Hello awesome folks!!! Happiest of days today! Today I wanted to take a look at combining two formats, New York Format and Commander. NYF combines 4 cards from every expansion set and the first Core set. They can be reprints, but not basics. For example, I have Swords to Plowshares from Ice Age. According to Benjamin Nicol, there are 96 expansions and the Core to make 97, so this will be combining 5 basics, and not the Core, and removing the final expansion to make a Highlander Commander legal version of these two formats.

Last week we knocked out 52 cards, with 48 this week. Then this project was done over at EDHREC.com by Benjamin Nicol, but he had rules different than NYF, but the same basic point. You can find this two-article series here (Benjamin Nicol - EDHREC). I will be going over his choices for that format as well as what I am doing.

I am building around Horde of Notions in five color as well as the two ways in color to make my graveyard stuff Elementals. Then I can recur non-Elementals from my graveyard to my battlefield. My deck has things like Buried Alive, Corpse Connoisseur and Entomb to fill it out and mass recursion like Living Death. Then I have a bunch of ETB stuff so this feels a bit midrange.

Here's my 52 cards from last week:

New York Commander Step 1 | Commander | Abe Sargent

• Commander (1)
• 1 Horde of Notions

• Creatures (17)
• 1 Anathemancer
• 1 Ancient Hydra
• 1 Avalanche Riders
• 1 Avatar of Woe
• 1 Bloom Tender
• 1 Corpse Connoisseur
• 1 Draining Whelk
• 1 Eternal Dragon
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Faceless Butcher
• 1 Genesis
• 1 Keldon Vandals
• 1 Nekrataal
• 1 Ninja of the Deep Hours
• 1 Reveillark
• 1 Seedborn Muse
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum

• Spells (14)
• 1 Buried Alive
• 1 Damnation
• 1 Entomb
• 1 Living Death
• 1 Memory Lapse
• 1 Swords to Plowshares
• 1 Conspiracy
• 1 Survival of the Fittest
• 1 Sylvan Library
• 1 Ashes of the Fallen
• 1 Ashnod's Altar
• 1 Fellwar Stone
• 1 Phyrexian Altar
• 1 Skullclamp

• Lands (20)
• 1 Bad River
• 1 Blood Crypt
• 1 City of Brass
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Forbidden Orchard
• 1 Forest
• 1 Frost Marsh
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Island
• 1 Mountain
• 1 Phyrexian Tower
• 1 Plains
• 1 Rainbow Vale
• 1 Reflecting Pool
• 1 Swamp
• 1 Tolaria West
• 1 Thawing Glaciers
• 1 Volrath's Stronghold
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Wooded Foothills

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I have around half of my lands and then a nice selection of key cards! I have emphasized Black, and then those making lands, and only have a two key double Blues in my counters and two double Green in Eternal Witness and Seedborn Muse. Ready for the final week?

Zendikar Block

Benjamin did a fetch land, Bog and Ulamog. The fetch land is obvious and since I am emphasizing Black let's do the dual! Bog makes tons of sense here too, since the color is emphasized and I have no major first-turn drops so I can take a turn off. I don't like "Eldrazi" here in Rise. I don't have the ramping mana base for them. The Wall is great. It's card flow, you can sacrifice it to Phyrexian Altar and then recur it for cards, it's an early Wall to block, it's splashable. Love it loads!!!

Scars of Mirrodin Block

Benjamin did Razorverge Thicket, Sword of Feast and Famine and Elesh Norn. A land and two nasty things! I do like the lands here, but I am doing a creature removal effect with the Zombie. I also really like Sunblast Angel here. The second set has tons of great cards like Phyrexian Rager and two key things that are awesome here: Massacre Wurm and Bonehoard. One is opposing mass removal and the other is a win con. With a fat graveyard of dorks, it's quite powerful here. I have Damnation and Living Death for sweeping removal, but not a key win con, so I am doing the living weapon. For New Phyrexia I could do Entomber Exarch or Sheoldred. Or Phyrexian Ingester if I want more removal. I do Sheoldred to give me an Abyss for my foes and free recursion for me.

Innistrad Block

Benjamin here ran Blasphemous Act, Tragic Slip and Craterhoof Behemoth. I like the first and third, mass removal we can come back from with Horde of Notions activations is great. The Act is splashable, so I am tossing it in.

Slip doesn't make sense here, how about Mikaeus, the Unhallowed? He's harder to cast, but I have emphasized Black, and if I drop him later than turn 6, it's still a powerhouse with the Dread ability and then undying. I cannot run the triple-Green Craterhoof. What else here? Borderland Ranger? Cavern of Souls after Conspiracy? Deadeye Navigator? Restoration Angel? Soul of the Harvest for card flow? I have narrowed it down to Soul, Deadeye and Angel. All three work quite well here! The Navigator and Angel can blink my ETB stuff and the Soul can turn my heavy dork presence into key card flow. No Angel, just Navigator and Soul. I have emphasized Blue for double Blue with my two counters. I go with the double-Blue Navigator.

Return to Ravnica Block

Benjamin did Cyclonic Rift, Boros Charm and Lavinia of the Tenth which is more of two good stuff picks and a legendary for his theme. They reprinted the Shock duals here in the first two sets. That's what I am doing. Since I have the other Black Shocks, I am running the Overgrown one. Then I am running the Pool one since I have three double Blue and two double Green.

I'm not doing a Gate for Dragon's Maze so I'll do something else. What? Scion of Vitu-Ghazi? Trostani's Summoner? Lavinia isn't bad. Deputy of Acquittals? I also really like Savageborn Hydra as a win con. I'm doing Deputy since I can bounce an ETB and recast it for another trigger. I can also cast it with flash for just two mana to bounce a key dork too my hand to protect it from removal like the Navigator or Horde with too many Commander Taxes. It's a nice answer to removal both targeted, mass and burn based as well as ETB synergy.

Theros Block

What did Benjamin do here? Read the Bones, a Temple and a Mana Confluence. What do I want? This is the heavy devotion theme block. I could do Devotion to Black, since I am running a lot of Black stuff. Gray Merchant works, but I also really like Abhorrent Overlord. I could do a Temple in Born of the Gods but it's the same set as Courser of Kruphix, and Satyr Wayfinder. I do the Satyr.

Tarkir Block

This is a deep block for a Five Color Commander deck. You have the 5 enemy color tap lands as an example. Benjamin did Nomad Outpost and then two legendaries for his theme in Tasigur and Dragonlord Dromoka. I like the tri tap, and I can do one with Black and Blue and Green (Opulent Palace). Or I can go a Fetch land reprint, whichever I prefer. Since it taps for all three colors with two colors of mana, I do the Palace.

Fate Reforged could give Arashin Cleric, the Siege Cycle, Jeskai Barricade, but my choice is the Orc Warrior. It's a splashable Black three-drop that forces everyone to sacrifice a dork so it's an Edict on a stick, but it hits you too, but here that's fine. The Vizier is my final choice! Here we can get a five-drop 4/6 with deathtouch, and then on arrival you'll sacrifice yours to tutor. In a deck with this much going wide and ETB stuff you'll have plenty of fodder for this after they've gotten their ETB to trigger and resolve. Since we are built around Conspiracy and Ashes of the Fallen, I need that Tutor. I also really like Vulturous Aven here.

We are now leaving behind the 3 set Blocks and entering the era of two set blocks.

Battle for Zendikar Block, Shadows over Innistrad

Benjamin did two Gruul legendaries from Battle block (Mina and Denn and Omnath) and Anguished Unmaking. I like the Unmaking as a universal removal spell. We have the allied dual lands in Blue and Black that I am doing. The Mage is a three-drop 2/3 with a Man-o'-War ability that also prevents casting this turn. It's nice tempo. Then the Unmaking works too as a universal removal spell that answers anything not named land and at instant speed.

Eldritch Moon; Kaladesh Block

Benjamin did Thalia take two, Rashmi and Rishkar. Three legendary stuff. Tutor has to be here since we need that key thing we've built around for Kaladesh, and we couldn't add it in the first printing. For EM, Bedlam Reveler would be nice but not easy to cast. And then the Spell Queller is strong here. It's flash three-drop, counters something with a cost 4 or fewer, so it's a counter on a stick, giving us a third creature counter after Mystic Snake and Draining Whelk. What about Aether Revolt? Felidar Guardian? Maverick Thopterist? Renegade Rallier? Walking Ballista? Let's do the Guardian. It can blink an ETB dork.

Amonkhet Block and Ixalan

Here Benjamin did a cycling dual land, and then Shefet Dunes and then Dowsing Dagger. I do like the idea of a dual cyclier, so let's do the Black/red one. I don't like Dunes or other options so why not Champion of Wits? Sifter Wurm? I am going to do the Wurm since I need a beater. Ixalan? Hostage Taker? Growing Rites? I like them both! Let's do the Taker! It'll exile an opposing artifact or creature and then bring you can cast it with any color of mana! It's an answer and a steal effect in one card!!

Rivals of Ixalan, Dominaria, Guilds of Ravnica

Benjamin rocked Wayward Swordtooth, Jhoira and Assassin's Trophy as a generic all answer. What do I want? Dire Fleet Daredevil?

But this is down to Ravenous Chupacabra and the best planeswalker for this deck, Angrath, the Flame-Chained. Angrath is amazing in multiplayer and Commander with his +1 to force everyone else to discard and lose a pair of life, so he's card advantage and then a win con in one body. The Chupacabra is the best Nekrataal printed. Both are very strong. What do I want? Angrath! His -3 will Threaten anything and kill it if it's a cheaper thing. I go for the missed Siege-Gang Commander earlier here since it makes a bunch of dorks and then can sacrifice them. Then another Shock Dual from Guilds.

Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, Throne of Eldraine

Benjamin here is running Growth Spiral, Narset and Grumgully. I need more lands, so Hallowed Fountain is perfect.

Domri is great here. Just three mana for a three drop that has 3 loyalty and a +1 to make mana for casting anything, not just creatures, and then your dorks are uncounterable this turn. Ramp and unable to be answered. And then they get a bonus power too when they swing at stuff. Then you can -2 him to fight another dork, so backup removal here. Throne has the Castle land cycle, Embercleave, Harmonious Archon, The Great Henge, and the fighting Thorn Mammoth. But I really like here the two-drop Charming Prince, which has three ETB options on a two-drop Bear body. Scry 2, gain 3 life, or flicker another dork for another ETB trigger. Nasty here!

Theros Beyond Death, Ikora, Zendikar Rising

I do the obvious Lamia from our return to Theros. It's a five-drop 4/4 with lifelink, splashable, that puts one card from my deck into my graveyard of any sort, not just creatures. I like a Triome too, we'll do the one that taps for Green, Blue and Black. I also like a modal spell/land from Zendikar Rising. I'm doing the Rebirth and Mire, which can be cast when a key dork is about to die, lose two life and then it ETBS again, so you can use that to protect Horde of Notions or to get another key ETB trigger. Nasty!

Strixhaven, D&D, Midnight Hunt

Benjamin here? Went with Wandering Archaic and two lands in Hive and Haunted Ridge. In the first set I really like Callous Bloodmage, and Bookwurm. A beater with card flow or the three options of the Bloodmage that exile a graveyard, draw a card or make a 1/1 Pest token. Three options to sculpt for the battlefield. That's why I do, and it's here for the exiling, but the card flow is the likely use normally. I could do an ETB tapped lands that turn into a dork with three great options. Two are win cons and the other is graveyard removal. I'm doing Hall since I prefer the bigger 7/7 with ward 3 to protect itself. Then I am doing the land from Midnight Hunt.

Crimson Vow, Neon Dynasty, Streets

Benjamin did three lands here, so I will too. I am doing Shattered Sanctum. Benjamin did Boseiju but I prefer Takenuma, Abandoned Mire since you can channel it for no more than 4 to mill 3 and raise a dork or planeswalker to your hand, so recursion in land form. That self-mill can set up a bigger Living Death or more options for your Horde to recur. Then I am doing Xander's Lounge that taps for all three Grixis colors. That puts me at 36 lands plus a modal spell land where Benjamin had 35 lands, so I am one better already.

Dominaria United, The Brothers' War, Phyrexia: All Will be One

I need more lands, so we are doing the dual land Dimir. Ditto The Brothers' War which reprinted the enemy pain lands, enter the Golgari one. What do I want from One? Contagious Vorrac? Cruel Grimnarc? Indoctrination Attendant? Transplant Theorist? I like the Vorrac. On arrival it digs four, puts a land into your hand and the rest into your library, so it's a three drop Satyr Wayfinder. That's my 60th non land but I have a modal spell/land, so that's really 59.

It looks like I still have two slots left, but Benjamin had 100 cards after One. I went and double-checked last week's article and I was missing Flametongue Kavu and Mystic Snake on that list so I added them in. Anyways I could be missing adding in two things here and there, but let's add two more and call it.

March of the Machine, Alpha

What do I want in March? Phyrexian Gargantua? Ravenous Sailback is a Naturalize. Overgrown Pest? Oracle of Tragedy? Actually, I really like Archpriest of Shadows which can swing to reanimate a dork from my graveyard to the battlefield as a backup Horde of Notions if it's answered or I don't control my Ashes or Conspiracy. Repeatable recursion! Sol Ring is duh!

New York Commander Horde of Notions | Commander | Abe Sargent

• Commander (1)
• 1 Horde of Notions

• Creatures (39)
• 1 Anathemancer
• 1 Ancient Hydra
• 1 Archpriest of Shadows
• 1 Avalanche Riders
• 1 Avatar of Woe
• 1 Bloom Tender
• 1 Callous Bloodmage
• 1 Charming Prince
• 1 Contagious Vorrac
• 1 Corpse Connoisseur
• 1 Deadeye Navigator
• 1 Deputy of Acquittals
• 1 Draining Whelk
• 1 Eternal Dragon
• 1 Eternal Witness
• 1 Faceless Butcher
• 1 Felidar Guardian
• 1 Flametongue Kavu
• 1 Genesis
• 1 Graveyard Lamia
• 1 Grey Merchant of Asphodel
• 1 Hostage Taker
• 1 Keldon Vandals
• 1 Merciless Executioner
• 1 Mikaeus, the Unhallowed
• 1 Mystic Snake
• 1 Nekrataal
• 1 Ninja of the Deep Hours
• 1 Reveillark
• 1 Satyr Wayfinder
• 1 Seedborn Muse
• 1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
• 1 Sidisi, Undead Vizier
• 1 Siege-Gang Commander
• 1 Sifter Wurm
• 1 Skinthinner
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Spell Queller
• 1 Wall of Omens

• Planeswalkers (2)
• 1 Angrath, the Flame-Chained
• 1 Domri, Anarch of Bolas

• Spells (10)
• 1 Anguished Unmaking
• 1 Blasphemous Act
• 1 Buried Alive
• 1 Damnation
• 1 Diabolic Tutor
• 1 Entomb
• 1 Living Death
• 1 Malakir Rebirth
• 1 Memory Lapse
• 1 Swords to Plowshares

• Enchantments (3)
• 1 Conspiracy
• 1 Survival of the Fittest
• 1 Sylvan Library

• Artifacts (7)
• 1 Ashes of the Fallen
• 1 Ashnod's Altar
• 1 Bonehoard
• 1 Fellwar Stone
• 1 Phyrexian Altar
• 1 Skullclamp
• 1 Sol Ring

• Lands (38)
• 1 Bad River
• 1 Blood Crypt
• 1 Bojuka Bog
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 1 Canyon Slough
• 1 City of Brass
• 1 Contaminated Aquifer
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Forbidden Orchard
• 1 Forest
• 1 Frost Marsh
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Hall of Storm Giants
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Island
• 1 Llanowar Wastes
• 1 Mana Confluence
• 1 Mountain
• 1 Opulent Palace
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Phyrexian Tower
• 1 Plains
• 1 Rainbow Vale
• 1 Reflecting Pool
• 1 Shattered Sanctum
• 1 Shipwreck Marsh
• 1 Steam Vents
• 1 Sunken Hollow
• 1 Swamp
• 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
• 1 Tolaria West
• 1 Thawing Glaciers
• 1 Verdant Catacombs
• 1 Volrath's Stronghold
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Wooded Foothills
• 1 Xander's Lounge
• 1 Zagoth Triome

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100 total! I hope! And there we are! I hope you enjoy my combining New York Format with Commander! What would you do?