edhseer Commander synergy, explained

Precons › Secret Lair Drop

Angels: They're Just Like Us but Cooler and with Wings

Commander precon · Secret Lair Drop · 2023 · led by Gisela, the Broken Blade

Main theme: Angel tribal · Synergy 3.5/5 (connected) · Bracket 1–2 · Gisela, the Broken Blade works with 21 of its cards

Upgrades at bracket 1–2

No Game Changers and no infinite combos: the level of an unchanged precon. Game Changers are cards on WotC's official list of cards that make a deck much stronger.

6 swaps, and after them the report reads the deck at bracket 1–2.

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.5 → 3.7 of 5, still connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.3 → 4.6 of 5, still on target; no longer short on card advantage, now 3 short on interaction, was 2. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Serra Ascendant: Serra Ascendant is next on the report's cut list. Works with 10 other cards: with 8 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Exemplar of Light: Card advantage: you were 4 short; Exemplar of Light counts as card advantage.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Heirloom Blade: Heirloom Blade works with 3 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Vanguard Seraph works with 20 cards, 10 of them on it. Put in Vanguard Seraph: When Righteous Valkyrie gains life, Vanguard Seraph surveils
  2. Take out Entreat the Angels: Entreat the Angels works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme. Put in Haliya, Guided by Light: When Righteous Valkyrie enters, Haliya, Guided by Light gains you 1 life
  3. Take out Angelic Accord: Angelic Accord works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Serra Paragon works with 37 cards, 4 of them on it. Put in Serra Paragon: Serra Paragon can bring back Righteous Valkyrie
  4. Take out The Book of Exalted Deeds: The Book of Exalted Deeds works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Shepherd of Heroes works with 19 cards, 4 of them on it. Put in Shepherd of Heroes: While you control Righteous Valkyrie, Shepherd of Heroes counts it and gains more life
  5. Take out Court of Grace: Court of Grace works with 4 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Ob Nixilis, the Ascended works with 18 cards, 6 of them on it. Put in Ob Nixilis, the Ascended: When an Angel enters thanks to Ob Nixilis, the Ascended, Righteous Valkyrie gains you that creature's toughness life

Upgrades at bracket 3

Up to three Game Changers, and no two-card infinite combo that costs 6 or less.

9 swaps, and after them the report reads the deck at bracket 3.

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.5 → 3.7 of 5, still connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.3 → 4.6 of 5, still on target; no longer short on card advantage, now 3 short on interaction, was 2. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Ramp

  1. Take out Arcane Signet: Arcane Signet is weaker ramp than Smothering Tithe. Put in Smothering Tithe: Smothering Tithe is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.
  2. Take out Everflowing Chalice: Everflowing Chalice is weaker ramp than Chrome Mox. Put in Chrome Mox: Chrome Mox is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.
  3. Take out Marble Diamond: Marble Diamond is weaker ramp than Mana Vault. Put in Mana Vault: Mana Vault is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Serra Ascendant: Serra Ascendant is next on the report's cut list. Works with 10 other cards: with 8 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Exemplar of Light: Card advantage: you were 4 short; Exemplar of Light counts as card advantage.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Heirloom Blade: Heirloom Blade works with 3 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Vanguard Seraph works with 20 cards, 10 of them on it. Put in Vanguard Seraph: When Righteous Valkyrie gains life, Vanguard Seraph surveils
  2. Take out Entreat the Angels: Entreat the Angels works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme. Put in Haliya, Guided by Light: When Righteous Valkyrie enters, Haliya, Guided by Light gains you 1 life
  3. Take out Angelic Accord: Angelic Accord works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Serra Paragon works with 37 cards, 4 of them on it. Put in Serra Paragon: Serra Paragon can bring back Righteous Valkyrie
  4. Take out The Book of Exalted Deeds: The Book of Exalted Deeds works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Shepherd of Heroes works with 19 cards, 4 of them on it. Put in Shepherd of Heroes: While you control Righteous Valkyrie, Shepherd of Heroes counts it and gains more life
  5. Take out Court of Grace: Court of Grace works with 4 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Ob Nixilis, the Ascended works with 18 cards, 6 of them on it. Put in Ob Nixilis, the Ascended: When an Angel enters thanks to Ob Nixilis, the Ascended, Righteous Valkyrie gains you that creature's toughness life

Upgrades at bracket 4–5

No limits on Game Changers or combos.

10 swaps, and after them the report reads the deck at bracket 4–5.

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.5 → 3.7 of 5, still connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.3 → 4.7 of 5, still on target; no longer short on card advantage, still 2 short on interaction. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Ramp

  1. Take out Arcane Signet: Arcane Signet is weaker ramp than Smothering Tithe. Put in Smothering Tithe: Smothering Tithe is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.
  2. Take out Everflowing Chalice: Everflowing Chalice is weaker ramp than Chrome Mox. Put in Chrome Mox: Chrome Mox is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.
  3. Take out Marble Diamond: Marble Diamond is weaker ramp than Mana Vault. Put in Mana Vault: Mana Vault is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Serra Ascendant: Serra Ascendant is next on the report's cut list. Works with 10 other cards: with 8 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Exemplar of Light: Card advantage: you were 4 short; Exemplar of Light counts as card advantage.
  2. Take out Endless Atlas: Endless Atlas is weaker card draw than The One Ring. Put in The One Ring: The One Ring is card draw too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Heirloom Blade: Heirloom Blade works with 3 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Vanguard Seraph works with 20 cards, 10 of them on it. Put in Vanguard Seraph: When Righteous Valkyrie gains life, Vanguard Seraph surveils
  2. Take out Entreat the Angels: Entreat the Angels works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme. Put in Haliya, Guided by Light: When Righteous Valkyrie enters, Haliya, Guided by Light gains you 1 life
  3. Take out Angelic Accord: Angelic Accord works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Serra Paragon works with 37 cards, 4 of them on it. Put in Serra Paragon: Serra Paragon can bring back Righteous Valkyrie
  4. Take out The Book of Exalted Deeds: The Book of Exalted Deeds works with 3 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Shepherd of Heroes works with 19 cards, 4 of them on it. Put in Shepherd of Heroes: While you control Righteous Valkyrie, Shepherd of Heroes counts it and gains more life
  5. Take out Court of Grace: Court of Grace works with 4 cards in this deck, 2 of them on its theme; Ob Nixilis, the Ascended works with 18 cards, 6 of them on it. Put in Ob Nixilis, the Ascended: When an Angel enters thanks to Ob Nixilis, the Ascended, Righteous Valkyrie gains you that creature's toughness life

Opens a route: Apothecary Initiate. 9 of its cards reach Archangel of Thune through it.

Also short, against a typical Commander deck: card advantage 10 of 14, interaction 10 of 12.

The decklist

Creatures

Angel of Destiny · Angel of Finality · Angel of Serenity · Angel of the Ruins · Angel of Vitality · Angelic Field Marshal · Archangel of Thune · Archangel of Tithes · Arden Angel · Bishop of Wings · Breathkeeper Seraph · Bruna, the Fading Light · Dawnbreak Reclaimer · Emeria Shepherd · Giada, Font of Hope · Keeper of the Accord · Nykthos Paragon · Righteous Valkyrie · Sephara, Sky's Blade · Serra Ascendant · Shattered Angel · Speaker of the Heavens · Starnheim Aspirant · Sunblast Angel · Thalia's Lancers · Valkyrie Harbinger

Planeswalkers

Ajani, Strength of the Pride

Instants and sorceries

Austere Command · Cleansing Nova · Dismantling Wave · Entreat the Angels · Invoke the Divine · Path to Exile · Search for Glory · Swords to Plowshares

Artifacts and enchantments

Angelic Accord · Arcane Signet · Commander's Plate · Cosmos Elixir · Court of Grace · Dawn of Hope · Endless Atlas · Everflowing Chalice · Griffin Aerie · Heirloom Blade · Kindred Boon · Lightning Greaves · Marble Diamond · Mazemind Tome · Mind Stone · Oketra's Monument · Pearl Medallion · Sol Ring · Swiftfoot Boots · Sword of the Animist · The Book of Exalted Deeds · Tome of Legends · Urza's Incubator · Vanquisher's Banner · Well of Lost Dreams

Lands

Arch of Orazca · Bonders' Enclave · Emeria, the Sky Ruin · Karoo · Myriad Landscape · Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx · Path of Ancestry · 30 Plains · Seraph Sanctuary · War Room

Other Secret Lair Drop precons