Hello, everyone! I'm Levi from the Thought Vessel Show, and today marks the beginning of a new article series here on Coolstuffinc: Commander Kryptonite.

Introducing Commander Kryptonite

In this series, we'll explore popular and challenging commanders across the multiverse, delving into their origins, deck mechanics, strengths, weaknesses, and ultimately how to defeat them. Every pod has that one deck no one can beat--until now. It's only fitting to kick off this series with the most popular and toxic commander of all time, the Phyrexian Angel herself: Atraxa, Praetors' Voice.

The Commander

Atraxa made her debut in the preconstructed Commander decks of 2016, when Wizards of the Coast introduced five four-color Commander decks, providing new options for color combinations. This also marked the introduction of Partner commanders, which significantly shaped the cEDH space. Atraxa, particularly in the sans-red Commander deck, quickly became a favorite. As a creature, Atraxa is formidable, boasting flying, vigilance, deathtouch, lifelink, and 4 power and toughness. What truly sets Atraxa apart is her ability: "At the beginning of your end step, proliferate." This powerful effect enables players to add various counters, cementing Atraxa as the most-built commander even nine years after her debut. While there are many ways to build around Atraxa, this article will focus on her most popular build as of December 2023: Infect.

Let's look at an average deck for Atraxa Infect.

Atraxa Infect | Commander | EDHRec Average List

• Commander (1)
• 1 Atraxa, Praetors' Voice

• Creatures (24)
• 1 Blightbelly Rat
• 1 Treetop Snarespinner
• 1 Quilled Greatwurm
• 1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
• 1 Blighted Agent
• 1 Bloated Contaminator
• 1 Bloodroot Apothecary
• 1 Contaminant Grafter
• 1 Dreamtide Whale
• 1 Evolution Sage
• 1 Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres
• 1 Ichor Rats
• 1 Metastatic Evangel
• 1 Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa
• 1 Phyrexian Swarmlord
• 1 Plague Stinger
• 1 Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon
• 1 Skrelv's Hive
• 1 Skrelv, Defector Mite
• 1 Tainted Observer
• 1 Venerated Rotpriest
• 1 Vishgraz, the Doomhive
• 1 Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
• 1 Voidwing Hybrid

• Artifacts (9)
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Astral Cornucopia
• 1 Chromatic Lantern
• 1 Contagion Clasp
• 1 Contagion Engine
• 1 Glistening Sphere
• 1 Everflowing Chalice
• 1 Lightning Greaves
• 1 Sol Ring

• Enchantments (5)
• 1 Phyrexian Arena
• 1 The Seedcore
• 1 Rhystic Study
• 1 Skrelv's Hive
• 1 Norn's Decree

• Spells (19)
• 1 Counterspell
• 1 Atomize
• 1 Drown in Ichor
• 1 Fleeting Flight
• 1 Experimental Augury
• 1 Infectious Bite
• 1 Infectious Inquiry
• 1 Path to Exile
• 1 Prologue to Phyresis
• 1 Tezzeret's Gambit
• 1 Vraska's Fall
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Farseek
• 1 Contentious Plan
• 1 Inexorable Tide
• 1 Thirsting Roots
• 1 Radstorm
• 1 White Sun's Twilight
• 1 Unnatural Restoration

• Planeswalkers (4)
• 1 Ajani, Sleeper Agent
• 1 Tezzeret's Gambit
• 1 Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
• 1 Zimone, Paradox Sculptor

• Lands (32)
• 1 Arcane Sanctum
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Gloomlake Verge
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Hushwood Verge
• 1 Indatha Triome
• 1 Karn's Bastion
• 1 Marsh Flats
• 1 Misty Rainforest
• 1 Opulent Palace
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Path of Ancestry
• 1 Raffine's Tower
• 1 Sandsteppe Citadel
• 1 Seaside Citadel
• 1 Spara's Headquarters
• 1 Temple Garden
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Windswept Heath
• 1 Zagoth Triome
• 3 Forest
• 2 Island
• 2 Plains
• 2 Swamp

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Overview of the Deck

The most important thing to remember is that whenever a player accumulates their 10th poison counter, they lose the game outright, no exceptions. Infect, a mechanic originating in Scars of Mirrodin, changes the way damage interacts with the game. Instead of dealing traditional damage to players, creatures with infect deal damage in the form of poison counters, inching opponents closer to their doom. Against other creatures, infect applies -1/-1 counters, shrinking or outright neutralizing threats on the battlefield. This dual utility makes infect an incredibly versatile and deadly mechanic. Atraxa, Praetors' Voice, takes this mechanic to another level with her ability to proliferate, allowing poison counters to stack up even faster without needing additional attacks.

Strengths

With sets like March of the Machine and Phyrexia: All Will Be One providing cards, the deck features numerous creatures capable of dealing poison counters, often at low mana costs, enabling early-game aggression that Atraxa can pick up and run with on later turns. Atraxa's proliferate ability rapidly increases poison counters while weakening opponents' creatures through -1/-1 counters. Some decks will take advantage of combat tricks which further enhance the deck's potency by allowing kills out of nowhere.

Weaknesses

While the deck can be fast, Infect creatures are generally small and not as numerous. Early blockers, even simple ones like a Llanowar Elves, can delay the initial wave of attacks. Additionally, players often perceive poison as a larger threat than it is, making it easier to recruit them to team up against Atraxa. Moreover, Infect doesn't cause life loss, meaning players can remain at high life totals even after the Atraxa player is defeated, allowing them to leverage cards like Necropotence, Bolas's Citadel, or The One Ring.

Plan of Attack

The strategy against Atraxa unfolds in three phases: early game, middle game, and endgame.

In the early game, focus on preventing Atraxa's Infect creatures from connecting through trades or removal. Don't hesitate to chump block or trade off your creatures. Demonstrating a willingness to trade can redirect attacks elsewhere. Ensure that if the Atraxa player distributes poison counters, your opponents receive them, not you--this positioning will pay off in the middle game.

In the middle game, as opponents begin to feel the pressure of poison counters, propose alliances to "deal with" the Infect problem. Once aligned, establish your board while Atraxa's presence diverts attention. Honor your commitments, but retain some removal and blockers for the post-Atraxa phase when you'll need resources to contend with the remaining players or the next strongest deck.

If alliances fail and the game reaches a free-for-all endgame, keeping Atraxa off the field becomes crucial. This minimizes the threat of poison counters and keeps creatures small. Once combat pressure is under control, your primary vulnerability is to proliferate effects--neutralize these with spells or permanents. With these threats managed, you can secure victory through stronger creatures or combos.

Beware These Cards!

Here are some common Atraxa cards to watch for, even if they don't seem immediately threatening:

• Blighted Agent - This unblockable creature bypasses blockers to deal Infect damage. With +1/+1 counters, auras, equipment, or combat tricks, it can eliminate players seemingly out of nowhere.
• Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa - A source of poison counters that also provides card advantage and theft, granting the deck significant staying power.
• Evolution Sage - In a four-color deck with many fetch lands, this creature can proliferate across the table for an early win.
• Inexorable Tide - Similar to Evolution Sage, this card proliferates with every noncreature spell cast, making it a must-remove threat.
• Vraska, Betrayal's Sting - This planeswalker offers a swift win condition, proliferating itself and poison counters while providing card advantage. Its -9 ability can leave opponents at nine poison counters, making victory nearly guaranteed. Prioritize removing this card.
• Contagion Engine - This card combines a board wipe with a repeatable, double board wipe. The game will not go on for much longer if this sticks around.

Commander Kryptonite

Are you struggling against an Atraxa Infect deck? Here are some cards you should consider adding to you deck to use as silver bullets:

• Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite - Ironically combating Phyrexia with Phyrexia, Elesh Norn's -2/-2 effect clears small Infect creatures and can make it much harder to Atraxa to impact the game in the middle and end game.
• Melira, Sylvok Outcast - A literal anti-Infect card, this creature prevents poison counters and -1/-1 counters altogether.
• Leeches - An unusual card from Homelands, this three-mana sorcery removes all poison counters and replaces them with damage whh=ich can reset your poison total if you get too close to ten poison counters.
• Solemnity - This enchantment prevents counters entirely, shutting down Infect and enabling powerful combos. This may get some hate from the rest of the table however depending on what other commanders are being played.
• Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider - Another Phyrexian, this card halves poison counters and nullifies poison from 1-power creatures all together as well as proliferate.

And there you have it! The Commander Kryptonite breakdown of Atraxa, Praetors' Voice. I'd love to make this column interactive, so if you have a problematic commander in your group or want to see how players might plan against you, send an email to thoughtvesselshow@gmail.com. I'm looking forward to diving into this column with all of you. Until next time, happy gaming!