Simic “Swell the Host” Commander 2015 Deck Tech and Upgrades featuring Ezuri and Kaseto - MTG!

[@TheManaSource]

Apologies for how long this took to come out. Just finished up changing something HUGE in my personal life. We should be back to normal now. Videos all week. Thanks for your patience

[@GreenLuckyDog]

Whatever it is I hope it goes well for you. :)

[@chargingbadger3164]

have fun ballgag times with em

[@stephenblehmann]

+TheManaSource TMS Snake tribal vs. TCC Merfolk tribal. Battle to the death! Or best of three. Whichever.

[@aappaapp6627]

Sosuke's summons for snake tribal for days!

[@Kizer5Red]

+TheManaSource Bird Wizards

[@anthonydelfino6171]

Fable of Wolf and Owl is really fun for Ezuri if you run him as the commander. Guaranteed experience counters from every spell you cast, even instants and sorceries? Yes please.

[@joshuagannon6566]

Swell the Host is my favorite of the 2015 Commander decks, Green-Blue for life and all that! Just some thoughts that might be worth mentioning.. While Kira is great at protecting your creatures, it also works against Ezuri's +1/+1 counters gift. Kaseto is awesome in that it can work as the commander of a snake tribal deck or as a voltron build featureing more mana ramp and such since Kaseto's effect targeting himself makes him unblockable and pumps him for +2/+2 for each activation. Aluren is hilariously fun in Commander even before Ezuri, and nuts with Ezuri, however I am kind of saddened that the infinite squirrel combo wasn't mentioned in the upgrade. Earthcraft + Squirrel Nest + any basic land of yours not only serves as an alternate win condition, but also gives you as many experience counters as you want with Ezuri out.

[@MrGruffalo]

Wedge!!! You are by far the reason I love Magic. Without your videos, I wouldn't care to play a game I never win. Thanks to you I have gotten better at both game play and deck building. YOU ARE MY MAGIC HERO!!!!! I love you man and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I do have a request. I want to buy the Ezuri Deck. But I don't know what to add. I wrote down the cards you listed but I want to know more. I have a budget of $60 to spend. This budget includes the cards you listed. Can you either make a video or respond with a list? It would be greatly appreciated!!!

[@theevileyeduelist8144]

Great video, inexorible tide is just flat out great with Ezuri

[@LilFlame2001]

The name for the all-star snake tribal deck that's on the horizon... Snakes on a Plane... get it because, you know, planeswalkers, and, and snakes... I'll escort myself out now.

[@Lycodrake]

I've been super-hyped for this deck tech, almost exclusively for the Kaseto side. Thanks, Wedge! :)

[@lukecraig4984]

Thank you so much for making this video! The deck looks awesome!

[@thenerdyeel3092]

first off, thank you wedge for the ideas. second ezuri + wolfcallers howl = experience counters for days. third I've found Kaseto to be awesome for a more control based strategie. he's cheap plus he can target himself. so winning with commander damage is awesome. plus playing profit means fun stuff. having access to mana ramp and cards like Ezuris predation as well as stuff like terrastadon. it's pretty awesome.

[@CodenameJD]

Kaseto also makes a decent voltron commander since he can buff himself and give himself unblockable. Just fill him up with big equipment, get him Hexproof and go for that 21.

[@RossDouglas82]

One thing I think you left out of the Ezuri deck was his synergy with morph (I know it wasn't a sub-theme in the deck). Drop creatures like Brine Elemental and Deathmist Raptor face down to trigger Ezuri and then flip them with all those counters to beat your opponent in the face. Love this deck, easily my favourite of the set.

[@raimundkeller6115]

I dig the idea of a Kaseto Voltron more than a Snake-tribal

[@StickgeneralArmy]

Makes sense.

[@KeysofIDproductions]

Went with a huge token strategy with Doubling Season, Parallel Lives, Mycoloth, and Hornet Queen, just to name a few. Equip Dragon Throne of Tarkir and swing with a lot of power. Love this deck and it's so easy to upgrade too.

[@rdnick114]

Wedge, just wondering what your thoughts are on a potential Snake-Tribal Tiny Leaders deck using Kaseto? Potential Tiny Leaders deck-tech??

[@TheRaven123]

No one plays Tiny Leader any more.

[@rdnick114]

My question stands regardless of your opinion.

[@StickgeneralArmy]

Plus most snakes ( minus the legendaries other than kaseto) are cmc 3 Or less. You've got your hard to block snakes, your little snakes, your kamigawa snakes, rampy snakes, not too much blue but you could definitely work on that. Also, worth noting that your leader has pump/evasion effects and some snakes have infect, so seek them out if ever possible

[@Listhebaroness]

Yay! Thanks for the video. And GL with the change!

[@CodenameJD]

No mention of Hornet Queen? It's so good here! Five bodies that get you five counters, each with Flying and Deathtouch! They can be the ultimate blockers while you pump up everything else for alpha strike, or get buff themselves! Avenger of Zendikar is great too, tiny creatures that get an extra tool to buff them. While we're on Landfall, make your lands give you counters with Zendikar's Roil.

[@kahhiiodiabo5671]

I always loved Ezuri and i will be running the toolbox creature deck for days. This is one of my favorite products that Wizards produces and with a little extra money put into them, they can become power houses in their own right.

[@bretttrimble1173]

Thank you for all of your hard work. Is there any lore videos coming out soon.

[@catgang6936]

In addition to having Kaseto snake tribal, think about how OP infect will be with him. Blight Mamba would be hilarious in either deck, as you can get it to a 10/10 unblockable with the proper ramp and fixing

[@DrinkPetrolForJesus]

i have been using deadeye navigator to blink creatures, especially hornet queen (and acidic slime) - lots of death touch flyers as well as stupid amounts of exp counters. Also really liked using undergrowth champion and managorger hydra in this deck. If i owned a Doubling Season i don't think my friends would be talking to me

[@michaelislost7164]

For the same mana cost as Overrun you can play Overwhelming stampede, which might seem worse at first- especially since the toughest creature your likely to have on the board is a 2/2 or so (before your experience counters, which will buff things to all hell), but with hooded hydra, its not too difficult to ramp up everyone to +8/+8 if the game persists that long- assuming you don't have 20experience by that point in the game. I'm personally going to throw a clone & a Clever Impersonator in the deck to mirror their big threats as well. ^~^ awesome deck thou & great vid

[@Thecyclongamer]

I built this as value the deck. You mentioned a lot of the key pieces but one that is absolutely insane is Feed the Pack, seriously it speaks for itself.

[@StickgeneralArmy]

*immediately gets up and finds feed the pack*

[@danielbower4480]

Perhaps I've gotten the rulings wrong, but isn't Kira kind of a non-bo with Ezuri's adding +1/+1 counters ability?Other than that, excellent work Wedge!

[@DosJoyy]

Where is the Hangar Back, Myr Battlesphere, Pentavus, Doubling Season, Parallel lives, Avenger of Zendikar, awakening zone from the beyond the list goes on! And where TF is Snake Basket xD ALSO! STORM CROW

[@Bladius_]

+Kyuj Cloudfin Raptor is a strictly better storm crow in this deck. lol.

[@StickgeneralArmy]

This may be the best use of storm crow in human history.

[@Rangersly]

This is the one I'm getting! Snake Tribal has just gotten it's best Commander ever! Plus, it looks the most fun to play among all the new Commander decks.

[@Nateson]

Anddd here, and here, and here, andddd here. yeah...convience!

[@PureEquation]

1 upgrade you forgot for the ezuri side would be "wolfbriar elemental" its a bit of a mana sink but for every green past the first 4 cost is just more creatures and counters. kaseto would be the way i want to go. i have already seen some beastly snake decks in edh and this just puts them way over the top with that new commander. mostly the decks i saw were just green, now we have blue added into this which just makes this too damn good.

[@Starfury117]

Orochi hatchery!! Snake tribal for days!

[@beej2241]

I ALREADY HAVE A SESHIRO DECK. CANT WAIT TO GET THIS AND BE ABLE TO UPGRADE IT IMMEDIATELY.

[@GiantSalt95]

Is everyone forgetting Pentavus, Triskelevus, Thopter Squadron, and Tetravus!? Sooooo many counters. (Also, Invisible Stalker)

[@SecretlyANarwhal]

@themanasource, why wasn't Blade of Selves included in the upgrades for Ezuri? I mean, that's usually 3 experience counters per attack with Ezuri out. I am surprised wizards didn't include it in the precon

[@SecretlyANarwhal]

Oops, meant +TheManaSource, sorry.

[@thomascurrier1807]

+Manoli P. Tramountanas That would be too op...

[@EdwardWB97]

I'd definitely put in Seed the Land. Mainly because I pulled a foil from three packs of kamigawa and SNAKES.

[@evanhendrickson3449]

I found a Star Wars themed set an Imgur user made. It's a first draft but it's amazing. He calls it Star Wars the Gathering. It really deserves some attention!

[@SuperDomi94]

As soon as Kaseto was spoiled I immediately knew he was going to be my Snake-tribal commander. He and Blight Mamba won me many games, but I lost a lot of friend in the process...

[@Ramia94]

Ezuri + Doubling Season = 4-ever

[@ronman279]

I think I will try Ezuri in my Vorel counter deck, he looks like he will fit in well.

[@lorddrako825]

I was thinking of putting growing rites of itlimoc in there. Whaddya think?

[@michaeltaylor4492]

Kaseto! You sold me on snakes with your snake casual tribal decktech. :D

[@sonichaven]

Kira, Great Glass Spinner will counter Ezuri's +1+1 counters. On another note Sage of Hours is gross. Draw a bunch of cards with Etched Oracle or Mindless Automaton. Make your experiment one live forever. Gain a bunch of life with Spike Feeder. Make a bunch of tokens with Tetravus. Shoot things down with Triskelion. Make a bunch of mana with Workhorse. The more I think about this the closer I am to building Ezuri.

[@StickgeneralArmy]

Exactly. The list of synergies goes on and on

[@scourgeneo7834]

hey Wedge, do you think you could do a Minotaur Commander Deck Tech, I use Zurgo as a commander so I can splash in some of the Boros Minotaurs, but I can't splash in all of them. Is there a Minotaur Commander that lets me play multi colors I can use, or do I have to pick a 2 color splash or do what I have been doing with Zurgo since Zurgo.

[@Kazuwhospins]

The most fun i had with this deck was ezuri and mycloth on the board an watching my friends face when i cast doubling season!

[@Gavolak]

Why no invisible stalker, slipper bogle, and gladecover scout? I feel like experiment one might be good too.

[@moritz9719]

G/U Elf Tribal would also be awesome with Ezuri :)

[@dr_cookiecrumble7334]

I got this deck as a start and am turning it into a snake tribal/poison counter deck... Also, having Kaseto as the commander, pumping him up using his ability and swinging for 22 commander damage that is unblockable is hilarious :D

[@aggronio353]

Craterhoof Behemoth is BOSS with Ezuri! Playing token generators like Mycoloth, Avenger of Zendikar, and Hornet Queen along with great utility that keeps you going like Fathom Mage, Prophet of Kruphix, and Elvish Visionary, you just drop all your little guys, buff with Ezuri, then make them HUGE monsters with the Behemoth and trample over all of your opponents! I have won at least 10 games this way already!

[@WhirlpoolMaelstrom]

Kaseto + Predator Flagship = Snakes on a Plane :D

[@Berneggerman]

pentavus is also really broken with ezuri also instead of a hooded hydra maybe hangarback walker or chasm skulker.

[@JonathanHecht]

out of the 10 new legends' your personal favorite is?

[@CodenameJD]

Surprised you didn't mention Door of Destinies for Snake tribal since they're all pretty much tiny. And if you want to talk hilarious cards, Endless Swarm! Get dozens of snakes! Make sure you've got your Reliquary Tower or the new artifact in place, extra on board draw engines (maybe Seer's Sundial as you can still play lands and you don't need the mana for much else), stuf like Ezuri and the Door on board who keep making them bigger, and you are set, just keep pouring out those endless snakes.

[@kevinscott8437]

which of the two commanders is your favorite, wedge? I am getting this deck and like both generals, but I can only afford to build around one currently.

[@cameronhendricks5967]

I love my Ezuri deck. Building around proliferate and drawing for each damage effects.

[@ghuruzilla]

Mycolith? (My-coal-ith) I love that guy! WoC, you've officially got me interested on buying a commander deck from you. High possibility of the Golgari or Izzet one.

[@ColonelMcboot]

I play Elf Tribal with Ezuri! Little creatures with so much synergy! Just play your lords later, or you won't get all the value out of Ezuri

[@bobjoefred777]

+SusanMcboot i dont get the hype over snake tribal. Im 100% down to do +1/+1 counters with an elf sub theme. I also have regular Ezuri as my 1v1 Commander.

[@StickgeneralArmy]

Yay! Or, what if you played no lords and instead played some non-elves like cold-eyed selkie

[@ColonelMcboot]

Stickgeneral 42 Maybe! But a bunch of those lords have big synergy with the tribal stuff! Like the one that farts out loads of elves!

[@ColonelMcboot]

+Stickgeneral 42 Ended up switching Ezuri Claw of Progress for Edric Spymaster of Trest, Ezuri turned out to be a lot better as one of the 99 in my deck!

[@StickgeneralArmy]

if ezuri is the general you absolutely have to play sage of hours and mycloth

[@zanemain1fan243]

i just got this went to upgrade use mtggoldfish and came cross this card that on budget list renegade krasis what does it do for the deck

[@LadySpacePatrol]

I'm loving Kaseto. She's strong with a deck full of snakes but also on her own - Voltron!

[@Kizer5Red]

one of the more aggressive decks from this cycle, especially in one-on-one EDH (which completely defeats the purpose of the multiplayer-exclusive format, but sometimes you break the rules)

[@kazadrim8312]

how about hangarback walker in ezuri strat, enter with 2/2 at first combat becomes huge and makes tons of exp counter when it dies

[@esands36]

I'd probably go with Kas for snake tribal, but leave in Ezuri for pump. His ability is just wicked, especially if the creatures you play can flash

[@DotGamesLive]

I use Prime Speaker Zegana, empyreal plate equipment thing, venser, thragtusk, several maro-esque things, and other such nonsense. This looks very interesting to me! Poor Ezuri, got phyrexianized :

[@Mrtfarrugia]

Would serpent generator work well in snake tribal?

[@keenansutherland2776]

love the commander reviews

[@loganfredwest9651]

for the snake tribal deck, one tweak: JUNKYO BELL

[@TheKizz20]

now do creatures still activate ezuri's effact for counters even if master biomancer gives them counters as well?(new to game and just bought this deck)

[@KeysofIDproductions]

Your creatures gain the benefit of Master Biomancer's buffs, but you won't get the exp. counters from it because they won't be 2 pwr or less. 1/1 Saprolings would become 3/3 when they enter the battlefield. But if you build up a decent amount of exp counters before casting the Biomancer, just put all the 1/1 counters on him and watch how big your creatures get as soon as they hit the field :).

[@jahreem1923]

Ezuri MORPH deck. No other color combo likes morph as much as U/G but a morph commander decks usually don't have much in the way of offense. Ezuri fixes all of that, pumping your mostly weak creatures and triggering on every morph you play.

[@axumgear5629]

Thanks fantastic vid

[@asrafel13]

The toolbox approach sounds like tons of fun, but adding Simic Token generators... yeah buddy.

[@ProtagonistOfficial]

Why go in one direction when you can go in both?

[@CodenameJD]

+Protagonist Indeed! I've got Seshiro even with Ezuri as commander.

[@loganfredwest9651]

because you need to either go deep in the tribal strategy or the snake strategy, it works worse if you try to do a wierdly specific snake-counter deck

[@ProtagonistOfficial]

CodenameJD I meant it as in I am making both Ezuri and Kaseto decks, but that's awesome too.

[@ProtagonistOfficial]

Nope! Chuck Testa But...Mystic Snake fits both themes.

[@loganfredwest9651]

+Protagonist just because one card out if a 100 card deck works doesn't mean the deck will work

[@Nahkis]

Hangarback walker with Ezuri tickles me just the right way. Dem exp. counters when your fat Hangarback walker explodes is just nasty.

[@ThePhantomphan11]

You should do a Snakes Tiny Leaders deck tech!

[@KeysofIDproductions]

Epic Struggle for a cheap win if you're going the saproling generation route. Or put in a lot of card draw and Laboratory Maniac for some other fun times :).

[@nicholasrobst8712]

I'd just stick with the Prime Speaker Zegana imo :D

[@meatrace]

Mycolith + Master Biomancer + a flicker effect.Mycolith ETBs with, say, 2 +1/+1 counters thanks to Biomancer. Make a bunch of saprolings. End of your opponent's turn flicker Mycolith, wen he ETBs sac all the saprolings, make double that many saprolings. Rinse, repeat.

[@sparktoad]

I use Kaseto for my sneks urgent commander. Snake tribal for days!

[@CMOJoker]

Kaseto for me. I love Ezuri, I love counters; but I stay away from Simic counters due to the amount of broken things you can do with them. I try to build commander decks that can be fun for everyone.

[@g-unithalstensgard5610]

Honestly I would prefer to play Kaseto in a voltron commander deck. Kaseto can easily pump herself to unimaginable power and you swing to lethal commander damage. It could be easy enough considering you're playing green and blue has hilarious combat tricks when needed. That seems a little more my style for Kaseto

[@occasj]

I hate how command beacon is only in this deck :( Wish it was included in all 2015 commander decks, same with seal of the guildpact since 2 colors.

[@michaeltaylor4492]

I agree 110%.

[@tacticalfancyman4074]

Just got this deck outta Walmarts Commander Cubes and I can't wait to play it

[@CoiledMemes]

kaseto was the comander I needed for my snake deck, I was Legit about to get into comander trying to make a snake comander deck until this came out

[@SweetManaT]

I'm going the stronger tribal route. Ezuri is an elf...for the most part elves have 2 or less power...see where I'm going with this? Ezuri elf ball with blue backup and tricks. Should be fun.

[@emilysmith2965]

Just gonna point out that Kira will counter Ezuri’s ability too, so maybe wait until you already have a big threat to cast her.

[@D3P1KT]

triskelion. Like orbital lasers?

[@joeruotolo2634]

Can you make an 8rack deck tech. I know the tolarian community college did one but I want to see your build for it plus budget and fringe cards people could include.

[@samuelschnepp151]

for ezuri what about HANGERBACK WALKER

[@gavcanflip]

This deck looks great. I'm building a snake tribal Tiny Leaders deck with Kaseto, it's looking great. My friends are gonna hate me XD

[@joshuamanzl851]

is it just me or did wedge catch himself in the prophet of kruphix section?

[@matthewgeary1811]

Found a $21 deck with him. totally building it

[@sir_toadstool]

My Ezuri EDH deck is the bane of my casually group. Seriously, the meta seems to be revolving around it, making me feel both dignified and slightly disgusted Another creature I've had tons of fun with is Yisan, The Wanderer's Bard. Tutoring up a Mystic Snake in response to someone trying to off Ezuri is hilarious, plus Prophet works well with Yisan.

[@thenerdyeel3092]

One thing that wasn't mentioned is how stupid chameleon colossus is with kaseto. Make it a 6\6 unlockable an dump mana into it on a tapped out opponent then swing for anywhere from 12 to numbers as big as 96 even 194 or infinite if you do mana combos.

[@grantlambert9056]

Finally!!! Simic is masterrace I'm thinking invisible stalker, Managorger hydra, undergrowth champion Even dwynens elite would be nuts.

[@TheGr3nadeboy]

I think I know what will my friend get to christmas :D

[@purpleboye_]

Good to see you saved the best for last lol. HAIL YAWGMOTH! My boy Vorel approves this message.

[@Binks129]

BELIEVE AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE!!!

[@ClubbingSealCub]

Kaseto doesn't go snakes. Kaseto goes voltron. He IS a snake, and he can hit for 6 unblockable commander damage on turn 4.

[@brianwise5850]

I got the boros deck...I am happy with it. angel tribal here I come.

[@kian6858]

You could try using kaalia as its commader.

[@Zendrig]

The problem with this kind of simic creature deck is that there are way too many creatures to choose from. I want to include them all! I have to find a way to cram Ezuri into my Momir Vig deck. damn...

[@StickgeneralArmy]

I spent 3 hours trying to decide what to include. I feel you

[@DragonMist101]

If you ever feel like making another EDH deck tech, Riku of Two Reflections would be a pretty funny to base it on, just saying...*hint hint*

[@bensullivan4455]

Kaseto voltron all the way! have some ramp, back yourself up with a good number of counterspells, and finish it off with some value creatures.

[@davidthomassen4800]

i would love a snake tribal but i think it sitll lacks peices to be really strong just my opinion

[@izzy4752]

Id use Xenograft to make all my creatures snakes because i want to throw in Nagas in there, then maybe throw in a coat of arms and dragon throne of takir, so many possibilities

[@evaneveritt4761]

my personal preference is toolbox (roon all day baby!!)

[@kingpopaul]

Ophiomancer for snaek tribal. ;)