We're Getting the Band Back Together

Commander / EDH Casual Jank WUB (Esper)

ThoAlmighty

Land (37)

• 1x Arcane Sanctum
• 1x Ash Barrens
• 1x Azorius Chancery
• 1x Castle Locthwain
• 1x Cathedral of Serra
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Concealed Courtyard
• 1x Dimir Aqueduct
• 1x Exotic Orchard
• 1x Glacial Fortress
• 2x Island
• 1x Isolated Chapel
• 1x Minamo, School at Water's Edge
• 1x Morphic Pool
• 1x Orzhov Basilica
• 4x Plains
• 1x Sea of Clouds
• 1x Seafarer's Quay
• 4x Swamp
• 1x Teferi's Isle
• 1x Temple of Silence
• 1x Tolaria
• 1x Tolaria West
• 1x Unholy Citadel
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Vault of the Archangel
• 1x Vivid Marsh
• 1x Vivid Meadow
• 1x Watery Grave
• 1x Windbrisk Heights

Enchantment (5)

• 1x Day of Destiny
• 1x Dictate of Kruphix
• 1x Leyline of Singularity
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Underworld Connections

Creature (24)

• 1x Artificer's Assistant
• 1x Arvad the Cursed
• 1x Ayesha Tanaka
• 1x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
• 1x Chromium, the Mutable
• 1x Demonlord Belzenlok
• 1x Dragonlord Silumgar
• 1x Drana, Liberator of Malakir
• 1x Ephara, God of the Polis
• 1x Fblthp, the Lost
• 1x God-Eternal Oketra
• 1x Halfdane
• 1x Jazal Goldmane
• 1x Lazav, Dimir Mastermind
• 1x Nezahal, Primal Tide
• 1x Odric, Lunarch Marshal
• 1x Odric, Master Tactician
• 1x Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage
• 1x Seizan, Perverter of Truth
• 1x Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1x Sygg, River Cutthroat
• 1x Thalia's Lancers
• 1x The Scarab God
• 1x Vona, Butcher of Magan

Sorcery (8)

• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Open Into Wonder
• 1x Primevals' Glorious Rebirth
• 1x Rout
• 1x Urza's Ruinous Blast
• 1x Vindicate
• 1x Winds of Abandon
• 1x Yawgmoth's Vile Offering

Instant (4)

• 1x Anguished Unmaking
• 1x Arcane Denial
• 1x Esper Charm
• 1x Swords to Plowshares

Commander (1)

Artifact (16)

• 1x Akroma's Memorial
• 1x Azorius Signet
• 1x Blackblade Reforged
• 1x Chromatic Lantern
• 1x Dimir Signet
• 1x Dragon Throne of Tarkir
• 1x Elbrus, the Binding Blade  ^Flip
• 1x Expedition Map
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Heroes' Podium
• 1x Mox Amber
• 1x Orzhov Signet
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sword of the Animist
• 1x Weatherlight

Planeswalker (5)

• 1x Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
• 1x Gideon Blackblade
• 1x Gideon of the Trials
• 1x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
• 1x Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord

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Maybeboard

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools

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Better hope my opponents don't run Tolaria

What is Banding and how does it work

Banding is quite possibly the worst mechanic ever printed. It was confusing, turned normal combat rules upside down, had a lot of wonky interactions, and yet was just kind of pointless. Banding allows creatures attacking the same player, or creatures blocking the same attacker, to create a 'band.' There is a difference between Banding ( Benalish Hero ) and Bands With Other [blank] ( Seafarer's Quay , Master of the Hunt ).

The benefit of banding is it allows you to assign all combat damage that would be dealt by creatures blocking or blocked by a band you control. If both players control a band, they both assign each other's damage. If only one player has a band, they get to assign damage as they wish. This allows you to load damage onto worthless creatures and indestructible stuff, or set it up so none of your stuff dies. The cost of banding is that everything in it is blocked together, and if a creature can block any creature in the band, it blocks the entire thing. Thus, your carefully crafted and trained militia will all stop to massacre a 1/1. Creatures cannot be in more than one band.

Banding:

Banding allows the creation of bands. When creatures attack the same player or planeswalker, any number of them with the banding keyword and up to one without may form a band. In other words, a band of X creatures must have X-1 with banding, minimum. Players may create any number of bands as they have creatures for.

Blocking bands are a bit different. When a number of creatures blocks a creature (or band!), as long as at least one of them has any form of banding (this includes Bands with Other), they automatically form a band and allow you to assign the attacker's combat damage.

Bands With Other:

Note: This ability has been changed significantly since its creation during Legends, so older articles and judge posts may be outdated.

Bands with other is only referenced on six cards, the cycle of Legends lands ( Seafarer's Quay , Cathedral of Serra , Unholy Citadel , Mountain Stronghold , Adventurers' Guildhouse ), and Master of the Hunt . (Yes, Modular Monstrosity can gain Bands With Other Wolves of the Hunt. Why you would want that, I have no idea. But go wild.) While it also allows the creation of attacking and blocking bands, it works differently. All creatures that take part in the band must have Bands With Other [blank], or be a [blank]. You can have as many [blank]s as you like, as long as you have at least 1 creature with Bands With Other [blank]. The normal pros and cons of banding still apply.

For blocking, Bands With Other functions identically with Banding, as long as at least one of the other creatures blocking that creature is a [blank].

Top Ranked	Achieved #5 position overall 5 years ago
Date added	6 years
Last updated	3 years
Exclude colors	RG
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	19 - 0 Mythic Rares 44 - 0 Rares 19 - 0 Uncommons 8 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.78
Tokens	Cat Soldier 1/1 W, Copy Clone, Emblem Gideon of the Trials, Emblem Gideon, Ally of Zendikar, Emblem Sorin, Solemn Visitor, Knight Ally 2/2 W, Vampire 2/2 B, Zombie Warrior 4/4 B
Folders	Interesting Decks to Study Better Later, memes, 3 Color decks