edhseer Commander synergy, explained

Precons › The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander

Explorers of the Deep

Commander precon · The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander · 2023 · led by Hakbal of the Surging Soul

Main theme: Merfolk tribal · Synergy 3.8/5 (connected) · Bracket 1–2 · Hakbal of the Surging Soul works with 22 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.

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

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.8 → 3.9 of 5, still connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.8 → 5.0 of 5, still on target; no longer short on ramp. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Simic Growth Chamber: Simic Growth Chamber enters tapped. Put in Breeding Pool: Breeding Pool never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  2. Take out Temple of Mystery: Temple of Mystery enters tapped. Put in Flooded Grove: Flooded Grove never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  3. Take out Vineglimmer Snarl: Vineglimmer Snarl enters tapped. Put in Overflowing Basin: Overflowing Basin never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  4. Take out Hinterland Harbor: Hinterland Harbor can enter tapped. Put in Rejuvenating Springs: Rejuvenating Springs never enters tapped and makes blue or green.

Ramp

  1. Take out Reflections of Littjara: Reflections of Littjara is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Phial of Galadriel: Ramp: you were 2 short; Phial of Galadriel counts as ramp. When Kindred Discovery makes a player draw a card, Phial of Galadriel draws you 2 cards.
  2. Take out Bygone Marvels: Bygone Marvels is next on the report's cut list. Works with 3 other cards: with 3 again and again. Put in Fellwar Stone: Ramp: you were 2 short; Fellwar Stone counts as ramp.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood: Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood works with 6 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme. Put in Silvergill Douser: While you control Deeproot Elite, Silvergill Douser counts it and does more
  2. Take out Branching Evolution: Branching Evolution works with 15 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme. Put in Roil Cartographer: Merrow Reejerey gives Roil Cartographer bigger stats
  3. Take out Hardened Scales: Hardened Scales works with 15 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; River Sneak works with 14 cards, 2 of them on it. Put in River Sneak: Merrow Reejerey gives River Sneak bigger stats
  4. Take out Kiora's Follower: Kiora's Follower works with 12 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Gossip's Talent works with 10 cards, none of them on it. Put in Gossip's Talent: When a Merfolk enters thanks to Emperor Mihail II, Gossip's Talent surveils

Upgrades at bracket 3

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

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

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.8 → 3.9 of 5, still connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.8 → 5.0 of 5, still on target; no longer short on ramp. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Simic Growth Chamber: Simic Growth Chamber enters tapped. Put in Breeding Pool: Breeding Pool never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  2. Take out Temple of Mystery: Temple of Mystery enters tapped. Put in Flooded Grove: Flooded Grove never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  3. Take out Vineglimmer Snarl: Vineglimmer Snarl enters tapped. Put in Overflowing Basin: Overflowing Basin never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  4. Take out Hinterland Harbor: Hinterland Harbor can enter tapped. Put in Rejuvenating Springs: Rejuvenating Springs never enters tapped and makes blue or green.

Ramp

  1. Take out Reflections of Littjara: Reflections of Littjara is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Phial of Galadriel: Ramp: you were 2 short; Phial of Galadriel counts as ramp. When Kindred Discovery makes a player draw a card, Phial of Galadriel draws you 2 cards.
  2. Take out Bygone Marvels: Bygone Marvels is next on the report's cut list. Works with 3 other cards: with 3 again and again. Put in Fellwar Stone: Ramp: you were 2 short; Fellwar Stone counts as ramp.
  3. 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.
  4. Take out Simic Signet: Simic Signet 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 Explore: Explore is weaker card draw than Rhystic Study. Put in Rhystic Study: Rhystic Study 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 Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood: Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood works with 6 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme. Put in Silvergill Douser: While you control Deeproot Elite, Silvergill Douser counts it and does more
  2. Take out Branching Evolution: Branching Evolution works with 15 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme. Put in Roil Cartographer: Merrow Reejerey gives Roil Cartographer bigger stats
  3. Take out Hardened Scales: Hardened Scales works with 15 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; River Sneak works with 14 cards, 2 of them on it. Put in River Sneak: Merrow Reejerey gives River Sneak bigger stats
  4. Take out Kiora's Follower: Kiora's Follower works with 12 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Gossip's Talent works with 10 cards, none of them on it. Put in Gossip's Talent: When a Merfolk enters thanks to Emperor Mihail II, Gossip's Talent surveils

Upgrades at bracket 4–5

No limits on Game Changers or combos.

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

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.8 → 3.9 of 5, still connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.8 → 5.0 of 5, still on target; no longer short on ramp. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Simic Growth Chamber: Simic Growth Chamber enters tapped. Put in Breeding Pool: Breeding Pool never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  2. Take out Temple of Mystery: Temple of Mystery enters tapped. Put in Flooded Grove: Flooded Grove never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  3. Take out Vineglimmer Snarl: Vineglimmer Snarl enters tapped. Put in Overflowing Basin: Overflowing Basin never enters tapped and makes blue or green.
  4. Take out Hinterland Harbor: Hinterland Harbor can enter tapped. Put in Rejuvenating Springs: Rejuvenating Springs never enters tapped and makes blue or green.

Ramp

  1. Take out Reflections of Littjara: Reflections of Littjara is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Phial of Galadriel: Ramp: you were 2 short; Phial of Galadriel counts as ramp. When Kindred Discovery makes a player draw a card, Phial of Galadriel draws you 2 cards.
  2. Take out Bygone Marvels: Bygone Marvels is next on the report's cut list. Works with 3 other cards: with 3 again and again. Put in Fellwar Stone: Ramp: you were 2 short; Fellwar Stone counts as ramp.
  3. 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.
  4. Take out Simic Signet: Simic Signet 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 Explore: Explore is weaker card draw than Rhystic Study. Put in Rhystic Study: Rhystic Study is card draw too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Board wipes

  1. Take out Aetherize: Aetherize is weaker board wipe than Cyclonic Rift. Put in Cyclonic Rift: Cyclonic Rift is board wipe too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood: Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood works with 6 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme. Put in Silvergill Douser: While you control Deeproot Elite, Silvergill Douser counts it and does more
  2. Take out Branching Evolution: Branching Evolution works with 15 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme. Put in Roil Cartographer: Merrow Reejerey gives Roil Cartographer bigger stats
  3. Take out Hardened Scales: Hardened Scales works with 15 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; River Sneak works with 14 cards, 2 of them on it. Put in River Sneak: Merrow Reejerey gives River Sneak bigger stats
  4. Take out Kiora's Follower: Kiora's Follower works with 12 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Gossip's Talent works with 10 cards, none of them on it. Put in Gossip's Talent: When a Merfolk enters thanks to Emperor Mihail II, Gossip's Talent surveils

Opens a route: Fecund Greenshell. 7 of its cards reach Evolution Sage through it.

Also short, against a typical Commander deck: ramp 11 of 13.

The decklist

Creatures

Benthic Biomancer · Cold-Eyed Selkie · Coralhelm Commander · Deeproot Elite · Deeproot Historian · Emperor Mihail II · Evolution Sage · Herald of Secret Streams · Kiora's Follower · Kopala, Warden of Waves · Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca · Master of the Pearl Trident · Merfolk Cave-Diver · Merfolk Mistbinder · Merfolk Skydiver · Merfolk Sovereign · Merrow Reejerey · Metallic Mimic · Mist Dancer · Nicanzil, Current Conductor · Prime Speaker Zegana · Realmwalker · Sage of Fables · Seafloor Oracle · Singer of Swift Rivers · Stonybrook Banneret · Surgespanner · Svyelun of Sea and Sky · Tatyova, Benthic Druid · Thassa, God of the Sea · Thieving Skydiver · Tishana, Voice of Thunder · Topography Tracker · Tributary Instructor · Vorel of the Hull Clade · Xolatoyac, the Smiling Flood · Zegana, Utopian Speaker

Instants and sorceries

Aetherize · Beast Within · Bygone Marvels · Commit // Memory · Curse of the Swine · Explore · Growth Spiral · Inspiring Call · Kodama's Reach · Quandrix Command · Rapid Hybridization · Ravenform · Ripples of Potential · Ruinous Intrusion · Wave Goodbye

Artifacts and enchantments

Arcane Signet · Branching Evolution · Commander's Sphere · Deeproot Waters · Hardened Scales · Kindred Discovery · Reflections of Littjara · Simic Ascendancy · Simic Signet · Sol Ring · Swiftfoot Boots

Lands

Alchemist's Refuge · Command Tower · 7 Forest · Hinterland Harbor · 13 Island · Karn's Bastion · Llanowar Reborn · Mosswort Bridge · Myriad Landscape · Path of Ancestry · Reliquary Tower · Rogue's Passage · Secluded Courtyard · Simic Growth Chamber · Temple of Mystery · Temple of the False God · Unclaimed Territory · Vineglimmer Snarl

Other The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander precons