Card draw is one of Commander's most powerful themes, dominated by the likes of The Locust God and Nekusar, the Mindrazer. Past the value of filling up your hand, these commanders turn card draw into damage and tokens . The path to create a good card-draw deck was very linear.
However, a new challenger has entered the arena for card-draw shenanigans.
He's late! He's late for a very important game of Commander! Kwain, Itinerant Meddler is one of Commander Legends' newest (and cutest) commanders. He is now the fifth Rabbit to ever be printed, and is also Magic's first ever Rabbit legendary.
When I first laid eyes upon this bun I thought, "Dang… he's Azorius." That guild has never been my favorite (sorry Lavinia fans), however, I just couldn't say no to his little furry face. But then came the question, "How the heck am I going to build this?"
When it comes to card draw, I am well versed. My The Locust God deck is my pride and joy. However, Kwain, Itinerant Meddler feels different. There's no drawback. His draw ability is a "may" ability, making it a choice for everyone, with the added benefit of life gain. How's that going to hurt everyone and help me win? Most card-draw-themed decks function around taking damage based on one's hand size, however, the majority of those cards are outside of Kwain's color identity.
Cards like Fate Unraveler, Underworld Dreams, and Spiteful Visions are perfect, as they deal damage whenever an opponent draws a card. However, they are, like most of the cards we'd normally add in, off color. At first glance it seems that Azorius is not mean enough for the typical card draw theme. However, after talking to some friends, I decided upon the perfect theme for Kwain, Itinerant Meddler.
Our theme: Control disguised as group hug.
Our goal: Win through alternate win cons or decking our opponents.
"Who wants to draw some cards?"
This is a phrase in Commander that either sparks joy or fear. While Kwain, Itinerant Meddler ability is focused around card draw, solely relying on him could be detrimental. After all, there could be people who will see through our huggy guise and immediately target our bipedal Rabbit. We still need ways to have us (and our opponents) consistently draw cards.
Kumena's Awakening and Kami of the Crescent Moon allow us and our opponents to draw extra cards on our turns. Teferi's Ageless Insight is also a one-sided variation of these enchantments, easily filling our hand. Cards like Windfall and Teferi's Puzzle Box also empty and refill everyone's hands with ease.
Card draw in this deck is everything, and can even fuel our creatures. Body of Knowledge and Psychosis Crawler are as big as our hand size, making them quite formidable when we have Thought Vessel or Reliquary Tower out.
Chasm Skulker and Toothy, Imaginary Friend also get insanely big based on the number of cards we draw. While the goal of the deck isn't necessarily to swing with big beaters, it never hurts to have a handful on our side.
Our final form of card draw is the bridge between this deck's main and secondary ability: Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur. This card is an eerie blend of card draw and control. We slam this down when our true intentions are realized. Jin-Gitaxius allows us to draw seven additional cards on our end step and reduces our opponents' hand size to absolutely nothing. This makes Body of Knowledge terrifying and allows us to dig for our alternate win cons. This Praetor turns our guise of group hug into group smother.
While blue is associated with card draw, it's also synonymous with control. Giving our opponents cards can really bite us in our cotton-tailed butts. We need ways to prevent them from casting things from their full hands. And if they do end up casting spells, we need to hinder them in other ways.
Cards like Archon of Emeria and Blind Obedience are horrible, as they make artifacts, creatures, and non basic lands our opponents control come into play tapped. This is wonderful for us because even if our opponents are able to play the things we put into their hands, they still don't get the opportunity to use them until their next turn. However, this is not all that Archon of Emeria does. It also mimics the ability of another control card we run in this deck: Arcane Laboratory.
Limiting the number of spells each player can cast per turn really impacts interaction and main phase plays. This deck originally ran Rule of Law alongside these two nauseating pieces of control, however it was ultimately cut because redundancy in this situation felt more cruel than fun.
Let's talk about removal. This deck does have the typical staples for Commander (Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile, and Cyclonic Rift), however if we want to walk the path of control, we're going to need something a bit meander than that.
Pendrell Mists and Kataki, War's Wage are excellent examples of removal. They both force our opponents to pay during their upkeep or sacrifice their permanents (artifacts and creatures, respectively). They're the board wipes that keep on wiping. If we are consistently making our opponents draw cards while we have Smothering Tithe out, we will be able to pay for our creatures every single time.
Our final form of removal is more or less a never-ending bounce effect. Words of Wind allows us to bounce opponents' permanents to their hands simply by paying one mana when we draw a card. Since this is something we do a lot, we essentially are able to Cyclonic Rift... just in a much slower way...
This deck doesn't run countermagic. This is mostly due to the fact that I ran out of room to add them (cutting cards is not a fun task). However, I could technically say that this deck runs dozens of counterspells.
Lordy lordy, Dovescape is… something. Noncreature spells are countered, and instead the caster of that spell makes tiny little dove tokens equal to that spell's converted mana cost. This card puts a lock on the game and is rather difficult to remove. While this may generate a large amount of Bird tokens that our opponents are sure to send our way, we will most likely be fine thanks to our many prison effects.
Our plan for this deck is incredibly passive. Sure, we have creatures that can attack, but we ultimately want to be as non-threatening as possible. Kwain, Itinerant Meddler card draw ability is helpful in coming across as a group hug deck initially, however, as time passes, our opponents will definitely start to catch on to our plan. We need ways to protect ourselves from taking heaps of damage.
Prison effects are incredibly helpful cards that allow us to pillow fort while we thin our deck down to find our win conditions. Cards like Propaganda and Ghostly Prison are typical prison effects that come to mind when you think Azorius. However, I want to highlight two of our five prison cards that shine within this deck.
The first enchantment is Island Sanctuary. This card is incredibly underplayed in Commander and acts as a budget version of Moat. This shuts down almost all attackers and prompts our opponents to focus on each other rather than us. After all, we're supplying them with card draw, so why get rid of a useful resource?
The second prison card I want to highlight is probably Magic's best: Sphere of Safety. This card shines in Enchantress decks, and while we aren't brewing that, we do have a total of 23 enchantments. Imagine making our opponents pay 22 mana for each creature attacking us. That's beyond disgusting, making it essentially impossible to attack us. Imagine pairing this with Estrid's Invocation. Rather than our opponents paying 23, they have to pay 46 per creature instead. Pretty heinous for Azorius, right?
Magic: The Gathering TCG Deck - Hop To It by Chase Carroll
'Hop To It' - constructed deck list and prices for the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Chase Carroll
Event:
Rank:
Commander
Market Price: $1270.11
Teferi's Ageless Insight
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $2.06
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215368_200w.jpg
If you would draw a card except the first one you draw in each of your draw steps, draw two cards instead.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/215368/magic-core-set-2021-teferis-ageless-insight
Temple of Enlightenment
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254239_200w.jpg
Temple of Enlightenment enters the battlefield tapped.
When Temple of Enlightenment enters the battlefield, scry 1.
{T}: Add {W} or {U}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254239/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-temple-of-enlightenment
Luminarch Ascension
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $11.78
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/161533_200w.jpg
At the beginning of each opponent's end step, if you didn't lose life this turn, you may put a quest counter on Luminarch Ascension. (Damage causes loss of life.)
{1}{W}: Create a 4/4 white Angel creature token with flying. Activate only if Luminarch Ascension has four or more quest counters on it.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/161533/magic-masters-25-luminarch-ascension
Arcane Laboratory
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $2.35
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/2820_200w.jpg
Each player can't cast more than one spell each turn.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/2820/magic-7th-edition-arcane-laboratory
Azorius Chancery
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254241_200w.jpg
Azorius Chancery enters the battlefield tapped.
When Azorius Chancery enters the battlefield, return a land you control to its owner's hand.
{T}: Add {W}{U}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254241/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-azorius-chancery
Laboratory Maniac
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $4.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/180811_200w.jpg
If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/180811/magic-ultimate-masters-laboratory-maniac
Mind Over Matter
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $47.52
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/4351_200w.jpg
Discard a card: You may tap or untap target artifact, creature, or land.
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Kjeldoran Outpost
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $20.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/4178_200w.jpg
If Kjeldoran Outpost would enter the battlefield, sacrifice a Plains instead. If you do, put Kjeldoran Outpost onto the battlefield. If you don't, put it into its owner's graveyard.
{T}: Add {W}.
{1}{W}, {T}: Create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/4178/magic-alliances-kjeldoran-outpost
Propaganda
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $2.94
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/243973_200w.jpg
Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays {2} for each creature they control that's attacking you.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/243973/magic-commander-adventures-in-the-forgotten-realms-propaganda
Hallowed Fountain
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $8.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/182831_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {W} or {U}.)
As Hallowed Fountain enters the battlefield, you may pay 2 life. If you don't, it enters the battlefield tapped.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/182831/magic-ravnica-allegiance-hallowed-fountain
Command Tower
Market Price: $0.00
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/247533_200w.jpg
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/247533/magic-commander-collection-black-command-tower
Path to Exile
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $4.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218377_200w.jpg
Exile target creature. Its controller may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
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Words of Wind
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $5.46
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/10517_200w.jpg
{1}: The next time you would draw a card this turn, each player returns a permanent they control to its owner's hand instead.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/10517/magic-onslaught-words-of-wind
Prairie Stream
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.29
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254236_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {W} or {U}.)
Prairie Stream enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or more basic lands.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254236/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-prairie-stream
Narset, Parter of Veils
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/188705_200w.jpg
Each opponent can't draw more than one card each turn. −2: Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a noncreature, nonland card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
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Thought Vessel
Market Price: $4.52
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/226888_200w.jpg
You have no maximum hand size.
{T}: Add {C}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/226888/magic-commander-legends-thought-vessel
Norn's Annex
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $4.88
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/39420_200w.jpg
({W/P} can be paid with either {W} or 2 life.)
Creatures can't attack you or planeswalkers you control unless their controller pays {W/P} for each of those creatures.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/39420/magic-new-phyrexia-norns-annex
Chasm Skulker
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $4.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/124426_200w.jpg
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Chasm Skulker. When Chasm Skulker dies, create X 1/1 blue Squid creature tokens with islandwalk, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on Chasm Skulker. (They can't be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/124426/magic-commander-2016-chasm-skulker
Windborn Muse
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.44
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254044_200w.jpg
Flying
Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays {2} for each creature they control that's attacking you.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254044/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-windborn-muse
Meishin, the Mind Cage
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $3.39
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12486_200w.jpg
All creatures get -X/-0, where X is the number of cards in your hand.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/12486/magic-saviors-of-kamigawa-meishin-the-mind-cage
Dovescape
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $2.77
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/13853_200w.jpg
({W/U} can be paid with either {W} or {U}.)
Whenever a player casts a noncreature spell, counter that spell. That player creates X 1/1 white and blue Bird creature tokens with flying, where X is the spell's mana value.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/13853/magic-dissension-dovescape
Sol Ring
Market Price: $0.00
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/247528_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}{C}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/247528/magic-commander-collection-black-sol-ring
Estrid's Invocation
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $10.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/170954_200w.jpg
You may have Estrid's Invocation enter the battlefield as a copy of an enchantment you control, except it has "At the beginning of your upkeep, you may exile this enchantment. If you do, return it to the battlefield under its owner's control."
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/170954/magic-commander-2018-estrids-invocation
Well of Ideas
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218707_200w.jpg
When Well of Ideas enters the battlefield, draw two cards. At the beginning of each other player's draw step, that player draws an additional card. At the beginning of your draw step, draw two additional cards.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/218707/magic-double-masters-well-of-ideas
Shabraz, the Skyshark
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.70
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212157_200w.jpg
Partner with Brallin, Skyshark Rider
Flying
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Shabraz, the Skyshark and you gain 1 life.
{W/U}: Target Human gains flying until end of turn.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/212157/magic-commander-2020-shabraz-the-skyshark
Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $18.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145291_200w.jpg
Flash At the beginning of your end step, draw seven cards. Each opponent's maximum hand size is reduced by seven.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/145291/magic-iconic-masters-jingitaxias-core-augur
Body of Knowledge
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227196_200w.jpg
Body of Knowledge's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand. You have no maximum hand size. Whenever Body of Knowledge is dealt damage, draw that many cards.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/227196/magic-commander-legends-body-of-knowledge
Hall of Heliod's Generosity
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $6.90
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/191349_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{1}{W}, {T}: Put target enchantment card from your graveyard on top of your library.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/191349/magic-modern-horizons-hall-of-heliods-generosity
Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $6.59
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/187141_200w.jpg
If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead. +1: Target player mills two cards. Draw a card. −8: Draw seven cards. Then if your library has no cards in it, you win the game.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/187141/magic-war-of-the-spark-jace-wielder-of-mysteries
Psychosis Crawler
Market Price: $0.65
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212348_200w.jpg
Psychosis Crawler's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand. Whenever you draw a card, each opponent loses 1 life.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/212348/magic-commander-2020-psychosis-crawler
Hullbreacher
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $2.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227006_200w.jpg
Flash
If an opponent would draw a card except the first one they draw in each of their draw steps, instead you create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/227006/magic-commander-legends-hullbreacher
Rhystic Study
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $34.77
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/216235_200w.jpg
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you may draw a card unless that player pays {1}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/216235/magic-jumpstart-rhystic-study
Ancient Tomb
Market Price: $47.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/179473_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}{C}. Ancient Tomb deals 2 damage to you.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/179473/magic-ultimate-masters-ancient-tomb
Toothy, Imaginary Friend
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $8.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/167150_200w.jpg
Partner with Pir, Imaginative Rascal (When this creature enters the battlefield, target player may put Pir into their hand from their library, then shuffle.) Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Toothy, Imaginary Friend. When Toothy leaves the battlefield, draw a card for each +1/+1 counter on it.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/167150/magic-battlebond-toothy-imaginary-friend
Kumena's Awakening
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.56
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/155591_200w.jpg
Ascend (If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city's blessing for the rest of the game.) At the beginning of your upkeep, each player draws a card. If you have the city's blessing, instead only you draw a card.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/155591/magic-rivals-of-ixalan-kumenas-awakening
Rest in Peace
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $6.95
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/161538_200w.jpg
When Rest in Peace enters the battlefield, exile all graveyards. If a card or token would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, exile it instead.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/161538/magic-masters-25-rest-in-peace
Supreme Verdict
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $7.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145308_200w.jpg
This spell can't be countered. Destroy all creatures.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/145308/magic-iconic-masters-supreme-verdict
Windfall
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $3.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/231287_200w.jpg
Each player discards their hand, then draws cards equal to the greatest number of cards a player discarded this way.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/231287/magic-commander-kaldheim-windfall
Azor's Elocutors
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/66656_200w.jpg
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a filibuster counter on Azor's Elocutors. Then if Azor's Elocutors has five or more filibuster counters on it, you win the game. Whenever a source deals damage to you, remove a filibuster counter from Azor's Elocutors.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/66656/magic-return-to-ravnica-azors-elocutors
Soldevi Excavations
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $34.47
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/4237_200w.jpg
If Soldevi Excavations would enter the battlefield, sacrifice an untapped Island instead. If you do, put Soldevi Excavations onto the battlefield. If you don't, put it into its owner's graveyard.
{T}: Add {C}{U}.
{1}, {T}: Scry 1.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/4237/magic-alliances-soldevi-excavations
Sphere of Safety
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $4.51
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/124637_200w.jpg
Creatures can't attack you or planeswalkers you control unless their controller pays {X} for each of those creatures, where X is the number of enchantments you control.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/124637/magic-commander-2016-sphere-of-safety
Idyllic Tutor
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $5.18
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/206667_200w.jpg
Search your library for an enchantment card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/206667/magic-theros-beyond-death-idyllic-tutor
Teferi's Tutelage
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215365_200w.jpg
When Teferi's Tutelage enters the battlefield, draw a card, then discard a card. Whenever you draw a card, target opponent mills two cards. (They put the top two cards of their library into their graveyard.)
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/215365/magic-core-set-2021-teferis-tutelage
Archon of Emeria
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.91
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/221969_200w.jpg
Flying Each player can't cast more than one spell each turn. Nonbasic lands your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/221969/magic-zendikar-rising-archon-of-emeria
Teferi's Puzzle Box
Market Price: $7.03
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12845_200w.jpg
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player puts the cards in their hand on the bottom of their library in any order, then draws that many cards.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/12845/magic-9th-edition-teferis-puzzle-box
Kwain, Itinerant Meddler
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.23
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227107_200w.jpg
{T}: Each player may draw a card, then each player who drew a card this way gains 1 life.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/227107/magic-commander-legends-kwain-itinerant-meddler
Talisman of Progress
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $11.91
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/11564_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {W} or {U}. Talisman of Progress deals 1 damage to you.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/11564/magic-mirrodin-talisman-of-progress
Nimbus Maze
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $0.58
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/243959_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {W}. Activate only if you control an Island.
{T}: Add {U}. Activate only if you control a Plains.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/243959/magic-commander-adventures-in-the-forgotten-realms-nimbus-maze
Kataki, War's Wage
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $8.90
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/68302_200w.jpg
All artifacts have "At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this artifact unless you pay {1}."Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/68302/magic-modern-masters-kataki-wars-wage
Ghostly Prison
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.78
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254218_200w.jpg
Creatures can't attack you unless their controller pays {2} for each creature they control that's attacking you.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254218/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-ghostly-prison
Smothering Tithe
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $34.76
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183033_200w.jpg
Whenever an opponent draws a card, that player may pay {2}. If the player doesn't, you create a Treasure token. (It's an artifact with "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/183033/magic-ravnica-allegiance-smothering-tithe
Consecrated Sphinx
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $35.50
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/145331_200w.jpg
Flying Whenever an opponent draws a card, you may draw two cards.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/145331/magic-iconic-masters-consecrated-sphinx
Castle Ardenvale
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $2.65
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199390_200w.jpg
Castle Ardenvale enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Plains.
{T}: Add {W}.
{2}{W}{W}, {T}: Create a 1/1 white Human creature token.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/199390/magic-throne-of-eldraine-castle-ardenvale
Winds of Abandon
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $3.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190986_200w.jpg
Exile target creature you don't control. For each creature exiled this way, its controller searches their library for a basic land card. Those players put those cards onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Overload {4}{W}{W} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each.")Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/190986/magic-modern-horizons-winds-of-abandon
Approach of the Second Sun
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $1.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/129978_200w.jpg
If this spell was cast from your hand and you've cast another spell named Approach of the Second Sun this game, you win the game. Otherwise, put Approach of the Second Sun into its owner's library seventh from the top and you gain 7 life.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/129978/magic-amonkhet-approach-of-the-second-sun
Thassa's Oracle
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $8.32
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/206926_200w.jpg
When Thassa's Oracle enters the battlefield, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is your devotion to blue. Put up to one of them on top of your library and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. If X is greater than or equal to the number of cards in your library, you win the game. (Each {U} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts toward your devotion to blue.)Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/206926/magic-theros-beyond-death-thassas-oracle
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $25.68
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/162150_200w.jpg
+1: Draw a card. At the beginning of the next end step, untap up to two lands. −3: Put target nonland permanent into its owner's library third from the top. −8: You get an emblem with "Whenever you draw a card, exile target permanent an opponent controls."
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/162150/magic-dominaria-teferi-hero-of-dominaria
Castle Vantress
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $2.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199284_200w.jpg
Castle Vantress enters the battlefield tapped unless you control an Island.
{T}: Add {U}.
{2}{U}{U}, {T}: Scry 2.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/199284/magic-throne-of-eldraine-castle-vantress
Fumigate
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $1.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/123068_200w.jpg
Destroy all creatures. You gain 1 life for each creature destroyed this way.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/123068/magic-kaladesh-fumigate
Felidar Sovereign
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $1.83
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/105266_200w.jpg
Vigilance, lifelink At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 40 or more life, you win the game.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/105266/magic-battle-for-zendikar-felidar-sovereign
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $9.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/96065_200w.jpg
+1: Create three 1/1 white Soldier creature tokens. −3: Destroy all creatures with power 4 or greater. −7: You get an emblem with "Creatures you control get +2/+2 and have flying."
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/96065/magic-duel-decks-elspeth-vs-kiora-elspeth-suns-champion
Council's Judgment
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $2.06
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218450_200w.jpg
Will of the council — Starting with you, each player votes for a nonland permanent you don't control. Exile each permanent with the most votes or tied for most votes.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/218450/magic-double-masters-councils-judgment
Geier Reach Sanitarium
Market Price: $0.79
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/243957_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}, {T}: Each player draws a card, then discards a card.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/243957/magic-commander-adventures-in-the-forgotten-realms-geier-reach-sanitarium
Swords to Plowshares
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $1.66
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254168_200w.jpg
Exile target creature. Its controller gains life equal to its power.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254168/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-swords-to-plowshares
Plains
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/242996_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {W}.)Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/242996/magic-adventures-in-the-forgotten-realms-plains-263
Silent Arbiter
Market Price: $2.30
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212165_200w.jpg
No more than one creature can attack each combat. No more than one creature can block each combat.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/212165/magic-commander-2020-silent-arbiter
Flooded Strand
Market Price: $34.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/92828_200w.jpg
{T}, Pay 1 life, Sacrifice Flooded Strand: Search your library for a Plains or Island card, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/92828/magic-khans-of-tarkir-flooded-strand
Sea of Clouds
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $15.76
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/166663_200w.jpg
Sea of Clouds enters the battlefield tapped unless you have two or more opponents.
{T}: Add {W} or {U}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/166663/magic-battlebond-sea-of-clouds
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $21.38
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/68425_200w.jpg
White spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
Blue spells you cast cost {1} less to cast.
Spells your opponents cast cost {1} more to cast.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/68425/magic-modern-masters-grand-arbiter-augustin-iv
Island Sanctuary
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $3.53
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/2224_200w.jpg
If you would draw a card during your draw step, instead you may skip that draw. If you do, until your next turn, you can't be attacked except by creatures with flying and/or islandwalk.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/2224/magic-fifth-edition-island-sanctuary
Alhammarret's Archive
Market Price: $5.85
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236672_200w.jpg
If you would gain life, you gain twice that much life instead. If you would draw a card except the first one you draw in each of your draw steps, draw two cards instead.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/236672/magic-commander-2021-alhammarrets-archive
Fabled Passage
Market Price: $4.61
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215556_200w.jpg
{T}, Sacrifice Fabled Passage: Search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. Then if you control four or more lands, untap that land.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/215556/magic-core-set-2021-fabled-passage
Sphinx's Tutelage
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.69
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/100041_200w.jpg
Whenever you draw a card, target opponent mills two cards. If two nonland cards that share a color were milled this way, repeat this process.
{5}{U}: Draw a card, then discard a card.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/100041/magic-magic-origins-sphinxs-tutelage
Hushbringer
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $0.65
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199465_200w.jpg
Flying, lifelink Creatures entering the battlefield or dying don't cause abilities to trigger.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/199465/magic-throne-of-eldraine-hushbringer
Emergence Zone
Market Price: $0.60
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/187125_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{1}, {T}, Sacrifice Emergence Zone: You may cast spells this turn as though they had flash.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/187125/magic-war-of-the-spark-emergence-zone
Blind Obedience
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $5.60
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/139903_200w.jpg
Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay {W/B}. If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.)
Artifacts and creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/139903/magic-commander-2017-blind-obedience
Reliquary Tower
Market Price: $2.48
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/236231_200w.jpg
You have no maximum hand size.
{T}: Add {C}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/236231/magic-commander-2021-reliquary-tower
Tundra
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $543.01
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/1597_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {W} or {U}.)Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/1597/magic-revised-edition-tundra
Island
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/215718_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/215718/magic-core-set-2021-island-265
Adarkar Wastes
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $18.44
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/15025_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {C}.
{T}: Add {W} or {U}. Adarkar Wastes deals 1 damage to you.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/15025/magic-10th-edition-adarkar-wastes
Ominous Seas
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/212260_200w.jpg
Whenever you draw a card, put a foreshadow counter on Ominous Seas.
Remove eight foreshadow counters from Ominous Seas: Create an 8/8 blue Kraken creature token.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/212260/magic-ikoria-lair-of-behemoths-ominous-seas
Teferi's Protection
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $26.90
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/139830_200w.jpg
Until your next turn, your life total can't change and you gain protection from everything. All permanents you control phase out. (While they're phased out, they're treated as though they don't exist. They phase in before you untap during your untap step.) Exile Teferi's Protection.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/139830/magic-commander-2017-teferis-protection
Kami of the Crescent Moon
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $0.69
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254051_200w.jpg
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional card.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254051/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-kami-of-the-crescent-moon
Mystic Sanctuary
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $1.02
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/199417_200w.jpg
({T}: Add {U}.)
Mystic Sanctuary enters the battlefield tapped unless you control three or more other Islands.
When Mystic Sanctuary enters the battlefield untapped, you may put target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard on top of your library.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/199417/magic-throne-of-eldraine-mystic-sanctuary
Cyclonic Rift
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $28.77
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/218370_200w.jpg
Return target nonland permanent you don't control to its owner's hand.
Overload {6}{U} (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each.")Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/218370/magic-double-masters-cyclonic-rift
Oath of Lieges
Color Identity:W
Market Price: $9.62
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/4362_200w.jpg
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, that player chooses target player who controls more lands than they do and is their opponent. The first player may search their library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/4362/magic-exodus-oath-of-lieges
Seachrome Coast
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $12.04
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/36389_200w.jpg
Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands.
{T}: Add {W} or {U}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/36389/magic-scars-of-mirrodin-seachrome-coast
Minamo, School at Water's Edge
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $16.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/12093_200w.jpg
{T}: Add {U}.
{U}, {T}: Untap target legendary permanent.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/12093/magic-champions-of-kamigawa-minamo-school-at-waters-edge
Glacial Fortress
Color Identity:U,W
Market Price: $3.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/142037_200w.jpg
Glacial Fortress enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Plains or an Island.
{T}: Add {W} or {U}.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/142037/magic-ixalan-glacial-fortress
Swiftfoot Boots
Market Price: $1.64
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254399_200w.jpg
Equipped creature has hexproof and haste.
Equip {1}Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254399/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-swiftfoot-boots
Pendrell Mists
Color Identity:U
Market Price: $16.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/6082_200w.jpg
All creatures have "At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this creature unless you pay {1}."Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/6082/magic-weatherlight-pendrell-mists
Myriad Landscape
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/254246_200w.jpg
Myriad Landscape enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}, {T}, Sacrifice Myriad Landscape: Search your library for up to two basic land cards that share a land type, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/254246/magic-commander-innistrad-crimson-vow-myriad-landscape
So we've covered the ways we hinder our opponents and protect ourselves, but how exactly do we win? Well, this is a passive deck, so it seeks a passive form of victory. Thankfully, Azorius is full of passive forms of victory. This deck is hefty in card draw, making it perfect to stuff from top to bottom with Laboratory Maniac effects.
We are stuffed to the gills with card draw, and these three cards allow us to turn decking ourselves into a win condition. Once these hit the board, a game over is sure to come.
Our second win condition involves Azor's Elocutors. The threshold for this card's "you win the game" ability is surprisingly low, requiring only 5 counters on the creature. However, it is also incredibly easy for the Elocutors to lose those counters we so desperately need. Thanks to our many prison effects, we are able to hide behind our fort of pillows and wait for that final filibuster counter to be placed on this Human Advisor.
Felidar Sovereign is another easy way to win passively in this deck. It seems this card was made for Commander—all we have to do is stay at our starting life total and we win. This win con pairs perfectly with Kwain, Itinerant Meddler and our prison cards, as Kwain allows us to gain life whenever we tap him to draw a card. All we have to is not get hit. Easy, right?
Our final win condition is one that took me some time to warm up to: Approach of the Second Sun
I won't lie, this seemed like an impossible card to play. My initial takeaway from this card was "I need two of them to win" making me think this card was meant for the likes of Standard. While its secondary ability does put the card seventh from the top, that felt too far away… then my chat reminded me that we were building a card-draw deck. We can just draw into it. Very easily. All we have to do is tap Kwain, Itinerant Meddler or play many of our card-draw spells to get there!
I was a bit shocked at how easy that sounded. Though I have to say it makes sense that we are always one draw away from a win con.
Brewing Kwain, Itinerant Meddler was an interesting path to take. I've never built anything remotely huggy, and building a deck that starts out generous felt very odd to me. I'm used to giving cards, sure, but ultimately making a swarm of Locusts to kill everyone.
Chat and I originally ran cards like Viseling and Ebony Owl Netsuke. However, we ultimately removed those cards because they felt counterproductive to Kwain, Itinerant Meddler life-giving ability.
To be honest, Kwain was one of the most fun brews I've done so far with Commander Legends. Kwain, Itinerant Meddler was a commander that made me think and I love commanders that made me think.
Don't be surprised if you see this deck pop up on some of my future Commander streams.