One thing many players enjoy about the Commander format is that there’s no shortage of different archetypes to play. Even in a competitive setting like Duel Commander, the field is quite diverse with decks built for anyone’s playstyle preferences. Plus, there’s always room for brewing. In fact, just this past weekend, a sweet +1/+1 Counters-themed strategy centered around Shelinda, Yevon Acolyte got second in a 36-player tournament.
Assertive Yet Grindy
Despite costing just two mana to cast, Shelinda’s ability to distribute +1/+1 counters makes it quite a threatening Commander. All this legend really asks of you is to keep playing creatures to the board, and something will get buffed in the exchange. Fortunately, this deck features a whopping 39 creatures in the 99, the vast majority of which cost just one or two mana.
Given how reliably Shelinda can spread counters around, this deck naturally incorporates a ton of counters synergies to pull you further ahead. Nearly every cheap counter-doubler you can think of like Hardened Scales and Conclave Mentor make an appearance. Combined with Proliferate engines like Bloated Contaminator, it doesn’t take long before you have a ton of power on board.
Notably, while presenting a fast clock is certainly one of this deck’s strengths, it’s also well-suited for grindy games. With so many card draw elements like Mikey and Leo or Dusk Legion Duelist present, you’re often able to add to the board while simultaneously fueling your hand. These tools make it much easier to fight through removal or rebuild in the face of a board wipe.
Weak Spots
Overall, it’s this versatility that gives Shelinda its biggest edge in Duel Commander compared to other popular aggro decks. Unfortunately, though, these strengths do come alongside some notable weaknesses.
Most importantly, this deck’s reliance on its Commander to distribute counters can backfire in the event you can’t get it to stick. Protection effects like Mother of Runes and The Duke, Rebel Sentry help the cause against removal, but a timely Drannith Magistrate can be devastating. In a similar vein, Torpor Orb can completely shut off Shelinda’s triggered ability, making it much less effective.
This deck also doesn’t have a ton in the way of removal of its own to get these hate cards off the table. The same goes for problematic bombs like Winota, Joiner of Forces which can singlehandedly take over games. Your best bet is to find cards like Parallax Wave or Solitude in a timely manner, but this is easier said than done.
Still, while Shelinda decks are far from perfect, they do have what it takes to compete. With a strong performance under its belt, perhaps this Commander will start to pick up steam. Only time will tell.
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