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Alesha, Who Smiles at Death: Whenever Alesha, Who Smiles at Death attacks, we may pay . If we do, then we return target creature card with power two or less from our graveyard to the battlefield tapped and attacking. There are nearly 20 creatures that can be returned from our graveyard to the battlefield that meet Alesha, Who Smiles at Death's requirements. Additionally, there are a number of cards included in this deck that boost the power and toughness of our creatures. Even though a creature is leaving our graveyard with a power of two or less, it likely will enter the battlefield much, much bigger.
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Azusa, Lost but Seeking: Not one. Not two. THREE! Azusa, Lost but Seeking allows us to increase our land drops per turn from one to three. We can play three lands per turn! The only caveat is to make sure we have lands in our hand! Mass Appeal, Distant Melody and Kindred Discovery will help us achieve that goal.
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Breya, Etherium Shaper: When Breya, Etherium Shaper enters the battlefield, we create two 1/1 blue thopter artifact creature tokens with flying. We can choose to keep these thopters flying around the battlefield for a while, or we can pay and sacrifice them. If we do, then we select one of the following modes: 1) Breya, Etherium Shaper deals three damage to target player or planeswalker. 2) Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn. 3) We gain five life. If needed, our deck will have other artifacts that could be sacrificed. Breya, Etherium Shaper provides options, or just a couple of blue flying nuisances!
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Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder: Whenever Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder enters the battlefield or attacks, target creature we control gains double strike and lifelink until end of turn. He can target himself with his double strike trigger. We have a lot of high quality legendary humans in this deck, and granting them double strike as an ETB or attack trigger makes Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder a possible win condition.
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Captain Sisay: We can tap Captain Sisay and search our library for a legendary card, reveal that card, and put it into our hand. Notice the text. It says: "LEGENDARY CARD." It doesn't say "legendary CREATURE card." ANY LEGENDARY CARD. At this moment, the only legendary cards in the deck are creatures. However, it will not be surprising to see legendary artifacts, enchantments, sorceries, lands and/or planeswalkers added as our deck list burgeons (see what I did there?).
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Daxos of Meletis: Daxos of Meletis can't be blocked by creatures with power three or greater. Whenever Daxos of Meletis deals combat damage to a player, exile the top card of that player's library. We gain life equal to that card's converted mana cost. Until end of turn, we may cast that card and we may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell. Daxos of Meletis will avoid most chump-blockers based upon his first ability. A quality creature will have to block him in order for our opponent to avoid the opportunity of us casting one of their spells right from the top their library. This human soldier from Theros can pose a serious threat to our opponents due to this combination of abilities.
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Grand Arbiter Augustin IV: White spells we cast cost less to cast. Blue spells we cast cost less to cast. Spells our opponents cast cost more to cast. How much will we benefit from mana cost reductions for our white and blue spells? It remains to be seen as our deck is a work in progress. Currently, there are 23 spells that would receive a reduction in mana cost from Grand Arbiter Augustin IV's ability. Not including our General/Commander, there are 44 cards in the deck list. More than 50% of the spells already included in this build will receive a reduction in mana cost. 100% of the spells cast by our opponents will be taxed . The numbers are in our favor!
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Hanna, Ship's Navigator: We can tap and tap Hanna, Ship's Navigator and return target artifact or enchantment card from our graveyard to our hand. We already have included numerous valuable and focused artifacts and enchantments in this deck (Door of Destinies, Kindred Discovery, Urza's Incubator, Herald's Horn, Cathars' Crusade). They will be targeted for removal by our opponents. By including Hanna, Ship's Navigator, we provide ourselves opportunities to recur these destroyed artifacts and enchantments. These spells are very important to the focus of our deck. In fact, as we move closer to completing this deck list, it would not be surprising to see Academy Ruins and Hall of Heliod's Generosity included in the mana base in order to ensure redundancy.
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Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons: Whenever Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons deals combat damage to a player, we may put a -1/-1 counter on target creature. Whenever we put one or more -1/-1 counters on a creature, we create a 1/1 green snake creature token with deathtouch. In the early game, Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons can do a lot of work. If it swings for damage, we can throw around -1 -1 counters and get rid of mana dorks and/or any land-fetching chump blockers. Additionally, we can create some deathtouching snake creature tokens. Let's hope each starting had has Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons and the means to cast her!
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Jhoria, Weatherlight Captain: Whenever we cast a historic spell, we draw a card. What are historic spells? Artifacts, legendaries and sagas. For the purposes of this deck, ARTIFACTS AND LEGENDARIES!! This deck will be full of legendary cards and if Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain is under our control, then we draw a card each time we cast a legendary spell. This will act as a great source of card draw in a deck that wants to cast as many human legends as possible in order to overwhelm our opponents.
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Jirina Kudro: When Jirina Kudro enters the battlefield, we create a 1/1 white human soldier creature token for each time we've cast a commander from the command zone this game. I'm unsure how valuable this ability will be for us. Although we have spells that reduce the mana cost of our General/Commander, Morophon, the Boundless costs . So, maybe, we get one to two human soldier creature tokens in a game. It's Jirina Kudro's second ability that is more valuable: Other humans we control get +2/+0. Yasova Dragonclaw approves.
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Judith, the Scourge Diva: Judith, the Scourge Diva provides a power boost to our creatures. It's not as strong as Jirina Kudro's, but other creatures we control get +1/+0. Additionally, whenever a nontoken creature we control dies, Judith, the Scourge Diva deals one damage to any target. We do not have a token theme in this deck, so I am unsure how much of a deterrent this ability will be to our opponents' board wipes. However, incremental points of damage can add up, and Jurdith, the Scourge Diva provides that with a power boost and a death trigger.
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Kari Zev, Skyship Raider: It's Ragavan's world, we just live in it. Whenever Kari Zev, Skyship Raider attacks, create Ragavan, a legendary 2/1 red monkey creature token. Ragavan enters the battlefield tapped and attacking. Exile that token at end of combat. DISCLOSURE: I love attacking with Kari Zev, Skyship Raider and creating Ragavan. I even have the Ragavan token. Now, this monkey can make the leap from Kitchen Table to EDH/Commander table!!
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Kelsien, the Plague: There is a low-simmering cauldron of value and potential with Kelsien, the Plague. It has vigilance, haste and gets +1/+1 for each experience counter we have. If we tap Kelsien, the Plague then it deals one damage to target creature we don't control. When that creature dies this turn, we get an experience counter. There's the potential for combat chicanery based upon Kelsien, the Plague's vigilance and tap ability. If a smaller creature blocks, we tap and deal one point of damage to it after blockers are declared but before combat damage, and when the blocking creature dies we will get an experience counter. Additionally, many mana dorks and land-fetching chump-blockers can be offed by one point of damage, giving us experience counters and making Kelsien, the Plague bigger. Curiouser and curiouser...
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Kess, Dissident Mage: At this time, it is uncertain how valuable Kess, Dissident Mage will be in this deck. Once all spells have been included, we will have a better understanding of her value. It is safe to assume a number of instant and sorcery spells will be included in the deck during the next installments of this series, particularly removal spells. Having a creature allow us to cast an otherwise unusable spell from our graveyard is very valuable. Will we have enough instant and sorcery spells to make her inclusion warranted? We shall see. She does fly, and not many of other humans do. So, that's a bonus.
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Lavinia, Azorius Renegade: Each opponent can't cast noncreature spells with converted mana cost greater than the number of lands that player controls. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. If you've been seated at an EDH/Commander table, and watched an opponent's first two turns evolve into something like: T1: Forest, Sol Ring, Mana Crypt, Mana Vault. T2: Forest, entwined Tooth and Nail, shuffle your deck and play again. BEEN THERE. As an additional bonus, whenever an opponent casts a spell, if no mana was spent to cast it, counter that spell. The pact cycle and the recent "if you control a commander then this spell is free" cycle of cards from Commander 2020 are powerful. Lavinia, Azorius Renegade shuts down all of this nonsense. She is very, very powerful. It is shocking to me that she is played in just over 4% of possible decks through EDHrec.com. That's mind-boggling!!
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Marchesa, the Black Rose: Marchesa, the Black Rose has dethrone (whenever this creature attacks the player with the most life or tied for most life, put a +1/+1 counter on it) and gives other creatures we control dethrone. Whenever a creature we control with a +1/+1 counter on it dies, we return that card to the battlefield under our control at the beginning of the next end step. In a tribal deck, it is always optimal to include creatures that have synergy with the tribe. We already have seen this synergy with Jirina Kudro and Judith, the Scourge Diva and we will continue to see it as this deck list grows.
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Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage: A 3/3 flier with flash for is strong. A 3/3 flier with flash for that allows us to cast historic spells as though they had flash is RICKdiculously strong! If anyone is unfamiliar with historic spells, they are artifacts, legendaries, and sagas. I am unsure about including sagas in this deck, but we have plenty of artifacts and legendaries, and now all with flash!! Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage's inclusion in the deck will be even more powerful after completing the deck list because we will include additional legendary spells.
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Saskia the Unyielding: Saskia the Unyielding is so good, she helms a token deck for MTG Burgeoning already! You can see that deck HERE. Anyway, Saskia the Unyielding has vigilance and haste. When she enters the battlefield, we choose a player. Whenever a creature we control deals combat damage to a player, it deals that much damage to the chosen player. NOTICE: The chosen player can also be the player dealt combat damage by our creatures. DOUBLE DAMAGE!
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Sen Triplets: At the beginning of our upkeep, we choose target opponent. This turn, that player can't cast spells or activate abilities and plays with their hand revealed. We may play lands and cast spells from that player's hand this turn. Sheer bonkers. Sen Triplets allows us to cast our opponents' spells. Use their removal against them. Use their removal against other opponents. Waste the resources in their hand. "Sen Triplets is mean...and I'm glad they're on our side!
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Shanna, Sisay's Legacy: Shanna, Sisay's Legacy has a pseudo-hexproof ability, as she can't be the target of abilities our opponents control. She also gets +1/+1 for each creature we control. She does not provide any tribal abilities or synergies. She has no evasion and provides herself with a slight layer of protection. Shanna, Sisay's Legacy may rank near the top of potential replacements once more powerful legendary human creature cards become available.
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Silas Renn, Seeker Adept: THERE IS A LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY SECONDARY TO Silas Renn, Seeker Adept'S INCLUSION INTO THIS DECK. We have valuable artifacts in our deck, and under the right circumstances, Silas Renn, Seeker Adept allows us to cast one of them from our graveyard. How many artifact cards will be included in this build? That number remains to be seen. As such, Silas Renn, Seeker Adept's value is uncertain. Perhaps Silas Renn, Seeker Adept and Breya, Etherium Shaper can create a synergistic engine...? It may be more efficient and effective to include Academy Ruins for the purposes of artifact recursion. We shall see.
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Sisay, Weatherlight Captain: If for some reason, Morophon, the Boundless needed the day off or just didn't feel like going into work that day or was needed in a different build and was the victim of deck cannabilization, Sisay, Weatherlight Captain could step right in as General/Commander and this deck would not skip a beat. She gets +1/+1 for each color among other legendary permanents we control. She could EASILY get +5 +5. We can tap and search our library for a legendary permanent card with converted mana cost less than Sisay, Weatherlight Captain's power and put that card onto the battlefield. For the purposes of clarity, no human creature spell has a converted mana cost of more than five. The stipulations for humans to be included in this deck were influenced by Sisay, Weatherlight Captain's second ability. What if Sisay, Weatherlight Captain is on the battlefield by herself? Then we tutor up a land! If Morophon, the Boundless leans toward retirement, then Sisay, Weatherlight Captain will be a fine successor!
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Surrak Dragonclaw: Surrak Dragonclaw can't be countered and other creature spells we control can't be countered. Love it! Love everything about it. Surrak Dragonclaw gives other creatures we control trample. He also has flash. Imagine an opponent chump-blocking a swath of our Door of Destinies-pumped human creatures and then we flash-in Surrak Dragonclaw. Plus, he's a 6/6! He can't be countered, protects our creature spells, has flash and gives our tribe trample. We love you, Surrak Dragonclaw!
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Sydri, Galvanic Genius: Just once. Just one time, I want to use Sydri, Galvanic Genius's first ability to destroy a Mana Crypt or Darksteel Citadel. If we tap , then target noncreature artifact becomes an artifact creature with power and toughness each equal to its converted mana cost until end of turn. Get it? Mana Crypt and Darksteel Citadel's converted mana costs are . They would die immediately! We also can tap and target artifact creature gains deathtouch and lifelink until end of turn. Galactic-Empire-like destructive aspirations aside, we can tap and turn one of our artifacts into an artifact creature with deathtouch, lifelink and power and toughness equal to its converted mana cost until end of turn. Not too shabby! Honestly, though, I'm looking for that Mana Crypt...
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Taigam, Ojutai Master: Instant (love it), sorcery (love it_, and dragon spells (don't need it) we control can't be countered. Whenever we cast an instant or sorcery spell from our hand, if Taigam, Ojutai Master attacked this turn, that spell gains rebound. For anyone that is unfamiliar with the rebound mechanic, we exile the spell as it resolves and at the beginning of our next upkeep, we may cast that card from exile without paying its mana cost. As we have no dragons in our deck, Taigam, Ojutai Master's presence in the deck strengthens our ability to cast instant and sorcery spells in addition to giving these spells rebound, if we attacked with Taigam, Ojutai Master that turn. He's a 3/4, so attacking shouldn't be burdensome. Casting instant and sorcery spells that can't be countered and have rebound will be burdensome to our opponents!
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Tajic, Blade of the Legion: Tajic, Blade of the Legion is indestructible and has the battalion mechanic. Whenever he and at least two other creatures attack, Tajic, Blade of the Legion gets +5/+5 until end of turn. If triggered, this power and toughness boost will make Tajic, Blade of the Legion a 7/7. He's going to take down a lot of blockers!
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Tajic, Legion's Edge: Tajic's second iteration is much more interesting than the traditional Boros put-my-head-down-and-attack-into-my-opponents-without-thinking-about-it archetype. Tajic, Legion's Edge has haste and the mentor mechanic. Whenever Tajic, Legion's End attacks, we put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature with lesser power. Over time we can slowly boost the power and toughness of our creatures. As an added bonus, we prevent all noncombat damage that would be dealt to other creatures we control. This is not a combat trigger. This is not an enter the battlefield trigger. This is a static ability that will prevent spells like Storm's Wrath, Blasphemous Act and Chain Reaction from damaging our creatures, other than Tajic, Legion's End, unfortunately.
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Thalia, Heretic Cathar: As a 3/2 with first strike, Thalia, Heretic Cathar can bring the heat as an attacker or a defender. Speaking of defense, creatures and nonbasic lands our opponents control enter the battlefield tapped. Let's not sleep on this ability. Fetch lands? Tapped before they can be used. Hasty creatures? Tapped before they can attack. Opponents' nonbasic lands entering the battlefield tapped will limit their use of mana and slow them down. Having creatures our opponents control enter the battlefield tapped should not be overlooked, particularly against Voltron strategies.
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Triad of Fates: DISCLOSURE: I have never played with Triad of Fates, play-tested the creature or encountered it in the wild. This will be a brand new experience, and I am optimistic! If we tap and tap Triad of Fates, then we put a fate counter on another target creature. If we tap and tap Triad of Fates, we exile target creature that has a fate counter on it and then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control. This is a defensive maneuver, as we can keep an opponent's creature from attacking with due to the obstacle of momentary exile, or block with one of our fated creatures and then exile our creature prior to the combat damage step, preserving it for future ventures. Lastly, if we tap and tap Triad of Fates, then we exile target creature that has a fate counter on it and its controller draws two cards. Optimally, we don't want to give our opponents any cards outside of a political arena. There's a lot of flexibility with these abilities and they can be used in a variety of ways dependent on board and/or game state. I'm looking forward to giving Triad of Fates a whirl!
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Tymna the Weaver: Tymna the Weaver is a 2/2 with lifelink and at the beginning of our postcombat main phase, we may pay X life, where X is the number of opponents that were dealt combat damage this turn. If we do then we draw X cards. This is the typical black-focused life-for-cards archetype, although with a caveat: We have to deal combat damage to our opponents in order to qualify for this ability. This feat should not be burdensome as we have a deck full of humans that would like to interact with the life totals of our opponents.
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Yasova Dragonclaw: This 4/2 trampler sports an amazing ability. At the beginning of combat on our turn, we may pay . If we do, we gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power less than Yasova Dragonclaw's power until end of turn. We get to untap that creature and it gains haste until end of turn. We have numerous ways of increasing our creatures' power in this deck already, so Yasova Dragonclaw should have his pick of the litter. With enough mana, we can take over an opponent's entire army. Yasova Dragonclaw is very strong and should not be underestimated.
