The Selvala Approach

Commander / EDH Battlecruiser Combo GW (Selesnya) Infinite Combo Ramp

Kcucullen

Land (34)

• 1x Bountiful Promenade
• 1x Brushland
• 1x Canopy Vista
• 1x City of Brass
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Dryad Arbor
• 10x Forest
• 1x Geier Reach Sanitarium
• 1x Horizon Canopy
• 1x Krosan Verge
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
• 1x Mistveil Plains
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1x Plains
• 1x Razorverge Thicket
• 1x Reflecting Pool
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Scattered Groves
• 1x Sungrass Prairie
• 1x Sunpetal Grove
• 1x Temple Garden
• 1x Windswept Heath
• 1x Wirewood Lodge
• 1x Wooded Bastion

Sorcery (11)

• 1x Approach of the Second Sun *f-pre*
• 1x Dusk / Dawn
• 1x Green Sun's Zenith
• 1x Nature's Lore
• 1x Regrowth
• 1x Seasons Past
• 1x Skyshroud Claim
• 1x Steelshaper's Gift
• 1x Sylvan Tutor
• 1x Wildest Dreams
• 1x Wrath of God

Creature (19)

• 1x Arbor Elf
• 1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
• 1x Avacyn's Pilgrim
• 1x Birds of Paradise
• 1x Courser of Kruphix
• 1x Dragonlord Dromoka *f-pre*
• 1x Elvish Mystic
• 1x Eternal Witness
• 1x Fyndhorn Elves
• 1x Grand Abolisher
• 1x Iona, Shield of Emeria
• 1x Knight of Autumn
• 1x Llanowar Elves
• 1x Oracle of Mul Daya
• 1x Quirion Ranger
• 1x Riftsweeper
• 1x Scavenging Ooze
• 1x Seedborn Muse
• 1x Shaman of Forgotten Ways

Enchantment (11)

• 1x Burgeoning
• 1x Darksteel Mutation
• 1x Dueling Grounds
• 1x Grasp of Fate
• 1x Instill Energy
• 1x Mirari's Wake
• 1x Nature's Chosen
• 1x Quest for Renewal
• 1x Song of the Dryads
• 1x Sterling Grove
• 1x Sylvan Library

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Vivien Reid

Commander (1)

Artifact (12)

• 1x Chromatic Lantern
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Magewright's Stone
• 1x Mana Crypt
• 1x Paradox Engine
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Staff of Domination
• 1x Thought Vessel
• 1x Thousand-Year Elixir
• 1x Umbral Mantle
• 1x Vedalken Orrery

Instant (11)

• 1x Angel's Grace
• 1x Beast Within
• 1x Chord of Calling
• 1x Eladamri's Call
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Heroic Intervention
• 1x Krosan Grip
• 1x Noxious Revival
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Teferi's Protection
• 1x Worldly Tutor

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Maybeboard

Artifact (5)

• 1x Aetherflux Reservoir
• 1x Elixir of Immortality
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sword of the Paruns
• 1x Well of Lost Dreams

Enchantment (3)

• 1x Helix Pinnacle
• 1x Land Tax
• 1x Zendikar Resurgent

Instant (5)

• 1x Avoid Fate
• 1x Congregation at Dawn
• 1x Squall Line
• 1x To Arms!
• 1x Vitalize

Land (1)

• 1x Temple of Plenty

Creature (3)

• 1x Beast Whisperer
• 1x Craterhoof Behemoth
• 1x Felidar Sovereign

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Nissa, Who Shakes the World

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Harvest Season

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THE HISTORY

A while ago, I discovered Selevala, Explorer Returned when going through my bulk rare box. I was mildly interested in the deck and put it aside for consideration. My hopes weren't high, as Selesnya is my least favorite color combo (I'm an Izzet boi at heart) and didn't think the deck would be anything fun outside of a weird group hug deck.

Boy, was I wrong.

Selvala is now the deck I play the most and can hold its own against casual and competitive (although probably not CEDH) decks alike. It is extremely consistent, strong, and fun. It uses some of the most powerful Selesnya cards to their fullest extent. It has a combo game that, while usually infinite, is relatively interactive and fun. It's extremely protective and has lots of ways of getting rid of threats.

This deck is for you if you like:

-Playing defensively -Tapping creatures tons of times per turn -Interacting with your opponents' board -RNG -Recursion -Drawing you (and your opponents) lots of cards -Generating ridiculous amounts of mana off of your Commander

THE GAME PLAN

Using our plethora of dorks, we'll try to get Selvala out by turn 2 or 3. Then, tap her as much as possible every turn for as much mana as possible. You'll be setting up board states with cards like Privileged Position + Sterling Grove and Avacyn, Angel of Hope that will protect you and Selvala. You'll continue building a ridiculous board state and interact as needed with cards like Dusk / Dawn and Krosan Grip . In addition, you'll want to land ramp as much as possible since Selvala could easily become a target of your opponents. Since she's only 3 mana, ramping will help a lot. Teferi's Protection and Heroic Intervention can be single use get out of jail free cards that will be extremely helpful to our plan as well. But what are we aiming for?

THE COMBOS AND WINCONS

Selvala has two and a half ways of winning: Approach of the Second Sun , infinite draw, and/or just a straight-up beatdown over time. Staff of Domination , Umbral Mantle , and Paradox Engine all usually go infinite with Selvala, allowing us to get Approach of the Second Sun cast twice or simply deck everyone (you may want to mainboard Elixir of Immortality if you're interested in this route). However, this combo has two flaws: it's entirely dependent on what cards are revealed off the top of each player's deck and since each opponent will be drawing so many cards, we may let an opponent draw into a Force of Will or something similar. Grand Abolisher type of effects will aid us, as well as the fact that we will see what each opponent draws off the parley. In addition to the ridiculous amounts of combo and synergy Selvala has, Avacyn, Angel of Hope can simply kill opponents over time. We'll be gaining lots of life over the course of the game, so we'll have time to get that damage in. Of course, the deck's main wincon is Approach of the Second Sun . Once we get a Paradox or Staff engine on the field, winning with Approach is pretty easy. Of course, it can be countered, but we run Regrowth effects and Riftsweeper to deal with this issue.

THE SYNERGIES

Green Sun's Zenith + Dryad Arbor

Privileged Position + Sterling Grove

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Staff of Domination

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Paradox Engine

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Umbral Mantle

Teferi's Protection + Riftsweeper

Wildest Dreams + Riftsweeper

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Noxious Revival

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Sensei's Divining Top

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Oracle of Mul Daya

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Courser of Kruphix

Mirari's Wake + Skyshroud Claim (for getting lands out of your deck for Parley)

Selvala, Explorer Returned + any tutor/card that puts a card on top of your deck

Selvala, Explorer Returned + Instill Energy

THE CONCLUSION

Selvala is a fun commander that hits all the major points a commander should: it's interactive, consistent, strong, and fun. I highly recommend trying it out and making it your own, as the deck's ability to ramp means you can play some large cards with relative ease.

Thank you for reading!

Date added	5 years
Last updated	5 years
Key combos	Privileged Position + Sterling Grove
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	10 - 0 Mythic Rares 48 - 0 Rares 21 - 0 Uncommons 10 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.76
Tokens	Beast 3/3 G, Emblem Vivien Reid