When you're playing a creature deck, nothing is scarier than Wrath of God. The more you care for the cards you deploy to the battlefield, the more cold sweat beads on your brow, knowing that all your creatures could be swept away with a single spell. Wraths are the bane of aggro strategies and the only effect that can keep them in check. That is, until now.
With the Core Set 2021 Planeswalker Basri Ket on the battlefield, we can cast Flawless Maneuver for free (the first time) from our command zone. This will protect our creatures from opposing sweepers. Basri even grants indestructibility himself. It only lasts until end of turn, but that's long if our intention is to clear the board with our own Wrath of God.
Have you ever dreamed of playing an aggro deck with its own Wrath effects? Now's your chance, in the new multiplayer format of Oathbreaker. We'll look into a deck that focuses more on tokens and Basri's -2 next, but for now let's hone a list that features over 20 creatures, which are either resilient to destruction or a prime target for Basri's +1. After clearing the board of opposing creatures, you will be able to attack to victory unopposed.
Basri's Hearties | Oathbreaker | AE Marling
- Locket (2)
- 1 Basri Ket
- 1 Flawless Maneuver
- Creatures (24)
- 1 Adanto Vanguard
- 1 Auriok Champion
- 1 Brightling
- 1 Cliffside Rescuer
- 1 Dauntless Bodyguard
- 1 Drannith Magistrate
- 1 Eidolon of Obstruction
- 1 Frontline Medic
- 1 Grateful Apparition
- 1 Knight of the White Orchid
- 1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
- 1 Luminous Broodmoth
- 1 Magus of the Disk
- 1 Mangara, the Diplomat
- 1 Mirran Crusader
- 1 Oreskos Explorer
- 1 Seasoned Hallowblade
- 1 Selfless Savior
- 1 Speaker of the Heavens
- 1 Selfless Spirit
- 1 Heliod, God of the Sun
- 1 Odric, Master Tactician
- 1 Oketra the True
- 1 Taranika, Akroan Veteran
- Planeswalkers (2)
- 1 Gideon Blackblade
- 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
- Sorceries (5)
- 1 Austere Command
- 1 Day of Judgment
- 1 Fumigate
- 1 Hour of Revelation
- 1 Wrath of God
- Artifacts (4)
- 1 Pearl Medallion
- 1 Heart of Kiran
- 1 Shadowspear
- 1 Skysovereign, Consul Flagship
- Lands (23)
- 17 Plains
- 1 Castle Ardenvale
- 1 Daru Encampment
- 1 Field of Ruin
- 1 Mishra's Factory
- 1 Secluded Steppe
- 1 Wasteland
We play five Wraths, which is a lot for a 58-card deck. Magus of the Disk could even count as a sixth, one that is additionally potent when granted indestructible. Would you care to sweep the board every turn, leaving Basri around and gaining loyalty?
All our creatures can attac. Many, like Selfless Savior, can protec. Most importantly, they've got Basri's bac. We could hold some creatures in hand, if we are also gripping a Wrath of God, but most of the time we shouldn't need to. Some of our creatures, like Adanto Vanguard, are naturally resilient. Others, like Mirran Crusader, we want Basri to save with his +1. Others can dodge sweepers entirely, such as Oketra the True and vehicles.
Vehicles allow us to extend our board even further without making us more vulnerable to sweepers. Now, it is true that spells that destroy artifacts will break them. That just means that before you cast Hour of Revelation, crew your vehicle and give it indestructible with Basri.
You can march a whole battalion safely through a sweeper with the help of Odric, Master Tactician. Thank you, @MaelstromRhonas for pointing that out. Indestructibility is quite the tactic.
Our aggro-Wrath strategy goes beyond my wildest fantasies. The only problem is that it doesn't synergize too well with Basri's other abilities, such as his -2. Making more tokens isn't so fun if our intentions are to clear the board. Now let's take another route and explore going wider, with creatures that want to create more token friends.
Basri's Tokens | Oatbhreaker | AE Marling
- Locket (2)
- 1 Basri Ket
- 1 Flawless Maneuver
- Creatures (25)
- 1 Accorder Paladin
- 1 Auriok Champion
- 1 Basri's Lieutenant
- 1 Benalish Marshal
- 1 Boros Elite
- 1 Drannith Magistrate
- 1 Eidolon of Obstruction
- 1 Goldnight Commander
- 1 Grateful Apparition
- 1 Haazda Marshal
- 1 Hanweir Militia Captain
- 1 Hero of Bladehold
- 1 Jazal Goldmane
- 1 Knight of the White Orchid
- 1 Kytheon, Hero of Akros
- 1 Leonin Vanguard
- 1 Mentor of the Meek
- 1 Oketra the True
- 1 Signal Pest
- 1 Skymarcher Aspirant
- 1 Snubhorn Sentry
- 1 Soul Warden
- 1 Soul's Attendant
- 1 Speaker of the Heavens
- 1 Weathered Wayfarer
- Planeswalkers (1)
- 1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
- Instants (1)
- 1 Swords to Plowshares
- Sorceries (3)
- 1 Basri's Solidarity
- 1 Hour of Reckoning
- 1 Launch the Fleet
- Enchantments (3)
- 1 Cathars' Crusade
- 1 Conclave Tribunal
- 1 Grasp of Fate
- Artifacts (2)
- 1 Eldrazi Monument
- 1 Skullclamp
- Lands (23)
- 17 Plains
- 1 Castle Ardenvale
- 1 Daru Encampment
- 1 Mishra's Factory
- 1 Mutavault
- 1 Secluded Steppe
- 1 Windbrisk Heights
In this version of the deck we're still protecting our own creatures with Flawless Maneuver, but we care less about destroying our opponents'. Instead we want to deploy as many creatures as possible, with Basri Ket's -2, and go even wider.
Cards like Hero of Bladehold will help us create tokens and pump them (if you stack the battle cry trigger on the bottom). Meanwhile Boros Elite and other cards benefit from having an army in play, and we want as many 1-cost cards as we can realistically include because they are the most explosive with Basri.
The soul sisters get even better with all these tokens we're creating. We could play more lifegain synergies, but in this format gaining life is its own reward. Over the course of the game Soul Warden can gain 10 or more life, which is a huge benefit in a multiplayer format where you start off at a vulnerable 20. Speaker of the Heavens is both a payoff and a great card to pump with Basri Ket's +1.
Our biggest payoffs include Cathars' Crusade and Goldnight Commander. With one on the battlefield you should be able to win with the next solid attack.
Though we are playing the two biggest Spike creatures in the format, Eidolon of Obstruction and Drannith Magistrate, we're also including some flavorful ones in Basri's Lieutenant and Basri's Solidarity. If you don't wish to name-drop Basri as much, you could go with Brimaz, King of Oreskos and Together Forever.
During the preview season, Basri Ket made a dramatic entrance, with an emphasis on the drama. The initial marketing blurb made this White 'Walker sound more than a little villainous, which it seems was not the intent. Though this post was deleted by Wizards of the Coast, I've dredged it up here because more than one person has told me they wished to read it.
This backstory gives me the creeps, which is in keeping with the dystopian society constructed by Bolas on Amonkhet. White characters can be antagonists, crushing individuality for what they perceive as the greater good. I believe this was a reasonable direction to take Basri Ket, but it's not what some members of the community were hoping for in the next White Planeswalker. This may also not be the right time to cast aspersions on someone seeking unity and solidarity. Indeed, at the time I wondered if the individual who wrote that marketing blurb also was muttering under their breath, "Damn SJW's!"
Whatever the reason, Wizards of the Coast said the first post was an error and provided this update.
Wow! From zero to hero, Basri will champion the best values of his fallen god in his journeys through the Multiverse. Specifically, this paladin summons glittering auras of sand that plume in bursts of hope around himself and his allies. Amonkhet society taught him solidarity is a virtue, and he's deft at leading teams of soldiers to victory.
He did just that in the Trial of Solidarity. Proving himself to the god he worshipped created such a spiritual experience in him that his spark ignited. I've long asked for more Planeswalkers to spark based on positive events, not merely trauma, and I'm delighted by Basri's backstory.
And it gets better, though not for him. Once he found his bearings and returned to Amohkhet, he found himself in a smoking ruin. Everything he believed in had been obliterated by Bolas, and his god had been a lie. Or so he first thought. As he rallied the survivors, he came to realize that Oketra's teachings were still true. People were better when they worked together with mutual respect. At the same time he rebuilt his people a new home, he rebuilt his faith.
Twice proven in the trials of Amonkhet, Basri Ket is ready to prove himself to you on the multiplayer battlefield.