Posted by Brian aka ChaosMTG.

This series is partially inspired by a previous CommanderCast series: Wild Research

A few months ago, at a loss as to what deck I should build, I asked a friend. This is all I got for a response:

“Basic Land EDH.”

I don’t want to be overwhelming you with deckbuilding articles, with Nole’s also featuring deckcrafting so this sub-series will likely only be monthly. As of now, I plan on it being either the first and/or last Wednesday of the month. (I’d planned on posting this sooner, it’s been sitting in my backlog of quasi-complete articles for a while.)

First off, I’ll be putting one restriction on this: it is going to be a $0.00 deck, only things I have available. I don’t have money to spare, so I won’t be buying any cards for these decks. So, if something that seems obvious is left off a list, it’s probably because I don’t own it.

So, back to the challenge: all lands are basic. To Gatherer!

Type: “Legendary creature”
Rules text: “land”

• Ayumi, the Last Visitor – Landwalk definitely isn’t what I’m looking for, especially such a restrictive type, not an option. No.
• Azusa, Lost but Seeking – Ramp on a stick. Certainly viable, but a bit overdone in my opinion. Maybe.
• Hokori, Dust Drinker – “My commander is Winter Orb.” That statement will make you a lot of friends… Also, only basics is even more of a drawback for this type of deck. Hell no.
• Maelstrom Wanderer – Land is in the reminder text, I don’t think this counts… No.
• Myojin of Infinite Rage and Numot, the Devastator – Anti-land, not what I’m looking for; not to mention Myojin wouldn’t even give me its effect without jumping through hoops. No.
• Patron of the Moon – Moonfolk tribal… Sounds like a fun, if not linear, concept – but costing 7 in monoblue doesn’t really fit the theme I’m going for. No.
• Sasaya, Orochi Ascendant – She definitely favors using only Forests and will most likely be who I end up using, but I might as well see what the other options are… Yes.
• Soramaro, First to Dream and Uyo, Silent Prophet… These would be good as part of the Patron of the Moon deck, but again, not what I’m looking for. No.
• Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger – Well, he definitely likes having lands. Maybe.
• Wrexial, the Risen Deep – “Islandwalk” – Obvious no.
• Zo-Zu the Punisher – More land punishing. No.

So, Azusa, Sasaya, and Vorinclex are my options. It’s definitely going to be a forest deck.

The choice here, for me, is pretty obvious: Sasaya basic Forest deck, but what should the enemy deck be? My first thought is one of the other ascendants, but the only one I have is Homura, and that would be an ally…

Back to gatherer!
Type: “Legendary Creature”
Color: “Not Green” “Not Red” “Not White”

I had a long list of cards written out normally with comments like the first part, but with so many that was an eyesore. So, to make it interesting, I put them all into a double elimination tournament bracket to see how it turned out… It was long, boring, and hard to comment on. So, I went through the first few rounds and stopped when it actually started getting hard for me to decide.

The current matches are:

Cao Cao, Lord of Wei vs. Maralen of the Mornsong
Both of them seem to be great resource denial against Sasaya and I don’t really have a preference here, especially since I don’t have the cards for Maralen Ad Nauseam combo.
The winner will face Azami, Lady of Scrolls

Nebuchadnezzar vs. Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief
Nebuchadnezzar is another solid option for resource denial against Sasaya, but Drana just seems like she’d be fun.
The winner will face either Cao Cao, Maralen, or Azami

Sakashima the Impostor vs. Hisoka, Minamo Sensei
Clones are fun, but a clone deck is pretty linear. You know what else is fun? Being flavorfully obligated to run Top.
The winner will face Sun Quan, Lord of Wu

Vela the Night-Clad vs. Wrexial, the Risen Deep
Both offer solid UB strategies, but neither of them really have an interaction with Sasaya.
The winner will face Sun Quan, Hisoka, or Sakashima.

The loser’s bracket still has some cards that might have a decent chance for return as well, current standouts are Oona, Queen of the Fae, Szadek, Lord of Secrets, Memnarch, and Marrow-Gnawer.

So, how about I leave you with a few questions? (Too late… That was a question.)

Who should move on to the next round?
Who do you think I should use as the enemy deck?
Do you have any thoughts on or experience building duel decks?

I’d usually try to put a teaser for next week here… But there’s nothing that really works as a hint for what I plan on doing.
Instead, I’ll do one of those featured card things people seem to like.

MIND NIVS!

This Week’s Card: Possibility Storm

Possibility Storm is the obligatory chaotic red spell of Dragon’s Maze. Unlike most like it, though, it’s actually pretty aggressively costed. Able to come out early on (Turns 2-3 with decent acceleration, turn 1 with a god draw) this enchantment can change the entire course of a game.

Having problems with that pesky control player? Let them test their luck and see if their Swords to Plowshares turns into a Counterspell? Stuck on a bunch of useless utility creatures? Let’s turn that Coiling Oracle into an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre. Better yet, turn your Shardless Agent into a Maelstrom Wanderer and at least three other things!

There’s just one problem I have with this card. I can’t tell if it’s supposed to be built around (in 60 card, it definitely is), like Eye of the Storm, or just something for rolling the value die like Maelstrom Wanderer and I want to do both (first world problems).

Personally, this is one of the few cards from Dragon’s Maze I actually like beyond the art (DGM was an underwhelming set for me), the ability, a cost that makes it actually worth playing! How could I say no? As soon as I got one, it went into my 5color cascade deck – because who doesn’t love stacking triggers for ridiculous effects?

Apparently my opponents.

Their problem? Not the effect itself, not that I was getting 2 drop Eldrazi, not that they were getting completely screwed over by it, but the fact that it takes too long to physically perform the actions. Reveal, shuffle, reveal, shuffle – hit something with cascade? – reveal and shuffle again! Oh, now you hit Unexpected Results with that one? Shuffle again. Of course, it hits something with cascade too…

An unfortunate side effect of a deck built with this type of effect in mind is that the turns can drag on forever, and that’s not even touching on what happens when you get things like Knowledge Pool, Eye of the Storm, and Hive Mind involved.

A word of warning, while this card is ridiculous, fun, and game changing, it can backfire. Not just by giving your opponents ridiculous things, but by ruining the game for everyone by giving them full commercial breaks between their turns.

This turn brought to you by…

Bonus question: Thoughts on Possibility Storm? Fun or unfun? Why?

EDIT: BONUS BONUS QUESTION/Article research for next week:

What do you think is the sexiest card art in Magic?

(Well, some people think it is…)