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Following on from Part I yesterday, here are the remaining archetype updates!
Sharuum the Hegemon
Without wanting to repeat myself to much, a lot of what was said under Arcum Dagsson applies with Sharuum the Hegemon. However, there are a few cards I do want to touch on.
New Toys
- Treasure Mage: A great addition to the deck, largely because it can tutor for a tucked Sharuum, if the worst were to occur. Otherwise it's finding win conditions, and you can simply never have too many tutors in Commander.
- Sword of Body and Mind/Sword of Feast and Famine/Sword of War and Peace: If you're running the Stoneforge Mystic package (and you should be) then these are nice additions to the deck. Feast & Famine has proved itself time and again in competitive play, while War & Peace can turn what seems like card advantage into something very negative indeed.
- Adaptive Automaton: Included for completeness' sake, I'm not sure what to make of this little guy yet. I really like him, but haven't found a home for him just yet. In time an idea will come; if you have one, stick it in the comments!
- Phyrexian Metamorph: An absolutely bomb in a Sharuum deck, it's the second artifact after Sculpting Steel to allow you to 'combo-off'. We will absolutely find a home for it.
- Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas: The perfect home for Tezzeret 2.0. We must run this guy, 100%.
- Buried Ruin: It's the reason why we're going to include Intuition in this new build. If you intuition for Crucible of Worlds/Academy Ruins/Buried Ruin, you give your opponent no good options. No good options sounds pretty good to me.
Old Hats
- Thada Adel, Acquisitor: While she's great, especially in multiplayer games, she's more a sideboard card. I'd bring her in if my opponent is playing Islands, but otherwise leave her to the side.
- Rhystic Study: I've found, as have people I've spoken to, that this card is just too easy to play around. [Editor's Note: I will always pay for it. Always.]
- Diabolic Edict: I think the deck has enough removal and disruption to afford losing one more card, although it's hard to be happy about it. Sometimes Diabolic Edict just gets you out of corners no other card would. Regardless, we need to make room.
- Shadowmage Infiltrator: We now have so much tutoring in the deck that straight card draw isn't as necessary. I'll probably live to regret this one go, but the fact that Johnny isn't an artifact himself means he gets cut.
Here's the new decklist.
Sharuum the Hegemon
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Erayo is a funny one as we largely want cantrips and cards that help us make the Erayo flip as early as possible and protect it. Luckily, there are a few cards in the past few sets that help us manage that.
New Toys
- Gitaxian Probe: How fanastic is this for Erayo? A manaless cantrip? It's perfect for the deck as it can check (for free) whether it's safe to attempt to flip, draws a card, and adds to the storm count. Bingo.
- Mental Misstep: Will help us push through the Erayo flip and around removal for no mana. Erayo loves this card.
- Flusterstorm: Protects Erayo against countermagic for cheap. Amazing.
- Spell Crumple: Erayo loves counterspells and this is one of the better ones. You really can't underestimate both the literal and psychological advantage that tucking an opponent's commander can give you. It'll make it into the deck for certain.
Old Hats
Taking anything out of Erayo feels like defusing a bomb. What on earth can go? Lets see what we can manage.
- Rhystic Study: As per Arcum Dagsson.
- Icy Manipulator: And again, As per Arcum Dagsson.
- Dream Halls: The asymmetrical effect is a mistake in this deck, so I'm taking it out. I want my opponent's locked down, not free to cast spells, and this is like a massive key for them.
- Rewind: So tired of this card. Is that a good enough reason? I hope so.
Here's a new decklist. It's a pretty straight swap in-and-out.
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant
Glissa The Traitor
This deck is worth repeating here largely because it is so fast and so consistent. It can win through Glissa the Traitor as a green-black Rock style deck, but largely wins off the Hermit Druid/Necrotic Ooze combo.
Glissa, the Traitor/Druid-Ooze Combo
Azusa, Lost but Seeking
I'm going to put this here as a placeholder so that I can ask you to submit the most competitive Azusa, Lost But Seeking list! I think mono-green now has more than enough power to make it into the top archtype list, and Azusa is likely the most competitive of the green commanders. If you have a list, please feel free to email me at wrongwaygoback@yahoo.com. I'll discuss the various builds next week!
Interesting but nothing about Thraximundar I thought he was still the Grixis defult commander to beat.
@Akujin Are you talking 1v1 or multiplayer? I can see him doing okay in a multiplayer environment, but seems slow 1v1.
Does Kaalia have what it takes to be competitive? I would love to see a competitive Kaalia list.
Condemn must be better then Path?
I have found that Rhystic Study is completely broken in multiplayer games. More likely than not, you'll draw several cards off of it, but it's still like a one-sided Sphere of Resistance even when played around.
Does Kaalia have what it takes to be competitive? I would love to see a competitive Kaalia list.
Kaalia's only problem is that she doesn't tutor; you have to work with what you have in your hand. That means stacking your deck with large creatures, some of whom you may not get the chance to play out naturally.