How it grades
Fundamentals 43/100. Plays like +1/+1 counters.
This reads as +1/+1 counters, built around Chulane, Teller of Tales. Every creature is a mana sink for growth: counters snowball across the board, doublers turn increments into avalanches, and payoffs convert size into evasion, draw, or the kill. The deck's weakness is exponential dependence: protect the doublers and watch out for clean board resets. Chulane, Teller of Tales sits on the cEDH tier list, so the ceiling here is tournament-grade, and experienced tables will treat it that way. Its strongest fundamental is mana curve (41% of spells cost ≤2, 18% cost 6+. Your commanders cheat the top end into play, so heavy is allowed); the first thing to tighten is legality & size: the deck is 60 of 100 cards.
- CMana reliability
- FLand count
- A+Mana curve
- A+Ramp
- B+Card draw
- BInteraction
- FCommander synergy
- BWin conditions
- B+Card quality
- FLegality & size
Where it falls short
- CMana reliability59% of your spells arrive on time. Forbidding Spirit is the riskiest: its W cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
- FLand count25 lands. About 41 fits this curve for +1/+1 counters.
- B+Card draw8 draw effects, counting Chulane (want 9+ for +1/+1 counters).
- BInteraction7 removal/protection effects (want 9+ for +1/+1 counters).
- FCommander synergyOnly 5 of 34 spells play into your commanders' plan; they want land, card-draw support.
- BWin conditions17 threats (want 19+) and no combo found. This deck can win, but slowly.
- B+Card qualityMedian EDHREC rank #4,257
- FLegality & sizethe deck is 60 of 100 cards.
Strong on mana curve and ramp.
56 cards graded: A- 3, B+ 8, B 40, B- 3, C+ 1, C- 1. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Made together, they take Wild Bounty from D to C-.
Champion of Lambholt1GG$4.81
Pays off your go-wide engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Mentor of the Meek2W$4.81
Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 9+). Fits the commander's plan. Pays off your go-wide engine (17 producers).
Soul WardenW$3.40
Pays off your go-wide engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Adeline, Resplendent Cathar1WW$2.86
Pays off your go-wide engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Delney, Streetwise Lookout2W$34.67
Pays off your go-wide engine (17 producers). Works with the commander directly. Top-5% staple by play data.
Archmage Emeritus2UU$0.70
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (8 producers). Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 9+). Works with the commander directly.
Inspiring Call2G$0.39
Keeps the commanders alive. EDHREC +1/+1 counters staple. Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 9+).
Evolution Sage2G$3.29
Pays off your land engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' land plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Tatyova, Benthic Druid3GU$0.29
Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 9+). Pays off your land engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' land plan.
Tireless Tracker2G$0.29
Fills the draw gap (you're at 8 of 9+). Pays off your land engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' land plan.
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 23
- B
- B
- B
- B
- A-
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B-
- B+
- B
- B
- C-
- A-
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
Instants 2
- B
- B+
Sorceries 4
- B
- B
- C+
- B
Artifacts 4
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B-
Enchantments 1
- B-
Lands 25
- B
- B+
- B×2
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B×2
- B×2
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.