Rafiq of the one shot

Commander / EDH GWU (Bant) Voltron

Sitapollo

Land (36)

• 1x Blighted Woodland
• 1x Breeding Pool
• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x Cathedral of War
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Field of Ruin
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 5x Forest
• 1x Ghost Quarter
• 1x Glacial Fortress
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 1x Hinterland Harbor
• 3x Island
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Opal Palace
• 4x Plains
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Seaside Citadel
• 1x Strip Mine
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 1x Tectonic Edge
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse
• 1x Wasteland
• 1x Windswept Heath

Artifact (9)

• 1x Champion's Helm
• 1x Inquisitor's Flail
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Loxodon Warhammer
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x Umezawa's Jitte
• 1x Wayfarer's Bauble
• 1x Whispersilk Cloak

Creature (18)

• 1x Battlegrace Angel
• 1x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Coiling Oracle
• 1x Dauntless Escort
• 1x Fog Bank
• 1x Giltspire Avenger
• 1x Giver of Runes
• 1x Knight of New Alara
• 1x Medomai the Ageless
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Noble Hierarch
• 1x Qasali Pridemage
• 1x Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1x Silent Arbiter
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Sovereigns of Lost Alara
• 1x Stoic Angel
• 1x Sublime Archangel

Instant (13)

• 1x Berserk
• 1x Blossoming Defense
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Heroic Intervention
• 1x Krosan Grip
• 1x Mizzium Skin
• 1x Negate
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Snakeskin Veil
• 1x Swan Song
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Teferi's Protection
• 1x Vines of Vastwood

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Tamiyo, Field Researcher

Commander (1)

Enchantment (16)

• 1x Alpha Authority
• 1x Aqueous Form
• 1x Armadillo Cloak
• 1x Banishing Light
• 1x Bear Umbra
• 1x Dueling Grounds
• 1x Eldrazi Conscription
• 1x Finest Hour
• 1x Oblivion Ring
• 1x Protective Bubble
• 1x Shield of the Oversoul
• 1x Shielding Plax
• 1x Spectra Ward
• 1x Spirit Mantle
• 1x Steel of the Godhead
• 1x Unflinching Courage

Sorcery (6)

• 1x Cultivate
• 1x Explosive Vegetation
• 1x Hour of Revelation
• 1x Kodama's Reach
• 1x Supreme Verdict
• 1x Wrath of God

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This deck is pretty strong and it gets a lot of hate but it's a blast to play. The deck breaks down into a few categories.

Ramp and fixing: We run 36 lands. All 3 on color check lands, shock lands, and fetches. 3 tri lands, 4 basic land fetches, and 13 basics. The rest of the lands are utility. For ramp and fixing spells we have Sol Ring, Wayfarer's Bauble, Noble Hierarch, Birds of Paradise, Sakura-Tribe Elder, Coiling Oracle, Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, Explosive Vegetation, and Solemn Simulacrum. 5 of these are creatures too which can help against early aggression. Ramp is important to this deck cause we want Rafiq cast with protection as soon as possible.

Removal/Wipes: We don't play a whole lot of creatures and if they take out Rafiq we need to wipe to give us more time to rebuild. I play 4 wipes; Hour of Revelation,Supreme Verdict, Wrath of God, and Cyclonic Rift. For targeted creature removal we have Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile. Pillow fort enchantments that keep us from attacking have to go. Naturalize and Qasali Pridemage are specific to handle those. Oblivion Ring and Banishing Light are catch all's. For additional creature interaction and some politic fodder I play Intrepid Hero, and Giltspire Avenger. Another thing to worry about is Maze of Ith. That card can be a disaster, and our mana base is fine, so I play all the lands that hate lands.

Protection/Evasion: After playing this deck for as long as I have I can give one strong piece of advice. Don't cast Rafiq and pass the turn. He will get removed before you can untap with him. Don't ever cast Rafiq unless you can protect him. Another important part of the plan is making Rafiq unblockable. Since some cards do both, I combined these into one section. These cards are Protective Bubble, Whispersilk Cloak, and Spectra Ward. For instant speed protection; Swan Song, Vines of Vastwood, Ranger's Guile, Blossoming Defense, Mizzium Skin, Heroic Intervention, Dauntless Escort, and Mother of Runes. For "permanent" protection; Swiftfoot Boots, Lightning Greaves, Champion's Helm, Alpha Authority, Shielding Plax, and Shield of the Oversoul. For additional ways to give Rafiq unblockable; Aqueous Form, Spirit Mantle, and Steel of the Godhead.

Damage boost/Exalted: These are ways that we make Rafiq hit harder and take advantage of the fact that we're only ever attacking with one creature. Inquisitor's Flail gives Rafiq quadruple strike. Armadillo Cloak, Unflinching Courage, and Loxodon Warhammer are all buff plus trample lifelink. Bear Umbra is buff and ramp and eats a removal spell. Umezawa's Jitte is the best equipment of all time. Berserk will guarantee one shot a player if needed. Eldrazi Conscription will end games, and you tutor it into play with Sovereigns of Lost Alara. Finest Hour gives you two attacks. Sublime Archangel gives everyone exalted, and it does stack. Knight of New Alara gives +3/+3. Battlegrace Angel, Qasali Pridemage, Giltspire Avenger, and Noble Hierarch are the only other exalted stuff left. All the other exalted cards I used to play got cut for more protection. Stoic Angel, Silent Arbiter, and Dueling Grounds shut down our opponents plans but not ours.

Lastly we have Fog Bank and Guard Gomazoa for defense. Tamiyo, Field Researcher pluses to draw two of Rafiq's double strike and an opponent's creature. Minuses to tap down blockers or attackers on the following turn. Ultimate just wins the game. And Medomai the Ageless is broken with doublestrike. Yes you take two more turns. And if you have Finest Hour in play, you take 4 extra turns.

Date added	7 years
Last updated	2 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	6 - 0 Mythic Rares 39 - 0 Rares 23 - 0 Uncommons 20 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.83
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U, Emblem Tamiyo, Field Researcher
Folders	EDH