Jeremy 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"Voting has concluded!"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"1st Place: Drakryttare"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"2nd Place: Antz0r"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"3rd Place:A3th3r3al"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"Each winner has been contacted by the email associated with their Archidekt account. "},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n\n"},{"insert":"Congratulations, and thank you to all who participated!"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n--"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHello brewers,"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHappy August! First of all, I'd like to extend a big thank you to Matt for covering all of the contest administrative work for the past few months while I was out on paternity leave. Matt will continue to host our finalist announcement video over on the "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/@EDHRECast"},"insert":"EDHRECast YouTube channel"},{"insert":".\n\nHere's a reminder for the new structure of the Archidekt Deckbuilding Contest that started in the spring:\nContest participation is no longer limited by region. We’re so glad to finally have our friends outside of the US and Canada involved as well!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Finalists are now awarded credit to "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.cardsphere.com/"},"insert":"Cardsphere.com"},{"insert":", a sister site to Archidekt. Cardsphere is a peer-to-peer marketplace for buying and selling Magic cards. If you’ve never used it before, Joey from the EDHRECast recently made a great "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUc4-FnefrU&t=1s&pp=ygUKY2FyZHNwaGVyZQ%3D%3D"},"insert":"video covering the basics"},{"insert":"! Depending on their placement, finalists will receive either $250, $150 or $100 in credit."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/@EDHRECast"},"insert":"EDHRECast YouTube channel"},{"insert":" will now feature a video highlighting the finalist decks from each contest! Matt Morgan hosts along with a special guest filling in for our usual cohost, Olivia Gobert-Hicks."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"After the three finalists are announced, their placement is now determined by upvotes on the deck pages themselves. Be sure to vote for your favorite!"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"We'll be following the same cadence as we have the past few months. (Wednesday-Wednesday-Wednesday-Wednesday). Details on that below."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWith that out of the way, let's talk about this month's contest!\n\nWhat’s the contest all about?"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Working 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 cardsphere.com. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"For August’s deckbuilding contest, brew a Commander-legal list that you believe would serve as a good first deck for a new player. Things you may wish to consider include complexity, mechanic learning opportunities, and– of course– enjoyability. Please be sure to include an explanation of your approach in the deck description or along with the deck link wherever you submit!"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nHere’s how to participate:"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Brew an EDH/Commander legal deck on Archidekt that satisfies the prompt.\nAny unreleased cards spoiled during the contest’s duration "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"are"},{"insert":" allowed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Silver-bordered and acorn cards, while cool, are "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"not "},{"insert":"allowed. "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Digital-only cards (such as those designed for the Alchemy format on Arena) are "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"not"},{"insert":" allowed."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Strictly one deck submitted per user."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nReply to this newspost, the Discord submission post, or "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://x.com/archidekt/status/1821234764160102847"},"insert":"the announcement tweet"},{"insert":" from the "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://twitter.com/archidekt"},"insert":"@archidekt"},{"insert":" account on Twitter with a link to your deck before "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"9:00 pm EST (UTC -5, currently) on Wednesday, August 14, 2024"},{"insert":". Only one submission per user!\nFrom the eligible submissions, we'll select three finalists with lists that we believe best embody the spirit of the prompt. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Deck descriptions are not required but certainly may provide valuable context!"},{"insert":"\n\nOn "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Wednesday, August 21, 2024"},{"insert":", we’ll announce three finalists via Discord and a video on the "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/@EDHRECast"},"insert":"EDHRECast YouTube channel"},{"insert":". Each 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:\n1st 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":"Finalists will be contacted via email, Discord or Twitter/X (depending on where they submitted) regarding their winnings within roughly 24 hours following the conclusion of voting on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. Please note, you must have a Cardsphere account in order to receive your winnings. It's quick and free-- "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.cardsphere.com/signup"},"insert":"register here"},{"insert":" if you don't have an account already!\n\nWe also now apply a “Contest Winner” role to all finalists, giving them a little trophy icon next to their username on deck tiles (the links that appear on places like the homepage). Prior contest winners have already had this role applied. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/contestRules"},"insert":"Official contest rules"},{"insert":".\n\nThank you!"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nIf you have any questions, feel free to ask here, reach out on "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://twitter.com/archidekt"},"insert":"Twitter"},{"insert":", or join "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://discord.gg/sctEc9Ru36"},"insert":"our public Discord server"},{"insert":". We look forward to seeing what you all come up with! \n\nThe Archidekt Team"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"}]}
Edited 8/29/2024, 2:25:24 PM
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Blakwhithammer 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"I submit Ghalta's Gainful Gym!"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8761933/ghalta_newbie_smash"},"insert":" https://archidekt.com/decks/8761933/ghalta_newbie_smash"},{"insert":"\n\nWhat does every new player love? Big swing spells\nWhat does every human love? T-Rex\nWhat does the T-rex love? The gym!... or... rather being the strongest!\n\nChock full of \"Power matters\" and pump effects, this deck wants to stomp right in for the timeless classic of the combat damage win. After all, Dinosaurs will always beat humans (We have all seen Jurassic Park). This deck wants to cast Ghalta as fast as possible with a very simple cost reduction concept which all but nullifies the worry for commander tax, so the king will keep coming back even after the extinction!\n\nAdditionally, This deck features the most common card types, allowing one to easily learn the different cards one can cast in the game, along with the simpler triggered and activated abilities. Being a mono-green deck, mana bases are a breeze as every forest is useful, no need to color fix! Learning this deck will only take one or two opening hands before you hit the squat rack with G-Eazy and power through your opponents!\n\nLastly, this deck is pretty cost light! all cards are under 10 dollars (as of making this) which makes t he deck pretty easy to make yourself! With the total cost of the deck including lands ends up around $230 USD. A perfect starting point to find the cards you love and the actions you desire in a pretty expensive format. A pretty light set to carry!\n\nAll in all this is the deck that I as a kid would desire nothing more to get my hands on. Big stompy dino leads the charge against the forces of darkness! With your Patron of Pump, Sultan of Smash, Colossus of Creatine, Big bad Ghalta will take you to the finish line on its back. Let the gym know who REALLY owns the iron, and hit that bench!\n"}]}
1
just_Athena 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"First time submitting a deck to one of these, and I'll admit I'm not the best deck builder out there, but this month's theme inspired me to give it a go.\n\nThe deck I've built is based on a combination of both decks from the Heroes vs Monsters Duel Decks which released in 2013. They were the second time I was introduced to Magic, and the first time I got really invested in it. I absolutely loved the flavour and the cards. They left a spot in my heart for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sun Titan"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Polukranos, World Eater"}},{"insert":" , and especially the Monstrosity mechanic. I found those decks super fun to play with, and used them a lot against friends who had never played Magic before and they picked it up quite quickly.\n\nSo this Commander adaptation of the Duel Decks is a Naya Stompy deck with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aragorn, Hornburg Hero"}},{"insert":" as the Commander. It was a toss up between him or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Shalai and Hallar"}},{"insert":" , but I felt like Shalai and Halar had the potential for too many triggers to keep track of that it would be confusing, and while Aragorn does use the Renown mechanic it's a lot simpler to keep track of.\n\nThe deck features a lot of the cards from the Duel Decks, as well as cards that share themes or mechanics with them, swapping out some of the weaker Bloodthirst creatures like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ghor-Clan Savage"}},{"insert":" for a things like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stormblood Berserker"}},{"insert":" , and using cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Zhur-Taa Druid"}},{"insert":" to easily proc Bloodthirst. It includes 2 different Theros Planeswalkers "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gideon, the Oathsworn"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Xenagos, the Reveler"}},{"insert":" , as well as a number of flavourful additions such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fight as One"}},{"insert":" . The deck provides a wide range of choices both offensively and defensively, but without being overwhelming and still having even the simplest choices be strong enough to push the deck forwards.\n\nThe game plan is to put down creatures, put counters on them (aided by their own abilities of Monstrosity or Bloodthirst), and then swing them for big damage and make them grow, while using some support cards to protect them, as well as some classic white and red removal spells.\n\nI opted to keep the cost of the deck relatively low, it sits at about $110 total currently as I avoided adding things like shock lands or too many cards that cost more than a couple dollars, as I believe the start of any hobby shouldn't be prohibitively expensive and a lot of the included cards can be reused for other decks in the future. However, since the deck is revolving around Creatures with counters it does include a "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Damning Verdict"}},{"insert":" , which is definitely the most expensive card in the deck at $18, but that can easily be swapped out for "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Winds of Rath"}},{"insert":" , which was the original board wipe included in the Heroes deck and is less than a dollar.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8790136/heroes_monsters"},"insert":"Heroes & Monsters"},{"insert":"\n"}]}
Edited 8/13/2024, 3:28:22 AM
1
Dittin 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"I am submitting the following deck to the contest: https://archidekt.com/decks/8790174/maximum_spell_overdrive\n\nThis Eris, Roar of the Storm deck combines aspects of spellslinger, token, and beatdown strategies to give new players a taste of several different types of typical commander playstyles at the same time. The whole thing is presented in a fairly straightforward package where the way in which the spells are used matters far less than the fact that they're casted in the first place. In this way, a new player can have the deck work wonderfully for them, while still having a ton of room to improve and unlock more potential from the deck as they learn. Plus, the deck draws just a silly amount of cards so the feel-bad moments of running out of steam or getting mana screwed are very rare. Since most of the deck is just about casting a ton of instants and sorceries, it's easy to make substitutions or upgrades, since you can just slot in any fun instant or sorcery you want to play in place of one of the dozens of similar spells. As a final selling point, the deck is fast enough to compete at most non-cedh tables while not being so oppressive that a typical precon couldn't keep up.\n"}]}
1
Vloxas 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"Howdy! Below is my submission for the contest:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"Volrath Nazgul & Clones"},"insert":"Volrath Nazgul & Clones"},{"insert":"\n\nI built this deck as a gift for my girlfriend who was trying to learn more about the Ring Tempting mechanic as well as +1/+1 counters, how to handle multiple triggers on the stack, how mechanics such as Trample+Deathtouch work and how there are nuances to certain commander abilities. Such as her misunderstanding that Volrath could only target creatures with a -1/-1 counter instead of targeting "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"any"},{"insert":" creature with a counter. Like a Nazgul. She wrote her thesis on Lord of the Rings, so using Nazgul as a means to pique her interest in some of the mechanics in the deck were a big plus in creating it.\n\nFor new players, one thing that has been true in our hobby since it's inception is their love of hitting each other with big creatures. Nazgul accomplish this by growing exponentially as the game goes on. The works of Tolkien are beloved by many across the world and Tales of Middle Earth attracted many new players to our hobby of choice. It got my brother who quit shortly after the OG Innistrad block back into Magic. \n\nThe deck itself teaches new and newer players Counter management through the sheer abundance of counters Nazgul will be getting as the game progresses. It gives them an understanding of how one thing triggering and resolving can cause a cascading effect of triggers to go on the stack. For example, being Tempted by the Ring while controlling six Nazgul will cause six triggers to go on the stack to put a +1/+1 counter on each Wraith you control, and that each trigger resolves individually. That through agreed shortcutting, these triggers can be consolidated via shortcutting.\n\nIt also teaches an important interaction new players who generally flock to more battlecruiser-style games tend to not understand. How a creature (or creatures) with both Trample and Deathtouch deal combat damage when blocked.\n\nIt imparts the importance of evasion in creature-heavy decks that rely on combat damage to secure a win.\n\nLastly, it helps new players understand how \"As this creature enters the battlefield\" abilities work and that they neither target nor use the stack once permanents with those abilities resolve. A common thing I have seen new players do when playing or confronted with Clones is, upon one entering, they say \"Targeting X to become a copy of it\", to which other new players attempt to respond to. \n\nOther than that, it helps instill some good fundamentals in deckbuilding: Ramp, Card Draw, Interaction and an all-encompassing theme (or themes) for a deck.\n\nThank you for holding another great contest!\n"}]}
1
Norwood 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"My submission is - "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8789300/beginner_deck_ruxa_patient_professor"},"insert":"Ruxa, Patient Professor"},{"insert":"\n\nRuxa is built around creatures (and tokens) with no abilities and attacking while being able to ignore blockers. I wanted to build around a way that allows the player to simplify combat, in this case using Ruxa's ability to have creatures without abilities to assign their combat damage as though they weren't blocked. Building up a board of creatures plus a few pump spells should allow for simple combat math that will help the player end the game.\n\nThis is mostly a power matters deck that is trying to keep combat simple that features a good mix of ramp, pump, card draw, and interaction. \n"}]}
1
CaramelAshe 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"After watching the previous EDHREC videos on this deck building contest, I'm so happy to finally create and submit a deck for it. This is also a deck I have in real life that I purposely give to new players so they can learn the game but also gives them a fighting chance to win which I lovingly call Babies first Tribal Deck. \n\nFor this submission, I think many of us have realized that tribal decks are a super easy intro point for new players but I wanted to take it a small step further with my Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca merfolk deck. Were going super old school here with a game plan of make a wide board, give them a bunch of +1/+1 counters, and smash them in our opponents face. Deeproot Pilgrimage and Emperor Milhali II are two very important cards for this strategy being the two main token producers and once you have 5 merfolk in play this deck gets dangerous. Being able to tap them for mana with Elven Chorus, draw cards with Kumena or Followsage, or buff eachother up with any of the lords, often being able to swing for at least 5 unblockable damage and also drawing a card.\n\n\"Reading the card explains the card\" was very important to me when putting this together so I made sure every card in the deck ether has an evergreen ability like flying or hexproof or they explain the mechanic on the card. (Example: Every instance of islandwalk on a card also says (It cant be blocked if defending player controls an island). Same for adept and proliferate which both make small appearances). In a similar vein, after giving the deck to a few people I got feedback about how some cards were overwhelming with the amount of text on them so in later iterations of the deck I took out cards like Tishana's Tidebinder and Forerunner of the Heralds, replacing them with Pongify and Tatyova, Benthic Druid as more straightforward forms of removal and card draw.\n\nThe deck also allows for interesting play at a higher level, turning into a creature combo deck with Elvish Chorus, Kumena, Deeproot Pilgrimage/Waters. Not infinite but enough to deal a LOT of damage to the table. Especially after taking an extra turn. And while only having a single tutor, being in blue lets the deck go off with as many big card draw engines as I could fit like Fallowsage and Kindered Discovery\n\nFinally, while the deck isnt the most budget thing in the world at around $150 total, I'm not going to tell a friend that if they want their own version of this deck they need to buy a $50 cyclonic rift or a $25 Three Tree City. One of my favorite budget includes is Filter Out. A 1UU Instant that simply says \"Return all noncreature, nonland permanents to their owners' hands.\" Save for a couple mana rocks, Elven Chorus, and a kindred discovery, nearly all the permanents in this deck are creatures with some form of evasion and can ignore the other leftover creatures or lands which makes this as close to a one sided boardwipe as were going to get. \n\nHere is the link to the deck: https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8788001/babys_first_tribal_deck\nThank you for your time and I hope everyone reading this has a great day <3\n"}]}
Edited 8/13/2024, 2:40:58 AM
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JackGrim 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"My submission is: https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8788811/starter_roll_that_dice \n\nIts a really fun deck that is easy to grasp and can lead to some amazing stories. \n\n\"remember that time I was about to lose and then I rolled 4 +15s in a row and made 15 goblins!\" Those stories, and having a great time playing the deck, is going to bring beginners back to the game so they are able to relieve that feeling.\n\nThe deck has a lot of enters the battlefield effects and remembering how and when those triggers take place is a great learning opportunity.\n\nIt also has the potential to grow as you become more familiar with the deck, what creatures to copy, timing of abilities, changing the person who's being attacked by the tokens. \n\nGreat, fun deck all round\n"}]}
1
Transcended 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"This is my first submission to this challenge so I hope people like my deck! Essentially, I built a cheaper version of a commander deck I already own and love, Zaxara, the Exemplary. She (or at least, I think she is appropriate) is a relatively straightforward build plan: spend big mana, get big hydra, attack, repeat. It's a very simple and fun build plan for a new player to pick up and understand. Additionally, if I were the one to be teaching a new player to play the game, I feel having personal knowledge of how to play a specific commander is a big plus in teaching Magic. The deck is mostly intended to play at sorcery speed, but there are enough combat tricks to give the opportunity to teach a new player about timing rules and how the stack works, both things that are hard to grasp and best tackled early in my opinion. Finally, the deck is pretty cheap to build (at least, on the cheaper side of things) with a few potential upgrade paths to allow for a new player to play around and feel with deck building, arguably one of the best parts of playing magic. While I generally prefer to lean super far into the X spells part of Zaxara, she does function as a +1/+1 counter and hydra typal commander as well, all three of which could be fun. \n\nThanks for taking the time to look at my decklist, and please leave any suggestions you may have! I look forward to participating in more of these deck building challenges in the future!\n\nDecklist: https://archidekt.com/decks/8730195/august_deckbuilding_challenge_zaxara\n\n"}]}
1
Minutem3n 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"I am thrilled to submit my newly constructed “Uril, the Miststalker” deck for this contest. This enchantment aura style deck is helmed by a simple-to-play commander with a straightforward gameplan, which is to suit him up with as many enchantments as possible and absolutely smack your opponents into oblivion with commander damage.\n\n\n\nWith this being my first time developing a commander deck for a competition, I had many commanders in mind, but was eventually drawn to Uril due to his direct and efficient game plan, an aspect I am certain every beginner would appreciate. This deck also means a lot to me as Naya is not only my favourite colour combination in Magic (it also happens to fit my personality the best out of all the colour combinations), but it is also the colour combination of my very first deck that my father gave me when I first started out playing the commander format, that being the Scrappy Survivors Precon. \n\n\n\nThe cards included in this deck mainly comprises of budget format staples that provide the prospective beginner a gentler learning curve into the world of MTG commander. With a generous suite of trample, vigilance, lifelink, totem armour and a multitude of other keywords, the beginner would be able to aggressively swing Uril at any of their pod-mates without having to worry about the consequences of their actions. With a plentiful amount of ramp, card draw and recursion in the deck, the beginner can be assured that their game plan can stay ahead of the curve at any given moment and that no setback is ever too overwhelming. \n\n\n\nAttached is the link to the deck on Archidekt and I would like to thank everyone who dropped by and gave my deck a look as it truly was a pleasure partaking in this event. Lastly, I hope that this deck will inspire and help beginners that are delving into the world of MTG commander.\n\nhttps://www.archidekt.com/decks/8774313/beginner_go_stompy_stompy\n\nTill next time,\nMinutem3n General \n"}]}
Edited 8/13/2024, 1:14:46 AM
1
nolenaw 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"Love my Stabby Heads! "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/626521/stabby_heads"},"insert":"https://archidekt.com/decks/626521/stabby_heads"},{"insert":"\n"}]}
1
Fenrirsuneater 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"I am submitting my first deck, and the deck that got me into commander:"},{"attributes":{"background":"#ffff00"},"insert":" Kyler, Sigardian Emissary"},{"insert":" .\n\nhttps://archidekt.com/decks/8787778/kyler_siguardian_emissary\n\nKyler is a great deck for beginners. The play pattern is very straightforward and easy to accomplish, and the mechanics are simple enough to learn after a few games with the deck. Building this deck is very easy, since most of the cards, including the commander are included in the \"Coven Counters\" precon and the rest of the cards in the deck are easily acquired for under $100 total. \n\nKyler provides the opportunity to build a very powerful board state relatively quickly, which felt great as a new player. Kyler's ability also made learning sequencing and learning when to drop threats very important. Legion loyalty is a late game bomb that is exciting to play and creates game winning scenarios that will stick with you for a long time. Pulling off an Angel of Glory's Rise after a board wipe feels good and is a very rewarding and tricky accomplishment. Being in Selesnya colors gives the opportunity to learn the importance of ramp with easily accessible artifacts and sorceries that allow you to get a five mana commander out. Mechanically the deck doesn't require you to keep track of a lot of complicated triggers or effects. The hardest part is doing the math to see how much power your creatures have. All of your instants and sorceries are very simple to resolve and don't require much of a learning curve to figure out. \nSince the deck is relatively cheap, it offers the chance to add upgrades with more impactful and expensive cards later(ie. esper sentinel, the ozolith, land tax etc). And since it is a human typal deck, finding switches and replacements is very easy considering all of the humans that exist in green and white.\n\nMy personal experience with this deck was that as a new player i never felt locked out of a game. The deck is straightforward enough to be able to become a threat, and can hold its own at most tables. Upgrading and investing in better cards was easy, and didn't take a long time to do. And the mechanics in the deck did a good job introducing most of the common keywords you'll encounter(hexproof, indestructible, etc).\n\nThis was the first deck i won a game with, and even though my list has been upgraded, and I haven't played it in two years, it still hasn't been taken apart because of my fondness for the memories it created.\n"}]}
1
Ginger_Friend 3 months{"ops":[{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"\""},{"attributes":{"bold":true,"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8735506/welcome_to_the_jungle"},"insert":"Welcome to the Jungle"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"\""},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Introduction"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The goal of this deck is to be a fun and exciting first deck to give a new player to get them into commander or to inspire them to explore a new aspect of the format. I chose "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Xenagos, God of Revels"}},{"insert":" because of his straight forward aggressive game plan. This will teach players to always remember to swing during combat through a combination of the trigger drawing attention to combat and decks incredibly aggressive. Additionally, his indestructible body will never leave them feeling undefended. This deck also wants to show the player the fun of being the threat of their pod as they slam surprise haymaker after surprise haymaker at their desperate opponents until they buckle under the pressure.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Approach-Ability"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The biggest issue with commander for new players is that complexity can be overwhelming. From the various triggers, several new cards, and multiple board-states to track, the goal of this deck is to make these game aspects more approachable. The first step is a fairly obvious non-tutors policy, since tutors can confuse even experienced players, let alone newbies. The second approach, diversifying the timing of triggers, was one I learned after years of teaching new players how to play this format. This serves 2 purposes, it keeps single game actions simple so they don't interrupt a player's thought process and it makes it so players generally don't have to be overwhelmed by trying to stack multiple triggers in the \"right\" order. Finally, I kept the average mana-value fairly high because big spells are good Timmy-style fun and limiting the number of spells being cast per turn limits decision paralysis.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Fun"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Now that we avoided scaring off a new player with the deck, we should give them a reason to look forward to playing with the deck! This can be done in 2 ways: maximizing fun and minimizing unfun. Repeatably losing your commander is not fun, however Xenagos being indestructible makes it stick around much better. Additionally, Xenagos giving haste allows the player to recover from board wipes quickly, sometimes even using the empty board to their advantage. And now the fun part: who doesn't love big, stompy dudes and beating face. Additionally, the high MV mentioned earlier makes it so that each spell is very Timmy. Finally, the massive power and haste make it feel like players are breaking the game in a way even newer players can tell which always feels fun in a game as complex and intricately balanced as magic.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Learning Opportunities"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This deck teaches players by using triggers to guide their focus. For example, using "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Managorger Hydra"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Hamletback Goliath"}},{"insert":" force the pilot to pay attention during the turns of other players and get a general idea of how much those players are doing without forcing the pilot to digest too much info. Next is a concept I call touchstones, which came to me while trying to help new players explore new decks. A complication when new players branch out is they don't really know how other decks feel. So in this deck we are giving the touchstones for the archetypes of aristocrats with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Greater Good"}},{"insert":" , stax with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ruric Thar, the Unbowed"}},{"insert":" , and combo with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Malignus"}},{"insert":". With these card when a player asks a question like \"what is a combo deck?\" the more experienced players of the group can inform them that it's like when they play "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Malignus"}},{"insert":" in their existing deck.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Budget"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Finally the budget for the deck is roughly $100 by TCGplayer prices. This may seem high, however when building this deck I consulted with 5 players with less than 6 months of experience. These people helped me determine what cards/interactions were too complicated and now 3 of them are building slight variations of this list. Anyways, despite being new players and broke college students, all of their first decks were a minimum of $150. Still, I tried to allocate the budget like a new player with lots of card I, and I would assume other players, would happily give over for free and one really flashy $20 \"fuck'it we ball\" type card in "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pathbreaker Ibex"}},{"insert":".\n"}]}
1
Dodo_air 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"Some of my friends recently started playing Magic and one of the things that one said was that he wants to be able to survive, and play the game. so I decided to build a Orzhov aristocrat life gain deck with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim"}},{"insert":" as the commander. I put in a lot of token making and sac outlets to make advantage of my commander and be able to block so that your life total tends to stay the highest. The deck introduces new mechanics like sacrifice, token making and life gain. I also tried to keep the cost low so its more budget friendly. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8747010/lifegain_august_deckbuilding_contest "},"insert":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8747010/lifegain_august_deckbuilding_contest "},{"insert":" Here's the deck! FREE LIFE SUPPORT!!!!!!!!\n"}]}
Edited 8/13/2024, 2:19:48 PM
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cuddlefish 3 months{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"I built my deck for beginners around Minsc, Beloved Ranger: "},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed","link":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8718771/boo_minsc"},"insert":"https://www.archidekt.com/decks/8718771/boo_minsc"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"The only thing better than hitting with a big creature is hitting with your 1/1 hamster - when it becomes an unblockable giant with 20+ power! "},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"This is a relatively simple, combat-focused deck with plenty of ramp and lots of outlets to spend that mana, all to make big, BIG creatures that can get through to hit an opponent. There's also a light giant subtheme! My hope is that a new player will learn about: "},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"- activated and triggered abilities;"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"- creature types;"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"- keywords like trample, flying, and double strike;"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"- the difference between instant and sorcery speeds;"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"- and most of all, combat steps and mechanics."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#202124","color":"#e8eaed"},"insert":"The deck is designed so that the player will have enough responses, resources, and backup creatures to make this a rewarding introduction to the game. "},{"insert":"\n"}]}
1
davulz 3 months{"ops":[{"insert":"A deck for beginners? Sure thing!"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Give it up for "},{"attributes":{"bold":true,"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/8741891/commander_101?sort=cmc&stack=custom"},"insert":"Morska, Undersea Sleuth"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nA few points i wanted to hit:\nSimple mechanics."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Good basics (ramp, draw , removal)."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Engaging with several spells to cast or game actions each turn."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Budget friendly."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Low salt score (wouldn't want a new player to be targeted out of the game early)."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nMy first thoughts went in the direction of mono-green or Gruul stompy, but i wanted a bit more finesse. Was thinking Simic for a while, but i decided to add white for some clutch removal and a wider window into the world of magic/commander. It was at that point i remembered this commander. What better way to showcase the value of card draw and ramp than to have a commander that incentivize both? \n\nShe provides the means to draw cards, pays you to do it, but it require mana so ramp is encouraged. And as an added bonus she is in no way needed on the board for the deck to do it's thing. To flesh out this build i stuffed it full of all the \"draw your second card each turn\"-cards i could afford in my given budget, and ways to draw on other turns than your own. This will teach the n00b all there is to know about the value of draw and ramp.\n\nTo round out the deck i added some all around good cards, some recursion, a few wraths and a suite of targeted removal, purposely containing cards that remove artifacts and enchantments only. Wouldn't want the new player to only remove the creatures hitting him/her. \n\nAll in all a good deck to introduce someone to the commander format, with a simple plan of action that reward you for getting the basics right. And all costing less than $100!\n\nAlso added some suggestions for upgrades to the deck.\n\n-Davulz-\n"}]}
Edited 8/13/2024, 2:22:36 PM
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