Into the Vault: Narset, Enlightened Master

Written by Francis Matic

        Narset is definitely one of the most popular commanders that can be built multiple ways. From extra turns, and extra combat, to volton and control or boardwipe tribal builds. I once witnessed someone else’s Narset deck go off on turn 1, who then continued playing free spells from the top of their library for the win. This particular article will not focus on the power potential of Narset, rather, it will focus on the most unusual, and sometimes frowned upon methods of playing mtg: Chaos.

        I have seldom played with this deck since it can be time-consuming and totally confusing to finish a session, unless people gang up on me early on though. Asking permission before playing the game seems to be the proper etiquette when playing chaos-themed decks. You’ll never know if certain players need to maximize the limited time they have to play, or if they want to play test certain strategies in their decks. Playing against this deck will prevent them from achieving both. So remember, if this article inspires you to make a chaos deck of your own, be sure to ask permission from your playgroup or this might leave a bad taste afterwards.

  

Make a solid mana base

        The most common tactic used by any Narset build is to bust out Narset as early as possible using efficient mana rocks. With the right cards, you can easily set a Narset engine in motion, enabling a chain of extra turns or combat steps in a normal build. But remember, this build isn’t technically normal. Aside from casting your commander early, these mana rocks will also let you play your big splashy spells mid to late game if your opponents managed to kill Narset. Bear with me, this is a semi budget deck, and you’ll only find budget mana rocks in this list.

  

Your Narset should attack early

        Narset’s ability lets us play noncreature and nonland cards for free. So you want to put as few creatures as you can in the deck, or else, you’d be whiffing most of your Narset triggers. Letting Narset attack as soon as it comes into play is the smartest move since it will limit your opponents chances to have an answer. A single attack trigger can let you play spells that can potentially cripple your opponents for several turns. First Strike is just icing on the cake. Early blockers won’t stop Narset from attacking. So, slap a haste equipment on Narset, and let her rip!

 
 

Opponents should not control the board

        Thank goodness Narset has her own form of protection. With built-in hexproof, you never have to worry about spot removal. You do need to worry about mass removal or sacrifice effects. An opponent playing a Fleshbag Marauder will take care of Narset quickly, so having a surplus of creatures in the form of manlands can save you. You also need to protect your other permanents. This is where Grip of Chaos shines! If one of your opponents have spot removal, well lets just say they now have to pray hard to the Lords of Chaos if they want to get rid of specific things.

 
 

Quit digging for answers

        One of the best methods of answering problems on the board is using the spells from your opponents decks. Though it’s always nice to have your own answers in commander games, that is not always true for Narset decks. Counterspells will whiff, spot removal can be conditional, and board wipes can ruin your own board if not timed right. Your best bet: use their own spells against them!

  

With great power comes great responsibility

        Commander is part having fun and part playing with big splashy cards. Some playgroups may prefer competitive playstyles, but most prefer the casual feel of playing with unpredictable spells and effects. This deck advocates that exact philosophy! Err.. kind of. I mean, you can still play with your Timmy spells, and there are other effects that let you play your stuff. Its just that, I may be getting a copy, or better, I may be the one casting the spells from your deck. Still fun right? A warning though: when playing this deck, make sure you brush up on your rules knowledge. Because a lot of effects can be very confusing. Be responsible enough to research the rules before starting a game. Or at least, have internet access ready in case you have to ask rules experts.

 
 

Confusion is the key

        You will not find boring combos here. Whos has time for combos when you’re having fun? Nothing can be more exciting than having several chaotic enchantments interacting with each other on the board. Here’s where the fun kicks up: have Hive Mind on the field then play Thieves Auction. Or play Eye of the Storm, then play Goblin Game, or play Confusion in the Ranks, then play Knowledge Pool. Now no one can play their cards right. Take note: I specifically avoided lockdown card interactions though, because I don’t want to stall the board duh, that would be such a dick move. I aimed for convoluted card interactions, topsy-turvy timings, and roaring random effects. We still play magic, but with altered rules.

        Here’s the ever-evolving list. More cards may be added in the future, if wotc continues to print lovely chaos cards. For the meantime, enjoy and hope you’re ready to play a 4-hour game against this deck soon!

        (This article contains a hidden easter egg: a secret wincon. Let’s see if you can figure it out.)

        Here is the link to my Narset Chaos Deck Tapped Out page.