MTG - TARKIR: DRAGONSTORM - COMMANDER DECKS - SULTAI ARISEN

In the expansive universe of Magic: The Gathering, few block sets have captured the imagination of players like Tarkir, with its rich lore, compelling characters, and dynamic gameplay. One of the standout elements of this block is the myriad of powerful dragons that inhabit its realms. The Tarkir storyline intricately weaves together the struggles of clans vying for dominance, but it is the command of dragonkind that truly steals the spotlight in decks focused on Dragonstorm. This guide will delve into the intricacies of constructing a Sultai Arisen Commander deck, emphasizing effective strategies for maximizing your dragon deployments and controlling the battlefield. ### Exploring Sultai Colors To build a competitive Sultai Arisen deck, we must first understand the Sultai color philosophy of black, blue, and green. Each color contributes unique strengths: - **Black:** Offers strong removal spells and card advantage, crucial for controlling the midgame. - **Blue:** Provides powerful counterspells, card draw, and manipulation tools that enhance your strategic options. - **Green:** Facilitates ramp and mana acceleration, allowing for the timely casting of high-cost threats like dragons. This tri-color deck will allow you to dominate the battlefield through cunning manipulation while unleashing a horde of terrifying dragons. ### Key Commanders When playing a Sultai Arisen Dragonstorm deck, the choice of commander can significantly affect your game's trajectory. Here are a few of the top commanders suited for this theme: 1. **Damia, Sage of Stone:** Damia's ability to allow you to draw three cards during your end step, provided you have a full grip of cards, can lead to explosive turns, enabling you to flood the board with powerful spells and dragons. 2. **Mikaeus, the Unhallowed:** While not a traditional dragon commander, his ability to recur powerful creatures allows you to maintain a persistent threat level while also producing an army of undead dragons. 3. **Ghave, Guru of Spores:** Ghave allows for strategic synergies with your creature count, enabling you to manipulate tokens and build into dragon-centric strategies. ### Essential Spells for Dragonstorm In constructing the core of your deck, integrating potent spells aimed specifically at dragon summoning is paramount. Here are several critical spells to include: - **Dragonstorm:** The namesake of the deck and a pivotal card, this spell allows you to search your library for dragons and put them directly onto the battlefield. - **Sulfurous Springs:** Utilize this card in combination with Dragonstorm to maximize your effectiveness in casting larger dragons for minimal cost. - **Through the Breach:** This alternate spell lets you cheat colossal dragons onto the battlefield, bypassing their mana costs so you can dominate the game early. ### Ramp and Mana Generation A Dragonstorm deck thrives on ramping up mana quickly to unleash multifaceted dragons in rapid succession. Here’s a selection of mana-boosting cards to consider: - **Cultivate & Kodama's Reach:** These spells are essential for fetching lands and smoothing out your mana curve. - **Farseek:** This card helps you find the right colors for your spells more efficiently. - **Commander’s Sphere:** Not only does it provide mana, but it also gives you an extra card when you need it the most. ### Control Elements While sending dragons into battle is a thrilling aspect of the game, maintaining control during your opponents' turns is crucial. These cards provide that control: - **Counterspell:** Simple yet effective, it can stop key threats and allow you to maintain dominance. - **Doom Blade:** As a staple removal spell, it clears the way for your significant threats. - **Liliana of the Veil:** This planeswalker not only creates disruption but can also serve as a win condition. ### Dragons of Tarkir The dragons of Tarkir are among some of the most formidable creatures across the game. Including iconic dragons is essential for demonstrating the thematic focus of your deck: - **Stormbreath Dragon:** Its ability to deal damage to blockers, clearing the way for other dragons, makes it an essential creature for any dragon-centric Commander deck. - **Dragonlord Atarka:** Known for its devastating damage output and the ability to wipe the board of smaller threats, this dragon can swing games in your favor. - **Dragonlord Ojutai:** Offering both resilience and evasiveness, it serves as a formidable threat while simultaneously providing card advantage. ### Synergies with Other Creatures While dragons steal the show, it's vital to add creatures that enable dragon strategies: - **Tireless Tracker:** This card cultivates a treasure trove of resources by generating clues whenever a land enters the battlefield—ideal for drawing into more dragons. - **Sakura-Tribe Elder:** An excellent ramp creature that fetches a land when sacrificed, making it invaluable for fulfilling your mana needs as you build your dragon army. ### The Board State Creating and maintaining a favorable board state is critical in a game of Commander. Here are strategies to help ensure your dominance: - **Staying on Offense while Defending:** Remember to balance between offense and defense. While it’s tempting to keep casting powerful dragons, ensure you have spells ready to react to the threats your opponents may present. - **Utilizing Sacrifice Effects:** When you have a plethora of creatures, leverage sacrifice to bolster the others. This can lead to effective uses of Dragonstorm, mitigating the risk of losing your valuable cards. ### Conclusion Sultai Arisen offers countless strategies for dragon lovers in the world of Magic: The Gathering. When constructed thoughtfully, a Dragonstorm commander deck can produce nearly unstoppable waves of dragons, utilizing the strengths of Sultai colors to maintain control of the battlefield while devastating opponents with the might of Tarkir's dragonkin. Explore, experiment, and most importantly, have fun playing your Sultai Arisen Dragonstorm deck!