While the theming of the set wasn’t to everyone’s tastes, Outlaws of Thunder Junction was actually a bit of a banger in terms of card quality. We got a ton of notable cards here, and one of the best bonus sheets ever in The Big Score. On top of that, many classic MTG legends got powerful new versions, like Selvala, Eager Trailblazer. Not only is this Selesnya icon a potent ramp piece in the command zone, but it’s also a serious infinite combo enabler to (cowboy) boot.
Selvala, Eager Trailblazer MTG
Right out of the box, Selvala, Eager Trailblazer is a fantastic self-contained MTG value engine. Each creature you cast with Selvala out gets you an extra 1/1, which lets you add more unique power values to your board, and therefore make more mana.
In the average game, getting to the point where you can tap Selvala for four or five mana is very doable. Simply casting a couple of differently-powered creatures and then using the tokens to mix things up should get you there. To maximize this, you’ll want to run a range of different creature stat lines. Creatures that can alter their own power, like Figure of Fable, are especially useful here.
Once you’ve got the engine running nicely, there are a number of directions you can take Selvala as a strategy. Perhaps the best option here is to pursue a go-wide Tokens plan. Essentially doubling every creature you cast is ideal for this strategy, getting you to critical mass quickly.
You can lean extra-hard into this idea with self-bounce creatures like Kor Skyfisher, or Airbending cards like Monk Gyatso. With a strong board established, Selvala’s mana generation will even allow you to spring finishers like Craterhoof Behemoth out of nowhere. This also makes it easier to maintain your board via pricey protection spells like Restoration Magic.
To support this strategy, a +1/+1 counter sub-theme is an ideal addition. Cheap ways to place counters, like Innkeeper’s Talent and Luminarch Aspirant, are great for diversifying your powers. You can also use tools like these to focus power in Selvala itself and push for a surprise Commander damage win.
Cowboy Combos
Selvala, Eager Trailblazer is perfectly capable of playing a fair game of MTG, but it really shines when it comes to combo lines. As any combo veteran will tell you, creatures that tap for a lot of mana are ripe for abuse via untap effects. Selvala offers exactly that, straight out of the command zone for easy access.
The easiest way to go infinite with Selvala is to kit it out with Umbral Mantle. As long as Selvala can tap for four or more mana, you can simply tap it, pay three to untap it, and repeat ad infinitum. With no spending restrictions on your infinite mana, you can then win in whichever way you see fit. You can pull off the same combo with Staff of Domination, with the added benefit of getting to sink your mana into its draw effect to find your win.
You can also generate infinite mana with Selvala by roping in Duskmourn favorite Marvin, Murderous Mimic. With a creature that can untap itself in the mix, like Pili-Pala or Farmstead Gleaner, Marvin can inherit both abilities and perform the same tap/untap loop as above. This is less efficient in terms of cards than the pure Selvala combos, but Marvin is great in the deck anyway, so it’s an easy add.
With Whitemane Lion and Earthcraft, Selvala is even capable of building an infinitely wide token board. Simply cast Lion to create a Mercenary token, then tap both to untap two lands with Earthcraft. Once that’s done, you can bounce Whitemane Lion to its own ability, and rinse and repeat. This can all be done at instant speed to build a lethal board before your turn starts, or to just win on the spot with Altar of the Brood.
Off The Beaten Track
While it certainly excels when used in combo brews or in specific MTG strategies, the real beauty of Selvala, Eager Trailblazer is its flexibility. Extra creatures and ramp are universally useful, allowing the card to do well at the helm of pretty much any Selesnya deck. You can use it to bolster established decks like Elf Typal, or even more niche strategies like Selesnya Storm.
Despite all of this power and flexibility, Selvala hardly sees any play in Commander at all. EDHREC data notes that only 768 players run the card as a Commander, which is shockingly low. The card does better in the 99, showing up in around 10,000 decks there, but most players running Selvala aren’t getting the full experience.
It’s a shame that a card this good is flying under the radar, but this does mean you can pick it up for a bargain price, at least. Regular, near-mint copies of Selvala can be had for just $0.17 right now, which is wild for a playable mythic. Even the fancier printings, the Extended Art and Prerelease Promo versions, can be had for just $0.52 and $0.75, respectively.
At these rates, Selvala, Eager Trailblazer is one of the best bang-for-your-buck mythics we’ve seen in a while. If you want a fun, flexible Commander that can adapt to any bracket, you could do far worse than this forgotten hero.
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