We've tried to play our opponents spells as much as possible before, but not like this. Rivals of Ixalan has given us a rival to rival our rivals and even our rivals' rivals (one of whom is us, so this rival even rivals us) -- a giant monster that even John Hammond would be afraid to summon. Etali, Primal Storm is everything a 75% player wants -- it's a big, stupid creature which is inherently pretty balanced, it's powerful which is good because it's expensive, it's Legendary which means if we want to commit to Red we can always have access to it and it casts their spells right off the top of their deck, which is probably the most 75% thing I've ever written down (and one time I wrote all of our rules down). Etali is great. The spells on top of their deck are random and unknowable (usually), but who cares? They might be duds, but they also might be giants.

I picked a pretty good motif for my article this week, because what could be more quixotic than trying to build a big mana deck in Mono-Red? Ixalan block gave us access to treasure, but like real gold, it's fleeting, hard to amass and easy to spend, and it's favored by Doomsday preppers. I don't brook Doomsday in a 75% deck because it makes your deck too linear. Still, if we can get a few Etali triggers, I bet we can swipe some mana rocks. Also, maybe we just cheat our expensive spells into play using Etali's ability and cards like Scroll Rack. Also, Braid of Fire is a thing. Why does no one remember Braid of Fire is a thing? I guess some people remember, it's the third-most-expensive card in Coldsnap. It also seems really tough to reprint, so if you don't have your copy, buy it now (sorry, that's that other article series I write). Anyway, Braid of Fire is great; and, if it sticks around, you'll be hard-casting Etali after four or five deaths, no problemo.

So we have a plan -- ramp to Etali, try and steal their gold pirate style and amass an army to beat them in the face. Our opponents are hulking giants, but we intend to do battle with them and slay them, using their own creatures and spells to do it, to boot. This is also as good a shell as any to test out a new cards I've been debating in a 75% context, Price of Glory. As much as I initially shied away from all things land destruction, the more we learn about 75% as an ethos (the theory continues to grow as we test it, which is gratifying) the more I think Kismet effects and punishment effects (Tectonic Instability being an example of both) can help the Red player keep up with faster colors with better ramp. Make Blue players be on their best behavior and make them let your spells resolve. I think Price of Glory is fine in this deck and lots of other Red ones. If you can't make them leave you alone, punish them for doing their antisocial Blue things; a bad year and a bad day to all backbiting Blue players.

What would such a pile look like?

A Tooth is More to be Prized than a Diamond -- Commander | Jason Alt

• Creatures (20)
• 1 Aladdin
• 1 Anger
• 1 Blightsteel Colossus
• 1 Bloodsworn Steward
• 1 Burnished Hart
• 1 Captivating Crew
• 1 Combat Celebrant
• 1 Combustible Gearhulk
• 1 Dire Fleet Daredevil
• 1 Dualcaster Mage
• 1 Generator Servant
• 1 Hellkite Charger
• 1 Hellkite Tyrant
• 1 Molten Primordial
• 1 Neheb, the Eternal
• 1 Otepec Huntmaster
• 1 Sandstone Oracle
• 1 Solemn Simulacrum
• 1 Tilonalli's Summoner
• 1 Urabrask the Hidden

• Instants (5)
• 1 Chaos Warp
• 1 Reverberate
• 1 Savage Beating
• 1 Wild Ricochet
• 1 Word of Seizing

• Sorceries (10)
• 1 Blasphemous Act
• 1 Brass's Bounty
• 1 Disrupt Decorum
• 1 Fury of the Horde
• 1 Insurrection
• 1 Mana Geyser
• 1 Relentless Assault
• 1 Seize the Day
• 1 Vandalblast
• 1 World at War

• Enchantments (7)
• 1 Aggravated Assault
• 1 Braid of Fire
• 1 Fervor
• 1 Mass Hysteria
• 1 Outpost Siege
• 1 Price of Glory
• 1 Sunbird's Invocation

• Artifacts (18)
• 1 Basalt Monolith
• 1 Caged Sun
• 1 Extraplanar Lens
• 1 Fire Diamond
• 1 Hammer of Purphoros
• 1 Hedron Archive
• 1 Lightning Greaves
• 1 Mind Stone
• 1 Mind's Eye
• 1 Ruby Medallion
• 1 Scroll Rack
• 1 Sensei's Divining Top
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Strionic Resonator
• 1 Swiftfoot Boots
• 1 Sword of Feast and Famine
• 1 Thran Dynamo
• 1 Worn Powerstone

• Lands (39)
• 30 Snow-Covered Mountain
• 1 Arcane Lighthouse
• 1 Flamekin Village
• 1 Forgotten Cave
• 1 Hanweir Battlements
• 1 Homeward Path
• 1 Myriad Landscape
• 1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1 Temple of the False God
• 1 Untaidake, the Cloud Keeper

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Our mana rocks are very precious to us and we want as many of them as possible, but don't be afraid to crack open a Dreamstone Hedron or Mind Stone to get some sweet, sweet cards. Luckily, playing and replaying our commander is going to give us enough card advantage that we shouldn't have to play a ton of spells, which should keep our hands fullish. Ramp as much as you can and then cast Etali. Manage the top of the library as much as you can to maximize the free spells you get (you can't do much about what is on top of their decks, but you can't complain about a free spell, really, even if you brick and hit land a lot). Don't be afraid to use your Scroll Rack aggressively. I left Sensei's Top in the list, but I'm not thrilled. I may end up cutting it just because I hate Top but it's probably too good not to play, especially in a deck like this. I use Crystal Ball in my Mayael deck and I'm not afraid to do that here, too.

I think Price of Glory will be fine, here. Land destruction can be a pretty antisocial thing to do, but, seeing as this just punishes them for being antisocial, this falls more under our rule about it being better to punish them for doing things than prevent them from doing things (by blowing up all of their land). What intelligent things we say sometimes. One would think we had studied!

What do we think? Is this too durdly? Is Etali too unpredictable a commander? Not enough treasure cards (I'm not jamming Trove of Temptation). Not 75% enough? Should we cut Top? Price of Glory? Let me know what you think in the comments section. Until next time!