Djeru is an interesting commander, but one that I haven't seen at all. He promises a unique set of skills, namely tutoring for planeswalkers and protecting them, as well as providing built in card advantage in mono white (and not just white's traditional CA method of tokens, wiping the board, or two for one's at an opponent's expense, but CA that gets you cards).
The problem with Djeru is that he is mono white, not only because its a weak color for EDH, but because it severely limits what walkers you can have in your deck. Djeru definitely wants to be a super friends deck, at least to an extent: he is all about tutoring and protecting planeswalkers, so only having a couple would be a waste of his abilities. Unfortunately, the pickings are fairly slim when it comes to EDH quality walkers in white. Both Karns are good (though I don't own them so they are not in this deck), as are Ugin and Elspeth Sun's Champion, while Knight Errant is also pretty solid, but the quality level drops off from there. This means that despite being a planeswalker deck, its not going to win by just slamming as many walkers as possible on the field. Instead, this deck is built as a mono white control shell with some aspects that synergize with Djeru and planeswalkers.
First things first: The walkers. I mentioned that I don't have either Karn, and they should definitely replace two of the weaker walkers. My walker count is at 10, and I think that's a pretty good number: that's enough to give Djeru enough targets if I manage to trigger him repeatedly, but not so many that I'm diluting the deck's ability to play defense. The goal here is to control the board until I drop Djeru, then grab one of the generally powerful walkers and start pulling ahead. Sun's Champion and Ugin are great most of the time because they can both wipe the board, killing Djeru in the process and allowing me to recast him and grab a second walker, and they also both generate significant advantage with Elspeth's tokens and Ugin's Ghostfire, culminating in powerful ultimates. Other walkers tend to be either generically good back up, like Elspeth 1.0, or are situationally useful, which means that most of the walkers operate as a toolbox. Gideon of the Trials' emblem is great if I've set up a board where I can protect him. Elspeth Tirel helps close games once I've started making a token army, and can gain me back life if I'm in the danger zone. Nahiri is a good grab when I have skullclamp out, making her + into "draw 2 cards", always great in a mono W deck. Gideon Jura clears the way for my tokens to attack, Ajani Steadfast is good once I've got a few walkers on the field to help them build up more quickly. Gideon, Champion of Justice is there to build up to his ultimate once I have protection down, but would likely be replaced by a Karn (though I did nearly win off of this before he got removed). Goldmane would also be replaced by a Karn, but currently works well with Dawn of Hope to generate card draw.
Several cards are included to get multiple triggers from either planeswalkers or Djeru, such as Conjurer's Closet blinking Djeru every turn or Rings of Bright Hearth to get double loyalty abilities. Lots of wraths help protect the planeswalkers, as do pillow fort effects, and MLD exists to close out games once I clear the board with Ugin or Elspeth.
Overall, the deck wants to grind out wins with incremental advantage. Some ramp to get Djeru and walkers out earlier, some key creatures that dodge wraths and/or serve as both threats and answers, and some cards that generate CA round out the list. And enchantment and tutor package serves as a toolbox that gets specific answers or powerful interactions. Rector, Enlightened Tutor, and Idyllic Tutor fetch Sphere of Safety most of the time, but can also grab Planar collapse as a tutorable Wrath, or Fall of the Thran as a tutorable geddon. They can also grab Aura of Silence to deal with a problem enchantment or artifact, land tax if I'm behind, or Dawn of Hope if I have a steady source of life gain.
I've went 2 and 2 on mtgo with this deck. Came from behind once by grinding out the board with wraths, controlled another game from the start and basically was the archenemy (this is when I managed to get Champion of Justice to 80 loyalty and had him removed before I could exile everything). Lost one because a guy was an idiot and wasted 3 removal spells on my board, which enabled the next guy to combo off. The other game I lost I never could get stabilized, and a key wrath ended up getting countered. Overall each game was fun, with the exception of the aforementioned idiot with poor threat assessment.
The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
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!
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The problem with Djeru is that he is mono white, not only because its a weak color for EDH, but because it severely limits what walkers you can have in your deck. Djeru definitely wants to be a super friends deck, at least to an extent: he is all about tutoring and protecting planeswalkers, so only having a couple would be a waste of his abilities. Unfortunately, the pickings are fairly slim when it comes to EDH quality walkers in white. Both Karns are good (though I don't own them so they are not in this deck), as are Ugin and Elspeth Sun's Champion, while Knight Errant is also pretty solid, but the quality level drops off from there. This means that despite being a planeswalker deck, its not going to win by just slamming as many walkers as possible on the field. Instead, this deck is built as a mono white control shell with some aspects that synergize with Djeru and planeswalkers.
First things first: The walkers. I mentioned that I don't have either Karn, and they should definitely replace two of the weaker walkers. My walker count is at 10, and I think that's a pretty good number: that's enough to give Djeru enough targets if I manage to trigger him repeatedly, but not so many that I'm diluting the deck's ability to play defense. The goal here is to control the board until I drop Djeru, then grab one of the generally powerful walkers and start pulling ahead. Sun's Champion and Ugin are great most of the time because they can both wipe the board, killing Djeru in the process and allowing me to recast him and grab a second walker, and they also both generate significant advantage with Elspeth's tokens and Ugin's Ghostfire, culminating in powerful ultimates. Other walkers tend to be either generically good back up, like Elspeth 1.0, or are situationally useful, which means that most of the walkers operate as a toolbox. Gideon of the Trials' emblem is great if I've set up a board where I can protect him. Elspeth Tirel helps close games once I've started making a token army, and can gain me back life if I'm in the danger zone. Nahiri is a good grab when I have skullclamp out, making her + into "draw 2 cards", always great in a mono W deck. Gideon Jura clears the way for my tokens to attack, Ajani Steadfast is good once I've got a few walkers on the field to help them build up more quickly. Gideon, Champion of Justice is there to build up to his ultimate once I have protection down, but would likely be replaced by a Karn (though I did nearly win off of this before he got removed). Goldmane would also be replaced by a Karn, but currently works well with Dawn of Hope to generate card draw.
Several cards are included to get multiple triggers from either planeswalkers or Djeru, such as Conjurer's Closet blinking Djeru every turn or Rings of Bright Hearth to get double loyalty abilities. Lots of wraths help protect the planeswalkers, as do pillow fort effects, and MLD exists to close out games once I clear the board with Ugin or Elspeth.
Overall, the deck wants to grind out wins with incremental advantage. Some ramp to get Djeru and walkers out earlier, some key creatures that dodge wraths and/or serve as both threats and answers, and some cards that generate CA round out the list. And enchantment and tutor package serves as a toolbox that gets specific answers or powerful interactions. Rector, Enlightened Tutor, and Idyllic Tutor fetch Sphere of Safety most of the time, but can also grab Planar collapse as a tutorable Wrath, or Fall of the Thran as a tutorable geddon. They can also grab Aura of Silence to deal with a problem enchantment or artifact, land tax if I'm behind, or Dawn of Hope if I have a steady source of life gain.
I've went 2 and 2 on mtgo with this deck. Came from behind once by grinding out the board with wraths, controlled another game from the start and basically was the archenemy (this is when I managed to get Champion of Justice to 80 loyalty and had him removed before I could exile everything). Lost one because a guy was an idiot and wasted 3 removal spells on my board, which enabled the next guy to combo off. The other game I lost I never could get stabilized, and a key wrath ended up getting countered. Overall each game was fun, with the exception of the aforementioned idiot with poor threat assessment.
1x Djeru, With Eyes Open
Creatures:
1x Weathered Wayfinder
1x Stoneforge Mystic
1x Academy Rector
1x Arena Rector
1x Heliod, God of the Sun
1x Oketra the True
1x Restoration Angel
1x Baird, Steward of Argive
1x Archangel of Tithes
1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1x Waking Sun’s Avatar
1x Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
1x Ulamog, The Ceaseless Hunger
Enchantments:
1x Oath of Gideon
1x Aura of Silence
1x Land Tax
1x Dawn of Hope
1x Fall of the Thran
1x Sphere of Safety
1x Planar Collapse
Instant/Sorcery:
1x Enlightened Tutor
1x Idyllic Tutor
1x Armageddon
1x Ravages of War
1x Austere Command
1x Cataclysm
1x Day of Judgement
1x Wrath of God
1x Return to Dust
1x Fumigate
1x Cleansing Nova
1x Fell the Mighty
1x Descend Upon the Sinful
1x Hour of Reckoning
1x Phyrexian Rebirth
1x Martial Coup
1x Mana Crypt
1x Mana Vault
1x Sol Ring
1x Sensei's Divining Top
1x Skullclamp
1x Expedition Map
1x Umezawa’s Jitte
1x Torpor Orb
1x Marble Diamond
1x Crucible of Worlds
1x Rings of Brighthearth
1x Erratic Portal
1x Helm of the Host
1x Conjurer’s Closet
1x Mind’s Eye
Planeswalkers:
1x Gideon of the Trials
1x Ajani Steadfast
1x Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1x Ajani Goldmane
1x Elspeth, Knight Errant
1x Gideon, Champion of Justice
1x Elspeth Tirel
1x Gideon Jura
1x Nahiri, the Lithomancer
1x Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
1x Mistveil Plains
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Flagstones of Trokair
1x Dust Bowl
1x Emmaria, the Sky Ruin
1x Myriad Landscape
1x Wasteland
1x Sea Gate Wreckage
1x Strip Mine
28x Plains
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!