In a moment of abject narcissism, I came up with the idea to get three friends together, have them play my best/most fun Commander decks, and record the results for you.

After this kernel of an idea popped, my immediate thought was to get good friends and Armada owners Aaron and Michael Fortino and super-employee Todd Palmer (the latter two also being Monday Night Gamers) to pilot the decks. When I told them about the idea, picking an early Tuesday afternoon as the optimum time to play since the store would be less busy and demanding of their attention, they all snap-agreed.

I let them choose decks from what I think are the best of my collection:  Intet, Karador, Kresh, and Ruhan. In hindsight, I could have let them pick whichever they wanted, although I’m not sure the choices would have been different. Todd immediately dibsed Intet since he’s played it before and loves/hates it because it’s a bit of a brain crusher. Aaron has a Karador deck of his own and thought that seeing the difference would be interesting. Michael definitely wanted to make Todd (not to mention me and Aaron, but mostly Todd) do it to himself, leaving me with Kresh.

The whole thing was made a great deal easier by good man and shop regular Apple Snyder, who agreed to record the proceedings, write it up, and send it to me. This gave me a greater opportunity to pay attention to the fun and the action. Apple even was happy to show up earlier than planned when we needed to shift back an hour due to some store stuff going on—in this case, the delivery of the 55 cases of HeroClix.

I’ve included the latest version of each decklist below. Each deck has a different path to victory. Intet seeks to control the pace of play and eventually overwhelm with quality creatures or a mass of Plant tokens. Kresh is looking to either keep the pressure on in combat or for a big hit by Flinging one of the arbitrarily large dudes, with Living Death as a backup plan. Karador controls differently than Intet and seeks a kind of inevitability in slowly building advantage. With a few exceptions, Ruhan doesn’t do much until someone else tries to do something broken. In all the time I’ve played the deck, I don’t think I’ve ever actually killed anyone with Ruhan Commander damage.

I think it’s an interesting variation in styles that should make for a game where almost anything can happen.

Turn 1 

Michael:  Island.

Todd:  Spinerock Knoll.

Me:  Forest, Skullclamp.

Aaron:  Temple Garden.

Turn 2

Michael:  Mountain.

Todd:  Breeding Pool untapped (38), Rampant Growth for a Mountain.

Me:  Swamp, Sol Ring.

Aaron:  Overgrown Tomb tapped.

Turn 3

Michael:  Plains, face-down morph.

Todd:  Proteus Staff, Simic Growth Chamber bouncing Mountain.

Me:  Swamp.

Aaron:  Godless Shrine tapped.

Turn 4

Michael:  Plains. Attacks Todd with the 2/2 morph (36). Casts Ruhan, as one does on turn 4, except when the guy in front of you has Proteus Staff.

Todd:  Mountain, activates Proteus Staff targeting Ruhan. Michael gets Solemn Simulacrum and fetches an Island.

Me:  Rakdos Carnarium, bouncing a Swamp.

Aaron:  Windswept Heath, cracks it (39), and gets a Plains. Plays Leyline of Sanctity, a card that the deck really loves to have to avoid Bojuka Bog and Tormod’s Crypt.

Turn 5

Michael:  Guilded Lotus, Mountain, attacks Todd with Solemn (32).

Todd:  Island, Darksteel Ingot.

Me:  Swamp, Hamletback Goliath. Everybody else says, “Oh God!” It’s a card that can get out of hand, so I understand. The thing about this deck is that I just want to run my guys out there unless it’s obvious that I shouldn’t. They can get big and dangerous of their own accord, or they can come back via Living Death. Final Judgment and other exile effects are about the only thing that really hurt—Wrath/Tormod’s Crypt is a real backbreaker—so just being aggressive is the deck’s path to victory.

Aaron:  Plains.

Turn 6

Michael:  Gisela. In response, Todd casts Fault Line for two, killing the morph, which is Chromeshell Crab. Michael (38), Todd (30), me (38), Aaron (37). Hamletback Goliath +5.

Todd:  Forest.

Me:  Savage Lands tapped, equip Skullclamp to Hamletback Goliath. Battle Aaron for eleven, dealing him 22 (15). Realize that Hamletback was big enough that I could have taken one for the team and attacked Michael.

Aaron:  Woodland Cemetery, Kokusho, which will get him that life back pretty quickly. Hamletback +10.

Turn 7

Michael:  Vesuva, copying Spinerock Knoll. Casts Aether Flash. Attacks me with Gisela (28). At EOT, Todd activates Spinerock Knoll to play Guided Passage. He starts thinking about who to target, and I remind him that I know the deck so it will take far less time for me to do it. He consents. I give him Yavimaya Coast, Riftsweeper, and Recross the Paths.

Todd:  Yavimaya Coast. Casts Recross the Paths, gets Gaea’s Cradle. Clashes with Michael. Reveals Island to Michael’s Essence Backlash. Proteus Staff on Hamletback. I say, “Fair,” and then get Malignus, which is less fair—especially since Gisela can’t prevent the damage.

Me:  Skullclamp Malignus and battle Michael. He takes it (28).

Aaron:  Scrubland[/author]“][author name="Scrubland"]Scrubland[/author], Birthing Pod. Pods away Kokusho, getting Angel of Despair, blowing up Gisela. Michael (23), Todd (25), me (23), Aaron to (30).

Turn 8

Michael:  Reflecting Pool. Casts Bribery targeting Todd and then Radiates it, targeting me. Gets Todd’s Seedborn Muse and my Rune-Scarred Demon.

Todd:  Reliquary Tower. Staffs the Rune-Scarred and gets New Prahv Guildmage, which we all think is pretty cool until we realize that it dies to Aether Flash. With the trigger on the stack, he detains Malignus and Birthing Pod. Since he’s not going to be battling, at EOT I cast Momentous Fall on Malignus. Draw 16, go to (37). About the third card in is Reliquary Tower, so I’m Fonzie.

Me:  Reliquary Tower, Tormod’s Crypt, Seedguide Ash, Skullclamp it, and cast Goblin Bombardment.

Aaron:  Forest, Harvester of Souls.

Turn 9

Michael:  Island, Lightmine Field. Aura Thief, who dies to Aether Flash. I respond by doming Michael (22) with Seedguide Ash, getting Stomping Ground, Taiga, and Bayou. Aaron draws two cards off of Harvester of Souls. Michael then attacks me for two with Seedborn Muse (how often does that happen?) (35). At EOT, Todd overloads Cyclonic Rift. Michael shoots Todd in the face with Seedborn Muse (24).

Todd:  Command Tower, Genesis Wave for eight. Gets two Islands, Alchemist’s Refuge, Jace, the Mind Sculpter, Champion of Lambholt, Hellrider, and Sensei’s Divining Top, whiffing only on Growth Spasm. Brainstorms with Jace. Plays Glen Elendra Archmage. Attacks me with Hellrider. At the end, I’m at (31).

Me:  Drop Command Tower, cast Sol Ring, Tormod’s Crypt, suspend Greater Gargadon. Play Garruk Wildspeaker, +1 him and float three, cast Avalanche Riders, blowing up Alchemist’s Refuge (that card is scary in Intet). I cast Skullclamp and attach it to the Riders, battling Jace. Todd blocks with Champion of Lambholt, both die, and Aaron draws two. I finish up by casting Disciple of Griselbrand. I was playing really fast since everyone was pretty much tapped out (save for Todd, having Glen Elendra mana), and I just dumped what I could out of my hand instead of carefully planning the turn, which clearly should have seen Disciple of Griselbrand earlier just in case someone had tricks. I doubted Todd would counter any of my noncreatures, but I should have at least considered the possibility. Then I also realized that Kresh would have been a better play than Avalanche Riders. I was too focused on Alchemists Refuge and Intet’s ability to completely abuse it. With both Gargadon and Disciple in play, Kresh could have gotten crazy over the next few turns, and I missed the opportunity.

Aaron:  Plains. Casts Pod with Phyrexian mana (28). Todd counters with the Archmage. Casts Karmic Guide to get back Kokusho, but I activate Tormod’s Crypt in response. This might seem like a derpy play from Aaron, but I’m pretty sure he calculated the value of not having KK against not having the big pile of stuff he might have in the graveyard. He knows Rift Sweeper is in the deck anyway.

Turn 10

Michael:  Sun Titan, getting back New Prahv Guildmage, and recasts Guilded Lotus.

Todd:  Plays Top, activates it, then casts Renegade Doppelganger. Plays Eternal Witness, gets back Cyclonic Rift. Plays Skyshroud Claim getting Taiga and Tropical Rainforest. Uses Jace to bounce Sun Titan. Clearly he has a plan of some sort.

Me:  Mountain, Lord of Extinction. Todd responds with Overwhelming Intellect to draw five. In jest, he asks, “Draw equal to power, right?” I +1 Garruk and cast Woodfall Primus, blowing up the Cradle.

Aaron:  Doesn’t pay Karmic Guide’s echo. Drops Sunpetal Grove and casts Angel of Despair, blowing up the Doppelganger.

Turn 11

Michael:  Lightmine Field and details the Archmage. I like where this is going. At EOT, I eat Woodfall Primus with Disciple. When it persists back, I blow up Jace.

Todd:  Terastodon targeting my Reliquary Tower, Skullclamp, and Garruk. All fair. Plays Lurking Predators. This takes some of the sting out of not playing Kresh and instead destroying the Refuge because this deck getting free giant dudes while holding control elements is bad.

Me:  Swamp and do the only thing a reasonable human being would: destroy Lurking Predators with the topdecked Krosan Grip. Todd gets Oracle of Mul Daya. Now that the window is open from Michael detaining the Archmage, I cast Goblin Bombardment and Greater Good. Anathemancer Todd for nine (15). AT EOT, Michael activates Spinerock Knoll, casting Mindslaver. I have to discard, so I pitch Big Game Hunter along with Hamletback, Farhaven Elf, Feed the Pack, and Flayer of the Hatebound. With BGH’s madness trigger, I kill Terastodon.

Aaron:  Plains, Leyline of Sanctity, Harvester of Souls.

Turn 12

Michael:  During his upkeep Mindslaver targets Todd. Still not sure why he did it then, but okay. Drop a Plains and passes. At EOT, Todd Tops.

Todd:  (Controlled by Michael) Coiling Oracle, casts Cyclonic Rift targeting Greater Good. In response, GGs away Woodfall Primus. Aaron draws. Spelltwine, targeting Genesis Wave and Bribery. Bribery targets Michael, getting Ruhan out of the deck, a rather clever play. The team attacks me. Block, all my dudes die, go to (33).

Me:  Lurking Predators and Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord (a late addition to the decklist). Discard Greater Good and Urabrask. I’ve kept Living Death in my hand since drawing sixteen, and now with Jarad around, I’m just waiting for the right spot.

Aaron:  Marsh Flats, cracks it (27), getting Savannah. Plays Acidic Slime targeting Lurking Predators, I whiff on getting a creature. Casts Sol Ring and, as predicted, casts Riftsweeper to shuffle back in Kokusho, then casts Reveillark. Attacks me with the Angel (28), and before blocks Michael detains Jarad. I have nothing up my sleeve anyway, but a reasonable idea.

Turn 13

Michael:  Detains Goblin Bombardment then casts Final Judgment. I still have enough sac outlets and mana. I eat Jarad with Disciple (43) and then sacrifice Anathemancer, Big Game Hunter, a Beast, and Disciple to Greater Gargadon. Aaron draws four. His Reveillark gets back Karmic Guide, which gets back (something).

Todd:  Casts Maelstrom Wanderer (which has replaced Riku in the deck), cascades into Frost Titan (tapping my Rakdos Carnarium) and Snapcaster Mage, getting Guided Passage, which he casts targeting Michael. Michael, looking quickly through the deck, gives him Maze of Ith, Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre, and Bonfire of the Damned. Todd then Proteus Staffs away the Snapcaster and gets Avenger of Zendikar. He battles me with Frost Titan (tapping down Karmic Guide) and Maelstrom Wanderer (30) and sends the Avenger at Michael (17). He’s tapped all but two mana, only one of them blue, so I know there isn’t Mana Drain in my future. I decide to go for it.

Me:  Greater Gargadon ETB. I drop Graven Cairns and Regrowth on Boom Tube, which is 55/55. Cast Essence Harvest targeting Todd, killing him and putting me at (85). I was worried about the Clone in his graveyard, but I realize that I didn’t actually need to do that since he couldn’t Clone anything that came in at the same time. I cast Living Death with enough mana to sacrifice the somewhat-smaller-but-still-lethal Lord of Extinction to kill Aaron and Michael, not to mention that Urabrask was one of the guys in my yard. The better play is to just cast Living Death and sacrifice Boom Tube to Jarad since graveyards would have been fuller.

We had a good time playing. I kind of wish that Aaron had drawn better cards with the Karador deck and been more of a factor in the game. I would have also liked to see the Ruhan deck really punish one of us for something insane (even if it was me trying the big Fling). It was fun for us, and if it was fun for you to read about, maybe we’ll do it again.

Intet, the Dreamer

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 11-25-2012

Commander

Creatures (31)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Clone
• 1 Seedborn Muse
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Mystic Snake
• 1 Yavimaya Elder
• 1 Aura Thief
• 1 Coiling Oracle
• 1 Intet, the Dreamer
• 1 Riftsweeper
• 1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
• 1 Glen Elendra Archmage
• 1 Murkfiend Liege
• 1 Djinn of Wishes
• 1 Oracle of Mul Daya
• 1 Avenger of Zendikar
• 1 Terastodon
• 1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1 Renegade Doppelganger
• 1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
• 1 Frost Titan
• 1 Stormtide Leviathan
• 1 Consecrated Sphinx
• 1 Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1 Snapcaster Mage
• 1 Hellrider
• 1 Champion of Lambholt
• 1 Deadeye Navigator
• 1 Maelstrom Wanderer
• 1 Diluvian Primordial
• 1 Sylvan Primordial

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

Lands (18)

• 1 Gaea's Cradle
• 1 Wasteland
• 1 Volcanic Island
• 1 Tropical Island
• 1 Taiga
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Yavimaya Coast
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 1 Simic Growth Chamber
• 1 Spinerock Knoll
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Rootbound Crag
• 1 Mystifying Maze
• 1 Hinterland Harbor
• 1 Sulfur Falls
• 1 Kessig Wolf Run
• 1 Alchemist's Refuge

Spells (49)

• 1 Sensei's Divining Top
• 1 Mana Drain
• 6 Forest
• 1 Scroll Rack
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Mountain
• 8 Island
• 1 Rampant Growth
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Reweave
• 1 Artifact Mutation
• 1 Worldly Tutor
• 1 Desertion
• 1 Fault Line
• 1 Proteus Staff
• 1 Call of the Wild
• 1 Reins of Power
• 1 Survival of the Fittest
• 1 Skyshroud Claim
• 1 Rhystic Study
• 1 Guided Passage
• 1 Overwhelming Intellect
• 1 Chord of Calling
• 1 Cryptic Command
• 1 Recross the Paths
• 1 Lurking Predators
• 1 Rite of Replication
• 1 Growth Spasm
• 1 Crystal Ball
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Genesis Wave
• 1 Pristine Talisman
• 1 Beast Within
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Spell Crumple
• 1 Bonfire of the Damned
• 1 Cyclonic Rift

Karador, Ghost Chieftain

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 11-25-2012

Commander

Creatures (44)

• 1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
• 1 Wood Elves
• 1 Hermit Druid
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Bone Shredder
• 1 Yavimaya Elder
• 1 Duplicant
• 1 Loyal Retainers
• 1 Karmic Guide
• 1 Netherborn Phalanx
• 1 Angel of Despair
• 1 Ghost Council of Orzhova
• 1 Saffi Eriksdotter
• 1 Necrotic Sliver
• 1 Riftsweeper
• 1 Seht's Tiger
• 1 Reveillark
• 1 Puppeteer Clique
• 1 Woodfall Primus
• 1 Archon of Justice
• 1 Deathbringer Liege
• 1 Divinity of Pride
• 1 Doomgape
• 1 Elvish Visionary
• 1 Wall of Reverence
• 1 Dauntless Escort
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 1 Avenger of Zendikar
• 1 Terastodon
• 1 Wall of Omens
• 1 Sun Titan
• 1 Massacre Wurm
• 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
• 1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1 Karador, Ghost Chieftain
• 1 Vish Kal, Blood Arbiter
• 1 Devouring Swarm
• 1 Silverchase Fox
• 1 Restoration Angel
• 1 Harvester of Souls
• 1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
• 1 Vizkopa Guildmage

Lands (23)

• 1 Wasteland
• 4 Swamp
• 1 Scrubland
• 1 Savannah
• 1 Bayou
• 1 Windswept Heath
• 1 Maze of Ith
• 1 Krosan Verge
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Temple Garden
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Murmuring Bosk
• 1 Sunpetal Grove
• 1 Marsh Flats
• 1 Verdant Catacombs
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Isolated Chapel
• 1 Woodland Cemetery
• 1 Vault of the Archangel
• 1 Grim Backwoods

Spells (33)

• 6 Forest
• 1 Wrath of God
• 7 Plains
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Regrowth
• 1 Demonic Tutor
• 1 Grave Pact
• 1 Decree of Pain
• 1 Mulch
• 1 Greater Good
• 1 Skyshroud Claim
• 1 Krosan Reclamation
• 1 Ghostway
• 1
• 1 Return to Dust
• 1 Sudden Spoiling
• 1 Fracturing Gust
• 1 Planar Cleansing
• 1 Leyline of Sanctity
• 1 Black Sun's Zenith
• 1 Birthing Pod
• 1 Command Tower

Kresh the Bloodbraided

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 11-25-2012

Commander

Creatures (33)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Kokusho, the Evening Star
• 1 Avalanche Riders
• 1 Withered Wretch
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Yavimaya Elder
• 1 Bloodshot Cyclops
• 1 Eater of the Dead
• 1 Woodripper
• 1 Stalking Vengeance
• 1 Greater Gargadon
• 1 Big Game Hunter
• 1 Hamletback Goliath
• 1 Seedguide Ash
• 1 Farhaven Elf
• 1 Woodfall Primus
• 1 Kresh the Bloodbraided
• 1 Lord of Extinction
• 1 Anathemancer
• 1 Acidic Slime
• 1 Butcher of Malakir
• 1 Pelakka Wurm
• 1 Mitotic Slime
• 1 Urabrask the Hidden
• 1 Scavenging Ooze
• 1 Devouring Swarm
• 1 Rune-Scarred Demon
• 1 Disciple of Griselbrand
• 1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
• 1 Flayer of the Hatebound
• 1 Malignus
• 1 Disciple of Bolas
• 1 Rubblehulk

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Garruk Wildspeaker

Lands (26)

• 1 Strip Mine
• 8 Swamp
• 1 Taiga
• 1 Bayou
• 1 Badlands
• 1 Tainted Wood
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Phyrexian Tower
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Rakdos Carnarium
• 1 Graven Cairns
• 1 Twilight Mire
• 1 Savage Lands
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Kessig Wolf Run
• 1 Grim Backwoods

Spells (40)

• 8 Forest
• 1 Living Death
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Regrowth
• 1 Demonic Tutor
• 2 Mountain
• 1 Red Elemental Blast
• 1 Goblin Bombardment
• 1 Tangle
• 1 Skullclamp
• 1 Victimize
• 1 Spore Cloud
• 1 Night Soil
• 1 Grab the Reins
• 1 Fling
• 1 Survival of the Fittest
• 1 Sneak Attack
• 1 Greater Good
• 1 Skyshroud Claim
• 1 Pernicious Deed
• 1 Tormod's Crypt
• 1 Krosan Grip
• 1 Makeshift Mannequin
• 1 Lurking Predators
• 1 Momentous Fall
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Mimic Vat
• 1 Praetor's Grasp
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Swiftfoot Boots
• 1 Feed the Pack
• 1 Essence Harvest

Ruhan of the Fomori (You Did This to Yourself)

Sheldon Menery

0th Place at Test deck on 11-25-2012

Commander

Creatures (16)

• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Clone
• 1 Willbender
• 1 Gilded Drake
• 1 Mischievous Quanar
• 1 Chromeshell Crab
• 1 Viashino Heretic
• 1 Aura Thief
• 1 Goblin Flectomancer
• 1 Sun Titan
• 1 Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1 Ruhan of the Fomori
• 1 Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
• 1 New Prahv Guildmage
• 1 Molten Primordial
• 1 Boros Reckoner

Planeswalkers (1)

• 1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Lands (14)

• 1 Reflecting Pool
• 1 Tundra
• 1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
• 1 Boros Garrison
• 1 Sacred Foundry
• 1 Izzet Boilerworks
• 1 Steam Vents
• 1 Azorius Chancery
• 1 Academy Ruins
• 1 Vesuva
• 1 Mistveil Plains
• 1 Glacial Fortress
• 1 Clifftop Retreat
• 1 Rogue's Passage

Spells (69)

• 1 Final Judgment
• 7 Plains
• 1 Land Tax
• 1 Sol Ring
• 7 Mountain
• 7 Island
• 1 Reverse Damage
• 1 Fellwar Stone
• 1 Harsh Justice
• 1 Darksteel Ingot
• 1 Desertion
• 1 Repercussion
• 1 Hibernation
• 1 Mindslaver
• 1 Gilded Lotus
• 1 Bribery
• 1 Helm of Obedience
• 1 Turn the Tables
• 1 Oblation
• 1 Reflect Damage
• 1 Aether Flash
• 1 Mind Stone
• 1 Honorable Passage
• 1 Angel's Trumpet
• 1 Acidic Soil
• 1 Rhystic Study
• 1 Mirror Strike
• 1 Powerstone Minefield
• 1 Karmic Justice
• 1 Radiate
• 1 Boros Fury-Shield
• 1 Boros Signet
• 1 Copy Enchantment
• 1 Cerebral Vortex
• 1 Parallectric Feedback
• 1 Azorius Signet
• 1 War's Toll
• 1 Reiterate
• 1 Dawn Charm
• 1 Knowledge Exploitation
• 1 Gather Specimens
• 1 Sleep
• 1 Chain Reaction
• 1 Lightmine Field
• 1 Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Blasphemous Act
• 1 Martial Law
• 1 Essence Backlash
• 1 Aurelia's Fury
• 1 Blind Obedience