Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest - February 2026

 avatar
danaroach avatardanaroach
{"ops":[{"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\nI'm Dana from the EDHRECast and I'm joining the Archidekt contest team in 2026 to take over some of the day-to-day contest management tasks from Ben, so these announcements will be coming from me moving forward.\n\nWhat’s The Contest All About?"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"bold":true},"insert":"For February's deck building contest - "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Brew a creative and interesting commander-legal deck led by a couple. The couple can be partners, backgrounds, companions, whatever configuration works, as long as they're part of the deck's theme in a way that feels innovative and novel."},{"insert":"\n\nDecks will be judged on the creativity and originality of their brew. For example, a deck doing nothing else beyond running a typical food list helmed by Sam and Frodo probably won't cut it.\n\nHere's a link to the EDHREC page for "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://edhrec.com/partners?utm_source=edhrec"},"insert":"Partners"},{"insert":" as a list of samples to get you started.\n\nFor more details about the prompt, check out "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://edhrec.com/articles/archidekt-deckbuilding-contest-february-2026"},"insert":"the full announcement article"},{"insert":" over on EDHREC!\n"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"How To Participate"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":" 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, February 11, 2026"},{"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. 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, February 18 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 cardsphere.com. 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, February 25, 2026"},{"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 2/5/2026, 12:54:42 AM
10
Results: 154
Order By: -createdAt
Zeshty contest submission
Investigating: Water Clue
Created by: Zeshty
32 secs
{"ops":[{"insert":"This deck uses clues to pay for waterbending ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Secret of Bloodbending"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Legend of Kuruk // Avatar Kuruk"}},{"insert":") and also uses clues for ways to kill your opponents with cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Haunt the Network"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Monumental Corruption"}},{"insert":". \n"}]}
lancetheslayer@gmail.com contest submission
my name is toph sounds like tough
4 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"just building a toph deck for the fun of i t\n"}]}
No deck tags
Neosal contest submission
Ellie versus Abby, no golf clubs allowed
Created by: Neosal
8 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Combo deck built around Abby and Ellie's abilities. Sacking the creatures made off Abby to get value. Abby is usually not on my battlefield so it makes for an interesting challenge to build a value engine\n\n"}]}
No deck tags
absurdpineapples contest submission
cat-bird
Created by: absurdpineapples
9 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"This is one of my first brewed decks I've built. It's a car. It's a birb. Do they do any special? Not really! Sometimes it's fun to only play cat-themed cards and others, birds! Plus mutate is in there for some reason. I don't know what that's about, and it usually never works out :D \n"}]}
No deck tags
ExtremeHorizon9 contest submission
125 dolla deck
Created by: ExtremeHorizon9
15 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"A cheap bracket 4 deck to not be insanely power nor too weak for most games. \n\nMono red with partners. \n\nWould love to hear any feedback or anyway to improve said deck while keeping the 125 dollar limit. \n"}]}
No deck tags
J_Stormbringer contest submission
Tymna/akiri
Created by: J_Stormbringer
18 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Tymna, the weaver and Akiri, line slinger first made back at magiccon Atlanta as a Akiri/ Tevesh Szat deck. Have messed around with idea and finally settled on this list with tymna giving card draw and akiri coming out early and swinging fast thanks to cheap artifact ramp and or artifact lands. Big finishers are chandra's ignition or torment of hellfire thanks to the treasure production. \n"}]}
No deck tags
steinkopf contest submission
Guts in the Kitchen!
Created by: steinkopf
22 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":{"card-link":"Gut, True Soul Zealot"}},{"insert":" didnt fare to well with her last endeavor - so today she is trying her hand in the kitchen! Luckily she found her witchy friend Agatha as well as some other friends to show her the way.\nThe best chefs, gourmands and service crew are here to make her kitchen as successful as possible, even if she did bring some of her cursed tools with her.\n\nOpening their new Inn and gourmet kitchen - its time to stuff the pigs and other monsters until they are ready to blow! Then serve them to your opponents or eat them ourselves for maximum value. Gut of course always gets the most value out of every meal, as those bones can still be put to good use. If our opponents can even move still, these skeletons will bring them down.\n\n"}]}
No deck tags
gatsu1337 contest submission
A fair and balanced party
Created by: gatsu1337
25 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Welcome to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"A Fair and Balanced Party"},{"insert":", where everyone’s invited… but Burakos is definitely keeping the tab.\nThis deck is built around assembling a full "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Party"},{"insert":" of Clerics, Rogues, Warriors, and Wizards to maximize Burakos’s attack trigger. Every swing turns into a burst of "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Treasure generation"},{"insert":" and life drain, letting you snowball value while still playing an interactive, table-friendly game.\n\nThe strategy is simple:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Build your Party"},{"insert":" with efficient creatures that fill multiple roles"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Attack early and often"},{"insert":" to fuel Burakos’s Treasure engine"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Use that mana advantage to cast powerful Orzhov staples — removal, recursion, and board control"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Slowly bleed opponents out through incremental drain and overwhelming resource advantage"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThis deck thrives in the sweet spot between aggro and aristocrats: you’re applying pressure with combat, but you’re also generating long-term inevitability with Treasures, life drain, and value loops.\nExpect:\n\nConsistent Party synergy"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Strong interaction and answers"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Treasure-fueled midgame dominance"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"A win that feels inevitable… but still “fair”"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nBecause at the end of the day, it’s just a party.\nAnd Burakos always collects.\n"}]}
SaffronSpringbok contest submission
Fran & Ked's Excellent Adventure
Created by: SaffronSpringbok
26 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Time Travel! Pirates! Elementals! No uh...Sol Ring? Yes, Francisco & Kediss are on one heck of an adventure in this oddball mashup based around a highly restricted Cascade pool, as well as some very neat micro-synergies shared between a variety of independently strong pieces. By building towards a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rift Elemental"}},{"insert":" +"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rousing Refrain"}},{"insert":" line, primarily by giving our Commander(s) Cascade via cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flamekin Herald"}},{"insert":" , we're able to make the most of some truly outrageous tech, filtering through the library with Francisco and finishing foes off with Kediss. Around every corner is some neat new interaction, and plenty of free combat tricks you've likely never heard of ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rouse"}},{"insert":" , anyone?).\n"}]}
No deck tags
Ajax_00_ contest submission
Ajax A$$ MAN
Created by: Ajax_00_
28 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"big butt so what\n"}]}
No deck tags
99basiclanddeck contest submission
Retro Drain Recursion Mono Black
Created by: 99basiclanddeck
48 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Remember the good old days when "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Basal Thrull"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blood Pet"}},{"insert":" , and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blood Vassal"}},{"insert":" were peak ramp? Well, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder"}},{"insert":" remembers. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for you who will be playing this deck, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tormod, the Desecrator"}},{"insert":" have usurped him as the partners of this deck to lead a token army into the fray of what black does best: sacrificing itself to win.\n\nWith a combination of the predictable "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Altar"}},{"insert":" / "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gravecrawler"}},{"insert":" / Tormod combo for infinite zombies, to sneaking in your "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Ghoul"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fallen Angel"}},{"insert":" , or even "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Order of the Ebon Hand"}},{"insert":" if you get enough mana with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rogue's Passage"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Access Tunnel"}},{"insert":" for lethal, there are no shortage of wincons. Could a left field "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sadistic Hypnotist"}},{"insert":" make your opponents discard their entire hand in one fell swoop? Maybe you just want to beat people down with an unending onslaught of tokens and their accompanying drain enablers... or perhaps those tokens will keep Tevesh alive long enough for you to be the least liked person at the table - playing with other people's commanders.\n\nDo all this and more in the glory of a mostly retro card frame deck!\n"}]}
No deck tags
Juno_MTG contest submission
Faith and Fortune
Created by: Juno_MTG
60 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Faith and Fortune is all about Tymna and Kydele teaming up to turn card draw into chaos. Tymna keeps the pressure and draws coming while Kydele turns those cards into massive bursts of mana. Every turn, the deck builds on itself, more cards, more mana, more options all until it’s a self-sustaining engine of value. Before long, the table is flooded with massive spells aiming to close out the game.\n"}]}
Pandalk contest submission
My wife and I really like your vibe
Created by: Pandalk
74 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"Hello there, this month, my entry is a deck made around that one couple in their fourties who wants to spice up their private life by proposing random people at a bar"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kediss, Emberclaw Familiar"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Keleth, Sunmane Familiar"}},{"insert":" \nboth of them mention commanders, but they don't say it has to be yours !\n\nThe plan is simple, steal opponents commander temporarily and kill them with their own commander\nThe idea to make sure you damage everyone is to tell your opponents that you will sacrifice their commander if they block but that they'll get it back if they don't ! \nif you hit, Kediss lets you do damage to everyone !\n\nThe deck contains a ton of cards that deter people from attacking you, ways to buff commanders, goad them... etc it's genuinely pretty fun\n"}]}
korndavvg contest submission
Kamahl + Tana - Extra Combats
Created by: korndavvg
83 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"In this deck "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kamahl, Heart of Krosa"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tana, the Bloodsower"}},{"insert":" show off their mutual love of nature (and each other) by relentlessly attacking as much as possible. Kamahl pumps Tana's attacks, leading to a bunch of saprolings, which are given haste to be able to also start swinging right away in the next combat (after also getting pumped up by Kamahl). Things get out of hand really fast as their board gets filled up with lots of giant beaters who never stop swinging.\n"}]}
gaitan contest submission
Sam and Frodo
Created by: gaitan
88 mins
{"ops":[{"insert":"A Food Combo Deck\n"}]}
No deck tags