MTGNexus

So I was gifted this Wyleth, Soul of Steel deck as part of a local secret santa exchange. In the event, in one of my WOE packs (we did this headhunter thing where eliminating someone takes their pack...as you'd expect, a voltron deck rolled this because people don't play enough removal typically). Anyway, in one of those packs I had pulled a Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon and of course I slotted it into the deck. Along the way I added those For Mirrodin equips to mitigate the downside of drawing equips without bodies and recently I started thinking; isn't Kellan just better?? Wyleth still slots into the deck as a payoff but you lose the explosiveness of this thing one-shotting people with, say, Empyrial Armor. But then you can free up a lot of slots and you don't have to play trash like Shuko or questionable pieces like Leather Armor.

These days, with such an avalanche of product and fast paced game design, I struggle with which is the superior choice. So I come here to gauge crowd opinions that maybe offer a differing perspective than my own.

If you're looking for consistent pressure, Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon is obviously your pick, as he both grants you your favorite equipment as well as double strike. Plus, he's the obvious guy for Sunforger packages. I'd ignore his buff for others entirely.
Wyleth, Soul of Steel comes with the weaker keyword but mitigates one of Boros' worst struggles - card advantage. Sure enough Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon 's adventure technically is CA as well, though i might not expect to cast it more than once, for tempo reasons.

Conclusion: In a cut throat meta i'd play Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon as straight forward as possible. If you rather face mid-rangey piles, i'd opt for Wyleth, Soul of Steel and enjoy all the draws.

I'd imagine that Kellan is a little better with For Mirrodin, Living Weapon, and Reconfigure equipments, as any that aren't attached to Kellan will get a buff from his static ability.

Beyond that, I don't know. Both double strike and trample are important for a voltron strategy, and while double strike is harder to come by, if you don't have evasion to pair with it, your commander gets chumped all day long. I think drawing 2+ cards/attack is probably better than a single tutor in the command zone, but not necessarily. Wyleth looks more susceptible to a single target removal being a blow out.

yeti1069 wrote: ↑

5 months ago

Wyleth looks more susceptible to a single target removal being a blow out.

Yes, this came up a number of times in the "event" itself. Had Wyleth costing 9WR at the end of a grindhouse of a game. A historical problem with all voltron, but especially so with voltron that don't have innate protection. Being sawft to a Malicious Affliction is ohsoreal. I like that Kellan has that whole "you don't really want to kill this, but you kinda have to" vibe to it. And giving two spells in one lets it grind better, while also ensuring I don't pay more than 2r for the body itself as I'm casting from exile rather than the zone which helps on the tax.

Dang it I think I just kinda convinced myself. Plus I get to play Embercleave and that's always fun.

I've made and played a Kellan deck that is powerful. Any Commander that lets you select cards in your library end up being very consistent at what you design them to do.
You are right in that the quality of your equipment and auras can be much more selective. But obviously they are two completely different play styles. I'd say Wyleth is more risk more reward.

Personally I dislike Wyleth's design. Play a ton of junk equipment and auras, and get the same bonus as from Argentum Armor? Lame. And "do X, draw a card" is just a boring design in general.

Toolbox commanders are really fun to build but can easily be broken. Luckily I don't think Kellan is problematic in that sense. I think he's great fun to build and to play.

Yeah, Wyleth reads to me as a removal check. If you don't have it, this game is going to be very short. If you do, I'm going to sit back and Twiddle my thumbs while I ask "mother may I resolve my commander?" - neither are particularly fun or enjoyable play patterns.

I think Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon + Umezawa's Jitte is the most powerful option, but also everything wrong with Voltron.

And I say that as someone that plays a lot of Voltron.

Why is fetching a jitte "everything wrong with Voltron"?

3drinks wrote: ↑

5 months ago

Why is fetching a jitte "everything wrong with Voltron"?

It's easily disrupted, but brutally fast, games will typically end in you ranching the table, or (more likely) eating a couple removal spells, then sitting out the game until someone gets around to killing you.




That's a bit hyperbolic, but in general, fast and easily disrupted gameplans usually result in unfun games, either for you or everyone else.

I'm not the dictator of EDH though, if you want to brew it, go for it.

I definitely don't think Jitte would be my first tutor target in any case--protection for the commander is probably what I'd look for first, unless I already had that, had a ton of early ramp to easily replay the commander (and benefit from a second tutor), or knew I wasn't going to be facing removal for a bit.

Yeah, I'd think you probably grab Hammer of Nazahn first most likely, if I'm playing blind. Or Bitterthorn, Nissa's Animus if I want ramp. Hexplate Wallbreaker is a fine finisher.

But on the other hand, Jitte on a double strike body is pretty sweet...

Umezawa's Jitte is certainly in the mix of prime targets - especially with Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon having double strike... but there are the swords of X&Y, Champion's Helm, Mithril Coat, Swiftfoot Boots, Sword of the Animist or All That Glitters/Ethereal Armor for those who enjoy 2for1ing with Auras as well...

Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon can get auras which could be auras so I feel like I can see situations where it can play a less straightforward voltron aggro plan. I also think that you can probably come up with a slightly more optimal curve of using Kellan to reliably get a specific buff that could make him faster (I haven't figured out what that card is offhand).

I guess I would go through the options and see if there is some sort of evasion + pump effect to make Kellan good on an opening curve.

Kellan is the more interesting and flexible Commander, imho. I've seen people play a token strategy with him, using the tutor side to get Skullclamp primarily and using the pump the Commander gives to great effect.
Wyleth seems rather bland to me, I'd rather play Akiri, Fearless Voyager for the incentive to have multiple attackers and the indestructible ability. But that's coming from someone whose only Voltron Deck is Greven, Predator Captain. So, personal bias all the way.

Ardeyn

Not sure if you've considered it since you didn't mention her, but I prefer Nahiri, Forged in Fury over Wyleth, Soul of Steel if you want an equipment commander that has card draw involved. Nahiri is "temporary draw" but isn't dependent upon having everything loaded up on her, and in my experience with my deck commander tax is basically a non-issue.

I can't say whether I'd prefer Kellan over Nahiri as they do kind of lean towards different strategies in the same general area. I have Kellan in my Nahiri deck and he's solid.

Does Kellan being a milquetoast lame-o factor into this at all?

RxPhantom wrote: ↑

5 months ago

Does Kellan being a milquetoast lame-o factor into this at all?

Can't be any more offensive than Yet Another Do X and Draw Cards™ commander tbh.

To me, Wyleth, Soul of Steel wants quantity, Kellan, the Fae-Blooded // Birthright Boon wants quality. Which of those appeals to you more? If you want to throw 5+ pieces of equipment on your commander, go with Wyleth. If you want 1-2 really good pieces of equipment, Kellan seems preferable. Meanwhile, Nahiri, Forged in Fury seems best if you really want to lean into the living weapon / for Mirrodin! cards and a go-wide strategy.

Personally, I think Kellan is a bit more interesting due to the toolbox aspect, but I could see the tutor making the deck feel more repetitive. Nahiri seems cool, but a big more complicated to build. Wyleth seems pretty linear and one-note.

I've been eyeing all the equipment commanders looking for a good fit, but every time I try it, or see it tried, if just looks so linear to me. Kellen provides a more interesting take with a toolbox equipment approach, which is more interesting to me. Though tutors in the command zone provide a new form of linear play style than simply jamming 15-20 equipment in a deck. The best part though it being able to grab the equipment you need to shore up 's inherent weakness in card advantage. Still suiting up a dude with no protection and heading to combat is an uphill battle long term, so the challenge is still there. I'm a sucker for toolbox decks, so Kellen is speaking to me since I can guarantee a ramp equipment early and a draw equipment late. Doesn't have to be the same ones every game.

Best equipment deck I have personally witness is an Akiri, Fearless Voyager since it provides both card draw AND valuable protection for BOTH creature and equipment for the low cost of . It is very frustrating to see Akiri, Fearless Voyager suited up with 3 swords knowing and open knowing it would take 3 spot removal spells to get through, or pray to draw the Farewell in my deck. I probably consider Akiri to be the #1 generic equipment commander right now for these reasons.

Funny enough my God-Eternal Oketra deck has been doing great with incidental Voltron kills due to the double strike (go figure ). Also the deck is not leaning on Oketra, so I only have 4 equipment in the deck, and it doesn't make her as big a target as a true voltron strategy would. But her effectiveness in combat has me looking for a slot for Umezawa's Jitte because a single connect is a lot of value here. And my go-wide strategy gives me plenty of other creatures to equip to.