Jumpstart Partners

Posted on September 1, 2020

In the new format of Jumpstart we can design our own themes much like we can in other casual formats like Commander. This time we're doing it one pack at a time. In competitive Draft, our decks will often contain subthemes of synergy. In Jumpstart, we slam two themes together as we shuffle. Cutting out the build time, we leap straight into the play. It may be that our two packs have complementary themes. It may be they are nothing alike. Either way, we'll experience something new while having fun with friends.

In the upcoming set of Commander Legends, what's old is new again. Baron Sengir was originally printed in Homelands, a set that was all gas in terms of worldbuilding and no brakes in terms of play-testing. The cards were flavorful but often derpy. The awkward teen phase of Baron Sengir's card is now over, and we have a new version we can be excited to play in Jumpstart.

Sengir's Vampires | Jumpstart | AE Marling

Instants (1)
1 Tragic Slip

Lands (8)
7 Swamp
1 Castle Sengir

The original Jumpstart features four packs of Vampires, with a theme of lifegain synergy. For Sengir's Vampires, I wanted a new side of these noble undead. I focused on the parasitic relationship of a ruling class toward those that serve them.

Sengir Autocrat represents the middle management in a kingdom run by bloodsuckers. This human oversees the poor serfs which vampires exploit. Few cards in Magic history put four creatures into play for so cheap a cost. Given the uniqueness of this card and its flavor, I included a second copy. This gives us more serfs to sacrifice to our greedy vampires, such as Bloodflow Connoisseur. Every time one of the lower class expends their life in service of their lord, Sengir, the Dark Baron gains power (and toughness).

In the lore, Baron Sengir was summoned by a Planeswalker to Ulgrotha then abandoned. Though powerful, he had no power to leave the plane on his own. In his search for escape, he found a mysterious dwarven gate. One by one he sent his fanged minions through, but they never returned to tell him what awaited beyond. These vampires would turn into the sickly lineage we see on Dominaria as Sengir Vampire.

Bound by fear to his plane, Baron Sengir set about entrenching his power. He captured others from Ulgrotha and forced them to join his undead family. When the Planeswalkers Feroz and Serra (yes, that Serra) intruded onto his domain, Sengir opposed them. Most memorably, he corrupted one of Serra's paladins into Ihsan's Shade.

This card was one of the few from Homelands played in tournaments, when Swords to Plowshares was the game's best removal. Personally, I'm never including a 5/5 with protection from a color in our fun-focused Jumpstart packs, but I did slip in Castle Sengir. What does this land do for us, you ask? Well, it comes into play untapped.

Since we're trying to evoke distinct themes with these Jumpstart packs, the lands we choose matter. For Sengir's Vampires I would recommend picking Swamp cards from Innistrad sets. You can even see the ruined carriage from Driver of the Dead, perhaps after you sacrificed him to get back Blood Artist. I would also consider choosing basics with the crumbling architecture from Ravnica.

Sengir, the Dark Baron contains the keyword partner, which unfortunately has no relevance to our format. At first, I thought it meant we could search up other cards with partner, but no, that's "partners with". No, I'm not happy to have been mislead by the similar keyword names. Nonetheless, our next two packs will feature partners in keyword as well as in lore.

This couple tracks through the Kessig Wolf Run on Innistrad, and I recommend choosing basic lands from that plane. They featured in flavor text from the original block and in this story from Shadows Over Innistrad. Make no mistake, these are cannon Gruulfriends. It is right and correct to have them printed as partners, even if we deserved more representation from our cast of Planeswalkers.

Halana's Hunters | Jumpstart | AE Marling

Instants (1)
1 Ranger's Guile

Lands (8)
7 Forest
1 Thriving Grove

I first envisioned partner legends able to tutor each other up. Our rangers should've been able to find each other with their true love. Unfortunately, "partner" here only applies to the command zone, which we aren't using. Instead I included two copies of our key uncommon for improved consistency.

Once you have Halana, Kessig Ranger in play, Ambush Viper turns into a Nekrataal. Deathtouch is particularly attractive with this ability. That led me through a dark forest to Nightshade Peddler, and from there I decided to include more creatures with soulbond. The ability is very strong in Limited, and Druid's Familiar and friends may make this pack stronger than average. I did include some weaker cards in Ravaging Riftwurm and Skyshroud Ridgeback. Though they don't remain long on the battlefield, their high-power-to-cost ratio makes them strong with Halana and her partner, Alena.

Though Elvish Ranger would be another solid choice, I decided to exclude creature types not normally found on the plane of Innistrad. For the same reason, I left out Crocodile of the Crossing from Amonkhet; those predatory creatures would've worked well with the rangers' abilities.

High-power creatures have added utility for both of the Gruulfriends. This is a case where the themes of the two packs work well together. On Arena, Jumpstart packs were chosen at random. At your kitchen table, you can decide how exactly the packs are selected, and I would never blame you for bringing Halana and Alena together.

Alena's Alphas | Jumpstart | AE Marling

Sorceries (1)
1 Meteor Blast

Lands (8)
7 Mountain
1 Thriving Bluff

The simplest way to utilize Alena, Kessig Trapper is to give her haste. She can then tap and add, counted from her own power. To that end I added the wonderful Crashing Drawbridge and the older Battle Rampart. Now we have the interesting puzzle of what to do with that swirling firestorm of Red mana.

Firebreathing and level up both can make use of that fiery bounty. With either card you can attack for four in the air after playing a hasty Alena. I also rediscovered the old-school wizard of Storm Shaman. Of the various arts available for the card, I believe the Gruulfriends would most approve of this one.

Perhaps the Red-mana provided by Alena is from her hunt, which ends in bloody victory. The crimson river of Red-mana symbols will also allow you to cast color-intensive spells like Meteor Blast or to activate adamant on Embereth Paladin.

Again, I wanted these packs to be enough of a flavor match they don't draw you out of the Innistrad narrative. Embereth Paladin is close enough to something I might see on that Gothic plane that I don't mind the name, but if it doesn't work for you, consider Scorchwalker or Hulking Devil. The red-skinned creature is definitely from Innistrad, though I'm not sure why the devil would be working alongside Alena. The same could be said of Vildin-Pack Outcast, though the mutating werewolf is such a good mana sink I decided I could make an exception.

That concludes the packs inspired by the Commander Legends teaser. But I typically build four a week. For the last in the quartet, I'll include the second color for Vraska, Swarm's Eminence. You can find her Black pack in an earlier article. I wanted to feature her Green one too as I enjoy her as a character in her fungal finery as much as I adore her uncommon Planeswalker card.