hero's blade from fate reforged is pretty sick. That could be considered.

WicKid52: You beat me to this by less than an hour! Hero's Blade looks sick in 8.5.

@WicKid52

I don't like Hero's Blade. The vanilla +3/+2 pump isn't worth it by itself. The auto-equip ability is dead if 8.5 is already out. The equip cost is overcosted. Spending 6 mana total for a +3/+2 pump is awful.

This card is Limited filler. Nothing more.

I really like this deck and want to build with this commander, I'm trying to figure out how to play it at the moment. I get that Sword of War and Peace isn't a great sword, but the protection from white saves you some a lot on mana with tails, so is there more than just it isn't that great? Also has anyone suggested Earnest Fellowship, I wanted an evasive aggro deck. I used it in one 3 colored deck for near unblockable swings, but it might work here.

My playgroup is really competitive, the loose multiplayer house rule is no straight combo deck to win the game, but we still have a ton of win the game combos. So any extra advice on playing it would be great.

@TheAbortionist

Sword of War and Peace's pro-White is the main issue. I don't want both pro-White Swords in the deck. It messes up Elspeth, Knight-Errant and Ajani, Caller of the Pride's +1 abilities and Godsend. Another issue is that it has no utility beyond the protection. They other Swords I use have utility abilities alongside the creature-boosting benefits. Sword of War and Peace just gains life and throws extra damage at the player. Nothing really useful.

Earnest Fellowship also affects my opponents' creatures. I don't want my targeted removal and blockers useless against other White decks, make Godsend dead, and my Planeswalkers have dead abilities.

711.2a In every zone other than the battlefield, and also on the battlefield with its front face up, a double-faced card has only the characteristics of the front face. Elbrus, the Binding Blade works.

@TheRockofShame

903.4c The back face of a double-faced card is included when determining a cards color identity.

Elbrus, the Binding Blade  ^Flip doesn't work.

I've mentioned this before, but when I look at your deck, I still can't help but wander if Transcendent Master performs well. First, I feel like he's vulnerable, and second he's slow. He's obviously very strong at a high level, but it costs 15 mana before he protects himself, and he has no protection from removal before that. It's just such a huge tempo swing if he gets killed, I feel like the card is unnecessarily risky. And even if he does work, it takes several turns before he's online.

I suppose you could think of him as a creature that comes with equipment: equip costs are paid at sorcery speed, like leveling up, and you equip a few equipments a turn. His just come with the card. That is nice, but is that interpretation of him worth a card slot? In that view, he's basically just a creature to hold equipment.

I don't know what your playgroup is like, but Aven Mindcensor is incredible against a lot of groups, and gets better the more powerful your playgroup is. Judging by your Mana Crypt, I'm guessing you have a fairly strong playgroup. Hushwing Gryff is also strong (you don't have a lot of ETBs). Neither of these have protection, but they provide an imposing presence just by being in play, they fly, and they can carry equipment. Yosei, the Morning Star is also fantastic, as it's ability discourages people from killing it even if it's carrying equipment. It is a high drop though.

I don't know a lot about aggro or equipment decks, but my magic instincts just don't like Transcendent Master and I'm sure that there is something inexpensive that would serve you much better, even if I wasn't able to find it above.

Could you consider Karakas in this deck. Seems to have some utility. Also how did you change the font size and add the lines in your description.

@Traveler247

Transcendent Master is a stand-alone threat that doesn't need Equipment. If I'm getting hit by major artifact hate. Transcendent Master is also one of my favourite cards, so part of the reason I use it is because I want to.

My meta isn't that strong. I just happen to own a Mana Crypt. There are strong decks, maybe a bit too many soulless goodstuff builds, but nothing cutthroat.

I never had any real issues with opponents tutoring that warrants Aven Mindcensor. I pretty much deal with what gets tutored.

Hushwing Gryff, however, is a potential include. There's at least two decks in my meta that use Purphoros, God of the Forge and another out against it is nice. And there's never going to be an end to 'enters the battlefield' triggers on creatures.

No interest in Yosei, the Morning Star. Don't like how it's just a french vanilla flier until he dies.

@sirbar

Karakas is banned,

Adding at least 3 hyphens in a text line will enlarge the text directly above it.

Blank text lines directly above and below a bunch of hyphens will create a line.

I totally understand liking Transcendent Master, I thought it was awesome when it was released. Personally, I play Ixidron for fun times. With regard to Aven Mindcensor, it's worth noting the effect it has on fetch lands. I don't know if those exist much in your meta, but that aspect of it is just as important as nullifying Demonic Tutor and the like...maybe moreso.

Hushwing Gryff is quite good. I've never played with it, but every time I see it I groan. I hate that card.

Illusionist's Bracers works with 8 of your creatures, some of which get out of hand quick with it.

Here is a combo that I learned from Sleazebag. This is in his/her own words.

Step 1 - Attack with Stonehewer Giant

Step 2 - Tap Stonehewer, fetch Sword of the Paruns, pay 3 to untap Stonehewer, fetch Illusionist's Bracers. Pay 3 to untap stonehewer again, pay 2 to fetch Sword of Feast and Famine and Fireshrieker/Grappling Hook. For every 4W you have available, you can fetch two additional equipments and put on him.

Step 3 - Your double striking, sword weilding, god of mass destruction connects with your opponent and untaps ALL your lands. You still haven't struck twice yet. Pay 5, fetch Strata Scythe and Batterskull, pay another 5 to fetch Sword of Fire and Ice and Sword of War and Peace. Hell, fetch that Masterwork of Ingenuity and put on Strata Scythe number TWO, and get a Darksteel Plate while you're at it because it wouldn't do to lose your 40/40 double striking vigilance lifelink protection white blue black red green avatar of death to a mere boardwipe.

Step 4 - Watch the world explode as your second strike connects.

Step 5 - Untap all your lands again!

Since this is an artifact deck and you liked the idea of Hushwing Gryff, perhaps consider Torpor Orb. It does the same thing for one less mana and it doesn't go away if you cast All Is Dust.

@TheRockofShame Hushwing Gryff carries equipment which provides protection, making it harder to deal with already, and can threaten people's life totals. The point isn't the effect, it's the fact that you can flash it in post-board wipe to carry equipment and have it restrict your opponents options.

oh ok thanks and sorry about that.

@rob_shifflett

I currently have no interest in Illusionist's Bracers. Most of the few creatures with activated abilities that I run aren't really worth copying and it doesn't offer any aggressive boost. Sure, it makes Stonehewer Giant absolutely scary, but I'm not using an Equipment that's only good with one other card in the 99.

Maybe sometime in the future if more creatures with abilities that are worthwhile to copy are added this deck, I'll reconsider.

Hey NensouHiebara, been looking at your list for 8.5 Tails, and I too have an Equipment Voltron list for him. Was hoping to bounce a few cards off of you too get another player's feel for the inclusion of them in very similar decks.

Basilisk Collar

Executioner's Hood

Golem-Skin Gauntlets

Nim Deathmantle

Quietus Spike

Sigil of Distinction

Worldslayer

Just a few ideas i've been bounding around. Each one I think is pretty self-explanatory. Any thoughts or ideas mate?

@Benny_B

Basilisk Collar is a good Equipmemt, but with 8.5's small base P/T I'm shying away from using too many Equipment without P/T boosts.

Executioner's Hood is junky Limited filler. Not worth using, as there are plenty of options for evasion on better Equipment.

Golem-Skin Gauntlets promotes overextending. Overextending can lead to getting yourself blown out from a well-timed artifact sweeper.

Nim Deathmantle is a neat Equipment, but I would rather use Equipment that offer indestructible if I want a creature to survive removal. Maybe it would be better in builds with plenty of creatures with ETB abilities.

Quietus Spike does nothing for the Commander Damage kill, but it's a great back-up plan if 8.5 becomes too expensive or is tucked. I've used it before and will probably find a spot for it again if a bunch of lifegain strategies start creeping up. There is an Oloro, Ageless Ascetic player in my meta.

Sigil of Distinction is too finicky for my liking. Can't play it early game because it's P/T boost would be too small. Playing it with a decent enough P/T boost costs a bit of mana.

I hate Worldslayer. It does nothing but grief the table.

@NensouHiebara

That is more or less what I thought as well, I was thinking out of all of the choices that Nim Deathmantle could be decent for pushing damage through. 8.5 has a really decent synergy with intimidate in my opinion. Only thought about Worldslayer for those games that are just slightly out of reach or if you have a Darksteel Plate on the field. Just minor thoughts.

In regards to Sword of Light and Shadow, doesn't that give you protection from white, which might be problematic for your commanders abilities?

Teddyk That's kind of the point. All he has to do then is make the thing that's targeting 8.5 white and call it a day.

What do you think of Citadel Siege? It seems like a decent way to bulk up every turn on a aggro deck.

@HerrDunk

Citadel Siege the only card I considered adding from Fate Reforged, but Ajani Steadfast is more appealing in the same spot.

Awesome deck, I like it a lot.

I often find when I play mono white, I play Gideon Jura.But if you don't feel he suits your style, you're probably fine without.

Wurmcoil Engine simply because he is mana efficient, has presence when he dies, and is a nightmare when suited up.

similarly Soul of New Phyrexia because he's a beatstick, and can offer protection?

@MirranTitan

Gideon Jura was in my deck, but didn't stay long. Low utility and no proper ult isn't what I want in a Planeswalker.

Wurmcoil Engine was also in my deck, but was cut for Serra Ascendant. I'm also trying to limit the amount of 6cmc cards in my deck.

I don't need Soul of New Phyrexia. I already use Avacyn, Angel of Hope and I don't like the idea of being forced to hold back 5 mana every turn.