Commander Deck Tech - Agatha of the Vile Cauldron

One of the Wilds of Eldraine's legendary creatures that stood out to me was definitely Agatha of the Vile Cauldron.

Its low cost added to how it is reduces the cost of activated abilities is fascinating, even more when added to creatures which were terrible in Commander before, and which today have found their home with Agatha, such as Valakut Invoker, for instance. We built this deck with that in mind, and we're now introducing it to you in this Deck Tech!

Agatha works mostly with creatures that bring activated abilities, but she also works with cards that increase her power to compensate using high-cost abilities. Therefore, buff cards are also welcome, but we're not talking about Giant Growth or similar.

What we can use in the Grull color combination to buff Agatha, in this deck's case, are +1/+1 counters. That also makes using her cauldron, Agatha's Soul Cauldron, easier.

This deck is mainly based on creatures, obviously with most having activated abilities, and the other ones are recursion, so we can better develop the board, mana dorks and others. Our creatures bringing utility is quite important to us.

This deck can win through combat damage, but we have a few surprises as finishers to reach victory.

Accelerators

Ramp and Rocks

We have the classic Green ramp package: Cultivate, Kodama's Reach, Rampant Growth, Farseek, Nature's Lore and Three Visits. These last three ones in particular can look for the non-basic lands, Stomping Ground, Wooded Ridgeline, Sheltered Thicket, Cinder Glade and Highland Forest.

To have the possibility of faster turns, we have Sol Ring, Talisman of Impulse, Arcane Signet and Gruul Signet.

Mana Dorks and Other Highlights

Birds of Paradise and Goblin Anarchomancer are quite straightforward in their role of supporting your early game. Alongside them, we have a few creatures which interact with +1/+1 counters: Kami of Whispered Hopes and Incubation Druid. They'll eventually get a counter anyway because of the deck's sub-theme, and, thanks to that, can be even more valuable when it's time to use them.

Working alongside our commander, we use Frontier Guide, Leafkin Avenger, Magus of the Candelabra, Svella, Ice Shaper and Shaman of Forgotten Ways. Each of them, aside from Svella, Ice Shaper and Frontier Guide, can be win conditions - Shaman of Forgotten Ways can drastically lower our opponent's life, if it doesn't kill them.

Magus of the Candelabra and Leafkin Avenger have infinite mana potential with pieces that will be shown later on, and I'll highlight Leafkin Avenger, which has a built-in win condition. Frontier Guide is excellent to help with ramp, and Svella, Ice Shaper doesn't stay out of it, after all, creating mana rocks for 2 or 1 mana thanks to Agatha can only be good.

Activated Abilities

Buffers

Any and every card that can buff the commander's power is valid to comment on, as any extra power Agatha has can make the difference in the game. We have a few less important cards, such as Blackblade Reforged, Rancor and Raised by Giants.

These three are equally important, but only Rancor can protect itself well. So, it is important to know the right moment to cast them to avoid a possible counter.

Some sources can be small buffs, but every buff is a buff: Court of Garenbrig, Rhythm of the Wild, Invigorating Hot Spring and Tribute to the World Tree are enchantments that can fit our build like a glove.

Hardened Scales and Ozolith, the Shattered Spire enhance these enchantments even more, with an effect similar to Kami of Whispered Hopes.

Regarding creatures, we use Halana and Alena, Partners, Guardian Augmenter and Wildheart Invoker. I'll highlight Guardian Augmenter, which in its 2 for 1 protects Agatha while it strengthens her.

The other two don't stay far behind: Halana and Alena, Partners use their ability well, targeting Agatha, and Wildheart Invoker can be another possible finisher.

Finally, we have Domri, Anarch of Bolas, Kessig Wolf Run, Oran-Rief, the Vastwood and Agatha's Soul Cauldron.

Domri, Anarch of Bolas can only buff a little, but its effect of dealing with counters and its possible removals make it recursive anyhow, and therefore it was selected to be in our list. Kessig Wolf Run is a great option for just a little mana, and Oran-Rief, the Vastwood works well with the aforementioned cards that stack +1/+1 counters.

In this build, Agatha's Soul Cauldron isn't as combo-centric as you'd think - it is actually much more used as a support, considering almost any creature in the deck exiled by it will be used thoroughly in matches.

Finishers

Aside from the aforementioned cards, direct damage Invokers can both finish games bit by bit and through infinite mana, dealing direct damage: Valakut Invoker, Bhaal's Invoker and Flamewave Invoker.

Etali, Primal Conqueror can't finish directly, but its flipped version, Etali, Primal Sickness, has the potential to knock out your opponent for good.

Lastly, still thinking about infinite mana, Steel Hellkite can, just like Etali, Primal Sickness, have a victim under its wings, and Hydra Broodmaster can provide infinite hydras with enough power to knock out all players all at once, considering the Haste and Trample evasion in Agatha's ability.

Other Recursive Creatures

In builds with Green, I think using Eternal Witness and Timeless Witness is indispensable, considering how valuable they are when recovering resources, besides leaving a body behind as a blocker. Beast Whisperer is a very precious card draw engine, considering the deck is based on creatures, and it gives this deck more gas.

Captivating Crew can even be considered a finisher, if any opponent has a creature big enough to fulfill this role. Orthion, Hero of Lavabrink has great targets - both Witness sisters and Etali, Primal Conqueror.

Gorilla Shaman is the Pauper staple we borrowed to remove whatever's necessary, be them mana rocks or more problematic artifacts. Finally, Soul of New Phyrexia will be a wonderful protection considering the deck's theme, and Soulbright Flamekin works almost as a mana dork.

Possible Combos

All combos used are centered around Agatha, added to other pieces. The aforementioned cards which can be finishers have this potential if you have an infinite source of mana, and we can do that in a few ways, for instance: Spawnsire of Ulamog and Agatha with at least 3 power.

By activating Spawnsire of Ulamog's ability for just one colorless mana, you create 2 Eldrazi Spawn which, when sacrificed, create a colorless mana, this way creating infinite creatures and infinite colorless mana. If Agatha's Soul Cauldron is on board, it is possible to end the game with infinite combat damage, with all creatures having Trample.

Another way is setting up Agatha with a mana dork capable of creating more than 3 mana, and Umbral Mantle, always floating one mana after activating its untapping ability. This combo also works with Magus of the Candelabra, if Agatha has at least 2 power.

With both on board following their conditions and Magus of the Candelabra equipped with Umbral Mantle, create 3 mana with up to 3 lands. By declaring Magus of the Candelabra's X value for 3, being reduced to 1 due to Agatha having 2 power, untap 3 lands. Out of the three mana created, use 1 to activate Umbral Mantle's ability, also reduced by 2 due to Agatha, untapping Magus of the Candelabra. For each time you create this process, there's another mana floating, which results in infinite mana.

Finally, we have the combo of Agatha with at least 7 power alongside Silvanus's Invoker and Gruul Turf. Create with Gruul Turf. For 1 mana of your choice, use Silvanus's Invoker's ability to untap Gruul Turf. Repeating this process, you'll always have one mana of your choice to spare, resulting in infinite mana.

Interacting with the Board

Answers and Removals

As defensive resources in that same line, we use Heroic Intervention and Silkguard. Despite Snakeskin Veil being a bit conditional, you can fulfill its condition within the spell itself. To remove permanents which can be problematic, we have Beast Within, Chaos Warp and Krosan Grip.

As for many problems which are creatures, we have Blasphemous Act. If your problem is one or more artifacts, use Vandalblast.

Card Draw and Similar

To create value with card draw, we have Guardian Project, Rishkar's Expertise and Jeska's Will. With creatures big enough, Rishkar's Expertise can provide many cards. Jeska's Will can be quite useful to create mana to activate a relevant ability at a point in the game, or to cast one of the 3 exiled cards, if the commander is on board to use both modes.

Guardian Project is almost indispensable in any Commander deck with Green, and finally, we have Bala Ged Recovery, with its incredible versatility of being useful both as a spell or land.

We have a list which, despite being a budget list, follows the same line of the list shown previously. There are nuanced differences, which don't prevent this deck from working as smoothly as the one we built here.

Even though I'm not the biggest combo fan, Agatha seems to be quite fun when set up, even if she doesn't combo. Creatures such as Invokers, which always have extremely expensive ability costs, finally being able to be used thanks to her discount is fun, after all, who can expect something out of a common creature which costs just a few cents? Not to mention the other interactions.

It is a pity we can't add Agatha of the Vile Cauldron to Zirda, the Dawnwaker, due to their color combinations.

Did you enjoy this deck? Would you use another strategy? Add in more combos? Share your opinion in the comment section!