Decks vs the Data: Lessons from Dana's Decks | EDHRECast 249

A classic archetype, but with a twist! Dana takes us through his Equipment deck, highlighting the ways it deviates from the data and the most important lessons learned from brewing off-the-wall strategies.
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[@davidhansen5067]

I love this series. Please cover more of your decks this way!

[@nheimi99]

I adore how Dana and Matt *will not relent* and continue to segue into Challenge The Stats 😂

[@carso87]

Please continue this series, I have loved the 2 so far. Really interesting seeing you guys take a deep dive into this sort of stuff, and makes me think more about the deckbuilding process.

[@claygillman9351]

Very cool deck idea. Always great to hear why people play and don't play certain cards in a certain deck.

[@nathanmikkelson3703]

Love it. When Commander Legends came out I also built Ardenn but with Ishai as the partner and with a protection sub theme. It is resilient af! Especially when you have protection on your creatures and Pariah/Pariah Shield out.

[@Turn2Ugin]

You got a list? I'd love to give it a gander, sounds pretty sick!

[@Crow_Saw]

As one of the less than 300 players to have built this deck, I really loved this deep dive! Dana, you're a genius! Creature lands! What! I never would have thought of that. Well played sir. Well played.

[@nerdgoodness7656]

Great video! I have an Azorious Equipment deck with Ayesha Tanaka, Armorer as it's commander. Glad to see more love for this strategy!

[@moralessanchezoscarelias6412]

This series is awesome. Love to hear about your experience with your decks that are well loved and well worn. Looking forward to Dana’s Kediss+Kraum episode.

[@MattTHEWombat777]

I run a swords voltron Shadrix Silverquill (black white dragon from Strixhaven), and that has worked really well for me. It’s a 2/5,flying, double strike at its base. I wish Dana had given a little more attention to how useful flying evasion is in the early turns when you haven’t gotten every single sword out/ so you don’t get chump blocked by colourless creatures. Protection from every colour doesn’t get through a Solemn Simulacrum. But double strike is really incredible. Swords of X & Y have their triggers on damage triggers. Double strike doubles triggers for a lot of value, and it makes Umezawa’s Jitte gross. As far as commander goes, it also has the option to pay 1 life to draw 1 card. That’s value Dana would pick in a heartbeat, though the ability to put a +1/+1 counter on it makes it a 3/6 double striker on turn 5, assuming no ramp. Ardenn cheating mana costs plus being only a 3 drop definitely resolves most mana curve questions. In black and white, I’m instead being mindful of equip costs, paying for it with my white land ramp and the classic black Urbog/ Tomb of Yawgmoth combo to get the necessary mana. That’s my additions to the topic, really enjoyed this episode as usual :)

[@carlospadilla7247]

Well free equip saves more mana and is more optimal than double strike. There are to many equipment options that give dbl strike and getting free equips gives access to equipment that give massive upside that are normally cost prohibitive.

[@hackbug77]

For a while I had a deck with Ardenn paired with Armix, Filigree Thrasher, which eventually morphed into a deck with two completely different commanders (Rebbec and Silas), but I plan on reassembling it soon. It's pretty fun, and I love all the goofy things you can do with Ardenn's ability. One of my favorites was using Cement Shoes as an alternative to pacifism on opponents creatures. I was able to play an astonishingly low number of lands because Ardenn and Armix both cost so cheap and most equipment are also on the lower mana value end.

[@jaya-prime]

Yas, thank YOU, Dana! I first noticed Unexpectedly Absent being ... well, absent, from Esika decks (along with Oblation and Endless Detour). Then I realized it was just generally absent, as it needs to see play in a LOT more places. Love that y'all highlighted it.

[@MrJohnblake15]

“Swab the poop decks” is just playing a board wipe because it cleans up a crappy problem

[@empurress77]

Love the "Hmmm. What does this do?" method of deck building! I've totally made some of my best decks by taking a couple of stacks of cards (with an effect grouped in that stack) and shuffling them together. EG: Once, I had a stack of cycling cards and a stack of control magic cards. When just those cards got shuffled together it ended up way OP.

[@andrewsparkes6275]

I mean...isn't that just draw-go control? Just because cycling has a named mechanic doesn't mean it's not basically just draw. I do hear you in general, but this isn't a particularly exciting example of that point. My friend took it to the extreme - he shuffled together a tokens pile and a Voltron pile (two seemingly disparate strategies; go-wide and go-tall) and found them to actually work amazingly together - the downside of Voltron is usually not having enough blockers, and the downside of tokens is you often lack big blockers to defend well enough against a trampling fatty unless you throw a good chunk of your tokens under it. So this used the archetypes' now-paired effects to get around each other's downside! Edit: Sorry if it seemed like I was poo-pooing your deck. I may personally think my friend's deck is more interesting result of the process, but that certainly doesn't mean yours is horrible by any stretch. And focusing on cycling rather than normal draw spells is an interesting approach...maybe try Dana's "No enchantments" rule for that deck, and don't include ANY extra draw spells; just cycling all the way!

[@empurress77]

@@andrewsparkes6275 Oh nah. I was just using the only example (of many) that came to mind. In this case it was completely unexpected to me what would happen. The deck played super well over anything i thought it would. Fact is, i tore the deck apart after only one round of playing it. I didn't like how easy (and boring) it was to win with it. I've had many similar piles of cards sitting next to cards and shuffled them together for interesting effects and game play. The cycling/control was an extreme example.

[@kylekrazymars6726]

Matt's dad jokes were Ajar-ring.

[@mickeysmagic89]

I’ve been running Ayesha Tanaka as my Azorius Equipment deck and I’ve been debating switching to Ardenn/Esior. Ayesha is a little slow. You may have just convinced me!

[@pauldyson8098]

Dana's had a lot of influence on my own deckbuilding. Not only did he inspire me to build Reki five or six years ago, but I have a similar approach when it comes to valuing consistency, sticking to a theme/a restriction, an insisting that every card in the deck pull its weight. I also share Dana's reluctance to build popular commanders. I don't know that I think of it as being "hipsterish," but I like the challenge of finding unusual strategies, cards, etc.

[@themaidguy0988]

This might be a fun idea to test out, I've been looking for a blue equipment deck to run some of the fun new blue equipment we've gotten lately. I currently have a Adrenn/Tana voltron deck but was thinking of Adrenn/Kraum to splash blue

[@nik700]

16:38 Joey, your excitement is so cute Also, Dana, Bloodforged Battle-Axe will draw you a tooooon of cards with Puresteel Paladin!

[@danaroach29]

I put it in and was up to 64 copies the first game it hit the field.

[@ty_sylicus]

I love this series. Both Matt and Dana have interesting decks and perspectives. I'm eager to tinker around with my own lists now.

[@Bongus_Bubogus]

I just built my prototype for Bruna Voltron (Pre Eldrazi) because of that Secret Lair, so this video is quite a coincidence.

[@grapesodaboy]

What would a budget version of this deck look like? Still playable? All the swords alone break the bank.

[@mightyone3737]

I like the idea of sneaking a deck into a position where you can eschew completely a card type, I'm trying to do that with Meren, where I have very few artifacts but don't run stuff like Seeds of Innocence atm. Titania's Song is amazing, always thought the art was pretty cool too.

[@valentinez65]

This deck looks sweet! I was pondering for the longest time what direction to take my mono-white Nahiri, the Lithomancer equipment deck. Adding blue for the card draw and negation seems like a no brainer to me now. Esior as the weapon-wielder in the command zone seems ideal with its evasion and pseudo ward!

[@Phe0nix1986]

These episodes are the best. Keep them coming!

[@scrattue]

I do love the advice of "Just build decks", the best way to see if a deck will work is to build it and play it rather than overanalyze a list!

[@simonisphording]

Hey I also have an Esior Ardenn deck! Mine is heavily focused on copying skullclamps as many times as possible, equipping them to opponent's creatures and drawing cards that way. It works way better than it should.

[@healusion8912]

You are not allowed to equip opponents creatures (except for specific cards like bloodthirsty blade)

[@empurress77]

Great analysis. My personal playstyle allows for a certain amount of "Nonbos". I don't mind the few occasions where some cards counter my own cards because for the most part they don't show up on the battlefield at the same time. The times where they do, it tends to give my opponents decision block. Meaning if one of the permanents get removed then the remaining one gets worse for them. I just like weird janky decks. FOR THE GLORY! Also, my play style is go with big mana cost cards with ramp. *Low costed early play cards too of course.

[@jasonholmes5714]

I’d been brewing a golgari planeswalkers deck for a while, bouncing between Glissa to [the green and black familiars I can’t remember their names] to finally Storrev-and then Carth the Lion previewed and all my excitement was just blown out. It wasn’t that it wasn’t “my beautiful innovation” anymore, but seeing Carth made it feel like whatever I did would be lackluster (edit: also, I personally thought Carth just looked super boring and was way too good at “the thing” to really be fun). I still ended up building the Storrev deck, and it’s super fun, and I relented and included Carth in the deck, but it took many months after Carth debuted for me to get any enthusiasm back for it. I have a feeling people might feel this way about the new Legendary Myr, even though a lot of other people are super excited about it. It’s just the blatant design for an archetype that just sours my milk sometimes. So, I get that sentiment at the end for sure.

[@robertke86]

Azorious geist was also fun as voltron. I'm taking some things from this for my deck.

[@SackofDooDoo]

29:48 I have a funny story about Unexpectedly Absent. I was introducing some friends to this card in a game by removing a problematic commander with it - they chose to put it on the top of their deck instead of the command zone. I then joked about how funny it would be if someone cast a Chaos Warp now...and someone did. It was immediately followed by a sigh of reluctance. it's important to think of this card as another variation of Chaos Warp, as it's a fantastic way to remove any nonland permanent that threatens to end the game for only two white mana.

[@BFG93]

I have a Aeysha tanaka equipment voltron deck so im hyped to see more voltron blue white. She's kind straight forward but i do love the idea of blacksmith putting on their gear and hitting hard. Kappa cannoneer is MVP for sealing a game after commander tax builds.

[@TrueTgirl]

That advice Dana had at the end reminds me of when Neon Dynasty came out and, amidst a plethora of support for Azorius vehicles, at least one new commander for Orzhov vehicles, and the existing support for Boros vehicles, I decided I was just gonna slam Emmara, Soul of the Accord in the zone. I'd been trying to find a deck for her other than just tokens for years, and vehicles has treated her so well.

[@dantebeleren]

A video/discussion I'd find interesting for you guys to have is Modal decks. After 15 years of playing, more than nearly any other change up, changing one of my decks into a modal deck has been so satisfying and invigorating.

[@jayjayhooksch1]

What's a modal deck?

[@dantebeleren]

@@jayjayhooksch1 It's a deck where you swap out a "core" of 30 or so cards to different themes. This is notably useful if you really like a specific color combo or commander, but don't want to build multiple decks. Typically you keep your lands, mana rocks, and general support cards the same. For example, I love Chromium the Mutable. He's an Elder Dragon in Esper (WUB) that has synergy with Dragons, Voltron, Flash, and Self-Discard. Originally I had a rather "generic" good stuff build, but I wanted to try different things while still having access to all the other cards (mix and match themes or trying out cards in different set ups). So now I can build Chromium as Tribal Dragon, "Sword of" Voltron, and more.

[@blakem000]

Dana, you gunna run The Mycosynth Garden to double your equipment?

[@danaroach29]

Yep, already found a slot for it. I have a feeling it's gonna wind up one of my favorite cards from the set.

[@blakem000]

@@danaroach29 IMHO, I think this card could be the chase card of the entire set in the way Ledger Shredder was in SNC. Going in a ton of my decks already and just generically amazing.

[@scottricks1676]

Dana just inspired me to take the creature land logic and apply it to me vehicle deck! so sneaky.

[@caseywellington4761]

Matt, I don't like cheap puns, but that first dad joke was absolute gold!

[@CharlotteMimic]

18:35 Inspiring Statuary is really weird, in that it wants to be in a deck with a lot of artifact tokens but not a lot of artifact spells. Something like Toggo rather than an equipment or artifact deck.

[@connorgibbons6754]

Love the idea, trying to brew something like it. Have you considered Fumble? Worst case snap, best case even bigger Esior. Can also be interesting combat tricks during other people's combat. Seems like a real Dana card!

[@rorschach1]

Bury was still a keyword all the way up until Weatherlight.

[@Jarikk1195]

Honestly, if you are also looking for a non-boros equipment deck, try anything with Arden. Arden provides so much in the command zone for these decks by both being white and cheating costs that you could partner it with any whacky color and build a well-functioning deck.

[@rainmaker709]

I think the important thing to think about with Shadowspear is not to consider it as a equipment first. It is a artifact that you are playing for the ability to answer Hexproof and allow your wraths to get around indestructable. After that, the equip bonus it just that. Depending on your play group, that first part may have a lot less value and at that point it is just ok. As he is not playing Arcane Lighthouse or any other of these type of effects, this is probably the case.

[@JM16714]

I like my galea deck for voltron.

[@danaroach29]

Galea is very solid. I personally don't like 3+ colors, and I kinda wanted to play something that felt like my idea just because that's how I like to brew, but Galea is really good.

[@JM16714]

@@danaroach29 yeah this deck you made looks much more consistent. I do have ardenn in my deck. I just really like playing aura enchantments and equipment ramp and removal, etc off the top of my deck. Just fun for me. Question for you about ardenn, if i put minimus containment or darksteel mutation on someone, can ardenn move that around, or once i enchant someone with it do i no longer control it?

[@mickeysmagic89]

@@JM16714 Ardenn can move it. Auras and Equipment are still yours, even if they are attached to something that isn’t.

[@JM16714]

@@mickeysmagic89 thanks! I thought so.

[@Karste1n]

Y'all are great

[@StevenBryceWroten]

I love how the Bloodforged Battle Axe suggestion was followed up on Twitter that it has seen great success. (Unless I’m misattributing a tweet I saw, in which case, apologies!)

[@theSHELFables]

Talking about Wizards kind of stealing a deck idea from you, that happened to me and I did take the deck apart. I had Jirino Kudro legendary humans and I loved what I had done with it. Then they made that legendary mardu precon and yeah it made my deck feel less special. Felt like I was out hiking and someone went ahead a paved a road in front of me so I took it apart.

[@kingmric]

Given me some ideas for Giada deck

[@patrickschmidt6140]

Is the deck list for this deck somewhere? I'd love to take an in-depth look at it. Edit: Nvm I found it!

[@jimstewart4929]

Planning on Building Ayesha Tanaka, Armorer as a voltron deck and I fully intend to Ape ideas from this video

[@styfen]

I'm always surprised that Dana plays such a mainstream and overpowered commander as the cEDH level partner commander Arden. I guess at least he does couple it with blue instead of green, so that's something. But it remains unusual. EDIT: Dana's Challenge the stats is even for a cEDH Staple this time. Wonderful.

[@williambrabham5028]

Guys, I would love to add the 16 decks that I have onto EDHREC, but I can’t seem to figure out how to import them from other apps/sites… Sorry to sound ignorant, but I need some technical support here lol I have them on archidekt but it won’t let me copy & paste 🙁

[@EDHRECast]

If they're publically visible & legal decks on one of the deckbuilding wesbites we receive data from (including Archidekt) then the decks will automatically be pulled into the EDHREC database! :D

[@williambrabham5028]

Oh.. sweet 😂😊

[@evolutionXXVII]

Dana would appreciate my Animar deck. 33 lands and 66 creatures. Zero artifacts, enchantments, instants or sorceries. Yes that means no sol ring.

[@alexcurtis6180]

Bronze Guardian just murders people. It's one of the wincons in Osgir and having six 10/3s with double strike and ward 12 is pretty deece

[@blakefarber3718]

Glenn Voice of Calm makes another great azorius Voltron deck.

[@masterthnag105]

This makes me want to try and make something "unique" now.

[@morgan2513]

Lmao, that ending. Sounds like Dana could be chased out of the game

[@mayamayhemmusic]

I just built an Ardenn and Kraum Jeskai Curde tribal deck where I can just shift all my curses around each turn to be political as fuck c:

[@Steven-rb7ph]

Ardenn is broken AF, of course the deck is fast and strong.

[@verigone2677]

This reminds me of my Balen, Wandering Knight deck. Mono White control voltron, I am coming to kill you all with one shot Commander damage starting turn 4 or 5

[@andresjuliantorresgomez5380]

Jejeje soy el primer comentario 😃

[@felilir7567]

the decklist isnt in the description...

[@EDHRECast]

There's a link for all our decklists ;)

[@FriendlyNewt]

Can't find your decks, just links that link to links. Could you just put links to moxfield or archidect?

[@EDHRECast]

One link that takes people to a page of our evolving, updating deck roster is more favorable than linking 40+ individual links to decks that we may change or take apart over time.