Explorers of the Deep
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- Commander
- Hakbal of the Surging Soul
- Cards
- 100
- Current value
- $92.52
- Grade
- A
How it grades
Fundamentals 95/100. Plays like Merfolk Tribal and +1/+1 counters.
This reads as Merfolk Tribal · +1/+1 counters, built around Hakbal of the Surging Soul. A Merfolk deck at heart: the creatures share a type on purpose, and lords, payoffs, and type-matters synergies make the whole board bigger than its parts. Tribal decks trade individual card power for critical mass, so keep the merfolk count high and let the synergy pay the bills. Its strongest fundamental is land count (36 lands. About 38 fits this curve for Merfolk Tribal, with Stonybrook Banneret's discount counted); the first thing to tighten is mana reliability: 89% of your spells arrive on time. Bygone Marvels is the riskiest: its G cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
- A-Mana reliability
- A+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- ARamp
- A+Card draw
- A+Interaction
- A+Commander synergy
- AWin conditions
- ACard quality
- A+Legality & size
Nothing falls short. Strong on mana reliability, land count, mana curve, ramp, card draw, interaction, commander synergy, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.
83 cards graded: A 1, A- 7, B+ 37, B 36, C+ 2. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds1GG$5.41
In place of Bygone Marvels: its G cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (49/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (27 producers). Fuels your go-wide payoffs (3 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data.
Talrand, Sky Summoner2UU$1.86
In place of Merfolk Cave-Diver: weakest slot in the deck (60/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (15 producers). Fuels your token payoffs (8 in deck). Fits the commander's plan.
Tireless Tracker2G$0.27
In place of Commit // Memory: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (11 producers). Pays off your land engine (7 producers). Pays off the commanders' +1/+1 counter plan.
Thought Vessel2—
In place of Surgespanner: weakest slot in the deck (61/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan. Top-5% staple by play data.
Decanter of Endless Water3$5.05
In place of Wave Goodbye: weakest slot in the deck (62/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan.
Psychosis Crawler5$2.30
In place of Curse of the Swine: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Top-5% staple by play data. Pays off the commanders' card-draw plan.
Champion of Lambholt1GG$4.79
In place of Sage of Fables: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Pays off your go-wide engine (27 producers). Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (11 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Wizard ClassU$3.17
In place of Topography Tracker: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (11 producers). Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Chasm Skulker2U$0.83
In place of Aetherize: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off your +1/+1 counter engine (11 producers). Pays off your card-draw engine (16 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Scute Swarm2G$8.53
In place of Merfolk Mistbinder: weakest slot in the deck (64/100)
Pays off the commanders' land plan. Pays off your land engine (7 producers). Fuels your token payoffs (8 in deck).
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 37
- 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+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B
- B+
- A-
Instants 9
- B+
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B+
- A-
- A
- B+
Sorceries 6
- B
- C+
- B
- B
- B+
- A-
Artifacts 5
- A-
- A-
- B+
- A-
- B+
Enchantments 6
- B
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
Lands 36
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B+
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- C+
- B
- B×4
- B×3
- B×7
- B×6
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.