So I Built a New Deck… X-mas Edition December ‘23

After a long hiatus due to some personal medical issues that had me on crutches, I am finally back at being able to get to an area to write again. And just in time too. Today I will be letting you all in on the Deck I will be submitting for the Commander Deck Exchange for All Star Sports Cards and Games. This event will be happening on December 15th at their store. The idea is that many people will bring decks with a $25-$50 price range and put them in a box. When the event starts, people will get a box at random (not their own) and get to play in a Commander pod with these decks. I have already cleared that proxies will be permitted as long as the deck still reaches the necessary value. I personally am under the notion that if I put easy tradeables in the mix, then the player who receives my deck can easily take them out for whatever use they want while still keeping the deck together (whether they upgrade or just proxy what was removed). If the card is under a dollar, it will not be counted towards the value.

In my last article many months ago (found on the Swish Patreon page), we discussed my Nevinyrral, Urborg Tyrant deck. Since the re-creation of this deck, I have not taken it apart. And from the notion of this, I have decided to redo the 32 deck challenge. But this time, I have the intention of keeping them together. Nevinyrral is my Esper deck for the 32. The deck plays very well and does exactly what I want it to do. Since the last update, a few new cards from Lost Caverns of Ixalan have found their way into that deck, Ojer Pakpatiq and Aclazotz to name a couple.

As discussed in the previous articles, I will be writing about decks that I have recently constructed. In order to break the decks down and discuss what I am using, you should know about the play groups I am involved in and their respective levels of play. The groups I am in range from a very mild casual level of non-tuned but themed (let’s say a Power Level of a 5) to very tuned decks that do not win before turn six (usually) (let’s call those Power Level 8 decks). Generally our groups call Power Level 9 and 10 decks, cEDH. Based on these descriptors, you will generally find that my decks are created at about a Power Level of 7-7.5. An additional note about the link to my decks. After I have “retired” a deck, when following the tapped out link, you will need to change the word “active” to “retired” in the link itself for it to find the deck.

Now for what you all came here for.

Deck Link:

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/gishath-for-xmas-exchange/?cb=1701012543

This article’s featured deck and its theme/gimmick:

<Gishath, Sun’s Avatar> a.k.a. <Gishath, Santa’s Avatar>

Dinosaurs. Yes, that is the theme of this Deck Exchange deck. Very simple and to the point. We are not trying to get super fancy here, but do not fret, there are some interesting pieces still.

The 99.

Creatures - 43

Notables:

Dinosaur Egg - The Egg has Evolve and when it dies, Discover X where X is the toughness. No reason not to hope for a bigger Dino, but some early ramp is not bad either.

Hunting Velociraptor - Prowl is such a good mechanic when in a themed creature type deck. Though not every creature in this deck is a Dinosaur, most are and this will help to cheapen the ones that are in your hand.

Scytheclaw Raptor - Opponents always like to interact on your turn when you swing at them. May as well hurt them for it. Additionally, if they are casting things during other player’s turns, this will still get them.

Roaming Throne - "If a triggered ability of another creature you control of the chosen type triggers, it triggers an additional time.” This is worth restating. Any of the Dino’s that have a triggered ability that trigger, will trigger again.

Ojer Kaslem, Deepest Growth - When it connects you can get a creature or land card and as this makes up 78 cards of the deck, you have a high likelihood of seeing one of these cards. Plus, if it dies, it comes back as a land which can eventually become the creature again.

Pantlaza, Sun-Favored - One Discover per turn with this Dino out. Seems quite good. Of note, this will not get a second Discover with Roaming Throne or other extra trigger effects.

Temple Altisaur - Damage reduction to your other Dinos. This is a strong card in a deck like this. Plus it interacts with all of the Enrage Dinos. Please note that there is a non-bo with Wrathful Raptors as it will reduce the damage to 1 before getting the trigger.

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship - Outside of strong “We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story” vibes, this card can gain some advantage. It makes flying hasty Dinos while it is in exile.

Displaced Dinosaurs - This card will not give the most advantage possible, but it does let you ask my newest favorite question in magic, “Do you want to pay 2 or do I make a Treasure-saurus?”, as I definitely have included Smothering Tithe in this list.

Non-Creature Non-Lands - 21

Notables:

Star of Extinction - Sometimes you have to be the one who wipes out the Dinos… and everything else.

Chimil, the Inner Sun - Making your spells uncounterable is not a bad thing on its own, but also getting to Discover 5 at your end step? Yeah, we are in for that.

Virtue of Loyalty - Counters on your creatures and untapping them at your end step. This is what this card does. This is why it is here.

Lurking Predators - Whenever your opponent casts a spell, you likely get to slam one of your 43 creatures into play. Otherwise it is a Scry.

Virtue of Strength - Basics tap for Triple Mana. This deck being heavier on the basic count, means it can take advantage of this.

Lands - 35

Notables:

Cavern of Souls - This is a pretty obvious auto-include in decks that share a creature type. Just additional ways of saying, “So I guess Gishath resolves.”

Kessig Wolf Run - Trample and potentially bigger front to an attacking creature. Something to use the triple from basics on.

Winding Canyons - Creatures you cast have Flash until end of turn. Nothing to see here.

Packages & Interactions

I did not include many “Packages” in this list, but there is one worth noting if the right conditions are being met.

Hunting Velociraptor + Winding Canyons + Wrathful Raptors

If you are attacking with many creatures and blocks are assigned in a way that will damage your other creatures, but the Velociraptor is getting through, since it has First Strike, you can then Prowl in Wrathful Raptors after you have activated Winding Canyons, to give your Dinos another trigger that allows them to shoot non-Dinos.

The Final Cuts.

Creatures

Notables:

Kinjalli’s Caller & Knight of the Stampede - I left one Cost Reduction card in the list, but did not want multiple as we are aiming to get the triggers to get the Dinos and not necessarily be casting everything.

Huatli, Poet of Unity & Etali, Primal Conqueror - As I am doing proxies and these are not 2 of the cards I am adding personally, I have cut them for logistical reasons. These are easily added back into the mix if whoever gets this deck choose to do so.

Curious Altisaur - Forced draw. Also, trying to get the triggers, not necessarily having the cards in hand. Plus, I have Earthshake Dreadmaw in the list.

Forerunner of the Empire - Though a tutor is nice, there should be enough effects taking place that lead to not needing this card.

Zetalpa, Primal Dawn - A strong card. Easily fits in the list, but cuts had to be made, and Zetalpa has been around for a while.

Apex Altisaur - As Enrage is not the sole purpose of this deck, Rocky Dino has been left out.

Non-Creature Non-Lands

Notables:

Savage Order - The tutor did not feel necessary in this list.

Strionic Resonator - With Roaming Throne in the list, I did not think that the extra extra triggers were going to be as necessary.

Progenitor’s Icon - The ability to tap to give the next creature of the chosen type flash is pretty good. But with Winding Canyons, it is a lot less necessary.

Descendant’s Path - I can see many players jumping at a card like this, and they would not be wrong to do so. Many of my other creature type centric decks use this card in green. But we have enough other triggers to be able to cheat Dinos into play that we do not need this this time.

Welcome to…// Jurassic Park - As with Huatli and Etali above, this is another card with a backside, and thus has missed the mark for this list.

Mana Reflection - This card is amazing. However, to try to keep the power levels balanced for a Deck Exchange, where some of these decks can be very low powered, I felt that the Triple Mana for Basics was more fair.

Warstorm Surge - Another tried and true inclusion in decks like this. However, it has just missed the mark due to newer cards needing to take the spotlight this time around.

Lands

Notables:

Rogue’s Passage - With Kessig already in the deck and Dinos being as big as they are, I have removed this from consideration as it normally leads to one player just getting removed from the game.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I think whoever receives this deck is going to enjoy playing it. I have done some solo playtesting of it and it seems to draw smooth enough. It probably helps that there are 35 lands, above my usual 33, and some decent ramp to make sure to get big Dinos out quickly. Unlike last year where most of the deck was actual cards and some proxies, this year will be the reverse as Dino’s have a pretty price tag on them and I wanted to make the deck as playable as possible still. The owner of this deck will be able to keep it together and sit down at most any table and still be able to get an enjoyable experience out of it. Happy Holidays.

See you all next time!