MTG Salvation

So this is where they hid all the good cards for the last 3 sets!

Seriously, so much good stuff here (in addition to borderline testables and pet cards). I'm legitimately surprised and impressed. I won't call it a comeback until/unless they start putting out this level of quality cards on a more consistent basis, but this is certainly a good start. Sucks that black got shafted so badly though (but I suppose retail Limited enthusiasts might beg to differ).

W -
Blessed Alliance (eff the haters, this card is solid)

U -
Curious Homunculus // Voracious Reader: Delver, meet you big brother
Ingenious Skaab: the two abilities are just enough to get there
Tattered Haunter: 3 of a kind is pushing it, but I'll deal

B -
Heir of Falkenrath // Heir to the Night: Yes, shes's not EMN, but I felt it made sense to include her here. She wore me down. Also all this talk of bears reminded me that she's actually kinda short on competition. I'll give her a shot until black's two drops improve
Borrowed Malevolence: I'll be the first to admit it's not a stellar card, but I'm in the market for black combat tricks (even the mediocre ones)

R -
Brazen Wolves: red 3-drop that doesn't suck, case closed
Otherworldly Outburst: this is a little narrow admittedly, but what a value/blowout when it works
Savage Alliance: I had to re-read it to realize that this card really just says "pay 4 to bolt a guy and ping his buddies." As such, it's definitely acceptable. Also, given the current design philosophy around red, I fear this is the closest we'll get to an instant speed Arc Lightning variant for a long while (if ever).
Conduit of Storms // Conduit of Emrakul: I'm less hot on the installment costs than others, so this gang of Eldrazi Werewolves hasn't exactly done much for me. Still, this guy might be the second best of them, especially since his effect can help him transform on curve. I can also see a ramp deck wanting this guy. I'll try it.

G -
Kessig Prowler // Sinuous Predator: The best of the tainted Werewolves. An intercepting Jungle Lion with upside. Need I say more?
Noose Constrictor: Wild Mongrel has never looked better. I'll probably try to snap multiples (assuming people don't hoard them).
Clear Shot: This is basically the exact type of improved Prey Upon I've been looking for. I can even see this making some regular cubes. As long as Wizards keeps printing improved fight effects, I'll keep adding them.
Somberwald Stag: This guy wants to be a fair Flametongue Kavu. Thing is, I'm not sure I want a fair Kavu. I'll try it, but this is a borderline pick.

Sadly still no artifacts or lands worth discussing. I guess we'll have to wait till Conspiracy and Commander for those.

Hey, guys. I've been hesitating to make this Deck Tech for months, partly because I wanted to wait until I bought a Force of Will (and thereby owned my list 100%). Anyway, here we are at long last.

Talrand, Sky Summoner is without question my favorite Commander, quite possibly the only one I've ever really fallen in love with. Playing with him was what truly pulled me into multiplayer kitchen table EDH, then competitive, then eventually Duel/French rules. I've built it, taken it apart and rebuilt multiple times, and the list I'm about to present and dissect is the culmination of all those frustrated efforts.




The 99:



(Quick aside: The list above is subject to change, especially given the number and frequency of new sets these days. I'll do my best to keep it up do date with each release.)

I built this list not simply to be a budget or funzy option, but to actually be a competitive level contender along the lines of similar multicolored decks. I also wanted to avoid the more cutesy or self-indulgent tendencies I'd seen out of other versions of this archetype/Commander (including earlier lists of my own).

The main strategy is a Delver-esq "play a threat, then control the game" line of play. Since Talrand isn't exactly cheap I usually rely on things like mana doublers (High Tide, Extraplanar Lens, Gauntlet of Power) and free counters (Force of Will, Daze, Foil, etc) to get him out safely. I do try to mulligan toward that type of hand as well, though I obviously can't depend on it too aggressively. Once Talrand's out (or, occasionally, before he's out), I use the remainder of my 20ish counter spell suite to interact on the stack and prevent my opponent from developing.

Along the way I also have a small array of utility artifacts and enchantments to go after whatever pesky permanents DO hit the board. I'm particularly fond of using theft effects on enemy Generals, since it's one of the few means of "removal" that the Command Zone replacement effect can't do much about (I'm also looking forward to trying out Imprisoned in the Moon to similar effect).

Beyond these there's miscellaneous cards and effects like anthems, bounce, tuck, burn, tutors and just straight CA. Two cards that are proving surprisingly effective and act not only as compliments to Talrand but occasionally backup Generals are Isochron Scepter and Trail of Evidence. Having either of these out usually guarantees me CA which I can then grind into inevitability. The Riptide Laboratory + Snapcaster Mage engine is also pretty cool, though much harder to come by and maintain.

As far as lands go I'm nearly all in on Snow-Covered Islands both to maximize internal synergies--like with Island-matters or Snow-matters cards--and to weaken my opponent's Land hate (which, in Commander, tend to be notoriously focused on nonbasics). The few non-basics I run fall into either wonky utility Snowlands or just staples. I don't any LD of my own as I feel they notably dilute my consistency and mid to late game potential for negligible upsides.

Generally any game where I can land Talrand early, and keep my hand full (of counters) is gonna go well for me. This deck is super fun to play since it tends to function as Draw-Go Tempo (one of my preferred archetypes in all of Magic). I am, of course, cognisant of the fact that many opponents hate playing against this style of deck and find it tilting. This isn't my goal, but I'll take it.

As I wrap up I do want to acknowledge that this deck isn't perfect and I'm still working to improve it as time passes, events come up and products are released. I do take pride in saying that it has a 75% success rate in tournament and I'm planning to start traveling for IRL events with it again either this year or next.

Heir most certainly has the best upside of the current discard outlets in black. I'm not in the market for such a card, but if I were I'd pick her.
And in case anyone's wondering, the reason I like Mongrels is that they can turn the worst card(s) in my hand into a combat trick and/or conditional removal spell. This interaction is way more interesting and relevant than just discarding to fuel a (nonexistent) 'yard strategy or make a chump into a quality body.

Quote from BrownDog5117 »

I can't say I dig many of these "graveyard matters" cards. I just don't quite support that archetype (yet). I think an inherent problem with the graveyard matters cards is that the graveyard is very difficult to interact with in Peasant.

That aside, the Angel is meh. 6 mana for a card that is only good when you can lethal your opponent (usually) and has below average P/T in relation to it's cmc... I'll pass.

QFT. It's unfortunate that so much design space for the shot is bogged down in strategies and mechanics we can't easily use outside of SOI/EMN Limited. I've made my peace with it, nonetheless (and I think this set has actually managed to come out with so much better designs overall).

Quote from n00b1n8R »

(Sentinel of the Eternal Watch is my favorite card in white so I'm biased but still)

I've actually got a soft spot for her as well. I've reasoned that a 4/6 Vig for 5 is a pretty good rate, and the extra 1 mana is for the pseudo-freezing ability. Seems like solid value overall.

Quote from VariSami »

Yeah, was coming to ask whether people find Subjugator Angel to be a yay or a nay. I am actually not all that impressed since it only allows you to alpha, basically, and comes at a hefty price. 4/3 is also not that good a stat pool. They for some reason just could not make this a 4/4 - sigh. But it is still very much under consideration.

Count on me give it to you straight then. I usually avoid the hype trains and just catch the bus. The Angel's deece, but nothing to write home about.

Quote from leadfeather89 »

subjicator angel looks sick.

Agreed. Maybe she needs vitamins. Definitely gotta change her diet and exercise routine (shave some weight off that bloated mana cost).

I think most of white's other 4s are better, and I'm not terribly jazzed about a card whose main cache comes from having a whiff-able draw a card trigger.

I get the arguments that he's not for everyone, but I gotta push back on the idea that this guy is a worse Judge's Familiar. He's a monocolor card where the other was hybrid, yes. But how is that actually better in practice?

You ran him as a Azorius, so it didn't take up a monocolor slot? That's neat and all, but multicolor slots are famously less plentiful and flexible than monocolor. So, not better there, just different.

Oh, you ran him as white? Okay. Get them Mana Tithe's, boys. Still not actually better, just different.

A flying Cursecatcher with spirit synergy might not be good enough. Cool, no prob. But let's ease off this false narrative of Judge's Familiar being a better card.

(Sorry for ranting)

U
Creature - Spirit
Flying

Whenever another Spirit enters the battlefield under your control, Mausoleum Wanderer gets +1/+1 until the end of turn.

Sacrifice Mausoleum Wanderer: Counter target instant or sorcery spell unless its controller pays X, where X is Mausoleum Wanderer's power.
1/1


We continue to get Flying Men with upside. I know there are people out there who love/miss their Cursecatchers, Judge's Familiars, etc. and this guy is the best of both worlds. Is he testable?

The escalate cost isn't a deal-breaker for me, but I've never been a huge fan of "tap your creatures to cast this" effects. What really bothers me is theasy sorcery speed and fairly niche modes. I'll test, but this definitely feels like a loose pick.

Quote from Grinnbarr »

The snake's just better than wild mongrel if you're not running doom blade variants right?

The situations where color changing is relevant are definitely less plentiful than those where reach matters. But they can both be blank often enough.

My list has a specific color-matters subtheme, so the difference is more pronounced.

Quote from BrownDog5117 »

Why are we excited about this card? For the graveyard matters people?

I like it because it gives Green more game against other colors, especially those with fliers. It creates a nice "what if?" tension during combat and just creates more decisions/interactions overall. It's also just a solid body with upside. Whenever a bear with upside pops up for CU(be), I'm gonna take a look.

Ha...ha...ha

Maybe I'm Crazy (though I Think You're all Crazay), but paying 5 mana for a gold winmore enchantment seems pretty loose, honestly.

The new Mongrel is cool. This might be the first Innistrad discard outlet I'm excited about. And it only took...4 months...and 500+ cards.
(Admittedly I'm a tougher judge than most.)

I'm not terribly jazzed about all these nerfed versions of cards we've already seen before. I'll stick with the new cards that actually look creative AND strong.

Also, I'm officially proposing we retire the word "insane" from the MTG vocabulary.

You're on, Lucid.

Let's put it this way: The creature needs SOMETHING to push it. Given that it's not short on abilities, I suggested P/T. Arguably a more reasonable improvement would just be +0/+1. I'd be down for that.

But saying, in effect, "it's not good enough but we shouldn't improve it" seems like an awful mentality with which to approach both card evaluation and card (re)design.

I throw stuff out there. Sometimes I go out on a limb. I think it's better to approach these things from a pragmatic, "can we fix? Yes, we can" perspective than just the sort of depressing fatalism that I often see here.

Quote from L4ragorn »

Quote from Edward Mass »

Would be playable (though still not really Mythic feeling) as a 3/3. As is? Easily a hard pass.

Are you serious?

Generally.

This would be busted as a 3/3

It would be strong. As is, everyone agrees it's a pass. You're implying there's no middle ground between this being top weak and too strong. That seems unreasonable.

they would never print that, let alone in a standard legal set.

Given their current trends and apparent design philosophy, I would actually have to agree with you on this point.