The EDH Evolution Series memorializes the life of an EDH deck. It starts with the initial build, continues through gameplay in the pod, and ends when the deck is dismantled. Watch out for Wasitora Deck Tech Series focuses on the Jund Commander Wasitora, Nekoru Queen.
Wasitora has been on my build list for a while. I like Dragons. I like tokens. It was just a matter of time before I took the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup approach and attempted to condense them into a bite size treat. The result is a deck with the following thesis: Surprise, Dragons!
This Wasitora deck attempts to go from a seemingly small board state to a number of haste powered dragons that makes rethink your opinion on the movie Reign of Fire. To do this, I set the pillars of my deck as 1) Dragon Token Generators, 2) Dragon ETBs, and 3) Token and ETB Doubling Effects.
If you want to follow along, or grab a copy of the deck, you can find my Wasitora Dragon Tokens Decklist on Deckstats here. This article is written at revision #7.
Pillar #1: Dragon Token Generators
I quickly found that there weren't as many as I expected. The quality of token generation was relatively low too. So I used them all. If it created a non-legendary dragon token, it went in the deck. I'll admit, I almost abandoned the deck here. Instead, I widened my scope a bit at this point and carried forward filling the gap with dragons that had ETB effects that I could double. Highlights include:
Pillar #2: ETB Dragons
This category has much more to choose from. The choices were tough. I stuck to the explosive picks that would enable big game winning swings. You will find the usually Dragon deck all-star here if they fit into Jund. Highlights include:
Pillar #3: Token and ETB Doubling Effects
I pulled Double Season and Parallel Lives from my Golgari Token Shell and dismantled my Slimefoot Deck. With the addition of Pillar #2: Dragons with ETBs, Panharmonicon was also an easy include. I included Mirage Mirror in this category as it can double as any of the previous three effects.
Due to the low number of these effects, these are likely mid game tutor targets. I prefer to drop them on the table after one or two other threatening artifacts or enchantments have been removed. I find they stick a bit better after the table has used up some of their removal. For the initial build I left out Second Harvest. Before the deck retires, I will slot it in for testing.
Many would include Primal Vigor here; I don't like it. Unless I'm able to win the turn I cast it, I find it hurts more than helps. I would rather play a card that moves me in the direction of a victory, rather than keep a card in my hand and have it sit there until I make a move to win the game.
I also don't like Strionic Resonator. I've tried it, it's simply not fast enough. It only seems relevant when you are already ahead. When you are behind, it simply doesn't move you forward enough. Overall, the list in its entirety is:
Pillar #4: Cost Reduction
From the outset, I didn't believe my standard ramp package was going to be enough. Dragons are expensive. I believe that winning comes from casting multiple spells or effects on a single turn. To do that, I believed I was going to need my normal ramp and a cost reduction package.
Dragon Tribal has two specific cost reduction creatures: Dragonlord's Servant and Dragonspeaker Shaman. They were auto includes. Most of the deck is Red, so Ruby medallion was also slotted in. Then I pulled a few generic tribal cost reduction effects in Urza's Incubator and Horn of the Heralds. Full list comes in at:
Pillar #5: Other Dragons and Dragons Matter Effects
This is the Dragon Good stuff category. It includes Crucible of Fire and Dragon Tempest. It also includes the remaining ridiculously good Dragons that don’t fit the other categories. Essentially, anything that could qualify as Tooth and Nail bait that isn't already in the Pillars 1 and 2 above. Think the Double Strike and Haste combo of Atarka, World Render and Scourge of the Throne. Notables include:
The Shell
I followed my typical Jund Ramp and Card draw suites. When green is available, I favor its land fetch effects over artifact ramp. My meta is a tad heavy on artifact and enchantment removal, both point and sweeper. Black provides the early game draw and green provides the late. For sustained card draw I was able to lean on Elemental Bond, Dragon's Hoard, and Horn of Heralds to supplement sustained card draw.
Playing Wasitora
Game #1 01/27/19
Even after the first build, the deck achieved it goals. I was consistently swinging with 20 to 25 power after turn 6, even after taking some targeted removal.
I ramped nicely and Wasitora came out early to annoy my opponents. Much to their regret, two opponents played out their commanders alone without reading Wasitora. They subsequently found themselves sacrificing their treasured commanders to her effect.
I continued to ramp and develop a card draw engine. By turn 7 I had I generated sufficient threat to cause an opponent to board wipe. An Aura Shards lasted two turns and wiped out everyone's toys. Almost by accident, the Emmra took out the Parley player, wiped the board again, then recurred their Aura Shards. It was a recovery race. A race I didn't win. The Land deck was able to build an army of 8/8s and used their remaining Decimate on me to seal the win. Decimate is a great card.
Observations:
I would not have been able to compete if I had used artifact ramp. I was able to recover due to the fact that I had 28 lands at the end of the game. All enchantments and artifacts had been removed and I was still operational because I used land ramp instead of artifact ramp. Need to see if this continues to be the trend, or if this is just anecdotal.
The Dragon Eggs are wonderful board wipe insurance. I would be sitting on three or four eggs each time the board was wiped.
Spit Flame did a remarkable amount of work. I was casting it multiple times per turn. Often targeting the same creature to remove a larger threat.
The deck feels light on Artifact and Enchantment removal. Need to see if this is a trend or just anecdotal because of the opponent's Aura Shards.
Overall, this Wasatoria Dragon tokens deck is a blast to play, but I'm not sure it has the legs for a long term deck. It's fairly predictable and linear. I'll have to see if there is enough room to mix it up a bit after I have more experience playing the deck.
Until then, keep tapping left,
Benjamin Thomas