edhseer Commander synergy, explained

Precons › Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate

Mind Flayarrrs

Commander precon · Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate · 2022 · led by Captain N'ghathrod

Main theme: Horror tribal · Synergy 2.7/5 (developing) · Bracket 3 · Captain N'ghathrod works with 35 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.It starts at bracket 3, so the first swap brings it down.

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

Its cards work together more: synergy 2.7 → 3.2 of 5, from developing to connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.3 → 4.4 of 5, still on target; no longer short on ramp, now 1 short on interaction, 1 short on card advantage, was 5. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

First, to reach bracket 1–2

  1. Take out Hullbreaker Horror: With , Hullbreaker Horror makes an infinite combo, which bracket 1–2 doesn't allow. Put in Gossip's Talent: When a creature enters thanks to Gossip's Talent, Brainstealer Dragon makes a player lose life equal to its mana value

Lands

  1. Take out Choked Estuary: Choked Estuary enters tapped. Put in Morphic Pool: Morphic Pool never enters tapped and makes blue or black.
  2. Take out Dimir Aqueduct: Dimir Aqueduct enters tapped. Put in Sunken Ruins: Sunken Ruins never enters tapped and makes blue or black.
  3. Take out Temple of Deceit: Temple of Deceit enters tapped. Put in Underground Sea: Underground Sea never enters tapped and makes blue or black.

Ramp

  1. Take out Reflections of Littjara: Reflections of Littjara is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Brainstealer Dragon. Put in Fellwar Stone: Ramp: you were 1 short; Fellwar Stone counts as ramp.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Leyline of Anticipation: Leyline of Anticipation is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Brainstealer Dragon. Put in Starving Revenant: Card advantage: you were 5 short; Starving Revenant counts as card advantage. Captain N'ghathrod gives Starving Revenant menace.
  2. Take out Memory Plunder: Memory Plunder is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Psionic Ritual. Put in The Master of Lake-town: Card advantage: you were 5 short; The Master of Lake-town counts as card advantage.
  3. Take out Nihilith: Nihilith is next on the report's cut list. Works with 3 other cards: with 1 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in Aether Syphon: Card advantage: you were 5 short; Aether Syphon counts as card advantage. When Brainstealer Dragon makes a player lose life, Aether Syphon raises your speed.

Upgrades at bracket 3

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

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

Its cards work together more: synergy 2.7 → 3.2 of 5, from developing to connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.3 → 4.7 of 5, still on target; no longer short on ramp, 1 short on card advantage, was 5. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Choked Estuary: Choked Estuary enters tapped. Put in Morphic Pool: Morphic Pool never enters tapped and makes blue or black.
  2. Take out Dimir Aqueduct: Dimir Aqueduct enters tapped. Put in Sunken Ruins: Sunken Ruins never enters tapped and makes blue or black.
  3. Take out Temple of Deceit: Temple of Deceit enters tapped. Put in Underground Sea: Underground Sea never enters tapped and makes blue or black.

Ramp

  1. Take out Reflections of Littjara: Reflections of Littjara is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Brainstealer Dragon. Put in Fellwar Stone: Ramp: you were 1 short; Fellwar Stone counts as ramp.
  2. 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.
  3. Take out Dimir Keyrune: Dimir Keyrune 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.
  4. Take out Dimir Signet: Dimir Signet 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 Leyline of Anticipation: Leyline of Anticipation is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Brainstealer Dragon. Put in Gossip's Talent: Card advantage: you were 5 short; Gossip's Talent counts as card advantage.
  2. Take out Memory Plunder: Memory Plunder is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Psionic Ritual. Put in Starving Revenant: Card advantage: you were 5 short; Starving Revenant counts as card advantage. Captain N'ghathrod gives Starving Revenant menace.
  3. Take out Nihilith: Nihilith is next on the report's cut list. Works with 3 other cards: with 1 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in The Master of Lake-town: Card advantage: you were 5 short; The Master of Lake-town counts as card advantage.

Cards that work together

  1. Take out Guiltfeeder: Guiltfeeder works with 3 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Aether Syphon works with 15 cards, none of them on it. Put in Aether Syphon: When Brainstealer Dragon makes a player lose life, Aether Syphon raises your speed

Upgrades at bracket 4–5

No limits on Game Changers or combos.

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

Its cards work together more: synergy 2.7 → 3.2 of 5, from developing to connected. It is a little more consistent: Build 4.3 → 4.7 of 5, still on target; no longer short on ramp, 1 short on card advantage, was 5. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Choked Estuary: Choked Estuary enters tapped. Put in Morphic Pool: Morphic Pool never enters tapped and makes blue or black.
  2. Take out Dimir Aqueduct: Dimir Aqueduct enters tapped. Put in Sunken Ruins: Sunken Ruins never enters tapped and makes blue or black.
  3. Take out Temple of Deceit: Temple of Deceit enters tapped. Put in Underground Sea: Underground Sea never enters tapped and makes blue or black.

Ramp

  1. Take out Reflections of Littjara: Reflections of Littjara is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Brainstealer Dragon. Put in Fellwar Stone: Ramp: you were 1 short; Fellwar Stone counts as ramp.
  2. 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.
  3. Take out Dimir Keyrune: Dimir Keyrune 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.
  4. Take out Dimir Signet: Dimir Signet 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.
  5. Take out Everflowing Chalice: Everflowing Chalice is weaker ramp than Grim Monolith. Put in Grim Monolith: Grim Monolith is ramp too, and one of the strongest cards in Commander: a Game Changer, which this bracket allows.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Leyline of Anticipation: Leyline of Anticipation is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Brainstealer Dragon. Put in Gossip's Talent: Card advantage: you were 5 short; Gossip's Talent counts as card advantage.
  2. Take out Memory Plunder: Memory Plunder is next on the report's cut list. It works with other cards only once, when it is played: with Psionic Ritual. Put in Starving Revenant: Card advantage: you were 5 short; Starving Revenant counts as card advantage. Captain N'ghathrod gives Starving Revenant menace.
  3. Take out Nihilith: Nihilith is next on the report's cut list. Works with 3 other cards: with 1 again and again, with 2 just once or in the background. Put in The Master of Lake-town: Card advantage: you were 5 short; The Master of Lake-town counts as card advantage.
  4. Take out Fact or Fiction: Fact or Fiction 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 Guiltfeeder: Guiltfeeder works with 3 cards in this deck, none of them on its theme; Aether Syphon works with 15 cards, none of them on it. Put in Aether Syphon: When Brainstealer Dragon makes a player lose life, Aether Syphon raises your speed

Opens a route: Hazoret's Monument. 27 of its cards reach Psychosis Crawler through it.

Also short, against a typical Commander deck: card advantage 9 of 14, ramp 12 of 13.

The decklist

Creatures

Aboleth Spawn · Brainstealer Dragon · Chasm Skulker · Consuming Aberration · Dark Hatchling · Dauthi Horror · Dross Harvester · Dusk Mangler · Forgotten Creation · Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar · Grell Philosopher · Guiltfeeder · Hullbreaker Horror · Hunted Horror · Mind Flayer · Nemesis of Reason · Nighthowler · Nihilith · Overcharged Amalgam · Phyrexian Rager · Phyrexian Revoker · Plague Spitter · Psychosis Crawler · Ravenous Chupacabra · Sewer Nemesis · Sludge Monster · Spellskite · Uchuulon · Wharf Infiltrator · Woe Strider · Zellix, Sanity Flayer

Instants and sorceries

Crippling Fear · Curtains' Call · Drown in the Loch · Extract from Darkness · Fact or Fiction · Feed the Swarm · Fractured Sanity · From the Catacombs · Hex · In Garruk's Wake · Memory Plunder · Psionic Ritual · Pull from Tomorrow · Syphon Mind

Artifacts and enchantments

Arcane Signet · Black Market · Dimir Keyrune · Dimir Signet · Endless Evil · Everflowing Chalice · Haunted One · Herald's Horn · Leyline of Anticipation · Lightning Greaves · Mind Stone · Mindcrank · Reflections of Littjara · Sol Ring · Talisman of Dominance · Thought Vessel

Lands

Ash Barrens · Choked Estuary · Command Tower · Creeping Tar Pit · Darkwater Catacombs · Dimir Aqueduct · Drownyard Temple · Exotic Orchard · 9 Island · Myriad Landscape · Nephalia Drownyard · Path of Ancestry · Port of Karfell · River of Tears · Rogue's Passage · Sunken Hollow · 11 Swamp · Tainted Isle · Temple of Deceit · Temple of the False God

Other Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate precons