Arcades, the Strategist
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- Commander
- Arcades, the Strategist
- Cards
- 100
- Current value
- $231.26
- Grade
- C+
How it grades
Fundamentals 66/100. Plays like Control and Voltron.
This reads as Control · Voltron, built around Arcades, the Strategist. Answer everything, then win with anything: trade one-for-one early, wipe the board when they overextend, and land a single resilient threat once their hand is empty. Card advantage is the win condition; the finisher is a formality. Its strongest fundamental is mana curve (55% of spells cost ≤2, 5% cost 6+); the first thing to tighten is commander synergy: Only 8 of 64 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want card-draw, enters-the-battlefield support.
- B+Mana reliability
- B+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- A+Ramp
- B-Card draw
- A+Interaction
- FCommander synergy
- A+Win conditions
- ACard quality
- A+Legality & size
Where it falls short
- B+Mana reliability87% of your spells arrive on time. Unnatural Growth is the riskiest: its G cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
- B+Land count35 lands. About 38 fits this curve for Control.
- B-Card draw7 draw effects, counting Arcades (want 10+ for Control).
- FCommander synergyOnly 8 of 64 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want card-draw, enters-the-battlefield support.
Strong on mana curve, ramp, interaction, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.
85 cards graded: A- 8, B+ 22, B 49, B- 6. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Made together, they take Arcades, the Strategist from C+ to B-.
Wizard ClassU$3.17
In place of Carven Caryatid: its G cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (63/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Pays off your card-draw engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan.
Displacer Kitten3U$34.67
In place of Bar the Door: weakest slot in the deck (55/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (17 producers). Pays off your enters-the-battlefield engine (11 producers). Pays off the commanders' enters-the-battlefield plan.
EphemerateW$5.25
In place of Wall of Frost: its U cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (57/100)
Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off your enters-the-battlefield engine (11 producers). Pays off the commanders' enters-the-battlefield plan.
Conjurer's Closet5$4.05
In place of Jeskai Barricade: weakest slot in the deck (59/100)
Pays off your enters-the-battlefield engine (11 producers). Pays off the commanders' enters-the-battlefield plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Garruk's Uprising2G$0.58
In place of Wall of Blossoms: weakest slot in the deck (71/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (33 producers). Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Top-5% staple by play data.
Archmage Emeritus2UU$0.59
In place of Rammas Echor, Ancient Shield: weakest slot in the deck (72/100)
Fuels your go-wide payoffs (4 in deck). Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (17 producers).
Shamanic Revelation3GG$1.55
In place of Wall of Glare: weakest slot in the deck (59/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Pays off your go-wide engine (33 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Welcoming Vampire2W$3.45
In place of Wall of Runes: weakest slot in the deck (59/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 7 of 10+). Pays off your go-wide engine (33 producers). Fuels your go-wide payoffs (4 in deck).
Thought Vessel2—
In place of Unnatural Growth: its G cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (59/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Decanter of Endless Water3$5.05
In place of Stoneskin: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.
Decklist
Commander 1
Creatures 33
- B
- A-
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B-
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B-
- B-
- B
- B+
- B
- B-
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
Planeswalkers 1
- B
Instants 10
- B+
- B-
- A-
- A-
- B
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
- B
Sorceries 7
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
Artifacts 6
- B+
- A-
- B
- B+
- B+
- A-
Enchantments 7
- B
- B
- A-
- B
- B
- B
- B-
Lands 35
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B×5
- B
- B
- B
- B×5
- B×7
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
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