Doran, the Lawnmower

Commander / EDH Bulwer

SCORE: 6 | 24 COMMENTS | 2182 VIEWS | IN 2 FOLDERS


TheYurpman says... #1

I also have a Doran Commander deck. It's EXTREMELY fun to play. (Here's the link to mine: http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/doran-the-siege-tower-friends/

You want cheap, high toughness cards that are easy to play with limited mana, should you get in mana trouble. If I could offer some cards to add it would be as follows. Sight of the Scalelords, Abzan Beastmaster, Nyx-Fleece Ram, Grizzled Leotau, Sporecap Spider Loxodon Wayfarer, Angelic Chorus, Alpha Authority, Diabolic Tutor, Grim Contest, Ghostly Prison, Spidersilk Net, Kin-Tree Invocation Predator's Rapport and Oblivion Ring among others.

The single goal of a Doran Commander deck is to protect Doran and his ability (hence all the enchantments) and to pump out cheap, high toughness creatures. Anything else that doesn't do much to contribute to those causes can really be eliminated.

For example, in your deck, Glissa, the Traitor, Mirror Entity, Oathsworn Giant, Bear Umbra, Crackdown (Meekstone is a better version and you have it in the deck already), Dauthi Embrace, Necrogenesis, etc. all either have cheaper, better version of similar cards to play or they don't serve a purpose to protect Doran.

Just my two cents. Hope it helps! Feel free to ask me any questions.

March 31, 2015 3:12 a.m.

Bulwer says... #2

March 31, 2015 12:57 p.m.

YourGod42 says... #3

This deck looks like fun to play. He is boss as a commander.

April 1, 2015 2:45 p.m.

jandrobard says... #4

It feels like you're running a lot of enchantments, and not a lot of repeatable card draw. Necropotence is always good (even with the crazy mana cost) and Staff of Nin has no real drawback, plus it's cheap. Graveborn Muse is another alternative.

April 1, 2015 10:46 p.m.

Bulwer says... #5

Necropotence is excellent, but the Staff is likely to make it into the deck quicker on account of it's 85 cents. Added both to the wishlist.

April 2, 2015 7:41 a.m.

biogon says... #6

What's the purpose of Glissa, the Traitor? I can only see 11 artifacts total in the deck. I feel there's something that would fit the deck better

April 2, 2015 9:26 a.m.

derickmoore25 says... #7

I'm guessing Glissa, the Traitor is here to keep Colfenor's Urn in play. but i agree not enough use to keep her in.

April 2, 2015 9:42 a.m.

Bulwer says... #8

She was part of 2 sub-themes that got toned down or removed-- deathtouch+lure, and artifacts. I left her in because she's still a good blocker, and it's pretty likely I'd like to fish an artifact out at some point.

The swap would probably be Glissa, the Traitor for Vhati il-Dal, another 3/3 with a more on-theme effect.

Oh, also: Disowned Ancestor OUT, Jeskai Barricade IN.

April 2, 2015 9:42 a.m.

derickmoore25 says... #9

April 2, 2015 9:50 a.m.

Bulwer says... #10

I thought about Abzan Charm, but the counters are irrelevant and I'm basically unworried about big creatures. Harmonize is good but 1 use only-- Courser of Kruphix and Staff of Nin / Necropotence might be better.

Big-power creatures that can't avoid my wipes are low-priority. I've only got a handful in right now, and they're all things that are combos with other parts of the creature strategy.

Collective Voyage, Genesis Wave, and Explore aren't bad choices. On that theme, Collected Company is on my wishlist already.

Bow of Nylea was a hard cut to make, but I just don't need all the cool stuff it does.

Gavony Township goes right on the buylist. Why not? Trostani, Selesnya's Voice is good, but I'd never use the Populate. Added to buylist, but I'll shop for similar effects.

April 2, 2015 11:30 a.m.

derickmoore25 says... #11

I was thinking Abzan Charm as a draw engine or removal if you don't need the cards. Bow of Nylea has the put cards back in your deck which is why i love it in edh so much. As for Trostani, Selesnya's Voice gains crazy life in doran edh decks buying you time. Just commented on those cause i saw a different use then you did for them.

April 2, 2015 12:45 p.m.

Powerhouse64 says... #12

  • Crackdown - To help keep your opponents down
  • Crenellated Wall - Decent wall, plus it works as a mid-combat boost
  • Dancing Scimitar - Helps against flying which is sometimes hard to beat with Doran
  • Gift of the Woods - Worth playing against aggro or token decks where your creatures will be doing a lot of blocking/getting chump blocked, but not super useful besides. Worth considering
  • Grizzled Leotau - turn 2 play Grizzled Leotau turn 3 play Doran, you've got a huge 5/5 to swing with
  • Gurzigost - Really helps get around control decks that can shut down creatures, but you put yourself on a bit of a clock before it has to be sacrificed
  • Herald of Leshrac - Shut down your opponent for a few turns and get a solid flying body to do some damage even if Doran isn't in play
  • Hero's Resolve - Not a bad way to buff up anything that needs it
  • Hydra Omnivore - your answer if you ever want to play a green deck in a multiplayer setting
  • Iron Will - pretty deadly combat trick when doran is out
  • Jaddi Lifestrider - a huge turn 5 body that can operate without Doran, or a late game life saver when you've got a handful of chumps out
  • Luminous Guardian - mana sink
  • Myr Welder - Here's how you give your artifacts a second life. Plus it has a decent body, and can copy your opponent's stuff
  • Nyx-Fleece Ram - arguably a Doran staple
  • Order of Whiteclay - can help retrieve your early game curve creatures (especially the 1/4s, 0/5s, etc. that become 4/4s and 5/5s in the lategame with Doran)
  • Orzhov Keyrune - mana or a decent body
  • Penumbra Spider - hard to get rid of, helps against flying
  • Phyrexian Walker - 0 drop that becomes a 3/3 with Doran is a huge tempo booster when you're trying to have bodies on the field for when Doran drops
  • Ready - Another great combat trick
  • Sentinel - Can stall an attacker really easily if you don't have Doran out, then turn around and hit back even harder when Doran drops
  • Shapeshifter - ABSOLUTLEY MADE for Doran EDH decks. He's a 0/7 when Doran is out, and whatever else you need him to be when Doran isn't. I love this guy for Doran, he and Skinshifter are both perfect fits for this deck.
  • Shield Mate - I love my combat tricks, and this one is a great example
  • Shield Sphere - sit around and prevent some early game aggression, and if you can keep it around until Doran is out, he becomes a really hefty blocker (plus protection from X color doesn't affect it)
  • Solidarity - Overrun for Doran
  • Tawnos's Wand - most of your creatures should be able to take advantage of this, pick the one that can crank out the most damage, or use it with Doran to help get that commander damage in while you leave the rest of your creatures untapped to block
  • True Conviction - Total game ender. You can swing away and still have your blockers, plus since you should have a lot of creatures, the double strike is a huge pain for your opponent
  • Warmonger's Chariot - put those defenders to good use
  • Xathrid Gorgon - Good way to shut down commanders and a lot of decks that abuse creature combos
April 7, 2015 7:57 a.m.

Bulwer says... #13

Thanks for the recs! Most of those are excellent and are going on the maybelist, but a few get beat out by similar cards. Here, future Doran builders, enjoy these links on this card page you're looking at:

Crackdown is outclassed by Marble Titan and Meekstone.

Dancing Scimitar and Hero's Resolve get replaced by Ensouled Scimitar.

Gift of the Woods < Accorder's Shield.

Iron Will has cycling, which is nice, but Tower Defense and Bar the Door work on all your creatures. Oh, and Solidarity, but that's more expensive.

Warmonger's Chariot: I wound up cutting this and Animate Wall, but they'd make more sense if I had more Walls. Wakestone Gargoyle and Assault Formation stay in in that role. Rolling Stones is the only option that works without activation, but it's only literal Walls.

April 7, 2015 10:29 a.m.

Bulwer says... #14

Stuff that you recommended that's awesome for Doran, the Siege Tower that I hadn't seen:

Gurzigost
Herald of Leshrac
Luminous Guardian might be better than Wall of Glare, which I was planning on adding.
Myr Welder is so cool.
Orzhov Keyrune is on-theme-- and I've got 2 manlands and the Scimitar already.
Sentinel is ... so good. So, so good here. SO GOOD
Shapeshifter is less good than Skinshifter but they're both awesome, so I might find something to cut for this.
Tawnos's Wand to back up Dauthi Embrace and Rogue's Passage. I wish I had Shizo, Death's Storehouse to complete that little cycle of unblockability permanents.
Xathrid Gorgon is a great fit.

April 7, 2015 10:37 a.m.

Powerhouse64 says... #15

Glad I could help! I'm slowly building my own Doran EDH deck and it's coming along very slowly. I wanna make sure I take a look at all the possible options. Especially ones that I wouldn't find on their own just for looking for creatures with big butts. Sentinel is a perfect example of that. He'd never come up on a gatherer search for doran-realted cards so I'm really glad I found him.

April 7, 2015 10:49 a.m.

Bulwer says... #16

Stuff that was in but is now out, or is on the edge:

True Conviction
Penumbra Spider (I'd put in Reach of Branches or Fendeep Summoner instead.)Crenellated Wall There is a more Wall-heavy build where this has a slot, but I'd never put it back in now that I know about Sentinel. :)
Grizzled Leotau and Nyx-Fleece Ram both fill a role I'm short on, which you noticed-- fast creatures that can attack.

April 7, 2015 10:52 a.m.

Bulwer says... #17

Powerhouse64, take a look at Doran Buylist and Casual Doran! for other possibilities. This deck here is focused on its board wipes and enchantments, but I've leaned in other directions while putting it together.

April 7, 2015 10:55 a.m.

Powerhouse64 says... #18

One other card that might be worth looking at is Yoked Ox especially if you're looking to fill up your early game and get some tempo-driven one drops. Right now, Treefolk Harbinger and Birds of Paradise are your only bodies you can get on the field turn 1. Turn 2 you get quite a few more options, but in my opinion a Doran EDH deck benefits the most from having one drops so you're free to play a slow land turn 1, a body and a slow land turn 2 and then you get to drop Doran turn 3 and you can swing away. When turn 4 rolls around, having those two dual lands out really helps you keep the pressure on.

If you have mainly 2 drops, you are restricted to playing a basic land turn 2 in order to cast it before Doran hits the battlefield and a basic on turn 3 to cast Doran. Now you're likely stuck with one or two slow lands in your hand for turn 4 which really slows you down from benefiting from the creatures that are above Doran's curve. One drops (or zero drops like Ornithopter or Phyrexian Walker) are a huge boon to your tempo because you can play two slow lands in your first two turns, have a body out to swing turn 3, then play a basic and Doran on turn 3 in order to get some serious damage out fast.

April 7, 2015 11:50 a.m.

Powerhouse64 says... #19

I just found another cool combo! If you're looking for some infinite damage when Doran, the Siege Tower is on the battlefield you can get out a Task Force and a Lightning Greaves or a Shuko

Equip your Task Force with one of the 0 cost equip artifacts (targeting it triggers it's ability) then equip it to Doran, the Siege Tower then equip it back to Task Force.

With enough cycles of doing this, Task Force essentially just gets a really big butt and can swing away for huge damage!

May 20, 2015 1:10 p.m.

Powerhouse64 says... #20

Also, you mentioned that you believe that Ensouled Scimitar outclasses Dancing Scimitar (you also mentioned it outclassed Hero's Resolve which I do agree with)

I'd like to offer a counterpoint after having some experience playing both in my (now completed) Doran deck.

In a vacuum, Ensouled Scimitar is only better than Dancing Scimitar if you get it out turn 3, then turn it into a creature turn 4 to swing with. After that point, Ensouled Scimitar has a cost to keep it as a creature.

When you take Doran, the Siege Tower into account, Ensouled Scimitar is a 3 drop that only interferes with you playing Doran. So your best case scenario is dropping Ensouled Scimitar turn 4, then turning it into a 1/5 creature turn 5, which is essentially Dancing Scimitar, but with one extra open mana turn 4.

When you take other cards into account, Assault Formation will make Ensouled Scimitar viable to play on turn 3 when Assault Formation is out, then make it a creature and swing with it turn 4, but you still need to pay to make it a creature each turn.

I've been ignoring the equip cost up until this point because if you're equipping Ensouled Scimitar to a creature, that creature becomes an even bigger target than it would be otherwise, plus you have to pay to equip it. Especially since eqiup costs can only be activated at sorcery speed, this doesn't let you "cheat" in any damage on unblocked attackers, so it really only puts a big target on one creature and encourages chump blocking it.

Dancing Scimitar however, will ALWAYS be a 1/5 flyer, which is another body on the battlefield. If you don't have the open mana to turn Ensouled Scimitar into a creature and it's not equipped, you're SOL. Dancing Scimitar doesn't require any open mana once it's on the battlefield, will always contribute flying damage, and it's an extra body your oponents have to deal with.

I'm not trying to say that Ensouled Scimitar is useless, or that your opinion is wrong, but I wanted to bring up what I've learned from playing my deck in the hopes that you can take some of what I've learned and use it to improve your deck (whether you take my advice or not!) :)

Best of luck with your future big-butt creature shenanigans!

May 20, 2015 1:25 p.m.

Bulwer says... #21

Powerhouse64, funny you should mention that combo. I've got a whole deck now that basically does just that combo: Doran of the Infinite Butts. Did you know, for example, that you can tutor up both pieces of that combo, Task Force and Outrider en-Kor, with Ramosian Lieutenant? \

Re scimitars, the real perk of the equipment is to slap it on Doran so he can rack up commander damage.

May 20, 2015 1:46 p.m.

Powerhouse64 says... #22

Commander Damage is the category where Ensouled Scimitar absolutely mops up Dancing Scimitar but for me, since Doran is such a big threat, he often finds himself killed/exiled/dealt with in a lot of games, so I like having more diverse damage do even if Doran isn't able to do his thing, I can still be online and durdle the game out until I get some better responses.

Also I love your addition to the combo! I only just found out about it, but that gives you a lot more options to have a much more consistent infinite damage combo. I dig it!

May 20, 2015 1:51 p.m.

matrix1312 says... #23

Sight of the Scalelords sounds pretty good in this deck, but i am not sure

May 20, 2015 2:52 p.m.

Bulwer says... #24

I'd run Brave the Sands over Sight of the Scalelords. Or there's another white enchantment that gives vigilance and something else that I can't think of...

May 20, 2015 2:57 p.m.

Please login to comment