It's been a hectic couple of weeks since I stopped writing rather suddenly and I feel like I owe an explanation to (anyone who reads my articles), I mean, my dedicated readers! I entered a ten week stretch where I head judged five Pro Tour Qualifiers all around Florida, traveled to Atlanta for another and was the score keeper at yet another PTQ not to mention a 5k. Aside from all that we can't forget the pre-release and release events! Magic is indeed alive and well and more fun than ever. Dale has done a great job in my absence and I've noticed that there are more than a few new faces but with any luck my snarky brand of writing will still find a home here.

While I like other formats well enough (I actually played in Armada Games-Games Day Tournament, yay textless Kalastria Highborn for me!), I typically find myself going back to the holy ground that is EDH. Much like Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, EDH is my Graceland. That being said, I've been tweaking various lists here and there and I plan on showing off the changes to Progenitus and Maga in the near future. However, with my first article back I feel like it's only fitting to debut the concept for a new deck!

After the Worldwake pre-release I found myself in a hotel room opening 5 boxes of Worldwake with my fellow Florida judges Todd "Jazzhands" Palmer and Matt "Soggybottom" Williams. I've read Dale's recent review of Worldwake for EDH and my evaluation is not quite as sterling. I saw few cards that would fit into my current schemes. Fortunately there is not a long wait for Rise of the Eldrazi, which already looks saucy!

Perhaps more unfortunate than the lack of new cards for my decks is the lack of new legends to be generals. Anyone who reads my articles on a regular basis knows I love to make new decks with the frequency Tyler Perry cranks out god-awful movies (seriously Tyler, Why did I get married too?) Even worse, the majority of those generals are mono-colored. Mono-color is boring! Green already has a super competitive general (Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary) and even worse if Omnath, Locus of Mana dies during an inopportune time (i.e. not my main phase) then that mana is gone. Red and Black aren't much better off, though I'd much rather just use Maga and red kind of has to cheat to win with a mono-colored build.

Blue is a little more interesting. Thada Adel, Acquisitor has a few good things going for him(or her, or whatever the hell you call a fish monster). There are a few problems I have with the deck. First, people see mono-blue and just decide that you should be taken out. Secondly, the body is so incredibly fragile that it almost never connects. Thirdly, which I'm almost sure is a real word, you actually have to pay the full cost of the artifact. A common misconception is that Thada Adel foots the bill for casting the card. That is not the case, Thada just gives you the option to cast the card, it doesn't chip in on the payment.

With four of the five candidates eliminated we shine our harsh light of criticism on Wrexial, the Risen Deep. Another quick checklist: Cool looking picture, check. Kraken, check. Jazzhands opened a foil one, check. Looks like we have a winner! Oh yeah, Wrexial also has a pretty cool ability and he's difficult to burn out and dodges most targeted removal. I guess those should probably make the checklist as well one of these days!

Now that we have a general we need to come up with some cards to use to take advantage of his awesome ability. Most players use graveyards as a storing grounds for later and I would like to use their graveyards for the same reason! Since I want players to have a full graveyard I figure this also opens mill up as a viable secondary win condition. It is important to remember that in a multiplayer game you need to have mill be universal. Single out a specific player and you ruin the game for someone, mill everyone and things at least seem a little fair. It's important to remember that EDH needs to be a fun, social event (at least in our group!)

I think this is also a prime opportunity to mix in a little layer 1/layer 2 action. According to Trick that was one of the more popular articles and I can tell you from playing the deck it's an amazingly fun deck to play. As fun as layer 1/layer 2 is, I think this deck gives us the opportunity to take things to the next level. We get all of the fun layer 1/layer 2 items with a little extra fun thrown in!

[caption id="attachment_3829" align="alignright" width="211" caption="Jace Beleren"][/caption]There are a few mill cards that already see play in layer 1/layer 2, Telemin Performance and Helm of Obedience, so they should be auto inclusions! Jace Beleren also mills (to some extent) so he gets the nod as well. Unfortunately that includes all the mill cards, but there are a great many steal thing type effects for us to (ironically) borrow.

Bribery and Treachery are both hilarious and deserve a spot in every EDH deck I play. Additionally, Persuasion and Desertion have become mainstays and are great ways of dealing with problem generals. Mindslaver is the ultimate theft card and will always be in my EDH lists!

Layer 1/layer 2 also gives us a great group of tutoring effects. Mystical and Personal tutors help us dig up answers to problem permanents, or just general shenanigans. Though it's technically not a tutor, Fact or Fiction always seems to dig up business as well! I also count Tezzeret as a tutor because of the saucy artifact array he brings to the table (I'm looking your direction Top, Scroll Rack.)

I can't wait to jump into the new toys black brings us, but unfortunately I'm starting to ramble so I think I will finish off this list next week! In addition to my list I'll hopefully be posting a list for Wrexial created by one Mr. Jazz Hands himself. I invite everyone to try both and see which you prefer! I don't profess to be a masterful deck builder and there are some who prefer a more straightforward strategy which I hope Todd can offer.

Until then, this is Benjamin McDole giving you a hundred reasons to play magic!