For many EDH decks, assembling a combo can be the simplest and most effective way to close games. Whether you’re looking to generate infinite mana or take unlimited turns, there are numerous Commanders that can help the cause.
For players looking to incorporate a multitude of different combo kills into the same deck, Saheeli, the Sun’s Brilliance is an excellent Commander to lead the way. This desparked planeswalker turned legend is a combo machine and a value engine rolled up in one, and is deserving of more respect than she receives.
MTG Saheeli, the Sun’s Brilliance
The main goal with Saheeli, the Sun’s Brilliance in the command zone is to copy cards with elite enters effects or death triggers. Copying creatures like Combustible Gearhulk and Myr Battlesphere will provide value right away. On the flip side, making copies of Wurmcoil Engine or Triplicate Titan will advance your board once the token gets sacrificed during your end step.
Interestingly, Saheeli can also copy artifacts, so trinkets such as Cryogen Relic and Ichor Wellspring make for elite inclusions. With enough artifacts at your disposal, Thought Monitor and other Affinity payoffs become strong additions, too.
Interestingly, because Saheeli’s ability can be activated at instant speed, you can even copy Portal to Phyrexia during your opponent’s end step and double up on triggers during your upkeep. Throw in Freed from the Real and Pemmin’s Aura to untap Saheeli and get multiple activations per turn cycle, and you’re in business.
To further boost the impact of Saheeli’s token-making ability, it’s in your best interest to include token payoffs like Worldwaker Helm and Determined Iteration. While the tokens you make with Saheeli and Determined Iteration won’t stick around long-term on their own, ending the turn with Sundial of the Infinite makes this a real possibility.
Tons of Combos
As impactful as Saheeli is when being used “fairly,” it’s her combo potential that really separates her from other Commanders. Of all the combos you can execute, the easiest to pull off and most effective win condition involves pairing Saheeli with Timestream Navigator. All you need to do is copy Timestream Navigator, then activate the token’s ability to take an extra turn. By repeating this process during each extra turn, taking infinite turns is a cakewalk.
Alternatively, you can combine Saheeli with Combat Celebrant to get infinite combat phases. Once you have two copies of Combat Celebrant in play, you can Exert one of them to enable an extra combat phase after this one. As long as the first copy got through unscathed, Exerting the second copy during your next combat will net you a third combat phase and untap the original copy that attacked. By performing these steps over and over, you’ll have no trouble dealing infinite combat damage to your opponent.
Once you open the door for three-card combos, Saheeli becomes even more intriguing. With Saheeli, Prosperous Pirates, and Coercive Recruiter, in play, for instance, you can make infinite token copies of Prosperous Pirates. All you have to do is start by tapping Saheeli to make a token copy of Prosperous Pirates. When the token enters, it will make two Treasures via its enters trigger and Coercive Recruiter can untap Saheeli via its trigger. Thanks to the Treasure tokens, you can reactivate Saheeli and create a loop, which should make winning trivial.
If you’re after infinite mana, Saheeli, Thornbite Staff, and Atsushi, the Blazing Sky lets you create infinite Treasure tokens. Alternatively, jamming Peregrine Drake and Minamo, School at Water’s Edge alongside Saheeli gives you a path to make infinite token copies of Peregrine Drake and float infinite mana in the process. There’s seemingly no limit to the ways Saheeli helps you win games.
A Force on a Budget
Despite the flexibility Saheeli provides as a build-around, this legend from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan remains quite underplayed as a Commander. With less than 2,000 Commander decks to her name, Saheeli is certainly more impactful than she’s given credit for.
Ultimately, though, this Human Artificer’s most promising feature is definitely her price tag. With a market value under $1 in her cheapest form, Saheeli is extremely cheap. So, if you’re a fan of Artifact and Token archetypes and don’t want to break the bank, Saheeli could be right up your alley.
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