Why Bartel?: Bartel Runeaxe has been spending too much time hanging around hammerheim over the past 20 years. High time he comes down from the mountains for some action. I am a big nostalgia fan and also subscribe to the theory that weaker commanders can compete as they don't draw attention and allow your (weaker) cards to get going unscathed. As such i have decided to gather up Bartel's buddies and some of his favorite axes for a good ol' commander brew.
Bartel is getting some help from commander 2015 with Warchief Giant. He could also use a Goat and there just happens to be one with Pathbreaker Ibex. Meteor Blast is also something i could see Bartel doing.
Well the other day was a first. Bartel was not happy with his current setup and demanded some upgrades. He had a bit of fun with some of his goofy buddies but in reality he wanted to win some games. But How? Well first step is he needs some card advantage so i added a selection of Draw 3 cards to keep the axes coming. Second is ditch some of the lamer budget lands for some real lands (better lands to come as i acquire them). Third is add a few more hurt bombs especially ones that are good with Pyromancer's Goggles or Rosheen Meanderer.
Well i did the changes below and low and behold Bartel actually won a game! Not only was it a game it was a 5 player game and not only was it a 5 player game but Bartel KO'd all 4 opponents. The table was aggressive with a turn 3 Sulfuric Vortex putting everyone on the attack. I was able to hit some ramp and get bartel going quickly. Boldwyr Intimidator made short work of 2 opponents in successive turns by cowarding up their blockers and getting in for 15-20 damage. By that point the other two opponents had set up really good positions and i had to blow a Bloodfire Colossus to clean things up. I had a Wretched Confluence and was ready to triple raise dead to re build my board but the other two guys rebuilt quickly. About a turn before i was toast (at 6 with an Ommnath under my opponents control) i needed to dig for a big spell so i cashed in the Conflunce to put me at 3 and drew the Comet Storm i needed to KO both opponents. So Bartel won in spectacular fashion and the new cards really played their part. Really the deck now plays like a jund control deck, but the key is that because Bartel is not particularly threatening so it gives you time to set up big spells or creature blowouts.
Still looking for
Grave Titan
and other big red sorceries
1 Bartel Runeaxe
His newest weapons
1 Wretched Confluence
1 Chandra's Ignition
1 Meteor Blast
1 Warstorm Surge
1 Comet Storm
1 Painful Truths
1 Harmonize
1 Ancient Craving
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Souls' Fire
1 Bloodfire Colossus
1 Cyclops of Eternal Fury
1 Warchief Giant
1 Magus of the Wheel
1 Magma Giant
1 Rosheen Meanderer
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Rocky Tar Pit
1 Stomping Ground
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Temple of Malice
1 Temple of Malady
His Giant Buddies
1 Taurean Mauler
1 Countryside Crusher
1 Chameleon Colossus
1 Odun Giant
1 Giant Harbinger
1 Outland Colossus
1 Stoneshock Giant
1 Thundercloud Shaman
1 Arbor Colossus
1 Cairn Wanderer
1 Hammerfist Giant
1 Inferno Titan
1 Sunrise Sovereign
1 Boldwyr Intimidator
1 Hamletback Goliath
1 Borderland Behemoth
1 Axelrod Gunnarson
1 Foriysian Totem
1 Archetype of Aggression
1 Stinkdrinker Daredevil
1 Surrak, the Hunt Caller
1 Lovisa Coldeyes
Bartel's Tricks
1 Wrecking Ball
1 Cultivate
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Giant's Ire
1 Decimate
1 Toil/Trouble
1 Vengeful Rebirth
1 Violent Ultimatum
1 Lavalanche
Bartel's Axes (and hammers and other gear)
1 Obsidian Battle-Axe
1 Darksteel Axe
1 Loxodon Warhammer
1 Hammer of Purphoros
1 Hammer of Bogardan
1 Pyromancer's Goggles
Bartel's Mana
1 Sol Ring
1 Gruul Signet
1 Rakdos Signet
1 Fire Diamond
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Chromatic Lantern
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Hedron Archive
Bartel's Turf
1 hammerheim
1 Mountain Valley
1 Savage Lands
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 Temple if Abandon
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Shadowblood Ridge
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Thespian's Stage
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Command Tower
1 Skarrg, the Rage Pits
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Gruul Turf
1 Opal Palace
2 Swamp
4 Forest
5 Mountain
Out:
1 Ambassador Oak
1 Humble Defector
1 Orcish Lumberjack
1 Tilling Treefolk
1 Lava Axe
1 Pit Fight
1 Crush Underfoot
1 Jund Charm
1 Wild Guess
1 Tormenting Voice
1 Volcanic Hammer
1 Armed/Dangerous
1 Skull Rend
1 Brainspoil
1 Hero's Blade
1 Ring of Valkas
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Rugged Highlands
1 Bloodfell Caves
1 Blighted Fen
1 Jund Panorama
1 Mountain
In:
1 Chandra's Ignition
1 Meteor Blast
1 Warstorm Surge
1 Comet Storm
1 Painful Truths
1 Harmonize
1 Ancient Craving
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Souls' Fire
1 Cyclops of Eternal Fury
1 Warchief Giant
1 Magus of the Wheel
1 Magma Giant
1 Rosheen Meanderer
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Rocky Tar Pit
1 Stomping Ground
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Temple of Malice
1 Temple of Malady
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
Bartel is getting some help from commander 2015 with Warchief Giant. He could also use a Goat and there just happens to be one with Pathbreaker Ibex. Meteor Blast is also something i could see Bartel doing.
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
Well i did the changes below and low and behold Bartel actually won a game! Not only was it a game it was a 5 player game and not only was it a 5 player game but Bartel KO'd all 4 opponents. The table was aggressive with a turn 3 Sulfuric Vortex putting everyone on the attack. I was able to hit some ramp and get bartel going quickly. Boldwyr Intimidator made short work of 2 opponents in successive turns by cowarding up their blockers and getting in for 15-20 damage. By that point the other two opponents had set up really good positions and i had to blow a Bloodfire Colossus to clean things up. I had a Wretched Confluence and was ready to triple raise dead to re build my board but the other two guys rebuilt quickly. About a turn before i was toast (at 6 with an Ommnath under my opponents control) i needed to dig for a big spell so i cashed in the Conflunce to put me at 3 and drew the Comet Storm i needed to KO both opponents. So Bartel won in spectacular fashion and the new cards really played their part. Really the deck now plays like a jund control deck, but the key is that because Bartel is not particularly threatening so it gives you time to set up big spells or creature blowouts.
Still looking for
Grave Titan
and other big red sorceries
Out:
1 Ambassador Oak
1 Humble Defector
1 Orcish Lumberjack
1 Tilling Treefolk
1 Lava Axe
1 Pit Fight
1 Crush Underfoot
1 Jund Charm
1 Wild Guess
1 Tormenting Voice
1 Volcanic Hammer
1 Armed/Dangerous
1 Skull Rend
1 Brainspoil
1 Hero's Blade
1 Ring of Valkas
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Rugged Highlands
1 Bloodfell Caves
1 Blighted Fen
1 Jund Panorama
1 Mountain
In:
1 Chandra's Ignition
1 Meteor Blast
1 Warstorm Surge
1 Comet Storm
1 Painful Truths
1 Harmonize
1 Ancient Craving
1 Ambition's Cost
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Souls' Fire
1 Cyclops of Eternal Fury
1 Warchief Giant
1 Magus of the Wheel
1 Magma Giant
1 Rosheen Meanderer
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Rocky Tar Pit
1 Stomping Ground
1 Dragonskull Summit
1 Temple of Malice
1 Temple of Malady
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render