This thread is so useful!
Thanks for all the effort you've put in.
I'm Curious what you think of a few cards: Prophetic Prism: my brago deck can usually make an abundance of colorless mana, but the colored mana is always the constraint.
Thought-Knot Seer: win con with strionic resonator. Its fun to exile cards from the biggest threat and then give the cards back to someone else. Potentially diplomatic.
Phyrexian Metamorph: doubles as a mana rock or stax piece. Can be converted into something more valuable later on.
Recruiter of the Gaurd: repeated access to most of your creatures. This is definitely better in a more creature heavy build, or a deck with more hate-bears.
thanks for the kind words! I wanna try Recruiter, just havent had a chance to update the deck yet!
I now have a copy of RotG, so it's time to run it. I may reinclude mentor of the meek, but I really wanna make room for Thalia next. Sage has been a flex slot.
I've yet to test things, but Brigand isn't necessary. It's too costly for its effect and we dont need 3 Rishadan creatures. 2 is plenty in most scenarios. My safest pick is to keep playing for early game consistency. I like to play around with 32-34 lands. I hate taking mulligans, as I tend to go to 4-5 typically and it sets me back bigly.
My 0.02, chrome mox is a great accelerant to get brago out sooner, but completely unusable for flicker shenanigans. In the best case, you probably want te rock to be good for both, though probably depends if you need a higher density of fast mana to race Brago out there
My 0.02, chrome mox is a great accelerant to get brago out sooner, but completely unusable for flicker shenanigans. In the best case, you probably want te rock to be good for both, though probably depends if you need a higher density of fast mana to race Brago out there
Yep, at one point I think I did. Fiddler is correct, it's card disadvantage to get Brago out sooner. The thing is, is that accelerating into Brago isnt the only game plan, and I used to have it as my only game plan and when I did, I lost more games than I won since Brago himself doesnt win games. He just breaks the stax parity.
Footpad for Exarch seems reasonable. Half the mana cost for the same basic effect: wins the game with Strionic and Brago. Trophy Mage is a test slot to find stax pieces.
Big fan of this list. I'm building a very similar list (low-cmc competitive brago stax) and i have a few questions about the list that i can't find answered in the changelogs. I was hoping you could shed some light on certain card choices.
The biggest question i have is why you're not using the grindstone-painter's servant combo instead of the RIP-Helm combo. Aside from style points, the biggest reason to run the classic grindstone/plainter's servant combo is because both of the pieces are artifacts, meaning that the frankly ludicrous amount of artifact tutoring can find both pieces of the combo, rather than hoping to draw into RIP (which appears to be the plan, so far as I can tell, minus enlightened tutor and muddle).
The artifacts in question are 1 and 2 cmc, which aside from making the entire combo a lot cheaper mana-wise, also means trinket mage gets better, and all of the tutors get better. It's a bit of a no-brainer and i was wondering if there's something I'd missed!
None of the other card choices are particularly contentious, although I was wondering about Opposition. While i can see the argument that it is a 'win-more' card and it does cost 4 mana, being able to tap down lands in exchange for tapping your dudes (who are often untapped due to brago bouncing them/ you're not really attacking with them anyway) is a good exchange! not to mention tapping your own static orb/winter orb to skip out on their effects is pretty good too.
*edit
the tapping artifacts rule applies to static orb but not winter orb, as per the oracle text.
because painter's servant is banned in edh. do you perhaps have a house rule in your playgroup? if so, i agree with ya!
Helm/RIP is just one of a few plans, it's not the ideal win condition.
Opposition doesnt do anything without a board of creatures. It's too slow for competitive edh, and my orbs generally dont affect me too much unless I'm realllly not doing well. haha
Why not run mystic gate? you're running skycloud expanse, which is essentially a much, much worse version. Would it be worth running gate instead / cut down on a basic?
Everyones been asking lol. Just havent gotten one yet. Hoping for a cheap reprint. it's one card the deck desperately needs.
What's your thoughts on replacing swan song with flusterstorm?
I think you could run both even, depending on your meta. I dont encounter storm anymore, and most "storm" strategies have become more or less all in on aetherflux (with a few exceptions running that gravestorm card)
But as a sad note, I've since disassembled this deck due to a lack of my own interest and the fact that Teferi just does what i wanna do here, more consistently and better. Between both stax decks that play so similarly, I prefer Teferi right now. I'll probably see if someone can take over the primer, so if you or anyone else is interested, please PM me!
I see that you retired the deck. I can definitely understand. I'd like to pick your brain on a few things if you don't mind as I've recently pushed my Brago to a more competitive level.
Sun Titan - Is this essentially just to fetch a countered Strionic Resonator? I have a hard time justifying expensive cards and at 6 CMC, Sun Titan would be the most expensive thing in my list.
With the amount of Winter Orb or Tsabo's Web effects, do you find that Command Beacon and Inventor's Fair are still good? I've recently cut anything that ETBT for my lands and I am very suspicious of anything that could be hit by it.
I can't figure out what you mean by Paradoxical Outcome 'reseting your mana'. Are you essentially just casting this to drawing cards and then recasting each of the rocks? Is that before or after combat? Perhaps on someone else's turn? This pick just makes me scratch my head.
I'm finding that my draw is inconsistent, is Windfall that much of a boost to draw? I was personally toying with Day's Undoing so that I can try again if my Resonator gets countered or destroyed.
I see that you retired the deck. I can definitely understand. I'd like to pick your brain on a few things if you don't mind as I've recently pushed my Brago to a more competitive level.
Sun Titan - Is this essentially just to fetch a countered Strionic Resonator? I have a hard time justifying expensive cards and at 6 CMC, Sun Titan would be the most expensive thing in my list.
With the amount of Winter Orb or Tsabo's Web effects, do you find that Command Beacon and Inventor's Fair are still good? I've recently cut anything that ETBT for my lands and I am very suspicious of anything that could be hit by it.
I can't figure out what you mean by Paradoxical Outcome 'reseting your mana'. Are you essentially just casting this to drawing cards and then recasting each of the rocks? Is that before or after combat? Perhaps on someone else's turn? This pick just makes me scratch my head.
I'm finding that my draw is inconsistent, is Windfall that much of a boost to draw? I was personally toying with Day's Undoing so that I can try again if my Resonator gets countered or destroyed.
Thank you for any help you could provide.
Pretty much on the money with Titan, though he was close on the cuts
I find if you need to go the route of locking down the board, Beacon and Fair are still worthwhile just due to being able to keep brago cheap by returning him to hand. I never really got to test Fair TBH.
Outcome was one of those flex slot cards that I was testing to draw cards after blinking permanents with Brago.
Windfall was incredible usually because you could drop half your hand, then windfall and force everyone to mulligan their hands essentially while at the same time refilling yours.
If it sticks, this card can prevent opponents from casting sorceries, 6mana might be a bit much though. It seems great in a casual environment, but not so much in a competitive EDH game.
If it sticks, this card can prevent opponents from casting sorceries, 6mana might be a bit much though. It seems great in a casual environment, but not so much in a competitive EDH game.
I'm gonna try and find a slot for it in my own Brago deck.
My YouTube Channel: The Commander Tavern - a channel I just started where I'll post deck techs and gameplays. Please support by checking it out. Maybe you'll like its content and subscribe! Thanks!
Your primer is still very good. I learned a lot of it. Yesterday evenening I won 3 games with a very similar deck. Transmute artifact is an expensive card but so strong. Won two times with Rest in peace out and searching for Helm of Obedience, but ok this combo is getting a bit boring. I never tought that I would ever play with Rishadan Cutpurse but the card is so good with Brago and the rest. I was thinking of Power Artifact (another expensive card). My meta now knows the dangers of the deck, so probably I will have to put in more counters or protection.
Ha glad youre having fun! Yeah helm and RIP arent super fun to use, but effective.
Alternatively before i chucked the deck, i was gonna incorporate Dramatic Reversal / Isochron Scepter as an infinite mana combo and combine it with Blind Obedience as a 3 card wincon. Real compact too.
Hi there. I'm building your Brago as my first commander. I'm just wondering what you think about adding spellseeker. It's quite nice for fetching tutors or rift... It also has ETB effect.
thanks for the kind words! I wanna try Recruiter, just havent had a chance to update the deck yet!
Removed:
Sage of Epityr
Added:
Recruiter of the Guard
I now have a copy of RotG, so it's time to run it. I may reinclude mentor of the meek, but I really wanna make room for Thalia next. Sage has been a flex slot.
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
Rishadan Brigand
Added:
Plains
I've yet to test things, but Brigand isn't necessary. It's too costly for its effect and we dont need 3 Rishadan creatures. 2 is plenty in most scenarios. My safest pick is to keep playing for early game consistency. I like to play around with 32-34 lands. I hate taking mulligans, as I tend to go to 4-5 typically and it sets me back bigly.
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
G Azusa, Wherever I May Roam
UG Rashmi Simic Power
WB Kambal Life Gain Kills
URG Maelstrom Wanderer Howdy
Yep, at one point I think I did. Fiddler is correct, it's card disadvantage to get Brago out sooner. The thing is, is that accelerating into Brago isnt the only game plan, and I used to have it as my only game plan and when I did, I lost more games than I won since Brago himself doesnt win games. He just breaks the stax parity.
Removed:
[card]Rishadan Footpad
Inspiring Statuary
[/cards]
Added:
[card]Inquisitor Exarch
Trophy Mage[/cards]
Footpad for Exarch seems reasonable. Half the mana cost for the same basic effect: wins the game with Strionic and Brago. Trophy Mage is a test slot to find stax pieces.
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
because painter's servant is banned in edh. do you perhaps have a house rule in your playgroup? if so, i agree with ya!
Helm/RIP is just one of a few plans, it's not the ideal win condition.
Opposition doesnt do anything without a board of creatures. It's too slow for competitive edh, and my orbs generally dont affect me too much unless I'm realllly not doing well. haha
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
No sweat man! Thanks for asking! I appreciate it cause if you look at my topics I do commonly make simple mistakes like that.
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
Everyones been asking lol. Just havent gotten one yet. Hoping for a cheap reprint. it's one card the deck desperately needs.
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
I think you could run both even, depending on your meta. I dont encounter storm anymore, and most "storm" strategies have become more or less all in on aetherflux (with a few exceptions running that gravestorm card)
But as a sad note, I've since disassembled this deck due to a lack of my own interest and the fact that Teferi just does what i wanna do here, more consistently and better. Between both stax decks that play so similarly, I prefer Teferi right now. I'll probably see if someone can take over the primer, so if you or anyone else is interested, please PM me!
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
Re: Swan song, the real answer is you want that mana drain reprint!
G Azusa, Wherever I May Roam
UG Rashmi Simic Power
WB Kambal Life Gain Kills
URG Maelstrom Wanderer Howdy
yessir!!!
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
Sun Titan - Is this essentially just to fetch a countered Strionic Resonator? I have a hard time justifying expensive cards and at 6 CMC, Sun Titan would be the most expensive thing in my list.
With the amount of Winter Orb or Tsabo's Web effects, do you find that Command Beacon and Inventor's Fair are still good? I've recently cut anything that ETBT for my lands and I am very suspicious of anything that could be hit by it.
I can't figure out what you mean by Paradoxical Outcome 'reseting your mana'. Are you essentially just casting this to drawing cards and then recasting each of the rocks? Is that before or after combat? Perhaps on someone else's turn? This pick just makes me scratch my head.
I'm finding that my draw is inconsistent, is Windfall that much of a boost to draw? I was personally toying with Day's Undoing so that I can try again if my Resonator gets countered or destroyed.
Thank you for any help you could provide.
Mid-Tier: Marchesa Aggro Rose Asmadi Get Dire Tymna Ikra Woke Women Tiana Aura Angel Ruric Thar SMASH Smasher Kraum Mana Positivity Zur Slides
Filthy Casual: WUBRG Jodah WUBRG WUBRG Fatties WUBRG Gahiji Vigilant Vengeance Ezuri Mysterious Morphs
Pretty much on the money with Titan, though he was close on the cuts
I find if you need to go the route of locking down the board, Beacon and Fair are still worthwhile just due to being able to keep brago cheap by returning him to hand. I never really got to test Fair TBH.
Outcome was one of those flex slot cards that I was testing to draw cards after blinking permanents with Brago.
Windfall was incredible usually because you could drop half your hand, then windfall and force everyone to mulligan their hands essentially while at the same time refilling yours.
Np man!
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
If it sticks, this card can prevent opponents from casting sorceries, 6mana might be a bit much though. It seems great in a casual environment, but not so much in a competitive EDH game.
I'm gonna try and find a slot for it in my own Brago deck.
BGU [Primer] Sidisi, Brood Tyrant BGU | BG [Primer] Mazirek, Kraul Death Priest BG | G [Primer] Polukranos, World Eater G
My YouTube Channel:
The Commander Tavern - a channel I just started where I'll post deck techs and gameplays. Please support by checking it out. Maybe you'll like its content and subscribe! Thanks!
Ha glad youre having fun! Yeah helm and RIP arent super fun to use, but effective.
Alternatively before i chucked the deck, i was gonna incorporate Dramatic Reversal / Isochron Scepter as an infinite mana combo and combine it with Blind Obedience as a 3 card wincon. Real compact too.
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown