1x Bonesplitter
1x Champion's Helm
1x Explorer's Scope
1x Fireshrieker
1x Godsend
1x Golem-Skin Gauntlets
1x Grafted Wargear
1x Infiltration Lens
1x Lightning Greaves
1x Loxodon Warhammer
1x Mask of Avacyn
1x Mask of Memory
1x Masterwork of Ingenuity
1x Piston Sledge
1x Shuko
1x Skullclamp
1x Sol Ring
1x Static Orb
1x Strata Scythe
1x Swiftfoot Boots
1x Sword of Body and Mind
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of Vengeance
1x Sword of War and Peace
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Trailblazer's Boots
1x Trusty Machete
1x Umezawa's Jitte
1x Winter Orb
1x Aura of Silence
1x Banishing Light
1x Battle Mastery
1x Blind Obedience
1x Ethereal Armor
1x Flickering Ward
1x Holy Mantle
1x Hyena Umbra
1x Land Tax
1x Oblivion Ring
1x Spectra Ward
Creature (11)
1x Aven Mindcensor
1x Bastion Protector
1x Grand Abolisher
1x Hokori, Dust Drinker
1x Indomitable Archangel
1x Leonin Shikari
1x Puresteel Paladin
1x Silverblade Paladin
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Stonehewer Giant
1x Sun Titan
Instant (4)
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Path to Exile
1x Return to Dust
1x Swords to Plowshares
1x Ancient Den
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Buried Ruin
1x Cathedral of War
1x Eiganjo Castle
1x Flagstones of Trokair
1x Inkmoth Nexus
24x Plains
1x Rogue's Passage
1x Secluded Steppe
1x Strip Mine
1x Temple of the False God
Sorcery (5)
1x Armageddon
1x Divine Reckoning
1x Revoke Existence
1x Steelshaper's Gift
1x Wrath of God
Planeswalker (1)
1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Work in progress!
Work in progress!
Sword of Fire and Ice/Sword of Light and Shadow/Umezawa's Jitte: (The other Swords of X and Y fall in this category, but these two are the biggest culprits) There's tons of budget equipment out there that can be swapped in here. Kusari-Gama and Magebane Armor immediately come to mind, but there's tons of <$1 equipment out there, so whatever works for you. With that in mind, the Swords are really good (I particularly like Sword of Feast and Famine), and Jitte can win you the game easily. Sword of Body and Mind is easily the least essential of the Swords, but they're all nice to have.
Stoneforge Mystic: She's a great, cheap tutor for this deck, and her ability often lets you skim the cost of an equipment by one, which is nice. That said, she's REALLY expensive, and I feel like she's only getting more expensive. Unfortunately, I don't really have any budget replacements for her (other than Steelshaper's Gift and Stonehewer Giant, which we're both already running). Relic Seeker would probably be a suitable replacement. Otherwise, Grab one in Italian, hope for a reprint, or just don't run her - it's really not the end of the world.
Ancient Tomb/Flagstones of Trokair: Ancient Tomb is nice with all the equipment you're looking to cast and equip to Isamaru, and Trokair gives you a land post-MLD. Neither of them are particularly essential, and you could just run Plains in their place. If you want, some cheap ramp in the form of Knight of the White Orchid or Expedition Map can serve as a pseudo-Trokair.
Land Tax: Crazy good ramp, but a little bit on the expensive side. Endless Horizons is probably the closest thing to it, but any ramp that allows you fetch a land or two (Solemn Simulacrum/Burnished Hart/Expedition Map) ain't bad.
Enlightened Tutor: This card's real good, and if you don't have it, it should probably be the first thing you pick up of any of these costlier cards, and that goes for any deck running white. In the mean time, your budget replacements for Stoneforge Mystic should be sufficient to grab artifacts, and Enduring Ideal and/or Plea for Guidance can tutor your enchantments. They're not great, but they'll do.
Elspeth, Knight-Errant: Elspeth's second ability is GREAT for voltron commanders (and if you can get her ultimate, that's cool, too). If Elspeth is a bit pricy, Ajani, Caller of the Pride's second ability is even better, but ticks him down instead of up. That said, his first ability isn't bad at all.
Inkmoth Nexus: Inkmoth here provides an alternative wincon in case Isamaru gets hated out of the game - simply animate it and throw all of your equipment and swing for likely lethal infect damage. Instead, you could simply run another Plains, but if you were looking for an alternate wincon, a card like Kemba, Kha Regent could make a suitable replacement. He's a dog from Kamigawa! But if you want a bit of backstory about him, you can read his entry here:
1/13/16:
This is a work in progress, critiques and feedback are highly welcome. Thanks for reading!
What do you think of Bastion Protector, perhaps in lieu of Indomitable Archangel? It's a buff, a shield, and a body, for a low price. You may have found otherwise, but I don't see targeted removal of your equipment being a major issue, especially since you have around 30 of them.
Kemba, Kha Regent could be an alternate win condition for games where Isamaru has been hated out or the board is otherwise unfavorable.
Thanks a lot! Bastion Protector honestly looks great, can't say I've ever seen it before! Archangel is a leftover from Kemba, and I'm not in love with it here, but do you think it would be a better cut than Spirit en-Dal. I really like Spirit's ability, but repeatedly paying two would grow annoying, and it's the creature in this deck I feel weakest about.
Kemba would certainly make a nice alternate win condition; I've seen Inkmoth Nexus used as an alternate wincon for voltron decks whose commander gets hated out, and I'd be very interested in trying that out.
I'm generally a big fan of Cataclysm, but I worry that with the amount of equipment and enchantments we're working with, it could hurt us more than help us. I'm under the impression it'd sometimes be a great draw, but with a board full of Swords and umbras/wards, it'd be a bad topdeck.
If it would hurt you more than your opponents then, just like with any sweeper, don't cast it. I mean, you run Armageddon but I'm guessing that you don't just slam it down after playing your land for the turn when everyone else is established with mana rocks/dorks. On the other hand, Isamaru with a single equipment and a single aura could struggle to compete against whatever your opponents decide to keep because this is battlecruiser Magic, after all.
Fair enough, I think it'd be a fine choice in the appropriate meta. Mine is one fairly devoid of huge creatures that could beat Isamaru post-Cataclysm, so I think I'll think about adding it.
Quick update:
-1 Spirit en-Dal
-2 Plains
+1 Bastion Protector
+1 Inkmoth Nexus
+1 Eiganjo Castle
Second you have too few creatures. You are gonna find, especially in multilayer that your general is a lightning rod for removal, and often times he will be killed so many times he gets impractical to cast, especially if you stick with the hound. You'll feel silly paying 6 mana or more for a 2/2 vanilla. And without many other creatures in your deck you won't have many targets for your euqipment. They are a few more creatures that work well with equipment, some that tutor, some that allow equipping at instant speed or for free, etc.
Last you have too many equipment, you will find, especially with a couple more ways of tutoring them, that you will favor a relative few of them. I started with 20+ in my deck, but I only ever went after a small few, now I have 11, the 5 swords, 3 pieces of Kaldra, and a few pieces that grant hexproof. I'd prolly include the Jitte if I had it but I don't.
Well, I would honestly disagree on 8.5 being strictly better; I enjoy him, but I don't think he fits this deck personally. A fine commander, but I'm looking to hold three man open, ready to respond to threats as need be. Regardless, I simply enjoy Isamaru for flavor.
I had Brass Squire and Auriok Windwalker in the Kemba build, and they often felt like dead weight. Relic Seeker's tutoring is perhaps worth inclusion, as is Auriok Salvagers for recursion. Any other recommendations? Also, I think adding Command Beacon would be a nice way to potentially remedy a 6+ CMC Isamaru.
The pieces of Kaldra feel too expensive to cast and equip, but I'll note the # of artifacts, and look to them when making cuts, thanks!