Introducing Aurelia's Army: A Duel Commander aggro deck!
Duel Commander really is a different format from normal EDH. Aggro decks have to be blisteringly fast to compete with the combo decks, and have enough threats to compete with the control decks. I want to build a resilient aggro deck with some resource denial thrown in. This deck also utilises Sunforger to control the board or just power up a creature.
Aurelia is an excellent aggro commander. She has vigilance and haste, allowing her to beat down the turn she comes up and block if she needs to. With her extra combat step, she deals 6 damage on her own, but with any other creatures out this can get ridiculous. If your opponent is still alive after you’ve attacked with her once, try equipping her with a sword, that will almost certainly end the game!
Tajic, Blade of the Legion is the other new Boros commander, and he is actually still a fairly good commander for this deck. The two are probably interchangeable with very few changes, though Tajic's indestructability means you could safely play more wraths and still be left with a 2/2. I prefer Aurelia as she has haste and evasion, even if she costs more. Tajic really needs 2 other creatures to be attacking to shine. Its very hard to recover when you are behind if you commander is just hitting for two, where as with Aurelia, you can often climb back just swinging with her for 2 turns.
Tajic, Blade of the Legion is the other new Boros commander, and he is actually still a fairly good commander for this deck. The two are probably interchangeable with very few changes, though Tajic's indestructability means you could safely play more wraths and still be left with a 2/2. I prefer Aurelia as she has haste and evasion, even if she costs more. Tajic really needs 2 other creatures to be attacking to shine. Its very hard to recover when you are behind if you commander is just hitting for two, where as with Aurelia, you can often climb back just swinging with her for 2 turns.
Aurelia is the top of our curve, and she is our main finisher in this deck. Attack with her and some creatures for a devastating attack, or equip her with a sword and put on some more pressure.
The Deck
The creatures
Aggressive Creatures
1-Drops- These creatures come down early to put on some pressure. They are often too fast for some slower control decks to deal with when played turn 1.
Figure of Destiny - Comes down early and is an excellent mana sink to power up, you can easily hit for 2 on turn 2, then 4 on turn 3.
Goblin Guide - Comes down turn one to attack with haste. While Goblin Guide may be terrible in multiplayer, he is still one of the most aggressive turn one plays in Duel Commander.
Grim Lavamancer - removal or burn to the face, this works well with a full set of fetches to fill your graveyard. With very little graveyard interaction, you can safely exile things as you probably won't be using them once they've hit the graveyard.
Grim Lavamancer - removal or burn to the face, this works well with a full set of fetches to fill your graveyard. With very little graveyard interaction, you can safely exile things as you probably won't be using them once they've hit the graveyard.
Isamaru - A vanila 2/2, but still an excellent turn 1 play. He can come down early and be equipped with swords late game to become an even bigger threat.
Student of Warfare - Comes down early and can hit hard after you sink some mana into him. Can be hitting for 3 first strike damage turn 2 to put the pressure on.
2-Drops
Ash Zealot - A hastey 2/2 first strike that punishes players for using flashback. This card comes down fast and can wreck control or graveyard decks.Kargan Dragonlord - Not quite as scary as Student of Warfare is it comes down a turn later and costs a bit more to level up, but after 4 levels this guy is hitting hard, and if you get him to level 8 he is quite deadly. Another great way to use leftover mana.
Porcelain Legionnaire - I count this as a two drop because this is when you want to be casting him. A 3/1 first strike on turn 2 is definitely worth paying 2 life for. He can make a great blocker in a pinch if he has to.
Truefire Paladin - 2/2 with vigilance that can gain first strike makes this an excellent attacker and blocker, and you can pump him with any spare mana to get in more damage.
3-drops
Blade Splicer - A feeble 1/1 body that brings a 3/3 token along with it. The 1/1 body is often expendable, but giving the golem token first strike is never a bad thing.
Boros Reckoner - Awkward to block, and awkward to attack into, Boros Reckoner makes a great attacker or blocker depending on what the situation calls for.
Frontline Medic - This little fellow lets you protect your whole team if attacking with enough people. Its always awesome to play a wrath post attack and kill your opponents creatures but not yours. People often forget about his second ability and will tap out for an X-spell, but don’t count on people being stupid.
Mirran Crusader - Protection from Green and Black is incredibly relevant in this format, this guy alone can win matches against certain commanders. He also holds a sword like nobody’s business.
Silverblade Paladin - Gives your biggest threat and himself double strike, completely devastating if you can bond someone holding some equipment.
4-Drops
Flametongue Kavu - A 4/2 with removal when he enters, he can often remove a blocker before attacks.
Hellrider - Hastey body that pings your opponent whenever a creature you control attacks. And he triggers again if you have multiple attack steps!
Hero of Bladehold - Battlecry can boost your troops, and it stacks with multiple combats, and she brings 2 extra attackers with her every time she attacks.
Hero of Oxid Ridge - Haste and battlecry can lead to an unexpected devastating attack, and he removes the option of chump blockers.
5-Drop
Thundermaw Hellkite - swings for 5 with haste and normally connects the turn it comes down as it taps other fliers. Ends games quickly if not dealt with.
5-Drop
Thundermaw Hellkite - swings for 5 with haste and normally connects the turn it comes down as it taps other fliers. Ends games quickly if not dealt with.
Utility Creatures
Aven Mindsensor - Shuts down tutors and can alone beat decks such as Zur that rely on tutoring. Not being able to crack fetchlands efficiently can often cause opponents problems too.
Blinding Angel - Stops other aggro decks dead if you can connect with Blinding Angel. The effect stacks meaning this creature can cause a lot of problems once Aurelia is out.
Fiend Hunter - Removal for your opponents creatures, but this can also be used for some neat tricks when combined with Restoration Angel to exile a creature forever, or to exile one of your creatures before a wrath so it comes back.
Grand Abolisher - Great vs control to ensure your creatures don’t get countered, but it can also stop your opponents abusing utility creatures to their full extent among other things.
Linvala, Keeper of Silence - Shuts down utility creatures and some opponents generals.
Magus of the Moon - Can slow opponents down or completely shut them out by cutting them off their mana.
Mangara of Corondor - Can be used to remove any problem permanents though is often just used to remove a land for a tempo advantage, or a blocker for an alpha strike.
Manic Vandal - Kills an artifact when it comes in, but don’t be afraid to cast him as a 2/2 if you need to put pressure on in certain matchups.
Mother of Runes - the ultimate white one-drop, she protects your creatures from damage or removal, or can help a big creature get through. Especially powerful vs mono coloured decks.
Restoration Angel - Reuse an ETB effect, save a creature from spot removal, or just flash in at the end of your opponents turn. Remember she only works on non-Angels however.
Solemn Simulacrum - Gets a land onto the battlefield and can draw you a card when it dies, this is really to help bridge the gap between 4 mana and 6 mana. While the deck really curves out at 4, you need to get to 6 to cast your commander to end the game.
Stoneforge Mystic - gets you whichever equipment you need. If protection is relevant, the Swords are always a good option, or Sunforger can be fetched for a more controly option. Umezawa’s Jitte can wreck certain decks too.
Thalia, Gaurdian of Thraben - A 2/1 first strike is fairly aggressive itself, but Thalia can really slow down certain decks letting you build your army faster than your opponent can stop you.
War Priest of Thune - A bear that destroys an enchantment, then hits for 2 each turn.
War Priest of Thune - A bear that destroys an enchantment, then hits for 2 each turn.
Weathered Wayfairer - Can help you fetch utility lands or just get you extra mana to reach 6 mana quicker.
Artifacts
Boros Keyrune provides ramp, but also a double striking hard to kill body that can hold a sword very well. Mox Diamond provides some ramp, and works well if you have Land Tax to more or less get an extra land drop.
Our equipment package is Sunforger, Sword of Fire and Ice, Sword of War and Peace, and Umezawa’s Jitte. Sunforger can help control the game while providing a power boost. Sword of Fire and Ice provides removal and much needed card draw. Sword of War and Peace can deal lots of extra damage, especially with double strike or extra combat. The Jitte is an awesome utility equipment that can be used for removal or boost a creature, and also used for lifegain in a pinch.
Instants - The Sunforger Package
Every Instant is able to be cast off of Sunforger, but they are all worthy of inclusion even without it. Sunforger is often to slow in certain matchups, such as against other aggro decks, where you should just use it for the +4 unless you have the mana to spare to cast something and re-equip it. It can sometimes just be removal each turn until you can hit with your army. Its particularly useful in longer games, giving this deck a bit of extra control that most aggro decks are lacking.
Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Lightning Helix, and Lightning Bolt are all targeted removal for problem creatures. Parch is more targeted removal, but most importantly, it kills Zur. Chaos Warp is removal for any problem permanents, though watch out as you may give them something better. Return to Dust and Disenchant are removal for any artifact or enchantments causing you problems. Enlightened Tutor helps you find any enchantment or artifact you might need, though most often it will be Blood Moon, Stranglehold, or an equipment. Volcanic Fallout is can kill a swarm of small creatures, its necessary in certain matchups like Animar or elves. Boros Charm offers the utility of making your permanents indestructible, giving your biggest threat double strike, and
Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, Lightning Helix, and Lightning Bolt are all targeted removal for problem creatures. Parch is more targeted removal, but most importantly, it kills Zur. Chaos Warp is removal for any problem permanents, though watch out as you may give them something better. Return to Dust and Disenchant are removal for any artifact or enchantments causing you problems. Enlightened Tutor helps you find any enchantment or artifact you might need, though most often it will be Blood Moon, Stranglehold, or an equipment. Volcanic Fallout is can kill a swarm of small creatures, its necessary in certain matchups like Animar or elves. Boros Charm offers the utility of making your permanents indestructible, giving your biggest threat double strike, and
Enchantments
Stranglehold and Blood Moon can both slow down decks or straight up shut them down. Both are great to slow your opponent while you build your army. Land Tax ensures you hit your land drops so you can get Aurelia out and attacking as soon as possible.
Sorceries
Mizzium Mortars is often a one sided wrath, or just spot removal. Bonfire of the Damned can kill hordes of creatures, particularly elves or Animar like Volcanic Fallout. Steelshaper Gift can get whichever equipment you need. Vanadal Blast kills any problem artifacts, or all artifact you don’t control if you need it too. Wrath of God is your standard wrath, though in many match-ups its not necessary. Wheel of Fortune is one of the most powerful draw spells in the game, and much needed to refill your hand in red. Once you have some creatures out, a well timed Armageddon will often put your far enough ahead to win the game.
Planeswalkers
Ajani Vengeant - Spot removal, a tempo swing, and if he lives long enough, destroys your opponent's mana base, which is normally impossible to recover from.
Gideon Jura - A distraction to help you get through for damage, removal, or just a big beater to help damage your opponent.
Gideon Jura - A distraction to help you get through for damage, removal, or just a big beater to help damage your opponent.
Elspeth, Knight Errant - Grow your army, jump a creature, and eventually make all your things indestructible. She is often used as a distraction as you continue to beat face with your army.
Lands
A full set of fetches can ensure you get Plateau and Sacred Foundry out for mana fixing early. Command Tower, Clifftop Retreat, and Rugged Prairie are also included for mana fixing. Darksteel Citadel and Flagstone of Trokair can help ensure you recover quicker after mass land destruction than your opponent. Homeward Path stops any creature stealing shenanigans. Mishra’s Factory and Mutavault can be turned into creatures to put on more pressure. Rishadan Port, Dust Bowl and Wasteland can be used to slow your opponents down if you can spare the mana.
Sunhome Fortress of the Legion can give your biggest threat double strike if you have the mana. This is often important if an opponent wraths and you are left with few creatures but lots of mana. Slayer’s Stronghold is much the same, when you have mana and nothing to spend it on, give a creature haste and +2 power, used mostly after a wrath.
Strategy
Play aggressively. Play out your threats, put on as much early pressure as possible. Depending on the match-up, you may have to start playing more control and resource denial late game, but this deck still wants to hit early and hit hard. The longer the game goes on, the more chance combo decks have of combing out, and control decks have of stabilizing, which is not good for us.
Remember that many creatures are expendable. Don’t hold back just in case you lose a creature, you don’t need ever creature to survive to win. Keeping as many creatures as possibly while still applying pressure and whittling down their life total is ideal, but don’t be afraid to trade creatures, or even run a 2/2 into a 3/3 if it lets you get in with a couple other creatures. Force them to use their wrath turn 4 or 5, then follow up with Aurelia and some more aggressive creatures. If they are going to wrath, make them do it as soon as possible so you can recover and start putting pressure back on quickly. On the other hand, don’t let your Isamaru die if you only have one other creature and a Frontline Medic in hand. Keep as many creatures as you need to best utilise whatever you have avaible. Don’t run your creature into a blocker if next turn you can equip him and be better off. This may be an aggro deck that like to cast creature and turn them sideways, but if you do it without thinking, you won’t get far. It is also best to keep your creatures alive the turn before you cast Aurelia to make the best use of her extra attack steps.
Make the most out of your utility creatures, but don’t be afraid to just use them as attackers. Manic Vandal is obviously meant to be cast when you can destroy an artifact, but if your opponent hasn’t played an artifact in a while and then don’t be afraid to cast him to just attack with. Mother of Runes is often used as protection from removal or damage, but in this deck she is often better used to give your creature protection before attacking to get more damage in. Fiend Hunter can be used to exile a Squire if you want to get through with a creature, especially one equipped with a Fire and Ice, even though it may seem silly to waste his effect on such a small creature.
Be sensible with your equipment. Don’t equip your biggest threat with a Sword fo Fire and Ice if its going to get killed before combat, spread the threats out. Your biggest creature is probably going to be blocker regardless of equipment unless it offers protection, give your equipment to your smaller guys sometimes. Move your equipment to untapped creatures post combat. Equipment of double striking creatures is better than on non-double striking creatures. If your equipment offers protection from your opponents most likely form of removal, keep it on your most important creatures unless you have a compelling reason not to.
Make the best use of your mana. Most of the spells you will cast in this deck are at sorcery speed, except for Sunforger tricks and Restoration Angel. Don’t leave up mana to bluff a Mana Tithe, the card doesn’t help in aggro decks and your opponent likely knows this so they won’t bother playing around it. Use the most of your mana, animate you man land, re-equip creatures and use your lands abilities to deal as much damage as quickly as you can. There are obviously exceptions to this rule, such as leaving mana open for Sunforger, and maybe bluffing a Restoration Angel, though a 99 card deck, the chances of having the Angel in hand are slim so bluffing it will rarely be effective. Remember this is a pretty straightforward deck and your opponent likely knows that. They won’t bother playing around tricks. If you have tricks then use them and catch them out, but don’t count on bluffing them into making misplays.
Don’t over extend. This is often the hardest bit. If you have 4 creatures out and are hitting your opponents each turn, its sometimes best to keep a creature or two in hand in case the wrath so you can recover. Always having access to Aurelia means that sometimes over extending to force your opponents to wrath early so they won’t have a wrath for after you cast Aurelia. If you have 3 or 4 creatures out before you get to six mana to cast Aurelia, it might be best to keep attacking with the creatures you have instead of casting Aurelia into removal or a wrath, though obviously the extra attack step is almost always powerful enough to win the game. This is something to keep in mind if you have no other creatures in hand and not enough mana to recast Aurelia if she dies. You can force them to wrath now, then cast Aurelia after and attack with her until you draw into more creatures.
Your Planeswalkers are distractions. You should never expect your planeswalkers to ultimate. If you have long enough to ultimate a Planswalker, you should have been spending that time beating face. Your planeswalkers are here to help you with removal or added damage, but also because they often have to be dealt with which means using their resources to destroy the Planewalkers instead of you. This doesn’t mean you should cast them and not protect them, they still warrant protecting. But if your opponent has to send all their creatures attacking at a planeswalker, consider letting the Planswalker die so you can swing back at them harder.
Matchups
I’ve only been playing this deck for the last few weeks, but if I continue to use it, I will eventually update with some of the more popular match-ups and what strategies to use to swing them in your favour.
Against Zur
The most important cards in this matchup are Aven Mindsensor and Stranglehold. Stranglehold can be tutored with enlightened tutor. These can just shot down Zur. Magus of the Moon and Blood Moon can often slow Zur down enough to get enough damage in. Zur typically relies on attacking with and protecting Zur, and getting enchantments that stop your deck, then enchantments that can helps them win. If you can stop Zur from tutoring, either with the Mindsensor or Stranglehold, or by stopping Zur from even being cast or attacking with mana denial and removal. A couple of early creatures can put on enough pressure to force the Zur player into having to use their removal on your smaller creatures and force them to tutor for removal before they can get protection for Zur. This deck can often be fast enough that Zur won’t have a chance to tutor for anything that can stop you.
Against U/W Control
Grand Arbiter and Geist of St Traft are the two most popular U/W control commanders, and both tend to play few creatures. If you can swarm them with a few creatures and some artifacts you can often beat them before they can stabilize. Keep a hand with a lot of creatures and keep the pressure on. These deck normally have plenty of spot removal and counters, so one or two creatures probably won’t do it. An early creature such as a Goblin Guide can sometimes do a lot of work when combined with Slayer’s Stronghold because players are often not willing to waste removal on such a small creature. Geist of St Traft decks normally try to equip Geist and start swinging in, so keep your wraths and artifact removal for this. Grand Arbiter quite often will include lots of tax effects, so get your creatures out early before they can start taxing them.
Against U/B Control
Between discard, counters and kill spells, U/B control can normally stop the biggest threats from even hitting the table. Play lots of small threats and try to protect them and try to stick an equipment and start beating face. Don’t cast Aurelia into a counterspell, wait for them to tap out or bait out counters with another threat. Your haste creatures will be the biggest asset here, and again, Slayer’s Stronghold or Sunhome will do a lot of work. Watch out when animating your man-lands as animating a land only to have it killed with a Doom Blade can really put you behind.
Against R/G Aggro and Jund aggro
R/G Aggro (typicall with Rhada) and Jund aggro both play very similarly to this deck. They like to put out fast aggressive creatures and some spot removal. Our creatures have things such as first strike and vigilance which can make them great blockers if you need them too. Run out as many creatures as you can, though still be wary of over extending. If they stop casting creatures, they may be planning on wrathing, so keep that in mind. Aurelia is a better finisher than most of the finishers they will have access to, and you can guarantee to have her out when you reach 6 mana, so your opponent is likely to be saving their removal for her. You can use this to your advantage by casting other creatures to either tempt them to use their removal on them, or just to apply pressure before you cast Aurelia. Aggro usually comes down to who casts better creatures faster, but with creatures such as Mother of Rune for protection, creatures with vigilance, first strike, and double strike, you can often hold back on attacking to block some of their creatures and waste their resources until you can cast Aurelia as a finisher, or Armageddon if you have more or better creatures out.
Let them over-extend if you have a wrath, but don't over extend yourself.
Let them over-extend if you have a wrath, but don't over extend yourself.
Against Kami Stasis
Get a couple of creatures down fast and keep the pressure on. Force them to use their resources to stop your creatures and keep casting more and attacking. Make sure they don’t get to cast Polymorph or Stasis, if they do they will probably win unless you have already dealt enough damage.
Conclusion
While this deck probably won’t be my go to Duel Commander deck as I favour the inevitability the Karador’s attrition and combo strategy provides, I can definitely see myself playing this whenever I fancy a change. This deck is blisteringly fast and has answers to some of the more popular decks. The control offered by Sunforger can help you win vs control and midrange decks, other aggro decks often lose if you get Aurelia out for a turn, and its fast enough to race against combo, with resource denial to slow them down while you whittle down their life. I’ll probably be lending this deck to someone at an upcoming Duel Commander tournament, so I will update with how well it performs in a competitive setting.
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