Deck 5 - Ezuri Elves

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.

In the untamed wilderness beyond the kingdom’s borders, the Wild Outlanders thrive. These warriors, elves, and goblins live in harmony with the forest, their lives deeply connected to the natural world. Their leader Kresh, the exiled brother of King Kenrith, has forged a life of freedom and strength among these outlanders. As the kingdom faces the threat of the Villains, the Wild Outlanders must decide whether to join the fight for glory or remain hidden in their remote villages, untouched by the turmoil of the outside world.The theme of the Wild Outlanders box is a . The main theme for the Wild Outlander decks are +1/+1 counters, Warriors, Elves and Goblins. 

Ezuri was a one time elven bandit who turned into a hero after the Phyrexian compleation of Mirrodin. Although he was among the first on the plane to detect the invasion, he ultimately fell to the Progress Engine and was compleated himself. Now, Ezuri is a cunning, cold-hearted hunter who stalks the spheres and uses the knowledge of his former allies to capture them. Previously a bandit, Ezuri changed his ways during the Phyrexian invasion. He began organizing his fellow Viridian elves into groups that would fight the invaders and established refugee camps for Auriok, Sylvok, and Vulshok survivors. One of them included a shaman artificer. After the Tangle was dominated and altered by Glissa Sunseeker, Ezuri organized the remaining elves and Sylvok and gathered them into the treetops where they were safe from the corruption. He soon led them to join the resistance movement for Mirrodin, hoping for something positive to happen that would end their plight.

Melira and the Planeswalkers had left Ezuri's camp before Ezuri was inoculated against Phyrexian infection. He eventually was captured and compleated by the Progress Engine, Jin-Gitaxias's blue-aligned faction of Phyrexians. Following an excruciating process of transformation Ezuri became an agent of New Phyrexia's will. As the 'Claw of Progress', he now seeks to extend the Phyrexians' gift of “perfection” to his former allies.

Introduction: Ezuri, Claw of Progress leads a Simic deck focused on generating and exploiting +1/+1 counters to overwhelm opponents. As your creatures accumulate counters, Ezuri allows you to turn those counters into experience counters, which can then be used to supercharge any creature you play. The deck leverages an array of counter-generating effects, evasive creatures, and proliferate synergies to create a resilient and explosive board state. With the potential for infinite combos, this deck can deliver a powerful and unstoppable assault.

Key Cards:

• Ezuri, Claw of Progress: As the commander, Ezuri is the linchpin of your strategy, turning your small creatures into massive threats. Each time a creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield under your control, Ezuri gives you an experience counter. During combat, you can place +1/+1 counters equal to the number of experience counters on any creature, allowing you to rapidly scale up your board's power.

• Sage of Hours: This card is a crucial combo piece in the deck. When paired with Ezuri's ability to place +1/+1 counters, Sage of Hours can remove five +1/+1 counters to take an extra turn. With enough experience counters and a way to consistently place them on Sage of Hours, you can take infinite turns, effectively locking down the game and overwhelming your opponents.

• Branching Evolution: Doubling the number of +1/+1 counters placed on your creatures, Branching Evolution significantly amplifies Ezuri’s ability to grow your creatures. This card can quickly escalate your board state, making your creatures nearly unstoppable.

• Hardened Scales: Similar to Branching Evolution, Hardened Scales enhances your counter production by adding an extra +1/+1 counter each time one is placed on a creature you control. It’s a low-cost way to maximize the value of Ezuri’s ability and other counter-generating effects.

• Fathom Mage and Cold-Eyed Selkie: These creatures excel in drawing cards whenever they receive +1/+1 counters or deal combat damage. With Ezuri, they can quickly become large enough to draw a significant number of cards, ensuring that you maintain a full hand of threats and answers.

• Champion of Lambholt: As this creature accumulates +1/+1 counters, it makes your other creatures unblockable by creatures with less power. With the abundance of counters this deck produces, Champion of Lambholt can ensure your entire team can swing in unopposed.

• Vorel of the Hull Clade: Vorel doubles the number of each kind of counter on target artifact, creature, or land. Pairing Vorel with Ezuri allows you to exponentially grow your creatures, making him a key support card for your strategy.

• Forgotten Ancient: This card can absorb +1/+1 counters from spells cast by any player and then distribute them among your creatures. Forgotten Ancient synergizes well with Ezuri, enabling you to boost your creatures and grow your experience counters even faster.

• The Ozolith and Ozolith, the Shattered Spire: The Ozolith ensures that no counters are lost when a creature dies, transferring them to another creature. The Shattered Spire acts as an additional Hardened Scales effect and provides an ongoing source of counters.

Strategy:

• Early Game: Your early game should focus on ramping and establishing a board presence with creatures that have power 2 or less. Cards like Llanowar Elves, Elvish Mystic, and Sakura-Tribe Elder help you ramp, while Coiling Oracle and Incubation Druid provide both ramp and utility. Casting Hardened Scales or Branching Evolution early sets the stage for explosive plays in the mid-game.

• Mid Game: By now, you should have Ezuri on the battlefield and a few experience counters built up. Start deploying creatures that generate additional value from +1/+1 counters, like Fathom Mage and Champion of Lambholt. Focus on proliferating those experience counters with cards like Evolution Sage and Thrummingbird to amplify Ezuri’s ability. If you can set up the Sage of Hours combo, you can take over the game with infinite turns.

• Late Game: In the late game, you should be looking to close out the game with your massive board of creatures. Overwhelming Stampede can be a game-ending play, turning your large creatures into even more devastating attackers. Simic Ascendancy offers an alternate win condition by counting the +1/+1 counters placed on your creatures. If your board is wiped, The Ozolith can preserve your counters and Nissa, Voice of Zendikar can help you rebuild quickly.

Mulligan Guide:

• Opening Hand Considerations: Look for a hand with early ramp, card draw, and a way to start generating +1/+1 counters. An ideal hand might include Llanowar Elves or Sakura-Tribe Elder for ramp, Hardened Scales for counter generation, and Coiling Oracle or Fathom Mage for card draw. If you can start with Ezuri and a way to generate experience counters, you'll be well-positioned for a strong mid-game.

• Hands to Avoid: Avoid hands that are too slow or lack creatures with power 2 or less. Hands with high-cost spells or no ramp can leave you vulnerable in the early game. If your hand doesn't have a clear way to generate early experience counters or ramp, it's best to mulligan for a more balanced start.

With this strategy guide, you’ll be equipped to pilot your Ezuri, Claw of Progress deck to victory. By focusing on building up your +1/+1 counters and leveraging powerful synergies, you can create a dominant board state that’s difficult for opponents to overcome. The potential for infinite combos adds an extra layer of threat, making this deck both fun and formidable.