Bolas's Citadel Infinite Exploration | Against the Odds

Everyone's hyped about the combo of Amalia Benavides Aguirre and Wildgrowth Walker, but what if you add Bolas's Citadel to the mix for even more infinite(ish) exploration? Let's find out!
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0:00 Start
4:25 Games

[@johntheactor]

I've actually been playing Amalia combo with Aetherflux Reservoir since you always go over 50 life with the combo and you can usually explore into a curve where you play it next turn and nuke them the turn after going off.

[@spicymato]

I feel like it's similar to the Paradox Engine/Millennium Calendar issue: it's not a Millennium Calendar deck, it's a Paradox Engine deck with Millennium Calendar as the wincon. I feel like Aetherflux Reservoir would be the same: it's not an Amalia deck, it's an Aetherflux deck. Heck, this one almost feels like a Bolas's Citadel deck.

[@TheREALTheRealAdam]

Aetherflux Reservoir actually sounds like an even better version of Path of Discovery, since with Amalia every single spell gains you life, starting the chain, then it also lets you kill them rather than hoping Amalia survives and your opponent doesn't gain some life.

[@christophera2534]

Most lists I’ve seen play 2 copies of Dina from strixhaven. The ping every time you gain life lets you combo kill from the graveyard using rally of the ranks

[@brennanmack563]

Aetherflux Reservoir + Luminarch Veteran does seem much more consistent in this deck.

[@megapixzel]

​@@spicymatorespectfully disagree, I feel like the Wincon is the most important part. I'd rather watch Seth play the most bog standard paradox deck to win with calender, than watch the 999th way to cheat an emrakul into play

[@sillvvasensei]

The opponent was probably holding their Ugin and giggling

[@MTGGoldfish]

That Ugin got us good.

[@gemyniraptor8626]

Also Seth, Gaea's Blessing protects you against decking yourself, you can self mill it with an explore trigger and it'll shuffle your whole yard back in. Would've saved you against the Ugin match. Also, you had 10 perms, you could sacced everything except the Citadel and drained them for the last 10

[@joshbaker9111]

Citadel is "ten nonland permanents".

[@MTGGoldfish]

Ha, yeah, it might be worthwhile. We actually came close to milling ourselves out pretty often.

[@mrlurker]

That's how i use to play black/green explore with two Gaea's Blessings. Once you got 10 permanents the next time you had another Bolas's Citadel on the stack activate the one in play then keep playing your whole deck. Wayward Swordtooth would let me play all my lands also since you saccing it and replaying it also.

[@pngmk2]

I also used Blessings for recycling my deck, but I used to aetherflux reservoir for non-combat win con I may also add you can used DFC land to reduce the land count.

[@rekenner]

​@@mrlurkerBlinking a Wayward Swordtooth/Azusa/etc doesn't give you more land drops. If you have 1 wayward in play, you can play 2 lands on your turn, if you have 2 you can play 3, etc. Blinking one or it dying and replaying it etc doesn't change that

[@ringgar1223]

If you want to do mono red millennium calendar, Crim played against a deck in early access that used All Will Be One to kill via the counters rather than the millennium calendar 1000 ability, sounds like a really cool against the odds idea!

[@joshbaker9111]

Ooo that's awesome.

[@SilverAlex92]

I've seen a gruul version that plays a bit of ramp so you can get to all will be one faster. Wonder whats the ideal shell for the deck, as the combo is VERY sweet and strong. The clock activation is usually lethal xD

[@wwemonkey619]

I used One Ring and Paradox Engine so you win that turn as long as Calendar has a counter

[@clickpause8732]

I wonder if there’s any time counter cards that would benefit from having Millenium Calendar’s counters thrown onto it, or vice versa Hmm, Rose Tyler could work…

[@TheWorldsStage]

LegenVD has a really good Calendar/ All Will Be One combo deck for Standard

[@babatazyah]

That Ugin was peak comedy

[@fundude365]

Seth: Amelia Benaveeds Agwire The ghost of my Spanish Grandmother: ¡Ay, joder!

[@CptManboobs]

You can also start the loop right away with Soul/Essence Warden, seems a lot better than a 4 mana enchantment imo

[@zirilan3398]

Prosperous Innkeeper is probably one of the best choices as it also sets up your follow up turn with an additional treasure

[@MTGGoldfish]

Bolas's Citadel though!

[@markcarr154]

I already have all the best soul sister cards because I’m an arena player, so I’m going to build it this way

[@sephmojo6416]

too slow though... especially in a format that has a fairly consistent turn 3 win deck in Discovery combos.@@MTGGoldfish

[@Sandovian]

Lunarch Veteran into Amalia is great way to trigger the explore loop too

[@justanotherhuman7106]

Explore is such a fun mechanic, and this is such a sweet deck. I’ve always loved wildgrowth walker, such a cool card

[@coopergrounds]

I've been playing this combo in a Scurry Oak Rosie Cottonwood shell with soul sisters in Historic. Been very fun and surprisingly consistent. Collected Company almost always finds the other half of whatever combo pieces you've drawn. Amalia is just really good with Soul Sisters too. Wrecks aggro

[@welcomehome7247]

Do you have a decklist? This seems like a super cool deck to play

[@coopergrounds]

@@welcomehome7247 Deck 2 Heliod, Sun-Crowned (THB) 18 1 Plains (LTR) 263 3 Rosie Cotton of South Lane (LTR) 27 4 Scurry Oak (MH2) 172 1 Forest (LTR) 271 4 Prosperous Innkeeper (AFR) 200 4 Soul Warden (M10) 34 4 Collected Company (AKR) 186 4 Eldritch Evolution (SIR) 195 4 Wildgrowth Walker (XLN) 216 4 Lunarch Veteran (MID) 27 4 Brushland (BRO) 259 3 Branchloft Pathway (ZNR) 258 1 Overgrown Tomb (GRN) 253 4 Temple Garden (GRN) 258 4 Amalia Benavides Aguirre (LCI) 221 4 Llanowar Wastes (BRO) 264 1 Nurturing Peatland (MH1) 243 4 Caves of Koilos (DMU) 244 The mana base could use a little work as it is just what I had in my account. Otherwise, I feel it is pretty good for BO1. Only removal is Amalia, but not usually a problem with all the lifegain and winning the game on turn 4 most of the time. Got me to the top of Platinum so far this season.

[@sirplayalot11x]

If its so easy to find a Citadel after you exolore through your deck when you combo, why not just replace it with Aetherflux Reservoir so if your 20/20 dies, then you have a second way to shoot them for lethal.

[@TheMegaMagikarp]

That jank out by the "best deck in the format rakdos" suddenly becoming the most aggressive reanimator deck you've ever seen was the funniest part

[@snakeman830]

I'll be honest, I kind of forgot Mavren and Ghalta was a vampire.

[@jamesrule1338]

Ok. The Ugin was funny.

[@adammorin2955]

Whats more funny it seems seth forgot what format he was playing and that ugin was playable

[@gemyniraptor8626]

SETH!!! So this is another deck you made ages ago in previous Ixalan standard that I copied ( Explore Bolas Citadel combo) and have saved for Explorer matches. It's an old favorite of mine. I tweaked it a little bit over the years splashing red to get haste effects in so I can close the game on the spot. When Amalia was spoiled I immediately prepared to add her to your old deck. And here I see you also resurrected it for her and it makes me so happy!

[@MTGGoldfish]

Nice!

[@cloudmane4159]

I would like to see millenium calendar in paradox shell. I spent a buttload of rare cards to build mud storm when all the pieces were released…and it was good for like 2 weeks lol i need closure

[@ArthurDemacqPontoglio]

For what I know, space bar usually works for pressing "done" faster in Arena

[@henrye3935]

Seth doesn't own a keyboard.

[@kiramini22]

ALWAYS play at least one gaea's blessing in a exploring deck! great video as always

[@edde2429]

Absolutely love that you're playing the explore deck in explorer 😂

[@zirilan3398]

I`m running the Combo in a cmc-2 shell with Fiend Artisan and Tyvar, Benevolent Brawler for more tutor-options, the new Kellan is amazing in this deck btw since it gives you another on demand explore effect as well as a decent creature that can fiend other pieces.

[@r4g1ngph03n1x]

You don't need something to explore to start the combo. You have two different triggers that can do it for you. You can play Ajani's welcome and just casting either piece while the other is in play will start the combo.

[@ari_cool]

I’m surprised he didn’t play against discover combo!

[@domri4203]

Been playing it in explorer in a soul sister shell with Vito.

[@dezsomodos1314]

That game two beautiful magic.

[@stevekeenan9673]

Wildgrowth walker... I remember during guilds era with ravenous chupacabra and the find//finality running suncleanser n huatlis honor guard to stop the counters in mono white deck

[@wormspeaker]

The classic over confidence into petard hoisting.

[@crokar5835]

that Ugin play was insane lol

[@user-mt4pk9we4o]

I played that deck back in the day

[@wort5225]

I found a small combo where you play liquimetal coating and then raze to the ground, which generates a relatively cheap way to eradicate some big creatures

[@douglasarnett-arnold1516]

One of my favs from the all access: MY BOI UGIN DOING UGIN THINGS AND STEALING DREAMS!!! 24:03

[@raf_8677]

I like it so much. I'm going make it a commander and make it never ending with Gaea's Blessing.

[@nosyamthegreat8768]

I feel like this deck might need some work to improve. But an awesome shell at that! Great job👍

[@rancidrance875]

Back in the day we used to include one copy of Gaea's blessing so you couldnt deck out

[@justinspice3599]

I really like collected company with explore creatures, along with Deathrite Shaman

[@TheREALTheRealAdam]

Tamiyo's Safekeeping would go hard in this deck.

[@zavenrendas]

i love path of discovery, i actually used it on one of my decks for the playlist of videos i made called WUBRG

[@OGTahoe3]

You can also start the combo with any etb gain life trigger

[@tychoMX]

This looks super fun. Gotta admit I had a chuckle when the deck was out-cooked by the Vampire-with-a-Dinosaur-Friend build. I am considering building a hybrid deck that has Amalia and may cheat out Mavren somehow.

[@boobox2000]

You should put in that black free sac creature that just came out in lost caverns.

[@DrHankVenture]

This feels like a deck where you cut a card or two to have Gaia's Blessing to shuffle back in.

[@CrOeDdE]

the opp at 27:00 probably running All will be one. The combo with Millennium Calendar got me with 70 damage in standard.

[@FlyingSpaceOstrich]

Seth’s reaction to Ugin - priceless

[@Leviathan894]

There really needs to be a “present the loop” button.

[@zacharyahearn4069]

In my build I went much lower with the mana curve instead of Jude I had the 1 drop explore creature. It can be an aggro build that transitions

[@blueredlover1060]

M1G1, Seth has a Takenuma in his hand. All he has to do is channel the land to get the Walker back.

[@stonerainproductions]

Maybe Gaea's Blessing to keep shuffling action back in, could also run a Command the Dreadhorde.

[@person3176]

yes! more retro/old frames please :D that goes for nonlands too !

[@ianjaygingco9123]

The absolute huberis in game 2 hahahaha! 22:44

[@Crusina]

I dont miss this deck at all in standard.

[@moonlightdemon5551]

What's would make this better is the reality chip

[@Marissa_Amalia]

Hey Seth :D I was the "weird" Mono Red Deck ; Was fun to play against you :D (I could have played it differently but misplayed heavily myself) To solve the Deck idea: Its an All will be One Calendar Deck and I am currently running it in Diamond. Battles and Calendar actually synnergizes quite well and the Expanses+Fables help to thin out the deck :)

[@StreamAway]

No one asks how to combo off with Amalia and wildgrowth walker. People just play one drop life gain creatures/enchantments.

[@blazewalker7313]

Cool combo though I would reccomend a single Garruk's uprising or something that grants trample to the board incase what happened 2nd game

[@shayneweyker]

Path of Discovery is also really nice with Falco Spara, Pact Weaver.

[@jaxsonbateman]

Dayum; this deck does so much to do so little. >.

[@nedcurfman3486]

A 1-off Vito sounds like a solid finisher

[@elogee_yt]

"Apparently we're good against mono red Terramorphic Expanse Millennium Calendar" 😭

[@PoderSensuaaaal]

You can actually oneshot your opponent turn 3 if you get a gain 1 life when another creature ETBs, then amalia then wildgrowth (ofc if opponent doesnt gain life or blow up your things)

[@jordancaldwell2208]

I laughed so hard at Ugin 😂😂😂

[@ValgorWolfsbain]

Maybe worth playing a number of Gaeas Blessings so when you discover them to the gy you shuffle your stuff back in? I understand individually it's not a good card but we're not looking to cast it.

[@viserproductions1]

I wonder if it's worth running some trample combat tricks to get wildgrowth through blockers

[@dillpickle694]

In the first game, channeling takenuma could get back a wildgrowth walker instead of exploring until the last wildgrowth is on top

[@danikahicks2210]

You should put Gaea's Blessing in this deck to loop the graveyard.

[@EffinChat]

That game 2 at 24 minutes is a perfect example of why I refuse to scoop to nondeterministic combos and also exactly why I refuse to play them

[@jdonvance]

30:00 Don't get cocky. Zoyowa's Justice is a credible threat.

[@user-jx7fx8pd4i]

A millennium calendar paradox engine sounds fun!

[@ArkAngel_45]

Would this deck want heroic intervention? Protects your board from Amy and can also keep from opponents board wipes

[@zirilan3398]

the problem here is that if the Wildgrowthwalker survives past the Amalia-Nuke it`s a forced Draw since neither trigger is optional and they will continue to trigger infinitly

[@LadyMapi]

I had a similar idea in spoiler season (though it was using Tamiyo's Safekeeping to start the loop)... but then you're stuck in an infinite loop because neither triggered ability is a "may".

[@ArkAngel_45]

Makes sense. Thanks yall

[@joehinostro6799]

"Why is he still playing . . ." That was a great moment. We've all been there. In the first game couldn't you have cast the other Amalia and just sac that one to start the combo?

[@PALIGames]

Seems like tend the pests would be a good option in that deck

[@tomaznascimentomorais2001]

I'm all for combos, but the infinite ones are just miserable if you are at the other side of the board. Yeah you can always concede, but if you're not familiar with the interaction or there is the possibility of fizzling or just punting you are now watching someone else have fun at your expense for a few minutes. I even prefer having my lands blown than that.

[@Lreclusa]

Or you just sit back and watch them deck themselves assuming your mono-green deck doesn't have a wipe, then Ugin them. If I were the opponent I would have been laughing with every cast and self mill.

[@togglebott7748]

You can also gain life to explore! You don’t need to explore first, you can just gain life!!!!

[@jacoby-wan_kenobi]

Seth finally broke Bolas's Citadel!

[@jadin101]

I just run it with some of the life dual lands or just a couple of white dorks that gains a life when creature etbs

[@leohickey4424]

You can also start the combo by gaining life! That seems easier :)

[@bencomer2339]

Did you consider Prosperous Innkeeper in this? It turns on the combo too

[@jonaskramer7205]

Maybe adding the old Vito for life drain makes sense?

[@sinkabutitsyoutube409]

Please try omnath locus of rage and risen reef combos. I have a deck that is just four omnaths, four risen reefs and 52 duelcolour lands and it’s absolutely hilarious dumping your entire library onto the battlefield just to create an ungodly amount of tokens

[@lmerquise6628]

I think that the calendrer deck, is paired with all is one?

[@Gormadt]

I feel that that game where you chose to "Get Lost" the creature rather than the Mutavault was a misplay, it would have put the opponent further behind on land and slowed the aggro deck down further

[@nicholaschau9127]

I know they do match making based on your commander in brawl queue but does arena do that in the other formats too? I've never seen the power level the first 3 decks Seth played against in this video in plat.

[@McDodgerMan]

23:45 i think the play was actually to keep the Elvish Mystic on top and have a Spelunker big enough to survive Ugin bolts

[@Atmapalazzo]

Ugin -1 to kill Spelunker

[@lazyfurret]

1 or 2 Gaea's Blessing could sort the milling issue

[@joshbaker9111]

Seems like putting a Vito or two in this list could be sweet.

[@chrisstegall5188]

I would also consider playing 1-2 gaeas blessing so you can loop and go infinite.

[@Crazymachin3gun]

What about doubling season and millennium calendar

[@chrisstegall5188]

Have you considered prosperous in keeper to help ramp and gain life as you bolas citadel folks

[@AndresSanchez-jl8zv]

The way Seth reads Amalia Benavides Aguirre it's so funny Sería interesante que lo ponga en el traductor para escuchar cómo se lee en español jaja

[@JuanRodriguez-gg2qz]

Have you considered adding an aetherflux resevoir?

[@BenRGamer]

I feel like this deck needs a Gaea's Blessing, as you can explore to put in the graveyard and refill your deck.

[@chrishoye55]

A Paradox Engine deck with millennium calendar is just a Paradox engine with an alt win con. I miss that deck so I vote play it

[@toolittletoolate]

using fetch in monored is a tactic to thin out your deck. that's 4-8 less lands once you crack them making you have a higher chance of getting something that isn't a land so you can do stuff

[@scottcampbell9515]

Build the Paradox Engine deck.

[@jakevuckturd1201]

Exploring in explorer

[@madgenius9720]

With Wildgrowth Walker on board, feel free to cast Jadelight Spelunker with Citadel for X=20+, as you'll gain 3*X lifes anyway and explores are controllable. So Spelunker becomes yet another huge beater

[@kaziksmolski3429]

You can't choose X when playing off Citadel. It's always 0.

[@madgenius9720]

@@kaziksmolski3429 Strange. As I understand wording of the card, it allows to choose any pay-able X, yet in Gatherer it directly says "X must be 0"

[@kaziksmolski3429]

@@madgenius9720 when you're casting a spell via an alternative cost, you can't choose the value of x. In addition, Bolas's Citadel explicitly says: pay life equal to its MANA VALUE which in this case will be 1 while Jadelight Spelunker is in the library.

[@dboeify]

I used to have a standard combo I'd do with path of discovery. Play it along side Animation Module, and whenever you explore, you can basically just leave a nonland on top of your library and tap out the rest of your mana to make a board full of 2/2s, leaving the rest of your resources in hand against control decks etc. At the time, you were also playing along side Rishkar, allowing you to tap your 2/2s for even more mana making a giant board of 2/2s every turn. I called the deck "Louis and Clark"

[@TransformersBoss]

Imagine logging into Arena just to get a quick game in and you see your opponent is SaffronOlive

[@WickerMahn]

"why are they still playing?" [Pass turn] "How can we win now?" mtg at its finest

[@zekelockman1477]

why not play Invasion of Gobakhan to provide both disruption and a way to give your team indestructible once amalia's power reaches 20?

[@princeLaharl2]

21:50 that Ugin is what we call, landies and gentlemen, a bitchslap 🐴

[@drjjloveman]

Oh yeah. Lost to this the other day. Getting real tired of infinite combos in explorer.

[@andrecorso550]

Forgot about Gaea blessing in the build?