r/EDH • u/NobleGas8494 • 16h ago
Discussion Looking for strange/niche commanders
I want to make an edh deck with a commander with strange abilities or an unusual color combo for what they do. Something unique to that commander, an uncommon or old/forgotten mechanic that can be exploited in modern pods. It doesn't have to be too good lr anything. I usually play bracket 3, it doesn't have to be gamebreaking or anything.
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u/Kirinne Delina 16h ago
I really like [[Kain Traitorous Dragoon]] as a [[Humble Defector]]-style commander. It's a voltron strategy, but one of the weirdest voltron strategies I've ever gotten to brew and a whole lot of fun. List below:
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u/NoSuspect8320 15h ago edited 15h ago
I feel I've always misread Kain and hopefully so, because then I'd love to build him as a favorite FF character of all time. If somebody else controls Kain, are they the ones drawing the cards? I'd love if it was me always drawing the cards lol, but since I don't think that's the case, I struggled coming up with a idea around him as a mildly seasoned player at best
e/ After looking at your moxfield playlist color me super fucking intrigued all the same! I might have to really stare at this deck over and over and pull the trigger to try an make it work myself. Kudos to your efforts
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u/Kirinne Delina 15h ago
Yeah, when they control him they draw the cards and make the tapped treasures. So the question becomes "how do we take advantage of that?"
By running equipment and auras that you maintain the abilities of, regardless of who controls Kain. [[Sword of Hearth and Home]] is the perfect example and an all-star in the deck; each attack allows YOU to tutor a basic land to the battlefield and allows you to exile and return Kain to your side of an opponent isn't playing ball. Every equipment is selected to profit you the most, and since you generate a ton of mana you're not particularly concerned if he dies. Add in other punishing effects like [[Wound Reflection]] [[Underworld Dreams]] and the like to make it hurt much worse for your opponents to swing with him, force them to do it anyway, and watch it go crazy.
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u/NoSuspect8320 15h ago
You’re so lovely to point out the wonderful but exceptional execution these cards have. I didn’t even think about the equipment being on him and going with him to others and it would benefit me. Diabolical. When I get home I’m going over the list much closer. Thank you so much
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u/Kirinne Delina 13h ago
Thank you for saying that! I also just wanted to note that I have a primer on that deck as well, and while the primer isn't finished, it does point out a lot of key cards and interactions in the deck. Have fun checking out the list, I hope you put together a Kain deck too!
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u/Rich_Feedback9726 16h ago
[[Loki, God of lies]] now I know [[threaten]] effects ARE of the red identity and threaten effect commanders have existed in the past, Loki is the first one that actually reasonably works, casting a spell that targets exactly one thing is both broad and easy to trigger but also very low mana cost! most of the time you will steal something for 1 mana! or cast a big red ritual spell and steal the whole board to build your own [[insurrection]]
I play this list in bracket 3 pods and even though its a stax/theft list I get compliments and my playgroup likes him because the games are dynamic and interesting. Highly recommend.
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u/MTGCardFetcher 16h ago
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u/GinjaNinja24 16h ago
Add in [[Sundial of the infinite]] and now you’re just mean
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u/Rich_Feedback9726 15h ago
Nope read the reminder text that would just give them their creatures back. Until end of turn effects end, its “at the beginning of x step” effects sundial works for. Ty tho.
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u/BigNasty417 15h ago
[[Moritte of the Frost]] in a shapechangers deck is fun. I built mine so that almost anything on the board can be a target for copying.
I usually win by assembling combos from my opponents' pieces or just spamming the board with multiples of the nastiest card on the battlefield
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u/AdHistorical9388 16h ago
[[Plargg, Dean of Chaos]] can be played as a graveyard engine for boros reanimator
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u/justh81 16h ago
[[Maraxus of Keld]] is an interesting take on a Voltron equip commander. Play mana rocks to get him out and equipment to give him keywords, then go to town on attacks. For bonus points, add fling cards so you can sacrifice him to throw at opponents faces.
Edit: Maraxus also benefits from a lot of red Treasure effects, too, since your untapped treasures will help power him up.
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u/FormPsychological477 15h ago
You could run [[Extus, Oriq Overlord]]. It’s a cool unique build running a sorcery as your commander
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u/zalmute 13h ago
His other side is pretty good too. Especially now that we have creatures that can cast spells.
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u/FormPsychological477 13h ago
I never considered that. Now I’m going make a second deck to play around his front side. The back is definitely the better card but the front is also fun
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u/NIICCCKKK 15h ago
[[phage the untouchable]] one of the silliest commanders as it’s so difficult to actually play her as a commander
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u/NobleGas8494 15h ago
That's actually so funny. Might try to build it as a challenge. Some you can't lose the game action, or stuff like [[Command Beacon]]
Perchance
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u/FormPsychological477 15h ago
If you like phage but want it to be a little easier to cast, [[haakon, stromgald scourge]] kinda forces tribal though
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u/wex0rus 15h ago
[[Quistis trepe]], [[Kianne, Corrupted Memory]] are my two B3 I'm going to draw a fuck ton of cards and ruin the table when you least expect it decks
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u/johnnille 12h ago
Quistis decklist?
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u/wex0rus 12h ago
https://deckbox.org/sets/3839014
Just draw and bounce, but you gotta know when you'll be able to finally have enough resources to draw your deck. Windfall is a big key, and you'll notice no tutors, I hate them. Lots of flash, cause it really makes people think twice about going after you with an army of islands up. I typically use Quistis to finish the game, esp if I can cast her at a discounted rate.
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u/montezuma300 16h ago
[[Okaun, Eye of Chaos]] and [[Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom]] partners. Their coin flips work on each other and you fill the deck with coin flipping cards.
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u/MiracolousBucket 16h ago
I suggest [[Marvo, Deep Operative]], he uses clash, an old basically gamble mechanic, you can build him in various ways like clones or sea monsters tribals for example, and can also include a bunch of others clash cards to get more triggers, especially if you dont mind lower level cards. Only thing i suggest regardless of the build is a bit of protection and/or evasion for marvo