Gilraen, Dunedain Protector - the MtG hipster strikes again

[DirkGently]

I probably wouldn't have shown much interest in Gilraen, Dúnedain Protector, but then she got 30 decks on EDHrec, one of the least popular in the set, and 1/180th of as many decks as Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit and Sam, Loyal Attendant, despite the fact that those two are garbage. This caused the hipster part of my brain to light up like a firework, and here we are.

She's won most of her games, which seems pretty solid for a desperately unpopular mono-white commander. Beaten plenty of much more blatantly-powerful commanders despite nobody even knowing what she does when she comes out.

Gilraen will not be ignored

DecklistCMCManaPricesChartsDraw 7

Commander (1)

1 Gilraen, Dunedain Protector

Blunkers (37)

1 Guardian Archon

1 Mangara of Corondor

1 Loran of the Third Path

1 Geist-Honored Monk

1 Karmic Guide

1 Kor Cartographer

1 Eidolon of Rhetoric

1 White Plume Adventurer

1 Stalking Leonin

1 Skyscanner

1 Luminate Primordial

1 Dawnbringer Cleric

1 Aerial Extortionist

1 Lena, Selfless Champion

1 Recruiter of the Guard

1 Sanctuary Warden

1 Archon of Coronation

1 Wall of Omens

1 Duplicant

1 Meteor Golem

1 Charming Prince

1 Stoic Farmer

1 Knight-Captain of Eos

1 Skyclave Apparition

1 Loyal Warhound

1 Darksteel Splicer

1 Selfless Squire

1 Combat Thresher

1 Angel of the Ruins

1 Triskelion

1 Sun Titan

1 Hokori, Dust Drinker

1 Solemn Simulacrum

1 Knight of the White Orchid

1 Peacekeeper

1 Angel of Serenity

1 Cavalier of Dawn

Additional Triggers (5)

1 Blessed Sanctuary

1 Tocasia's Welcome

1 Welcoming Vampire

1 Mentor of the Meek

1 Rumor Gatherer

Blink Support (19)

1 Strionic Resonator

1 Halo Fountain

1 Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward

1 Thousand-Year Elixir

1 Lae'zel's Acrobatics

1 Lithoform Engine

1 Conjurer's Closet

1 Teleportation Circle

1 Illusionist's Bracers

1 Eerie Interlude

1 Drumbellower

1 Erratic Portal

1 Ephemerate

1 Panharmonicon

1 Ghostway

1 Lumbering Battlement

1 Glorious Protector

1 Magewright's Stone

1 Dust Elemental

Ramp (3)

1 Chrome Mox

1 Sol Ring

1 Mana Crypt

Lands (35)

1 Nesting Grounds

1 Ancient Tomb

1 Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire

1 Guildless Commons

1 War Room

1 Gemstone Caverns

1 Thawing Glaciers

1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin

1 Myriad Landscape

1 Kor Haven

1 Temple of the False God

24 Plains

Approximate Total Cost:

Deck could pretty easily be improved with a least a smattering of non-etb interaction (stp, pte, gift, etc) and some additional ramp. Also I think I screwed up and grabbed too few lands because when I got to the LGS I realized I was short 4 cards and had to pick some mediocre stuff from my other decks to flesh it out. Anyway, the deck still turned out pretty powerful, if a bit slow at the start.

Also yeah Hokori, Dust Drinker is pretty mean but it's so gooooood. If I'm playing mono-white I'm allowed to be at least a little bit mean...

[Dunadain]

Looks fun! I considered building her, or adding her to Emiel the Blessed she's unique amongst flicker commanders in that you can flicker the card immediately in order to get the etb you need immediately, or you can "slow" flicker in order to save creatures from board wipes. Didn't actually end up doing anything about it, but she is a neat design.


Pretty sure not running Solitude in a white blink deck is a federal crime.

The Eternal Wanderer is pretty great in my Emiel the Blessed deck.

you should probably look at some protection for your creature-based engines. Guardian of Faith is great. Teferi's Protection and Clever Concealment are white staples for a reason.