DECK TECH: Talrand, Sky Summoner Commander/EDH

I FINALLY put together a new Commander deck!  My first go-round' with Commander didn't go so well... I put together what I thought was a pretty awesomesauce Sisay deck that won with lifegain and that stupid-fresh goat (Felidar Sovereign).  I loved it... Until my friends in my playgroup rained all over my parade and said that for the goat to win, "you need 80 life, cause that's only fair."

Meh.  What a bunch of salty ball sacs!  I broke apart my deck, sold the cards individually on eBay, then found out 3 months later that the playgroup at my local shop (Anime Imports in Pacifica) would've totally been okay with the 40-life limit!  Geez!

So, it's been about 14 months, and I thought and thought and thought about what I like to do when I play a fun game of Magic:  I like to a) play cards and b) draw cards... LOTS OF 'EM!  Playing Talrand in BV has made me develop a soft-spot for creating armies of drakes, so he seemed like the perfect choice.  Check it :)

Talrand, the Sky Summoner
a Commander deck
by
Phil "Fat Ninja" Tacata

Commander

1.    Talrand, Sky Summoner

1cc Instant Cantrips

2.    Brainstorm

3.    Disrupt

4.    Fleeting Distraction

5.    Leap

6.    Mental Note

7.    Obsessive Search

8.    Opt

9.    Peek

10. Quicken                                   

11. Sapphire Charm

12. Shadow Rift

13. Stream of Unconsciousness           

14. Thought Scour

15. Twisted Image                                   

16. Visions of Beyond

17. Whispers of the Muse

1cc Sorcery Cantrips

18. Cloak of Feathers

19. Gitaxian Probe

20. Ponder

21. Preordain                                               

22. Serum Visions                                   

23. Sleight of Hand

24. Sorcerous Sight

Creature

25. Snapcaster Mage

More Draw

26. Ideas Unbound

27. Frantic Search

28. Windfall

29. Three Wishes

30. Time Spiral

Alternate Win Conditions

31. Runechanter's Pike

32. Altar of Dementia

33. Coat of Arms

34. Rite of Replication

35. Omniscience

Protect Talrand

36. Darksteel Plate

37. Swiftfoot Boots

38. Lighting Greaves

Mana Multipliers

39. Gauntlet of Power

40. Caged Sun

41. Extraplanar Lens

42. Doubling Cube

43. High Tide

44. Drain Power

Creature/Permanent Steal

45. Legacy's Allure

46. Control Magic

47. Treachery

48. Gilded Drake           

49. Desertion

50. Bribery

51. Spelljack

52. Volition Reins

53. Dominate

Permanent Bounce

54. Into the Roil

55. Capsize

Mass Effect

56. Propaganda

57. Nevinyrrals Disk

58. Evacuation

59. Wash Out

Counter (their) Commander

60. Hinder           

61. Spell Crumple

Artifact Tutor

62. Fabricate

Lands

Strip Mine

Reliquary Tower

Cephalid Coliseum

       Island (x35) ---------------------------------------------


OBJECTIVE AND PLAY-STYLE
The goal of this deck is to get Talrand into play, play a brazillion spells, then kick back and send your army of a brazillion drakes smashing into the face of your enemies :)

ENGINE
The deck runs 29 cantrips [cards that, when cast, draw (at least) another card], 23 of which are 1cc cost instants or sorceries.  Get a butt-load of mana, get/have Talrand out, and CAST AWAY!!!

CARDS
-Coat of Arms:  Because eighteen 20/20 flying drakes is fuck you.

-Altar of Dementia:  Because sacrificing eighteen 20/20 flying drakes and milling your opponents for 360 cards is fuck you, too.

-Runechanter's Pike:  You thought Delver decks made this sucker big? :p

-Hinder and Spellcrumple:  Because some dudes deserve to have their Commander countered to the bottom of their deck.

-Snapcaster Mage:  Let's be honest... It's still a creature-less deck :p

-35 White-bordered 5th-Edition Islands:  Because, yes... I'm a BOSS.

OTHER NOTES
Don't take the deck too seriously... As in all Commander games, have fun, talk a lot of shit, eat bad food, and laugh at everything .  Oh, and bring at least 50 drake tokens! ;)

(Drake Token by Svetlin Velinov)