Greetings readers! I'm so glad to be back from my holiday and back to serving up some great Commander content. Though Christmas has already passed, I'm going to share a deck that stays in the spirit of giving.
The Russian Group Hug Roulette
Though the archetype tends to be hated by my fellow competitive players, I have a soft spot for group hug/group chaos decks, as the randomness and speed they add to a game can be a fun way to break the monotony that sometimes comes up in a consistent playgroup. For this deck, I'm using Maelstrom Wanderer. I find that this being of interdimensional energy can really encompass the holiday spirit if you really work with it. Sometimes being like Santa Claus and giving everyone all sorts of great gifts and toys or sometimes being more of the murderous madman type.
A Quick Refresher on Group Hug
Basically the way this deck type works, is that you run numerous cards that benefit everyone, including yourself. Cards that fit this type include Mana Flare, Howling Mine or Weird Harvest. The goal is to lull everyone around you into a sense of security so that you're not made an easy target. After a long enough game of building their resources, Group Hug players tend to win the game in a blowout-esque way.
The Game Plan
The way this deck is going to win, is using the classic "Kiki Mite" combo. But you're not going to tutor for it. Both cards in the deck look innocent enough, and can be claimed that they are included for the benefit of other players; "Hey you need a blocker? Let me untap your guy with my Pestermite" . Other than that, the deck is going to play like any other group hug deck, playing defensively while helping everyone. Lastly, there will be cards that will be far more painful than helpful if they turn up from Wanderer's cascades, keeping my opponents on their toes.
The Decklist
Thanks everyone for reading, I hope you enjoy this slice of festive giving. Until next time, and have a great New Year's!
