Hello all! Happy days to all of your awesome-ness! Today I wanted to talk about multiplayer/Commander theory a little bit, specifically why I like to run critters in my brews. Many Commander players and multiplayer dorks have been replacing dorks (and other permanents) like Phyrexian Arena with Sign in Blood. But I typically don't outside of specific needs.

Before I look at the reasons I like to run them, let's turn to the reasons against!

The Case Against Creatures

Reason #1: Every color and deck has answers

The first reason to not run dorks is that every deck and color identity in Commander has answers for them. For example, Swords to Plowshares in White, Pongify in Blue, Beast Within in Green, Murder in Black and Chaos Warp and burn in Red. Since creatures are a key part of the game, every color can answer them!

Abe's Counter: Sure, just make sure your dorks aren't the biggest threat so folks won't send targeted removal your way. Another way to dodge is to make sure is that you get your value from them first, like Consecrated Sphinx, prior to the removal spell targeted their way.

Reason #2: Critters can get caught up in Mass Removal

Another major issue against dorks is that they can get caught up in mass removal that other players at the kitchen table are playing to save themselves or keep themselves alive. In multiplayer, people are often facing different board states, and so some need to cast that Wrath of God or Damnation just to stay alive. And your dorks will get caught up and get destroyed.

Abe's Counter: Absolutely, true, this is the biggest issue with dorks. Therefore, run just a few at a time, or mass removal answers like Heroic Intervention and Teferi's Protection to save your stuff from mass or targeted removal. Or get their value first too, like the aforementioned Sphinx.

Reason #3: Immediate Benefit

The Phyrexian Arena example above is that you get the benefit now. So, for example, if you are digging for an answer to your foe' s problem, Sign in Blood et all will let you do it, not the Arena. The Arena is slower value over time, and if destroyed won't ever get you cards. That's the issue with dorks too, they don't get you the benefit now.

Abe's Counter: Sure thing, I'd argue that there's a place for both in decks for that reason. You need to dig now and to draw over time. There are places for both.

Reason #4: You cannot use them at instant speed

Next let's turn to the issue of not being able to cast them at instant speed in response to a key thing. Or just to draw to find answers like the aforementioned Fact or Fiction. You cannot counter without Counterspell, you cannot answer things easily, you cannot dig and more.

Abe's Counter: This is typically true, sure thing. For example, if you run Nekrataal for removal, what happens when someone casts a dork that'll be bad and puts the equip of Lightning Greaves on the stack so you cannot respond later? I've got you! There are a few ways around this. First, run flash enablers like Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir or Vedalken Orrery. Second, run flashing removal or answers like Mystic Snake for counters or Necron Deathmark. You can also mix here too, I like running emergency removal for anything like Generous Gift or Chaos Warp here too.

Let's look at reasons to run them!

The Case for Creatures

Reason #1: Mana Dorks

Let's start with Mana Dorks! First, any three-drop in Commander can only be cast on turn 2 with first turn mana dorks. After that, many Green decks move to second turn land ramping like Sakura-Tribe Elder to sac and Farseek for a third-turn, four-cost Commander, or similar ramp. Love this slate, sure, but mana dorks are often better.

Consider this:

Rampant Growth is often seen as a brilliant way to fix your mana. But the Caryatid can tap for all colors, not just one or two with Three Visits and a shock land. The more colors you have, the more the Caryatid will help. The Caryatid is harder to interfere with hexproof. Also, mana dorks tend to be cheaper on the secondary market save for Commander Classics, like Delighted Halfling.

Reason #2: Blocking and Chumps

Hello awesome folks! Now let's turn to ways to keep you alive by blocking and chump blocking, like Fog Bank or Commander Eesha. Both are blocking classics. What happens when someone drops a Blightsteel Colossus and swings? How do you survive? Enter blockers, like this or Caryatid above. Your dork will die, sure, but you'll be alive. Or you could run things like these and then people won't attack you, especially if you have taxes for going around them wide like Propaganda or Ghostly Prison. See also Birds of Paradise for jumping in front of a key flyer.

Reason #3: Attacking and Winning

Also, don't forget that it's not just ways to keep you alive and untattacked that dorks will do, but attack and win the game themselves with redzone play. From the original powerhouse that made Mono-White Control and won many a casual heart to the new versions and original Eldrazi Titans too! There are also non-red zone able win cons on dorks like Lab Maniac and Thassa's Oracle that win too, this time literally, not figuratively.

Reason #4: Get value now and then add a body

Like I mentioned as a counter to targeted removal in all colors is getting value now. Let's turn to that concept with this section, like Consecrated Sphinx. If you are drawing a card on arrival to the battlefield, then you are up a card even with removal, so things like Wall of Blossoms are great, and Mulldrifter is ideal with two. Esper Sentinel can also draw you cards as people cast their first non-dork each turn and don't pay that mana, so these are both Commander Classics.

Now let's turn to recursion on a stick, because here, you aren't up a card that was random but a dork on the battlefield or the best dead card in your hand. The five drop mono-White Angel Spirit can resurrect any dork back to your battlefield. The Sun Titan will recur any three cost or fewer permanent this time on arrival, or when it swings, more than just dorks, but cheaper stuff. The then uncommon Witness will cost three this time to recur your best thing to your hand this time, not to the battlefield, but can be anything, not just cheap stuff or dorks. See also Timeless Witness. These are Commander Classics as well.

Let's finish with ETB answers. Ravenous Chupacabra will Murder on arrival to the battlefield, but just opposing stuff, not yours. Flametongue Kavu has a bigger power at 4, and on arrival to the battlefield will shoot a dork only for 4 damage, this time it can hit itself. Reclamation Sage has a smaller 2/1 body on a cheaper three cost and Naturalizes on arrival. The idea behind this trio and way more from Acidic Slime to Angel of Despair is to immediately impact the board, then leave behind a problem that has to be answered itself. From the Slime that rocks the nasty deathtouch to trade up, or just trade down with a 2/2 Bear with the Flametongue after killing what you cared to, there are loads of great ways to make ETB 187 removal matter.

Reason #5: Protection from some Answers

Another key reason to run dorks is to avoid key removal that is played at the kitchen table, like the above three counters, all heavily played. If someone is trying to keep their stuff alive, and you Murder it, it can be countered by several spells, but not if you cast the Chupacabra or Kavu above. It's great there!

Another great reason in this genre is to answer answers and keep your team alive. My favorite of these is Guardian of Faith, costing three, with flash and a 3/2 on curve vigilance body that phases out all other dorks if you need, or a smaller subset. I also like dorks that are on curve already and sacrifices for free and no tapping to give your team the best answer in indestructible for the turn, like Selfless Spirit. Love dorks enabling your foes unable to answer your other dorks!

Reason #6: They wield Equipment:

Another key reason to add dorks to your decks is that they can grab equipment! Even a humble 0/1 flying Birds of Paradise can grab a piece of equipment and get their swing on! I adore this with Skullclamp to draw cards, the classic and broken Jitte to get counters and then gain life or kill stuff, or the best in its cycle Sword of Fire and Ice to draw and Shock something too for mad card advantage. From Batterskull to Sword of the Animist, get your equip on and run those dorks too!

Reason #7: Things you're built Around

Next up is stuff that you are already built around to add value to your brew. For example, in Spellslinger where you are casting loads of sorceries and instants with triggers, you'll want to flood the battlefield with bodies like Talrand, Sky Summoner or Young Pyromancer or kill with Guttersnipe. In Aristocrats where you are saccing, free sac things like the common Seer above can scry, and that's also great in Rakdos Self Sacrfice brews or in Reanimation to save your dork after it's targeted with a Swords to Plowshares. Also, the Blood Artist and others will kill slowly. From Gray Merchant of Asphodel to landfall stuff like Avenger of Zendikar, get your synergy groove on. From wins to landfall to card draw, this is what your deck is built around.

Reason #8: The Density of Creatures

A short while ago I wrote a series of Advanced Multiplayer theories around things, including the Density of Creatures, which you can find here, to find out more about it:

Advanced Multiplayer Strategies #2: The Density of Creatures | Article by Abe Sargent (coolstuffinc.com)

But the TLDR idea is this - you are going to be attacked and messed with at large, so you need bodies on the battlefield to keep people from coming your way or looking at you for removal or attacks. You need stuff, but see The Treasure Trove Effect here (Advanced Multiplayer Theory: The Treasure Trove Effect | Article by Abe Sargent (coolstuffinc.com)) a few weeks later. You don't want them to dominate, like Consecrated Sphinx, you just need to be good, but not broken. Adequate, but not amazing. Make sense? I hope so, check them out to see what I've already written.

I hope you enjoyed today's brew. See you next week when we'll stick with theory.