Ink-treader, god of illegality

Commander / EDH* Budget Combo RGWU

kiagam

Land (37)

• 1x Azorius Guildgate
• 1x Boros Guildgate
• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x Cinder Glade
• 1x Detection Tower
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 5x Forest
• 1x Frontier Bivouac
• 1x Gruul Guildgate
• 1x Irrigated Farmland
• 4x Island
• 1x Izzet Guildgate
• 1x Jungle Shrine
• 1x Krosan Verge
• 4x Mountain
• 1x Mystic Monastery
• 4x Plains
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Scattered Groves
• 1x Seaside Citadel
• 1x Selesnya Guildgate
• 1x Sheltered Thicket
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse

Protection (11)

• 1x Blossoming Defense
• 1x Boros Charm
• 1x Curator's Ward
• 1x Darksteel Plate
• 1x Dazzling Reflection
• 1x Dovescape
• 1x Prepare / Fight
• 1x Shield of the Oversoul
• 1x Shielded by Faith
• 1x Simic Charm
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots

Utility (6)

• 1x Dovescape
• 1x Expedite
• 1x Fire / Ice
• 1x Natural Affinity
• 1x Spellbook
• 1x Thought Vessel

Tokens (17)

• 1x Aether Mutation
• 1x Akroan Horse
• 1x Alliance of Arms
• 1x Artifact Mutation
• 1x Aura Mutation
• 1x Benevolent Offering
• 1x Dovescape
• 1x Genesis Chamber
• 1x Hunted Dragon
• 1x Hunted Phantasm
• 1x Hunted Troll
• 1x Launch the Fleet
• 1x Martial Coup
• 1x Natural Affinity
• 1x Rapid Hybridization
• 1x Sylvan Offering
• 1x Varchild, Betrayer of Kjeldor

Removal (11)

• 1x Aether Mutation
• 1x Artifact Mutation
• 1x Aura Mutation
• 1x Catch / Release
• 1x Crush Contraband
• 1x Electrolyze
• 1x Fire / Ice
• 1x Martial Coup
• 1x Naturalize
• 1x Rapid Hybridization
• 1x Simic Charm

Draw (8)

• 1x Crimson Wisps
• 1x Electrolyze
• 1x Expedite
• 1x Fire / Ice
• 1x Renegade Tactics
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Slip Through Space
• 1x Viridescent Wisps

Sacrifice (1)

• 1x Ashnod's Altar

Commander (1)

Ramp (14)

• 1x Ashnod's Altar
• 1x Boros Signet
• 1x Chromatic Lantern
• 1x Circuitous Route
• 1x Cultivate
• 1x Explosive Vegetation
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Gruul Signet
• 1x Khalni Heart Expedition
• 1x Kodama's Reach
• 1x Krosan Verge
• 1x Skyshroud Claim
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Thought Vessel

Pump (8)

• 1x Appeal / Authority
• 1x Blossoming Defense
• 1x Boros Charm
• 1x Might of the Masses
• 1x Prepare / Fight
• 1x Sigil Blessing
• 1x Simic Charm
• 1x Strength in Numbers

Steal (7)

• 1x Act of Treason
• 1x Besmirch
• 1x Catch / Release
• 1x Hijack
• 1x Kari Zev's Expertise
• 1x Threaten
• 1x Traitorous Blood

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You know you can't use this as a commander right?

the basic idea of the deck is to create a lot of tokens (for you and your opponents) and use those to draw massively or to steal and attack.

Main Strategy

1. ramp
2. play Ink-Treader Nephilim
3. use steal on Ink-Treader Nephilim to get all targetable creatures on board (Detection Tower helps a lot).
4. use pump on Ink-Treader Nephilim to pump everything
5. If someone is still alive, sacrifice their stuff to Ashnod's Altar

How to draw

1. Play Ink-Treader Nephilim
2. target Ink-Treader Nephilim with a draw card and flourish on your 5 - 10 - 20 - 40 draws for 1 mana
3. discard everything because you dont have a Reliquary Tower or Thought Vessel or Spellbook and be sad

Best interaction of the deck

Dovescape + Ink-Treader Nephilim: Whatever you cast on Ink-Treader Nephilim is countered, but his ability isn't, making everyone a lot tokens but keeping your ability to steal and pump and destroy and burn and cause chaos and be attacked and die because people hate you now.

Making the deck extra budgety

1. Remove dual lands. Use taplands.
2. Ashnod's Altar is not necessary at all.
3. Thought Vessel is great because you draw so much at once, but you can use different stuff.
4. Darksteel Plate is good to keep your commander alive after a Rapid hibridization and just to protect it from your opponents board clears. It goes up in value if you use Warleader's Helix or other higher damage spells, but if not, you may remove it. Just put Shielding Plax or Alpha Authority in its place.
5. Dovescape is a gimmick, not a win condition.

FAQ

Q: What if there are few creatures on the board because of a board clear? A: Cry. or use Launch the Fleet when you attack with 3 creatures (you commander + 2), make them 6 creatures, them pump those with Might of the Masses or Appeal and deal at least 6*6 = 36 damage+ regular creatures damage. You should kill whoever is causing most trouble. Or use Debt of Loyalty to regenerate the entire board and keep it for yourself (not on the list for budget). Q: People keep countering my stuff. A: Bait them with a steal and use dovescape or draw. You are eventually going to drain them out of resources, or they are going to let someone else win because they kept focusing on you (make sure to let the board know what a martir you are). Alternatively, put a couple counterspells to protect your combo. Q:How can I improve this deck? A: If you can't use 4 different colors to fix the deck, dude, like. dude. Play black.

Date added	5 years
Last updated	5 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	29 - 0 Rares 28 - 0 Uncommons 26 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.68
Tokens	1/1 WU Token Creature Bird, Elf Warrior 1/1 G, Faerie 1/1 U, Frog Lizard 3/3 G, Goblin 1/1 R, Knight 2/2 W w/ First Strike, Myr 1/1 C, Saproling 1/1 G, Soldier 1/1 W, Spirit 1/1 W, Survivor 1/1 R, Treefolk X/X G