Combo(s) Found: Loading...
Average CMC
Cost
Salt Score
Overview:
This Winota, Joiner of Forces deck is a high-powered stax/aggro hybrid that leverages cheap non-Human creatures to rapidly trigger Winota's ability, cheating out disruptive Humans and overwhelming opponents. The deck combines explosive combat potential with prison elements like Drannith Magistrate and Archon of Emeria, aiming to lock opponents out while building an unstoppable board.
Primer:
Core Strategy: The deck aims to deploy Winota by turn 2-3 using fast mana (Mana Vault, Lotus Petal), then attack with 0-1 cost non-Humans (Ornithopter, Gingerbrute) to cheat out game-warping Humans. Key phases:
- Turbo Setup: Mulligan aggressively for 1-mana accelerants and early attackers. Simian Spirit Guide enables turn 2 Winota.
- Stax Flood: Cheat out Drannith Magistrate, Magus of the Moon, and Eidolon of Rhetoric to restrict opponents' options.
- Combat Domination: Use free Humans like Blade Historian and Angrath's Marauders to amplify damage. Combat Celebrant enables extra attack phases.
- Lock Conversion: Back stax pieces with protection (Mother of Runes, Deflecting Swat) and tutor for silver bullets with Recruiter of the Guard.
Mulligan Priorities:
- Must have 2+ mana sources (including artifact acceleration)
- Require at least 1 early attacker (0-1 mana non-Human)
- Prefer hands with protection (Giver of Runes) or stax enablers (Esper Sentinel)
Key Tips:
- Sequence stax pieces by threat level: Drannith Magistrate before Magus of the Moon
- Use Professional Face-Breaker Treasures to fuel Winota recasts
- Slicer, Hired Muscle serves as an alternative wincon against control
- Save Silence/Orim's Chant for critical combo turns
Avoid Traps:
- Don't overextend into board wipes without Flare of Fortitude
- Prioritize stax Humans over value engines like Archivist of Oghma
Weaknesses:
Critical:
- Relies on Winota surviving 1-2 combat steps (fold to repeated removal)
- Limited recovery from board wipes post-stax lock
Moderate:
- Vulnerable to artifact hate (Vandalblast disrupts acceleration)
- Struggles against flyer-heavy boards pre-Aven Mindcensor
Minor:
- Blood Moon effects minimally impactful due to mana base design
- Life total pressure mitigated by combat dominance
Most Important Cards:
- Drannith Magistrate
- Magus of the Moon
- Blade Historian
- Esper Sentinel
- Combat Celebrant
- Grand Abolisher
- Deflecting Swat
- Silence
- Professional Face-Breaker
- Enlightened Tutor
Attribute Ratings:
Speed: 8/10
- Turn 2 Winota with protection enables T3 stax lock + combat dominance
- 72% of nonland cards cost ≤2 mana, enabling explosive starts
Resilience: 7/10
- 12 protection spells and 8 stax pieces force opponents to answer multiple threats
- Weak to commander-focused removal (needs 3+ removals to fully cripple)
Consistency: 9/10
- 7 tutors (including Imperial Recruiter chain) for key pieces
- 22 non-Human enablers ensure Winota triggers
Interaction: 8/10
- 14 targeted answers (6 at instant speed) + 8 stax permanents
- Deflecting Swat and Silence provide free protection
Rating Justification:
This deck operates at cEDH-adjacent speeds (T3-4 effective wins) with stax locks but lacks the compact 2-card combos of true Tier 1 cEDH. It outpaces optimized casual (rubric 5.5) through mana denial and combat acceleration yet doesn't reach T2 win consistency of top cEDH. The combination of fast stax deployment, tutor density, and layered protection justifies a high-power competitive rating.
Power level: 7.5 - 8.0
Enhance Your Gameplay
With premium accessories trusted by MTG players
Premium protection with industry-leading durability and shuffle feel
Amazon
TCGPlayer
