Deck 6 - Lord Kenrith

This deck is part of the Two-Headed Giant Commander decks, these are designed to be played 2v2 or 3v3 in the Commander format, but can also be played 1v1. 

Certain decks have certain themes, and will pair better with other decks, which decks work best have been listed below. These decks are on a higher skill level than most of the other decks in the club, with a lot of interacting mechanics. This can be overwhelming to learn and master but it is a whole lot of fun when you do.

The kingdom of Gloria stands as a beacon of hope amidst the gathering storm. King Kenrith and Queen Marchesa rule with wisdom and valor, commanding a vast army and a stalwart group of city defenders. As whispers of war reach their borders, the kingdom prepares for battle. The king’s brother, exiled for his wild ways, watches from the shadows, knowing that his time to either protect or challenge the throne is near. The fate of the kingdom rests on the decisions made by its rulers and the loyalty of its people.The theme of the For Glory box is a Kingdom and its protectors, heroes and rulers that fight to defend the people, and are united together. The main theme for the For Glory decks are +1/+1 counters, defenders and Humans. 

Algenus Kenrith, known as the Good King, was the High King of the Realm on Eldraine. He was the husband of Queen Linden Kenrith, and the father of Erec, Hazel, Rowan and Will Kenrith. He was killed in the Phyrexian Invasion of Eldraine. Kenrith was a middle-aged, bearded man with a blond beard and a heartfelt, guileless voice. A modest gold circlet usually crowned his head, hard to see against his golden-blond hair. He was always smiling and was known for his courage, skill, and attractive laugh. He was renowned as a canny fighter, only bested by his wife Linden. Many have noted his sixth sense regarding danger and his peculiarly keen ability to react at speed to changing surroundings. On the other hand, he sometimes had a temper and acted impulsively. He was the only person in the Realm to have earned knighthoods at all five courts. He loved his wife and children and he wasn't a particularly inquisitive or deep-thinking man — he left that to his wife. The High King's entire purpose for existing is to keep the Wilds in check by expanding the orderly peace of the Realm.

Introduction: "Kenrith, the Returned King" leads a deck that focuses on a powerful +1/+1 counters theme, utilizing the synergies of various creatures and spells that generate and multiply counters. With the ability to pump your creatures, draw cards, gain life, and reanimate, Kenrith provides the versatility needed to dominate the battlefield. The deck leverages counter-doubling effects, proliferate synergies, and powerful creatures to create a relentless board presence, ultimately overwhelming your opponents.

Key Cards:

• Kenrith, the Returned King: As the commander, Kenrith serves as the ultimate toolbox, offering abilities that enhance your creatures, draw cards, reanimate key pieces, and more. His ability to distribute +1/+1 counters makes him an essential part of the deck's strategy, allowing you to scale up your board quickly.

• Branching Evolution and Hardened Scales: These enchantments double the number of +1/+1 counters placed on your creatures, amplifying the effectiveness of every counter you add. With Branching Evolution in play, every +1/+1 counter effect becomes twice as potent, allowing your creatures to grow at an exponential rate.

• Corpsejack Menace and Winding Constrictor: These creatures further enhance your +1/+1 counters strategy, with Corpsejack Menace doubling the counters placed on creatures, and Winding Constrictor adding an extra counter whenever one or more counters would be placed. Combined with other counter-doubling effects, these creatures can create an overwhelming board state.

• The Ozolith and Ozolith, the Shattered Spire: The Ozolith allows you to retain the power of any creatures that die by transferring their +1/+1 counters to another creature, while Ozolith, the Shattered Spire acts as an additional Hardened Scales effect and a way to continually add counters to creatures.

• Cathars' Crusade and Mikaeus, the Lunarch: Cathars' Crusade ensures that every creature you play adds counters to all your existing creatures, quickly snowballing your board presence. Mikaeus can distribute counters across your entire board or grow himself into a massive threat.

• Kalonian Hydra and Vorel of the Hull Clade: Kalonian Hydra doubles the counters on all your creatures each time it attacks, making it a key finisher in the deck. Vorel can double the counters on any creature, artifact, or land, making him an excellent support card for your strategy.

• Herald of Secret Streams and Hamza, Guardian of Arashin: Herald of Secret Streams makes all your creatures with +1/+1 counters unblockable, allowing you to swing in for massive damage. Hamza reduces the cost of your creatures based on the number of +1/+1 counters on your creatures, making him an efficient threat that helps you flood the board.

• Uncivil Unrest and Contagion Engine: Uncivil Unrest gives your creatures trample and adds a +1/+1 counter to each creature whenever they deal damage, allowing you to push through damage even against large blockers. Contagion Engine is a powerful proliferate tool that can spread counters across your board and weaken your opponents' creatures.

Strategy:

• Early Game: In the early game, focus on ramping and setting up your counter synergies. Play mana dorks like Birds of Paradise and Faeburrow Elder to accelerate your mana, and cast spells like Farseek, Three Visits, and Kodama's Reach to ensure you hit your land drops. You should also look to play early counter enablers like Hardened Scales or Winding Constrictor to start building up your board.

• Mid Game: By the mid-game, you should aim to establish a board full of creatures with +1/+1 counters, supported by key synergy pieces like Branching Evolution, Cathars' Crusade, or Corpsejack Menace. Use Kenrith, the Returned King to add more counters to your creatures or draw cards to keep the pressure on. Deploy powerful creatures like Kalonian Hydra and Forgotten Ancient to further amplify your counter generation. Hamza, Guardian of Arashin can help you flood the board with more creatures, while Uncivil Unrest and Herald of Secret Streams enable you to push through massive damage.

• Late Game: In the late game, your focus should be on closing out the game with overwhelming board presence and powerful interactions. Kenrith can reanimate key pieces from your graveyard, ensuring you never run out of threats. The Ozolith helps maintain the value of your creatures even if they die, while Karn's Bastion and Contagion Engine allow you to proliferate and spread counters across your board. Mayael's Aria can serve as an alternate win condition, potentially winning the game outright if you have a creature with 20 or more +1/+1 counters. If the game drags on, Vraska, Betrayal's Sting can provide additional card draw, proliferate, and serve as a removal tool, helping you maintain control of the game.

Mulligan Guide:

• Opening Hand Considerations: Look for a balanced hand with ramp, a counter enabler, and a way to generate or benefit from +1/+1 counters. A hand with Birds of Paradise, Arcane Signet, or Faeburrow Elder can help you ramp into your powerful mid-game plays. If you have Hardened Scales or Branching Evolution in your opening hand, it’s usually a good keep as these cards are key to your deck's strategy. Also, look for hands with card draw or recursion options, like Inspiring Call or Eternal Witness, to ensure you don't run out of gas.

• Hands to Avoid: Avoid hands that are too slow or lack ramp, as you need to establish your board presence early to take advantage of your counter synergies. Hands with too many high-cost spells or without any early plays are also risky. If your hand doesn’t have a clear plan for the first few turns, consider taking a mulligan to find a more balanced hand that can set up your synergies quickly.

With this strategy guide, you should be well-prepared to pilot your "Kenrith, the Returned King" deck to victory. By leveraging the power of +1/+1 counters and Kenrith’s versatile abilities, you can build a massive, resilient board that can crush your opponents under the weight of your creatures.