Nekusar - Wheel / Board-Theft combo

[Dlivez]

Nekusar - Wheel / Board-Theft combo

My first deck, new to mtg and I only play commander.

I’ve seen a lot of cool nekusar builds, but none having a mass-board theft ability.

It goes like this.

Step 1: Willbreaker and Archfiend of Ifnir on the battlefield together.

Step 2: Archfiend of Ifnir’s Discard / cycle ability, trigger -1/1 on all creatures.

Step 3: Thus triggering control of everything on the board.

(But wait, there’s a way around shroud/hexproofed creatures) WTf!?!

Let’s swap Archfiend of Ifnir with Vedalken Humiliator.

Step 1: Willbreaker + Vedalken Humiliator
(pre-requisite: 3 or more artifacts to trigger Vedalkin Humiliator’s “Metalcraft”
Very easy to do with this deck via tutor/draw triggers being there are at least 10 artifacts total.

Step 2: Attack with Vedalken Humiliator; Metalcraft triggers; bipass hexproof/shroud

Finally, creatures opponents control lose all abilities, and become 1/1’s UNDER YOUR CONTROL.

When your turn ends, they remain under your control as long as you control Willbreaker.

Turn ends; They are no longer 1/1’s... you have all commanders that were out,  wtf right?...

Imagine if you hexproof Willbreaker, or clone Willbreaker using Vesuvan Shapeshifter or Vizier of Many Faces. You can see the potential, though this is a sub-theme that would probably be better in a deck without cards that cause me to discard too: it’s under 9% chance to get all 3 out With my lack of tutor’s... but I may add a Diabolic Tutor for now to get by until I can get a Mystical Tutor.

If you have any card suggestions, or idea’s of other ways to trigger this nasty combo; even a better commander, please lmk!

 I can’t find any topics on this combo, and the card’s are underrated imo.

If this goes off, it can not only turn the tide in one attacking 3/4, but it’s going to be the saltiest way to end a game I can imagine; especially if you luck out and take control of another shapeshifter to re-morph into a 2nd Willbreaker (it’s not legendary!)

Protean hulk is cool, but taking over up to 5 people’s creatures in one step, wtf...

Please tell me if I’m misreading anything before I start invest too far! Thanks for reading, appreciate all feedback.

[Slyvester12]

I really hate to break it to you, but none of this works. Willbreaker says "Whenever a creature an opponent controls becomes the TARGET..." You need effects that TARGET. Everything you listed doesn't target. If a card says "each" or "all," it doesn't target, and Willbreaker won't trigger. This is why there are no discussions on this strategy.

Also, you might want to try out some budget decks before you drop $2k, just so you're more informed before you make a very expensive mistake.

[Marshstepper78]

If you want to stick with Grixis colours, you may want to consider Kess, Dissident Mage instead. At least she allows you to replay spells, albeit only on your turn, which shouldn't be an issue as most theft spells are sorceries. Nekusar the Mindrazer really has no synergy with theft strategies.

Theft strategies are very much reliant on a creature-heavy meta so make sure that is the case before assembling the deck.

Willbreaker is far more hilarious with Prodigal Sorcerer -type creatures. If Willbreaker is a pet card of yours, which is perfectly fine, I would recommend going the pinger route. Derevi, Empyrial Tactician could be interesting as green helps ramp you and Azorius colours give you enough pingers and control spells. Green also gives you access to Seedborn Muse, Benefactor's Draught and Mobilize (amongst other mass untap spells).

[WWolfe]

A couple thing rule wise to add onto what the two posters didn't mention...

You mention getting around hexproof/shroud. Archfiend of Ifnir’s ability does that as well. Shroud and hexproof prevent a permanent from being targeted. Abilities that say each or all do not target and aren't blocked by hexproof/shroud.

Also, it sounds as though you think taking control of a shapeshifter would give you the ability to change what it's copying. That's not how that works. The copy ability is usually an ETB trigger so unless the shapeshifter left the battlefield and came back, it would remain a copy of whatever creature it was. Stealing an object just changes who owns it, it doesn't make it leave the battlefield and return.

edit- clarify wording

[Marshstepper78]

From a basic deckbuilding standpoint, your land count is horribly low for your average cmc. I would start with 36 lands - not including decent mana rocks - until you've finessed the deck and can judge if you can get away with less lands without compromising the deck's ability to implement it's gameplan fast enough.

But really, ditch the theft component of the deck if you insist on keeping Nekusar the Mindrazer at the helm of your deck. You seem to have a very basic understanding of the game; you won't be re-inventing the wheel here, pun intended. Keep with something simple and focused.

[Dlivez]

Thank’s everyone! Note, cards aren’t all og, definitely proxies for the fancy ones. But my Jace is legit, lucky find in a masters 25 box