Just a few years ago, I had a 12-month span full of Magic: one of my Commander decks was featured both on the official Wizards of the Coast website as well on Star City Games' site in a column by Sheldon Menery, one of the Commander format's founders (2012); I was hired to perform as a Rakdos reveler at the Return to Ravnica party (2012); and I attended PAX Prime (2011) for the first time, going to the Magic Worldbuilding panel discussion and even appearing in the recording of the event.
Up to that moment, this last was my most magical experience. I got to publicly make my voice heard to Wizards' staff with my request for characters who reflected my identity beyond skin color. My comment was met with a roomful of audience applause and I was quite pleased with the reception I got from WotC. Shortly after that particular PAX Prime, Rakish Heir appeared on the Wizards' with an acknowledgment that the card's art might appeal to males as well as females. Then, that became my most magical experience.
However, Wizards took it a step further with Theros'Guardians of Meletis. Now, the company making my favorite game had progressed from sly acknowledgment that their fan base wasn't exclusively heterosexually-identified to introducing an actual same-sex couple! Then, that became my most magical experience.
But, wait! There's more! In the same block, Wizards delivered Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver, a character eschewing the gender binary altogether. I remember tearing up a little reading the simple word "unknown" on Mark Rosewater's blog in response to a reader's question on Ashiok's gender. Then, that became my most magical experience.
Apparently, Wizards wanted me to do more than tear up. I broke down and cried reading the story of Alesha. A trans*gender character! And the leader of her people to boot! I knew right then and there that I absolutely had to make an Alesha deck, one reflecting, as I see it, one trans* narrative: that of growing stronger through change despite the battle scars gained in sociopolitical culture wars, possessing allies across boundaries despite the sharp ideological schisms between the traditional and the new.
DECK CREATION
I found myself challenged with how to capture a trans* narrative in a Magic deck. True, I'd tackled schizophrenia; the Christian Bible; epics fromFrank Herbert, George R. R. Martin, and Robert Jordan; faerie tales both grim and wondrous; and much, much more. So, what made this different? For one thing, Alesha's mechanics took me way out of my comfort zone. (Oh, the irony, right?) Alesha practically demands playing with a LOT of creatures and I generally find myself only running half a dozen creature cards much of the time.
This was going to be an interesting transition for me.
Then, there was the challenge of fitting the deck's mechanics to a coherent trans* narrative and, of course, striking a balance between flavor and playability. My initial thoughts ran to creature cards that evolve, transform, morph, or flip. What happened next is likely obvious to anyone familiar with the game: there just weren't enough cards that did these things to fill up all the creature slots in an Alesha deck. Figure of Destiny's mechanic is very rare, and has only been duplicated once so far (and not in the right colors for Mardu, either). G has slightly more werewolves than R and, of those that are available to Mardu, few are able to be recurred by Alesha. The morph mechanic came too close to the stereotype of trans* folks being deceptive for my liking. Kamigawa block's flip cards are, well, interesting. The only one that seemed remotely playable to me was Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant, but it doesn't fit from a flavor perspective given all the trans* folks murdered worldwide each year.
I took a mental step back from the card mechanics and thought again about Alesha's story. The answer was simple. The trans* narrative I would tell with the deck would be about becoming more powerful through the work of self and community. This perspective provided an elegant solution: the deck would represent power through the addition of +1/+1 counters, and community allies via cards that create tokens upon entering the battlefield. (And it truly is a battlefield. Progress is being made and trans* visibility is increasing thanks not only to Magic but also television shows like Transparent; Orange is the New Black, with Laverne Cox; and even gLee. However, we still have a long way to go.)
Thoughts of high school Gay-Straight Alliances also went through my head, as did the bridges being built between conservatives and progressives. The Abzan clan's focus on endurance seemed to line up with a more traditional mindset whereas the Mardu impetus toward rushing forward across the battlefield echoed those more radical. Of course, it helped that +1/+1 counters really matter to the Abzan, just as creatures in Mardu colors often like to bring along tokens to join their masses. Resilience is a quality that many trans* folks possess, having to overcome so much prejudice and hardship, so the undying mechanic makes an appearance in the deck as well.
DECK ARCHETYPE
Alesha, Who Laughs at Transphobes is a control deck first, and aggro deck second, that just so happens to combo off (sometimes).
Its early turns (yes, "turns" as in plural) are typically spent ramping and wiping until the board is relatively clear of opposing threats. Then, Alesha is ideally cast with a recursible creature in the graveyard. Like the overwhelming majority of my decks, AWL@T does not need its commander to win. Indeed, Alesha is rarely cast before the midgame, often not until after the fifth turn and sometimes even later than that.
DECK THEMES
creatures growing larger through +1/+1 counters
Mardu creatures creating tokens via enter the battlefield triggers
Abzan +1/+1 "counters matter" anthem-creatures
mass destruction symbolizing prejudice trans* folks endure
loads of artifact ramp representing (hopefully) speedy progress
DECK STRATEGY
RAMP
cast one to two creatures
cast Alesha
tutor for boardwipe and cast it
LAUGH
(depending on wipe used) cast Alesha
attack with Alesha, reanimating creature(s)
buff creatures with +1/+1 counters
repeat as necessary
WIN
Alesha: Trans*Gender Warrior operates much like Alesha herself: fiercely.
Topic as a whole is a little too Tumblr. for me but I think it's a really cool deck idea. I've been a fan of your decks for a long time as I think they're some of the most thoughtout and well put together decks for those of us of a vorthosian persuasion.
Some things that I think go well with the whole Soldier-Resistance paradigm, that are also very spikey, would be something like Stoneforge Mystic. I assume you've read the Eldrazi storyline, they fit well with your theme I think. Imperial Recruiter can fetch almost anything in your deck and is very heavily flavorful.
Not sure how you would justify them but Scroll Rack is amazing with Land Tax.
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My modern Decks: GBRJundGBR URWJeskai NahiriURW My Legacy Deck: URBGrixis DelverURB My EDH Decks: GJarad, Golgari Lich LordB GRhys, The RedeemedW RWArchangel AvacynRW UWDragonlord OjutaiUW
I applaud your efforts to increase non-hegemonic representation in MTG card and character design.
Not sure how it ports into deck building. Guess you'd have to find someone who is invested enough in the narrative to help you port it into gameplay. Goodluck!
ADDED
Akroma's Memorial (wanted something to represent the Trans*gender Day of Remembrance, our recognition of murdered, slain, bashed, and deceased trans*folks)
Cathars' Crusdade (fits thematically and mechanically)
True Conviction (how else does one fight for social justice?)
False Prophet (despite the name, the mechanic fits thematically)
Leonin Relic-Warder (love the versatility of this card to use on our permanents or opponents')
REMOVED
Sword of Vengeance (the deck gets to 7 mana very quickly and the Memorial makes more sense)
Brighthearth Banneret (not as synergistic as other cards in deck)
Flayer of the Hatebound (LOVE the flavor of flaying hateful transphobes, but doesn't recur with Alesha)
Rage Forger (would like this better if it targeted creatures)
Unruly Mob (again, LOVE the flavor of folks getting stronger despite losing loved community members, but Thraben Sentry/Thraben Militia does this better)
I think it's a really cool deck idea. I've been a fan of your decks for a long time as I think they're some of the most thoughtout and well put together decks for those of us of a vorthosian persuasion.
Some things that I think go well with the whole Soldier-Resistance paradigm, that are also very spikey, would be something like Stoneforge Mystic. I assume you've read the Eldrazi storyline, they fit well with your theme I think. Imperial Recruiter can fetch almost anything in your deck and is very heavily flavorful.
I might be Vorthosian, but I'm a Spike through and through.
I've never been a fan of the Mystic, having always preferred Stonehewer Giant. I understand the arguments for the former and the ones against the latter, but I've held this opinion for some time for playtested reasons based on my own gameplay experiences.
As for the Recruiter, it falls prey to the Vorthos in me; much like the morph mechanic, I feel it comes too close to feeding into the stereotype that trans* and queer people recruit "normal" folks to join their ranks. Although it could be just as easily be argued the card could symbolize recruiting allies, too, there's then the matter of the card's price. I'm not paying that much for a piece of paper that I'm not displaying on my wall.
Not sure how you would justify them but Scroll Rack is amazing with Land Tax.
The Rack is easily justified, actually. There are many trans* writers and the deck's name is based on Trans*Gender Warriors by Leslie Feinberg. The Rack could represent the many written works of trans* authors. I run the Rack/Land Tax combo in several other decks, but it didn't fit here due to space considerations more than anything else. It might make its way in eventually, though.
I applaud your efforts to increase non-hegemonic representation in MTG card and character design.
Not sure how it ports into deck building.
Well, I hope I did a decent job! The deck has been pwning tables since I built it, flavor aside. I've not been the first player knocked out of a game yet, even with the rest of the players ganging up on me. (Oh, the irony!) And the deck's wins, while combat-based, are versatile. I've won through token swarms; pumping up all my creatures with various buffs; creating blocking difficulties with Iroas, God of Victory; wiping out players' hands with Oona's Blackguard support; and, my personal favorite, taking control of the entire game post-Cataclysm/Razia's Purification with enough mana left over to cast more threats.
Like many of my other decks with a similar artifact ramp suite, this deck often untaps with seven mana by turn four. (Indeed, almost 50 of the cards are dedicated to mana sources.) This, along with the deck's midrange average converted mana cost of 3.07 and free recursion effects, allows me to run as few lands as I do, thus making room for more threats. My targeted removal, albeit partially enter-the-battlefield and creature-based, is recursible with Alesha; whereas I quickly recover from my own mass removal spells.
I want to reiterate: this deck is fiercely competitive, just like Alesha.
I like it! The theme is inspiring (and serves me right for now reading Alesha's story!). It's cool to have an interesting and quite likable character as a representation for any minority group. And to also get a very powerful deck out of, props to you! Your out of the box thinking is quite marvelous. Pity you couldn't include Ashiok in the deck as well, simply for a bit of completions sake.
Quick question and pardon my ignorance, what is the purpose of the * after the word Trans? Never seen it written that way.
I like it! The theme is inspiring (and serves me right for now reading Alesha's story!). It's cool to have an interesting and quite likable character as a representation for any minority group. And to also get a very powerful deck out of, props to you! Your out of the box thinking is quite marvelous. Pity you couldn't include Ashiok in the deck as well, simply for a bit of completions sake.
Quick question and pardon my ignorance, what is the purpose of the * after the word Trans? Never seen it written that way.
Thank you so much, Cardeokhan! FYI, ignorance should always be pardoned, 'cos we're all ignorant of something and it's through questioning that we become less ignorant.
Your quick question has a complicated answer, actually. Many folks use an asterisk ("*") after the word "trans" to be inclusive of the myriad gender non-conforming identities people have, such as transwoman, transman, genderqueer, agender, etc. However, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the asterisk is also controversial with many folks opposed to it for various reasons. (For example, there are some folks who prefer the identity "Black" and others who dislike the term and prefer "African-American" or "Caribbean Canadian" or what have you.) Personally, my motto is to use whatever terminology the person I'm directly communicating with prefers, and to carefully think about my own use of language even when not in their presence.
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
This is lovely. Mad props to you. I had no idea about Alesha's backstory before reading this. I guess she passes. MTG is certainly changing.
I've been playing the game since Ice Age and I still remember how wonderful it was when Mirage soon followed with characters that shared not just my skin color but the size and shape of my nose to boot!
Have you considered Master of Cruelties? That fits into either the bash-back or BDSM flavor category.
I have considered it, but I'm not there yet. My decks generally become more cutthroat over time, so it still might make it in at some point.
ADDED
Wrath of God (the good LORD don't mind, and neither does Alesha)
Citadel Siege (I really like the idea of steeling oneself right before battle)
Karmic Guide (this is a change based primarily on mechanics, to recur creatures with power greater than two)
Sun Titan (recurs half of the nonlands in the deck — and ALL of the lands)
Anarchist (captures that Stonewall flavor; chance to recur one of the sorceries is a bonus)
Bitterblossom (originally, aside from Iroas, the deck didn't have much in the way of evasion)
Phyrexian Arena (like Necropotence, recursible with Sun Titan; keeps threats coming despite reduced number of creatures)
2 Swamp (added to better support Coffers and recovery post-landwipe)
REMOVED
Armageddon (love cheap land wipes, but nice to tutor up a cheap creature wipe and cast it on the same turn)
Leonin Relic-Warder (would mechanically work better in a build with a sacrifice theme)
Figure of Destiny (flavorful, but ineffective)
Thraben Sentry (see above)
Darksteel Plate (too defensive)
Eldrazi Monument (the sacrifice clause demands more creatures)
Worn Powerstone (too slow, especially when removed before untapping)
Instigator Gang (devastating, especially post-landwipe, but, after more thought, don't like the idea of cards transforming into monsters)
Kruin Outlaw (see above; the flavor is a bit stigmatizing)
Chose "Dragons" for the first time ever upon Citadel Siege's battlefield entry. Was quite effective post-Cataclysm. Know what else is effective? Retrieving Cataclysm with Anarchist.
ADDED
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (works with half of the deck's creatures AND the +1/+1 "counters matter" theme)
Playing against Blue? Have Alesha, Who Laughs at Transphobes on the 'field? Go on, attempt to cast your creature with an ETB trigger. Let the Blue player(s) counter it. Attack with Alesha, returning the creature to the 'field. Wow, look at that, you've got yourself a (nigh uncounterable) hasty creature with a handy ETB ability!
What was even funnier about the above play was that it happened with Cathars' Crusade on the battlefield. The countered creature returning to attack? None other than the Ponyback Brigade!
ADDED
Go for the Throat ('cos cheap non-ETB-based creature removal has its place)
Path to Exile (see above)
Swords to Plowshares (see above)
Terminate (see above)
REMOVED
Aegis of the Gods (too defensive)
Knight-Captain of Eos (see above)
Gideon's Avenger (not a team player)
Herald of Anafenza (would rather have Mobilization…and this deck doesn't want Mobilization)
Increased the mass wipe count to seven spells, four of which can remove multiple lands. Added a couple of wheels to disrupt combo decks, fill our hand, and stuff our graveyard.
ADDED
Damnation (Alesha laughs at boardwipes)
Rout (see above)
Oblation (grievous oversight)
Wheel of Fortune (pure value with Alesha)
Reforge the Soul (see above)
REMOVED
Hound of Griselbrand (not a team player)
Ajani Steadfast (narrow window of maximum utility)
Go for the Throat (would rather have sweep)
Path to Exile (see above)
Terminate (see above)
Considering putting Ajani Steadfast back in and removing the more difficult to cast True Conviction. Ajani's phenomenal post-wipe, but is often a one-shot effect. Conviction is wonderful, especially with creatures buffed with several +1/+1 counters, but the WWW requirement makes it challenging to cast at times.
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
Have you considered Academy Rector? Not too terribly expensive, recurable with Alesha if she gets in the graveyard somehow and can net you that True Conviction or Cathars' Crusade quite easily.
Have you considered Academy Rector? Not too terribly expensive, recurable with Alesha if she gets in the graveyard somehow and can net you that True Conviction or Cathars' Crusade quite easily.
Rector does nothing for me if exiled and I'm not running the sacrifice outlets some combo decks are. I like seeing Conviction and Crusade, but I win just fine without them.
The "tappy dudes" actually don't tap that often. I have quite a few ways to add counters to creatures and then it's just a matter of benefitting from the static abilities of the "tappy dudes."
Alesha's not often blocked, 'cos Alesha's not often out. When it is, I typically have opponents without blocking creatures. Either that or Alesha's equipped with a Sword or buffed with a few +1/+1 counters.
Shanker does nothing the turn it enters the battlefield. I've been eyeing the Master, though.
Have never been a fan of Solemn Simulacrum, utility be damned. Hate the flavor of the card for almost all of my decks thus far.
My next big changes will involve speeding the deck up considerably to address combo players.
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
If combo is giving you problems maybe some of the hatebearish creatures would help. Ethersworn Cannonist wouldn't slow you down all that much compared to what it would do to your opponents. IE, cast thing, attack, recurr....
If combo is giving you problems maybe some of the hatebearish creatures would help. Ethersworn Cannonist wouldn't slow you down all that much compared to what it would do to your opponents. IE, cast thing, attack, recurr....
Many of the cards you suggested don't fit the deck's intended strategies of +1/+1 counters, token creation, and other ETB triggers.
I've made the following changes to speed up the deck and reduce its mana curve:
ADDED
Armageddon (still the cheapest land wipe around)
Chaos Warp (can be dangerous, but well worth the risk)
Path to Exile (see above)
Coldsteel Heart (just about rounds out the mana rocks I'm willing to use)
Charcoal Diamond (see above)
REMOVED
Akroma's Memorial (great card, but seven mana)
True Conviction (great card, but color-intensive casting cost)
Contagion Engine (great card, but often does nothing the turn it's played)
Gleam of Battle (this or Ajani Steadfast just might make it back in the deck)
Mountain (removing one land and adding two rocks is generally safe)
I've made the following changes to speed up the deck and reduce its mana curve:
REMOVED
Gleam of Battle (this or Ajani Steadfast just might make it back in the deck)
Ask, and ye shall receive!
ADDED
Echoes of the Kin Tree (cheaper to cast than Gleam of Battleand more durable than a planeswalker? yes, please!)
REMOVED
Mountain (it's rare that I want to cast Alesha before another creature and we've plenty of colored sources from artifact ramp)
In a recent win, wiped the land twice and beat down with just Alesha and High Sentinels of Arashin, adding two +1/+1 counters per turn with artifact ramp. With Echoes of the Kin Tree, can do the same thing for two less mana.
Why Steadfast/Gleam instead of Ajani Goldmane? Making double white does not seem to be an issue in your deck, and the vigilance can keep Ajani alive in case the first swing somehow doesn't kill them. You also don't run any other planeswalkers.
I also just want to say that while I don't subscribe to your philosophy of EDH, I enjoy reading about the flavorful themes you try to give all your decks.
Why Steadfast/Gleam instead of Ajani Goldmane? Making double white does not seem to be an issue in your deck, and the vigilance can keep Ajani alive in case the first swing somehow doesn't kill them. You also don't run any other planeswalkers.
Steadfast's ultimate is easy to get to when it's cast on the same turn as a boardwipe or soon after. I've also cast Steadfast on the second turn and immediately followed it up with a landwipe (which is backbreaking for opponents, even without proliferate). It also has the option of significant lifegain immediately (provided an attack deals damage).
Like Steadfast, Gleam can have an almost immediate impact on the board if I'm able to attack with creatures the turn it's cast. Being an enchantment, it's more resilient than a 'walker and sticks around post-Cataclysm.
…I enjoy reading about the flavorful themes you try to give all your decks.
Awww, thank you!
Stay tuned for my six-deck series based on The Hobbit: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (a deck for each army, humans, Elves, Dwarves, Eagles, and Orcs, plus one for Smaug just for kicks) and two-deck series for Star Trek: DEEP SPACE NINE - The Federation vs The Dominion!
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There are no divisions: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. -Galatians 3:28
I also just want to say that while I don't subscribe to your philosophy of EDH…
My "philosophy of EDH"? Which one, mate? I have many!
Basically I'm one of those filthy casuals.
EDH for whatever reason is super popular in my area, so I carry around a modified precon which I will use as a way to kill time and socialize with random people in between scheduled event stuff. If I want a game where my opponent is trying their dardnest to make things as miserable for me as possible I'll just go play Vintage or Legacy (which I do!) but when I play EDH, I want to be entertained by people attempting to play politics and silly interactions between cards that aren't good enough for any of the competitive formats. Cutthroat decks built around obvious combos, MLD/Stax, or counterspell control fail miserably at entertaining me because I've seen them all before in 60-card form. If someone's deck has those, I'll probably just quietly pack up my cards and make a mental note not to play with them again, because it's clear we don't want the same things from an EDH game and they'd be happier playing against someone else.
Stay tuned for my six-deck series based on The Hobbit: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (a deck for each army, humans, Elves, Dwarves, Eagles, and Orcs, plus one for Smaug just for kicks) and two-deck series for Star Trek: DEEP SPACE NINE - The Federation vs The Dominion!
Huh, Teeg always struck me as more of a Hobbit.
And for DS9 theme decks! I still have a pipe dream of reworking Daretti into a Magnificent Ferengi theme deck.
ALESHA: TRANS*GENDER WARRIOR
- STARRING ALESHA, WHO SMILES AT DEATH -
DECK ORIGINS
Up to that moment, this last was my most magical experience. I got to publicly make my voice heard to Wizards' staff with my request for characters who reflected my identity beyond skin color. My comment was met with a roomful of audience applause and I was quite pleased with the reception I got from WotC. Shortly after that particular PAX Prime, Rakish Heir appeared on the Wizards' with an acknowledgment that the card's art might appeal to males as well as females. Then, that became my most magical experience.
However, Wizards took it a step further with Theros' Guardians of Meletis. Now, the company making my favorite game had progressed from sly acknowledgment that their fan base wasn't exclusively heterosexually-identified to introducing an actual same-sex couple! Then, that became my most magical experience.
But, wait! There's more! In the same block, Wizards delivered Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver, a character eschewing the gender binary altogether. I remember tearing up a little reading the simple word "unknown" on Mark Rosewater's blog in response to a reader's question on Ashiok's gender. Then, that became my most magical experience.
Apparently, Wizards wanted me to do more than tear up. I broke down and cried reading the story of Alesha. A trans*gender character! And the leader of her people to boot! I knew right then and there that I absolutely had to make an Alesha deck, one reflecting, as I see it, one trans* narrative: that of growing stronger through change despite the battle scars gained in sociopolitical culture wars, possessing allies across boundaries despite the sharp ideological schisms between the traditional and the new.
This was going to be an interesting transition for me.
Then, there was the challenge of fitting the deck's mechanics to a coherent trans* narrative and, of course, striking a balance between flavor and playability. My initial thoughts ran to creature cards that evolve, transform, morph, or flip. What happened next is likely obvious to anyone familiar with the game: there just weren't enough cards that did these things to fill up all the creature slots in an Alesha deck. Figure of Destiny's mechanic is very rare, and has only been duplicated once so far (and not in the right colors for Mardu, either). G has slightly more werewolves than R and, of those that are available to Mardu, few are able to be recurred by Alesha. The morph mechanic came too close to the stereotype of trans* folks being deceptive for my liking. Kamigawa block's flip cards are, well, interesting. The only one that seemed remotely playable to me was Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant, but it doesn't fit from a flavor perspective given all the trans* folks murdered worldwide each year.
I took a mental step back from the card mechanics and thought again about Alesha's story. The answer was simple. The trans* narrative I would tell with the deck would be about becoming more powerful through the work of self and community. This perspective provided an elegant solution: the deck would represent power through the addition of +1/+1 counters, and community allies via cards that create tokens upon entering the battlefield. (And it truly is a battlefield. Progress is being made and trans* visibility is increasing thanks not only to Magic but also television shows like Transparent; Orange is the New Black, with Laverne Cox; and even gLee. However, we still have a long way to go.)
Thoughts of high school Gay-Straight Alliances also went through my head, as did the bridges being built between conservatives and progressives. The Abzan clan's focus on endurance seemed to line up with a more traditional mindset whereas the Mardu impetus toward rushing forward across the battlefield echoed those more radical. Of course, it helped that +1/+1 counters really matter to the Abzan, just as creatures in Mardu colors often like to bring along tokens to join their masses. Resilience is a quality that many trans* folks possess, having to overcome so much prejudice and hardship, so the undying mechanic makes an appearance in the deck as well.
Its early turns (yes, "turns" as in plural) are typically spent ramping and wiping until the board is relatively clear of opposing threats. Then, Alesha is ideally cast with a recursible creature in the graveyard. Like the overwhelming majority of my decks, AWL@T does not need its commander to win. Indeed, Alesha is rarely cast before the midgame, often not until after the fifth turn and sometimes even later than that.
Alesha: Trans*Gender Warrior operates much like Alesha herself: fiercely.
Alesha, Who Laughs at Transphobes
1x Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
Stonewall Elders Paved the Way,
Making It Easier for Us,
1x Mentor of the Meek
Through Their Lessons,
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Demonic Tutor
Their Hard-Won Knowledge,
1x Necropotence
1x Phyrexian Arena
And Their Sacrifices
1x Phyrexian Altar
Same People as Before,
Just New Gender Identities
1x Wheel of Fortune
Remembering Our History
1x Anarchist
The Radical Faeries:
Erasing Transphobia,
One Mind at a Time
1x Oona's Blackguard
1x Marsh Flitter
1x Bitterblossom
Affirming Church Leaders
1x Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
Cisgender Allies
1x Abzan Battle Priest
1x Abzan Falconer
1x Ainok Bond-Kin
1x Elite Scaleguard
1x High Sentinels of Arashin
You Can't Keep Us Down!
1x Karmic Guide
1x Reveillark
1x Sun Titan
1x Liliana, Defiant Necromancer
1x Hound of Griselbrand
'Cos We're STRONGER
Than Yesterday!
1x Citadel Siege
1x Echoes of the Kin Tree
The Effects of Community Support
1x Cathars' Crusade
Strength in Numbers
1x Beetleback Chief
1x Ponyback Brigade
1x Siege-Gang Commander
1x Liliana, Heretical Healer
1x Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1x Duergar Hedge-Mage
1x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Nekrataal
1x Fiend Hunter
1x Triskelion
1x Master of Cruelties
1x Oblation
and Keep on Fighting
1x Aggravated Assault
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Cenn's Tactician
1x Aegis of the Gods
1x Iroas, God of Victory
1x Rage Forger
And If We Go Down,
We Go Down Swinging
1x False Prophet
You Will Respect Us;
We're Done Being Interrupted
1x Grand Abolisher
(Culture) War is Hell
1x Armageddon
1x Austere Command
1x Cataclysm
1x Catastrophe
1x Pox
1x Razia's Purification
Gaining New Ground
1x Land Tax
And Recovering Ground Lost
1x Crucible of Worlds
Are We There Yet?
1x Boros Signet
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Coalition Relic
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Grim Monolith
1x Mana Vault
1x Orzhov Signet
1x Pearl Medallion
1x Rakdos Signet
1x Sol Ring
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Blood Crypt
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1x Cabal Coffers
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Fetid Heath
1x Godless Shrine
1x Graven Cairns
5x Mountain
1x Myriad Landscape
1x Orzhov Basilica
1x Phyrexian Tower
8x Plains
1x Rugged Prairie
1x Strip Mine
7x Swamp
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
By Card Type
1x Alesha, Who Smiles at Death
Creature (32)
Power > 2 (6)
1x Abzan Battle Priest
1x High Sentinels of Arashin
1x Iroas, God of Victory
1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1x Reveillark
1x Sun Titan
Power < 3 (26)
1x Abzan Falconer
1x Aegis of the Gods
1x Ainok Bond-Kin
1x Anarchist
1x Beetleback Chief
1x Cenn's Tactician
1x Duergar Hedge-Mage
1x Elite Scaleguard
1x False Prophet
1x Fiend Hunter
1x Grand Abolisher
1x Hound of Griselbrand
1x Karmic Guide
1x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Liliana, Heretical Healer
1x Marsh Flitter
1x Master of Cruelties
1x Mentor of the Meek
1x Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1x Nekrataal
1x Oona's Blackguard
1x Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1x Ponyback Brigade
1x Rage Forger
1x Siege-Gang Commander
1x Triskelion
Nonhuman (19)
1x Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1x High Sentinels of Arashin
1x Iroas, God of Victory
1x Reveillark
1x Sun Titan
1x Ainok Bond-Kin
1x Beetleback Chief
1x Cenn's Tactician
1x Duergar Hedge-Mage
1x Hound of Griselbrand
1x Karmic Guide
1x Leonin Relic-Warder
1x Marsh Flitter
1x Master of Cruelties
1x Oona's Blackguard
1x Ponyback Brigade
1x Rage Forger
1x Siege-Gang Commander
1x Triskelion
1x Abzan Battle Priest
1x Abzan Falconer
1x Aegis of the Gods
1x Anarchist
1x Elite Scaleguard
1x False Prophet
1x Fiend Hunter
1x Grand Abolisher
1x Liliana, Heretical Healer
1x Mentor of the Meek
1x Mikaeus, the Lunarch
1x Nekrataal
1x Pia and Kiran Nalaar
Planeswalker (*)
1x Liliana, Defiant Necromancer
Enchantment (8)
1x Aggravated Assault
1x Bitterblossom
1x Cathars' Crusade
1x Citadel Siege
1x Echoes of the Kin Tree
1x Land Tax
1x Necropotence
1x Phyrexian Arena
Instant (2)
1x Oblation
1x Vampiric Tutor
Sorcery (8)
1x Cataclysm
1x Razia's Purification
1x Armageddon
1x Catastrophe
1x Pox
1x Austere Command
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Wheel of Fortune
Artifact (16)
Mana Rocks (12)
1x Chromatic Lantern
1x Coalition Relic
1x Darksteel Ingot
1x Gilded Lotus
1x Boros Signet
1x Orzhov Signet
1x Rakdos Signet
1x Everflowing Chalice
1x Grim Monolith
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
1x Thran Dynamo
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Pearl Medallion
1x Phyrexian Altar
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
Land (33)
1x Fetid Heath
1x Graven Cairns
1x Rugged Prairie
1x Orzhov Basilica
1x Blood Crypt
1x Godless Shrine
1x Phyrexian Tower
1x Myriad Landscape
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
1x Strip Mine
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Cabal Coffers
7x Swamp
8x Plains
5x Mountain
1 Cathars' Crusade
1 False Prophet
1 Citadel Siege
1 Karmic Guide
1 Sun Titan
1 Anarchist
1 Bitterblossom
1 Phyrexian Arena
2 Swamp
1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
1 Oblation
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Echoes of the Kin Tree
1 Triskelion
1 Aggravated Assault
1 Reveillark
1 Phyrexian Altar
1 Austere Command
1 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Fiend Hunter
1 Master of Cruelties
1 Pox
1 Phyrexian Tower
1 Liliana, Heretical Healer
1 Liliana, Defiant Necromancer
1 Pia and Kiran Nalaar
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Brighthearth Banneret
1 Flayer of the Hatebound
1 Unruly Mob
1 Figure of Destiny
1 Thraben Sentry
1 Kruin Outlaw
1 Clock of Omens
1 Darksteel Plate
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Ajani Steadfast
1 Contagion Engine
1 Gleam of Battle
2 Mountain
1 Cauldron of Souls
1 Contagion Clasp
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Big Game Hunter
1 Instigator Gang
1 Herald of Anafenza
1 Gideon's Avenger
1 High Market
1x Dragonscale General
1x Dragonscale General
1x Knight-Captain of Eos
Some things that I think go well with the whole Soldier-Resistance paradigm, that are also very spikey, would be something like Stoneforge Mystic. I assume you've read the Eldrazi storyline, they fit well with your theme I think. Imperial Recruiter can fetch almost anything in your deck and is very heavily flavorful.
Not sure how you would justify them but Scroll Rack is amazing with Land Tax.
GBRJundGBR
URWJeskai NahiriURW
My Legacy Deck:
URBGrixis DelverURB
My EDH Decks:
GJarad, Golgari Lich LordB
GRhys, The RedeemedW
RWArchangel AvacynRW
UWDragonlord OjutaiUW
Not sure how it ports into deck building. Guess you'd have to find someone who is invested enough in the narrative to help you port it into gameplay. Goodluck!
Akroma's Memorial (wanted something to represent the Trans*gender Day of Remembrance, our recognition of murdered, slain, bashed, and deceased trans*folks)
Cathars' Crusdade (fits thematically and mechanically)
True Conviction (how else does one fight for social justice?)
False Prophet (despite the name, the mechanic fits thematically)
Leonin Relic-Warder (love the versatility of this card to use on our permanents or opponents')
REMOVED
Sword of Vengeance (the deck gets to 7 mana very quickly and the Memorial makes more sense)
Brighthearth Banneret (not as synergistic as other cards in deck)
Flayer of the Hatebound (LOVE the flavor of flaying hateful transphobes, but doesn't recur with Alesha)
Rage Forger (would like this better if it targeted creatures)
Unruly Mob (again, LOVE the flavor of folks getting stronger despite losing loved community members, but Thraben Sentry/Thraben Militia does this better)Aw, shucks. Thank you!
I've never been a fan of the Mystic, having always preferred Stonehewer Giant. I understand the arguments for the former and the ones against the latter, but I've held this opinion for some time for playtested reasons based on my own gameplay experiences.
As for the Recruiter, it falls prey to the Vorthos in me; much like the morph mechanic, I feel it comes too close to feeding into the stereotype that trans* and queer people recruit "normal" folks to join their ranks. Although it could be just as easily be argued the card could symbolize recruiting allies, too, there's then the matter of the card's price. I'm not paying that much for a piece of paper that I'm not displaying on my wall.The Rack is easily justified, actually. There are many trans* writers and the deck's name is based on Trans*Gender Warriors by Leslie Feinberg. The Rack could represent the many written works of trans* authors. I run the Rack/Land Tax combo in several other decks, but it didn't fit here due to space considerations more than anything else. It might make its way in eventually, though.Well, I hope I did a decent job! The deck has been pwning tables since I built it, flavor aside. I've not been the first player knocked out of a game yet, even with the rest of the players ganging up on me. (Oh, the irony!) And the deck's wins, while combat-based, are versatile. I've won through token swarms; pumping up all my creatures with various buffs; creating blocking difficulties with Iroas, God of Victory; wiping out players' hands with Oona's Blackguard support; and, my personal favorite, taking control of the entire game post-Cataclysm/Razia's Purification with enough mana left over to cast more threats.
Like many of my other decks with a similar artifact ramp suite, this deck often untaps with seven mana by turn four. (Indeed, almost 50 of the cards are dedicated to mana sources.) This, along with the deck's midrange average converted mana cost of 3.07 and free recursion effects, allows me to run as few lands as I do, thus making room for more threats. My targeted removal, albeit partially enter-the-battlefield and creature-based, is recursible with Alesha; whereas I quickly recover from my own mass removal spells.
I want to reiterate: this deck is fiercely competitive, just like Alesha.
Quick question and pardon my ignorance, what is the purpose of the * after the word Trans? Never seen it written that way.
Your quick question has a complicated answer, actually. Many folks use an asterisk ("*") after the word "trans" to be inclusive of the myriad gender non-conforming identities people have, such as transwoman, transman, genderqueer, agender, etc. However, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the asterisk is also controversial with many folks opposed to it for various reasons. (For example, there are some folks who prefer the identity "Black" and others who dislike the term and prefer "African-American" or "Caribbean Canadian" or what have you.) Personally, my motto is to use whatever terminology the person I'm directly communicating with prefers, and to carefully think about my own use of language even when not in their presence.
I want to make an Alesha deck now, but I don't think I can afford another tricolor manabase.
On the technical level, do Abzan Battle Priest and High Sentinels of Arashin pull their weight here? They don't come back with Alesha's ability.
Have you considered Master of Cruelties? That fits into either the bash-back or BDSM flavor category.
ADDED
Wrath of God (the good LORD don't mind, and neither does Alesha)
Citadel Siege (I really like the idea of steeling oneself right before battle)
Karmic Guide (this is a change based primarily on mechanics, to recur creatures with power greater than two)
Sun Titan (recurs half of the nonlands in the deck — and ALL of the lands)
Anarchist (captures that Stonewall flavor; chance to recur one of the sorceries is a bonus)
Bitterblossom (originally, aside from Iroas, the deck didn't have much in the way of evasion)
Phyrexian Arena (like Necropotence, recursible with Sun Titan; keeps threats coming despite reduced number of creatures)
2 Swamp (added to better support Coffers and recovery post-landwipe)
REMOVED
Armageddon (love cheap land wipes, but nice to tutor up a cheap creature wipe and cast it on the same turn)
Leonin Relic-Warder (would mechanically work better in a build with a sacrifice theme)
Figure of Destiny (flavorful, but ineffective)
Thraben Sentry (see above)
Darksteel Plate (too defensive)
Eldrazi Monument (the sacrifice clause demands more creatures)
Worn Powerstone (too slow, especially when removed before untapping)
Instigator Gang (devastating, especially post-landwipe, but, after more thought, don't like the idea of cards transforming into monsters)
Kruin Outlaw (see above; the flavor is a bit stigmatizing)
Especially after Cataclysm.
That is all.
Love this deck!
Neat deck idea. Power to ya.
Jarad Graveyard Combo[Primer]!
Sidisi ANT!
Playing Commander to Win - A guide on Competitive, 4-player EDH
LandDestruction.com - An EDH blog
Chose "Dragons" for the first time ever upon Citadel Siege's battlefield entry. Was quite effective post-Cataclysm. Know what else is effective? Retrieving Cataclysm with Anarchist.
ADDED
Mikaeus, the Unhallowed (works with half of the deck's creatures AND the +1/+1 "counters matter" theme)
REMOVED
Clock of Omens (wants more artifacts)
What was even funnier about the above play was that it happened with Cathars' Crusade on the battlefield. The countered creature returning to attack? None other than the Ponyback Brigade!
ADDED
Go for the Throat ('cos cheap non-ETB-based creature removal has its place)
Path to Exile (see above)
Swords to Plowshares (see above)
Terminate (see above)
REMOVED
Aegis of the Gods (too defensive)
Knight-Captain of Eos (see above)
Gideon's Avenger (not a team player)
Herald of Anafenza (would rather have Mobilization…and this deck doesn't want Mobilization)
ADDED
Damnation (Alesha laughs at boardwipes)
Rout (see above)
Oblation (grievous oversight)
Wheel of Fortune (pure value with Alesha)
Reforge the Soul (see above)
REMOVED
Hound of Griselbrand (not a team player)
Ajani Steadfast (narrow window of maximum utility)
Go for the Throat (would rather have sweep)
Path to Exile (see above)
Terminate (see above)
And while I'm thinking of it, Reconnaissance might be worth a look for pulling her out of combat when she's blocked.
Just saw another list and Ankle Shanker and Master of Cruelties really stuck out.
wait wait wait, no sad robot?
The "tappy dudes" actually don't tap that often. I have quite a few ways to add counters to creatures and then it's just a matter of benefitting from the static abilities of the "tappy dudes."
Alesha's not often blocked, 'cos Alesha's not often out. When it is, I typically have opponents without blocking creatures. Either that or Alesha's equipped with a Sword or buffed with a few +1/+1 counters.
Shanker does nothing the turn it enters the battlefield. I've been eyeing the Master, though.
Have never been a fan of Solemn Simulacrum, utility be damned. Hate the flavor of the card for almost all of my decks thus far.
My next big changes will involve speeding the deck up considerably to address combo players.
Hushwing Gryff uhhhh Aven Mindcensor Leonin Arbiter
[card]
Entomb Buried Alive
And some random ideas.....
Crusading Knight[/card] is fun with urborg
Mirror Entity is a beating
Haakon, Stromgald Scourge + Crib Swap
Lin-Sivvi toolbox?
Taurean Mauler gets big fast and is a rebel...like big game hunter
Faithless Looting for the guys you don't want to hardcast.
Kiki jiki
Marton stromgald pumps the other dudes, but doesn't do anything when he hits play...
Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker was in my darien deck for a long time just because of Nekusaur and Purphoros
I've made the following changes to speed up the deck and reduce its mana curve:
ADDED
Armageddon (still the cheapest land wipe around)
Chaos Warp (can be dangerous, but well worth the risk)
Path to Exile (see above)
Coldsteel Heart (just about rounds out the mana rocks I'm willing to use)
Charcoal Diamond (see above)
REMOVED
Akroma's Memorial (great card, but seven mana)
True Conviction (great card, but color-intensive casting cost)
Contagion Engine (great card, but often does nothing the turn it's played)
Gleam of Battle (this or Ajani Steadfast just might make it back in the deck)
Mountain (removing one land and adding two rocks is generally safe)
ADDED
Echoes of the Kin Tree (cheaper to cast than Gleam of Battle and more durable than a planeswalker? yes, please!)
REMOVED
Mountain (it's rare that I want to cast Alesha before another creature and we've plenty of colored sources from artifact ramp)
In a recent win, wiped the land twice and beat down with just Alesha and High Sentinels of Arashin, adding two +1/+1 counters per turn with artifact ramp. With Echoes of the Kin Tree, can do the same thing for two less mana.
In other news, I think I might enjoy Crucible of Worlds recursions of Myriad Landscape even more than Strip Mine. The combo is like a slow-ramping Land Tax. Particularly nice after Armageddon, naturally.
I also just want to say that while I don't subscribe to your philosophy of EDH, I enjoy reading about the flavorful themes you try to give all your decks.
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!
Like Steadfast, Gleam can have an almost immediate impact on the board if I'm able to attack with creatures the turn it's cast. Being an enchantment, it's more resilient than a 'walker and sticks around post-Cataclysm.My "philosophy of EDH"? Which one, mate? I have many!
Stay tuned for my six-deck series based on The Hobbit: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (a deck for each army, humans, Elves, Dwarves, Eagles, and Orcs, plus one for Smaug just for kicks) and two-deck series for Star Trek: DEEP SPACE NINE - The Federation vs The Dominion!
Basically I'm one of those filthy casuals.
EDH for whatever reason is super popular in my area, so I carry around a modified precon which I will use as a way to kill time and socialize with random people in between scheduled event stuff. If I want a game where my opponent is trying their dardnest to make things as miserable for me as possible I'll just go play Vintage or Legacy (which I do!) but when I play EDH, I want to be entertained by people attempting to play politics and silly interactions between cards that aren't good enough for any of the competitive formats. Cutthroat decks built around obvious combos, MLD/Stax, or counterspell control fail miserably at entertaining me because I've seen them all before in 60-card form. If someone's deck has those, I'll probably just quietly pack up my cards and make a mental note not to play with them again, because it's clear we don't want the same things from an EDH game and they'd be happier playing against someone else.
Huh, Teeg always struck me as more of a Hobbit.
And
Avatar by Numotflame96 of Maelstrom Graphics
Sig banner thanks to DarkNightCavalier of Heroes of the Plane Studios!