Since the release of Lorwyn Eclipsed, the Standard metagame has experienced some major shifts. Early on, it looked like the format might be dominated by green creature decks. Yet, the Pro Tour showcased the power of some new strategies like Izzet Elementals and Dimir Excruciator. Thanks to this, MTG players have been forced to adapt to the ever-adapting metagame.
Recently, in the name of adaptation, one MTG player brought a unique 78-card Five-Color Rhythm shell to a major Magic Online Challenge. While playing 18 extra cards may seem outlandish, the deck’s incredible performance in a 109-Player Challenge shows that there may be a method to the madness.
A Powerful Toolbox
Like most Nature’s Rhythm decks in Standard, the main goal behind this archetype is to accelerate out any number of powerful plays. This is made possible by the presence of a bunch of different mana dorks. With playsets of both Llanowar Elves and Gene Pollinator in the mix, the likelihood you’ll have a turn one play is pretty high. From there, if you can follow up with Badgermole Cub or Spider Manifestation, you’ll have a ton of mana to work with in no time.
Luckily, this deck has no shortage of ways to spend excess mana. Your strongest mana sink is undoubtedly Nature’s Rhythm, which isn’t the most efficient spell but makes up for this with its versatility. There are elite creatures going up the curve all the way to Craterhoof Behemoth, which gives you the ability to end games in one massive turn. With a full playset of Quantum Riddler in the mix, you should have no worries about running out of gas, either.
Unfortunately, as strong as this gameplan is, it takes time to actually close games. In a format where game-breaking cards like Sunderflock and Superior Spider-Man can completely negate all the progress you’ve made, you need access to some sources of disruption to stay afloat. Interestingly, this is where this 78-card Five-Color Rhythm variant gets an edge compared to more streamlined versions.
With four copies of both Nature’s Rhythm and Formidable Speaker in the deck, you have the opportunity to run a toolbox package with impactful one-ofs. Typically, a few of these are squeezed into the main 60-card deck or are relegated to the sideboard, but Badgods did things differently. By exceeding the traditional 60-card threshold, Magic Online user Badgods now has access to more options to help in specific matchups and situations.
To help keep Sunderflock and Bant Airbending shenanigans contained, Doorkeeper Thrull plays an essential role. Similarly, Keen-Eyed Curator is an excellent tool against Superior Spider-Man decks that rely on the graveyard. Meanwhile, against mono-red, Explosive Prodigy can pick off early threats for cheap. This deck even features Champions of the Weird as a beefier option that can remove multiple small threats without triggering Hexing Squelcher.
Strengths and Weaknesses
As a whole, incorporating all of these distinct tools into the maindeck has a handful of benefits. Right off the bat, being able to grab hate cards when your opponents least expect it is a huge luxury. Decks like Bant Airbending Combo, for example, feature most of their answers to Doorkeeper Thrull in the sideboard. This opens the door for you to essentially steal games that otherwise could feel unwinnable.
On top of that, moving a lot of the tutor targets to the main deck frees up sideboard slots for other options. This decklist specifically features three copies of Oko, Lorwyn Liege as well as a multitude of Counterspells to further improve the control matchups.
While all these upsides are nice, playing 78 cards doesn’t come without its weaknesses. By far the biggest negative to playing a bunch of extra one-ofs is that you make your gameplan less consistent. This Five-Color Rhythm decklist is less likely to curve one-drop into Badgermole Cub. In a similar vein, you’re less likely to have Nature’s Rhythm or Formidable Speaker ready to go in the first place.
It’s also important to note that some matchups are far from solved, even with a full toolbox at your disposal. Without access to elite instant speed answers to Mightform Harmonizer, beating the strongest draws out of Landfall or Temur Harmonizer is quite difficult.
With all of these factors to consider, it’ll be interesting to see how Five-Color Rhythm players continue to adjust to the ever-changing metagame. There’s still plenty of room to explore different toolbox elements and configurations moving forward. Regardless, winning a 109-player event is no easy feat, and doing it with a cool 78-card deck is quite a cool accomplishment.
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