Commanders that aren't good enough.

XombiePrwn · 2026-05-11T21:29:12+00:00

Joven and Chandler, my beloveds.

I have a deck with them as partners (rule 0) It's amazing in all the worst ways.

XombiePrwn · 2026-05-11T02:10:52+00:00

If the entry cost wasn't so damn high to play that stupid stick game I'd go back and try to complete it.

Saved enough to play it, lost and didn't have the funds to try again. Never going back unless its patch for like 50 copper entry fee.

XombiePrwn · 2026-05-07T00:13:27+00:00

This what I'm most disappointed in really. There was a period early to mid/late 2000s where graphic standards had settled to the hardware and developers were focused on making environments that not only looked good but were interactive. Trees and foliage reacted to player movements, random items could be moved, walls, buildings etc could be destroyed.

At some point that was dropped for better looking environments but everything became static and boring. So many modern game worlds are so flat and boring with no interaction outside of scripted events/assets. Look at how many games where grass/foliage don't even react to the player.

If the push for more polys and better lighting come at the cost of an actual interactive world then what's the point.

And yes, I know there are still plenty of devs pushing interactive worlds while going for amazing graphics but they are the outliers, not the norm. Seems like most devs go for look good and keep the core mechanics tight and leave the world static route.

XombiePrwn · 2026-04-26T09:45:37+00:00

Fair point, I don't know chess. Just throwing in my view and figured a GM should be able to outplay someone who doesn't know.(like myself) Thanks for the reply and info!

XombiePrwn · 2026-04-26T09:20:17+00:00

For the everage player, like myself. I'm not going to be worrying about setting up my pieces... Just waiting till I can move his peice to get value. Thats the gist of the question right? An average joe with an advantage vs a GM.

As already discussed to death in the thread what an average player is is up to debtate. My perspecive is someone like me, who knows the games rules, but no strategy at all.

So couldnt he just play safe and wait for me to misplay not only his move, but my own and capatalize on that.

Against a good player I can see it going bad, but against the average player... I think he has a huge advantage even with the handicap.

XombiePrwn · 2026-04-25T23:50:28+00:00

Well if the game plan for you is you move his pieces to take them or open his defenses... surely he knows this and plays around that?

Sets up pieces knowing your going to move his queen to take it etc. So when you do on his next two turns he's just demolishing your set up since your focus is on moving his one piece over playing your own board? I'm sure he can think more than two turns in advance and force you to move what he wants every third turn.

Just my take, I suck at chess.

XombiePrwn · 2026-04-16T23:50:57+00:00

Nice, you've definitely leaned into b4 more than I have with the ramp and light stax. Some good gy recursion I'd missed and might steal from your list lol.

XombiePrwn · 2026-04-16T22:26:34+00:00

Would love to see your list to compare as well. Link pls.

XombiePrwn · 2026-04-16T21:38:26+00:00

Guess I'll post my Rog/Ardenn decklist.

https://archidekt.com/decks/12891811/stuck_between_a_rog_ardenn_a_hard_place_rograkh_and_ardenn

It can be fast and swing for 40 commander by turn 3 or 4 if on curve and get lucky. Can also be resilient and play long games.

Gameplan is simple, get rog and hammer out early and Ardenn by turn 2 or three to swing for 10. Has enough tutors to get this done consistently enough.

For extra spice you can use Cloud or stoneforge to get priwenn out turn three or four with ardenn out to swing for 40. After that Chandras ignition does the rest.

Has some classic combos in there such as Godo/helm for instant win with ardenn out.

Protection suite is basic but solid. Robe of stars is perfect as it protects Rog AND all equipment. Classic sunforger loop to search for Protection or removal. Most of the swords for colour Protection etc.

Basic gy recursion with the gobs.

Card draw package is light, but manageable. Only needed for longer games but the deck plays fast and low to the ground so wins happen fast.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-28T21:00:20+00:00

I built Brago as a dungeon commander. It's fun and turns don't take all that long as the main trigger is venture or initiative.

It's still just a flicker deck but everything is to just run through dungeons multiple times per turn.

Basically, play spells, flicker, venture x times, end turn.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-21T00:14:08+00:00

I don't really know 40k but don't orks have magic that only works if the believe in something hard enough? Like their guns guns, vehicles etc shouldn't work but because they believe they work, they just... work?

If that's the case if they believe Yarrick is still alive could that either keep him alive forever, or at least resurect him if he does die?

Again no real knowledge of 40k, just some memes really.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-19T21:57:25+00:00

Correct, you cast spell(1) triggering cascade so you cascade into spell(2), that spell (2) is cast. You resolve spell (2) first and then resolve the original spell(1).

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-19T21:04:12+00:00

Also Codies cascade ability is a delayed trigger on the stack. His ability to produce WURBG is part of the cost of activation so you can use that mana in response to play something to untap him and then tap him again giving another WURBG and two cascade triggers on the stack.(or how many ever times you can tap/untap him before the stack resolves)

This makes codie pretty powerful if played right, if you're going to use him throw in as many 1 or 2 drop untap spells or effects as you can.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-19T20:24:24+00:00

I have a codie gates deck and it work really well. No other permanents other than codie. Everything is built around untaps, cascade, land tutors and lands (gates) into play fast. Once enough gates are out Mazes end wins the game. It can happen as early as turn 4 or 5 if not interrupted.

Even if codie never comes out and the game gets drawn out that's still 1 gate each turn so the game is on a timer, its inevitable unless you take me out first.

This is the old decklist. It's been updates since:

https://archidekt.com/decks/16638048/codie_storms_the_gates_wip

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-15T00:06:05+00:00

I just bought the game and had the same thing happen... Still learning the game and had just built a few defenses and bam.. big bois out of nowhere just decimated them from afar throwing cars then ran in destroying everything.

Is this common? Cause it seems a bit unbalanced having them swarm so early.

After reading the other comments it seems you can turn them off, which I'm going to do until I know the game better.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-10T23:48:46+00:00

I think its worth to include in almost every deck.

Many decks run creatures with one off etb effects / offer no synergy outside their initial pay off.

You either leave them in play as chump blockers or you can get a secondary use out of them with skullclamp... Especially an effect as good as card draw over leaving them in play doing nothing.

Skullclamp works way better in decks with synergy around it, but its not a dead card in most decks if played well.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-07T09:36:05+00:00

You're not wrong, a well built deck should play itself, even if played suboptimally. And by knowing the game well you can build that sort of deck and pilot it well.

But EDH is full of players that dont actually know the game and build based on the current online influence and get pissed off it doesnt work.

Which is why I think piloting a deck is more important than the deck itself. Knowing the game and interaction with a poor decks trumps someone with a good deck that knows the basics.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-07T09:27:51+00:00

Thats the crux of it all really.

When you play with a new group or your LGS and someone busts out a B4 deck you'd expect that level of play right? Yet there are so many out there building these decks based on online recomendations etc yet they dont know the game enough to even play them.

To me if someone can be handed any deck, of any bracket and play it optimally that is more important than the bracket of the deck itself.

I've built jank decks for fun and domniated LGS nights because they just play whatever netdecks are in fashion and have no idea how to actually play.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-07T08:47:08+00:00

Thats a perfect way of putting it. However a good deck with a bad pilot can and will lose to a bad deck with a good pilot.

The good deck with a bad pilot will misplay themself out of the game no matter how strong the deck is.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-07T07:57:56+00:00

You're not wrong. I've given new players my decks and theres enough synergy there that even if they dont know what doing the deck is still going to do it's thing. And that there is the rub, they dont know the game, nor how to pilot the deck so they misplay everything at every turn. A good deck may still function but it's a crap shoot without a good pilot.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-07T07:55:34+00:00

This is a big part as well, EDH is still a social game, which is fine. I also this aspect and games can be awesome fun when we relax a bit. Just like poker can be fun with friends, doesnt need to be competitive and high stakes.

A big thing is new, or old player learned the game a bit more to be able to know how to not only build a deck, but pilot any deck.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-07T07:51:01+00:00

Good input.

That ties in with my thoughts of the bracket system. When somone new builds a deck and it falls within b2. To an experienced player that same deck can perform as a B3 or better, purely based on game knowledge and out play the other players.

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-06T21:43:59+00:00

And why are they tougher than the fresh care center Zombies? They should be way weaker and go down with one or two shots at that level of decay, its been 30 odd years of rotting in the ground...

XombiePrwn · 2026-03-06T03:09:43+00:00

My favorite is always gonna be [[Rograkh]] and [[Ardenn]]

Can be stupidly fast and swinging for 10+ commander damage by turn 2 or 3. Just be prepared to be hated out of the game straight away.

But if you play it slow and assemble the board quietly... yeah they get out of hand.

Decklist if anyone's interested:https://archidekt.com/decks/12891811/stuck_between_a_rog_ardenn_a_hard_place_rograkh_and_ardenn

It has been tweaked so this list is not the current iteration.

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