This past weekend, MTG players had their first opportunity to play with the new Secrets of Strixhaven cards. While many players unsurprisingly flocked to their local game stores for prerelease, others participated in tournaments where the new cards were finally legal.
Interestingly, of all the new cards from the main set and Commander precons, Quintorius, History Chaser showcased its competitive prowess the quickest. With four incredible Duel Commander tournament finishes, Quintorius has quickly emerged as a powerful build-around.
Different Avenues to Victory
In just the last 48 hours, Quintorius, History Chaser top 4’d an 86-player and a 72-player event, top 2’d 32-player event, and top 8’d another 21-player tourney. This is an unusual level of immediate dominance in the format, but Quintorius truly looks like it was built for Duel Commander play.
In a one-versus-one environment, your opponent is unlikely to attack down a Planeswalker that ticks up to six loyalty on turn four. Even with no ultimate to chase after, repeatedly using Quintorius’ +1 ability to generate card advantage is amazing. This opens the door to incorporating discard-based payoffs like Currency Converter and Bag of Holding, which keep the value train rolling. All the while, you’re fueling your graveyard to help maximize Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury.
This usage alone is powerful, but then Quintorius’ static ability puts things over the top. Any repeatable graveyard-exiling effect, including Relic of Progenitus, The Ooze, or Ghost Vacuum, will provide a steady flow of Spirit tokens. These 3/2 bodies then do a great job protecting your Planeswalker, while eventually threatening to turn the corner.
Given that Quintorius provides a level of inevitability, it makes sense why two players took a hard control angle in deckbuilding. The decklists from the two smaller events both featured a minimal number of creatures and a high density of removal. In doing so, they have a better chance of sticking Quintorius long-term and eventually clearing away blockers to set up a lethal attack.
Interestingly, though, the decklists from the 86-player and 72-player tournaments were significantly more aggressive. Pierre Gobigo, the pilot of the deck from the biggest event, went as far as to play 32 creatures. They then added cheap reanimation effects like Jolted Awake and Helping Hand as, essentially, effects that create two bodies for one mana. These massive differences in deckbuilding choices show just how versatile Quintorius is as a Commander.
A Legend in the Making
Because Quintorius is so flexible, the Commander could be positioned for long-term success. In the more aggressive builds, this Planeswalker Commander can serve as a value-generating curve-topper that’s immune to creature removal. Having reliable access to this type of card is a massive deal when playing against control strategies like Ertai Resurrected.
On the other end, controlling Quintorius builds line up exceptionally well against aggro decks like Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd, while punishing removal-heavy hands. Without having lots of pressure to back up Quintorius, however, you are more vulnerable to getting combo-ed out.
While it’s unclear exactly what Quintorius builds will become the most popular over time, this Commander looks like the real deal. There’s plenty of room for players to adapt to the evolving metagame, which only makes the Planeswalker more appealing. We can’t predict the future, but we wouldn’t be shocked if Quinrotius emerges as a top tier option in the future.
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