Scribbl: Theros offers an abundance of board-based engines and payoffs in Devotion, and this poses an interesting question for Control decks: "Should I play a more tap-out style of deck with enchantments to increase my devotion count, and cut down on instant speed interaction like counterspells?" This set certainly has the tools to support that as an option, and we've seen this style of WU deck find success in Blood Like Rivers' tenure. However, with Benthalos of Land and Sea, the best of both worlds is more accessible than ever! Benthalos works phenomenally with Theros' Omen cycle, and generally performs like a Snapcaster Mage for Enchantments in play, adding a ton of versatility. Occupying the same slot on the curve as 3 mana hard counters like Ephara's Judgment means you're ready for anything, and his ETB trigger sets you up perfectly with at least 3 Devotion of the colour of enchantment you copy.

Dodger: We're not many rotations removed from the domination of mono-black midrange in Revolution, and the deck has potentially received a very powerful new tool. Chrolcatos, Pidae's Founder presents a 3/1 Scroll Thief with deathtouch, which isn't something Standard players would like to cast for 2B. But how about for 0? If you run a high density of black 1 and 2 drops, particularly 2 drops which cost BB, I think it's fairly likely this guy can consistently come down for free starting on turn 3, making for some very explosive aggro draws. Overwhelm your opponent's defenses with Chrolcatos, and apply pressure while still maintaining card flow and powering out your hand!

PTM: Surprising nobody, I'm here to once again tell you to go play with an aggressive red 1-mana creature. I'd be lying if I said I'd never played a Goblin Rager and felt good about it, but thankfully Efimia of the Horse–one of the most powerful 1-drops we’ve ever had–is all upside. Ward–Pay 2 life is a pretty big deal for a 1-drop, basically guaranteeing you return on your small investment. Efimia's 'Heroic' ability is fantastic–dropping an Aura on her (or any spell from Revolution’s excellent suite of combat tricks) prompts a pretty good Akroan Crusader impression, and the fun still does not stop there. If you can keep stringing spells targeting Efimia together, you wind up not just developing your board state, but pumping your entire team and making them a nightmare to block.

Given how well she plays with Amp it Up, I expect Efimia to turn up alongside some of our other cheap aggressive red cards, like Rock On and Emblazoned Hooligan. Theros brings a litany of powerful red Auras and combat tricks with it, and I am extremely excited to see what they and Efimia bring to aggro this League season.

platypeople: From Overrun to Craterhoof Behemoth, large team buffs are a long-beloved staple of heavy green decks. Revolution has missed a high-potency version of this effect since the rotation of Overwhelming Grizzly from Svergard. Next month that role will likely once again be filled by Arasta's Handmaiden. While it doesn't grant trample or other evasion, it comes at a bargain of 5 mana and its effect on the board persists as long as it's alive and kicking. Her reach ability even ensures that your supercharged green creatures can get the job done in a race with air attackers. A mono-green stompy deck is certainly on my list of things to try between the heavily-pipped & heavily-statted creatures across Karslav and the newly added Theros: Age of Trax.

AllWhoWander: As one of the format's most devoted Bx midrange players, there are a lot of cards in Theros: Age of Trax that pique my interest: Chrolcatos, Phenax's Confidant, and Gary himself, to name a few. But I wanted to call attention to a powerful card that asks a little of you in terms of deckbuilding, but pays out huge dividends: Host of the Unending Revel.

Where this card really shines is in decks that have recursive threats. In those decks, Host of the Unending Revel is a serviceable attacker that shaves away your opponents' boards with every strike. It really shines against midrange decks, go-tall aggro decks, or hard control decks that rely on oblivion rings or planeswalkers to produce value. (And its value scales with the number of players, so in multiplayer formats this guy gets better and better!) And if you do need to sacrifice something that can't come back as easily, don't worry. Black has a ton of options to reanimate its own creatures, especially small ones, so that you can edict your opponent again and again.

Overall, Host of the Neverending Revel presents an interesting problem: it promises a lot of power, but asks you to jump through a few hoops to get there. How will you navigate these challenges when Theros: Age of Trax rotates in?

Zangy: There are some cards that offer a ton of deck building decisions and have tons of in depth strategies to them.  But, then there are others that are just super clean and tell you exactly what they are about.  Fall of Olantin is exactly that.  Instant speed wraths always feel lovely to be in control of, letting you hold them out until the last possible moment.  Fall of Olantin doesn't fail to impress there as well, just cleanly removing everything, without a care of who is in the way.  Sure, the mana cost is something that can be heavily restrictive, but it definitely pays off for whenever you do.

Revolution, August, 2023 – 

The fourth tournament of Revolution’s seventh rotation concluded this past month at Grand Prix Tambara! Traditionally, the fourth tournament of each rotation is an exciting departure from our typical standard fare, and this month was no different, with fan-favorite 1v1 Brawl taking center stage! The addition of prismatic mana to the format brought an interesting twist to the color identity rules: Commanders with only prismatic symbols in their costs were allowed to choose the colors of mana used to define their color identity, meaning that even the same commander could produce decks with wildly different textures and strategies! 16 players brought 15 different commanders to the brawl, but in the end, only one could reign victorious.

In the finals, two formidable commanders squared off for the crown. Ndb’s Alehana, the Persuader list brought a brutally fast aggressive midrange strategy to bear, with Alehana herself accumulating scaling damage that persisted even between deaths. By contrast, platypeople brought Moresso, a 5-color goodstuff commander, allowing them to showcase all the very best cards the format has to offer.

After three close and well-fought games in the finals, platypeople emerged victorious! When asked about their favorite card in the deck, platy chose the unassuming Elseworld Oracle, remarking “It served as a Search for Azcanta/Jace Vryn's Prodigy type card that delivers a ton of extra late-game value for free in this sort of deck, and felt great every time it hit the table. It even delivered a longshot win in the top cut by revealing a burn spell for lethal when I was about to die to a flying attack.” 

Congratulations to platy, well fought to Ndb, and as we look forward to Zangy's Theros: Age of Trax joining us, remember: if you’re interested in playing some awesome custom magic, the best time to join the revolution is now!