Actually already have the Combustible Gearhulk on the way ;)

I really like your list here, but there is definitely some good new cards that would fit well in this list. Rhythm of the Wild , Ilharg, the Raze-Boar , and Guardian Project all fit well in creature heavy decks. I would also suggest butting in some sacrifice utility to make sure Protean Hulk dies, best one I could suggest without effecting the list would be Miren, the Moaning Well or Diamond Valley , Altar of Bone (or any of the Altars, Birthing Pod . Really cool list, hope I was able to help.

shwanerz88 thanks for your comment. I originally had Rhythm of the Wild , but decided I like the ability of Fires of Yavimaya a bit better. Maybe I'll reconsider it again. Thank you!! Guardian Project is another one that keeps coming up in conversation and suggestions. I think what makes Soul of the Harvest is that he lands with Mayael, but maybe I should find room for both. I may replace Benefactor's Draught . Ilharg is already on my list of cards to acquire :P

All in all, terrific suggestions!!

This looks like the kind of deck I could take to my playgroup and dominate the first time and after that, they wouldn't let me play the game when they saw how good it was. Ever consider using Defense of the Heart ? Seems like a good way to react to what people are doing.

What about adding Warstorm Surge to the deck for more targeted removal/burn? A lot of your cards bring in buddies (Worldspine Wurm, Godsire, Garruks) or play creatures at instant speed. Warstorm Surge could help you make the most of those big ETBs.

You wrote in your primer

Durability: Angel of Grace , Exquisite Archangel , Platinum Angel , Keeps us alive longer. All of them also synergise with Chance for Glory .

How does Angel of Grace work with Chance for Glory? It only stops life total changes I thought, not prevent deat

Qolorful: Defense of the Heart looks great. It'll slide right in. I think it'll take the place of Dubious Challenge once I acquire one. Thank you!!

KongMing: I will definitely play test Warstorm Surge . I had Where Ancients Tread in the list before for a similar effect, and I found that I often had better things to do with my mana, and it often ended up as a dead card, or I just never got value from it. Surge seems suitably different though, and i'll give it a try. Cheers!!

Flux27: OOPS. Little typo. Thanks for picking up on that. I think I believed I was referring to Gideon of the Trials rather than Angel of Grace ! Thanks!!

Mayael the Anima was my first EDH deck that I built when I first started playing MtG. What are your thoughts on including a copy of Homeward Path as a way to gain control of your creatures again in the event someone should steal them?

Hi mtg_mykeg!! Yeah, Mayael has been my baby for so many years -- my first commander, and still my most cherished.

Ive actually been running Homeward Path for about a week, I need to update the decklist :P

Yes this is a great primer and deck! I love this commander +1! Also a few suggestions coming in soon I just wanted to say this.

I don’t got a lot to say, it’s a great deck! Maybe switch Swiftfoot Boots for Lightning Greaves

Sry for making a third comment. Sigarda, Host of Herons is protection and also Mirari's Wake is good for hardcasting. Void Winnower and Zacama, Primal Calamity are good and also Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite I wouldn’t add I though because u will have no friends by the end of the day.

Sry for third comment lol. Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma is also good for hardcasting in some cases. Balefire Dragon is practically removal whenever it attacks. Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre . I didn’t have time to read the whole Primer and everything so pls excuse me if u explained why u didn’t have one of these.

Hey lifemtg! sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I like Sigarda, Host of Herons as a protector. Seems so good.

I don't want to crowd the top end of my av. CMC with too many huge hitters -- I think I've got the package almost nailed from my 1-5 kinda range (I only really want 1 creature for each mana cost higher than 8). I think adding Zacama may be putting a hat on top of a hat. Void Winnower seems the same. They enter, and turn me into a threat, definitely, but without combo bits, Zacama doesn't really forward my plan (as he would be cheated out and not get the cast benefit.). And Winnower just makes my opponents hate me even more.

Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma was considered, but dropped due to his power not being enough for Mayael to find him, and even if cast, he doesn't affect me immediately, instead I need to untap with him for him to have power for me. Plus, the focus is more on using Mayael's ability, which doesn't have its cost reduced, or from cheaty spell like Selvala's Stampede , so I'd rarely get the creature discount or have it be worthwhile, unfortunately. This just comes from my experience playing this deck a long time.

Balefire Dragon = amazing! I used to run it years ago. Unfortunately, all my friends had a "kill on sight" bounty on Dragon, and she end up cut years back. I've found Skyline Despot to be a great replacement. The monarch card draw can't be understated (As it sticks around if Despot is ko'd) and if I untap, he makes dragons! YAY!

All great suggestions, and thank you for such great feedback -- I appreciate it. I spend a lot of time thinking about this deck, so I apologise if all your suggestions weren't taken onboard this time, but I guarantee I deeply considered them all.

Hi Chhris, i really like your decklist, i have a few suggestions:

- Mirri's Guile so you can draw lands and leave the big dudes on top.

- Vivien's Arkbow its like a small mayael in case you commander gets killed a lot or you have a lot of mana to spare

- Cavalier of Thorns you already mentioned this one in you primer but i want to know why it didnt make the cut, or you just dont have it.

Nice primer, i love it

Hi Aceh!

Thanks for your suggestions, they are awesome. Cavalier of Thorns didn't have th punch I really sought in the deck: I have so many ramp spells that don't have the chance to "whiff" and I found the recursion ability to be less relevant than I guessed. I think it makes a fine addition to any deck, but I'm finding with Mayael, I want to get more high CMC creatures from my transactions with Mayael, so that I'm still cheating their cost. Paying 6 mana for Cavalier of Thorns didn't feel great all the time.

Viv's Arkbow is awesome I definitely need one. It makes a good mana sink late game, and is harder to remove. I just need to get one haha. I think I ordered one, I'm just waiting for it to arrive.

To be honest Mirri's Guile is basically the last thing I need to complete this deck. It is an expensive card (I live in NZ) and the conversion rate is unkind. Eventually I'll track one down. But I'm not in a rush at the moment.

Why you don't use Sylvan Library or/and Sensei's Divining Top or/and Scroll Rack to control better what you will it and what you will draw ?

Eloniel sorry for taking so long to respond. I do try and address the absence of these three cards within the primer, under a section labelled "Why no Card?" -- in short, I do not actually own either of those three cards right now, and I try to keep my lists paper-accurate so that people can actually, you know, actual try building them if they want. I also live in NZ, so acquiring said cards is very difficult, as there is a much smaller secondary market, and the price of the US dollar is high.

Love the deck! +1!

What do you think about Archetype of Endurance for protection (and also can get out the protection of the opponents' creatures)?

Also i think that Archon of Valor's Reach can be a nice on in this deck.

Free_Iona Hey! I’m just starting to look at this commander. Can you walk me through some of your deck logic? I’ve normally seen deck builds with much higher creature count- wouldn’t that be more optimal? What drove your decision to do otherwise? Thanks