Commander League Season 1
Play2Learn
Top Decklists
The first Commander League has ended and it was definitely a great experience. We got to see a variety of commander decks from casual unmodified lists to a more hard core competitive approach. What amazes me the most is how diverse the meta really was. Personally, I saw people bring in competitive lists that got shot down by pre-cons or get ploughed by land destruction or even dominated by the mighty dinosaurs. ” format of the game.
Here are the top decklists that made the it and ruled the league. I still have not figured out how to make the links pop out yet. Hopefully I can get that working in the next articles. The fourth spot is actually shared between two decks.
4th Place
Lord Windgrace
Lands (42)
1 Evolving Wilds
8 Forest
1 Forge of Heroes
1 Forgotten Cave
1 Gaze of Granite
1 Golgari Rot Farm
1 Gruul Turf
1 Barren Moor
1 Blighted Woodland
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Bojuka Bog
1 Cinder Glade
1 Command Tower
1 Mountain
1 Mountain Valley
1 Myriad Landscape
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Rakdos Carnarium
1 Rocky Tar Pit
1 Savage Lands
1 Sheltered Thicket
1 Smoldering Marsh
1 Strip Mine
3 Swamp
1 Temple of the False God
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Canyon Slough
1 Jund Panorama
1 Kazandu Refuge
Creatures (24)
1 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
1 Azusa, Lost but Seeking
1 Centaur Vinecrasher
1 Courser of Kruphix
1 Eternal Witness
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Mina and Denn, Wildborn
1 Multani, Yavimaya's Avatar
1 Nesting Dragon
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Omnath, Locus of Rage
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Ramunap Excavator
1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
1 Sylvan Safekeeper
1 The Gitrog Monster
1 Tireless Tracker
1 Titania, Protector of Argoth
1 Turntimber Sower
1 Wayward Swordtooth
1 World Shaper
1 Yavimaya Elder
Planeswalker (1)
1 Nissa, Vital Force
Enchantment (5)
1 Burgeoning
1 Exploration
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Retreat to Hagra
1 The Mending of Dominaria
Artifact (4)
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Seer's Sundial
1 Sol Ring
1 Zuran Orb
Instant (7)
1 Assassin's Trophy
1 Constant Mists
1 Crop Rotation
1 Grisly Salvage
1 Putrefy
1 Realms Uncharted
1 Windgrace's Judgment
Sorcery (16)
1 Chain Reaction
1 Cultivate
1 Decimate
1 Explore
1 Explosive Vegetation
1 Far Wanderings
1 Harrow
1 Kodama's Reach
1 Lavalanche
1 Life from the Loam
1 Ruinous Path
1 Scapeshift
1 Splendid Reclamation
1 Stitch Together
1 Torment of Hailfire
1 Worm Harvest
This is one of the decks I enjoyed watching and at times being blown out the most. Who knew that the planeswalker guardian of Urborg who hates artifacts can actually bring a lot value to the table and bring pain with a horde of, uhm, lands?
This deck follows the land matters theme by ramping hard in the early game with cards like Far Wanderings, Explosive Vegetation, Harrow, etc. There were games were we saw more than 8 - 9 lands by turn 5. So what can you do with so many lands? Play cards that take advantage of it like creating huge plant tokens from Avenger of Zendikar, by making everyone lose life from Ob Nixilis, the Fallen or simply out value other decks with Worm Harvest. Getting killed by an overflowing worm army is the last thing I ever want to see.
The deck even has a minor land destruction back up plan by continually recurring Strip Mine with Lord Windgrace’s second ability, Crucible of Worlds, Ramunap Excavator and Life from the Loam. I experienced first hand how devastating 3 Strip Mine activations played in one turn can be when cards like Exploration, Azusa, Lost but Seeking and The Gitrog Monster is on the field. If I can sum it up with one word, it would be “Devastating”.
Gishath, Sun’s Avatar
Lands (42)
1 Blossoming Sands
1 Boros Garrison
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Elfhame Sanctuary
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Exotic Orchard
1 Field of Ruin
6 Forest
1 Gruul Turf
1 Jungle Shrine
1 Mosswort Bridge
6 Mountain
1 Naya Panorama
1 Opal Palace
1 Otepec Huntmaster
6 Plains
1 Rogue's Passage
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Rugged Highlands
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Spinerock Knoll
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Temple of the False God
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Wind-Scarred Crag
1 Windbrisk Heights
Creature (36)
1 Atzocan Seer
1 Belligerent Brontodon
1 Bellowing Aegisaur
1 Burning Sun's Avatar
1 Charging Monstrosaur
1 Charging Tuskodon
1 Cherished Hatchling
1 Crested Herdcaller
1 Deathgorge Scavenger
1 Drover of the Mighty
1 Forerunner of the Empire
1 Goring Ceratops
1 Imperial Aerosaur
1 Kinjalli's Caller
1 Kinjalli's Sunwing
1 Knight of the Stampede
1 Majestic Heliopterus
1 Priest of the Wakening Sun
1 Raging Regisaur
1 Raging Swordtooth
1 Ranging Raptors
1 Regisaur Alpha
1 Ripjaw Raptor
1 Runic Armasaur
1 Siegehorn Ceratops
1 Silverclad Ferocidons
1 Snapping Sailback
1 Temple Altisaur
1 Territorial Hammerskull
1 Thrashing Brontodon
1 Thunderherd Migration
1 Thundering Spineback
1 Ulvenwald Tracker
1 Verdant Sun's Avatar
1 Wakening Sun's Avatar
1 Zetalpa, Primal Dawn
Enchantment (4)
1 AEther Flash
1 Rampant Growth
1 Warstorm Surge
1 Zendikar Resurgent
Artifact (3)
1 Caltrops
1 Sol Ring
1 Staff of Nin
Instant (4)
1 Boros Charm
1 Heaven / Earth
1 Naya Charm
1 Volcanic Fallout
Sorcery (10)
1 Broken Bond
1 Commune with Dinosaurs
1 Cultivate
1 Farseek
1 Grow from the Ashes
1 Rishkar's Expertise
1 Savage Stomp
1 Seek the Wilds
1 Soul's Majesty
1 Star of Extinction
There is a reason why dinosaurs ruled the earth more than a million years ago. Gishath, Sun’s Avatar alone can single-handedly swing games in your favor the turn you cast it and he can also call his friends to join the fray. Enrage is the keyword that most of these dinosaurs use. Enrage is a trigger that happens whenever the Dinosaur with this keyword takes damage.
I think Bruce Banner said it best, “You don’t want me to be angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” They are just dumb dinosaurs you say? I don’t think you would be saying that when you see ten big dinosaurs charging at you at full speed. It’s like when the incredible hulk shouts “Hulk Smash!” What’s also amazing is the utility that these dinosaurs bring such as Thrashing Brontodon taking care of enchantments and artifacts and Deathgorge Scavenger taking care of graveyard hate. We can really say, Jurassic World has finally reached Magic the Gathering.
3rd Place
Tuvasa the Sunlit
Land (36)
1 Azorius Chancery
1 Blossoming Sands
1 Command Tower
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Krosan Verge
1 Meandering River
1 Mosswort Bridge
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Seaside Citadel
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Simic Growth Chamber
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Thornwood Falls
1 Tranquil Cove
1 Winds of Rath
1 Woodland Stream
6 Forest
7 Island
7 Plains
Creature (8)
1 Auramancer
1 Mesa Enchantress
1 Nomad Mythmaker
1 Satyr Enchanter
1 Invisible Stalker
1 Hanna, Ship's Navigator
1 Kor Spiritdancer
1 Herald of the Pantheon
Planeswalker (1)
1 Estrid, the Masked
Enchantment (37)
1 Aura of Silence
1 Oblivion Ring
1 Shield of the Oversoul
1 Hieromancer's Cage
1 Ethereal Armor
1 Aqueous Form
1 Flickering Ward
1 Vanishing
1 Soothsaying
1 Robe of Mirrors
1 Keen Sense
1 Propaganda
1 Unquestioned Authority
1 Serra's Embrace
1 Authority of the Consuls
1 Eel Umbra
1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
1 Instill Energy
1 Spirit Mantle
1 Oath of the Ancient Wood
1 Fertile Ground
1 Estrid's Invocation
1 Inviolability
1 Rancor
1 Steel of the Godhead
1 Ghostly Prison
1 Martial Coup
1 Sphere of Safety
1 Blind Obedience
1 Ajani's Chosen
1 Rampant Growth
1 Cho-Manno's Blessing
1 Bear Umbra
1 Aura Gnarlid
1 Eidolon of Blossoms
1 Shimmering Wings
1 Enchantress's Presence
Artifact (3)
1 Sol Ring
1 Simic Signet
1 Mask of Avacyn
Instant (9)
1 Bant Charm
1 Negate
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Brainstorm
1 Counterspell
1 Path to Exile
1 Cancel
1 Hubris
1 Mystical Tutor
Sorcery (5)
1 Open the Vaults
1 Open the Armory
1 Kruphix's Insight
1 Phyrexian Rebirth
1 Creeping Renaissance
We saw a lot of Commander 2018 decks take the field by storm and Tuvasa was definitely up there taking 3rd Place. Tuvasa takes a voltron approach casting enchantments like Ethereal Armor, Serra’s Embrace and Rancor to make her a power house. Too many blockers and can’t get your damage through? No problem. Simply cast one of the many enchantments such as Aqueous Form, Flickering Ward and Unquestioned Authority.
The deck can even protect itself with cards like Propaganda, Ghostly Prison and Sphere of Safety. Are you up against a deck that gains a lot of life? Tuvasa really don't care. She just needs to deal 21 commander damage and it’s game over. I got creamed when I was up against this deck. Hitting me with 9 commander damage in the first round and 11 commander damage on the second. I tried to remove Tuvasa from the field but Mary seemed to have a counter in response to all of my spells. Talk about offense and defense in one deck. It’s as if Manny Pacquiao decided to play Magic the Gathering and starts to hitting everyone pound per pound.
2nd Place
Edric, Spymaster of Trest
Land (34)
1x Breeding Pool
1x Command Tower
1x Flooded Strand
11x Forest
14x Island
1x Pendelhaven
1x Polluted Delta
1x Reliquary Tower
1x Windswept Heath
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Woodland Stream
Creature (34)
1x AEther Figment
1x Artificer's Assistant
1x Blighted Agent
1x Cloudfin Raptor
1x Faerie Miscreant
1x Flitterstep Eidolon
1x Flying Men
1x Fogwalker
1x Galerider Sliver
1x Gudul Lurker
1x Hope of Ghirapur
1x Horizon Chimera
1x Hypnotic Siren
1x Invisible Stalker
1x Llanowar Scout
1x Looter il-Kor
1x Merfolk Spy
1x Permeating Mass
1x Plaxmanta
1x Psychosis Crawler
1x River Sneak
1x Scryb Sprites
1x Signal Pest
1x Silhana Ledgewalker
1x Siren Stormtamer
1x Skyshroud Ranger
1x Slither Blade
1x Spire Tracer
1x Stratus Dancer
1x Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
1x Triton Shorestalker
1x Wharf Infiltrator
1x Wingcrafter
1x Zephyr Sprite
Enchantment (1)
1x Beastmaster Ascension
Artifact (6)
1x Bident of Thassa
1x Elixir of Immortality
1x Library of Leng
1x Meekstone
1x Spellbook
1x Throne of the God-Pharaoh
Instant (19)
1x Beast Within
1x Biomass Mutation
1x Counterspell
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Echoing Truth
1x Forbid
1x Force of Will
1x Heroic Intervention
1x Keep Watch
1x Krosan Grip
1x Mission Briefing
1x Muddle the Mixture
1x Nature's Claim
1x Negate
1x Pact of Negation
1x Rapid Hybridization
1x Reclaim
1x Simic Charm
1x Swan Song
Sorcery (5)
1x Harvest Season
1x Karn's Temporal Sundering
1x Part the Waterveil
1x Temporal Trespass
1x Triumph of the Hordes
Now we are starting to pass over the borders of competitive game play. If Tuvasa was going for a voltron approach of taking one creature and make it big and strong, Edric takes the opposite side by taking a lot of creatures and overrunning the field with small 1/1s. Cards like Tetsuko Umezawa and Bident of Thassa makes sure his creatures are unblockable. And when we add Edric to the equation we get a deck that can draw a billion cards in one turn. More cards mean more options. And once you draw into the extra turn cards like Temporal Trespass, Part the Waterveil and Karn’s Temporal Sundering, then it’s game over.
We can all agree that little 1/1s will have a hard time dealing 120 damage and win the game. That’s where Beastmaster Ascension and Biomass Mutation comes in and makes them exponentially larger. Throne of the God-Pharoah also helps bring life totals down to manageable levels and if that’s not enough, Triumph of the Hordes will finish them off using poison counters. What about board wipes? The deck packs 6 counterspell effects and a few spells that makes the creatures indestructible. Talk about resilience.
1st Place
Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain
Land (27)
1x Inventors' Fair
13x Island
12x Mountain
1x Steam Vents
Creature (8)
1x Baral, Chief of Compliance
1x Etherium Sculptor
1x Foundry Inspector
1x Jhoira's Familiar
1x Magus of the Moon
1x Phyrexian Revoker
1x Psychosis Crawler
1x Walking Ballista
Enchantment (6)
1x Back to Basics
1x Blood Moon
1x Ghirapur AEther Grid
1x Mystic Remora
1x Rising Waters
1x Words of Wind
Planeswalker (1)
1x Daretti, Scrap Savant
Artifact (30)
1x Aetherflux Reservoir
1x Permeating Mass
1x Plaxmanta
1x Psychosis Crawler
1x River Sneak
1x Scryb Sprites
1x Signal Pest
1x Silhana Ledgewalker
1x Siren Stormtamer
1x Skyshroud Ranger
1x Slither Blade
1x Spire Tracer
1x Stratus Dancer
1x Tetsuko Umezawa, Fugitive
1x Triton Shorestalker
1x Wharf Infiltrator
1x Wingcrafter
1x Zephyr Sprite
Enchantment (1)
1x Beastmaster Ascension
Artifact (6)
1x Bident of Thassa
1x Elixir of Immortality
1x Library of Leng
1x Meekstone
1x Spellbook
1x Throne of the God-Pharaoh
Instant (19)
1x Beast Within
1x Biomass Mutation
1x Counterspell
1x Cyclonic Rift
1x Echoing Truth
1x Forbid
1x Force of Will
1x Heroic Intervention
1x Keep Watch
1x Krosan Grip
1x Mission Briefing
1x Muddle the Mixture
1x Nature's Claim
1x Negate
1x Pact of Negation
1x Rapid Hybridization
1x Reclaim
1x Simic Charm
1x Swan Song
Sorcery (5)
1x Harvest Season
1x Karn's Temporal Sundering
1x Part the Waterveil
1x Temporal Trespass
1x Triumph of the Hordes
I have always liked Jhoira as a card. The original Jhoira of the Ghitu allows her to cheat expensive spells by temporarily suspending them for 3 turns. This Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain takes a whole new approach where every historic spell (artifacts, legendaries and sagas) that are cast allow you to draw a card instead. This is so broken specially with cards like Etherium Sculptor, Foundry Inspector and Helm of Awakening reducing the cost of all your artifacts down to well zero. Every artifact spells you cast after that will allow you to draw a card until you draw your win conditions Psychosis Crawler, Walking Ballista and Aetherflux Reservoir which are also artifacts.
Now getting to your win conditions is not as easy as you might think. This is where you will need cards like Static Orb, Winter Orb and Rising Waters to slow the game down by making sure lands are tapped. We even pack Blood Moon, Back to Basics and Magus of the Moon to prevent opponents from using their non-basic lands. Did any of their creatures make it to the battle field? Ensnaring bridge and Cyclonic Rift to the rescue.
What's Next?
Season 2 of Play2Learn’s Commander League is just around the corner. A new point system will be in place to make the games more interesting and we will definitely see new deck designs. Personally, I want to see more players join the fray and a more diverse set of commanders. I want to see Dragons take flight or maybe, just maybe see that magnificent spirit Yargle, Glutton of Urborg finally take the spotlight. Who knows? Don’t forget to register and always remember, “There can only be ONE!”
I made some changes with the format. There should be no more issues accessing the page even if you use your mobile apps. Thanks for your patience.
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