I do it for each new set, and I say it every time: it gets harder and harder to find room in existing decks for new cards. Then sets like Amonkhet come along, and things get damn near impossible.
Before we get there, I’ll assume you’ve heard by now there have been two changes to the Commander Banned List: Leovold, Emissary of Trest is banned and Protean Hulk has been set free. You can read the details in the official announcement. The short version is that Leovold was miserable even when he wasn’t trying to be.
Protean Hulk to some extent has been outclassed by other creatures in recent Magic history; we believe that it’s simply not as dangerous to the format as it once was. I look forward your comments (although for everyone’s sake, I ask you to keep them civil—there’s nothing wrong with friendly disagreement).
Back to Amonkhet. Let’s dive into the biggest update I’ve made in quite some time.
White
Into: Rith’s Tokens
For: Hixus, Prison Warden
Rith, the Awakener likes creating tokens all on its own. The deck brings other cards which create tokens, such as Hero of Bladehold and Avenger of Zendikar. Anointed Procession just makes things kind of silly. The deck also has Ulvenwald Mysteries in it, so we’ll double up on the Clue tokens as well. Hixus, Prison Warden is a casualty of the deck moving from Soldiers to tokens, although the Soldier theme remains strong.
Into: Rith’s Tokens
For: Oracle of Mul Daya (to Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder)
The deck is all about creating tokens, so getting the extra lifegain makes sense. The deck already has Suture Priest, and I suppose this could be Essence Warden/Soul Warden, but hey—new cards! The deck has a good amount of ramp in it, but even then, taking out Oracle of Mul Daya might seem suboptimal—until you realize that I took it out so that I can put it in my Commander 2016 Rotisserie Draft deck (which we’ll talk about in depth next time).
Into: Rith’s Tokens
For: Gahiji, Honored One
Yeah, okay, this set is really good for the Rith deck. Oketra creates its own battle-friends, amping up our token theme. I’d also consider putting in Heliod, God of the Sun, but tend to stay away from making existing commanders one of 99. Gahiji coming out is part of a long-range plan to convert my Beast tribal deck away from Ruric Thar, since he’s not himself a Beast, to one led by Gahiji. There aren’t that many great white Beasts, but you never know.
Into: Cat Tribal!
I’m going to wait for Hour of Devastation to come out, and then we’re in. Here’s hoping for a legendary Cat that’s at least two colors.
Into: Lavinia Blinks
For: Kozilek, Butcher of Truth (to Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder)
This one is pretty obvious; blinking is what my Lavinia of the Tenth deck does, and now it’ll do it a little more. You might think I’m a little crazy to take out Kozilek, but in another sneak peek at what I drafted, it’s headed over to Yidris. This deck often had trouble casting Kozilek anyway, so it will be less of a loss than it might seem.
Into: Halloween with Karador
The Karador deck is the one in which -1/-1 counters become most relevant, since two creatures with persist, Woodfall Primus and Puppeteer Clique, are a big part of the plan. Meren of Clan Nel Toth was just holding a spot in the deck until I could start dreaming up a deck for it to pilot, which will happen in the not-too-distant future.
Blue
Into: Purple Hippos and Maro Sorcerers
For: Consecrated Sphinx (to Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder)
The current iteration of my Phelddagrif deck is all about hand size, so Kefnet the Mindful fits right into it. The deck also has Sejiri Steppe, which I’m happy to put back into my hand and then drop back down. You might think it’s madness to take out Consecrated Sphinx, but (and I feel like I might be giving away all the Rotisserie Draft surprises), the card is needed elsewhere. Once we’re done playing with the Commander 2016 decks, C-Sphinx will pretty likely come back home.
Into: You Did This to Yourself
For: Incite Rebellion
This card is simply insane. It gives a control deck the opportunity to get rid of an annoying permanent or spell and then refill its hand down the road. It’s perfect for the Ruhan of the Fomori deck. Incite Rebellion, which might seem like a great card for this deck, has in practice been not so grand. Occasionally it’s provided the requisite blowout, but it’s been a victim of my local environment. Everyone tends to play lots of sacrifice outlets, meaning Incite Rebellion is frequently a dead card. I hope it will find a home at some point in the near future—like in a deck which also has Angel of Jubilation.
Into: Animar’s Swarm (with a caveat)
For: Temur Ascendancy
We didn’t draft Amonkhet in the Commander 2016 Rotisserie Draft, since the whole preview wasn’t yet available on draft day. After we’ve played a few weeks, there will be an Amonkhet entry draft, which will be five rounds / ten picks. This is a card which I’m hoping to pick up, since it does some work in the Ydiris deck (although it’s a little awkward to cascade into). If I don’t pick it up, it’ll go into Animar, which sometimes has trouble getting damage through. I’ll probably draw fewer cards than with Temur Ascendency, but suspect that I’ll do more killing.
Black
Into: Adun’s Toolbox
For: Wilderness Elemental (into Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder)
Archfiend of Ifnir has to go into the deck with Survival of the Fittest in it, especially one with the commander who can put cards we’ve cycled or discarded back into our hand. I’m scavenging a number of cards from Adun to go into the Rotisserie Draft deck, none of them which radically alter its functions.
Into: Karador Version 3
For: Lurking Predators (to, well, you guessed it)
I admit that I have a Karador, Ghost Chieftain problem. I might be just as happy to have a bunch of different versions of Karador and scrap everything else, although I suspect even that might get boring after a while. Karador decks love their sacrifice outlets, and Bontu is pretty glorious. Lurking Predators is making a detour for a while, delaying the necessity to make other difficult choices.
I most definitely do not in any way, shape, or form intend to not not draft this card in any upcoming anything. That should throw everyone off the trail.
Into: Gisa and Geralf Together Forever
For: Liliana’s Specter
The first-ever change to Gisa and Geralf, one of my two full-on Zombie decks, comes in a set which likes its Zombies. There’s an argument to play Liliana, Death’s Majesty in a non-Zombie deck just for the first two abilities, but we’re 100% flavor here. And speaking of which, I think I didn’t realize that Liliana’s Specter isn’t a Zombie, so it’s hitting the road.
Into: Gisa and Geralf Together Forever
For: Syphon Mind
Since Zombies of Tresserhorn has most of the Zombie lords, I figured Gisa and Geralf could have this one. Plus, that deck is getting some spice as well. As much as I like Syphon Mind, it’s not really thematic, so it can go.
Into: Zombies of Tresserhorn
For: Goblin Bombardment
If we’re going to go for the theme, we have to go all the way. Goblin Bombardment is strictly better than Deadapult, but sacrifices must be made.
Into: Gisa and Geralf Together Forever
For: River Kelpie
Sure, Vengeful Dead is in Zombies of Tresserhorn, so we can’t double up on the drains from a giant Living Death, but enough Zombies are going to die in this deck as well. The dream combo with this card is Tombstone Stairwell and a full graveyard. River Kelpie? Not a Zombie.
Red
Into: The Threat of Yasova
For: Jeering Instigator
My Yasova Dragonclaw deck is pretty straightforward: borrow creatures, create additional combat steps, sometimes don’t give back the creatures. Combat Celebrant creates additional combat steps by attacking, and it doesn’t even matter if it gets killed in the first one; the second one is still happening. What I particularly like is that it doesn’t cost mana, so I can borrow something else with Yasova for the second combat. Jeering Instigator turned out to be pretty bad, since you can only gain control of something on your own turn. It’s clearly designed to be a morph version of Threaten, but I wanted it to be way more flexible.
Into: Dreaming of Intet
For: Domineering Will
Intet is moving toward becoming a pretty aggressive deck as opposed to a controlling one. Doubling up the damage one turn is just what the doctor ordered, especially since it’s from any source, not just creature damage. Now I’ll have to spend quite a bit less mana for a lethal Comet Storm. Domineering Will is a cool and janky multiplayer card, but it’s way too subtle for the version which Intet has become.
Into: Kresh Into the Red Zone
For: Spore Cloud
Yes, this deck has Lord of Extinction and Malignus in it. Hamletback Goliath can be quite huge. Dream scenarios with Heart-Piercer Manticore involve Living Death, a sacrifice outlet, and enough mana to also Embalm. With an additional way to kill people, I figured I could use one fewer Fog effect. That Spore Cloud will soon find a good home.
Green
Into: Dreaming of Intet
For: Molten Primordial
Champion of Rhonas became one of the toughest cards to make a decision on. Animar’s Swarm would like a different way to put creatures onto the battlefield for free. In the end, I chose Intet because it has both Seedborn Muse and Murkfiend Liege, meaning there’s a decent chance that Champion of Rhonas untaps anyway. Molten Primordial was the choice to take out because I’m playing it in enough other decks, and I think one of them might even be a non-foil copy.
Into: Animar’s Swarm
For: Jeering Instigator
Inexpensive and ready for battle, in a deck like Animar, Rhonas the Indomitable will nearly always be ready for battle. The ability to pump other creatures becomes secondary—but giving them trample pushes the ability over the top. Animar, Soul of Elements sometimes has issues with chump-blocking, but once it’s tramply, all bets are off. We’ve already talked about Jeering Instigator, so there’s no need to pile on. Plus, I’m ready to move on from the two morphs/Cloudstone Curio combo in this deck. I’ll still have the possibility with colorless creatures and enough counters on Animar, and I’m not opposed to having it happen occasionally.
I’m hoping to have it available during the draft. I know that Keith, Shea, Tom, and Anthony read the column, so I’m kind of giving away secrets, but they’re all smart people and they know good cards when they see them.
Into: Animar’s Swarm
For: Kheru Spellsnatcher (to You Did This to Yourself)
An upgrade to Garruk’s Horde (although there’s no reason to not play both), Vizier of the Menagerie is easily one of my favorites in Amonkhet. One of the anxieties about Animar is always the color of mana, and the Vizier helps relieve some of the stress by allowing you to spend any type of mana for the creature on top of your library. Vizier of the Menagerie is the card which will most test my resolve to only put one copy of a new card into my collection of decks. I found that Kheru Spellsnatcher was a little mana-intensive for this relatively aggressive deck, but it will do loads of work in Ruhan, especially when I can cast it as a morph on turn 3, cast Ruhan on 4, and then sit back to see what happens. It will help that adding another morph to the deck means that it’s not always Mischievous Quanar.
Multicolored
Into: Saskia Unyielding
For: Hunting Grounds
As soon as I saw Bounty of the Luxa, I knew it had to go into a deck with Eldrazi Displacer, since Bounty of the Luxa either draws a card or provides Blinky with free fuel. The only deck I have in which it can fit is the relatively new Saskia, the Unyielding deck, which I’ve actually just finished assembling. Hunting Grounds’s only sin is that I don’t have a foil copy.
Into: Dreaming of Intet
For: Aeon Chronicler
This Nissa is a card I’m still over the moon about. Intet is my deck with the most top-of-the-library control, so it definitely fits right in. Being able to put creatures onto the battlefield for no mana allows you to keep resources up for the control elements, providing the deck with marvelous synergy. Here’s how good Nissa, Steward of Elements is: I momentarily (it was brief, but it happened) considered taking out Jace, the Mind Sculptor for it. Fortunately, I came to my senses. Aeon Chronicler is cool and all, but it doesn’t provide nearly the value that Nissa does.
You want crazy? I have no real place to put this outstanding card. Sure, any deck that she goes in will be better for it, but most of my creatures attack as opposed to tapping for activated abilities, so I’m just not going to get the value out of her that she deserves. Seems like the only thing to do is put her in charge of her own army.
Artifact and Land
Into: Halloween with Karador
For: Wall of Omens
One of my favorite cards from Amonkhet has to go in my favorite deck. The really sweet part is that Bontu’s Monument makes Karador, Ghost Chieftain cost even less (should it ever become an issue). The deck casts loads of creatures, so there will be plenty of draining. Wall of Omens has served me well, but something has to go for Bontu’s Monument. All hail Bontu!
Into: The Altar of Thraximundar
For: Puppeteer Clique (to Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder)
Thraximundar likes creature cards in the graveyard to either put back in my hand with Oversold Cemetery or directly onto the battlefield with Dawn of the Dead. Hazoret’s Monument helps with that as well as solving some of the mana issues Grixis decks tend to have. Puppeteer Clique is getting played in the Rotisserie Draft, so it’s an easy removal.
Into: Rith’s Tokens
For: Deploy to the Front
Rith is doing the Cabbage Patch right now over all the cool cards it’s getting from Amonkhet. With 39 creatures in the deck, we’ll be creating lots of tokens. I’d have been happier if they were Soldiers, but what are you gonna do? Deploy to the Front has been a “win more” card. If I have the creatures to make it worthwhile, I’m already ahead. If someone else does, the 1/1s it creates generally haven’t been enough.
Into: Glissa Do-Over
For: No idea yet.
I’m still waiting for some cards to show up to finish the deck, so I haven’t run it through its courses yet. We’ll see how it goes between now and the time the Amonkhet cards arrive, and then I’ll pick an underperformer. The deck does have Paradox Engine in it, so we’ll see if the combo is too much.
Into: Animar’s Swarm
For: Mischievous Quanar
I almost put all three of the relevant Monuments in Animar so that the deck can function better without the commander and that it would be easier to cast again after it inevitably gets blown up. The issue is that I’d like to not have too many noncreature spells in the deck. Rhonas’s Monument is enough for now, especially since it can provide Animar with trample. Mischievous Quanar is the final morph coming out of the deck, but it’s going straight into the pile labeled “put these into some other deck right now.”
Into: Saskia Unyielding
For: The Gitrog Monster
Throne of the God-Pharaoh is everything I want in an artifact—a reason to turn my creatures sideways and benefit if I do. I thought first about finding a deck with Opposition in it, but Saskia will do well enough. It’s easy to dream up something like Storm Herd plus Throne of the God-Pharaoh, but you have to see beyond—we’ll need an opponent’s Blind Obedience to make it all worthwhile. The Gitrog Monster is out and into the same pile as Mischievous Quanar.
Into: Lavinia Blinks
For: Plains
Into: Halloween with Karador
For: Plains
Although all the cycling duals will end up making it into decks, I currently only have specific plans for two—and they’re for the same reason. I don’t have any dredge decks, which is where the lands will shine, so they’re going into decks in which I can cycle them and then bring them back onto the battlefield with Sun Titan. I suppose they’ll also be good in decks with bouncelands, like Boros Garrison. You could go on the “drop them early/cycle them later” plan, which is an avenue I’ll explore.
The Total
I’m putting more Amonkhet cards into my suite of decks (33) than in any set in recent memory (and that doesn’t even count all those sweet full-art basics I’m going to grab). There are even more which are worth looking at down the road. Although I’ve been slightly cool on the last few sets for Commander, Amonkhet makes me forget all that. I can’t wait to get my hands on them, and, I suspect, neither can you.
Our regular features Deck Without Comment and Idiotic Combo will return after release season.
Check out our comprehensive Deck List Database for lists of all my decks:
SIGNATURE DECKS
Purple Hippos and Maro Sorcerers; Kresh Into the Red Zone; Halloween with Karador; Dreaming of Intet; You Did This to Yourself;
THE CHROMATIC PROJECT
Mono-Color
Heliod, God of Enchantments; Thassa, God of Merfolk; Erebos and the Halls Of The Dead; Forge of Purphoros; Nylea of the Woodland Realm; Karn Evil No. 9
Guilds
Lavinia Blinks; Obzedat, Ghost Killer; Aurelia Goes to War; Trostani and Her Angels; Lazav, Shapeshifting Mastermind; Zegana and a Dice Bag; Rakdos Reimagined; Glissa, Glissa; Ruric Thar and His Beastly Fight Club; Gisa and Geralf Together Forever
Shards and Wedges
Adun’s Toolbox; Animar’s Swarm; Karrthus, Who Rains Fire From The Sky; Demons of Kaalia; Merieke’s Esper Dragons; Nath of the Value Leaf; Rith’s Tokens; The Mill-Meoplasm; The Altar of Thraximundar; The Threat of Yasova; Zombies of Tresserhorn
Four Color
Yidris: Money for Nothing, Cards for Free; Saskia Unyielding; Breya Reshaped
Five-Color
Partners
THE DO-OVER PROJECT
Animar Do-Over; Glissa Do-Over; Karador Do-Over; Karador Version 3; Karrthus Do-Over; Steam-Powered Merieke Do-Over; Mimeoplasm Do-Over; Phelddagrif Do-Over; Rith Do-Over; Ruhan Do-Over
If you’d like to follow the adventures of my Monday Night RPG group (in a campaign that’s been alive since 1987) which is just beginning the saga The Lost Cities of Nevinor, ask for an invitation to the Facebook group “Sheldon Menery’s Monday Night Gamers.”