Zacama, Primal Calamity. Ever since this granddaddy/mommy dinosaur was spoiled, I've seen a lot of talk of using the card as the new Dino commander. But I had something different in mind. Given all of those utility abilities (and the fact that I always lean towards control-style play), I couldn't help but think about Zacama as a Naya Control commander. Now, GWR are not the best colors for control. In fact, Naya is missing the two colors I think are critical for control: blue and black. But there's definitely some potential there, and I love to brew, so here is what I've come up with so far:
Currently, this is just a first draft assembled from cards I already had in my collection. One consideration I'll mention when it comes to the direction of this build: I purposefully avoided MLD. I know that's probably the "most competitive" way to build RW Control, but my meta frowns heavily on MLD, so I won't play that way.
So, what do people think? Could Zacama work as a commander/finisher for Naya Control? Has anyone else tried to play a more controlling list in these colors? What are your thoughts?
Edit: Got the list down to 100 cards. Now just looking for general suggestions.
Naya control is a pretty interesting concept for this commander. The way I was thinking of playing it is with mana rock, mana dorks, and utility lands. I was thinking of not only abusing its 3 activated abilities but its casting ability as well. For example, it's very easy to bounce with Temur Sabertooth. Then, recast it to untap all your lands. If you have lands like Gaea's Cradle, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun, and/or Sanctum of the Sun, you can produce a ton of mana to lock down the board with its abilities. You could easily keep creatures, artifacts, and enchantments clear of the board and attack with a massive commander. The idea is definitely viable.
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I love these guys. With a Swiss army commander that also is an evasive finisher, you can jam the rest of the deck utility and removal spells. Your list needs a Seedborn Muse to abuse the crap outta those activated abilities!
Naya control is a pretty interesting concept for this commander. The way I was thinking of playing it is with mana rock, mana dorks, and utility lands. I was thinking of not only abusing its 3 activated abilities but its casting ability as well. For example, it's very easy to bounce with Temur Sabertooth. Then, recast it to untap all your lands. If you have lands like Gaea's Cradle, Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx, Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun, and/or Sanctum of the Sun, you can produce a ton of mana to lock down the board with its abilities. You could easily keep creatures, artifacts, and enchantments clear of the board and attack with a massive commander. The idea is definitely viable.
I definitely considered going the combo route. I think at first, I'm going to try a "pure control" build, without the combo. But it's something that I may very well end up adding if the deck needs it.
I love these guys. With a Swiss army commander that also is an evasive finisher, you can jam the rest of the deck utility and removal spells. Your list needs a Seedborn Muse to abuse the crap outta those activated abilities!
Seedborn Muse is a great idea. I feel a little silly not thinking of that myself. Thanks!
Ah, I see. Well, if you're looking to cut down on things, I have a couple of questions on some of your choices.
With so few creatures, wouldn't Vryn Wingmare do more harm than good towards you? Especially since your commander requires mana to use all of its activated abilities so you're gonna want to have mana available instead of overpaying for most of your spells.
You could also potentially free up some more slots with removing some of the artifact and/or enchantment hate. The commander can already snipe those card types. So maybe in their place you can add some ways of accelerating the casting of the commander. That way you also have the mana from them to activate the artifact/enchantment destruction ability more often than not.
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!
Naya control is certainly interesting and I think it's cool you are pursing the idea. You may be able to gain some inspiration from my BRGW deck in my signature. It is also a non conventional control list.
You seem weak to blightsteal is there a reason your not running triumph of the horde uba mask seems odd too would love to know more about the reason for this card I think a krosian grip to fetch with the sunforger might be good
1 Zacama, Primal Calamity
Instant (8)
1 Chaos Warp
1 Master Warcraft
1 Path to Exile
1 Return to Dust
1 Reverberate
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Wear / Tear
1 Wild Ricochet
Planeswalker (3)
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Nahiri, the Harbinger
Sorcery (18)
1 Austere Command
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Cultivate
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Faithless Looting
1 Farseek
1 Fumigate
1 Harmonize
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Nature's Lore
1 Rampant Growth
1 Reforge the Soul
1 Rout
1 Search for Tomorrow
1 Skyshroud Claim
1 Terminus
1 Vandalblast
1 Wrath of God
1 Anger
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Grand Abolisher
1 Heliod, God of the Sun
1 Michiko Konda, Truth Seeker
1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
1 Seedborn Muse
1 Spirit of the Labyrinth
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
1 Urabrask the Hidden
1 Vexing Shusher
1 Vryn Wingmare
Enchantment (14)
1 Aura of Silence
1 Aura Shards
1 Awakening Zone
1 Blind Obedience
1 Darksteel Mutation
1 Ghostly Prison
1 Gift of Immortality
1 Kismet
1 Porphyry Nodes
1 Pyrohemia
1 Repercussion
1 Sphere of Safety
1 Sylvan Library
1 War's Toll
Artifact (7)
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mana Web
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sunforger
1 Sword of the Animist
1 Uba Mask
1 Vedalken Orrery
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Canopy Vista
1 Cinder Glade
1 Command Tower
1 Emeria, The Sky Ruin
1 Evolving Wilds
5 Forest
1 Kher Keep
1 Maze of Ith
2 Mountain
13 Plains
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Rupture Spire
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Sheltered Thicket
1 Slayers' Stronghold
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Temple of Abandon
1 Terramorphic Expanse
Currently, this is just a first draft assembled from cards I already had in my collection. One consideration I'll mention when it comes to the direction of this build: I purposefully avoided MLD. I know that's probably the "most competitive" way to build RW Control, but my meta frowns heavily on MLD, so I won't play that way.
So, what do people think? Could Zacama work as a commander/finisher for Naya Control? Has anyone else tried to play a more controlling list in these colors? What are your thoughts?
Edit: Got the list down to 100 cards. Now just looking for general suggestions.
[Primer] Dralnu Control/Reanimator BU
[Primer] Jolrael, Empress of Beasts GG
Nath Stax BG | Borborygmos Enraged RG | Ladies of Magic UGW | Aminatou Control UWB | Enduring Ideal Zedruu UWR | Momir Vig Combo UG
Modern
Restore Balance RWUG
Kiki Chord RWG
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!
I definitely considered going the combo route. I think at first, I'm going to try a "pure control" build, without the combo. But it's something that I may very well end up adding if the deck needs it.
Seedborn Muse is a great idea. I feel a little silly not thinking of that myself. Thanks!
[Primer] Dralnu Control/Reanimator BU
[Primer] Jolrael, Empress of Beasts GG
Nath Stax BG | Borborygmos Enraged RG | Ladies of Magic UGW | Aminatou Control UWB | Enduring Ideal Zedruu UWR | Momir Vig Combo UG
Modern
Restore Balance RWUG
Kiki Chord RWG
With so few creatures, wouldn't Vryn Wingmare do more harm than good towards you? Especially since your commander requires mana to use all of its activated abilities so you're gonna want to have mana available instead of overpaying for most of your spells.
You could also potentially free up some more slots with removing some of the artifact and/or enchantment hate. The commander can already snipe those card types. So maybe in their place you can add some ways of accelerating the casting of the commander. That way you also have the mana from them to activate the artifact/enchantment destruction ability more often than not.
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!
I recommend you play more removal spells and fewer pillow fort effects. For example I would cut Sphere of Safety and Blind Obedience. You could be playing Council's Judgment, Decimate, Nature's Claim and more big creatures like Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite and Luminate Primordial
Too many of your creatures have too low of toughness for you to run Pyrohemia, but if you like that card, Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods are better. Hull Breach is better than Return To Dust unless you meta has a lot of Gods.
UBRKess, Dissident MageUBR - Controlling Dissidents
GRhonas the IndomitableG - Indomitable Four Drops
WUBOloro, Ageless AsceticWUB - Loot & Renanimate