edhseer Commander synergy, explained

Precons › Starter Commander Decks

Draconic Destruction

Commander precon · Starter Commander Decks · 2022 · led by Atarka, World Render

Main theme: Dragon tribal · Synergy 3.5/5 (connected) · Bracket 1–2 · Atarka, World Render works with 33 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.

12 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 4.4 → 4.7 of 5, still on target; no longer short on card advantage, 3 short on interaction, was 4. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Game Trail: Game Trail enters tapped. Put in Fire-Lit Thicket: Fire-Lit Thicket never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  2. Take out Kazandu Refuge: Kazandu Refuge enters tapped. Put in Mossfire Valley: Mossfire Valley never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  3. Take out Rugged Highlands: Rugged Highlands enters tapped. Put in Spire Garden: Spire Garden never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  4. Take out Shivan Oasis: Shivan Oasis enters tapped. Put in Stomping Ground: Stomping Ground never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  5. Take out Temple of Abandon: Temple of Abandon enters tapped. Put in Taiga: Taiga never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  6. Take out Timber Gorge: Timber Gorge enters tapped. Put in Copperline Gorge: Copperline Gorge enters tapped less often and makes red or green.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Clan Defiance: Clan Defiance is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Dragon's Approach: Card advantage: you were 3 short; Dragon's Approach counts as card advantage. When a Dragon enters thanks to Dragon's Approach, Scourge of Valkas deals damage.
  2. Take out Unleash Fury: Unleash Fury is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku: Card advantage: you were 3 short; The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku counts as card advantage.
  3. Take out Primal Might: Primal Might is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Kyscu Drake: Card advantage: you were 3 short; Kyscu Drake counts as card advantage. When a Dragon enters thanks to Kyscu Drake, Scourge of Valkas deals damage.

Interaction

  1. Take out Loaming Shaman: Loaming Shaman is next on the report's cut list. Works with 4 other cards: with 2 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Parapet Thrasher: Interaction: you were 4 short; Parapet Thrasher counts as interaction. While you control Parapet Thrasher, Scourge of Valkas counts it and deals more damage.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Provoke the Trolls: Provoke the Trolls works with no other card in this deck; Utvara Hellkite works with 12 cards, 5 of them on it. Put in Utvara Hellkite: When a Dragon enters thanks to Utvara Hellkite, Scourge of Valkas deals damage
  2. Take out Dragonmaster Outcast: Dragonmaster Outcast works with 8 cards in this deck, 4 of them on its theme; Bloodline Pretender works with 11 cards, 5 of them on it. Put in Bloodline Pretender: While you control Bloodline Pretender, Scourge of Valkas counts it and deals more damage

Upgrades at bracket 3

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

15 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 4.4 → 4.7 of 5, still on target; no longer short on card advantage, 3 short on interaction, was 4. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Game Trail: Game Trail enters tapped. Put in Fire-Lit Thicket: Fire-Lit Thicket never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  2. Take out Kazandu Refuge: Kazandu Refuge enters tapped. Put in Mossfire Valley: Mossfire Valley never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  3. Take out Rugged Highlands: Rugged Highlands enters tapped. Put in Spire Garden: Spire Garden never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  4. Take out Shivan Oasis: Shivan Oasis enters tapped. Put in Stomping Ground: Stomping Ground never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  5. Take out Temple of Abandon: Temple of Abandon enters tapped. Put in Taiga: Taiga never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  6. Take out Timber Gorge: Timber Gorge enters tapped. Put in Copperline Gorge: Copperline Gorge enters tapped less often and makes red or green.

Ramp

  1. Take out Arcane Signet: Arcane Signet 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.
  2. Take out Atarka Monument: Atarka Monument 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.
  3. Take out Talisman of Impulse: Talisman of Impulse is weaker ramp than Mox Diamond. Put in Mox Diamond: Mox Diamond is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Clan Defiance: Clan Defiance is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Dragon's Approach: Card advantage: you were 3 short; Dragon's Approach counts as card advantage. When a Dragon enters thanks to Dragon's Approach, Scourge of Valkas deals damage.
  2. Take out Unleash Fury: Unleash Fury is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku: Card advantage: you were 3 short; The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku counts as card advantage.
  3. Take out Primal Might: Primal Might is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Kyscu Drake: Card advantage: you were 3 short; Kyscu Drake counts as card advantage. When a Dragon enters thanks to Kyscu Drake, Scourge of Valkas deals damage.

Interaction

  1. Take out Loaming Shaman: Loaming Shaman is next on the report's cut list. Works with 4 other cards: with 2 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Parapet Thrasher: Interaction: you were 4 short; Parapet Thrasher counts as interaction. While you control Parapet Thrasher, Scourge of Valkas counts it and deals more damage.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Provoke the Trolls: Provoke the Trolls works with no other card in this deck; Utvara Hellkite works with 12 cards, 5 of them on it. Put in Utvara Hellkite: When a Dragon enters thanks to Utvara Hellkite, Scourge of Valkas deals damage
  2. Take out Dragonmaster Outcast: Dragonmaster Outcast works with 8 cards in this deck, 4 of them on its theme; Bloodline Pretender works with 11 cards, 5 of them on it. Put in Bloodline Pretender: While you control Bloodline Pretender, Scourge of Valkas counts it and deals more damage

Upgrades at bracket 4–5

No limits on Game Changers or combos.

16 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 4.4 → 4.8 of 5, still on target; no longer short on card advantage, 2 short on interaction, was 4. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Game Trail: Game Trail enters tapped. Put in Fire-Lit Thicket: Fire-Lit Thicket never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  2. Take out Kazandu Refuge: Kazandu Refuge enters tapped. Put in Mossfire Valley: Mossfire Valley never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  3. Take out Rugged Highlands: Rugged Highlands enters tapped. Put in Spire Garden: Spire Garden never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  4. Take out Shivan Oasis: Shivan Oasis enters tapped. Put in Stomping Ground: Stomping Ground never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  5. Take out Temple of Abandon: Temple of Abandon enters tapped. Put in Taiga: Taiga never enters tapped and makes red or green.
  6. Take out Timber Gorge: Timber Gorge enters tapped. Put in Copperline Gorge: Copperline Gorge enters tapped less often and makes red or green.

Ramp

  1. Take out Arcane Signet: Arcane Signet 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.
  2. Take out Atarka Monument: Atarka Monument 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.
  3. Take out Talisman of Impulse: Talisman of Impulse is weaker ramp than Mox Diamond. Put in Mox Diamond: Mox Diamond is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Clan Defiance: Clan Defiance is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Dragon's Approach: Card advantage: you were 3 short; Dragon's Approach counts as card advantage. When a Dragon enters thanks to Dragon's Approach, Scourge of Valkas deals damage.
  2. Take out Unleash Fury: Unleash Fury is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku: Card advantage: you were 3 short; The Legend of Roku // Avatar Roku counts as card advantage.
  3. Take out Primal Might: Primal Might is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Kyscu Drake: Card advantage: you were 3 short; Kyscu Drake counts as card advantage. When a Dragon enters thanks to Kyscu Drake, Scourge of Valkas deals damage.
  4. Take out Harmonize: Harmonize 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.

Interaction

  1. Take out Loaming Shaman: Loaming Shaman is next on the report's cut list. Works with 4 other cards: with 2 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Parapet Thrasher: Interaction: you were 4 short; Parapet Thrasher counts as interaction. While you control Parapet Thrasher, Scourge of Valkas counts it and deals more damage.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Provoke the Trolls: Provoke the Trolls works with no other card in this deck; Utvara Hellkite works with 12 cards, 5 of them on it. Put in Utvara Hellkite: When a Dragon enters thanks to Utvara Hellkite, Scourge of Valkas deals damage
  2. Take out Dragonmaster Outcast: Dragonmaster Outcast works with 8 cards in this deck, 4 of them on its theme; Bloodline Pretender works with 11 cards, 5 of them on it. Put in Bloodline Pretender: While you control Bloodline Pretender, Scourge of Valkas counts it and deals more damage

Also short, against a typical Commander deck: interaction 8 of 12, card advantage 11 of 14.

The decklist

Creatures

Akoum Hellkite · Demanding Dragon · Draconic Disciple · Dragon Mage · Dragonkin Berserker · Dragonlord's Servant · Dragonmaster Outcast · Dragonspeaker Shaman · Drakuseth, Maw of Flames · Dream Pillager · Drumhunter · Flameblast Dragon · Foe-Razer Regent · Furnace Whelp · Harbinger of the Hunt · Hoard-Smelter Dragon · Loaming Shaman · Mordant Dragon · Rapacious Dragon · Runehorn Hellkite · Sakura-Tribe Elder · Savage Ventmaw · Scourge of Valkas · Steel Hellkite · Thunderbreak Regent · Thundermaw Hellkite · Tyrant's Familiar · Verix Bladewing

Planeswalkers

Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker

Instants and sorceries

Beast Within · Blossoming Defense · Chain Reaction · Clan Defiance · Cultivate · Harmonize · Hunter's Insight · Hunter's Prowess · Magmaquake · Primal Might · Provoke the Trolls · Return to Nature · Shamanic Revelation · Spit Flame · Sweltering Suns · Unleash Fury · Vandalblast

Artifacts and enchantments

Arcane Signet · Atarka Monument · Commander's Sphere · Crucible of Fire · Dragon Tempest · Dragon's Hoard · Elemental Bond · Fires of Yavimaya · Frontier Siege · Garruk's Uprising · Sol Ring · Swiftfoot Boots · Talisman of Impulse

Lands

Cinder Glade · Command Tower · 12 Forest · Game Trail · Haven of the Spirit Dragon · Kazandu Refuge · 18 Mountain · Path of Ancestry · Rugged Highlands · Shivan Oasis · Temple of Abandon · Timber Gorge

Other Starter Commander Decks precons