Elsha of the Infinite Bad Commons

Commander / EDH Dragons RUW (Jeskai, America)

MoxYargle

Land (29)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Arid Mesa
• 1x City of Brass
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Exotic Orchard
• 1x Fiery Islet
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 1x Hengegate Pathway  ^Flip
• 3x Island
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 3x Mountain
• 1x Mystic Monastery
• 1x Needleverge Pathway  ^Flip
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Raugrin Triome
• 1x Reflecting Pool
• 1x Riverglide Pathway  ^Flip
• 1x Sacred Foundry
• 1x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Sea of Clouds
• 1x Shivan Reef
• 1x Spectator Seating
• 1x Steam Vents
• 1x Training Center

Instant (12)

• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Deflecting Swat
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Fierce Guardianship
• 1x Flusterstorm
• 1x Force of Will
• 1x Lightning Bolt
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Pyroblast
• 1x Swan Song
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Valakut Awakening  ^Flip

Creature (8)

• 1x Birgi, God of Storytelling  ^Flip
• 1x Cheering Fanatic
• 1x Dockside Extortionist
• 1x Galazeth Prismari
• 1x Knollspine Dragon
• 1x Kykar, Wind's Fury
• 1x Niv-Mizzet, Parun
• 1x Velomachus Lorehold

Sorcery (35)

• 29x Dragon's Approach
• 1x Gamble
• 1x Jeska's Will
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Treasure Cruise
• 1x Wheel of Misfortune
• 1x Windfall

Commander (1)

Artifact (11)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Helm of Awakening
• 1x Izzet Signet
• 1x Jeweled Lotus
• 1x Locket of Yesterdays
• 1x Ruby Medallion
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Creativity
• 1x Thrumming Stone

Enchantment (4)

• 1x Pyromancer Ascension
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Smothering Tithe
• 1x Whirlwind of Thought

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Maybeboard

Instant (2)

• 1x Red Elemental Blast
• 1x Resculpt

Land (1)

• 1x Plains

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Mystic Remora

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Elsha is one of the most broken commanders there is, but what happens when you take 30 good cards out of the deck and replace them with Dragon's Approach? Well, you have to take more good cards out to put in bad dragons. But here's the thing, there's no room for Dragons or interaction when you have 30 lands (mulligan aggressively, folks) and 30 Dragon's Approaches. So it's not really a Dragon deck so much an Approach deck, where you try to use the cost reducers and draw engines to chain through as many Approaches as possible.

It's amazing how many good cards and interaction pieces you have to remove to fit 30 Approaches in. I've cut it to 29 Approaches in this draft, and a very aggressive 29.5 lands (Valakut Awakening is there, mulligan aggressively) with Helm, Locket, Ascension, Ruby Medallion and Cheering Fanatic to reduce costs (and power the secondary infinite Elsha option). I've cut it down to only free and one mana interaction, not counting Mana Drain which is huge in a deck that struggles to ramp. Normal staples of mine like REB and Mystic Remora, plus new fun toys like Resculpt and Suspend, all just had to make way for the most streamlined version possible since 29 spots are taken by one spell. Treasure Cruise is one of the few flex slots, could easily be Remora or more likely another land.

There are only 4 dragons at the moment. I don't yet own a Goldspan, but he could probably come in if I did, for now I've got Velomachus in his stead. Knollspine and Galazeth seem essential, Velomachus is fun, and Niv-Parun is a silly way to go off. There just isn't room for any more dragons if you want interaction too. Kykar, Birgi and Dockside provide mana, Locket, Ascension and Ruby Medallion reduce costs, and Cheering Fanatic is a brilliant way to surprise your opponents who think you're gonna say Approach before reminding them that Top is a thing.

I decided to run this one without any of the Reserve List stuff and without Mana Crypt, etc, to keep it a bit more suitable for a casual environment. It's still a fairly well tuned deck, but no need to smash too hard with Dragon's Approaches. Sure it's better with Wheel of Fortune, but it's plenty fun with just the three wheels.

Cast a lot of Approaches, get yourself a Dragon, make more mana, draw more Approaches, watch gatekeepers rage out when you dome them with 30 of a common, and have a blast.

Date added	3 years
Last updated	2 years
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	6 - 0 Mythic Rares 39 - 0 Rares 13 - 0 Uncommons 35 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.85
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U, Spirit 1/1 W, Treasure