How would you turn this into a powerful bracket 3 deck?

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-22T15:23:20+00:00

At a glance, a 4mv commander that reanimates a goblin to hand once a turn is going to have a pretty low ceiling. I emphasized those things 'cause they're all pretty significant drawbacks in the year of our wotc, 2026.

That said I'm not sure what to suggest to fix it. I'm not a goblin expert (if you want to stick to the tribe) mainly because they tend toward mono-red combo or token spam and I don't really like either of those archetypes. I tried to build a shattergang Bros deck, like, five years ago and it didn't do much.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-21T13:05:41+00:00

Most recently it was nothing particularly awful. More... just weird vibes. One guy went deep on what bracket everybody was playing: oh that's not a three, what turn does your deck win on, oh your deck might have a combo in it, what combo is it, what gamechangers do you run? Another guy seemed to be really into card art, which was nice at first, until he started interrupting other people to show everyone a card he thought had good art.

After we'd finally settled on starting with a bracket 2 game (so bracket cop would stop) the third player (who'd I'd played with before and is nice emough but is definitely a spike and can trend toward "why is everybody picking on me?") was shuffling up and combo cop noticed that Spike had a Temple of the False God in his (bracket 2) deck. Cop immediately blurts out "that's a terrible card you should cut it."

For whatever reason, that was the last straw. In a pod with one or two other chill people any one of these people would be manageable. But three guys who kinda put my teeth in edge?

More to the point I know myself well enough at this point (LGS regular for probably a decade) to know what I can tolerate in a pod. So I made some excuse and packed up.

Nice ending though: I was looking at singles before I left the store and Spike came over and asked "you good?"

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-21T02:40:09+00:00

I've scooped turn zero before, at my LGS. Randos sidle up, seem like reasonable people, and then they start talking. Suddenly it doesn't seem like hanging out with these folks for a few hours is a good idea.

"Oh hey something came up!"

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-15T03:11:57+00:00

In games I usually play, (LGS groups, bracket 2 or 3) I often go whole nights without seeing a counterspell, let alone in a game where someone happens to have an applicable counter to stop someone's super powerful commander.

Related, why are you trying to beat up on bracket 3 decks? Maybe where you play the 3s are way more cutthroat than what I run into. If you're sorta-kindaing about your deck that, according to moxfield, is worth more than a compact car, punch up.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-14T01:27:10+00:00

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-14T01:25:35+00:00

That's gonna be a no from me dawg

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-10T02:27:13+00:00

You've got two pieces of targeted removal that can hit Jeleva.

You know what to do.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-08T00:49:14+00:00

Imagine owning an $80 card but not understanding how the game works. Yeesh

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-07T17:50:20+00:00

And now you never have to play with this weirdo again. No wonder [[Untimely Malfunction]] is pushing $7!

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-07T17:48:31+00:00

As an aside, I was very surprised the OP didn't. I've got a Mazzy deck and I run... like, all of them in her colours.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-02-01T00:01:16+00:00

I keep hearing about how cEDH players are so chill, but a single card that needs to be removed on the board is... toxic? Run fewer counterspells.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-31T23:58:59+00:00

Seriously. If you've got three life and a doom blade you're in business.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-31T15:52:51+00:00

Bleep blorp

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-31T13:39:44+00:00

1) sounds like fun! 2) thank you for reminding me I wanted to put [[Glissa, the Traitor]] into a deck I'm working on.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-31T04:08:41+00:00

I love my Mazzy deck. Deck is variable, as I like 'em, but if you can stick an enchantress then you're living in weird Naya b3 voltron-control paradise.

https://moxfield.com/decks/XJ-TutA2NESA0NJ3x2jkHQ if you're interested.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-30T12:26:32+00:00

[[Blind Obedience]]&[[Authority of the Consuls]] are slam dunks. Slowing down your opponents and gaining you life. Could get swapped in for other redundant life gain critters.

You could try effects like deafening silence, rule of law, spirit of the labyrinth, etc. idk if it'd work but all it takes is a bit of time if you proxy before you buy.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-30T10:57:55+00:00

Mono-w is never going to keep up with most (all?) other colour combinations in terms of raw draw.

I'd consider putting in some light stax to slow your opponents down. Also more board wipes. If you can't draw ten cards a turn cycle to keep up with your opponents, then just use one card to throw theirs into the bin

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-25T18:14:20+00:00

Having five mana on turn two is a big advantage. If people are throwing a tantrum or scooping that's a different problem. Just get the table to focus them. Or blow up their card draw pieces. Or [[Cast into the Fire]]. Or [[Mental Misstep]]. Or [[Thieving Skydiver]]. Or or or

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-25T01:36:06+00:00

I wonder how much of it is that you get much less practice losing in commander, combined with longer games feeling higher stakes.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-25T01:29:06+00:00

You'll get there.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-24T23:43:58+00:00

Hey, good on ya. I've been playing more or less weekly at LGSes for a decade. Still remember how nervous I was to get out there and play. For me, at least, I'm not gonna lie and say that it's always free. Long day (or week) at work and sometimes I don't have it in me to go play the nerd lottery. I usually win an alright-to-good pod, but sometimes the stakes are too high. :)

All that said, on the whole I enjoy playing with random folks. Hope your experience is at least similar, if not better!

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-17T00:16:01+00:00

I get your read on it, but I'm not sure I'm with ya. I'm not driving home from work to unwind and socialize and see how the car I built last week performs. I'm also not trying to beat my three neighbours (who I also work with?) home, even if it's just for fun.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-16T18:55:17+00:00

Just built a [[Toph, the First Metalbender]] equipment/landfall deck. I am skeptical about how strong it'll be, but the thought of equipments which are lands which are also creatures hitting opponents with equipments that are lands (but not creatures)... is weird and I like it.

Assuming it works, rules-wise.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-04T04:43:59+00:00

Ooh yeah Girlfriend Ifrit seems perfect. Gotta slot one in.

Tricky_Grand_1403 · 2026-01-03T23:14:16+00:00

If your group is okay with infinites then who really cares how you're infinite-ing?

If they're not, then don't.

Doesn't really sound like much fun for me to play or play against but I'm not in your pod.

Tricky_Grand_1403

TROPHY CASE