edhseer Commander synergy, explained

Precons › Commander 2021

Prismari Performance

Commander precon · Commander 2021 · 2021 · led by Zaffai, Thunder Conductor

Main theme: instants · Synergy 3.7/5 (connected) · Bracket 1–2 · Zaffai, Thunder Conductor works with 41 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.

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

Its cards work together as before: synergy stays at 3.7 of 5, connected. It is more consistent: Build 3.5 → 4.5 of 5, from close to on target; no longer short on board wipes, no longer short on card advantage, 1 short on interaction, was 7. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Izzet Boilerworks: Izzet Boilerworks enters tapped. Put in Cascade Bluffs: Cascade Bluffs never enters tapped and makes blue or red.
  2. Take out Temple of Epiphany: Temple of Epiphany enters tapped. Put in Ferrous Lake: Ferrous Lake never enters tapped and makes blue or red.

Ramp

  1. Take out Hedron Archive: Hedron Archive also does card draw, and doesn't make blue and red, which the deck is short of for its spells. Put in Khalni Gem: Khalni Gem is the same ramp and makes blue and red, which the deck is short of for its spells, but does not do card draw.

Card advantage

  1. Take out Inferno Project: Inferno Project is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Ashling, Flame Dancer: Card advantage: you were 2 short; Ashling, Flame Dancer counts as card advantage.
  2. Take out Sly Instigator: Sly Instigator is next on the report's cut list. Works with 2 other cards: with 2 again and again. Put in Spell Satchel: Card advantage: you were 2 short; Spell Satchel counts as card advantage. Spell Satchel counts toward the 6 or more artifacts Metallurgic Summonings needs.

Interaction

  1. Take out Rionya, Fire Dancer: Rionya, Fire Dancer is next on the report's cut list. Works with 6 other cards: with 6 again and again. Put in Sword of Wealth and Power: Interaction: you were 7 short; Sword of Wealth and Power counts as interaction.
  2. Take out Rootha, Mercurial Artist: Rootha, Mercurial Artist is next on the report's cut list. Works with 4 other cards: with 4 again and again. Put in Weaver of Lightning: Interaction: you were 7 short; Weaver of Lightning counts as interaction. When Dig Through Time is cast, Weaver of Lightning deals 1 damage.
  3. Take out Etali, Primal Storm: Etali, Primal Storm is next on the report's cut list. Put in Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound: Interaction: you were 7 short; Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound counts as interaction.
  4. Take out Dualcaster Mage: Dualcaster Mage is next on the report's cut list. Works with 6 other cards: with 6 again and again. Put in Sword of Once and Future: Interaction: you were 7 short; Sword of Once and Future counts as interaction.
  5. Take out Naru Meha, Master Wizard: Naru Meha, Master Wizard is next on the report's cut list. Works with 8 other cards: with 8 again and again. Put in Insidious Will: Interaction: you were 7 short; Insidious Will counts as interaction. Metallurgic Summonings can bring back Insidious Will.
  6. Take out Sunbird's Invocation: Sunbird's Invocation is next on the report's cut list. Put in Logic Knot: Interaction: you were 7 short; Logic Knot counts as interaction. Metallurgic Summonings can bring back Logic Knot.

Upgrades at bracket 3

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

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

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.7 → 3.8 of 5, still connected. It is more consistent: Build 3.5 → 4.5 of 5, from close to on target; no longer short on board wipes, no longer short on card advantage, 1 short on interaction, was 7. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Izzet Boilerworks: Izzet Boilerworks enters tapped. Put in Cascade Bluffs: Cascade Bluffs never enters tapped and makes blue or red.
  2. Take out Temple of Epiphany: Temple of Epiphany enters tapped. Put in Ferrous Lake: Ferrous Lake never enters tapped and makes blue or red.

Ramp

  1. Take out Hedron Archive: Hedron Archive also does card draw, and doesn't make blue and red, which the deck is short of for its spells. Put in Khalni Gem: Khalni Gem is the same ramp and makes blue and red, which the deck is short of for its spells, but does not do card draw.
  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 Elementalist's Palette: Elementalist's Palette 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 Izzet Signet: Izzet 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 Inferno Project: Inferno Project is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Ashling, Flame Dancer: Card advantage: you were 2 short; Ashling, Flame Dancer counts as card advantage.
  2. Take out Sly Instigator: Sly Instigator is next on the report's cut list. Works with 2 other cards: with 2 again and again. Put in Spell Satchel: Card advantage: you were 2 short; Spell Satchel counts as card advantage. Spell Satchel counts toward the 6 or more artifacts Metallurgic Summonings needs.

Interaction

  1. Take out Rionya, Fire Dancer: Rionya, Fire Dancer is next on the report's cut list. Works with 6 other cards: with 6 again and again. Put in Sword of Wealth and Power: Interaction: you were 7 short; Sword of Wealth and Power counts as interaction.
  2. Take out Rootha, Mercurial Artist: Rootha, Mercurial Artist is next on the report's cut list. Works with 4 other cards: with 4 again and again. Put in Weaver of Lightning: Interaction: you were 7 short; Weaver of Lightning counts as interaction. When Dig Through Time is cast, Weaver of Lightning deals 1 damage.
  3. Take out Etali, Primal Storm: Etali, Primal Storm is next on the report's cut list. Put in Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound: Interaction: you were 7 short; Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound counts as interaction.
  4. Take out Dualcaster Mage: Dualcaster Mage is next on the report's cut list. Works with 6 other cards: with 6 again and again. Put in Sword of Once and Future: Interaction: you were 7 short; Sword of Once and Future counts as interaction.
  5. Take out Naru Meha, Master Wizard: Naru Meha, Master Wizard is next on the report's cut list. Works with 8 other cards: with 8 again and again. Put in Return the Favor: Interaction: you were 7 short; Return the Favor counts as interaction. Return the Favor copies Metallurgic Summonings's activated ability.
  6. Take out Sunbird's Invocation: Sunbird's Invocation is next on the report's cut list. Put in Insidious Will: Interaction: you were 7 short; Insidious Will counts as interaction. Metallurgic Summonings can bring back Insidious Will.

Upgrades at bracket 4–5

No limits on Game Changers or combos.

14 swaps, and after them the report reads the deck at bracket 3. These are the same swaps as at bracket 3: none of the stronger cards bracket 4–5 allows does any of these jobs strictly better, so aiming higher changes nothing for this deck.

Its cards work together a little more: synergy 3.7 → 3.8 of 5, still connected. It is more consistent: Build 3.5 → 4.5 of 5, from close to on target; no longer short on board wipes, no longer short on card advantage, 1 short on interaction, was 7. That is what this page measures: how well the deck holds together, not how strong it is.

Lands

  1. Take out Izzet Boilerworks: Izzet Boilerworks enters tapped. Put in Cascade Bluffs: Cascade Bluffs never enters tapped and makes blue or red.
  2. Take out Temple of Epiphany: Temple of Epiphany enters tapped. Put in Ferrous Lake: Ferrous Lake never enters tapped and makes blue or red.

Ramp

  1. Take out Hedron Archive: Hedron Archive also does card draw, and doesn't make blue and red, which the deck is short of for its spells. Put in Khalni Gem: Khalni Gem is the same ramp and makes blue and red, which the deck is short of for its spells, but does not do card draw.
  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 Elementalist's Palette: Elementalist's Palette 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 Izzet Signet: Izzet 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 Inferno Project: Inferno Project is next on the report's cut list. Works with nothing else in this deck. Put in Ashling, Flame Dancer: Card advantage: you were 2 short; Ashling, Flame Dancer counts as card advantage.
  2. Take out Sly Instigator: Sly Instigator is next on the report's cut list. Works with 2 other cards: with 2 again and again. Put in Spell Satchel: Card advantage: you were 2 short; Spell Satchel counts as card advantage. Spell Satchel counts toward the 6 or more artifacts Metallurgic Summonings needs.

Interaction

  1. Take out Rionya, Fire Dancer: Rionya, Fire Dancer is next on the report's cut list. Works with 6 other cards: with 6 again and again. Put in Sword of Wealth and Power: Interaction: you were 7 short; Sword of Wealth and Power counts as interaction.
  2. Take out Rootha, Mercurial Artist: Rootha, Mercurial Artist is next on the report's cut list. Works with 4 other cards: with 4 again and again. Put in Weaver of Lightning: Interaction: you were 7 short; Weaver of Lightning counts as interaction. When Dig Through Time is cast, Weaver of Lightning deals 1 damage.
  3. Take out Etali, Primal Storm: Etali, Primal Storm is next on the report's cut list. Put in Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound: Interaction: you were 7 short; Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound counts as interaction.
  4. Take out Dualcaster Mage: Dualcaster Mage is next on the report's cut list. Works with 6 other cards: with 6 again and again. Put in Sword of Once and Future: Interaction: you were 7 short; Sword of Once and Future counts as interaction.
  5. Take out Naru Meha, Master Wizard: Naru Meha, Master Wizard is next on the report's cut list. Works with 8 other cards: with 8 again and again. Put in Return the Favor: Interaction: you were 7 short; Return the Favor counts as interaction. Return the Favor copies Metallurgic Summonings's activated ability.
  6. Take out Sunbird's Invocation: Sunbird's Invocation is next on the report's cut list. Put in Insidious Will: Interaction: you were 7 short; Insidious Will counts as interaction. Metallurgic Summonings can bring back Insidious Will.

Also short, against a typical Commander deck: interaction 5 of 12, board wipes 1 of 2, card advantage 17 of 19.

The decklist

Creatures

Charmbreaker Devils · Crackling Drake · Dazzling Sphinx · Diluvian Primordial · Dualcaster Mage · Erratic Cyclops · Etali, Primal Storm · Humble Defector · Inferno Project · Living Lore · Naru Meha, Master Wizard · Octavia, Living Thesis · Radiant Performer · Rionya, Fire Dancer · Rootha, Mercurial Artist · Sly Instigator · Storm-Kiln Artist · Talrand, Sky Summoner · Veyran, Voice of Duality · Wildfire Devils

Planeswalkers

Jaya Ballard

Instants and sorceries

Aether Gale · Aetherspouts · Apex of Power · Blasphemous Act · Brainstorm · Brass's Bounty · Call the Skybreaker · Creative Technique · Dig Through Time · Elemental Masterpiece · Epic Experiment · Expressive Iteration · Faithless Looting · Fiery Encore · Fiery Fall · Inspiring Refrain · Mana Geyser · Mind's Desire · Muse Vortex · Ponder · Reinterpret · Resculpt · Rousing Refrain · Seething Song · Serum Visions · Surge to Victory · Traumatic Visions · Treasure Cruise · Volcanic Vision

Artifacts and enchantments

Arcane Signet · Elementalist's Palette · Hedron Archive · Izzet Signet · Letter of Acceptance · Metallurgic Summonings · Mind Stone · Pyromancer's Goggles · Sol Ring · Sunbird's Invocation · Swarm Intelligence · Talisman of Creativity

Lands

Blighted Cataract · Command Tower · Desert of the Fervent · Desert of the Mindful · Exotic Orchard · Forgotten Cave · 10 Island · Izzet Boilerworks · Lonely Sandbar · Mage-Ring Network · Memorial to Genius · 9 Mountain · Myriad Landscape · Prismari Campus · Reliquary Tower · Scavenger Grounds · Shivan Reef · Study Hall · Temple of Epiphany · Temple of the False God

Other Commander 2021 precons