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Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient - Forgemaster Combo

Commander / EDH* Artifact Budget Combo Infinite Combo Mono-Red Multiplayer

Robobro72


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Preface Show

Important Budget Consideration Show


Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient is one of the strongest mono- commander in the format, especially when playing on a budget. A great deal of his power, similarly to many commanders (such as Daretti, Scrap Savant and Zada, Hedron Grinder) is in his immediate impact on the board, almost acting as a strong sorcery with a strong field of artifacts out. Another facet of his power comes from his low threat level. Most other players would prioritize removing or neutralizing the commanders that have more innate power or enter combat, such as Zurgo Helmsmasher or the obvious Atraxa, Praetors' Voice. This deck does usual mono - artifact shenanigans and generally wins by achieving infinite mana combos.

- You love artifacts, but goblins give you the creeps.
- You like a deck that can win out of completely nowhere.
- You want a deck that generally stays out of the red zone.
- You want the least deck around with a mono - color identity
- You wish Trading Post could be your commander.
- You like the graveyard, but don't want to rely on it.
- You want sick flavor text, but no real lore behind it.
- You want the original best ogre, before this Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder nerd showed up.
- You want a deck that doesn't rely on your commander (remedied in part by Rings of Brighthearth).
- You want to win through combat all the time, as fast as possible.
- You love enchantments.
- You want a consistent combo every single game, we are generally both a combo and midrange deck that can win through robot beat-down as a backup.
- You want to win every game. A generally insurmountable downfall of mono - is to have completely dead hands/draws. However, this deck isn't too bad, almost rivaling the consitency of Zada, Hedron Grinder, or Daretti, Scrap Savant

Combo

Our central combo involves copying Kuldotha Forgemaster's activation using our commander to ultimately result in Gilded Lotus, Voltaic Key, and any artifact that only requires mana and to activate a relavent ability , such as Codex Shredder, Goblin Charbelcher, or the all-important Trading Post. Since Gilded Lotus's activation creates , but cannot be copied, we can copy Voltaic Key's activation for to both itself and the lotus, creating infinite and artifact s. Unlike many other jank combo decks, each piece of our combo is an incredibly powerful piece of the deck whether or not it is used in the combo, such as Gilded Lotus or Trading Post.

Outlets

  • Steel Hellkite
  • Codex Shredder = Infinite mill. If you cant mill out an opponent with OG eldrazi titans in their deck, it also provides infinite recursion. Copying the second activation allows the shredder to return itself and one other card to our hand.
  • Druidic Satchel = maybe some lands, and either infinite life or saprolings
  • Trading Post + [an artifact in hand to start the sequence] = Infinite life, goats, artifact recursion, AND draw.

Our Commander

In addition to providing his dashing good looks, and assembling our combo, Kurkesh helps this deck tremendously by overcoming several fundamental setbacks of red through:
Ramp -
- Burnished Hart
- Expedition Map
- Druidic Satchel
- Basalt Monolith (copying the untap activation can net us per spent)
Card Advantage -
- Mind Stone
- Tamiyo's Journal
- Hedron Archive
- Pyrite Spellbomb
- Trading Post (literally broken)
- Codex Shredder
- Sensei's Divining Top
- Conjurer's Bauble
Removal -
- Brittle Effigy
- Goblin Charbelcher
- Boompile (75% chance of a clear that is 1 turn faster than Nevinyrral's Disk and can hit Walkers)

Notable Interactions (WIP)

Strionic Resonator has an activated ability that can copy our commander's triggered ability, and can be in turn copied by it. This relationship results in the following:
1. Activate another artifact's ability, Pyrite Spellbomb for example.
2. Copy it for with Kurkesh.
3. Copy that trigger with Strionic Resonator, targeting the Pyrite Spellbomb's ability.
4. Use our commander's trigger again on the Strionic Resonator's activation, which copies Kurkesh's trigger once again, targeting the Pyrite Spellbomb's ability.
5. This results in the following shorthand: (and tap the Strionic Resonator): Copy an artifact's activated ability three times. In this example, this results in : Draw four cards (assuming the Pyrite Spellbomb was already in play). A Tidings in a mono red deck is pretty good, no?

Why the Resonator is/isn't viable Show

Sensei's Divining Top is an all-star in the deck for two reasons:
1. It offers us unparalleled card filtering for mono-
2. Copying its second ability allows us to draw a card repeatedly for , which is yet another anomally for mono-

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Date added 7 years
Last updated 6 years
Legality

This deck is Commander / EDH legal.

Rarity (main - side)

10 - 0 Mythic Rares

37 - 0 Rares

20 - 0 Uncommons

11 - 0 Commons

Cards 100
Avg. CMC 3.48
Tokens Clue, Dragon 5/5 R, Elemental 3/1 R, Emblem Daretti, Scrap Savant, Goat 0/1 W, Kobolds of Kher Keep 0/1 R, Lizard 8/8 R, Ogre 3/3 R, Saproling 1/1 G, Thopter 1/1 C
Folders 100 Budget EDH, Cool Decks, Decks I Will Build
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