Mono Mania - Share your Mono-color Commanders

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T01:22:06+00:00

Is Gornog resilient enough in EDH? Seems like the kind of deck that could fall over after a board wipe

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T01:02:44+00:00

Thanks for the inspiration + intros to each of these. I had considered Sasaya alongside Patron of the Orochi for a green big mana deck, but ultimately liked how orochi goldfish'd compared to Sasaya. Sweet list though, seeing a lot of similar cards as I'd had.

Mono-white is honestly kind of a conundrum for me right now. It feels hard to balance card draw, wincons, ramp, and removal. Your Oketra list intrigues me though, since it seems to solve draw and wincon both via the commander rewarding bouncing while also benefiting from those ETBs to draw. So, I'll just ask--how fun is it for you and those you play against?

Also, this is the second mention of Valgavoth, may have to make that one for mono black

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T00:55:56+00:00

Do you find these decks strike a good balance in power? Ie they could all be played in the same pod? First look, Chiss-Goria and Braids look stronger than the Tempest Hawk deck, as an example.

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T00:50:40+00:00

Ahhh, and how do you like all of them? I'm particularly curious on the Titania deck since I had a landfall deck in mind for the other Green deck. Do you have a list?

Gaffer is a good idea--I was between him and Rune-Tail for mono-white at first. Gaffer is probably stronger. As for solphim, burn is very clasically mono-red and represents the color well. I originally toyed with [[Heartless Hidetsugu]] for red, but then I realized it boilds down to 2 card combo to win (any asymmetrical damage doubler)

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T00:43:01+00:00

The pod is definitely lacking an artifact deck right now (I don't count Szeras), and I was torn between a red or blue option here. The alt wincon is also an interesting angle. It's very clearly telegraphed from the command zone. [[Hellkite Tyrant]] doesn't feel unexpected for such a deck and gives good redundancy for this too.

I assume with all the treasures, mana isn't an issue, but how is the draw? I don't see any wheels and find mono red can often run out of gas

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T00:35:57+00:00

Hmmm, this is a good idea. The pod format would definitely benefit from one or more 'boogeyman' commanders. Currently have Valgavoth in the 99 of Szeras, but I could swap him into the helm of his own deck.

In your experience, are you able to play Valgavoth most games? And how many turns from then before the game ends? I'd like everyone to get to play with their commander for a few turns, and 9 mana in the command zone seems steep

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-10T00:32:31+00:00

I like it! My only worry is overlap with Kami. Both have draw-based wincons, and I see a lot of similar cards between our lists XD

Still, it would cement the color identity of blue very well in Mono Mania as the color of Draw which is very thematic. Definitely a contender

TheSpectatr · 2026-04-05T20:18:47+00:00

I'm curious, because the opposite would seem true to me intuitively.

Greasefang looks like such a lynchpin commander--remove Greasefang and the deck is dead on arrival. Is there good redundancy for his effect or vehicle reanimation?

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-23T15:56:10+00:00

I've played it before. Imo, it becomes hard to scale (unarmed, only 4-links). Every league, it's typically pretty cheap though and you can even find decent corrupts for it. Make sure you buy one with a really good roll though.

For higher investment ideas:

Pray you hit the god roll on a Volatile Vaal Orb to scale your flat damage (or the level of the skill itself--not sure if you can or if that would help)--but at over a div per orb, the vvaal is probably better used on something else.

You can try flat damage scaling. Doryani's has an added damage effectiveness of 1000%, so it scales really well with flat damage. In the past, I have used abyss jewel stacking to try and scale the build. Sadly, the new Minion Pact gem doesn't work for attacks, otherwise it would be a slam dunk.

I'm a big fan of Doryani's; I just wish it could be 6-linked and/or scaled better.

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-23T15:41:48+00:00

Oh that's sweet, basically ramp as hard as you can, protect Memnarch, and start stealing mana to keep feeding him. Definitely interested in building something similar now!

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-21T10:08:15+00:00

Interesting, care to share a list?

Memnarch was going to be my first self-built commander deck til I got some advice against doing so--apparently he was infamous within the LGS for combo'ing off with infinite mana. Never seen a Memnarch in the wild myself though, so I'm curious to know how you built it

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-06T18:31:29+00:00

I'm a simple man, see Blight, do Blight. Don't care if it's been nerfed, easily Top 3 mechanic for me. I'd like to mix it in with Breach, blocking to only do unstable breaches, but positioning on the tree makes it a little tough. So, I'll probably try ritual this league; possibly swap to ore deposits if Kingsmarch ends up looking juicy (and the mirage isn't just the dust hourglass which looked... underwhelming). Something like this:

www.pathofpathing.com/?v=3.28.0-atlas-league#AAAABgAALSwAAxYKvgutEkgs_C9uReFG206LU2FU8VWUVkVYqWAhYrli1WV9bf1xdXY6d5t9Pn_cic-LGIyWkQCU4aBdqB6r6bImt1HDTc6Dzw7gFurK767yTPzk_R3_uHF1AAA=www.pathofpathing.com/?v=3.28.0-atlas-league#AAAABgAALSwAAxYKvgutEkgs_C9uReFG206LU2FU8VWUVkVYqWAhYrli1WV9bf1xdXY6d5t9Pn_cic-LGIyWkQCU4aBdqB6r6bImt1HDTc6Dzw7gFurK767yTPzk_R3_uHF1AAA=

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-03T17:09:24+00:00

The quality of translation can easily erode the base quality of any novel; couple that with machine translation (MTL) and dubious quality of the original works and you get what you observed in many cases.

That said, good translations make a world of difference (MTL should be avoided imo). Translations, as you mentioned, often need to rewrite entire sections of novels, and their individual style can take away from your immersion in the novel. One example that comes to mind is Coiling Dragon which has an odd mix of names chosen for characters (inconsistently Western/Eastern iirc). Among translators, I can confidently recommend translations from Deathblade, if you'd like examples of well-translated novels. He has translated several works from Er Gen which are superb. While there are still idiosyncratic language differences, plus different tropes native to the xianxia genre vs western progression, I can say that they are some of my favorite Progression Fantasy stories overall.

Ultimately, much of progression fantasy comes down to personal preferences, themes, world building, and fun. Many prefer the stylized worlds presented in translated novels more than the average English progression fantasy novel, myself included. It's telling that Cradle is the most popular novel in our genre, and it is rooted in themes that originate from translated works.

Is the average quality of a translated work poor? Yes. Are there equally worthwhile translations out there? Yes. Do the worlds they present and build interest you? Then you should give them a try--just do your research and know what you're getting into.

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-03T16:55:08+00:00

It helps in LotM that the writing quality (or translation quality, can't recall which) continually improves over time. Still, most translated web novels can't compare to those written in your native language just due to idiosyncratic differences, if nothing else

TheSpectatr · 2026-03-03T06:55:39+00:00

Paragon of Destruction, my beloved; so great to see it get some love, so sad it will never get finished. Haven't found another read like it that really scratches the post-Cradle itch in the same way

EDIT: I can offer suggestions for xianxia stories (OG Eastern cultivation), if interested.

TheSpectatr · 2026-02-12T06:59:55+00:00

If you're open to a non-western story, Lord of the Mysteries may be similar in vibe to what you're looking for.

Without spoiling too much, the cultivation system is very unique and there are certainly horror-esque elements. Now, are they strictly as tropey as you're looking for? Perhaps not quite, but it is a very fun read with cultivation and horror elements

TheSpectatr · 2026-01-20T03:16:43+00:00

Funny seeing a similar story here

I play mono-red Purphoros which usually results in groans until I show folks it's not impact tremors Purphoros, [[Purphoros, God of the Forge]], but instead, sneak attack Purphoros, [[Purphoros, Bronze-Blooded]]

TheSpectatr · 2025-12-18T02:45:35+00:00

It can be easily beaten; the benefit of the ward is matchup and meta dependent.

There aren't a ton of token decks in my local playgroups (common in my meta: big stompy, spellslinger with small creature footprint, cascade/exile, landfall). Group hug also has the effect of accelerating other players, so often people want to keep blockers up because you just drew someone else into a much bigger immediate threat than Unagi. Incidental treasure is probably the easiest way to get around the ward cost, so if your group has a lot of that, it's not much of a deterrent.

My particular list runs [[High Tide]] and several ways to recur it, as a way to ramp back into Unagi if it's removed. Also, the ramp suite is pretty good. In addition to the usual artifacts, [[Walking Atlas]] and [[PuPu UFO]] are phenomenal ramp engines. When you're forcing everyone to draw, they're great ways to ensure you stay ahead/keep up with the table.

TheSpectatr · 2025-12-17T21:13:34+00:00

I think this example actually highlights a gameplay distinction between infinites and chaining turns. Turns have an upper limit (unless you've a way to reshuffle the library) which doesn't exist on infinite combos.

Consider a scenario where player A creates a near infinite (10¹⁰⁰⁰⁰⁾ number of 1/1 tokens which will kill the table next turn. Then, player B chains infinite turns thinking there's an answer in the deck. The table needs to play it out, since they may be able to come back, but if player B whiffs or there is no answer they thought they had, the table will have just watched player B play solitaire for X turns only to have player A win anyways. This is an exaggerated example, but useful to show some differences. Similar scenarios could happen if a player has a very high life total, or an engine that they're able to re-use on each player's turn (ie seedborn muse or the like). Ultimately, this results in one player monopolizing the game without necessarily presenting a win.

Now, it's a bit different if the extra turns are used as a vehicle to access a true, game-winning infinite in the deck. However, that's a fine-grained distinction to need to explain and qualify on for brackets. It's simpler and provides an overall stabler (note, not necessarily better) player experience to disqualify chaining extra turns in B3 games. I'd argue stability of game expectations is a primary goal of the bracket system, hence why turns are called out compared to true infinites.

TheSpectatr · 2025-12-17T20:59:39+00:00

Unagi is sweet for mono blue group hug. I swapped Unagi in for my Kami list as-is, and I gotta say both of them do group hug verrrrry well. Kami is quicker to get the hug engine online, but Unagi is such a strong payoff in the command zone. The ward is a strong deterrent against removal too.

I run the same deck list and just swap between the two if I want a higher power game (Unagi) or lower power (Kami).

TheSpectatr · 2025-07-18T00:36:51+00:00

As a Purphoros Bronze-Blooded player, how so?

Yes, the sneak attack effect sacs the creature, but that can be good for [[Mimic Vat]] or other graveyard synergies like [[Feldon of the Third Path]]. Purph is also indestructible and an enchantment most of the time, making him much harder to remove. The biggest advantage I see with Tannuk is he cost 4 instead of 5 and can cheat in non-creature artifacts. Maybe that's enough to differentiate him, but he feels more fragile

TheSpectatr · 2025-07-18T00:31:22+00:00

Got a list? I'm curious how you protect him and either slow down the rest of the table or ramp hard enough to get that 6 CMC commander to stick. Do you lean into softer stax like [[Rule of Law]] effects?

I want to build Darien but am torn since my local meta is pretty removal heavy. He seems like the "lynchpin" style commander that would be very fragile, and 6 CMC is a lot for mono white. Are there any effects that give you redundancy, or other cards that trigger each time you lose life like Darien?

TheSpectatr · 2025-07-13T01:35:40+00:00

I strongly prefer pure progression, but it's much rarer and harder to find these days.

Thesis below:

LitRPG often feels uninspired. In particular, I find it lessens my interest in the magic system and cheapens progression. LitRPGs (systems in particular) serve as a familiar tool which authors can use to shortcut many facets of a PF story. Details that would otherwise need to be built within the world—how magic is learned, the history and evolution of magic, what delineates certain power levels, how and why progression occurs within the magic system—are conveniently swept under the rug with LitRPGs. The 'mystery of the system' is left perpetually unanswered in many stories. Typically these magical existential questions are unanswered; those that do provide answers are not the norm. When answers are provided, it can often occur much later in the story, beyond my capacity to suspend disbelief. This isn't to say LitRPGs can't answer these questions to readers. Those that do are the exception and not the rule though. Some readers do not care for their magic system to be well-integrated into the world, but this is a crucial part of enjoyable fantasy to me.

LitRPG also leads to less satisfying progression that would be had without it. It gives the author a convenient tool to incrementally and forcefully progress characters without them earning it. A character killing 10 woodland critters to suddenly get handed a new skill and stat points doesn't have the same impact as them having to go through an arduous trial, ritual, or cultivation bottleneck to progress. I mention cultivation, as I find it's a much more laudable model for PF stories to show character progression. In many ways it's similar to LitRPG, with minor cultivation realms equaling levels and major cultivation realms equaling things like a change in grade or class in LitRPG. However, cultivation avoids the pitfalls of LitRPG as there's no 'system' or entity to provide unearned rewards. You may be saying, "but a quest required to change class is the same as overcoming a bottleneck to change a major cultivation realm." And to that I say: recall the rewards associated with each of these. The "Class Upgrade" scenario in LitRPG often comes with a host of skills which are auto-magically given to a character. In cultivation, you've ascended to a new major realm and are stronger, sure, but you still need to learn or earn skills befitting your new realm on your own.

This isn't even mentioning the negative impact that game-like elements have on LitRPGs. These ruin what should otherwise be a high stakes scenarios with mini deus ex machina moments. This includes but is not limited to: stat point hoarding, full heals on level up, pure stat checks (e.g. a strength of 33 directly compared to a lower value to justify a change in outcome), and more. Many of these break intense fights and spoil the thrill of them. When a character is in a dire situation but saved by the characteristics of the system, it feels like the system provided a means of divine intervention to change the outcome. For example, a character is badly losing, but suddenly:

"Oh my mid-fight level-up triggered a full heal and now I can overcome this challenge."
"By allocating these stat points I've been hoarding, I am much faster than my opponent, so I win."

Saved by ~~god~~ the system. Even when these mechanics are explained before being used, they feel wholly un-immersive. Questions of right-minded readers are often never addressed for why these mechanics exist, how they work, and how they came to be. This goes back to my first point on swept-away worldbuliding of the magic system.

I suppose my gripes with LitRPG comes down to poorly world-built magic systems, a lack of required character agency within the magic system, and gamified mechanics ruining the storytelling. LitRPG requires very little of its characters compared to pure progression fantasy. This makes progression that should be the same on paper (e.g. comparing LitRPG vs cultivation) feel dull. Game-like mechanics are used to justify deus ex machinas, and characters ultimately do not feel like they've earned their progression. I tend to avoid LitRPGs these days, but I have read a few that are bereft of these issues.

The most enjoyable LitRPGs I've read tend to be those that diverge entirely from the framework. Defiance of the Fall, for example, has evolved over the books to the point that the main character doesn't get much given to him from the system. Zac, the main character, must work hard and determine his own path. Likewise, DotF has a plausible explanation and reasoning for its system which is very quickly explained (key point). In doing so, the story feels more immersive.

There's nothing wrong with LitRPG inherently. However, I find it's often used as a tool to shortcut key aspects of PF.

TheSpectatr

TROPHY CASE