Narset, Enlightened Exile - WIP
.
Table of Contents
.
A Short Introduction
There was no thread or discussion about Narset yet, so I made one. Most of my current decks aren't exactly aggressive. I generally prefer to play the long game and grind my opponents out of the game by gaining an insurmountable advantage, be it card-wise or on board. Only my Ellivere of the Wild Court list really wants to get in the red zone. I have been looking into voltron decks lately, so I made a Kellan, the Fae-Blooded list with the help of @Avacyn Believer who wrote a great primer on his Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier voltron deck. I have also been looking at @MeowZeDung's Kykar, Wind's Fury primer and @Rumpy5897's Feather, the Redeemed deck, which are both very capable of winning with a swarm of (buffed) tokens. Played Rumpy's deck for a while and it's great fun, but also quite demanding with all the card draw and triggers that happen. Another commander that is always somewhere in the back of my head is Narset, Enlightened Master. I never actually built her, but did face her a few times. She basically just wins the game the moment she attacks - either because you string together extra turns or just gain so much (mana) advantage that your opponents just can't compete with all the value. I really like Narset as a character, but the OG version is just too much of a one-trick pony.
Then I remembered that she actually got a new card printed in the small Aftermath set - Narset, Enlightened Exile. This set contained quite a few interesting commanders that seemed to be tailored towards commander, but she was definitely one of the more interesting ones. Initially I wanted to do a voltron build with her, but she sort of encourages you to go wider because she grants Prowess to your entire board. Quite a potent buffing ability! Her second ability allows you to gain more value out of your noncreature spells. When she attacks, you may exile a noncreature, nonland card costing less than her power from a graveyard, create a copy of it and cast it without paying its mana cost. This is works nicely with instants and sorceries of course, but you can also create copies of artifacts, enchantments and planeswalkers that ended up in your graveyard. My initial ideas for this list & strategy:
). I am running cards like Weathered Wayfarer and I am like... "why am I running this goodstuff card that is not really contributing anything to the gameplan"? I am not running running enough evasive creatures/token makers, and the deck is too full of cycling and not enough gas. I am not sure if I want to run the Swords, maybe cards like Unquestioned Authority and Spectra Ward are more efficient.
Help is very, very welcome! Card suggestions, comments on strategy and card ratios, you name it. Help this late-game enthusiast become an aggro master
.
Then I remembered that she actually got a new card printed in the small Aftermath set - Narset, Enlightened Exile. This set contained quite a few interesting commanders that seemed to be tailored towards commander, but she was definitely one of the more interesting ones. Initially I wanted to do a voltron build with her, but she sort of encourages you to go wider because she grants Prowess to your entire board. Quite a potent buffing ability! Her second ability allows you to gain more value out of your noncreature spells. When she attacks, you may exile a noncreature, nonland card costing less than her power from a graveyard, create a copy of it and cast it without paying its mana cost. This is works nicely with instants and sorceries of course, but you can also create copies of artifacts, enchantments and planeswalkers that ended up in your graveyard. My initial ideas for this list & strategy:
- Narset likes to attack but doesn't have any evasion, so making her unblockable/giving her protection from colours is probably necessary
- Going wide (with tokens for example) is a good way to milk the board-wide Prowess ability
- She rewards chaining multiple spells during your own turn before you attack (or before damage)
- Running a modest package of board protection/cheap counterspells is probably necessary to protect your gameplan
- You ideally want to cast a decent number of (cheap) spells on turns were you are swinging in for damage, so card draw is pretty important to keep your grip full
- A Sunforger package seems like a good fit
). I am running cards like Weathered Wayfarer and I am like... "why am I running this goodstuff card that is not really contributing anything to the gameplan"? I am not running running enough evasive creatures/token makers, and the deck is too full of cycling and not enough gas. I am not sure if I want to run the Swords, maybe cards like Unquestioned Authority and Spectra Ward are more efficient.Help is very, very welcome! Card suggestions, comments on strategy and card ratios, you name it. Help this late-game enthusiast become an aggro master
..
Decklist & Budget Variant
Narset, Enlightened Exile - WIP
Approximate Total Cost:
Narset, Enlightened Exile on a €150 Budget
Show
Hide
.
Considerations & Chopping Block
Considerations
- Bria, Riptide Rogue: Gives all your creatures prowess... and prowess stacks! Also makes a creature you control unblockable when you cast a noncreature spell. Seems like a very good inclusion, so I'll definitely get a copy when Bloomburrow is released.
- Ledger Shredder: Evasive, comes down cheaply and helps churn towards whatever you need.
- Geralf, the Fleshwright: A token creator that might be better than Young Pyromancer? Might test it out.
- Stroke of Midnight: Almost a second copy of Generous Gift.
- Wear // Tear: Can destroy an artifact and an enchantment at once when you cast it from your hand, and one more of those when Narset casts the copy from exile.
- Whirler Rogue: I used to run this card in Ezuri, Claw of Progress. It gives you three bodies at once and two of these bodies are evasive. You can also make something unblockable, which is neat.
Chopping Block
- Talrand, Sky Summoner: The tokens are evasive (which is nice!), but he is slightly weaker than Kykar because you only get tokens for instants & sorceries. Kykar also gives you the option to cash in the tokens for mana.
- Vandalblast: Sure, you can mop the floor with decks that really like their artifacts, but I might have more use for removal that can target multiple types of cards.
- Young Pyromancer: The weakest token creator in the current list, and although it can come down early because of its cheap cost I might want to try something else.
.
Changelog
Changelog
Changelog 23/03/2024
Show
Hide
The Changes:
REMOVED
REMOVED
- Anticipate: Removed for a better cantrip.
- Boros Signet: Removed some ramp.
- Dockside Extortionist: Removed some ramp.
- Experimental Augury: Removed for a better cantrip.
- Fellwar Stone: Removed some ramp.
- Island: Curve is low, so I am shaving off a land and see how it goes.
- Smothering Tithe: Doesn't really ramp me anywhere.
- Steelshaper's Gift: Running Stoneforge Mystic is probably good enough.
- Sword of Feast and Famine: Removed the weaker swords.
- Sword of Forge and Frontier: Removed the weaker swords.
- Sword of the Animist: The ramp isn't all that relevant.
- Sword of War and Peace: Removed the weaker swords.
- Talisman of Conviction: Removed some ramp.
- Weathered Wayfarer: Doesn't really contribute to the gameplan as there are no lands that are vital to find.
- Archmage Emeritus: Can get prowessed by Narset, and draws me cards.
- Dragon's Rage Channeler: Evasive threat, and helps me filter through my deck.
- Expressive Iteration: Nice value, and I like to cast spells in my own turn so sorcery speed is fine.
- Professional Face-Breaker: Somewhat evasive, and can provide value in longer games.
- Quiet Contemplation: I want to run some Narset-related cards. Is this good enough? Maybe... tapping down something for two turns can be pretty powerful.
- Search for Azcanta: Filters my deck, and provides value later.
- See the Truth: Solid cantrip, casting it from the graveyard with Narset provides good value.
- Sevinne's Reclamation: Can ramp me with fetches, or get back some of my creatures/valuable enchantments/equipment.
- Storm-Kiln Artist: Can get prowessed, has a bonus himself, and provides me with mana. Also synergises with Professional Face-Breaker.
- Talrand, Sky Summoner: Produces evasive threats.
- Time Warp: Top-end of my curve, should provide quite a bit of value or help me finish of opponents.
- View from Above: Repeatable evasion! Can be cast multiple times in a turn for extra prowess triggers.
- World at War: Finisher, not sure if I want to run this or Savage Beating.
- Young Pyromancer: Solid low-to-the-ground token producer.
Changelog 29/03/2024
Show
Hide
The Changes:
REMOVED
REMOVED
- Memory Deluge: Right... during goldfishing I realised that this card doesn't do its thing when you try and cast it with Narset from the graveyard. I have grown to really appreciate this card over the past few months, but I'd rather run something that does actually work with Narset's second ability.
- Quick Study: An instant-speed Divination. This card isn't sexy or super powerful. It's cheap mana-wise and good value with Narset though.
*****Credit for this Primer Template belongs to all members of the Primer Committee*****
... kind of fun honestly, as I generally build decks and strategies that I at least have some experience with.
