[06] Ertai, the Corrupted: The School Bully (EDH / Commander) [Revision 172]

Power lvl: 5/10
Complexity: 6/10
Salt lvl: Mid
Infinite combos: Yes (Mana)
Tutor quality: Medium
Webcam-unfriendly cards: Wishclaw Talisman, Havengul Lich, Puppeteer Clique, Cunning Rhetoric, Gisa, Glorious Resurrector, Siphon Insight

Sooo, since the Gauntlet didn’t have a dedicated control deck, I had to construct this evil creation. Look at Ertai, the Corrupted! He can repeatedly do the most evil thing in Magic, i.e. counter spells!

In order to counter said spells by Ertai, the Corrupted, first create tokens with Alela, Artful Provocateur, Daxos the Returned or Oona, Queen of the Fae; other cards benefit from token production as well (Skullclamp, Infernal Tribute). You can also sacrifice cards that are just designed to be sacrificed – Induced Amnesia and Mystic Remora.

Unfortunately, Ertai, the Corrupted has to tap to activate, which you can bypass with Minamo, School at Water's Edge and Pemmin's Aura so that you can use him multiple times. Lightning Greaves deal with the lack of haste.
The most straightforward win-con would be infinite mana (Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal), which you can channel into a draw engine (Stroke of Genius, Faerie Formation), token production (Faerie Formation, Daxos the Returned) or mill your opponents out (Oona, Queen of the Fae).

Apart from the abovementioned combo, the deck does not indicate a clear way to win. Instead, it relies cards like Havengul Lich, Gisa, Glorious Resurrector and Puppeteer Clique to use opponents’ cards. Until one of these cards is set up, use the counterspell, removal and wrath suite to keep the board clear of any danger.

Using Ertai, the Corrupted as a commander represents the “pure control” approach, however, substitute commanders are included in the 99:
1) Alela, Artful Provocateur aka the Aggro approach; and
2) Zur the Enchanter aka the Toolbox approach.

Tips:
1) Play slowly, build alliances, gather mana sources.
2) Always look for 5C mana producers for Havengul Lich
3) Protect your token producers, you need them for Ertai, the Corrupted.
4) In case of board stalls tutor for Oona, Queen of the Fae.
5) Be careful with 1-for-1 interaction, use it as a political tool.
6) List of Zur the Enchanter targets:

• mana (Urza’s Saga, Monologue Tax)
• card draw (Induced Amnesia, Infernal Tribute, Mystic Remora, Omen of the Sea, Treacherous Blessing, Standstill)
• interaction & protection (Darksteel Mutation, Detention Sphere, Out of Time, Blind Obedience, Propaganda, Cunning Rhetoric, Mirrormade)
• combo (Pemmin’s Aura)
• sac fodder (Promise of Bunrei)