Oh Captain, My Captain!!!

Kid Napster!
Welcome one and all!  This is Captain Red Zone coming to you once again with the next part of my new deck series for Tri-Colors for your viewing delight. This week, we’re going into Red/White/Blue A.K.A Numot. This is another color combination where our Commander options are really low. There really are only three to pick from. You have Numot, who we’re not going to use for the same reason we didn’t use the other Elder Dragons. The next one is the Norse God of Magic… Ruhan!!!

I really want to do a deck with Ruhan!!! I don’t care what you say he just seems to be the most bad ass of the new Commanders to me. I could do a deck about him with equipment, a chaos deck, or just a deck designed to try to control where he goes.  I feel like all of that could be interesting but due to the fact that I can’t decide which to do I’ll just have to hold on to it for another time. Maybe later, just not right now. So with only three to pick from and two already sitting on the side that leaves us with…

Zedruu is here to show us how to show us how sharing can be fun and profitable. So let’s get to it!

It’s More Fun To Share!

First, this deck falls into a similar category as my previous article, “Tis’ The Season to Give!”, with a more “helping the table” kind of feel. But I like to think of this as more of an American help. I’m giving your hungry rice, while I eat a cheeseburger. But first…

Ruhan of the Fomori, Numot, the Devastator, and Bazaar Trader: Zedruu may need a little help with the giving process and one of the best cards for that is Bazaar Trader. Ruhan and Numot are more here as bodyguards. Numot is the air force while Ruhan will be group control.

So let’s look at the “rice” of this deck if you will…

Bronze Bombshell, Steel Golem, Hollow Warrior, Exalted Dragon, Craven Giant, Mogg Conscripts, Mogg Flunkies, Hulking Goblin, Goblin Glider, Bloodcrazed Goblin, and Monstrous Hound: Bronze Bombshell is the funniest thing I’ve seen outside of an UnSet. Steel Golem is usually given to the Uril decks. Hollow Warrior usually plays fair; it won’t attack unless something else decides to not to. Giving a player a 5/5 flying Dragon is usually a bad thing, but at least Exalted Dragon cost them a land for every attack. Craven Giant may die easily but at least it will deal out four points of damage before it goes, usually. Mogg Conscripts, Mogg Flunkies, Bloodcrazed Goblin, Hulking Goblin, Goblin Glider, and Monstrous Hound make for interesting creatures to give out because of the attack/block restraints.

Now that that’s done let’s try something a little different. Zedruu is usually so giving, but it is also in the colors that like to take things the most… Blue and Red. So let’s see if this monk is as good at taking as she is at giving…

Abduction, Dominus of Fealty, Traitorous Blood, Aura Graft, Magus of the Unseen, Callous Oppressor, Preacher, Debt of Loyalty, Act of Treason, Aladdin, Cytoplast Manipulator, Grab the Reins, Word of Seizing, Aura Thief, Insurrection, Brand, , Unwilling Recruit, Dominate, and Mind Control: Act of Treason, Word of Seizing, Traitorous Blood, and Grab the Reins are good one shot usage spells while Abduction, Mind Control, and Treachery makes for a great way to take creatures as we want in a more permanent role. Dominus of Fealty gives us a free Threaten during each of our upkeeps while Aladdin and Magus of the Unseen give us a little artifact control. Callous Oppressor is horrible against decks that use only one type of creature, but it’s great for taking the other creatures at the table. Would you look at that! Even White wants a piece of the give-me-that pie with Debt of Loyalty and Preacher. Cytoplast Manipulator loves to see creatures with +1/+1 counters and Aura Thief is as greedy as they come when you’re dealing with enchantment theft. Unwilling Recruit and Dominate are our two X controlling spells. Aura Graft is an interesting way to change our Mind Control effects to newer targets. Brand is one of the only effects that will let us get all we have given back if we ever need to and Insurrection is one of the best win conditions in red there is.

Now what to do with all of those stole…. Um borrowed creatures, we need to find something to do with them. Ahh I’ve got an idea…

Ashnod's Altar, Phyrexian Altar, Helm of Possession, Altar of Dementia, Phyrexian Vault, Martyr's Cause, and Shivan Harvest: Ashnod's Altar and Phyrexian Altar will turn those creatures into some much needed mana after their no longer useful. Helm of Possession lets us kill creatures we steal so we can steal more creatures. Altar of Dementia can help mill a player who seems to be ready to Dredge himself to an early grave. Phyrexian Vault, Martyr's Cause gives us some was to prevent damage while Shivan Harvest brings us some permanent land hate.

Mind Stone, Mana Prism, Boros Signet, Azorius Signet, Ur-Golem's Eye, Izzet Signet, Everflowing Chalice, Coalition Relic, Gilded Lotus, Mana Vault, and Sol Ring: This color combination has some of the worst ways to generate mana. So we’re going to need a lot of mana rocks for this thing. Almost every usable mana rock I could think of is here from Signets to Sol Ring. This should be enough to help pay for things in case we needed pass of a land or two to get Zedruu running earlier.

Blazing Archon, Ensnaring Bridge, Collective Restraint, Ward of Bones, Ghostly Prison, Grand Abolisher, Propaganda, and Windborn Muse: Come on. If our main goal is to pass around our stuff while taking others stuff, we’re asking to be attacked. Unless we’re holding on to a few cards like these to keep people off of us. Blazing Archon is a straight up stop sign when it comes to being attacked while Windborn Muse is more of a toll booth keeper with Propaganda and Ghostly Prison being where she’s stationed. Ensnaring Bridge can keep things locked down for the whole table until you empty your hand. Collective Restraint is an effect like Propaganda but it gets better the later the game goes and if you can find a way to gain control of a few off color basic lands it could cost your opponents up to five mana per creature just to attack you. Ward of Bones can slow the game down to your speed while Grand Abolisher will keep your opponents from trying to surprise you on your turns.

One For You! One For Me!

With 13 Mountains, 13 Plains, and 13 Island I’d say we’re ready to start passing around some cards. As always, my mana base here is just a starting point. At the bottom, you can check out the deck list. Next week we’re going Black/White/Red with our last part of the Tri-Color Deck. Feel free to leave any comments you have and you can always hit me up at CaptainRedZone@gmail.com. You can also find me on OffColorCast.com where I podcast with Cassidy Silver and Christian Renoe. Just a heads up, OffColorCast.com may not be work safe. As always thanks for the read and I will see you next week for another article!

Hope you had fun and please leave any comments or suggestions.  Until next time,

This is your Captain speaking… We’re heading into the Red Zone!!!

1 Zedruu the Greathearted

1 Ruhan of the Fomori

1 Numot, the Devastator

13 Island

13 Plains

13 Mountain

1 Ensnaring Bridge

1 Ward of Bones

1 Bronze Bombshell

1 Steel Golem

1 Hollow Warrior

1 Blazing Archon

1 Exalted Dragon

1 Craven Giant

1 Mogg Conscripts

1 Mogg Flunkies

1 Hulking Goblin

1 Goblin Glider

1 Bloodcrazed Goblin

1 Monstrous Hound

1 Grand Abolisher

1 Abduction

1 Dominus of Fealty

1 Traitorous Blood

1 Aura Graft

1 Magus of the Unseen

1 Callous Oppressor

1 Preacher

1 Debt of Loyalty

1 Act of Treason

1 Aladdin

1 Cytoplast Manipulator

1 Grab the Reins

1 Word of Seizing

1 Aura Thief

1 Insurrection

1 Brand

1 Treachery

1 Unwilling Recruit

1 Dominate

1 Mind Control

1 Bazaar Trader

1 Mind Stone

1 Mana Prism

1 Boros Signet

1 Azorius Signet

1 Ur-Golem's Eye

1 Izzet Signet

1 Everflowing Chalice

1 Coalition Relic

1 Ashnod's Altar

1 Gilded Lotus

1 Mana Vault

1 Phyrexian Altar

1 Helm of Possession

1 Altar Of Dementia

1 Phyrexian Vault

1 Martyr's Cause

1 Shivan Harvest

1 Sol Ring

1 Collective Restraint

1 Ghostly Prison

1 Propaganda

1 Windborn Muse