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Browse > Home / Decks / Commander / Alena, Kessig Trapper // Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper

Deck Primer / Description

This is 5 CMC Tribal, based on the other decks on Commander Clash that have been restricted by converted mana cost and most specifically Tomer's famous 6 CMC Tribal deck. I am submitting this for Commander Clash now because Tom was there for the initial CMC Tribal week, and the deck I normally submit is better for Seth (who isn't here this season).
The commanders are pretty much just there for the colors, but Alena can kinda ramp, and Ikra can block most ground creatures quite effectively.
The ramp options are admittedly not great. I wanted to be in green just to make sure there were some options, but it's a losing battle.

Some card choices (and exclusions) I find interesting

  1. I initially wanted to build a deck with Jegantha, the Wellspring as a companion. After some research, I do not advise building a deck to go down this route. You lose Brainspoil, which tutors for anything, and your wrath options get much worse even with access to all five colors. I will, however, be working on version(s) in the future that run Keruga, the Macrosage. Decided to go with a version running Obosh, the Preypiercer first. It isn't a dedicated Obosh deck, but it is a freeroll.
  2. Because it doesn't have to target your creature, you can politic Status // Statue into being a one mana removal spell. If you can't, it's a four mana removal spell, which is still okay for this deck. Nessian Demolok and Bladegriff Prototype are also removal spells requiring some politics.
  3. One of your best "early" game plays is Living Death. Hopefully, you've been cycling some creatures in the first four turns to draw more exciting cards, but the board is probably overrun by your opponent's creatures. This should fix that.
  4. Struggle // Survive was in an earlier draft of this deck. However, a bad removal spell paired with a bad form of graveyard interaction don't make a good card. You should have enough removal without it. I cut Fury for a similar reason, and because pitching a red card was an unrealistic cost in a three color deck.
  5. Hold your Escape to the Wilds as long as you can. It can be ramp and card advantage, but ideally, you want to wait until you can double spell before you cast it.
  6. When I saw Ilharg, the Raze-Boar fit the deck, I knew I had to include it with Master of Cruelties. As a Kaalia player at heart, I always love to get someone with it. It is a bit gimmicky, and I understand if you want to take the demon out. I still recommend keeping Ilharg as a way to get some value out of the five mana creatures that can normally only come out one at a time.
  7. One card that I think is hilarious: Fortune Thief. It can be face-down and flipped at the right moment to save your bacon without getting the groans of Teferi's Protection and the like. It's probably not optimal, but you'll probably get a shocked face from someone, which is just as good.

This has been my take on 5 CMC Tribal. Any feedback is appreciated, and I hope you enjoy!

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