Toughness Counts

Commander / EDH Humans Mono-White Toughness Matters Venture Into the Dungeon

OUTinMinnesota

Creature (33)

• 1x Anointer Priest
• 1x Beloved Beggar  ^Flip
• 1x Bishop of Wings
• 1x Blessed Orator
• 1x Dawnbringer Charioteers
• 1x Djeru, With Eyes Open
• 1x Drogskol Shieldmate
• 1x E. Honda, Sumo Champion
• 1x Foriysian Interceptor
• 1x Giant Ox
• 1x Glory Bearers
• 1x Golden-Tail Disciple
• 1x Goliath Paladin
• 1x Kami of Old Stone
• 1x Keeper of the Accord
• 1x Looming Altisaur
• 1x Myrel, Shield of Argive
• 1x Nyx-Fleece Ram
• 1x Nyxborn Shieldmate
• 1x Oathsworn Giant
• 1x Odric, Lunarch Marshal
• 1x Odric, Master Tactician
• 1x Rhox Faithmender
• 1x Rick, Steadfast Leader
• 1x Seasoned Dungeoneer
• 1x Solaflora, Intergalactic Icon
• 1x Suncleanser
• 1x Tasseled Dromedary
• 1x Tomik, Distinguished Advokist
• 1x Valiant Guard
• 1x Veteran Armorsmith
• 1x Yoked Ox
• 1x Yotian Medic

Artifact (13)

• 1x Accorder's Shield
• 1x Akroma's Memorial
• 1x Chariot of Victory
• 1x Dungeoneer's Pack
• 1x Glaring Spotlight
• 1x Power Matrix
• 1x Sarevok's Tome
• 1x Slagwurm Armor
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Tawnos's Wand
• 1x Trailblazer's Boots
• 1x Trailblazer's Torch
• 1x Whispersilk Cloak

Enchantment (11)

• 1x Brave the Sands
• 1x Concerted Effort
• 1x Fortifying Provisions
• 1x Grasp of Fate
• 1x Holy Armor
• 1x Land Tax
• 1x Legion Loyalty
• 1x Lumithread Field
• 1x Overwhelming Splendor
• 1x Stoneskin
• 1x Undercellar Sweep

Land (27)

• 1x Command Beacon
• 1x Path of Ancestry
• 23x Plains
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Serra's Sanctum

Sorcery (5)

• 1x Dusk / Dawn
• 1x Fell the Mighty
• 1x Sculpted Sunburst
• 1x Slaughter the Strong
• 1x Steadfastness

Commanders (2)

Instant (8)

• 1x Akroma's Will
• 1x Bar the Door
• 1x Comeuppance
• 1x Disenchant
• 1x Eerie Interlude
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Ghostway
• 1x Heliod's Intervention

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant

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Sideboard

Creature (5)

• 1x Captain of the Watch
• 1x Daru Warchief
• 1x Rappelling Scouts
• 1x Skyspear Cavalry
• 1x White Plume Adventurer

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion

Artifact (3)

• 1x Archaeomancer's Map
• 1x Empowered Autogenerator
• 1x Meekstone

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Sigarda's Aid
• 1x True Conviction

Instant (3)

• 1x Call the Coppercoats
• 1x Entrapment Maneuver
• 1x Faith's Reward

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Open the Armory

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Maybeboard

Instant (10)

• 1x Aven Warcraft
• 1x Banishing Stroke
• 1x Beacon of Immortality
• 1x Blessed Alliance
• 1x Brought Back
• 1x Fateful Absence
• 1x Hold the Line
• 1x Rest for the Weary
• 1x Retaliate
• 1x Righteousness

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Dismantling Wave
• 1x Sublime Exhalation

Creature (9)

• 1x Border Patrol
• 1x Bygone Bishop
• 1x Caravan Hurda
• 1x Field Marshal
• 1x Gerrard Capashen
• 1x Maned Serval
• 1x Moon-Blessed Cleric
• 1x Precinct Captain
• 1x Sage-Eye Harrier

Artifact (6)

• 1x Brawler's Plate
• 1x God-Pharaoh's Statue
• 1x Haunted Cloak
• 1x Helm of Kaldra
• 1x Oketra's Monument
• 1x War Chariot

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Chosen by Heliod

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This deck is named "Toughness Counts" because it exploits Rasaad yn Bashir's ability to have creatures assign combat damage based on their toughness rather than by power. As a result:

The deck contains mainly low-cost "defensive" creatures. That means the deck is well-powered using just 27 land cards (plus Keeper of the Accord, Land Tax, and Sol Ring )

For a casting cost of: {W}:

• Tasseled Dromedary is treated as though it's 4/4
• Valiant Guard is treated as though it's 3/3
• Yoked Ox is treated as though it's 4/4

For a casting cost of {W}{W} (or {1}{W})...

• Anointer Priest is treated as though it's 3/3
• Beloved Beggar   is treated as though it's 4/4
• Bishop of Wings is treated as though it's 4/4
• Giant Ox is treated as though it's 6/6
• Nyx-Fleece Ram is treated as though it's 5/5
• Suncleanser is treated as though it's 4/4
• Tomik, Distinguished Advokist is treated as though it's 3/3
• Veteran Armorsmith is treated as though it's 3/3

I think you get the picture... The deck allows you to summon some hefty creatures with only a few lands in play.

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Another reason I chose Rasaad yn Bashir as commander...

This deck makes use of the "Initiative" mechanic

When I'm the player with Initiative and Rasaad yn Bashir is attacking, the toughness of my creatures gets doubled (allowing my attacking creatures to deal twice as much damage - including Commander damage). As a result, the deck contains six cards to ensure I'll become the player who has the initiative:

• Dungeoneer's Pack
• Goliath Paladin
• Sarevok's Tome
• Seasoned Dungeoneer
• Trailblazer's Torch
• Undercellar Sweep

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There's one last reason for choosing Rasaad yn Bashir:

This deck takes advantage of the "Background" mechanic

When a deck is filled with low-cost spells (like this one is), you've gotta be able to draw extra cards... gotta maintain momentum. To make it easy to get extra cards, Folk Hero is the Background (Legendary Enchantment) that's been placed in the command zone. When a Human or a Monk (the creature types for Rasaad yn Bashir), gets summoned, I might get an extra card. To take advantage of this enchantment, 23 of the 33 creatures in the deck are human or monk:

Date added	2 years
Last updated	1 year
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 1 Mythic Rares 30 - 11 Rares 16 - 2 Uncommons 23 - 1 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.29
Tokens	Anointer Priest 1/3 W, Clue, Dungeon: Undercity, Food, Human Soldier 1/1 W, Soldier 1/1 W, The Initiative, Treasure