A few years ago I was bombarded by Boros commanders. So many of them were blandly similar. The complaint heard throughout the internet leading up to that was that Boros couldn't draw cards or ramp and only focused on combat. These pushed Legendary creatures leaned into equipment providing sizeable benefits for creatures being equipped, sometimes even with some form of card advantage. There was even a commander precon dedicated to the idea. After the first option was printed it got stale quick. I knew I needed to get away from the likes of Akiri, Wyleth, Reyav, Koll, and Bruneor. Equipment is very powerful for its ability to stick around after the creature its buffing dies. The innovation in equipment to auto equip when it enters the battlefield should have meant it was an exciting time for the strategy. There are also fun corner cases like Inspiring Statuary turning them all into mana rocks. Just because the equipped creature taps to attack, doesn't mean the equipment taps with it. I knew I needed to break up the monotony I felt toward a fun strategy.
I found there are three serious considerations for making and equipment deck. The number of equipment, the number of creatures, and reducing equip costs. Cards like Sigarda's Aid and Sram, Senior Edificer naturally help overcome some of those categories. But I wouldn't be writing this if this was going to be a standard equipment deck. If Boros has a monopoly on equipment I need to exclude it entirely from the deck. Make it weird, No Red, No White.
I did some preliminary research to see what was at my disposal to deal with those three categories. Inspiring Statuary as mentioned helps with ramp to cast my creatures. Brass Squire overcomes equip costs. A little untapping and I can use the same ability more than once a turn, maybe to bait someone in to what will become an unfavorable block or sneak damage in. Myr Adapter and Armory Automaton get nice buffs for being equipped, making them threatening even if they're not equipped when they attack (see Brass Squire). This is not a colorless list, but these colorless options form a solid base for any non traditional equipment deck. Is there enough there to make a purely colorless deck? I don't know and that isn't in the scope of this article.
No red or white means the deck is capped at Sultai. That's a very powerful color combination. Whenever I see Sultai across the table it's invariably a graveyard deck eeking out value off ETBs and graveyard triggers, recurring this and that. I'm not doing that. That statement may seem a little at odds when I reveal my choice for the command zone. However, a little recursion is a healthy pressure release valve in commander. Pulling resources from a variety of locations makes a deck versatile. It also means I can broaden my focus and not run the same draw and ramp formula every time. If an opponent attack any one zone or resource I have some insurance to keep rebuilding. What else are these colors known for? Very powerful tutors. Black can get anything. Blue can find powerful artifacts. Green can pull out your big beaters and lands to pay equip costs. All my bases are covered. I'm certainly not one to run tutors with any regularity or density. Not to shy away from a challenge I think I found a way to make the idea of tutors work for one of my considerations for equipment decks I mentioned before.
Who are the big names for Sultai? Muldrotha. Yarok. Tasigur. Sidisi. None of those. This is not a graveyeard deck. I'm not milling myself. I wanted to be bolder. I knew I needed two commanders to truly break the mold. My first choice was easy, Silas Renn, Seeker Adept. He's rewards me for what this deck wants to do, combat. Deathtouch makes him an unfavorable option to block. One of my favorite moves when drafting Adventures in the Forgotten Realms was to equip Spare Dagger to a deathtouch creature like Yuan-Ti Fang Blade or Triumphant Adventurer and sack it on combat to remove a large threat. My opponents would protest that it was only one damage until they read a little closer that the creature itself did the damage. With Silas Renn, Seeker Adept I not only get to relive that interaction, but I can recur the dagger for future targeted removal.
My second choice for a commander was not as straight forward. I didn't want something as provocative as Thrasios, Triton Hero. People can get a little weird when they see that sitting across the table. A lot of my options cared about +1/+1 counters. I couldn't push into counters without diluting the equipment theme. There are the old school rings, Ring of Xanthrid, Ring of Evo Isle, Ring of Kalonia, but they're a little slow and not enough of a bridge between the two themes for me. I went back to my themes and settled on Kodama of the East Tree. How does that fit? With its ability I get to put extra cards into play. Play a creature, put an equipment into play, use the saved mana to equip it. That gets very profitable quickly.
Looking beyond colorless options for equipment its easy to see a ramp up in color specific artifacts over the last few years. Wand of Orcus and Vorpal Sword are game enders in their own right. The wand needs a little time for set up in this deck but the sword can just knock out opponents one at a time. This deck is not going to shy away from combat. Not to be outdone, green provides Horned Helm. It may seem underwhelming at first, but the ability to move trample around at instant speed will keep the defenders guessing and blocking a losing proposition.
98 slots may seem like a lot at first. But if every card is only doing one thing to support the strategy those fill up quick. If a card has more utility it has a bigger impact in the deck. This also enables me to have some options in my deck that are less on theme, but do not detract from the direction of the deck itself. The first way I went about this is with creatures with adventure. Beanstalk Giant ramps early and becomes a threat later. Murderous Rider is removal then a threat. Order of Midnight grabs a fallen creature then flies in for damage. All solid additions, especially when suited up appropriately. The second way I used creatures for utility is with tutoring. Very narrow tutoring. Tribute Mage and Trophy Mage both search up an equipment for the team. To elaborate on the narrow tutor limitation I leaned into the “partner's with” mechanic. Each of these creatures goes ahead and pulls out it's second half ensuring I always have a threat to suit up and attack with. Gorm the Great and Virtus the Veiled are a potent pair when attacking together. Lore Weaver and Ley Weaver seem underwhelming initially but have powerful abilities once there is mana to sink into them. Soulblade Corruper provides deathtouch after Soulblade Renewer puts out a few stray counters. Although not a theme, there are a few ways counters pop up in the deck. Finally, Cazur, Ruthless Stalker drops counters and Ukima, Stalking Shadow can remove an opponent if there's enough equipment on him. I think there's a nice balance between what classic Sultai colors do and ensuring I have enough creatures to use the equipment I have laying around at any given moment.
Its not all utility though, I have some fun equipment in here. Mask of Riddles is an oldy that gives evasion and rewards with a card drawn. Shadowspear buffs, gets damage through, and provides life gain in addition to removing powerful protections from opponent's creatures. That's a lot for little cost. But I can't run every great equipment out there. To get tricky I threw in some lesser seen cards. Grip of Phyresis steals the best equipment on the board and equips it to a token. Perfect, I even save on equip costs. Fumble acts similarly and doubles as a removal spell. Stretching into the theft theme would lead you to Carry Away. Its a fine option if you want to go that far.
I'm coming to the end so I want to highlight a few more standouts. Power Artifact gets around equip costs making your favorite equipment easier to move around. Just Kidding. That card os way to expensive. Alchemist's Vial replaces itself then can get Silas Renn, Seeker Adept in for combat damage just to bring it back. It can also stop a lethal attacker from knocking me out of the game. Midnight Clock and Elixir of immortality are there to protect my graveyard. There's nothing worse in this deck than having a full graveyard of stuff to bring back then getting Bojuka Bogged.
Silas Renn, Seeker Adept Kodama Of The East Tree
Armory Automaton Spare Dagger Gorm The Great
Brass Squire Surestrike Trident Virtus The Veiled
Myr Adapter Whispersteel Dagger Ukkima, Stalking Shadow
Thieving Skydiver Mask Of Riddles Cazur, Ruthless Stalker
Armix, Filigree Thrasher Wand Of Orcus Soulblade Corrupter
Murderous Rider Vorpal Sword Soulblade Renewer
Order Of Midnight Shadow Spear Lore Weaver
Noxious Gearhulk Nettle Cyst Lay Weaver
Tribute Mage Mask Of Avacyn Inspiring Statuary
Solemn Simulacrum Haunted Cloak Nihil Spellbomb
Trophy Mage Elbrus the Binding Blade Sultai Charm
Reclamation Sage Bloodthirsty Battleaxe Soul Manipulation
Anara, Wolvid Familiar Horned Helm Golgari Charm
Beanstalk Giant Fog Fortuitous Find
Foundry Inspector Horizon Spellbomb Fumble
Etherium Sculptor Broken Bond Carry Away
Jhoira's Familiar Wilt Grip Of Phyresis
Marionette Master Kodama's Reach Blue Sun's Zenith
Reiver Demon Nissa's Pilgrimage Midnight Clock
Ravenous Chupacabra Rampant Growth Decree Of Pain
Alchemist's Vial Metalspinner's Puzzleknot Black Sun's Zenith
Opulent Palace Sunken Hollow Woodland Cemetery
Dimir Aqueduct Golgari Rot Farm Simic Growth Chamber
Tempe Of Malady Temple Of Mystery Temple Of Deceit
Forest X9 Swamp X8 Island X9
After some play testing I found the deck needs a little more graveyard disruption of its own. There's almost always someone self milling for value. Outside combat Marionette Master is a classic finisher. It's easier to suck the life from opponents when the master is powered up with swords and what not. Self sacrificing artifacts like Horizon Spellbomb, Alchemist's Vial, or Elixir of Immortality easily enable a game ending play. Swap in your favorite equipment and suit up your threats accordingly.
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