Teval, the Balanced Scale
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- Commander
- Teval, the Balanced Scale
- Cards
- 100
- Current value
- $291.39
- Grade
- B+
How it grades
Fundamentals 86/100. Plays like Reanimator / graveyard and Lands-matter.
This reads as Reanimator / graveyard · Lands-matter, built around Teval, the Balanced Scale. The graveyard is a second hand: stock it fast, then cheat the biggest things in it onto the battlefield for a fraction of their cost. Self-mill and discard are card selection, not card loss. Graveyard hate is the deck's nightmare, so diversify threats and keep a fair backup plan. Its strongest fundamental is mana curve (40% of spells cost ≤2, 6% cost 6+); the first thing to tighten is land count: 36 lands. About 40 fits this curve for Reanimator / graveyard.
- B+Mana reliability
- BLand count
- A+Mana curve
- A+Ramp
- B+Card draw
- B+Interaction
- A+Commander synergy
- A+Win conditions
- A+Card quality
- A+Legality & size
Where it falls short
- B+Mana reliability88% of your spells arrive on time. Counterspell is the riskiest: its U cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
- BLand count36 lands. About 40 fits this curve for Reanimator / graveyard.
- B+Card draw8 draw effects (want 10+ for Reanimator / graveyard).
- B+Interaction8 removal/protection effects (want 10+ for Reanimator / graveyard).
Strong on mana curve, ramp, commander synergy, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.
90 cards graded: A 1, A- 15, B+ 45, B 28, B- 1. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Garruk's Uprising2G$0.58
In place of The Gitrog Monster: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (69/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 10+). Pays off your token engine (8 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (24 producers).
Inspiring Call2G$0.39
In place of River Kelpie: weakest slot in the deck (70/100)
Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' token plan. Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 10+).
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds1GG$5.38
In place of Afterlife from the Loam: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (62/100)
Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 10+). Pays off your token engine (8 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (24 producers).
Elemental Bond2G$4.67
In place of Conduit of Worlds: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off the commanders' go-wide plan. Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 10+). Pays off your go-wide engine (24 producers).
Conjurer's Closet5$4.05
In place of Steward of the Harvest: weakest slot in the deck (68/100)
Fills the removal gap (you're at 8 of 10+). Pays off your enters-the-battlefield engine (16 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Displacer Kitten3U$34.67
In place of Counterspell: its U cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (70/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (20 producers). Fills the removal gap (you're at 8 of 10+). Pays off your enters-the-battlefield engine (16 producers).
Craterhoof Behemoth5GGG$25.04
In place of Gravecrawler: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your token engine (8 producers). Pays off your go-wide engine (24 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Tireless Provisioner2G$4.15
In place of Floral Evoker: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your land engine (13 producers). Fits the land build players run with your commanders. Top-5% staple by play data.
Scute Swarm2G$8.53
In place of Icetill Explorer: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (67/100)
Pays off your land engine (13 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Fits the land build players run with your commanders.
Evolution Sage2G$3.22
In place of Grisly Salvage: weakest slot in the deck (67/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (8 producers). Pays off your land engine (13 producers). 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 31
- B+
- A
- A-
- A-
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
Instants 9
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
Sorceries 11
- B
- A-
- A-
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
Artifacts 6
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- A-
- B+
Enchantments 6
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
Lands 36
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B×5
- B+
- B
- B×3
- B
- B-
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B×4
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.