<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shao Jun" href="#" target="_blank">Shao Jun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/sstarkm">Stephen Stark</a></em></p>
<p>Despite the set being over a year old now, I hadn't really engaged with the cards from the <em>Assassin's Creed</em> set until recently. Once I did, I discovered an astonishing number of really compelling legends going through the set, and somewhere along the way <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shao Jun" href="#" target="_blank">Shao Jun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ended up becoming my go-to Bracket 4 (Optimized) deck. In this deck tech, I'm going to show off my build of Shao Jun.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shao Jun"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Shao Jun Do?</h2>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shao Jun" href="#" target="_blank">Shao Jun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a three-mana 3/3 that has flying and first strike during her controller's turn. She also has an activated ability that taps two artifacts to deal one damage to each opponent. At face value, this is a touch underwhelming. However, Shao Jun is perfectly positioned to take advantage of my favorite blue cards in Commander: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects! With a Curiosity attached, Shao Jun can tap two artifacts to draw three cards. Once set up, this Shao Jun deck is effectively going to be slamming multiple <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s every turn cycle!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curiosity"></div></div>
<h2>Key Cards for Shao Jun</h2>
<h3>Curiosities</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curiosity"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ophidian Eye"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tandem Lookout"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Curiosity" href="#" target="_blank">Curiosity</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects are the lifeblood of this <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shao Jun" href="#" target="_blank">Shao Jun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. During mulligans and in the early turns, I prioritize finding one of these three cards above all else. Once Shao Jun and a Curiosity effect have been established, the rest of the game tends to sort itself out. The deck's suite of counterspells are primarily used to keep Shao Jun in play and to keep drawing cards.</p>
<p>Not all of the Curiosity effects are built the same: both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ophidian Eye" href="#" target="_blank">Ophidian Eye</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and Curiosity have optional effects that say "you may draw a card", while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tandem Lookout" href="#" target="_blank">Tandem Lookout</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s trigger is not optional. In the later stages of a game where Shao Jun is being activated over and over again or even infinitely, this is important to keep that in mind; no one wants to inadvertently deck out while going off.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Unwinding Clock"></div></div>
<p>It's been established that Shao Jun plus Curiosity and two artifacts equals <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancestral Recall" href="#" target="_blank">Ancestral Recall</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is very powerful on its own! But what if that could be pushed a little further?</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Unwinding Clock" href="#" target="_blank">Unwinding Clock</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> untaps all artifacts during each opponent's untap step, which changes the equation a little bit. Adding Unwinding Clock takes it from one Ancestral Recall per turn cycle to four; that's twelve cards per turn cycle per group of two artifacts in play. With four artifacts in play, that doubles to 24 cards to draw per turn. With card draw like this, who needs <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>?</p>
<h3>Producing Artifacts</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pinnacle Emissary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Third Path Iconoclast"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sai, Master Thopterist"></div></div>
<p>Shao Jun needs a lot of artifacts in play to take full advantage of her activated ability. Token-generators, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pinnacle Emissary" href="#" target="_blank">Pinnacle Emissary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Third Path Iconoclast" href="#" target="_blank">Third Path Iconoclast</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sai, Master Thopterist" href="#" target="_blank">Sai, Master Thopterist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, all provide an additional artifact whenever an artifact or noncreature spell is cast. Shao Jun is really asking for artifacts to come in groups of at least two, and these creatures all make that happen!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paradise Mantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Jeweled Amulet"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mox Opal"></div></div>
<p>Alongside token-generators, this deck has a very high density of low-cost artifacts. More often than not, the text on these artifacts winds up being irrelevant: if it can be cast cheaply, it triggers a token-generator, and it can be tapped to activate Shao Jun, it fits! Because of this dynamic, the early turns play out similarly to Modern Affinity decks.</p>
<h3>Slowing Down the Opponents</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Moon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Harbinger of the Seas"></div></div>
<p>This is a Bracket 4 (Optimized) deck, which means there's nothing preventing me from including mass mana denial cards, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Shao Jun is definitely aiming to play at tables where these cards are necessary evils to keep incredibly powerful three-, four-, and five-color decks with greedy mana bases off-balance while Shao Jun is setting up. In order to accommodate Blood Moon and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Harbinger of the Seas" href="#" target="_blank">Harbinger of the Seas</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, I've included a whopping 13 basic lands alongside 8 fetch lands to ensure that these effects only hinder the opponents.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Urza&#039;s Saga"></div></div>
<p>A fun thing to keep in mind when piloting decks that include both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> effects and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza&#039;s Saga" href="#" target="_blank">Urza&#039;s Saga</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is that, due to the Sagas rule change that happened ahead of the release of <em>Final Fantasy</em>, Blood Moon no longer sends Urza's Saga to the graveyard. Instead, Urza's Saga will keep the abilities that have been granted to it by its chapter abilities and it will not gain any more lore counters at the beginning of each main phase.</p>
<p>For example, an Urza's Saga that has reached its second chapter and gained the ability to make Construct tokens will retain that ability with Blood Moon in play and won't ever receive its third lore counter. That means the player that controls Urza's Saga will just have a Construct token factory in play until the Blood Moon is removed. Layers are fun!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Winter Orb"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in particular has a very strong synergy with Shao Jun, as Winter Orb can be tapped with Shao Jun's activated ability on the end step before her controller's turn to ensure that each opponent only gets to untap one land per turn and the Shao Jun player is totally unaffected. This is the same trick that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Urza, Lord High Artificer" href="#" target="_blank">Urza, Lord High Artificer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> decks have been using to create salty opponents since his release in <em>Modern Horizons</em>.</p>
<h2>How Does this Shao Jun Deck Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dramatic Reversal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Isochron Scepter"></div></div>
<p>The most straightforward way to win a game with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shao Jun" href="#" target="_blank">Shao Jun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is by infinitely untapping artifacts with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Reversal" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to deal infinite damage to each opponent with her activated ability. With the deck's high card velocity and robust suite of tutors, this combo isn't very difficult to assemble, and the only other requirement is having at least two other artifacts in play to tap with Shao Jun.</p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Proft&#039;s Eidetic Memory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Adaptive Omnitool"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nexus of Fate"></div></div>
<p>Because of Shao Jun's built-in evasion, this deck is also able to pull commander damage wins out of nowhere. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Proft&#039;s Eidetic Memory" href="#" target="_blank">Proft&#039;s Eidetic Memory</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Adaptive Omnitool" href="#" target="_blank">Adaptive Omnitool</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can turn Shao Jun into a lethal threat in an instant. In a four-player game, one combat step isn't quite enough to get a game over with, which is where <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nexus of Fate" href="#" target="_blank">Nexus of Fate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> comes in. Due to the potent card draw engine of Shao Jun and Curiosity effects, looping Nexus of Fate by simply drawing a million cards on each turn is not an uncommon win condition. This, in addition to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Last Chance" href="#" target="_blank">Last Chance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Alchemist&#039;s Gambit" href="#" target="_blank">Alchemist&#039;s Gambit</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, should provide enough additional combat steps to get the job done.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forensic Gadgeteer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Basalt Monolith"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Retrofitter Foundry"></div></div>
<p>The last win condition to keep in mind when piloting this deck is making infinite mana with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Forensic Gadgeteer" href="#" target="_blank">Forensic Gadgeteer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Basalt Monolith" href="#" target="_blank">Basalt Monolith</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, then using it to make infinite tokens with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Retrofitter Foundry" href="#" target="_blank">Retrofitter Foundry</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. This is a combo ripped right from the Vintage Cube, and I love it! I've yet to pull this one off, as it's the highest effort combo and the deck and the other win conditions often present themselves before this one. However, the best thing about this one is that each of these cards are useful to Shao Jun's game plan by themselves!</p>
<h2>Shao Jun Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Shao Jun" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Shao Jun
[/Commander]
[Enchantments]
*1 Back to Basics
*1 Ballad of the Black Flag
*1 Blood Moon
*1 Curiosity
*1 Ophidian Eye
*1 Proft&#039;s Eidetic Memory
*1 Weapons Manufacturing
[/Enchantments]
[Artifacts]
*1 Adaptive Omnitool
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Basalt Monolith
*1 Basilisk Collar
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Jeweled Amulet
*1 Lotus Petal
*1 Mishra&#039;s Bauble
*1 Mox Amber
*1 Mox Opal
*1 Nettlecyst
*1 Paradise Mantle
*1 Pithing Needle
*1 Retrofitter Foundry
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Talisman of Creativity
*1 Tamiyo&#039;s Journal
*1 Unwinding Clock
*1 Winter Orb
[/Artifacts]
[Creatures]
*1 Drift of Phantasms
*1 Enthusiastic Mechanaut
*1 Etherium Sculptor
*1 Forensic Gadgeteer
*1 Harbinger of the Seas
*1 Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain
*1 K-9, Mark I
*1 Kappa Cannoneer
*1 Loyal Inventor
*1 Magus of the Moon
*1 Malcolm, the Eyes
*1 Pinnacle Emissary
*1 Professional Face-Breaker
*1 Sai, Master Thopterist
*1 Tandem Lookout
*1 Third Path Iconoclast
*1 Thought Monitor
*1 Tribute Mage
*1 Urza, Lord High Artificer
[/Creatures]
[Sorceries]
*1 Alchemist&#039;s Gambit
*1 Fabricate
*1 Gamble
*1 Last Chance
*1 Thoughtcast
*1 Windfall
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Dizzy Spell
*1 Dramatic Reversal
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Fire Magic
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Force of Will
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Muddle the Mixture
*1 Nexus of Fate
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Strix Serenade
*1 Swan Song
*1 Untimely Malfunction
*1 Whir of Invention
[/Instants]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Saheeli, Sublime Artificer
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Bloodstained Mire
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Great Furnace
*10 Island
*1 Mistrise Village
*1 Misty Rainforest
*3 Mountain
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Seat of the Synod
*1 Secluded Starforge
*1 Spire of Industry
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Strip Mine
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Urza&#039;s Saga
*1 Wooded Foothills
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<h3>The Hardest Question for Shao Jun to Answer</h3>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shao Jun"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Vivi Ornitier"></div></div>
<p>Unfortunately, at the highest power levels of Commander, every Izzet commander has to answer the question: "Why not just play Vivi?" It's true. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vivi Ornitier" href="#" target="_blank">Vivi Ornitier</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can do everything that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shao Jun" href="#" target="_blank">Shao Jun</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can while also single-handedly generating millions of mana while not being forced to focus on artifacts. However, after playing a few games with Vivi, I can safely say that Vivi is also the least fun Izzet commander I have ever played. He's incredibly high power, but not particularly high fun. I tend to prefer decks where the commander is asking me to solve a problem for them in order to unlock their potential, and Shao Jun asks me more interesting questions than Vivi. That's really the only argument I can make for Shao Jun. It's enough for me, but that's only because winning isn't the only thing I'm optimizing for when approaching Commander as a format.</p>
<p>Any player, like myself, who enjoys drawing lots of cards, utilizing artifact synergies, and navigating long, complicated turns will love this Shao Jun deck. The only caveat is that I'd only recommend my build of Shao Jun to players who can find a Bracket 4 (Optimized) table to play the deck at. Key cards for Shao Jun, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Winter Orb" href="#" target="_blank">Winter Orb</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, simply won't be well received at lower power tables, so I'd recommend looking at other approaches to this commander for those tables.</p>


Shao Jun Commander Deck Tech

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrasios, Triton Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Thrasios, Triton Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://josuhernaiz.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Josu Hernaiz</a></em></p>
<p>Take a look at the Commander Bracket system and you'll notice that most of the brackets are pretty clearly differentiable. Whether it's the number of <a href="https://edhrec.com/top/game-changers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Game Changers</a> allowed or the presence of combos, each bracket has its own strategy and niche plainly carved out.</p>
<p>Well, until you get to the upper end, that is.</p>
<p>Bracket 4 and Bracket 5 are, strictly speaking, indistinguishable. Neither bar Game Changers, nor do they place restrictions on the kinds of effects that can be run. Spend enough time playing in dedicated circles of either bracket, however, and you'll quickly realize just how different the two are.</p>
<p>So, just how big of a deal is the cEDH label that Bracket 5 carries, and what makes these two brackets different? Let's dive in.</p>
<h2>The Role of Commanders</h2>
<p>First off, the namesake of the format: commanders.</p>
<p>When it comes to every bracket but 5, commanders serve a central role as the binding force of a deck. Be it a planeswalker, a Vehicle, or just a good ol' legendary creature, commanders are the stars of all but the highest brackets.</p>
<p>They enable potentially broken synergies and serve as the signpost for a deck's game plan.</p>
<h3>Bracket 4</h3>
<p>In Bracket 4 specifically, decks are fine-tuned to maximally capitalize on the commander's resources while simultaneously shoring up its pitfalls.</p>
<p>An excellent example of this is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Ur-Dragon" href="#" target="_blank">The Ur-Dragon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, one of <em>Magic</em>'s <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most popular commanders</a> <em>ever</em>. This commander is all upside; it may have a prohibitively high cost of <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-4" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>, but thanks to its <em>eminence</em> ability you'll be racking in a <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> discount to all of your Dragon spells regardless of whether or not you even cast The Ur-Dragon in the first place.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Ur-Dragon"></div></div>
<p>And, if you do cast it, the reward for such a high investment is a game-ending threat capable of drawing massive amounts of cards, churning out permanents for free, and dealing critical amounts of damage.</p>
<p>Really, all that the Ur-Dragon asks is that the deck it helms be full of Dragons. What's not to love?</p>
<h3>Bracket 5</h3>
<p>Moving to Bracket 5 - cEDH - and the role of a commander changes substantially. No longer is the question "What can my deck do to support my commander?" Instead, cEDH players have to ask themselves "What can my commander do to support my deck?"</p>
<p>There are, of course, some exceptions to this rule - <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example - but by and large the card pool of hyper-powerful cards and strategies is substantially more limited in comparison to Bracket 4.</p>
<p>In order to fully explain this, it's important to understand the concept of card quality.</p>
<p>Card quality is a way of evaluating the value of a card in a vacuum; that is, without consideration of the commander or any other particular special conditions.</p>
<p>For example, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thassa&#039;s Oracle" href="#" target="_blank">Thassa&#039;s Oracle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has terrible card quality unless your library is empty; paying <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for a worse version of scry is a terrible rate.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thassa&#039;s Oracle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Underworld Breach"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Underworld Breach" href="#" target="_blank">Underworld Breach</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, meanwhile, has much better card quality; paying <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> for a quasi-repeatable <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yawgmoth&#039;s Will" href="#" target="_blank">Yawgmoth&#039;s Will</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is already broken in and of itself, regardless of whether you take a moment to consider the myriad combos it unlocks.</p>
<p>Moving back to commanders, and this card quality notion has substantial impact on the range of possible leaders for decks.</p>
<p>Sure, The Ur-Dragon supports a Dragons deck like no other, but what's the average card quality of a Dragon in a world where decks can win on turn one? Pretty low.</p>
<p>More broadly speaking, any card that's only good because of the commander can be thought of as having a lower card quality, something which can prove to be hugely detrimental to a strategy unless the commander is both readily castable and maximally exploitative of that card (e.g., Magda, which costs <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-1" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> and can win nearly out of nowhere).</p>
<h3>Outlets and Engines</h3>
<p>Because of this card quality dilemma, the role of commanders in cEDH has essentially been reduced to that of two options: outlets and engines.</p>
<p>Outlet commanders enable a guaranteed way to win the game, provided the path to get there has been achieved. These are things like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thrasios, Triton Hero" href="#" target="_blank">Thrasios, Triton Hero</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Master of Keys" href="#" target="_blank">The Master of Keys</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> - two commanders which both serve as options for infinite mana to be converted directly into a win.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thrasios, Triton Hero"></div></div>
<p>The second type, engines, is fairly self explanatory. These are the commanders that are essentially unnecessary to the actual victory condition of a deck and instead serve to bolster either of cEDH's two primary resource systems: card advantage and mana advantage.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh" href="#" target="_blank">Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, for example, is an engine commander. It "unlocks" early-game mana advantage through cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mox Amber" href="#" target="_blank">Mox Amber</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Infernal Plunge" href="#" target="_blank">Infernal Plunge</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh"></div></div>
<p>Finally, as a bit of a side note, it's also important to point out that some commanders take engine to a more abstract level, instead providing access to colors rather than mana or cards themselves.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Silas Renn, Seeker Adept" href="#" target="_blank">Silas Renn, Seeker Adept</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the go-to example of this: a commander that essentially is never cast in cEDH, but serves a critical role as a partner commander which broadens the card pool which a deck otherwise wouldn't have access to.</p>
<h2>The Role of the Meta</h2>
<p>So, you've picked a commander and now you want to build a deck. What comes next? Well, for each of the two brackets we're talking about today, the answers to that question are very different.</p>
<h3>Bracket 4</h3>
<p>When it comes to Bracket Four, once you've picked a commander, all you need to do next is build the best version of that Commander deck that you can think of, without any consideration for the other decks you'll be playing against.</p>
<p>Sure, if you're playing mono-red you might throw in a copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Moon" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Moon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in order to mess with your opponents, but beyond easily abusable lock pieces like this a Bracket 4 deck doesn't really need to pay any attention to other decks (before the game starts, that is).</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blood Moon"></div></div>
<p>The only thing that matters is maxing out your own strategy</p>
<h3>Bracket 5</h3>
<p>Bracket Five, meanwhile, takes the opposite approach. This is a competitive format after all, so deck construction necessarily implicates an awareness of the other decks you might be playing against.</p>
<p>Additionally, as we saw with the significantly limited number of competitively viable commanders, the number of potential strategies a cEDH deck is going to play against is actually comprehendible. This is a stark contrast to Bracket 4, where the sheer volume of potential opponents makes the notion of fine-tuning against any particular deck or strategy nonsensical.</p>
<p>Looking at recent tournament data, and it's easy to find examples of top-performing decks in cEDH, and as such it's easy to find examples of what to look out for when crafting your own responses.</p>
<p>Importantly, this doesn't mean that decks are full of niche includes which only work against some set of the meta, even if that meta is massive (it feels like every day cEDH gets a new graveyard deck and still <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grafdigger&#039;s Cage" href="#" target="_blank">Grafdigger&#039;s Cage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> barely sees any play).</p>
<p>Rather, quite like guessing your opponent's next move in a game of rock-paper-scissors, answers tend to come as shifts in play patterns and the density of effects like clones or interaction.</p>
<p>Is the format full of noncreature counterspells? Time to push the envelope by building a deck with barely any instants that wins by casting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Apex Devastator" href="#" target="_blank">Apex Devastator</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhystic Study" href="#" target="_blank">Rhystic Study</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> the first card any and everyone tutors up? Time to double down on enchantment clones. Is midrange the go-to strategy? Let's see if we can <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/edhrec-guide-to-cedh-turbo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outpace it with Turbo</a>.</p>
<h2>The Pace of Play</h2>
<p>Finally, it's time to talk a bit more about the mantra of cEDH: Play to win.</p>
<p>Bracket 4 is played whenever folks want to let loose with their strongest, favorite deck. Bracket 5 is played in tournaments with a timer, where each round counts and contests are best-of-one. This environmental shift has an indelible effect on the structure of decks; in cEDH, there are no pet cards, no cut corners, no extra allowances.</p>
<p>By sitting down to play the game, you're consenting to a contest where you could lose before your first turn, and that's just that. Bracket 4, meanwhile, has a bit more leeway here.</p>
<p>By playing in Bracket 4, you're necessarily tossing by the wayside the protective guardrails which allow for Commander games to naturally go long. These are the rules that ensure everyone has the greatest likelihood of getting to do "their thing" when they sit down to play.</p>
<p>As you move further and further up the Brackets, this protective system begins to break down, leaving more autonomy to the players.</p>
<p>Sure, when everyone plays on the same Bracket then there undoubtedly exists a greater chance for players to counteract each other in meaningful ways and thus prolong the game of <em>Magic</em>, but the window in which game-ending threats first begin to materialize moves ever closer to the first turn as you approach Commander's highest bracket.</p>
<p>At Bracket 4, players exist on a precipice: You have every tool at your disposal necessary to build a deck that can end the game reliably on turn one. However, since the expressive, casual nature of Commander is still the focus at this point, players are socially incentivized to build decks which take some time to get their threats going.</p>
<p>This doesn't mean turn one is safe - expect plenty of fast mana and threatening engines at this Bracket - but it's all building up for a grander project, something more akin to a board game night.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Coalition Victory"></div></div>
<p>At Bracket 4, all bets are off and - from the moment the game starts - everyone is trying to end it. This can be in the slowest fashion possible a la <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/edhrec-guide-to-cedh-stax" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stax</a> or the quickest possible a la turbo, but regardless of the game plan everyone still has an immediate goal that's set from the beginning.</p>
<p>Everyone is sitting down to have fun, no doubt, but the fun here is had from the blitz of razor-close games and explosive victories coming out of nowhere.</p>
<p>This difference also has implications for the kinds of social interactions which emerge as part of a cEDH game. Love it or hate it, politics is a key part of Bracket 5 in a way that's wholly unique from the other Brackets.</p>
<p>The rest of Commander is absolutely a social game, full of decisions made by groups and factions, but - given the emphasis on winning - Bracket 5 puts these interactions under a microscope, heightening the importance of strategic deals, information sharing, and more.</p>
<p>Savvy players can snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat by persuasion, a skill that's all the more crucial in a setting where players are fighting for points and prizes.</p>
<h2>Wrap Up</h2>
<p>Brackets 4 and 5 share the same card pool, strategic restrictions, and rules sets. They're the pinnacle of power in Commander. However, that power is used in very different ways across the two Brackets, so much so that entering a game of three decks from one Bracket with a deck from the other is oftentimes an alienating experience.</p>
<p>If you have a pet deck that you want to maximize, then Bracket 4 is for you. Go out there and win your games with the best your commander can be.</p>
<p>If you want to fight for a victory with a honed deck crafted just for the tournament arena, then cEDH is for you.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Xui1yKp2VV"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/what-if-thassas-oracle-were-banned/">What if Thassa's Oracle Were Banned?</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;What if Thassa&#039;s Oracle Were Banned?&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/what-if-thassas-oracle-were-banned/embed/#?secret=l6Phgf5r8m#?secret=Xui1yKp2VV" data-secret="Xui1yKp2VV" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="UiUlzm2e1q"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/cedh-the-2025-state-of-the-format/">cEDH - The 2025 State of the Format</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;cEDH - The 2025 State of the Format&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/cedh-the-2025-state-of-the-format/embed/#?secret=Oewwz0Xfk7#?secret=UiUlzm2e1q" data-secret="UiUlzm2e1q" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Ohd2fEoCR2"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-to-prepare-for-a-cedh-tournament/">How To Prepare for a cEDH Tournament</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;How To Prepare for a cEDH Tournament&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/how-to-prepare-for-a-cedh-tournament/embed/#?secret=zXjDFtYi1n#?secret=Ohd2fEoCR2" data-secret="Ohd2fEoCR2" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


What's the Difference Between Commander Brackets 4 and 5?

Building a Bracket 4 Deck with Gwenom, Remorseless

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art By: <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CTuan+Duong+Chu%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuan Duong Chu</a>)</em></p>
<p>To Infinity and not Universes Beyond. Hello everyone, and welcome to another addition of <em>Tech The Deck</em>, this time with a card from the upcoming <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> set <em>Edge of Eternities.</em> Who, or better yet, <em>what</em> might be the card I am speaking of? Well, it is none other than <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kilo, Apogee Mind"></div></div>
<p>I'm incredibly excited about this upcoming set and jumped at the chance to do a deck tech for this card. And Kilo, respectfully... I'd tap that. With all that out of the way, let's dive into how I decided to take this card and build a Bracket 4 deck to maximize Kilo's insane tap ability.</p>
<h2>Tap, Tap, No Concede</h2>
<p>This deck has one primary plan: turn a specific creature sideways over and over. The combat step is irrelevant; all we care about is the number of times we can untap and tap <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Thanks to some cards from the format's past and cards much older than the average player remembers, we have plenty of ways at our disposal.</p>
<h3>Aura You Glad I Untapped?</h3>
<p>Two Auras in blue allow this deck to go off.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Freed from the Real"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pemmin&#039;s Aura"></div></div>
<p>These two cards might not have seen the inside of a sleeve, let alone a Commander pod, in some time, but thanks to Kilo, they're coming back with a vengeance. Each one has some slight benefits/drawbacks over the other, but both are an absolute must-run in this deck.</p>
<p>While <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pemmin&#039;s Aura" href="#" target="_blank">Pemmin&#039;s Aura</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has more abilities granted to the creature it's enchanting, in this deck, two of the four options are irrelevant. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Freed from the Real" href="#" target="_blank">Freed from the Real</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> only taps and untaps, but it has a more forgiving mana cost.</p>
<p>These two are the main highlights in the deck. Card draw and tutors like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gamble" href="#" target="_blank">Gamble</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Enlightened Tutor" href="#" target="_blank">Enlightened Tutor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> will help us find these early and often.</p>
<p>The eagle-eyed among you have probably noticed that neither of these Auras has a free activation cost. While our commander's proliferation effect is strong, it alone does not make mana. So what are we to do?</p>
<h2>Making Mana</h2>
<p>Some of my favorite mana rocks make an appearance in this deck list.</p>
<p>I would bet almost every Magic player knows <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Everflowing Chalice" href="#" target="_blank">Everflowing Chalice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> well. And the charge counters found on it are perfect for our commander to proliferate. But I have an even better mana rock at my disposal. Feast your eyes on the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Astral Cornucopia" href="#" target="_blank">Astral Cornucopia</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Astral Cornucopia"></div></div>
<p>The Cornucopia goes bananas in this or any deck that can proliferate the counters. Most times mana rocks such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sol Ring" href="#" target="_blank">Sol Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are only kept slightly in check because they add colorless mana. But with Astral Cornucopia and our deck running on all cylinders, we can pump out <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> or <span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span> with ease.</p>
<p>The tricks don't stop there.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Paradise Mantle"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Honor-Worn Shaku"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Relic of Legends"></div></div>
<p>I have a slew of artifacts that allow for tapping of Kilo both for mana and for value.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Crystalline Crawler"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Red Death, Shipwrecker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Magda, Brazen Outlaw"></div></div>
<p>I even come packing creatures that tap for all sorts of options: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crystalline Crawler" href="#" target="_blank">Crystalline Crawler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to give us whatever color of mana we need; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Red Death, Shipwrecker" href="#" target="_blank">Red Death, Shipwrecker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to lock out an entire table if we can use the ability multiple times in a turn; And <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magda, Brazen Outlaw" href="#" target="_blank">Magda, Brazen Outlaw</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make mana and tutor out any artifact we could want straight from the deck.</p>
<p>And artifacts are another central piece that allows us to win the game with this deck.</p>
<h2>The Artifacts</h2>
<p>Some combos in the game are complicated to explain. They're long and drawn out, and if you mess up even one step, the entire thing falls apart. Other combos are so devilishly simple, and that is what makes them great. I've found a way to pack both into this deck.</p>
<p>First up is the devilishly simple one, and the best one in the deck: the classic combination of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Reversal" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div id="4821-5261" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="4821-5261" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Dramatic%20Reversal%22%2C%22Isochron%20Scepter%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20magecraft%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20mana%20nonland%20permanents%20you%20control%20can%20produce%22%2C%22Infinite%20storm%20count%22%2C%22Infinite%20untap%20of%20nonland%20permanents%20you%20control%22%5D&id=4821-5261&color=U&extraRequirementCount=1"></script></div>
<p>Beautiful. This is the main combo that we want to assemble in this deck. Two open mana and the listed cards above, and then finding a way to win becomes trivial. Now onto the excitingly complicated one.</p>
<p>Combining the powers of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Magosi, the Waterveil" href="#" target="_blank">Magosi, the Waterveil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Resourceful Defense" href="#" target="_blank">Resourceful Defense</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to give us infinite turns.</p>
<div id="757-4153-6702" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="757-4153-6702" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Kilo%2C%20Apogee%20Mind%22%2C%22Magosi%2C%20the%20Waterveil%22%2C%22Resourceful%20Defense%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20turns%22%5D&id=757-4153-6702&color=URW&extraRequirementCount=0"></script></div>
<p>I don't think that without <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commander Spellbook</a>, I would be able to explain the above combo with any form of confidence. Either way, it's one of many combos in this deck, and that's one reason that Kilo is a "busted" commander.</p>
<p>I'd go so far as to say that Kilo is the epitome of a <a href="https://commanderspellbook.com/find-my-combos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">combotastic</a> commander. With 34 combos inside and another 298 possible combos that would only need a single card addition, I'm living in the fast lane with this deck.</p>
<p>Never fear, though, Kilo does have plenty of cool lines that can be taken if you want a bit more spice when it comes to winning the game.</p>
<h2>Spice, Spice, Baby</h2>
<p>They say variety is the spice of life, and this deck has a fair bit of spice jammed inside the 99.</p>
<p>This is a proliferation deck after all, and one of the best proliferate cards comes courtesy of <em>Universes Beyond: Fallout</em>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Radstorm" href="#" target="_blank">Radstorm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> benefits significantly from the infinite storm count generated thanks to our Dramatic Scepter combo. And with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Prologue to Phyresis" href="#" target="_blank">Prologue to Phyresis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a few other spells, I can kill a table thanks to poison counters if I so choose.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Radstorm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darksteel Reactor"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Prologue to Phyresis"></div></div>
<p>And since Radstorm is an instant, I can use it to speed up a clock on the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darksteel Reactor" href="#" target="_blank">Darksteel Reactor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> living in the deck.</p>
<p>One final combo I want to mention in the deck involves an overlooked card from <em>Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth</em>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="There and Back Again" href="#" target="_blank">There and Back Again</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Now I did lie to you at the start of the article by saying "The combat step is irrelevant." It's just close enough to irrelevant for this deck that using this combo would be akin to a bank robber going to plan E when executing a heist.</p>
<div id="974-4183-4222" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
<script id="974-4183-4222" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/embed.js?v=1&uses=%5B%22Saheeli%2C%20the%20Sun's%20Brilliance%22%2C%22There%20and%20Back%20Again%22%2C%22Freed%20from%20the%20Real%22%5D&requires=%5B%5D&produces=%5B%22Infinite%20colored%20mana%22%2C%22Infinite%20copies%20of%20artifacts%20you%20control%22%2C%22Infinite%20copies%20of%20creatures%20you%20control%22%2C%22Infinite%20creature%20tokens%22%2C%22Infinite%20death%20triggers%22%2C%22Infinite%20ETB%22%2C%22Infinite%20LTB%22%2C%22Infinite%20mana%20creatures%20you%20control%20can%20produce%22%2C%22Infinite%20Treasure%20tokens%22%2C%22Infinite%20untap%20of%20creatures%22%5D&id=974-4183-4222&color=UR&extraRequirementCount=2"></script></div>
<p>Infinity is the name of the game when it comes to Kilo.</p>
<h2>PSA</h2>
<p>Now, I like Kilo. I like Kilo quite a bit. This is a very cool card, and one that I'm glad they showed off early. But I do think that it needs to come with a warning label. I built this deck as a Bracket 4 deck that's all in and fairly labeled as a "glass cannon." I don't think this is the only way that you can build Kilo, but I don't believe that anyone you play with will believe you when you tell them you have no combos in your Kilo deck.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deflecting Swat"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Smothering Tithe"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The One Ring"></div></div>
<p>A commander that's this easy to combo with is going to catch some strays, so I built this deck without going full cEDH, but I wanted to go as close as I could. That's why I run cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deflecting Swat" href="#" target="_blank">Deflecting Swat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fierce Guardianship" href="#" target="_blank">Fierce Guardianship</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> for protection, fast mana, such as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Vault" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Vault</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and some truly hated cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Smothering Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Smothering Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Punches for this deck were not going to be pulled.</p>
<p>But that's not the only thing that can be done with Kilo. While players might not believe you at the start when you tell them you're using Kilo for a <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/planeswalkers/jeskai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeskai Planeswalker</a> deck, trust that they'll come around the first time Kilo is tapped to add a counter to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Jace Beleren" href="#" target="_blank">Jace Beleren</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>On the Edge</h2>
<p>I'm more excited than I have been all year for the release of <em>Edge of Eternities</em>. I might not end up building a deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kilo, Apogee Mind" href="#" target="_blank">Kilo, Apogee Mind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and it's too early to tell if I want to put it into my personal Jeskai Superfriends list. But I will be looking to see what everyone does with this once players can get their hands on it.</p>
<p>What will you be doing once <em>Edge of Eternitie</em>s is released? Are you excited for Kilo in Commander? I'd like to know, so please share with me on Bluesky at nicnax96. Keep an eye out for all the upcoming content for the last "real <em>Magic</em>" set of the year. And if I ever run into you and Kilo at a commander table, tell me the number of combos in your deck.</p>
<h2>Kilo, Apogee Mind Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Tech The Deck - Kilo, Apogee Mind" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Kilo, Apogee Mind
[/commander]
[Artifact]
*1 Agatha&#039;s Soul Cauldron
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Astral Cornucopia
*1 Darksteel Reactor
*1 Empowered Autogenerator
*1 Everflowing Chalice
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Glistening Sphere
*1 Honor-Worn Shaku
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Mana Vault
*1 Paradise Mantle
*1 Pentad Prism
*1 Relic of Legends
*1 Rings of Brighthearth
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Springleaf Drum
*1 Strionic Resonator
*1 The One Ring
*1 Umbral Mantle
[/Artifact]
[Enchantment]
*1 All Will Be One
*1 Freed from the Real
*1 Intruder Alarm
*1 Pemmin&#039;s Aura
*1 Resourceful Defense
*1 Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
*1 Smothering Tithe
*1 There and Back Again
[/Enchantment]
[Creature]
*1 Anger
*1 Aphetto Alchemist
*1 Barrenton Medic
*1 Cayth, Famed Mechanist
*1 Coretapper
*1 Crystalline Crawler
*1 Fatestitcher
*1 Idris, Soul of the TARDIS
*1 Ioreth of the Healing House
*1 Kwain, Itinerant Meddler
*1 Laboratory Maniac
*1 Magda, Brazen Outlaw
*1 O&#039;aka, Traveling Merchant
*1 Ornithopter of Paradise
*1 Red Death, Shipwrecker
*1 Saheeli, the Sun&#039;s Brilliance
*1 Spark Double
*1 Tekuthal, Inquiry Dominus
*1 Unctus, Grand Metatect
[/creature]
[Sorcery]
*1 Contentious Plan
*1 Gamble
*1 Jeska&#039;s Will
*1 Search for Glory
[/Sorcery]
[Instant]
*1 Counterspell
*1 Deflecting Swat
*1 Dramatic Reversal
*1 Enlightened Tutor
*1 Experimental Augury
*1 Fierce Guardianship
*1 Prologue to Phyresis
*1 Radstorm
*1 Silence
*1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
*1 Steady Progress
*1 Teferi&#039;s Protection
[/Instant]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Karn, the Great Creator
[/Planeswalker]
[Land]
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Clifftop Retreat
*1 Command Tower
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Desolate Lighthouse
*1 Elegant Parlor
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Floodfarm Verge
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*2 Island
*1 Karn&#039;s Bastion
*1 Magosi, the Waterveil
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Minamo, School at Water&#039;s Edge
*2 Mountain
*1 Nesting Grounds
*2 Plains
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Raugrin Triome
*1 Riverpyre Verge
*1 Sacred Foundry
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Spectator Seating
*1 Steam Vents
*1 Stormcarved Coast
*1 Sulfur Falls
*1 Sundown Pass
*1 Thundering Falls
*1 Training Center
[/Land]"></span></div>


bracket 4

Shao Jun Commander Deck Tech

What's the Difference Between Commander Brackets 4 and 5?

Building a Bracket 4 Deck with Gwenom, Remorseless

Kilo, Apogee Mind Commander Deck Tech - Bracket 4