[EDH] Tajic, Blade of the Legion

[Ace/Homebrew]

This deck is the product of a failed attempt at a chaos/group-hug strategy I posted here.
The 'chaos' aspect was enjoyable enough, but the 'group-hug' parts were pretty terrible. And Iroas, God of Victory proved to be an awful Commander for the deck because I could never establish enough devotion to attack with him...

But from the ashes arose a very enjoyable aggro/control deck! Tajic, Blade of the Legion looks to complicate the board by being indestructible. And if I get ahead, he becomes a 3-turn clock to quickly close out the game. I usually rush out Tajic as soon as possible and use him as a blocker. A combination of indestructible creatures and planeswalkers make my boardwipes profitable for me. Then I try to quickly overwhelm with 'pocket armies' and Tajic's battalion trigger.

Tajic, Blade of the Legion

Indestructible Creatures (8)
Purphoros, God of the Forge
Heliod, God of the Sun
Iroas, God of Victory
Hazoret the Fervent
Oketra the True
Angelic Overseer
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre

Planeswalkers (12)
Gideon of the Trials
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
Gideon Jura
Ajani Goldmane
Ajani Vengeant
Nahiri, the Harbinger
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Elspeth Tirel
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Chandra, Torch of Defiance
Chandra, Flamecaller

Pocket Armies (12)
Captain of the Watch
Siege-Gang Commander
Angel of Invention
Warchief Giant
Pia and Kiran Nalaar
Pia Nalaar
Hanweir Garrison
Hangarback Walker
Wurmcoil Engine
Oath of Gideon
Increasing Devotion
Assemble the Legion

Colorless Matters (6)
Eldrazi Displacer
Thought-Knot Seer
Reality Smasher
Endbringer
Kozilek, the Great Distortion
Warping Wail

Board Wipes (6)
Wrath of God
Day of Judgment
Rout
Austere Command
Vandalblast
Jokulhaups

Miscellany (8)
Fiery Confluence
Righteous Confluence
Goblin Bombardment
Harsh Mentor
Stranglehold
Skullclamp
Boros Charm
Wear // Tear

Mana Rocks/Acceleration (9)
Sol Ring
Mind Stone
Boros Signet
Everflowing Chalice
Guardian Idol
Darksteel Ingot
Commander's Sphere
Wayfarer's Bauble
Solemn Simulacrum

Lands (38)
11 Mountain
10 Plains
Flagstones of Trokair
Command Tower
Plateau
Sacred Foundry
Battlefield Forge
Rugged Prairie
Reflecting Pool
Clifftop Retreat
Needle Spires
Temple of Triumph
Wastes
Ancient Tomb
Drownyard Temple
Darksteel Citadel
Hanweir Battlements
Mishra's Factory
Mutavault

[H]

It doesn't work well with the tokens, but Pyrohemia plus Indestructible guys is pretty decent at keeping the board clear.

Also, what about something like Anger to give your guys Haste? I think this might allow you to get the Battalion trigger more often.

[Ace/Homebrew]

Pyrohemia and Anger

Good thought with Pyrohemia! It's a nonbo with my pocket armies, but as more indestructible or self-replace-able (Wurmcoil Engine/Matter Reshaper) cards are printed, I'll have to reconsider.

Hammer of Purphoros gives haste to my creatures, but haste is handy enough I might want another enabler. I suppose Hanweir Battlements is also a haste enabler...
I'm not thrilled with Five-Alarm Fire, so Anger might be a good swap.

[H]

I knew Purphoros something or other gave Haste, but totally missed in in your list. Still, I think Anger is a lot better than Battlements (not saying don't run it, just saying it's different) because if you drop a "pocket army" like Pia and Kiran, you get them all Haste, not just one, thereby getting a Batalion trigger easier.

While there is a distinct lack of synergy between Pyrohemia and your token generators, the good thing is that it gives you a different "control" angle when you have your commander out, or another indestructible body. One thing is that it can then sit out there until you need it, or for example, you can actually use tokens to trigger Battalion, then Pyrohemia to remove their chump blockers (if you are going for General Damage).

While it's indestructible, I'm not sure I understand why Darksteel Axe is in the list. It seems rather low impact, even any Sword of X and Y would seem to be better, but I might be missing something. However, there is a card that I have often found interesting in Red EDH decks and that is Furnace of Rath (Dictate of the Twin Gods which is probably better). It can be a bit of a gambit, but often you can pick a good spot for it (made easier by Flash on Dictate) and deliver a solid knockout punch to at least on player.

[Ace/Homebrew]

I knew Purphoros something or other gave Haste, but totally missed in in your list. Still, I think Anger is a lot better than Battlements (not saying don't run it, just saying it's different) because if you drop a "pocket army" like Pia and Kiran, you get them all Haste, not just one, thereby getting a Batalion trigger easier.

Fair point! I'm game for swapping Five-Alarm Fire for Anger.

While there is a distinct lack of synergy between Pyrohemia and your token generators, the good thing is that it gives you a different "control" angle when you have your commander out, or another indestructible body. One thing is that it can then sit out there until you need it, or for example, you can actually use tokens to trigger Battalion, then Pyrohemia to remove their chump blockers (if you are going for General Damage).

What would you suggest cutting? My initial reaction is to lose Stranglehold (4-mana enchantment for 4-mana enchantment), but it can be such a beating at times...

While it's indestructible, I'm not sure I understand why Darksteel Axe is in the list. It seems rather low impact, even any Sword of X and Y would seem to be better, but I might be missing something. However, there is a card that I have often found interesting in Red EDH decks and that is Furnace of Rath (Dictate of the Twin Gods which is probably better). It can be a bit of a gambit, but often you can pick a good spot for it (made easier by Flash on Dictate) and deliver a solid knockout punch to at least on player.

Truthfully, it's there because it has indestructible (ugh, that still sounds weird). I do not see myself using any Swords of X and Y, but agree they're probably better...
Anecdotally, the Axe and Needle Spires ran away with the game in a pod of sorcery-speed boardwipe control decks. It is a terrible reason to continue using bad cards, but I'm going to stick with it for the time being. You are right though, it is weak and could be replaced. I'll probably save it for a shiny toy from a new set.

[H]

What would you suggest cutting? My initial reaction is to lose Stranglehold (4-mana enchantment for 4-mana enchantment), but it can be such a beating at times...

Truthfully, it's there because it has indestructible (ugh, that still sounds weird). I do not see myself using any Swords of X and Y, but agree they're probably better...
Anecdotally, the Axe and Needle Spires ran away with the game in a pod of sorcery-speed boardwipe control decks. It is a terrible reason to continue using bad cards, but I'm going to stick with it for the time being. You are right though, it is weak and could be replaced. I'll probably save it for a shiny toy from a new set.

My first thought is the Axe, but since you want to keep it, I'm not sure. Wayfarer's Bauble seems a little low impact for my playstyle, but it's not clear to me how much ramp is needed in this list. Once upon a time I ran a Damia ramp/control deck and I came to find that anything that got only one land/made one mana wasn't really worth the space to run. I still had a couple though, for color fixing. Bauble may be fine, but 3 mana for a tapped basic seems less than ideal as a mid-game topdeck.

Other than that, I have never used a Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker before. To me though, he doesn't seem to really jive with the rest of the list in a real synergisitc way, but he is a 'Walker and he has some utility, so I am really not sure.

[Ace/Homebrew]

Bauble gets to stay! It is one of the few ways in non-green to legitimately ramp and it (most importantly) does so in the first few turns when I don't really have anything better to do. The lesson you learned with the Damia list is a good one, but Damia is in and gets to be pickier about ramp. Bauble also lets me fetch a Wastes if that is important for my hand.

-----

A little more about the play-style of the deck and where I'd like it to go:

Strategy
Despite Tajic just being a 4-mana 2/2, the game plan is to rush him onto the board ASAP. Turn 3 is about as quick as I can hope to play him and is accomplished with Wayfarer's Bauble, Ancient Tomb, Sol Ring, Mind Stone, or Boros Signet. I do not have enough space dedicated to Rocks/Ramp to turn-3 Tajic every game, but I'm also not focused on making that happen.

Once Tajic is in play, I usually get left alone until mid-late game (let's say turns 5/6 and on). Indestructibility is good at deterring early attacks. The next step is deploying a planeswalker or bigger indestructible threat (one of the gods or Angelic Overseer). That is typically enough of a head start that a board wipe will keep me comfortably ahead.

But sometimes the deck gives you an aggressive hand instead of a controlling one. An opener with Ancient Tomb and Hanweir Garrison means Tajic is a 7/7 attacker on turn 4 and he has a 2/3 and four 1/1's joining him in battle.

Direction
I would really love for more cards to require colorless mana. I have included all that seemed good enough to play, but that is disappointingly only 5 cards. I'd like to see it at 10. 'Colorless Matters' basically turns the deck into a 3-color one. It would be absolutely amazing if WotC linked 'colorless matters' with indestructible. Man that'd be cool.

I am pleased with my mana-base and Rocks/Acceleration. I can reliably get the colors or colorless I need considering the lack of fetch-lands. The amount of board wipes feels appropriate right now.
I'd like to see planeswalkers reach 10. I'd be happy to cut some of the weaker 'pocket armies' like Mobilization and Goblin Rabblemaster.
Ideally I'd have 1 or 2 more creatures with indestructible, and I'd like to lose Manor Gargoyle for something better.



This is my 'most fair' EDH deck and I'd like to keep it that way. That means nothing like Mana Crypt and no library searching besides finding basic lands. The deck survives into longer games without traditional card advantage because most of the cards are 'must answer' threats by themselves. That allows me to play 1 card, along with my general, and stockpile cards in my hand so I am ready to play another if my threats get answered.

[H]

Anya, Merciless Angel is on color and is nice with flying, but her indestructible clause might be too conditional. Frontline Medic is interesting as a Battalion trigger, won't lose your tokens to blockers, but probably not good enough. Odric, Lunarch Marshal is interesting, but it sucks that he costs 4 and that he grants the abilities only for a combat phase.

In other words, there aren't many good options,

[Ace/Homebrew]

Kaladesh updates:

+ Angel of Invention
+ Filigree Familiar
- Cloudgoat Ranger
- Mobilization

The Angel is a pretty strict upgrade over the Ranger.
The Solemn Fox seems okay, and Mobilization is always a disappointment to draw.

---------------------------------------------

After getting a number of games in, I've identified two weak spots:

Darksteel Axe
Manor Gargoyle
Hammer of Purphoros

And I would like to add more man-lands. While playing, I often wish I had them to further exploit WoG effects and simply to increase the overall aggression of the deck.
I'm going to try to find room for Mishra's Factory and Mutavault. The trouble will be picking which colorless lands to cut...

Standout stars have been:

Anger (Thanks H )
Warchief Giant
Reality Smasher

So basically, haste is huge!

[H]

Kaladesh updates:
Anger (Thanks H )

Glad it worked out, my EDH-foo is not strong any more, since I very rarely play.

I'm not quite sure how to fit in man-lands though, you don't run many colorless lands as it is and I think that lands that make tokens are just better.

[Ace/Homebrew]

I'm not quite sure how to fit in man-lands though, you don't run many colorless lands as it is and I think that lands that make tokens are just better.

I'm leaning towards cutting Kher Keep and Slayers' Stronghold. As much as I enjoy making Kobolds, they have yet to ever effect the game in a meaningful way... And the haste granted by Stronghold is redundant and overcosted (due to the other benefits granted to the target).

I'll test out the changes, but am unlikely to implement them immediately. I'll probably know by the time Aether Revolt is released. And I always keep the cards I swap out until I'm absolutely certain the change will stick, so I can undo them if it proves to be inferior.



The deck is proving to be a lot of fun! It gets outclassed by cutthroat decks, but it isn't designed to keep up with those. A lot of decks simply cannot deal with indestructible permanents, and it switches between aggro and control in a way I haven't experienced since playing Vial Goblins in Legacy.

My recent focus is finding things that will keep me even or shoot me ahead after a board-wipe. Once I decide it is time to exert pressure, I need to keep the pressure on until I've won. I suspect Mutavault and Mishra's Factory will assist in this better than the lands they replace.

[Ace/Homebrew]

I re-read Thought-Knot Seer and figured out I could choose the player that draws a card if/when it dies. Happy to add another 'colorless matters' card into the deck!

+Thought-Knot Seer
+Pia Nalaar
+Mishra's Factory
+Mutavault

-Hammer of Purphoros
-Goblin Rabblemaster
-Slayers' Stronghold
-Kher Keep

Nothing too crazy for the deck in Commander 2016...
I guess I will have to consider Bruse Tarl, Boorish Herder. The doublestrike trigger might make him worth it.

Darksteel Axe will definitely have to be cut, but I haven't found the card I want to replace it with yet.

[H]

Pyrohemia never ended up making it, huh?

I had an idea when thinking of Indestructible creatures, but did you ever consider Stuffy Doll which incidentally does combo with Pyrohemia as well?

Also, perhaps Chandra, Torch of Defiance over Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker?

[Ace/Homebrew]

Thanks for your thoughts H!

Perhaps Chandra, Torch of Defiance over Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker?

I'll admit that is probably the correct move to make, but the way I build EDH decks won't allow it.
I do not put more than one copy of a planeswalker in a deck* (so you'd never catch me running Chandra Nalaar, Chandra, Pyromaster, and Chandra, Torch of Defiance together), and the Dragonspeaker is the only Sarkhan I can run in this deck...

Chandra, ToD is a fantastic card, but I feel Chandra, Flamecaller is the stronger card in this deck.


*Actually, with the exception of Nahiri, the Harbinger, I don't duplicate any planeswalker cards in all 3 of my EDH decks. Besides Sol Ring, I'm working to keep from using any of the same cards in my decks. Why have multiple decks if you're running all the same cards in them, right? It will take a little bit of time to truly get to that point (and I may always have some overlapping cards in Cromat and Mimeo like Demonic Tutor and Mana Crypt) but it is a goal I am shooting for!

Pyrohemia never ended up making it, huh?

I had an idea when thinking of Indestructible creatures, but did you ever consider Stuffy Doll which incidentally does combo with Pyrohemia as well?

Pyrohemia never made it, despite it's power when combined with an indestructible commander. I haven't tried it, but I'm not fully motivated to because a lot of the other cards in the deck make a team of 1/1's. It definitely has potential and is a great suggestion, but I'm going to go Pyrohemialess for the time being. If I find I need another boardwipe, it'll be the first card I look at. Actually, if I ever find Stranglehold doesn't do enough, it'll probably take that spot since they are both 4 mana enchantments.

Stuffy Doll lost me because I have to choose an opponent and I pretty much exclusively play in 3 or 4 player pods. It's probably no worse than the Gargoyle, but I've got Gargoyle on my 'cut list' for when a better indestructible creature is printed.

[H]

Thanks for your thoughts H!


I'll admit that is probably the correct move to make, but the way I build EDH decks won't allow it.
I do not put more than one copy of a planeswalker in a deck* (so you'd never catch me running Chandra Nalaar, Chandra, Pyromaster, and Chandra, Torch of Defiance together), and the Dragonspeaker is the only Sarkhan I can run in this deck...

Chandra, ToD is a fantastic card, but I feel Chandra, Flamecaller is the stronger card in this deck.


*Actually, with the exception of Nahiri, the Harbinger, I don't duplicate any planeswalker cards in all 3 of my EDH decks. Besides Sol Ring, I'm working to keep from using any of the same cards in my decks. Why have multiple decks if you're running all the same cards in them, right? It will take a little bit of time to truly get to that point (and I may always have some overlapping cards in Cromat and Mimeo like Demonic Tutor and Mana Crypt) but it is a goal I am shooting for!

Fair enough, I mean, I usually try to build different enough decks that I wouldn't generally use the same cards in each deck, but the two decks I have built now are actually both White (Ayli and Rhys). In reality though, since the Rhys deck is all foils, I don't even consider them as part of any "available cards." The again, all they really share is some stuff like Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile.

Pyrohemia never made it, despite it's power when combined with an indestructible commander. I haven't tried it, but I'm not fully motivated to because a lot of the other cards in the deck make a team of 1/1's. It definitely has potential and is a great suggestion, but I'm going to go Pyrohemialess for the time being. If I find I need another boardwipe, it'll be the first card I look at. Actually, if I ever find Stranglehold doesn't do enough, it'll probably take that spot since they are both 4 mana enchantments.

Stuffy Doll lost me because I have to choose an opponent and I pretty much exclusively play in 3 or 4 player pods. It's probably no worse than the Gargoyle, but I've got Gargoyle on my 'cut list' for when a better indestructible creature is printed.

Fair enough, I mean, I don't think it's (Pyrohemia) an amazing card, just one that can sometimes solve a problem or two. One thing that would be interesting as well, but probably ultimately not good enough, is Lifeline with an Indestructible creature. The fact that it won't save tokens and that it costs 5 probably disqualify it though.

[Ace/Homebrew]

The strategy for this deck is starting to coalesce into something meaningful.
I try to force my opponents into committing to the board by heavily committing myself. Then I punish their commitment with a board wipe which should leave me in a better position because many of my threats are unaffected. Plan B is to quickly ramp into an overwhelming threat.
There are still some minor tweaks needed, but it is getting to a good place.


Here are the recent changes:

- Manor Gargoyle
- Secure the Wastes
- Rise of the Hobgoblins
- Fell the Mighty
- Darksteel Axe
- Spear of Heliod
- Burnished Hart

+ Kozilek, the Great Distortion
+ Fractured Powerstone
+ Guardian Idol
+ Everflowing Chalice
+ Rout
+ Fiery Confluence
+ Treasure Keeper


I've added 3 more mana rocks because Tajic needs to come out early to reliably stay ahead of my opponents. They were also needed because my top-end cards have serious mana costs that I am unlikely to reach without support.

I still have cards that I'm going to cut. Relic of Progenitus is definitely one of them, and probably Brimaz, King of Oreskos and Filigree Familiar too.

I have decided this deck will be entirely non-foil (Tajic still gets to be foil though). The handful of foil cards I had in there have been replaced with non-foil copies. The only exception is the FtV Ancient Tomb. That will be fixed soon.

[Davran]

Here are the recent changes:

- Manor Gargoyle
- Secure the Wastes
- Rise of the Hobgoblins
- Fell the Mighty
- Darksteel Axe
- Spear of Heliod
- Burnished Hart

+ Kozilek, the Great Distortion
+ Fractured Powerstone
+ Guardian Idol
+ Everflowing Chalice
+ Rout
+ Fiery Confluence
+ Treasure Keeper

Any reason why you picked Fractured Powerstone over say Thought Vessel or Fellwar Stone? Thought Vessel probably isn't super relevant since you're Boros, but at least it isn't Planechase specific, and Fellwar Stone might occasionally get you colored mana. There's Coldsteel Heart too, but that locks you into one color which maybe isn't the best thing?

[Ace/Homebrew]

Any reason why you picked Fractured Powerstone over say Thought Vessel or Fellwar Stone?

There is! Not necessarily a good reason, but there is a reason.

Fractured Powerstone is better than Fellwar Stone for my purposes because a sizable portion of my cards require colorless mana to cast. Since the rules change that keeps off-color mana from switching to colorless, getting , , or is not helpful... And Coldsteel Heart comes into play tapped, so both Fractured Powerstone and Thought Vessel are superior options.

So I basically had to choose between 'not having a maximum handsize', which as you noted will mostly be irrelevant given my colors, or 'getting to roll the planar die an extra time for free'. And while I do not own any Planeschase planes myself, 2 guys at my LGS do and there's a good 20% chance we're using them. I will concede that I have yet to activate the Planeschase ability... but I also have not had a situation where an unlimited handsize would have mattered.

If I do ever decide to include Mana Vault in this deck, Fractured Powerstone is an easy cut.

[Davran]

So I basically had to choose between 'not having a maximum handsize', which as you noted will mostly be irrelevant given my colors, or 'getting to roll the planar die an extra time for free'. And while I do not own any Planeschase planes myself, 2 guys at my LGS do and there's a good 20% chance we're using them. I will concede that I have yet to activate the Planeschase ability... but I also have not had a situation where an unlimited handsize would have mattered.

You know...we play planechase EDH somewhat frequently now since a friend was gifted the anthology...maybe I should metagame a little. It'd be good for a laugh anyway.

[Ace/Homebrew]

I did a pretty large overhaul of this deck as it's still finding a cohesive identity. At this stage, it is becoming similar to the Modern control deck, Sun and Moon.
I added the two new indestructible gods from Amonkhet as well as quite a few planeswalkers.

- Daretti, Scrap Savant
- Brimaz, King of Oreskos
- Matter Reshaper
- Anger
- Chaos Warp
- Relic of Progenitus
- Filigree Familiar
- Treasure Keeper
- Fractured Powerstone

+ Hazoret the Fervent
+ Oketra the True
+ Gideon Jura
+ Gideon of the Trials
+ Elspeth, Knight-Errant
+ Elspeth Tirel
+ Chandra, Torch of Defiance
+ Ajani Vengeant
+ Harsh Mentor

I'm generally pleased with the direction the deck is heading in.