The impending launch of Magic: The Gathering‘s latest expansion, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, has generated considerable excitement among enthusiasts. With the complete card lists of the accompanying Commander decks now revealed, players can delve into the unique features of each deck that represents one of Tarkir’s five clans, each led by a notable figure alongside a draconic commander. Notably, the Jeskai deck showcases both Shiko and Narset as commanders, a distinctive feature that sets it apart.
There is much to anticipate with Tarkir: Dragonstorm, from formidable new Planeswalker cards to a celebrated return to immersive world-building in the Magic universe. Personally, I’m particularly eager to explore the new Temur Roar Commander deck, aiming to enhance its capabilities with a selection of powerful cards. While the pre-constructed deck stands strong on its own, there are several key upgrades that can elevate its performance in gameplay.
Strategy for the Temur Roar Deck
Establishing a Dominant Board Presence with Dragons
The Temur color identity is characterized by its focus on deploying substantial threats while simultaneously hindering opponents from building their board presence. The Temur Roar Commander deck from Tarkir: Dragonstorm aligns perfectly with this strategy, led by its primary commander, Eshki, Temur’s Roar, who provides additional value when playing large threats and can become a formidable presence on the field. Although I may not choose to utilize the alternative commander, Ureni of the Unwritten, it certainly serves as a viable late-game option.
While Eshki’s card does not specifically mention Dragons, they play a crucial role in the inherent design of this deck. Although the deck can accommodate various large creature types, I will adhere to the dragon-centric theme to encourage minimal modifications. That said, Eshki seamlessly fits into myriad Temur decks, with potential builds that do not rely strictly on dragons.
The essential gameplay strategy for this deck revolves around summoning formidable dragons and dealing direct damage via flying. Utilizing cards like Reality Shift and Spit Flame will be critical for removing opposing threats, ensuring your dominance remains unchallenged with your creature lineup. Furthermore, the deck features synergistic cards like Elemental Bond, providing added benefits for casting significant spells.
Upgrades for the Temur Roar Deck
Enhancing the Temur Roar Deck with Strategic Additions
When considering card replacements for the Temur Roar deck, I chose to avoid any entries from the Game Changers list, as well as tutor cards. These adjustments will enhance the deck while retaining its classification within a particular Commander Bracket. I was cautious not to implement excessive changes; the goal is to improve the deck without making too many substitutions that could undermine the deck’s overall identity. Below is a comprehensive table detailing the modifications made:
|
New Card |
Effect |
Card It Replaces |
|
Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm |
Flying, ward 2 Whenever another nontoken Dragon enters the battlefield under your control, create a token that’s a copy of it, except the token isn’t legendary if that Dragon is legendary. |
Dragonlord Atarka |
|
Terror of the Peaks |
Flying Spells your opponents cast that target this creature cost an additional 3 life to cast. Whenever another creature you control enters, this creature deals damage equal to that creature’s power to any target. |
Stormbreath Dragon |
|
Earthquake |
Deals X damage to each creature without flying and each player. |
Storm’s Wrath |
|
Warstorm Surge |
Whenever a creature you control enters, it deals damage equal to its power to any target. |
Breaching Dragonstorm |
|
Carnelian Orb of Dragonkind |
Tap to add red mana. If this mana is used for a Dragon creature spell, it gains haste until end of turn. |
Fellwar Stone |
|
Animar, Soul of the Elements |
Protection from white and black Whenever you cast a creature spell, put a +1/+1 counter on Animar. Creature spells you cast cost 1 less to cast for each +1/+1 counter on Animar. |
Opportunistic Dragon |
|
Dragonspeaker Shaman |
Dragon spells you cast cost 2 less to cast. |
Nogi, Draco-Zealot |
|
Maelstrom of the Spirit Dragon |
Tap to add colorless mana. Tap for one mana of any color, but only for casting a Dragon spell or an Omen spell. Pay 4, tap, and sacrifice this land: Search your library for a Dragon card, reveal it, put it into your hand, and shuffle your library. |
Exotic Orchard |
|
Skyshroud Claim |
Search your library for up to two Forest cards and put them onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library. |
Migration Path |
|
Kindred Discovery |
As this enchantment enters, choose a creature type. Whenever a creature you control of the chosen type enters or attacks, draw a card. |
Draconic Lore |
Upon discovering this deck, I instantly resolved to include Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm. Its ability to duplicate dragons is an exceptional fit for this dragon-heavy strategy, yielding significant advantages on the battlefield. While not a dragon itself, Animar, Soul of the Elements complements this deck by reducing casting costs for numerous oversized creatures.
Integrating Warstorm Surge and Terror of the Peaks into the deck enhances the overall impact of high-power creatures, allowing for strategic pressure on opponents or serving as targeted removal options. Both cards synergize excellently with Miirym, resulting in activations from both the original dragon and its token clone, including the already included Reflections of Littjara.
In replacing Storm’s Wrath with Earthquake, I found this swap beneficial as the majority of creatures in this deck possess flying, enabling players to deal substantial damage to foes while minimizing risk to their own board presence. Earthquake’s versatility also allows for manipulation of its casting cost, making it a strategic choice when dealing with swarms of lower-power tokens or targeting substantial threats among non-flying creatures.
The remaining card substitutions were largely focused on enhancing existing card functionality. For instance, Skyshroud Claim enables you to locate dual-typed lands compared to the limitations of Migration Path in only accessing basic lands. I also prefer reliable sources like Carnelian Orb of Dragonkind over cards that hinge on opponent’s color distributions, ensuring that my dragon-themed strategy remains robust and effective.
Top New Temur Roar Cards to Build Around
Powerful New Cards from Temur Roar
If you’re interested in building around one of the new commanders rather than simply upgrading the Temur Roar deck, I recommend focusing on Eshki, Temur’s Roar. Commanders with early-game impact generally offer more strategic advantages, particularly as there are superior Temur Dragon commanders available compared to Ureni of the Unwritten. However, Ureni remains a valuable addition to any Miirym, Sentinel Wyrm-centric build.
Among the new cards introduced in Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Deceptive Frostkite particularly piques my interest. It offers utility by copying threatening creatures while providing flying at a low mana cost, making it a versatile choice. Similarly, Thundermane Dragon is a solid inclusion, fitting seamlessly into any Magic: The Gathering deck that prioritizes large creatures.