I'm waffling around with what the first deck I want to build after Dominaria will be. At the moment I'm considering a Shalai enchantress/pillowfort deck, a rebuild of a Bant enchantress deck I have, and while looking around for enchantments to use with her, I came across a couple white auras that made me think "gosh, those would be great if they didn't get sent to the graveyard when someone looks at them funny." Then I remembered the cutest little angel in this set, and I sort of like the concept of two very different enchantment decks headed by angels.
I think Tiana, as a commander, will be best as a control deck, with a voltron beatdown being the eventual way to win. Auras benefit way more from her ability than equipment, and there are auras like Pariah and Soul Tithe which can become pretty annoying when they stick around. However, including high-utility equipment like Sword of the Animist and Sunforger is not a bad idea when it can patch up areas that Boros struggles with.
Since Tiana will, under optimal conditions, be providing some not insignificant card advantage, keeping the curve low is important. Ideally I'd have most auras be under four CMC, unless they provide serious benefit like Spectra Ward.
Not sure how many of the totem armors would be good, but it's pretty important to have, command tax will rack up very quick and it gives her some staying power, especially when combined with other forms of protection.
I want Recruiter of the Guard in here just because it's so important to get at least one enchantress effect online. Also I have a copy of it not being used at all. Imperial Recruiter would do the same thing.
I didn't see Immolation on your list. For 1 mana, repeated removal of any x/2 creatures is pretty strong. It can also be attached to Tiana once you're going in for the win. Guise of Fire has a somewhat similar effect, it can't immediately kill most creatures but it will force them to attack, potentially causing them to die to a blocker. Flowstone Blade can eventually kill any creature with enough mana, but would be RRRR in order to kill anything that Immolation can't, at that point Ordeal of Purphoros or Fatal Attraction are better, or just rely on your instants/sorceries in that case.
Spirit Link is a fun card. It can let you benefit from combat you're not involved with, let Tiana heal you up, or nullify the effect of any non-commander creature on you. On the topic of lifegain, I'm not sure if Ordeal of Heliod is too worth it with no other source of +1/+1 counters, but 10 life for 2 mana and no card disadvantage, on top of giving a +1/+1 counter, is not too bad.
Scrap Spectra Ward. I read the rulings, "although Auras that are already attached to the creature aren’t affected by Spectra Ward, the enchanted creature can’t be the target of further Aura spells that have one or more colors." No good if I want to recur Totem Armor forever.
Skybind + Sigarda's Aid gets pretty silly, Skybind is 5 cmc but it can pull off some stunts, at worst with no flash Auras it can remove blockers or remove counters from a thing. Becomes cruel with Containment Priest and Hallowed Moonlight, which are probably cards I would want to include anyway in a Boros control deck.
Galvanic Arc is really good. First Strike is redundant on Tiana, but IIRC you can have Galvanic Arc enter the battlefield enchanting the same creature it targets with its bolt, so it can destroy itself and get back into hand. It would also give first strike to any other alternate win-cons like Kor Spiritdancer. There's very few good red auras, but of them this is one you want.
Doublestrike is common in Boros and probably the quickest way to make Tiana a threat; I'm not going to be loading up too much on offensive auras, and she only has 3 power. She has First Strike already, so Kwende, Pride of Femeref works. Battle Mastery is an obvious choice, but I like Duelist's Heritage more because I can give any attacking creature doublestrike, meaning I can get involved with combat not related to me. Kwende and Silverblade Paladin, as creatures with doublestrike, can get Path of Mettle online, a card that looks pretty interesting to me as a land that can destroy creatures, and more bodies is not unwelcome. Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion isn't bad but is pretty mana intensive. Grappling Hook is funny but also expensive, kind of fits in with the control theme though.
Greater Auramancy seems like a pretty sweet buff to our enchantments.
My concern with this card is that it also prevents your creatures who're already enchanted by an aura from being enchanted by another, since Greater Auramancy gives them shroud.
I didn't see Immolation on your list. For 1 mana, repeated removal of any x/2 creatures is pretty strong. It can also be attached to Tiana once you're going in for the win. Guise of Fire has a somewhat similar effect, it can't immediately kill most creatures but it will force them to attack, potentially causing them to die to a blocker. Flowstone Blade can eventually kill any creature with enough mana, but would be RRRR in order to kill anything that Immolation can't, at that point Ordeal of Purphoros or Fatal Attraction are better, or just rely on your instants/sorceries in that case.
The other thing about removal auras like Immolation is that they get stronger in numbers. Immolation by itself might not be able to take out a fattie, but Immolation, Fatal Attraction and Flowstone Blade probably can.
Also it can be very useful to have some interaction in the early game to kill people's broken tutor commanders like Yisan and Arcum Dagsson.
If you're tossing in Immolation then you probably want to look at Earthbind as well. I'm thinking Lust for War could also be fun; toss it on their utility creatures. And Squee's Embrace is a solid buff in color that saves your dude.
If you want even further on-theme jank, Caught in the Brights plus Weatherlight (or any other vehicle, but Weatherlight is super on theme).
Jokulhaups and Obliterate are possibly funny with her+totem armor. Wipe nearly the entire board but keep a (hopefully pumped up by now) Flying First Striker.
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Must you be such a blessing?
Added.
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
Serra's Sanctum is a must.
Greater Auramancy seems like a pretty sweet buff to our enchantments.
Fountain Watch is always another way to protect our Auras.
Also, consider Monastery Mentor. We cast an awful lot of non-creatures.
Finally, Karn, Scion of Urza is another draw engine that synergize with the equipment build.
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-Commander-
I think Tiana, as a commander, will be best as a control deck, with a voltron beatdown being the eventual way to win. Auras benefit way more from her ability than equipment, and there are auras like Pariah and Soul Tithe which can become pretty annoying when they stick around. However, including high-utility equipment like Sword of the Animist and Sunforger is not a bad idea when it can patch up areas that Boros struggles with.
Since Tiana will, under optimal conditions, be providing some not insignificant card advantage, keeping the curve low is important. Ideally I'd have most auras be under four CMC, unless they provide serious benefit like Spectra Ward.
1 Sram, Senior Edificer
1 Kor Spiritdancer
1 Mesa Enchantress
Pillowfort
1 Pariah
1 Spirit Link
Control/Removal
1 Darksteel Mutation
1 Soul Tithe
1 Immolation
1 Chained to the Rocks
1 Eland Umbra
1 Felidar Umbra
1 Hyena Umbra
1 Mammoth Umbra
1 Umbra Mystic
Tutor
1 Open the Armory
1 Enlightened Tutor
1 Recruiter of the Guard
1 Heliod's Pilgrim
1 Steelshaper's Gift
1 Retether
1 Replenish
Other
1 Sigarda's Aid
1 Sunforger
Not sure how many of the totem armors would be good, but it's pretty important to have, command tax will rack up very quick and it gives her some staying power, especially when combined with other forms of protection.
I want Recruiter of the Guard in here just because it's so important to get at least one enchantress effect online. Also I have a copy of it not being used at all. Imperial Recruiter would do the same thing.
I didn't see Immolation on your list. For 1 mana, repeated removal of any x/2 creatures is pretty strong. It can also be attached to Tiana once you're going in for the win. Guise of Fire has a somewhat similar effect, it can't immediately kill most creatures but it will force them to attack, potentially causing them to die to a blocker. Flowstone Blade can eventually kill any creature with enough mana, but would be RRRR in order to kill anything that Immolation can't, at that point Ordeal of Purphoros or Fatal Attraction are better, or just rely on your instants/sorceries in that case.
Spirit Link is a fun card. It can let you benefit from combat you're not involved with, let Tiana heal you up, or nullify the effect of any non-commander creature on you. On the topic of lifegain, I'm not sure if Ordeal of Heliod is too worth it with no other source of +1/+1 counters, but 10 life for 2 mana and no card disadvantage, on top of giving a +1/+1 counter, is not too bad.
Scrap Spectra Ward. I read the rulings, "although Auras that are already attached to the creature aren’t affected by Spectra Ward, the enchanted creature can’t be the target of further Aura spells that have one or more colors." No good if I want to recur Totem Armor forever.
Skybind + Sigarda's Aid gets pretty silly, Skybind is 5 cmc but it can pull off some stunts, at worst with no flash Auras it can remove blockers or remove counters from a thing. Becomes cruel with Containment Priest and Hallowed Moonlight, which are probably cards I would want to include anyway in a Boros control deck.
Galvanic Arc is really good. First Strike is redundant on Tiana, but IIRC you can have Galvanic Arc enter the battlefield enchanting the same creature it targets with its bolt, so it can destroy itself and get back into hand. It would also give first strike to any other alternate win-cons like Kor Spiritdancer. There's very few good red auras, but of them this is one you want.
Unquestioned Authority also has a great effect, and replaces itself.
Doublestrike is common in Boros and probably the quickest way to make Tiana a threat; I'm not going to be loading up too much on offensive auras, and she only has 3 power. She has First Strike already, so Kwende, Pride of Femeref works. Battle Mastery is an obvious choice, but I like Duelist's Heritage more because I can give any attacking creature doublestrike, meaning I can get involved with combat not related to me. Kwende and Silverblade Paladin, as creatures with doublestrike, can get Path of Mettle online, a card that looks pretty interesting to me as a land that can destroy creatures, and more bodies is not unwelcome. Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion isn't bad but is pretty mana intensive. Grappling Hook is funny but also expensive, kind of fits in with the control theme though.
My concern with this card is that it also prevents your creatures who're already enchanted by an aura from being enchanted by another, since Greater Auramancy gives them shroud.
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
The other thing about removal auras like Immolation is that they get stronger in numbers. Immolation by itself might not be able to take out a fattie, but Immolation, Fatal Attraction and Flowstone Blade probably can.
Also it can be very useful to have some interaction in the early game to kill people's broken tutor commanders like Yisan and Arcum Dagsson.
If you want even further on-theme jank, Caught in the Brights plus Weatherlight (or any other vehicle, but Weatherlight is super on theme).
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Unfortunately that doesnt turn them into auras or equipments so Tiana will not return them to your hand.
Ive been looking at this and I think I want to make the deck. I haven't been able to really think of anything that hasnt already been brought up.
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