Bruna, Light of Alabaster - ENCHANTMENTS ONLY - stax beatdown!

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RowanKeltizar
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 2 years ago

Bruna, Light of Alabaster

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Deck Philosophy

This is the sister deck to my Atraxa - artifacts only stax beatdown list (link in sig).

WHY BRUNA?

I've wanted to build enchantment tribal for a while now, but haven't really found any commanders that speak to me. Then when I was looking through my binder I saw Bruna, Light of Alabaster. I've always liked commanders with big splashy abilities and I think Bruna fits my playstyle overall. I actually like limiting myself to 2 colors as it makes the deck easier to build and feel more unique. I also dont have an aura deck yet.

There are other commanders I might consider. One of the main ones being Zur the Enchanter although he can be a bit overpowered. I think i want to simply go azorious and intentionally gimp the deck a little by going sans B, but if this list doesn't work, I'll consider that option since there are lots more powerful enchantments in black. If I went with Zur I'd be limiting myself to 3cmc or less for the most part and likely skipping some of my favorite auras like Celestial Mantle.

The density of viable enchantments for this deck is high enough I feel like I might actually be able to pull it off. Yes, Dockside Extortionist or Bane of Progress will be very happy about it.

DECK PHILOSOPHY

There are a ton of white and blue stax enchantments. Stax as a hard and fast deck in my playgroup would probably not be welcome and in the same vein as mass land destruction, but if I purposefully gimp the deck by ONLY running enchantments I think this will be allowable.

One thing Bruna does that I think often gets overlooked or ignored is that she encourages a certain kind of stax package given the fact that she circumvents mana costs in such a specific way and I want to explore that. Looting effects that pitch auras into the graveyard means I never have to pay their mana costs if I can use Bruna's ability.

Having a win con in the command zone for a stax deck seems powerful. I'd probably rather have non-aura recursion or draw, but again I think there should be enough cards to fill out the 99 for these effects and it's another way to self-limit the deck.

I want to build Bruna in such as way as to feel unique and bit different than every other Bruna deck I've seen. I want to run cards that synergize well and may not be used elsewhere that frequently. A good example of that is Lilting Refrain or Web of Inertia.

Instead of running a bunch of mana rocks, I want to try things like Energy Flux instead and not run ANY of my own artifacts. Fun, I know right? The same goes for conventional targeted removal and board wipes. I want to find ways to lean on enchantments to take care of issues.

HOW DOES THIS DECK WIN?

Basic gameplan is to stall the board with the stax pieces, while looting powerful auras into my graveyard, and then when I have the mana to cast Bruna, swing in for lethal.

OTHER THINGS TO NOTE:

There's a Back to Basics package here in that I am not running hardly any dual lands, excpet for only the best utility lands. We'll see if it works or not. Mainly this was a way to reduce the cost of the deck. I also suspect I might get a lot of hate for this card specifically since it's pretty close to things like Blood Moon and Winter Orb in power level.


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Post by Phoenixlance » 2 years ago

Besides On Thin Ice and Slumber, the main payoff for snow would be Scrying Sheets for incidental draw and Search for Glory for additional consistency. Right now, Search has 9 targets (including important pieces like Sram) and that doesn't account for the possibility of snow lands. There's also the random possibility of you benefiting off of someone's Extraplanar Lens but I'm not sure if the old imprint-a-snow-land tech still sees play given how mainstream snow lands are now.

Omen of the Sea seems like it would be a nice way to smooth out early draws. Shark Typhoon is either an uncounterable cantrip that becomes an engine with Hall of Heliod's Generosity or an extra copy of Sigil of the Empty Throne

Quarantine Field can be a nice multi-target removal option if you generate enough mana.

EDIT: Didn't see it in your list, and given its ubiquitousness and the controversial nature of the artist I completely understand if you were to not include it, but I would be remiss if I didn't at least mention Rhystic Study as it seems to fit what you're trying to do while also being additional draw.
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Post by cheonice » 2 years ago

Snow does not ask much of your deck, while the cards Phoenixlance mentioned offer some nice and small advantages.

Planar Collapse offers an enchantment-based wrath, while Fall of the Thran gives you some kind of "fair" Armageddon.

Replenish is another recursion effect, while Danse of the Manse suprised me in my Ephara, God of the Polis that has a small enchantment package. Danse is versatile, acts as a finisher, a recursion engine and is one of my favourite cards. Give it a try!

A very interesting approach!

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Post by RowanKeltizar » 2 years ago

Good suggestions all! I will add them to the pool of options. I especially like Shark Typhoon as a payoff for so many enchantment spells, although 6 cmc is a bit steep.

There is no reason Rhystic Study shouldn't be here. My wallet will hurt though

Planar Collapse seems great as well. Most likely Bruna will either have Totem Armor or be indestructible, So that's pretty one sided.

I think I need to include a lot more enchantment based looting effects as well as self mill. Not running instants and sorceries really gimps the deck in that department. Not sure if I will be able to pull off running only enchantments in these colors. Perhaps adding black will actually be necessary :/ Zur really would be perfect for that.
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 2 years ago

This is actually becoming a very interesting thought experiment. What I've realized is that there are a TON of auras that draw a card upon entering the battlefield. A few examples: Rousing Read, Rune of Flight with Sage's Reverie probably being the best one.

If I can find a way to destroy these auras before my Bruna trigger, I have a draw engine! Pretty cool right? So now I just need some enchantments that allow me to sacrifice or destroy my own enchantments. Any ideas?

EDIT: I found 2 auras which allow me to sacrifice other permanents Bound by Moonsilver and Lunarch Mantle. These are really the ideal since they are auras themselves.
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Post by cheonice » 2 years ago

Teferi's care and Enchanted Evening could do some work.
Lunarch's Mantle and Bound by Moonsilver are some aura-based options.

Edit: Hehe, you allready found 'em!

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Post by RowanKeltizar » 2 years ago

Yes, I like that combo a lot! Works well with Bruna since she loops all my auras back to the battlefield.

Look at Arenson's Aura and Teferi's Care Same dang card. Weird.

Only downside to Enchanted Evening is that if someone nukes enchantments, there go my lands! EDIT: I could run Sacred Ground lol

My experience tells me that if I want to run Bruna as my commander I really need to play to her strengths so that means auras.

I realy wish she could have enchanted other permanents besides herself, so I could recur things like Control Magic or Treachery for example.

There are only a few things like allow you to move auras. Those are Aura Finesse, Kitsune Mystic // Autumn-Tail, Kitsune Sage , Crown of the Ages, and Enchantment Alteration. I couldn't find much else. I don't think the instants are worth it, Kitsune Mystic is probably the best here.

Not sure if I really want to commit to 100% enchantments like I did with Atraxa and artifacts. It's very constraining but makes you think and forces you to find obscure cards.
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 2 years ago

Biggest issue with going 100% enchantments is ramp. There is really nothing outside of Smothering Tithe and Monologue Tax

Oath of Lieges is probably the only other one.

That basically forces me to lean heavily into control and stax effects until I can get Bruna on the field. Maybe not a huge issue, but we will see how it plays.

In other news Entangler and Charisma is a super awesome combo if I can force creatures to swing into Bruna. I absolutley love old cards like these.
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Post by Phoenixlance » 2 years ago

When it comes to ramp, don't forget land-based sources as well. Terrain Generator is great if you run a healthy amount of basics as are Thawing Glaciers and Myriad Landscape. Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx can do it's best budget Serra's Sanctum impression here.

A cool thing to note with Treachery is that even if recurring it with Bruna doesn't allow you to steal a creature, you still untap five lands. That alone may be worth the inclusion because while it's not "ramp" it allows you to fully maximize your mana. Also when the heck did Treachery reach a triple digit price tag??

There's also something to be said for just utilizing good/consistent sources of draw to ensure you hit every land drop naturally. I've been tinkering with a Lurrus deck that eschews conventional ramp effects in favor of reusable cantrips and I really haven't had a problem with finding lands. All the various cantripping enchantments will do similar things for you here. While this does mean you will naturally be slower than other decks at the table, your stax effects will help slow people down so you can catch up.
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 2 years ago

I am going to start building the first iteration of this deck, so I think its time to start whittling away at the mountain of cards ive listed to put a funcitonal decklist together. This deck is the sister deck to my Atraxa - artifacts only stax beatdown build.

Essentially, the plan here is to use the looting effects early game to pitch my auras into my graveyard in favor of the stax/control effects which i can use to slow down my opponents. The plan forward will be to gradually hit land drops until i can cast Bruna. Bruna goes full voltron by swinging in for the win by suiting up with all the auras in my graveyard and/or hand.

I want to use Bound by Moonsilver, Lunarch Mantle as sac outlets for auras like Sage's Reverie. Bruna can recur these to become a draw engine. Not sure how janky that is, but I want to give it a go.

Karmic Justice is amazing for this deck since it REALLY deters people from casting mass enchantment wipes. Better than other options, since it can hit ANY type of permanent in return.

So here are a few additional considerations:
  • besides Bruna herself, ENCHANTMENTS AND LANDS ONLY. That doesn't mean no enchantment-creatures
  • I want to use cards i'm not already using in my other decks.
  • a preference towards auras since Bruna can recur them
  • for the purposes of this decklist, i don't have a specific budget although I will skip extremely high price tag items like Treachery. Not that I will never aquire them, but it won't be on the first iteration of the deck.
  • stax and control cards are there to slow down my opponents without hurting me too much. Reason being that I have very little ramp of my own. Best I can hope to do is stall. Stax cards have a definite tendency to hate on creatures.
If this is a failure,,,, and i won't be too surprised if it is, I will most likely be adding either black or green to the deck to cover some of the weak points. At that point i most likely would either go with Zur the Enchanter or one of the bant enchantment commanders (although none of them really intrigue me that much). Definitely a major overhaul and Im not sure what that will look like.
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 1 year ago

I've updated the OP and the decklist to be a bit more up to date with my current thought process. For a while I abandoned the idea, but I think this could actually be a viable although extremely janky deck to build. Worth a try anyway.

Biggest concern right now is a blowout via Farewell Merciless Eviction Bane of Progress etc... Can anyone think of an enchantment that can counter specific spells?

Feel free to chim in with your thoughts!
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Post by ISBPathfinder » 1 year ago

Not really on topic but whenever I see your Bruna get bumped I get really excited thinking its a mono white Bruna lol. I used to be really good at legend names but in the last 5+ years I can't keep all the legends straight anymore.

Porphyry Nodes - How's this work for you? My concern is that it feels like if anyone is playing tokens its just going to get super bogged down and not really do much to the board. I know these cards have historically been played some in 60 card stax enchantress decks but I would be curious how it works for you in commander.

Counterspells - I notice you have very little to protect your commander from instant speed interaction or even sweepers the turn she comes down. You do have some things for after you get to combat but my experience with this commander is that she doesn't get to combat because everyone throws things at her. I know that isn't to say she will never make it to combat but I have seen plenty of people play this commander and be frustrated that she comes out and is repeatedly interacted on before she can get going. I am curious if you shouldn't be running some things like Fierce Guardianship / Pact of Negation / Force of Will / Force of Negation to try to push until she is in combat. I guess I don't know how much of an issue you have had with that though.

Any thought towards shifting Lightmine Field to be Collective Restraint? In some situations it might be the same result but if opponents go for a big pump situation Lightmine can be a problem. That isn't to say they can't have a Gaea's Cradle with tokens but some of the big payoffs for swarm being Craterhoof Behemoth can be hard to multi task with paying the tax of a propaganda. The other upside is that there are a lot of Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth / Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth effects these days so getting more than just Propaganda out of it isn't unreasonable.

I would be curious to hear why Energy Flux over Stony Silence and Null Rod. I know its not the same effect but I just want to hear why you prefer it.

I would also like to hear more on Mana Maze. It feels like there are a lot of similar type effects limiting to one spellcast a turn or taxing for additional spellcasts. Why did you go for this one? I guess an upside is that opponents can't counterspell Bruna with it in play as it shuts that off. I am just not sure I like it as much as disruption outside of that.

Cavern of Souls seems like it would be a really sweet add.
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 1 year ago

Before I say anything else, let me say that 1. I do NOT own this deck and have never played it. 100% theorycrafted decklist. 2. I am still pretty adamant about my self imposed restriction on committing 100% to enchantments. I think it is the only way I can bring a prison stax deck to my local table.

Also make sure you are referencing the list in the OP. I deleted the last one next to the end of the conversation because it would be easy to get confused. I actually already took Lightmine Field out for exactly the reason you stated.
ISBPathfinder wrote:
1 year ago
Porphyry Nodes - How's this work for you? My concern is that it feels like if anyone is playing tokens its just going to get super bogged down and not really do much to the board. I know these cards have historically been played some in 60 card stax enchantress decks but I would be curious how it works for you in commander.
I felt like it was a neat card and I actually own a copy, but you're absolutely right. Probably going to be too many scenarios where this gets rendered useless by tokens. I'll find something else.

ISBPathfinder wrote:
1 year ago
Counterspells - I notice you have very little to protect your commander from instant speed interaction or even sweepers the turn she comes down. You do have some things for after you get to combat but my experience with this commander is that she doesn't get to combat because everyone throws things at her. I know that isn't to say she will never make it to combat but I have seen plenty of people play this commander and be frustrated that she comes out and is repeatedly interacted on before she can get going. I am curious if you shouldn't be running some things like Fierce Guardianship / Pact of Negation / Force of Will / Force of Negation to try to push until she is in combat. I guess I don't know how much of an issue you have had with that though.
This is the biggest weakness of the deck aside from going all in on enchantments. I'm looking for some creative ways to improve my odds against instant speed removal and control interaction while still sticking to my enchantments only restriction.

Alexi's Cloak more or less does exactly what we want it to do as far as protecting from instant speed removal but it prevents further auras from attaching. There's also Benevolent Blessing which would actually work better although you still can't attack blue or white auras after this attaches if you name blue or white. Might just stick with Eel Umbra and hope I'm dealing with non blue or white removal....

Casting her with flash or haste is going to be important I think. With these colors and restrictions haste is probably not an option. Leyline of Anticipation is the best I found. Winding Canyons or Emergence Zone also exist.

ISBPathfinder wrote:
1 year ago
I would be curious to hear why Energy Flux over Stony Silence and Null Rod. I know its not the same effect but I just want to hear why you prefer it.
Not against the other two and I might want to include one in addition to Energy Flux. Flux hates on artifacts without activated abilities. Sure, someone will always pay 2 to keep something important on the field, but it should weed out a lot of things. One of the cards I'm just going to have to play with to fully assess.

ISBPathfinder wrote:
1 year ago
I would also like to hear more on Mana Maze. It feels like there are a lot of similar type effects limiting to one spellcast a turn or taxing for additional spellcasts. Why did you go for this one? I guess an upside is that opponents can't counterspell Bruna with it in play as it shuts that off. I am just not sure I like it as much as disruption outside of that.
Yes, it stops blue counterspells from hitting my commander. I'm also not opposed to considering the others though, specifically Rule of Law and Arcane Laboratory.

ISBPathfinder wrote:
1 year ago
Cavern of Souls seems like it would be a really sweet add.
Yeah, it would. I need to buy like 10 copies of this thing...
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Post by void_nothing » 1 year ago

Popping in to say I love the theme. I've always been a WU enchantments and go-tall-Voltron fan since I was a lad.
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Post by RowanKeltizar » 1 year ago

Thanks @void_nothing!

So I gave some serious thought to Dovescape because not only does it shut down 90% of interaction, Bruna actually bypassess needing to cast any of my beatstick auras.

This is a card similar to say Winter Orb in practice in that I drop it right when I have the setup to win.

Only reason it's not in the deck I guess is how badly it shuts me out of the game also. Food for thought?
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