I currently play Nekusar, Selvala and Samut, and I'm willing to buy new decks. I already decided on a Jhoira historic deck and a Varina zombies deck, but then I started thinking on a new, different deck, to add to my collection.
I was wondering about an Orzhov deck, but then I realized I wanted something political to have fun while still being a decent deck. I have been wanting to build a Mardu vampire deck for some time also, and while the idea for this one was to have Licia at the helm, I thought I could combine both decks with Mathas and then have a Mardu political deck with a little bit of extra vampire flavor. Now that Mardu was the color combination choice, I realized Queen Marchesa was an option as well.
So that's it: I want to build an interesting and fun to play Mardu deck. The "vampire flavor" part will be just that, an extra. So long story short, I want to know your thoughts on this and help me pick a commander: Marchesa, Mathas, or should I really go back to Orzhov and try something else? Maybe I'm missing an Orzhov or Mardu political commander (or partners) that will create fun games...
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Before the glory of Yawgmoth, yes, even this makes sense.
Having played Marchesa, she's not especially political imo. She gives people a reason to attack you, after all. Having a deathtouch blocker, or a couple of them, is a decent deterrent, although she's not very effective against evasion or wide tokens.
I think the most political award goes to Athreos, since he gives you the ability to either ally with someone who will help you by never paying 3 life (there are some pseudo-infinite combos you can do in this vein by sacking free creatures), or punish one player in particular by always targeting them to make them pay 3 life (or eventually choose not to, which is also ofc good for you).
Mathas is an interesting one too, which I haven't played (in the command zone, at least). He's a little group-huggy since you can only exclude one person from the draw, but he seems good if there's one person in particular you want to bring the hammer down against. I think the other thing I dislike about him is that his ability is pretty slow-acting - by the time the creature dies, its controller may no longer be the threat, and you might wish there was another player you could prevent from drawing a card instead. But he does seem fun.
By far the most political commander of all time is Phelddagrif. Gives you the ability to reward and/or punish, any player, at any time, in various ways, for a minimal cost. Plus he's immortal, draws very little hate, and is an excellent blocker and passable wincon to boot. But it's nonblack, unfortunately. /MandatoryPhelddagrifPlug
EDH BGU Sidisi, Brood Tyrant - Lurking Zombies. GBG Sapling of Colfenor - Forest Growth and Destruction. RWU Zedruu the Greathearted - Blinking and trading. GWB Teneb the Harvester - Enchantments, you lose life I gain life. RRR Neheb the Eternal - Ping people for mana burn.
For Orzhov, the two that stand out are Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim and Teysa, Orzhov Scion - having repeatable removal on the board allows you to play plenty of political games.
Queen Marchesa (Long may she reign) doesn't really do anything political on her own, but having access to reliable card draw gives you a better chance of getting to whatever political cards you're playing.
I plan to do a more detailed write-up in the decklist forums soon. While it is not primarily a political deck per se, Mathas is very good at generating friends at the table. It's a blast to play. The rough strategy is somewhat similar to DirkGentley's Phelddagrif deck (see the link in his sig) in that you aim your removal and control options - and your bounty counters - at the most powerful player and support the weaker players, thus maintaining a balance at the table until you are ready to win in one fell swoop. And Toshiro Umezawa is awesome in Mardu spellslinger.
Riku of Two Reflections - Copy, then copy again | Shattergang Brothers - Token Sac&Recur | Gahiji, Honored One - Multiple attack steps | Karametra, God of Harvests - Landfall, Creaturefall, Shroud | Ruhan of the Fomori - Stop hitting yourself | Zurgo Helmsmasher - Equipment&Wraths | Crosis, the Purger - Dragon Tribal Reanimator | Derevi, Empyrial Tactician - No stax, just tap and untap fun | Anafenza, the Foremost - Enduring Ideal Enchantress | Sharuum, the Hegemon - Sphinx Tribal Control | Noyan Dar - Spellslinger | The Mimeoplasm - Counterpalooza
Lists can be found here.
Still convinced the guy on Beseech the Queen is wearing a Mitra-type hat. Wake up sheeple!
Queen Marchesa (long may she reign) is hands down the most political one. The trick is to not want to be the monarch yourself, just use it as a bone so the other players attack each other. Add a few judo cards like Comeuppance or Deflective Palm and you’re good to go. Win by any means other then combat damage.
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The secret to enjoyable Commander games is not winning first, but losing last.
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Of your choices, Triad of Fates let you make allies a lot more proactively. You could even add protection cards like 8.5 Tails to be even more political.
Queen Marchesa (long may she reign) is hands down the most political one. The trick is to not want to be the monarch yourself, just use it as a bone so the other players attack each other. Add a few judo cards like Comeuppance or Deflective Palm and you’re good to go. Win by any means other then combat damage.
I plan to do a more detailed write-up in the decklist forums soon. While it is not primarily a political deck per se, Mathas is very good at generating friends at the table. It's a blast to play. The rough strategy is somewhat similar to DirkGentley's Phelddagrif deck (see the link in his sig) in that you aim your removal and control options - and your bounty counters - at the most powerful player and support the weaker players, thus maintaining a balance at the table until you are ready to win in one fell swoop. And Toshiro Umezawa is awesome in Mardu spellslinger.
I like this deck a lot. I've played a Vial Smasher - Ravos, Soultender deck that shares a lot of these cards - Mirror Strike, Deflecting Palm, etc. I consider it really political in that it's always an open question for opponents whether to attack into untapped mana, and they are great when you get down to the 1v1 situation.
Mathas seems like a solid source of card draw, which is a role that Ravos was fulfilling in my build.
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I currently play Nekusar, Selvala and Samut, and I'm willing to buy new decks. I already decided on a Jhoira historic deck and a Varina zombies deck, but then I started thinking on a new, different deck, to add to my collection.
I was wondering about an Orzhov deck, but then I realized I wanted something political to have fun while still being a decent deck. I have been wanting to build a Mardu vampire deck for some time also, and while the idea for this one was to have Licia at the helm, I thought I could combine both decks with Mathas and then have a Mardu political deck with a little bit of extra vampire flavor. Now that Mardu was the color combination choice, I realized Queen Marchesa was an option as well.
So that's it: I want to build an interesting and fun to play Mardu deck. The "vampire flavor" part will be just that, an extra. So long story short, I want to know your thoughts on this and help me pick a commander: Marchesa, Mathas, or should I really go back to Orzhov and try something else? Maybe I'm missing an Orzhov or Mardu political commander (or partners) that will create fun games...
Before the glory of Yawgmoth, yes, even this makes sense.
orzhov:
mardu:
Having played Marchesa, she's not especially political imo. She gives people a reason to attack you, after all. Having a deathtouch blocker, or a couple of them, is a decent deterrent, although she's not very effective against evasion or wide tokens.
I think the most political award goes to Athreos, since he gives you the ability to either ally with someone who will help you by never paying 3 life (there are some pseudo-infinite combos you can do in this vein by sacking free creatures), or punish one player in particular by always targeting them to make them pay 3 life (or eventually choose not to, which is also ofc good for you).
Mathas is an interesting one too, which I haven't played (in the command zone, at least). He's a little group-huggy since you can only exclude one person from the draw, but he seems good if there's one person in particular you want to bring the hammer down against. I think the other thing I dislike about him is that his ability is pretty slow-acting - by the time the creature dies, its controller may no longer be the threat, and you might wish there was another player you could prevent from drawing a card instead. But he does seem fun.
By far the most political commander of all time is Phelddagrif. Gives you the ability to reward and/or punish, any player, at any time, in various ways, for a minimal cost. Plus he's immortal, draws very little hate, and is an excellent blocker and passable wincon to boot. But it's nonblack, unfortunately. /MandatoryPhelddagrifPlug
EDH Primers
Phelddagrif - Zirilan
EDH
Thrasios+Bruse - Pang - Sasaya - Wydwen - Feather - Rona - Toshiro - Sylvia+Khorvath - Geth - QMarchesa - Firesong - Athreos - Arixmethes - Isperia - Etali - Silas+Sidar - Saskia - Virtus+Gorm - Kynaios - Naban - Aryel - Mizzix - Kazuul - Tymna+Kraum - Sidar+Tymna - Ayli - Gwendlyn - Phelddagrif 4 - Liliana - Kaervek - Phelddagrif 3 - Mairsil - Scarab - Child - Phenax - Shirei - Thada - Depala - Circu - Kytheon - GrenzoHR - Phelddagrif - Reyhan+Kraum - Toshiro - Varolz - Nin - Ojutai - Tasigur - Zedruu - Uril - Edric - Wort - Zurgo - Nahiri - Grenzo - Kozilek - Yisan - Ink-Treader - Yisan - Brago - Sidisi - Toshiro - Alexi - Sygg - Brimaz - Sek'Kuar - Marchesa - Vish Kal - Iroas - Phelddagrif - Ephara - Derevi - Glissa - Wanderer - Saffi - Melek - Xiahou Dun - Lazav - Lin Sivvi - Zirilan - Glissa
PDH - Drake - Graverobber - Izzet GM - Tallowisp - Symbiote Brawl - Feather - Ugin - Jace - Scarab - Angrath - Vraska - Kumena Oathbreaker - Wrenn&6
BGU Sidisi, Brood Tyrant - Lurking Zombies.
GBG Sapling of Colfenor - Forest Growth and Destruction.
RWU Zedruu the Greathearted - Blinking and trading.
GWB Teneb the Harvester - Enchantments, you lose life I gain life.
RRR Neheb the Eternal - Ping people for mana burn.
Queen Marchesa (Long may she reign) doesn't really do anything political on her own, but having access to reliable card draw gives you a better chance of getting to whatever political cards you're playing.
I plan to do a more detailed write-up in the decklist forums soon. While it is not primarily a political deck per se, Mathas is very good at generating friends at the table. It's a blast to play. The rough strategy is somewhat similar to DirkGentley's Phelddagrif deck (see the link in his sig) in that you aim your removal and control options - and your bounty counters - at the most powerful player and support the weaker players, thus maintaining a balance at the table until you are ready to win in one fell swoop. And Toshiro Umezawa is awesome in Mardu spellslinger.
Tamanoa - Welcome to the Jungle
Lists can be found here.
If my post has no tags, then i posted from my phone.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
I'm interested in playing Marchesa, but Mathas would be really interesting. I think I made my choice.
Before the glory of Yawgmoth, yes, even this makes sense.
I like this deck a lot. I've played a Vial Smasher - Ravos, Soultender deck that shares a lot of these cards - Mirror Strike, Deflecting Palm, etc. I consider it really political in that it's always an open question for opponents whether to attack into untapped mana, and they are great when you get down to the 1v1 situation.
Mathas seems like a solid source of card draw, which is a role that Ravos was fulfilling in my build.