Let’s build a Deck capable to win.
In our last article, we spoke about the 6 different ways to win in Team Commander.
Now, let’s have a closer look at this – what information does it provide for us regarding Deck building ?
Okay, we want to win. We know that there are 6 ways to do so. We ignore the possibility that our opponent kills himself – we want to win by on own. Let’s recap:
The enemy is required to draw more cards than cards are left in his or her library.
These Milldecks try to exile or mill all cards from an opponents library. While this strategy is of course a possible way to win, it is easier to achieve in other formats: 60 card decks vs. ~99 cards in Commander, and 2 opponents in Team Commander. Of course, you don’t have to mill both your opponents in Team Commander – if one of them runs out of cards, the whole team loses. The biggest problem though is that you still have two opponents, attacking, hindering, fighting you while you are – well- quite on your own. „Wait, I also do have a partner!“ you might reply. But, as Mill Decks are quite scarce, it is more likely that your teammate will run a damage based deck – neither are you synergizing with him doing damage, nor will he mill a single card. There are Mindcrank and Mesmeric Orb, but besides this, you have to mill all cards by yourself. As said before, the library is also bigger, giving you a higher task – if a „long“ game takes 20 turns, you still have to mill about 70 cards. And there are more cards which grant reshuffle effects which are played in Commander – like Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, for instance. Some cards which are quite common for Mill Decks also „swap their job“ – of course you could tap the Consuming Aberration in a Phenax, God of Deception Deck to mill 30 cards, but you could also just attack and kill the enemy at once. So, in total, milling is difficult – and a win over damage is easier achievable. Milling will stay seldom and a niche tactic. The most often ways we see mill tactics as a win-con is as an infinite Mana combo and an Oona, Queen of the Fae or Ambassador Laquatus activation, or a simple Stroke of Genius. While this bis also a „mill“ win, such Decks are more on the combo-ish side than being a true Mill Deck.
Should you build such a Deck ?
Yes: if you like unique decks, winning is not your main aspect for playing Magic, and you are curious if you can really mill an opponent (before either you lose, or your teammate wins by damage).
If you are more into winning the game or look for a safe way to harmonize with your partner, you shouldn’t build a Mill Deck, though.
You win the game.
There are about 23 cards which simply let’s you win the Game (excluded the banned ones). As none of these cards can be your Commander, it’s hard to rely on them. Of course you can search for these cards, build a whole deck around them and try to meet their win conditions while surviving and protecting the card itself. One of the most common alternate Win-Cons is playing „Gates“: Maze’s End. Commanders like Golos, the tireless Pilgrim perfectly support such a strategy.
Should you build such a Deck ?
Yes: if you have room for an alternate win-con, winning is not your main aspect for playing Magic, and you like having a special surpise up your sleeve.
These alternate Win-Cons are hard to achieve, and building a deck just relying on them to trigger will rarely succeed. Nevertheless, if you do, you surely will remember this victory forever.
The enemy loses the game.
Quite the same as above: 10 cards do this trick. But, in contrast to winning the game, these cards are quite easier to trigger, some of them don’t even require lots of conditions. Door to Nothingness is such a card. 10 Mana, bam – you win. Okay, enters tapped. Requires 10 costy colored mana, so is just playable in a 5 colored Deck: you could tell this is a requirement by itself. But on the other hand, it is a single card which could win on their own. The Vraska planeswalkers also do have an ultimate which lets you win. All in all, these win-con cards can just be added into about any Deck without further pondering.
Should you build such a Deck ?
Yes and No: these cards are also quite scarce, and building a deck just around such a card will be quite fragile and scarcely win. A better approach seems to include such cards in a deck which synergizes with such cards. They are an additional threat, and provide fun and thrill. While such cards are not an auto-include at all, they can offer you an unorthodox and not suspected way towards a win.
The enemy team is inflicted 15 or more poison counters.
Another way to win are poison counters. And, you might say:“I know the story, I will be the only one playing poison counters, so your advice is: stay away from it.“ But no, it’s not that easy, and the comparison with a Mill Strategy is not exactly the same thing. It’s 15 poison counters for the team. Ichor Rats even give every player a counter. Proliferate anyone ? So, Poison decks normally don’t synnergize with your teammate, but can be strong enough to pull of by oneself. They are quite inevitable: once applied, noone can remove them (believe me: no one ever plays Leeches), and proliferate will do the job then. The creatures might be tiny and not that manacost efficient, but all in all Poison still is a viable strategy. Triumph of the Hordes is even a one card-win option by its own, and some decks include just this card to win out of nothing.
Should you build such a Deck ?
Yes and No: Poison decks can win. They may not be top notch, but they are okay. So if you like to try something new, go ahead.
If you are no willing to invest into these cards, try to optimize such a deck to the fullest, you will most likely not succeed with a poison strategy and be easily frustrated – so either take it as a project, or better look into more efficient and widespread strategies.
So, the first four strategies are indeed ways to win, but they will remain scarce because of the arguments provided above. They often just don’t synnergize well with a partner, have drawbacks in 2HG, are hard to pull off, hard to find in a Commander format deck and … there are mostly easier, more common ways to win:
The enemy team is dealt 21 or more damage by a certain Commander.
Well, while of course the argument, that you have to pull off the show by yourself and deal the 21 Damage with your commander is still vaild, there is more synnergy per se. Your teammate will most likely also inflict damage. Even if you don’t achieve your goal to deal 21+ Commander damage, your Commander does damage, reduces the enemies‘ lifepool, and by doing so he helps your partner. Your partner maybe plays spells in his decks which can handle enemy creatures, opening the way for your commander. It’s not a total synnergy, but at least you and your partner both don’t hinder yourself mutual, right ? So it isn’t that much of a surprise that Commander Damage is next to pure damage the secondranging Winoption (at least in Team Commander). The Duelcommander format has suspended the Commander damage rule, though.
Should you build such a Deck ?
Definitely Yes! Winning by Commander Damage is one of the aspects which defines the format, we think. So while it is not easy to succeed in dealing commander Damage, it is an elegant way to win. But why is it more difficult to dish out Commander Damage than „normal“ creature Damage? Well, you just have one Commander creature in contrast to many normal creatures in a creature based Deck. Sure, you can replay your commander a number of times, but it gets more costy every time, so the amount is limited by your mana, too. If your commander encounters too much removal, your plan can easily get prevented. Most decks have cards against creatures included, and when your main strategy literally dies, you may end up with lots of now useless equipments and enchantments in your hand. So your main focus next to a Voltron strategy is also always to keep your commander himself alive – counterdefense, hexproof, indestructible,… some Commanders are even more suited to go for Commander damage, having natural hexproof or such gadgets. Maybe you should have a look at Sigarda, Host of Herons or Zurgo Helmsmasher or Rafiq of the Many or Sram, Senior Edificer or… there are lots of cool Commanders which can be build around for Commander Damage !
The life of the enemy team is reduced to 0 or less.
Okay, when we proposed last time that about 94% of all games are won or lost by damage, you then certainly know how to build and navigate a standard damage dealing deck, so there is no need to give you advise here. This is bread and butter, and there is totally nothing wrong with a damage based win.
(Our intention wasn’t to diminish this way of winning but pointing out the other possibilities and highlight the circumstances why they see not that much play / are harder to fulfill.)
Okay: We hope you at least reconsider having a look beyond one’s own nose, and you keep having fun !
Your Team Commander Team.