Commander Legends: deck updates and new decks

[Morganator 2.0]

The full spoiler for Commander Legends is out. Lots of new cards, lots of good reprints, and an entire truckload of new commanders. This set is going to be the talk of the town for the next while, so it's best to just have one thread for everything.

First of all, which new commanders are you going to try to build? What partner combinations are you going to try?

Second, what changes are you going to make to your current decks?

[Cosmic_Insight]

I made a Sakashima of a Thousand Faces / Akroma, Vision of Ixidor deck based on cloning Akroma for fun and profit. If you attack with just three copies of Akroma, that's 45 damage.

[WizardSpartan]

Unfortunately, this set honestly doesn't seem crazy to me, considering it was hyped to be the flagship EDH set of the year. I think part of it is because a lot of the commanders won't see constructed play and were mostly created to make the set draftable. Unfortunately, I don't really draft, so they're just kinda dead cards in my eyes. Don't get me wrong, I'm not unhappy with the set (I'd only be unhappy if they created a bunch of busted cards), but the reprints are hands-down the best part of the set in my eyes.

Hullbreacher is the only new card I see going into my current decks, and not a lot of the commanders spark my interest.

I think I may just be too picky overall, so seeing really odd cards like Sakashima of a Thousand Faces or Belbe, Corrupted Observer and not having a clue for how to build them puts me off. On the other end of the spectrum, Amareth, the Lustrous & Kangee, Sky Warden are powerful but extremely linear and simple in deckbuilding. Araumi of the Dead Tide seems pretty cool, though, and Thalisse, Reverent Medium might also be spicy. I'm sure I will warm to the set as commanders are added to EDHRec and I can get an idea for how to do nasty stuff with commanders in the same boat as Belbe.

[fire5167]

I was considering making something with Tormod, the Desecrator, Apostle of Purifying Light, Extractor Demon, and Ashnod's Altar but it might be too janky...

[Slyvester12]

I think Sakashima is a great secret commander for a Sisay shrine deck. I never got around to building that when the sanctums were spoiled, but I think I might, now. Get Sanctum of All out, get Sakashima out, use copy effects on Sanctum of all, and just go to town. After a few turns, you have all shrines out and are doing pretty crazy things. Some indestructible and hexproof for Sakashima, a Greater Auramancy since it's already an enchantment deck, and a couple of ways to save your board, and this seems like a fun deck. Having a Mirror Gallery on a stick actually seems decently fun.

[Aetherium Slinky]

I've been considering Body of Knowledge for my Kami deck. Seems like a nice deterrent and yet another source of no max hand size. I just don't want to commit to the board too much so I find it problematic in some ways.

[WWolfe]

I've been debating building a Tormod, the Desecrator deck but I'm not sure I will. Outside of that, there's not really anything in this set for any of my current decks.

[Slyvester12]

I've been debating building a Tormod, the Desecrator deck but I'm not sure I will. Outside of that, there's not really anything in this set for any of my current decks.

I'm thinking a Tormod, the Desecrator and Glacian, Powerstone Engineer wheels/self mill deck with several reshuffle effects like Blightsteel Colossus to mass produce tokens.

EDIT: Scratch that. Tormod and Kydele. Sultai is waaay better for the deck and it lets me use the Doubling Season I have lying around.

[Xaarvaxus]

I don't really see any new commanders that make me want to build a fresh, new deck but there are definitely things that will make their ways into existing decks:

Armored Skyhunter will likely find a home in my Arahbo, Roar of the World deck.
Laboratory Drudge and Tormod, the Desecrated may both go into Grimgrin mill
Hullbreacher for Kess
Sengir, the Dark Baron for Olivia Voldaren which is quickly becoming vampiric legendary tribal
Opposition Agent for Aminatou
Any number of the Mardu familiars could see use in Zurgo
Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh for Winota
Kodama of the East Tree for Xenagos
Anara, Wolvid Familiar for Ghired
Thalisse, Reverent Medium for Teysa Karlov
May try out Elvish Doomsayer in The Haunt of Hightower
Plus any copies of Battlebond land cycle 2.0 will get snapped up pretty quickly.

And for reprints, Three Visits likely to replace a more expensive ramp spell in multiple decks

I will find a home for Nevinyrral, Urborg Tyrant, just not sure where yet.  Probably Atraxa though [which may or may not also get Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools]

I have to say, after all of the hype, at the moment, I'm fairly let down regarding this set.  Unfairly, I really wanted more cards like Ghost of Ramirez DePietro.  While it's awesome finally getting cards for characters from way back that we've waited a very long time for, I was most excited for getting updates to a lot of the crappy old Legends from pre-Kamigawa block to make more playable cards. 

[Morganator 2.0]

Krenko

Jeweled Lotus is going in here; getting Krenko out earlier is better than getting him out late. Wheel of Misfortune is going in, as this deck needs all the card draw it can get. I'm also going to at least test out Impulsive Pilferer to see if it's any good.

Edric

This deck won't get a Jeweled Lotus, as one-shot fast mana hasn't really helped it in the past. I will be adding in Rejuvenating Springs and I'll try to find a spot for Esior, Wardwing Familiar.

Scarab God

This is the deck with the most changes. I'm going to slot in Court of Cunning, Eligeth, Crossroads Augur, Hullbreacher, Opposition Agent, and Sphinx of the Second Sun. I'll also see if Jeweled Lotus will be a good fit here, but I'm skeptical.

Haldan+Pako

I want to get Pako out consistently by turn 3, and then Haldan the next turn. Jeweled Lotus will help immensely with both of these things. With it, its likely that I'll be able to get both Haldan and Pako out turn 3. This deck has first priority on getting a Jeweled Lotus. I'll also be throwing in a Wheel of Misfortune, Rejuvenating Springs, Training Center, and I'll test out Commander's Plate.

Brudiclad

I was hoping there would be a lot of good choices for encore with Brudiclad. Instead I'm just using Impulsive Pilferer, and maybe I'll use Amphin Mutineer. I will definitely be slotting in Jeweled Lotus, as Brudiclad coming out sooner is very good. For lands I'll be using Training Center and War Room, as this deck has difficulty drawing cards. So Wheel of Misfortune too.

Shopping List

4 Jeweled Lotus
3 Wheel of Misfortune
2 Impulsive Pilferer
2 Rejuvenating Springs
2 Training Center
1 Amphin Mutineer
1 Commander's Plate
1 Court of Cunning
1 Eligeth, Crossroads Augur
1 Esior, Wardwing Familiar
1 Hullbreacher
1 Opposition Agent
1 Sphinx of the Second Sun
1 War Room

[jlutzxinc]

Most of my recipes already contain CMR cards (notably the Battlebond enemy cycle), so once the set's widely available I'll be doing a lot of shopping; some of the reveals since I designed some of the Decks have me considering making my shopping list even longer.  As for my playgroup, all of us want the new duals, several want Yurlok of Scorch Thrash and/or Horizon Stone, and at least one but likely more will be using Slash the Ranks; the only outright new Deck is probably going to be Yurlok.

[HowlingLotus]

Krark, the Thumbless + Sakashima of a Thousand Faces.

I will be taking apart my Rakdos, the Showstopper coin flip chaos deck. Due to the nature of most coin flip cards it will still be chaotic, but I want to make a value deck based on my understanding of how Krark and his coin flip for returning / copying a spell works. Maybe someone can correct me now? Due to the fact Krark doesn't target the spell, if Krark and Sakashima (as a copy pf Krark) are both in play, would I be able to both win a flip and lose a flip to cast and return a spell to my hand? Then throw in Krark's Thumb for making favourable odds, etc.

Still looking over other new cards and trying to get past that "honeymoon" phase as I feel now that the whole set is revealed I'm falling into my typical "I only really want to buy like 5 cards total for the odd upgrade to existing decks".

[WWolfe]

Oh I forgot the finish of the Battle bond land cycle. Those are ones I'll want several of for my different decks.

[ApothecaryGeist]

Krark, the Thumbless + Sakashima of a Thousand Faces.

I will be taking apart my Rakdos, the Showstopper coin flip chaos deck. Due to the nature of most coin flip cards it will still be chaotic, but I want to make a value deck based on my understanding of how Krark and his coin flip for returning / copying a spell works. Maybe someone can correct me now? Due to the fact Krark doesn't target the spell, if Krark and Sakashima (as a copy pf Krark) are both in play, would I be able to both win a flip and lose a flip to cast and return a spell to my hand? Then throw in Krark's Thumb for making favourable odds, etc.

Yes.  This does work.  My playgoup was discussing this exact thing earlier this week.


In this scenario, you'll get two coin flips with each spell you cast.  If you win both, you'll end up with three of the spell, the original plus two copies.  If you win one and lose one, you'll end up with a copy of the spell on the stack and the original spell returned to your hand.  It doesn't matter whether you win the first flip or the second flip; the result is the same.  If you lose both, you'll end up with the spell returned to your hand and no copies.

[HowlingLotus]

Krark, the Thumbless + Sakashima of a Thousand Faces.

I will be taking apart my Rakdos, the Showstopper coin flip chaos deck. Due to the nature of most coin flip cards it will still be chaotic, but I want to make a value deck based on my understanding of how Krark and his coin flip for returning / copying a spell works. Maybe someone can correct me now? Due to the fact Krark doesn't target the spell, if Krark and Sakashima (as a copy pf Krark) are both in play, would I be able to both win a flip and lose a flip to cast and return a spell to my hand? Then throw in Krark's Thumb for making favourable odds, etc.

Yes.  This does work.  My playgoup was discussing this exact thing earlier this week.


In this scenario, you'll get two coin flips with each spell you cast.  If you win both, you'll end up with three of the spell, the original plus two copies.  If you win one and lose one, you'll end up with a copy of the spell on the stack and the original spell returned to your hand.  It doesn't matter whether you win the first flip or the second flip; the result is the same.  If you lose both, you'll end up with the spell returned to your hand and no copies.

It makes sense, but good to know my understanding of cards when first seeing them is getting better over time.