Jeremy(Archidekt Moderator)
11 days{"ops":[{"insert":"Submissions are closed! Finalists to be announced October 15. Thank you to all who participated!"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n\n\n"},{"insert":"Hello brewers,"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"Welcome to the Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest! For those unfamiliar, this is a monthly contest with a different theme each month. Your goal is to build a Commander-legal deck that fulfills the prompt in a creative or unique fashion. At the end of each month, three finalists will be selected for you to vote on.\n\nWhat’s The Contest All About?"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWorking within the parameters of the prompt provided below, construct a decklist with your own creative spin. Three chosen finalists will be awarded store credit to "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://cardsphere.com/"},"insert":"cardsphere.com"},{"insert":".\n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"For October's deckbuilding contest, build a Commander-legal deck that features a \"jumpscare\". In other words, your deck should appear to be doing one thing, then quickly shift in an unexpected and threatening direction. Decks will be judged primarily on their creativity and originality."},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nFor some ideas about what constitutes a jumpscare, check out the "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://edhrec.com/articles/archidekt-deckbuilding-contest-october-2025"},"insert":"full announcement article"},{"insert":" over on EDHREC!\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"How To Participate"},{"insert":"\n Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on Archidekt that satisfies the prompt."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" Any unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration are allowed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are not allowed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are not allowed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" Strictly one deck submitted per user."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nTo submit a deck, select the orange button labeled \"Submit a deck to this contest\" and follow the form prompt. Submissions are accepted until "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"9:00 pm EST"},{"insert":" (UTC -4, currently) on "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wednesday, October 8, 2025"},{"insert":".\n\nOnly one submission per user! If you change your mind and want to submit a different deck before submissions close, you may do so by first deleting your submission. Edits can be made to your deck up until submissions close-- no actions are necessary to make chance To edit your description, you can do so from the deck page itself. From the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!\n\nOn "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wednesday, October 15, 2025"},{"insert":", we’ll announce three finalists via the Archidekt Discord and a brief article on EDHREC highlighting each deck.\n\nEach finalist will be awarded credit on"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://cardsphere.com/"},"insert":" cardsphere.com"},{"insert":". The value of the credit is in US dollars and depends on the finalist's placement in deck upvotes at the end of the week-long polling period:\n 1st Place Prize - $250"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" 2nd Place Prize - $150"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" 3rd Place Prize - $100"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nFinalists will be contacted via email regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wednesday, October 22, 2025"},{"insert":".\n\nPlease note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free-- register "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.cardsphere.com/signup?referrer=archidekt_contest"},"insert":"here "},{"insert":"if you don't have an account already!\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/contestRules"},"insert":"Official contest rules."},{"insert":"\n\nIf you have any questions, feel free to ask here, or join our public "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://discord.gg/rYDFFVCmGr"},"insert":"Discord server"},{"insert":". We look forward to seeing what you all come up with!\n"}]}
Edited 10/9/2025, 1:01:26 AM
54
Hyper-Codie-Genesis
Created by: zephes
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"Codie typically plays very few permanents due to a little piece of text, \"You can't cast permanent spells.\" In higher brackets Codie is well known for it's spell casting combos, and for someone facing this unassuming looking book, a quick flood of eldrazis on board will be a total jumpscare, and unexpected even in bracket 4! \nThe plan consists of playing normal Codie stuff until it is time to jumpscare the table:\nCantrip your hand full of eldrazis"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Ramp to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Codie, Vociferous Codex"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Activate codie, to make your next spell cascade and cast one of multiple 1 cost cantrips"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Time for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hypergenesis"}},{"insert":"! Flood the board with big threats! Maybe on someones end or on your turn to really scare your opponents"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Annihilate them!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The deck also contains multiple ways to recur "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hypergenesis"}},{"insert":", as playing more eldrazi might be challenging without it. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Noxious Revival"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Reclaim"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gaea's Blessing"}},{"insert":" as well as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kozilek, Butcher of Truth"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre"}},{"insert":" come really handy. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hypergenesis"}},{"insert":" can also be returned to the deck from hand using "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Brainstorm"}},{"insert":" or cast from hand with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Electrodominance"}},{"insert":". Multiple haste enablers help to quickly annihilate the threats dumped by your opponents during "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hypergenesis"}},{"insert":", while "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Faerie Artisans"}},{"insert":" offer some mitigation.\n"}]}
No deck tags
Zombies with a secret
Created by: fruehbird1@gmail.com
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"Thanks for viewing this deck! I built this for the October Archidekt contest, which asked for a sudden sump scare. What is the scariest thing in magic? Someone messing with your lands! This is a toolbox-y zombie graveyard deck that seeks to churn out value through recursion and sacrifice synergies while triggering Teval if possible. If the deck is behind, use the situational tutors to stabelize, if it is ahead, find key pieces like Gilt Leaf Archdruid, and steal everyones lands! if that is not surprise enough, or if Teval has been made inaccessible, find maskwood nexus, and run some tribal tribal shenanigans! \n"}]}
No deck tags
landfall jumpscare
Created by: PunWright
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"The best jumpscares come with building suspense and unease. It should be no surprise that morph, one of the most suspenseful mechanics, was adapted into manifest dread for Duskmourn.\n\n Azlask may appear to be telegraphing a token beatdown or annihilator triggers but the secret threat in this deck is turning a bunch of lands into creatures, often by being face down, and then blinking them for landfall. Azlask serves as a deterrent to people removing your face down cards and a justification for why the deck is full of face down variations. \n\nOmarthis and Yedora with either of zimone or primordial mist make infinite landfall\n\n"}]}
No deck tags
Popping the Balloon
Created by: BaconEggnCheese
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"Duskmourn was one of the first sets that released after I started playing Magic, and despite not typically being a fan of the horror genre, I quickly came to love the set. The first commander deck I ever built myself was "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Jolly Balloon Man"}},{"insert":" , which remains my favorite to this day. This version of the deck is inspired by the weird fear factor surrounding balloons, specifically when they pop. Balloons are nice, enjoyable, and even calming in their regular state, but when a pop comes out of nowhere, even the most stoic people flinch.\nThe deck intends to slowly put small, unassuming pieces on the board, appearing as a non-threat. Then, suddenly, one activation of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Jolly Balloon Man"}},{"insert":" can combo off into massive turns, including infinites and game wins.\nThere are tons of different combo lines/win conditions that can jumpscare your opponents. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Felidar Guardian"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Restoration Angel"}},{"insert":" represent an infinite combo when paired with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Jolly Balloon Man"}},{"insert":" , but also can help activate the many strong ETB effects in the deck like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Trumpeting Carnosaur"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Recruiter of the Guard"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Inspiring Overseer"}},{"insert":" . "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Village Bell-Ringer"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ornithopter of Paradise"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Jolly Balloon Man"}},{"insert":" create another infinite token generator, that can appear completely innocuous when only one or two pieces are on the board. It is only when all three get put together that the combo creates a true scare. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Impact Tremors"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Agate Instigator"}},{"insert":" provide good chip damage to slowly set up a game ending turn without making you the prime threat.\nThe final thing that I really enjoy about this deck is that opponents will often misplace their targeted disruption. There are many cards in the deck that are singularly powerful, which are very enticing for targeted removal. Cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ocelot Pride"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ancient Gold Dragon"}},{"insert":" , and"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ancient Copper Dragon"}},{"insert":" , are flashy and explosive, but not necessarily win conditions on their own. Despite that, they can appear to be much scarier than the silly clown who loves balloons. The deck also contains both targeted and board-wide removal to make sure the game doesn't get out of hand before the combo pieces can be assembled\nWhen I saw the prompt of Jumpscares, I knew I had to submit "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Jolly Balloon Man"}},{"insert":" , as he perfectly represents how I like to play, and is a perfect fit for the conflict. In my opinion, Duskmourn did a great job with flavoring the creatures abilities to capture all those scares.\n"}]}
No deck tags
Lord Slug
Created by: MasterControlProgram
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"Play from the shadows and keep your opponents at bay building life until you unleash the Lord of Slugs that will wither and devour your opponents.\n"}]}
No deck tags
Just a lil guy with his favorite swords (October Deckbuilding Competition
Created by: DexOUt841
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"At first glance, this deck looks like your classic underdog Voltron setup — little Rograkh waddles out in his fancy shield and shiny trinkets, blissfully unaware he’s a 0-mana weapon of mass recursion. You’ll see Bonesaw, Cathar’s Shield, and Spidersilk Net hit the table and think, “Oh, that’s cute. The Kobold’s playing dress-up.”\n\nAnd that’s when it hits.\nThose innocent 0-drop equipments? They’re not just for fashion — they’re the spare bolts in the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Underworld Breach"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Grinding Station"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Krark-Clan Ironworks"},{"insert":" machine. Every “harmless” piece of Rograkh’s wardrobe is also a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"loopable mana engine"},{"insert":", a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"mill enabler"},{"insert":", or a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"sacrifice outlet"},{"insert":" waiting to chain into infinite spells.\n\nOnce "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Silas Renn"},{"insert":" joins the scene, the deck shifts from “tiny angry Kobold with a sword” to “postmodern art installation of infinite recursion.” You’ll recur trinkets from the graveyard, refuel with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Breach"},{"insert":" or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Bonus Round"},{"insert":", and suddenly you’re storming off with "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Brain Freeze"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ignite Memories"},{"insert":", or even good old "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Marionette Master"},{"insert":" turning scrap metal into lethal poetry.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Ad Nauseam"},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Jeska’s Will"},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Birgi"},{"insert":" keep the mana flowing, while "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Value City"},{"insert":" (Rhystic Study, Mystic Remora, Wheel of Fortune, and friends) ensures your hand is as full as your graveyard. And if anyone gets suspicious, Rograkh can still "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"legitimately"},{"insert":" punch people to death with a "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Colossus Hammer"},{"insert":" and a dream — because sometimes the best cover story is just hitting someone for 12 commander damage out of nowhere.\n\nIt’s half Voltron, half storm engine, and all chaos.\n They’ll laugh when you cast "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Accorder’s Shield"},{"insert":".\n They’ll stop laughing when you loop it fifty times for lethal.\n"}]}
No deck tags
Sac (their) Creatures, Do Commander Damage
Created by: TanzorTheDestroyer
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"Ramp your mana, create a bunch of tokens then drop Prossh and swing commander damage for the win! "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Oh wait"},{"insert":", what's that late-game mechanic? It's theft! When you have Prossh or another sac outlet on the board, cast mass creature theft and swing wide or sac them to buff your commander. After the swing, sac them all either way and own the board state. \n"}]}
My, What Big Shrines You Have
Created by: Biglilsis
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"One of my favorite Commander memories is with a version of this deck where one of my opponents said \"I never expected when playing against unblockable Eldrazi I would be more afraid of Go-Shintai...\" \n\nWith that in mind, I decided to simplify the obvious game plan (my other version runs no Shrines) and focus on that sudden \"uh oh\" moment happening. While this deck may look like your typical Shrines deck headed by Go-Shintai, the real goal is to voltron up and swing. All of the build up to the jump scare helps feed the jump scare, as well. Enchantment based draw engines, land enchantment ramp, and the Shrines themselves being enchantments help buff Go-Shintai when I strap something like Ancestral Mask or Strength of the Harvest on it. And other enchantments like Arcane Flight, Footfall Crater or Cloak of Invisibility can help get damage through for the Commander Damage kill. As an added bonus, games where I get Super State attached to Go-Shintai there is a very real possibility of taking out all my opponents in one swing considering how large I can make Go-Shintai and how quickly that can happen.\n"}]}
No deck tags
Legendary Human - Morophon
Created by: dotorg
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"This deck is a legendary human tribal. Almost all (50+) of the cards are legendary humans. What this deck is looking to do is to get Morphon out with one of three cards that set the price of cards to WUBRG, so that you can play humans for free. If you also have 1 or 2 draw engine pieces then your goal is no longer just play cheaper humans, but to flood the board with legendary humans. The catch is that all of the interaction in this deck is in the various creatures. If I can get the deck to do the thing, then it will flood the board with value and there will be nothing you can do about it. \n"}]}
No deck tags
Narci's Horror Stories (Contest Oct 2025)
Created by: SimicDragon
4 days
{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Narci's Horror Stories [WBG Jumpscare Sagas]"},{"insert":"\n\nNarci loves reading stories. As soon as she finishes one, she reaches for another. This deck focuses on completing Sagas as fast as we can, using cards to move or store lore counters so that new stories can be finished right away. Then, with Narci's second ability to drain life --\n\nBoo! The lore counters we've been collecting actually power up our creatures to knock out our opponents with a one-two punch of accumulated knowledge.\n\n(1-4) The Set-Up\nOur ramp, draw, and removal are Saga- or enchantment-based, confirming the traditional theme of the deck.\n\n(5) The Plot\nResourceful Defense, The Ozolith, and similar cards allow you to save lore counters from completed Sagas. Narci cares about finishing Sagas to drain opponents, so once you set up this engine to accelerate Sagas, it still aligns with that decoy strategy. Narci will likely be the lightning rod for removal, since without the draining, simply finishing Sagas is not so scary.\n\n(6) The Jumpscare\nBeware the fine print! Myth Realized cares about the same lore counters that Sagas use. Placing our acquired lore counters on these cards will create big beaters. Other cards here also buff creatures based on number of any kind of counters on them, or create tokens equal to the number of counters. Maester Seymour and Thief of Blood don't even need the counters to be concentrated on a single creature, which makes for an even louder jumpscare. You can often take one or more opponents by surprise with a gargantuan attacker, when up until now we had scarcely attacked at all.\n\n(7) Saga Creatures\nFinal Fantasy's Summons (hidden in plain sight within earlier categories) allow you to transfer counters more easily, as only Resourceful Defense and Nesting Grounds can rescue counters off of noncreatures. Starfield of Nyx and Opalescence can turn our Sagas into creatures the old-fashioned way, and Anikthea and Abuelo's Awakening can animate enchantments as creatures.\n\n(8) Recursion\nOne thing that stories and the Abzan have in common is that good ones are hard to put down forever. If you can maintain redundancy in your engine pieces to make sure lore counters don't get lost to history, your strength will never decrease. Athreos, Shroud-Veiled is particularly godly here, as his coin counters are saved and transfer away while the creature still gets reanimated.\n\n(9) Sac outlets\nWhen storing your counters, you should choose to put them on fetch lands and other cards that readily sac themselves. In addition, sacrifice outlets allow you to end your Sagas and counter-carrying creatures when you need to, easily transferring power to where it is needed.\n\n(10) Protection, Haste, and Flash\nMake sure your jumpscare goes off at the perfect time by protecting key permanents and granting your first big beater haste or flash.\n\n(11) Evasion and Tokens\nOpposing creatures can't stop you from showing your opponents the hidden power of lore counters!\n\nI'd love to hear what you all think, thanks for reading this far!\n"}]}
No deck tags
Surprise! No Dinos, or whatever
Created by: noahrbroad
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"There are only 2 creatures in this Atla Palani deck and neither of them are dinosaurs. Sacrifice two eggs and get Kikki Jikki on the field to clone Restoration Angel a billion quadrillion times. \n"}]}
No deck tags
Blinkfest Saga
Created by: Assquatch80
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"For October’s deckbuilding contest, my Commander deck hides its true intentions behind a clever illusion. On the surface it looks like a typical blink deck, filled with flicker effects and value-driven creatures. But the real horror is waiting beneath the surface. By manifesting Sagas face-down and then blinking them back into play, the deck suddenly reveals a flurry of storytelling enchantments that trigger all at once, overwhelming the table in a cinematic "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"jumpscare"},{"insert":" of lore and power. What begins as a slow, methodical setup turns into a chaotic eruption of mythic retellings and surprise value and is proof that not every ghostly flicker is as harmless as it seems.\n"}]}
No deck tags
Soft Bites, Then Frenzy
Created by: funkyshake
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"Take tiny bites of your enemy until you can summon the Doomsday Excruciator and mill your opponents out with Hope Estheim, and save yourself with Elixir of Immortality.\n"}]}
No deck tags
What the Dog Doin'
Created by: Conbo
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":"This is just a cute deck featuring mans best friend! It just goes to show how loyal and amazing they are! The humans they serve are treating them fairly and justly! I hope you are able to see the Joy's of sac- bonding with these dogs! Everything is better with fodd- friends who help you achieve your goals together!\n"}]}
No towns just Frowns
Created by: morrisr1977@gmail.com
4 days
{"ops":[{"insert":{"card-link":"Door to Nothingness"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Goblin Charbelcher"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"}]}
No deck tags