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COMMANDER(S)
Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald
QR Code
G R
- Gruul
Bracket
4.5 - 5.0
Bracket 3
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ANALYSIS

Overview:

This Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald deck focuses on exiling cards to generate Wolf tokens and leveraging cast-from-exile synergies for value. The primary win conditions are token swarm via combat overruns (e.g., End-Raze Forerunners, Beastmaster Ascension) and incremental burn from Impact Tremors/Passionate Archaeologist. While it has strong exile synergies and token payoffs, it lacks infinite combos and relies heavily on maintaining board presence.

Primer:

Core Strategy: The deck aims to generate exponential value through exiling cards (via Faldorn's ability, impulse draw, and effects like Urabrask, Heretic Praetor), creating Wolf tokens with each cast-from-exile trigger. Key phases:

  1. Early Setup: Ramp with dorks (Delighted Halfling, Fyndhorn Elves) and land tutors (Three Visits, Cultivate). Establish exile engines like Wild Wasteland or Professional Face-Breaker.
  2. Midgame Value: Chain impulse draws (Jeska's Will, Escape to the Wilds) to flood the board with Wolves. Use token multipliers like Champion of Lambholt and Ohran Frostfang to build threats.
  3. Finishers: Deploy End-Raze Forerunners or Beastmaster Ascension for lethal swings. Backup plans include burn via Passionate Archaeologist and copied spells from Nalfeshnee.

Mulligan Priorities:

  • Keep hands with 3 lands + 1-2 ramp pieces.
  • Prioritize early exile engines (Containment Construct, Reckless Impulse).
  • Avoid hands without green mana sources or slow starts.

Key Tips:

  • Sequence exile effects before land drops to maximize Faldorn triggers.
  • Use Defense of the Heart to cheat Etali, Primal Conqueror or Surrak and Goreclaw.
  • Protect key pieces with Heroic Intervention before alpha strikes.

Avoid Traps:

  • Overcommitting to the board before securing protection.
  • Holding back impulse-drawn spells past their play window.

Weaknesses:

Moderate:

  • Board wipe vulnerability (only Heroic Intervention as protection)
  • Commander dependency for optimal token generation
  • Limited redundancy for key effects like exile-based card advantage

Minor:

  • Mana base has some tapped lands but sufficient fixing
  • Struggles against hard control/stax (Rule of Law, Archon of Emeria)

Most Important Cards:

  • Impact Tremors
  • End-Raze Forerunners
  • Jeska's Will
  • Passionate Archaeologist
  • Defense of the Heart
  • Urabrask, Heretic Praetor
  • Professional Face-Breaker
  • Nalfeshnee
  • Beastmaster Ascension
  • Chandra, Torch of Defiance

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 5/10
Can threaten wins via token overruns by T8-9. Limited fast mana/cheat effects. Exile engines need setup turns.

Resilience: 6/10
Moderate recursion (Eternal Witness, Savvy Trader), but board-dependent strategy folds to repeated wipes. Some protection for key pieces.

Consistency: 7/10
12+ impulse/exile draw effects and 8 ramp pieces provide reliable engine fueling. Lacks tutors for specific finishers.

Interaction: 5/10
Situational removal (Beast Within, Chaos Warp) and one-sided wipes (Blasphemous Act). No counterspells or stack interaction.

Rating Justification:

This deck sits between Focused Casual (4.5) and Optimized Casual (5.0) on the rubric. It has clear synergies and multiple win lines but lacks:

  • Fast mana/cheat effects (below T8 win benchmark for 5.5+ tiers)
  • Infinite combos
  • Free interaction
    The exile engine provides above-precon consistency, and token overruns align with T10-12 combat win benchmarks for 4.0-5.0. It outperforms precons through card quality but doesn't reach optimized levels of redundancy or speed.

Power level: 4.5 - 5.0

DECK LIST
Faldorn, Dread Wolf Herald
Planeswalker: 2
($2.72)
1
Chandra, Torch of Defiance
2 R R
1
Xenagos, the Reveler
2 R G
Creature: 27
($82.41)
1
Anger
3 R
1
Birds of Paradise
G
1
Bloodbraid Elf
2 R G
1
Champion of Lambholt
1 G G
1
Containment Construct
2
1
Delighted Halfling
G
1
Dragonhawk, Fate's Tempest
3 R R
1
End-Raze Forerunners
5 G G G
1
Enduring Vitality
1 G G
1
Etali, Primal Conqueror // Etali, Primal Sickness
5 R R
1
Eternal Witness
1 G G
1
Fanatic of Rhonas
1 G
1
Fyndhorn Elves
G
1
Goblin Anarchomancer
R G
1
Headliner Scarlett
3 R
1
Inti, Seneschal of the Sun
1 R
1
Laelia, the Blade Reforged
2 R
1
Molten Gatekeeper
2 R
1
Nalfeshnee
5 R
1
Ohran Frostfang
3 G G
1
Party Thrasher
1 R
1
Professional Face-Breaker
2 R
1
Questing Druid // Seek the Beast
1 G
1
Savvy Trader
3 G
1
Surrak and Goreclaw
4 G G
1
Tlincalli Hunter // Retrieve Prey
5 G G
1
Urabrask, Heretic Praetor
3 R R
Artifact: 4
($6.72)
1
Arcane Signet
2
1
Gruul Signet
2
1
Lightning Greaves
2
1
Sol Ring
1
Enchantment: 5
($33.56)
1
Beastmaster Ascension
2 G
1
Defense of the Heart
3 G
1
Impact Tremors
1 R
1
Passionate Archaeologist
1 R
1
Wild Wasteland
2 R
Instant: 9
($23.04)
1
Beast Within
2 G
1
Blessed Respite
1 G
1
Broken Wings
2 G
1
Chaos Warp
2 R
1
Delayed Blast Fireball
1 R R
1
Demon Bolt
2 R
1
Flare of Duplication
1 R R
1
Heroic Intervention
1 G
1
You Find Some Prisoners
1 R
Sorcery: 19
($39.11)
1
Blasphemous Act
8 R
1
Bridgeworks Battle // Tanglespan Bridgeworks
2 G
1
Cultivate
2 G
1
Escape to the Wilds
3 R G
1
Glimpse the Impossible
2 R
1
Ignite the Future
3 R
1
Jeska's Will
2 R
1
Kodama's Reach
2 G
1
Light Up the Stage
2 R
1
Meltdown
X R
1
Mizzium Mortars
1 R
1
Nature's Lore
1 G
1
Reckless Impulse
1 R
1
Shamanic Revelation
3 G G
1
Stump Stomp // Burnwillow Clearing
1 R/G
1
Sundering Eruption // Volcanic Fissure
2 R
1
Three Visits
1 G
1
Vandalblast
R
1
Wrenn's Resolve
1 R
Land: 33
($37.46)
1
Castle Embereth
1
Cinder Glade
1
Command Tower
9
Forest
1
Game Trail
1
Highland Forest
1
Kessig Wolf Run
1
Mossfire Valley
1
Mosswort Bridge
10
Mountain
1
Plaza of Heroes
1
Shifting Woodland
1
Sokenzan, Crucible of Defiance
1
Temple of Abandon
1
Windswept Heath
1
Wooded Foothills

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