Rafiq of the Many was always one of my favorite commanders, but I was always sad that I couldn't include every creature with exalted since black was left out. With four colors now a thing though I want to try and make a four color exalted deck. However, I'm stuck on which commanders to use. I was initially thinking of using Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa but that forces me to use Silas Renn, Seeker Adept who seems less good in a exalted theme. Keeping to four colors then I'm stuck among the following:
If you really wanna go 4 color, you're probably stuck with Ishai and one of the black-green generals. I like the idea of Ravos, but none of the blue green generals make thematic sense.
Black gives you tutors, removal like Vindicate, and the like.
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Modern UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW WUBRGHumansWUBRG BGMidrangeBG
Reyhan gets enough love, this looks like Ikra's time to shine. She has more synergy with exalted than Reyhan, who only really has synergy with Ishai unless you include a counter subtheme. Ikra gains you lots of life in an exalted deck if you can reliably hit, which works well with a flying commander like Ishai and the various ways to make a single creature unblockable. She also attacks well in a pinch herself, with menace and a fat butt.
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I would definitely say Ishai and Ikra. Ravos is tempting but Kydele probably wouldn't shine and Thrasios would be fine I guess? Atraxa would also be good. Basically the flying generals are going to be good with exalted.
I like Ikra, I think down the stretch the menace could come into being effective. But to play off of the Reyha/Ishai idea, you could have +1s and Exalted together, with Cathar's Crusade, Retribution of the Ancients seems interesting in tandem.
Ishai/Reyhan seem like a good combo. They both deal with counters, which can serve to make whatever creature you're... exalting? that much better.
I saw the same, but I saw Ishai/Ikra as a better choice, unless you really have a +1/+1 counter subtheme that makes "Abzan Modular" possible. Ikra also has an evasion ability, albeit not much of one in exalted.
Tymna offers nothing to exalted. Tymna's effect is a worse Coastal Piracy, which translates to just plain Coastal Piracy in exalted decks. Kydele and Thrasios offer generic benefits with Ravos.
tl;dr: You really want commanders with evasion abilities. Ishai/Ikra are the best choice IMO.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Frankly you're better off just sticking to Atraxa and joining the other two and a half thousand lists on EDHREC - having two commanders and a deck based around buffing just one is always going to be a bit awkward, and spending all that mana getting both generals out is just going to distract from setting up exalted and progressing the gameplan. Atraxa is the best brawler in the game at four mana and proliferate is relevant in most exalted lists anyway.
The appeal of taking the unconventional route is strong, I know, but at the cost of this much potential it's hard to see it leading anywhere but disappointment
Why Ikra though? The commander you're going to be killing with is Ishai, like every time. Flying is better than menace, and lifegain is so irrelevant it hurts. At least Reyhan provides some extra power, and he has direct synergies with Ishai. I don't really understand why so many people are suggesting Ikra. Like, Reyhan actually does something, even if you don't have a counter theme - he gives you some benefit when either of your Commanders are removed. Ikra just gains you life.
1x Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix
1x Thrasios, Triton Hero
1x Ravos, Soultender
1x Tymna the Weaver
1x Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker
Black Green
1x Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper
1x Reyhan, Last of the Abzan
1x Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
So my questions are as follows:
1) Which combo of generals should I use? Atraxa, Praetors' Voice seems good, but I'd rather use partners. Any advice?
2) Which black cards should I add in to the mix? I know there's plenty of creatures with exalted, but what instants and sorceries etc help out?
Any help would be appreciated!
UB Grimgrin, Corpse-Born BU
URG Riku of the Two Reflections GRU
Black gives you tutors, removal like Vindicate, and the like.
GWSelvala and the Return to HumanityGW
UWDragonlord Ojutai, Control's Elder DragonUW
UBGTasigur, the God-Pharaoh's Gift to EDHUBG
UBRNicol Bolas and his Super
friendsPawnsUBRModern
UWUW Control/Midrange/Bad JundUW
WUBRGHumansWUBRG
BGMidrangeBG
Draft my Peasant Cube.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
(W/U)(B/R)GForm of Progenitus, Shape of a Scrubland
BRGJund Tokens with Prossh, the Magic Dragon Foil
URGAnimar, the RUG CleanerFoil
RRRFeldon of the Third Path 2.0 Foil
BG(B/G)Not Another Meren DeckFoil
UR(U/R)Mizzix, Y Control and X Burn Spells
(W/U)(B/R)GHarold Ramos - The 35 Foot Long Twinkie (In +1/+1 counters)
UB(U/B)Dragonlord Silumgar
I saw the same, but I saw Ishai/Ikra as a better choice, unless you really have a +1/+1 counter subtheme that makes "Abzan Modular" possible. Ikra also has an evasion ability, albeit not much of one in exalted.
Tymna offers nothing to exalted. Tymna's effect is a worse Coastal Piracy, which translates to just plain Coastal Piracy in exalted decks. Kydele and Thrasios offer generic benefits with Ravos.
tl;dr: You really want commanders with evasion abilities. Ishai/Ikra are the best choice IMO.
On phasing:
The appeal of taking the unconventional route is strong, I know, but at the cost of this much potential it's hard to see it leading anywhere but disappointment
Draft my Peasant Cube.