Part two of the Jund review lets us take a closer look at the sacrifice strategy many of the Jund commanders offer us. From Prossh to Kresh, the Jund synergies are clear and effective. Plus, there's one of the OG Elder Dragons! Is it still relevant? Read and find out!
The grading looks like this:
A: Bombs/broken cards and excellent commanders. A lot of fun with unique design and interaction. Will effect the board in a big way in just about any deck or will allow for a very strong deck to be built around it if it is a commander.
B: Very good cards in most decks or total bombs in only one particular deck. Solid commanders but perhaps not the best in the colours.
C: A playable commander card, not great, maybe you're running it because of budget reasons. This card may be perfectly good in a specific deck yet not playable in others. An average commander, the abilities make for a mildly interesting/fun commander.
D: Not really a playable card in EDH except in some corner cases and specific builds. Generally not good. A commander that has no relevant abilities or is just not very fun.
F: Unplayable in a Commander deck or as the commander itself.
Jund Sojourners - F
If there were some Jund version of the discard/cycle deck would this be playable? I really don't think so.
Who doesn't love a giant three colour tribally synergistic dragon, right? Obviously Karrthus isn't cheap on mana, but he does fully feel like a true Elder Dragon. One thing I've always found weird about his abilities is how many times do you think you'll steal a random dragon your opponent has on the battlefield? Probably a lot more now that Dragons of Tarkir and C17 have been released, right? This guy rules!
Another awesome Jund commander with great synergies and a built in strategy to work around, Kresh is only limited by the fact that you may feel the need to push a voltron strategy with him. I'm here to tell you that this is NOT your only option! He's a fine Jund placeholder commander because of his cost and since creatures die in magic without you really doing anything, so he always has at least a little synergy going for him.
Lavalanche - B-
An underrated removal card because of the mana you have to put into it. Lavalanche is like a targeted board wipe, which is a surprisingly rare effect. Lavalanche can end up drawing a lot of hate towards you if you don't kill the person with it however, so make sure you're ready for the crack-back.
Madrush Cyclops – C+
Unfortunately you can find his haste granting ability on better cards in these colours, but that doesn't mean Madrush Cyclops is bad. In fact you may want him over those other cards like Fervor in a good graveyard recursion strategy. Not bad really.
Misfortune - D
Letting your opponent choose modes on your own modal card means you have a card that never lives up to its potential as opposed to ever sticking your opponents with some mind-numbing decision they must agonize over.
Infinite combo lovers rejoice over Prossh with his Food Chain-loving token ability and endless sac outlet. Prossh is a great commander who maybe should have been built with some other cards in mind, but for the most part he's just great. Tokens, sac decks, dragons, everyone loves Prossh. Except your opponents, which is a great thing.
Just not a Commander card on any level.
Scarland Thrinax - C+
Speaking of infinite combos, Scarland Thrinax has a few in that Prossh deck as well, not to mention just being a great sac outlet that turns into its own threat. Definitely a must in most Jund token sac decks.
One problem you might have with the Jund commanders is that a lot of them seem to want to do similar things. Sac tokens for value seems like a default Jund deck. But the nuances between commanders do end up creating different decks with different cards. Sek'Kuar is one that you could just build like Prossh, but really the decks have a lot of differences and end up being what Commander is all about: personal style reflected in deck building.
Another sac-based Jund commander that actually does take a very different route, playing a more stax-style with keeping your opponents off of whatever nonland permanent you happen to have. The S-gang bros can be built around for days, but also provide Jund with a very solid toolbox-based deck full of answers and win cons I also love.
Sprouting Thrinax - C+
Hey you need a creature to sacrifice? How about four?
Vaevictis Asmadi - C+
It really is a shame most of the Elder Dragons turn out to be not that great these days. Vaevictis is a real threat when it's out on the battlefield, but unfortunately in our format a big commander alone just isn't enough to win you the game most times. Firebreathing is absolutely deadly on a commander who flies, so despite not being totally amazing anymore, VA still has some weight to throw around.
I never see this card being played in Commander, and it's because when do you ever need to pay seven mana to destroy three things? You don't, really – you need four or five to get two, or exiling three things, sure. Oh, also, all the mana is coloured, so you'd better have a good assortment out there.
Bottom line is Violent Ultimatum is often too much to cast for an effect that you'd rather just have a board wipe or an exile effect for anyways. It's definitely not bad, but there are just generally better options in these colours.
The newest Jund card is another fun dragon that while doesn't have the raw power of a Karrthus does bring the undeniably attractive ability of making little cat-dragons. Oh and making your opponents sacrifice creatures. I think instead of hitting your opponents with creatures on board, you want to find the guy with no one and get making those cats that way you have the cutest army in all of Magic.
Xira Arien - B
Basically just read the review for Adun Oakenshield. This is an older commander with a good, low mana cost that has a relevant, yet not flashy effect on the game. Xira will draw you an extra card (unless you untap her) for the cost of one of each of your Jund colours. Not a bad trade, but let's face it, you're not really getting away with anything either.
That does it for the token-loving sac-fiends of the furry-goblin-ed plane of Jund! A lot of great commanders featured in this colour combo. Do you think my ratings were on point, or did I miss the mark? Let me know in the comments below!
