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COMMANDER(S)
Esika, God of the Tree // The Prismatic Bridge
QR Code
B G R U W
- Five-Color
Bracket
8.0 - 8.5
Bracket 5
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ANALYSIS

Overview:

This 5-color superfriends/prison deck leverages Esika, God of the Tree's Prismatic Bridge to cheat out game-warping planeswalkers and creatures. The strategy focuses on assembling planeswalker-based locks/stax (Narset, Parter of Veils + Teferi, Time Raveler) while accelerating into Doubling Season combos with ultimates like Teferi, Hero of Dominaria's emblem. Multiple free counterspells and premium tutors enable consistent early Bridge activations followed by overwhelming value.

Primer:

Core Strategy: Turbo out Prismatic Bridge by T3-4 using fast mana (Mana Vault, Chrome Mox), then use its free cheat effect to deploy planeswalkers that either lock opponents (Narset, Parter of Veils, Teferi, Time Raveler) or generate immediate wins through ultimates (Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, Teferi, Hero of Dominaria + Doubling Season). Backup plans include Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider-enhanced walkers and The Chain Veil infinite activations.

Mulligan Priorities:

  • Keep hands with 2 lands + 1-2 ramp pieces (Sol Ring, Birds of Paradise)
  • Prioritize T3 Bridge setups (e.g., Mana Crypt + Arcane Signet)
  • Reject hands without early ramp or color fixing

Key Lines:

  1. T1: Land + Mana Vault/Chrome Mox
  2. T2: Bloom Tender/Birds of Paradise + Smothering Tithe
  3. T3: Prismatic Bridge activation
  4. Upkeep hits: Doubling Season -> Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (emblem T4) or Vorinclex -> Ugin (-10 immediately)

Protection Protocol:

  • Hold Fierce Guardianship/Force of Will for Bridge protection
  • Use Teferi's Protection against wraths
  • Deflecting Swat to redirect targeted removal

Win Conversion:

  • Planeswalker emblems (Teferi, Ugin, Nicol Bolas)
  • Ichormoon Gauntlet infinite turns with 3+ walkers
  • Vorinclex + Deepglow Skate instant ultimates
  • The Chain Veil + Teferi, Temporal Archmage infinite activations

Weaknesses:

Critical:

  • Relies on maintaining Prismatic Bridge (3+ removals cripple the deck)
  • Weak to Farewell/Merciless Eviction hitting enchantments

Moderate:

  • Limited creature-based interaction pre-Bridge
  • Stax pieces like Drannith Magistrate delay strategy

Minor:

  • Life loss from painlands/mana confluence

Most Important Cards:

  • Doubling Season
  • Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
  • The Chain Veil
  • Demonic Tutor
  • Imperial Seal
  • Vampiric Tutor
  • Mana Vault
  • Chrome Mox
  • Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
  • Force of Will

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10
Theoretical T3 Bridge -> T4 Ugin/Doubling Season ultimates. Fast mana enables T5 wins regularly.

Resilience: 7/10
Free protection spells and walker recursion (Oath of Teferi), but folds to repeated Bridge removal.

Consistency: 9/10
12 tutors + 8 draw engines. Multiple redundant wincons (5 walkers with game-ending ults).

Interaction: 8/10
6 free counters + 4 premium removal. Walkers provide ongoing control.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at cEDH-adjacent speeds (T3-4 Bridge -> T5 lock) with Tier 1 consistency and protection. However, reliance on Bridge as the primary engine and lack of truly infinite combos (outside Chain Veil lines) place it just below optimized cEDH lists. The stax/prison elements and planeswalker density make it dominant in high-power pods but slightly too slow for true Tier 1 cEDH.

Power level: 8.0 - 8.5

DECK LIST
Esika, God of the Tree // The Prismatic Bridge
Planeswalker: 22
($109.3)
1
Aminatou, the Fateshifter
W U B
1
Ashiok, Dream Render
1 U/B U/B
1
Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 W W
1
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 U U
1
Karn Liberated
7
1
Kaya the Inexorable
3 W B
1
Liliana, Dreadhorde General
4 B B
1
Narset Transcendent
2 W U
1
Narset, Parter of Veils
1 U U
1
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God
U B B B R
1
Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
4 U B R
1
Oko, Thief of Crowns
1 G U
1
Tamiyo, Field Researcher
1 G W U
1
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
3 W U
1
Teferi, Master of Time
2 U U
1
Teferi, Temporal Archmage
4 U U
1
Teferi, Time Raveler
1 W U
1
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
4 B
1
Tezzeret the Seeker
3 U U
1
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
8
1
Vraska, Betrayal's Sting
4 B B/P
1
Wrenn and Realmbreaker
1 G G
Creature: 8
($313.57)
1
Atraxa, Praetors' Voice
G W U B
1
Birds of Paradise
G
1
Bloom Tender
1 G
1
Deepglow Skate
4 U
1
Delighted Halfling
G
1
Gilded Drake
1 U
1
Nicol Bolas, the Ravager // Nicol Bolas, the Arisen
1 U B R
1
Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider
4 G G
Artifact: 10
($214.19)
1
Arcane Signet
2
1
Chrome Mox
0
1
Fellwar Stone
2
1
Ichormoon Gauntlet
2 U
1
Lotus Petal
0
1
Mana Vault
1
1
Mox Amber
0
1
Sol Ring
1
1
The Chain Veil
4
1
The One Ring
4
Enchantment: 5
($129.78)
1
Doubling Season
4 G
1
Oath of Teferi
3 W U
1
Rhystic Study
2 U
1
Smothering Tithe
3 W
1
Sylvan Library
1 G
Instant: 12
($305.53)
1
Assassin's Trophy
B G
1
Cyclonic Rift
1 U
1
Deflecting Swat
2 R
1
Enlightened Tutor
W
1
Fierce Guardianship
2 U
1
Force of Negation
1 U U
1
Force of Will
3 U U
1
Mana Drain
U U
1
Path to Exile
W
1
Swords to Plowshares
W
1
Teferi's Protection
2 W
1
Vampiric Tutor
B
Sorcery: 8
($167.98)
1
Cultivate
2 G
1
Damn
B B
1
Demonic Tutor
1 B
1
Farewell
4 W W
1
Imperial Seal
B
1
Nature's Lore
1 G
1
Three Visits
1 G
1
Toxic Deluge
2 B
Land: 34
($479.61)
1
Ancient Tomb
1
Arid Mesa
1
Blood Crypt
1
Bloodstained Mire
1
Breeding Pool
1
City of Brass
1
Command Tower
1
Exotic Orchard
1
Flooded Strand
1
Forbidden Orchard
1
Forest
1
Gemstone Caverns
1
Godless Shrine
1
Hallowed Fountain
1
Island
1
Mana Confluence
1
Marsh Flats
1
Misty Rainforest
1
Mountain
1
Overgrown Tomb
1
Plains
1
Polluted Delta
1
Prismatic Vista
1
Sacred Foundry
1
Scalding Tarn
1
Steam Vents
1
Stomping Ground
1
Swamp
1
Temple Garden
1
Urza's Saga
1
Verdant Catacombs
1
Watery Grave
1
Windswept Heath
1
Wooded Foothills

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