Greetings, EDIT 17OCT2023 This deck is currently up to date. I will update the description soon!
You have searched far and wide for the most outstanding Commander Decks running Shalai and Hallar. From all, I have created one. I've developed this deck to maximize the use of Shalai and Hallar's ability to damage the opponent directly. Meanwhile, you can access a potent mana ramp and several extra draw tactics, removals, and protection spells.
The strategy here is to create a foundation with creatures and enchantments that synergize exceptionally well while bolstering your mana. Meanwhile, try to bait out spot removals. Once you have 6+ mana-producing cards and can easily produce five counters a round, cast Shalai and Hallar. Once the Commander is cast, we follow the age-old rule: "The best offense is the greatest defense." Continue to build your counters, attacking with creatures with Vigilance or Trample. With the proper setup, you will see yourself doing 40+ damage directly to your opponent's life with just Shalai and Hallar's ability; then you enter combat... oh wait, they're already dead.
Now that you know the general idea, how do we get there?
Mana Ramp:
You'll notice 34 lands, which is a bit low. I've added six sorcery spells to tutor various lands to complement this. Then, I have three creatures who are proficient in mana ramps. The most noticeable being Sporocyst. This card also plays into one of the most explosive combos in this deck. As a final comment to Mana Ramp, I have five tutors for creature cards. This will allow me to tutor my mana creatures. The most noticeable being Congregation at Dawn (this should be instant cast on the end step of the opponent right before your turn). While tutoring is slow, tally all of this up, and I have 48 cards that guarantee mana growth within the turn or the next two turns. Not bad, in my opinion, considering I don't have to have a literal forest of 1/1 trees on my board.
Shout Out:
At this point, I'd like to mention a potent combo in my deck Felidar Retreat + Shalai and Hallar + Sporocyst
If you can cast Felidar Retreat before Sporocyst with Shalai and Hallar on the battlefield, at minimum, you are looking to do two damage directly to an opponent for each land played. If you are lucky and your opponent isn't, you will likely have at least four creatures on the field with 3+ land drops and additional spells that give extra counters or double them. (As an extra tip: you could use your first land drop to add a 2/2 cat creature with Felidar. Check the math, but with certain counter-buffing cards, this could deal the same damage or increase it but will give you an additional buffed-out creature. Then, to put a cherry on top, each of your creatures will have vigilance until the end of turn, and we haven't even reached the combat phase yet. ;)
Draw Power:
With all that mana, you may be concerned that you are running low on cards in hand. Well, I thought of this, too. There are six draw spells throughout the deck. The most noticeable being The Great Henge, but I will also shout out Dusk Legion Duelist + Esper Sentinel
because you can tutor for them. With this deck's potential to add +1/+1 counters, you will quickly find yourself with over seven cards, so try not to play both simultaneously. Unless you can play Reliquary Tower, you should also be wary of board wipes.
Removals & Protection:
In this deck, you'll find four instant removals. In addition, I will shout out two creatures with removal, Hopeful Initiate + Steelbane Hydra
. Both can wipe an enchantment or artifact for three mana and two +1/+1 counters from any of your permanents. That's not bad, but they also don't tap, so you can use them as blockers and activate this multiple times on your turn or your opponents. -> Seedborn Muse + Vedalken Orrery
. For protection, there are three instant self-board wide protection spells. Then I would like to shout out to Shalai, Voice of Plenty + Vigor
, giving all creatures Indestructible and Hexproof. Grand Abolisher is also commendable protection for your turn. Finally, two board wipes work in our favor.
Killer Combo:
One of these board wipes creates a killer combo. Chandra's Ignition + Vigor
If you cast Chandras on Vigor, all your other creatures will be protected by indestructible while the rest of the board takes damage. If you have been feeding Vigor counters, this could be an instant win with Shalai and Hallar. Not only will his power be dealt to each player, but his power will get added to each of your creatures as counters, allowing Shalai and Hallar to do that much damage again for each creature you control.
Final Shout Outs:
One of my favorite synergies in the deck is Benevolent Hydra + Forgotten Ancient
. This is due to Benevolent Hydra's additional counter ability. During upkeep, you may move counters from Forgotten Ancient to as many creatures as you have counters, with each creature receiving an extra counter. You may tap Benevolent Hydra to give one counter to any creature, adding an extra counter. This effectively turns one counter into four plus one for each additional creature targeted. Forgotten Ancient + Halana and Alena, Partners
is an even better combo, doubling Helana & Alena's strength if you bounce their abilities off each other.
Ascendant Acolyte + Hydra's Growth + Primordial Hydra
These spells need a shout-out because, with Shalai and Hallar, these could win you the game just by being stationary blockers. Each turn, their counters double and ping all sorts of damage.
Solphim, Mayhem Dominus + Uncivil Unrest
I am giving these two a shout-out because of double damage. I don't need to explain how broken that is with Shalai and Hallar's ability.
Kalonian Hydra Giving this guy a shout-out because he has the potential to end a single opponent with Shalai and Hallar just by being declared an attacker and doubling all counters on each creature. It may not be in one turn, but it is guaranteed that if he goes unchecked for two or more turns, someone is dying, and it isn't you.
All Will Be One This is my final Final shout-out and potentially the most dangerous card in my deck. You may ask, "What's more dangerous than a card that can damage an opponent's life directly?" The answer is a card that can directly damage any opponent, creature, or plainswalker for each counter stacked. This card can act as another form of removal or direct damage to life, and that is pretty useful when the opponent has creatures like Vigor or Shalai, Voice of Plenty.
Conclusion:
This deck is explosive. It's got the best parts of each Naya color. It does direct damage to your opponent's health. Plus, it's super fun stacking counter dice on your creatures as they climb to counts of 60+. I'd love to hear what anyone thinks. If you have suggestions for additional cards, please tell me what you would remove; it's too hard for me! Enjoy, and if you play it yourself, please let me know how it went!
