AMARETH, THE LUSTROUS / ROON OF THE HIDDEN REALM / CHULANE TELLER OF TALES Commander Deck (full decklist below)

I built this deck around Amareth, the Lustrous, and that's what it's optimised for, but during playtesting it occurred to me that the other two Bant legendaries in the deck – Chulane, Teller of Tales and Roon of the Hidden Realm, would both work as alternative commanders. Roon takes advantage of the blink strategy a little more, and Chulane a little less, but they both synergise beautifully with what the deck is trying to do.

With the exception of Vivien Reid, every other card in the deck is either a creature or a land - ideal for Chulane. Many of these creatures have ETB triggers - perfect for Roon. But with Amareth in command the plan is to use your 'topdeck' cards to see, or even to set, the top of your library so that you know whether to drop a land or a creature. If you drop a land, and the top card is a land, you draw it. If you cast a creature - or blink one - and there's a creature on top, you draw it. You'll soon be swimming in card advantage. (If you have a copy of Reliquary Tower in your collection it might be worth running it instead of one of the basics.)

As as 6/6 flyer, Amareth is well able to take out one of your opponents with Commander damage over the course of a few turns. Meanwhile, your creatures will be beating down against your other opponents, and by blinking the token makers like Armada Wurm and Thragtusk you can soon fill the board.

There are a couple of counterspell creatures (Frilled Mystic, Mystic Snake), and again you should be trying to trying to blink these. Similarly, blinking your removal creatures such as Reflector Mage can keep the other side of the board in check, while Angel of Finality can completely scupper graveyard based strategies. When the way is clear to launch a big attack, cast End-Raze Forerunners. If you've not won by the end of the turn, just blink the Boar next turn and attack again.

The three protection creatures (Soul of New Phyrexia, Planar Guide, and Lena, Selfless Champion) are important inclusions, especially if your opponents are likely to be running boardwipes. Planar Guide in particular is a seriously underplayed piece of tech which can even protect from mass exile or bounce, and retriggers all your ETBs. Otherwise the two recursion creatures (Reveillark and Sun Titan) can also help you recover from a boardwipe.

Commander Options

Amareth, the Lustrous
Chulane, Teller of Tales
Roon of the Hidden Realm

Card Advantage

Cloudblazer
Coiling Oracle
Duskwatch Recruiter
Elite Guardmage
Elvish Visionary
Mulldrifter
Risen Reef
Wall of Blossoms
Watcher for Tomorrow

Copy

Glasspool Mimic

Counterspells

Frilled Mystic
Mystic Snake

Finisher

End-Raze Forerunners

Flicker

Charming Prince
Felidar Guardian
Flickerwisp
Mistmeadow Witch
Soulherder
Yorion, Sky Nomad

Protection

Lena, Selfless Champion
Planar Guide
Soul of New Phyrexia
Vivien Reid

Ramp

Avacyn's Pilgrim
Beanstalk Giant
Dryad Greenseeker
Elvish Mystic
Elvish Rejuvenator
Farhaven Elf
Llanowar Visionary
Solemn Simulacrum
Springbloom Druid
Tangled Florahedron
Wood Elves
Yasharn, Implacable Earth

Recursion

Reveillark
Sun Titan

Removal

Acidic Slime
Angel of Finality
Fiend Hunter
Lavinia of the Tenth
Meteor Golem
Reclamation Sage
Reflector Mage
War Priest of Thune

Tokens

Armada Wurm
Hornet Queen
Thragtusk

TopDeck

Aether Theorist
Courser of Kruphix
Garruk's Horde
Geist of the Archives
Magus of the Future
Mul Daya Channelers
Pondering Mage
Sigiled Starfish
Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Wall of Runes

Tutor

Fierce Empath

Lands

Azorius Chancery
Command Tower
Evolving Wilds
Guildless Commons
Halimar Depths
Myriad Landscape
Seaside Citadel
Selesnya Sanctuary
Simic Growth Chamber
Temple of Enlightenment
Temple of Mystery
Temple of Plenty
Temple of the False God
Terramorphic Expanse

Basics

9x Forest
8x Island
7x Plains