[TRK] Q, Stacking the Deck (Debut Stream)

[u/mweepinc]

[u/meh1997]

According to Gavin, the team had to beg him to not make Q a subgame card. Lmao

[u/Jackeea → u/meh1997]

Cowards

[u/Knife_Fight_Bears → u/Jackeea]

truly and absolutely

[u/Fritzkreig → u/Knife_Fight_Bears]

Not that I am ever going to own one of the signed cards, but I am really surprised that they didn't get John de Lancie to do one!

[u/rosemp16 → u/Jackeea]

No one on the dev team is able to block warriors.

[u/CHRISKVAS → u/meh1997]

Ok so what breaks this card? This type of thing that lets you go all lands and one spell always ends up in a combo.

[u/MageKorith → u/CHRISKVAS]

How about [[Lightning Bolt]]?

[u/Sir_Encerwal → u/MageKorith]

You laugh but I am dangerously close to putting this in [[Imodane the Pyrohammer]] for that exact reason.

[u/mtgcf → u/Sir_Encerwal]

Imodane the Pyrohammer - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/Aeidon → u/Sir_Encerwal]

I've been working on an Imodane list for a while, do you have one to share?

[u/Probably_Nice → u/Aeidon]

Not the OP, but I have been running an Imodane list since she was printed and it's here: https://moxfield.com/decks/DflYj-uKYke56Gvk2tPKbw

[u/Sir_Encerwal → u/Aeidon]

https://moxfield.com/decks/HoPPFu_QB0-N235HUjKSLA

It has a lower density of damage based removal than it used to somewhat diminishing the "draw, go" early game it used to have but it fairly reliably churn out that one big turn that kills everyone. If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them. My only warning is that it is probably my most disliked deck by my friend group, enough that I keep it with my 60 card tournament bag to whip out between events at this point.

[u/Toes_In_The_Soil → u/MageKorith]

[u/YouCanChangeItRight → u/MageKorith]

What about [[Vexing Devil]]

[u/mtgcf → u/YouCanChangeItRight]

Vexing Devil - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/VerbingNoun413 → u/YouCanChangeItRight]

This vexes me. 

[u/mtgcf → u/MageKorith]

Lightning Bolt - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/SHOVEL_KlGHT → u/MageKorith]

This will leave you with 7 when it pops off, then drawing 1 more every turn right? I dont see it winning any games.

[u/Saintbaba → u/SHOVEL_KlGHT]

Best i can come up with is Q, Lightning Bolt, Wheel of Fortune, and 98 mountains. And it's a 50/50 chance if you can hit Lightning Bolt first so you can kill Q and play him again for the Wheel of Fortune. But if you do, that's 21 damage every turn once you're set up.

[u/MageKorith → u/Saintbaba]

Why stop at 21?

On your turn:

1. Play mountain, have n lands, tap everything for mana.
2. If you have 2 or more cards in hand: {Play lightning bolts until you have 1 card and 3+ mana or 0 cards left in hand or 0 mana.} else continue to 3.
3. If you have 1 card and 3+ mana, turn the last card into a wheel, then go to 2; else continue to 4.
4. End the turn.

[u/BlueTemplar85 → u/CHRISKVAS]

[[Shahrazad]] :p

[u/mtgcf → u/BlueTemplar85]

Shahrazad - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/Seitosa → u/BlueTemplar85]

The trial really does never end, huh…

[u/GOD_KING_YUGI → u/CHRISKVAS]

[[Maximum Carnage]] would be funny

[u/CaptainDFTBA → u/GOD_KING_YUGI]

Wow I just realized Q says nonland. Here I was thinking instants and sorceries. Hmmm.

[u/YouCanChangeItRight → u/CaptainDFTBA]

That's what I also thought but then again I also thought you got the copy for free.

[u/darthboolean → u/GOD_KING_YUGI]

Probably the best suggestion I've seen, since you still have to pay the mana cost for whatever you cast.

[u/mtgcf → u/GOD_KING_YUGI]

Maximum Carnage - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/eightdx → u/GOD_KING_YUGI]

Bruh, that would be maximum-er carnage. Ever increasing carnage potentially

[u/Candy_Warlock → u/CHRISKVAS]

[[Price of Progress]]? [[Prisoner's Dilemma]] is probably a flavor win too

[u/mtgcf → u/Candy_Warlock]

Price of Progress - (G) (SF) (txt)
Prisoner's Dilemma - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/stachen_scarfen → u/CHRISKVAS]

If we’re all in on one spell, mono-red, [[Warp World]] can win the game with the right combo of lands. It’s non-deterministic, because the easiest route relies on Valakut with enough lands to one-shot, but you can loop Warp World with the handful of utility lands that let you draw cards, or with bounce land effects.

In theory you could stockpile multiple copies of Warp World as well to prevent from fizzling. I refuse to do the math on the odds of this bc the pile would be shit but it’s possible in theory.

[[rise of the eldrazi]] is way simpler lol. Just nuke people’s shit and then make them draw, and hope you don’t deck yourself first.

[u/Succubace → u/stachen_scarfen]

That's absolutely miserable but really cool in theory!

[u/stachen_scarfen → u/Succubace]

That sums up every Warp World deck!

[u/stmack → u/CHRISKVAS]

[[memory worm]]

[u/clayparson → u/CHRISKVAS]

Manamorphose

[u/AokiHagane → u/CHRISKVAS]

I'm testing it with [[Seven Dwarves]].

[u/Asilaten → u/CHRISKVAS]

I think it's more than that. You probably do maybe 80-90 Mountains with a mix of spells. Some kind of red toolbox consisting of some of the following:

• Direct Damage: Lightning Bolt, Fireball
• Multipurpose Removal: Chaos Warp
• Rituals: Pyretic Ritual, Desperate Ritual, Seething Song
• Mana Positive Rocks: Sol Ring, Mana Vault, Grim Monolith, Moxen, Lotus Petal
• Protection: Bolt Bend, Deflect Lightning, Deflecting Swat
• Card Advantage and Selection: Sensei's Divining Top (Turns into {1}: Draw a card, repeatably.), Faithless Looting
• Multipurpose: Jeska's Will
• Effect Stacking: Panharmonicon, Strionic Resonator, Roaming Throne
• Cost Reduction: Ruby Medallion

Need to think of more ways to bounce Q and return him to the battlefield in mono-red, but I think this is a very strong effect (especially if you can hit ramp and drop him on turn 2).

[u/ComicDebris → u/CHRISKVAS]

I saw someone recommend [[Delayed Blast Fireball]].

[u/Arborus → u/CHRISKVAS]

[[Glaring Fleshraker]]?

[u/mrenglish22 → u/meh1997]

Q being a subgame card would only make sense

[u/TimeHabit7964 → u/meh1997]

Instead Q exiles Sharazad so can cast it over and over and over

[u/CreationBlues → u/TimeHabit7964]

You should already be wish recurring sharazad for true subgame fun maximization

[u/RaizielDragon → u/TimeHabit7964]

Q should have entered prepared and the prepared card be Sharazad

[u/omega2010 → u/meh1997]

The one time Gavin should have laughed in their faces and made that card. Q making subgames is so on flavor.

[u/evacipated → u/meh1997]

Maaaaaaan

[u/Immediate-Idea-2471 → u/meh1997]

This is a subgame wym?

I'm only playing that card the rest of the game, is that not a subgame?

[u/Jan-Asra → u/Immediate-Idea-2471]

a sub game means playing a game within the game, some un cards literally had you play a second game of magic to decide the outcome of the card's effect

[u/OckhamsFolly → u/Jan-Asra]

The original subgame card, [[Shahrazad]], is black border (though possibly even less playable, as it is banned or just not legal in every official format).

[u/schneebitch → u/Jan-Asra]

And one not an un-card at all [[Shahrazad]]

[u/Eldritch-Yodel → u/schneebitch]

Fun fact! In Unfinity when they were figuring out what cards could work in blackborder (given the switch to a mix happened part way through), the set's subgame card was in fact originally to be made eternal legal, only for MaRo to be basically told "Look yes the rules know how to handle subgame. That said we are not printing subgame cards in blackborder"

[u/mtgcf → u/schneebitch]

Shahrazad - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/W4tchmaker → u/Immediate-Idea-2471]

[[Shahrazad]]

[u/TheMancersDilema]

Apparently early on in set design they had him creating a sub game and that got shot down pretty hard.

[u/EnragedHeadwear → u/TheMancersDilema]

Cowards

[u/Twelve-Pound]

Wow, so Q, 98 mountains, and any red card makes a commander deck with functionally infinite copies of a single card.

What do you think the best card would be for that?

[u/scumble_bee → u/Twelve-Pound]

Just hope that card isn't near the bottom of the deck because the lands don't get shuffled back into the deck.

[u/SirCold5700 → u/scumble_bee]

I think this is a good change to these types of cards. You can play exactly one spell if you want to, but you might deck yourself is a fair risk. Probably lose about half your deck most times. And if you draw your spell while waiting to cast Q you pretty much lose.

[u/MageKorith → u/SirCold5700]

You could also play two spells where either one is just fine as an infinite, and significantly reduce the chances of eating your entire deck. Or drawing your only spell on turn 3.

[u/Alexyogurt → u/MageKorith]

Seven copies of [[Seven Dwarves]]

[u/mtgcf → u/Alexyogurt]

Seven Dwarves - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/LoganNolag → u/Alexyogurt]

That would actually be surprisingly on theme.

[u/Jackeea → u/Alexyogurt]

DIY Slime Against Humanity

[u/mainman879 → u/MageKorith]

I like the two spell setup a lot better yeah.

[u/weglarz → u/MageKorith]

It also has to be fairly cheap as you still have to pay the mana cost to cast it.

[u/DenizenPrime → u/scumble_bee]

Or if you draw the card, the combo is dead.

[u/Necr0maNc3R → u/scumble_bee]

If you’re willing to build the deck around, say, three potential spells instead of one, then that fixes most of the problems a single spell deck would have.

You could keep playing even if you drew one of the three spells.  You’re likely to still have a bunch of your deck left after playing Q once.  Your deck now has variety, instead of playing the exact same spell every game.

[u/frosty_balls → u/Twelve-Pound]

Saffron Olive's next Against the Odds video

[u/VCosmoz → u/Twelve-Pound]

oh no, my dream of making a [[Prisoner's Dilemma]]-centric deck is about to become reality

[u/mtgcf → u/VCosmoz]

Prisoner's Dilemma - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/IntelligentSpite6364 → u/VCosmoz]

call it "iterated prisoner's dilemma"

[u/freshlysqueezed93 → u/VCosmoz]

It's only a low power bracket two deck, but I have a super fun deck with a bunch of the "choose" cards, super recommend!

Even put Nicol Bolas as the commander just to make it thematic, but he's pretty useless in it.

[u/TerribleTransit → u/Twelve-Pound]

Obvious answer is Lightning Bolt, why mess with perfection? 

For the long game, though, probably [[Playful Shove]]/

[u/Yogurt_Ph1r3 → u/TerribleTransit]

I mean [[Boltwave]] probably is better in commander

[u/mtgcf → u/Yogurt_Ph1r3]

Boltwave - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/TerribleTransit → u/Yogurt_Ph1r3]

More efficient damage to face, yes. But it also leaves you with a single 4/4 creature as your only defense or interaction for an entire game, so you're going to have a hard time getting 14-ish cards in hand to burn everyone before someone swings for lethal at your incredibly open face.

Bolt's interaction means you can at least threaten to remove creatures if they get pointed at you, but it brings the total cards you need up to 56 which is a tall order unless you can politic people into lowering each others' life total.

Playful Shove solves the card advantage problem by giving you effectively infinite cards... but you're gonna run out of cards in your deck before you can burn out all your opponents.

Overall I don't think it's actually a viable strategy in Commander.

[u/CanuhkGaming → u/TerribleTransit]

Well you can only cast the exiled card on your turn, so can't exactly bolt in response 

[u/mtgcf → u/TerribleTransit]

Playful Shove - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/_Ice_Rider_ → u/Twelve-Pound]

[[Last Chance]]. Really last.

[u/Browsing_From_Work → u/_Ice_Rider_]

Unfortunately, that doesn't work. You'll still lose at the end of the first extra turn. :(

[u/GingerPow → u/Browsing_From_Work]

It's not about winning, it's about sending a message

[u/mtgcf → u/_Ice_Rider_]

Last Chance - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/SuperfluousWingspan → u/Twelve-Pound]

[[Arbitrarily Many But Finite Dwarves]]

[u/Twelve-Pound → u/Twelve-Pound]

I’m thinking [[Goblin Game]]

[u/mtgcf → u/Twelve-Pound]

Goblin Game - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/VoiceofKane → u/Twelve-Pound]

Still costs seven mana, though.

[u/BassPerson → u/VoiceofKane]

This is a fun deck, not necessarily a fast one

[u/almisami → u/Twelve-Pound]

[[Scrambleverse]]

Because WHY THE FUCK NOT.

[u/SirCold5700 → u/almisami]

Oh, I like this one. Goal is to win through randomly stealing their stuff

[u/barcop → u/Twelve-Pound]

All these replies and no [[Warp World]] c'mon people.

[u/ProfPeanut → u/Twelve-Pound]

The exiled land cards don't go back to your library, so you could also end up decking yourself in short order

[u/Saansilt → u/ProfPeanut]

As red do really. Live extreme or don't live at all!

[u/KnightHawk15 → u/Twelve-Pound]

You still have to pay the mana for the copies, so this won’t work lol

[u/Strankulator → u/KnightHawk15]

Good thing you have all those mountains to pay for the copies

[u/Kryptnyt → u/Twelve-Pound]

Obviously [[Seven Dwarves]] is the answer.

[u/PowrOfFriendship_]

So... you exile a random nonland card from your deck, and for the rest of the game, you can turn cards in your hand into copies of it?

It's a build your own [[The Colossal Dreadmaw]]

[u/SlashOfLife5296 → u/PowrOfFriendship_]

Suddenly the cards that can knock things out of exile from Thunder Junction become relevant again

[u/Hurricaneshand → u/SlashOfLife5296]

Or the Eldrazi from whatever set that was

[u/BiomeWalker → u/Hurricaneshand]

Processors from Battle for Zendikar

[u/Da_Real_KillmeDotCom → u/SlashOfLife5296]

Or [pull from eternity]

[u/cwx149 → u/SlashOfLife5296]

Exile [[most hollow griffin]] then misunderstand the ability and cast the original lol

[u/lame_dirty_white_kid → u/SlashOfLife5296]

Which cards from Thunder Junction?

[u/SlashOfLife5296 → u/lame_dirty_white_kid]

[[Binding Negotiation]] is what came to mind

[u/Breaking-Away → u/SlashOfLife5296]

I colloquially refer to that card as "plotseize"

[u/mtgcf → u/PowrOfFriendship_]

The Colossal Dreadmaw - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/Saintbaba]

I kind of wish they'd had the guts to make Q holding MtG cards and presenting his own card.

[u/ButterscotchFiend → u/Saintbaba]

they didn't even have the guts to make Q a planeswalker

[u/PM_ME_STEAM_CODES__ → u/ButterscotchFiend]

IIRC after the D&D sets they decided to restrict Planeswalkers to being an in-universe thing

[u/primalmaximus → u/ButterscotchFiend]

They didn't make Gilgamesh from Final Fantasy a planeswalker and he canonically travels between dimensions.

[u/planeforger → u/primalmaximus]

I've always seen him as more of a Fblthp-style character. He got banished by Exdeath in FF5 and randomly stumbles into places ever since. He never shows any control over where he is or where he's going.

[u/rafaelfy → u/primalmaximus]

I expect to see Gilgamesh in other planes soon, like Nauctis and Bloomburrow 2: The Bloomening

[u/Cranberryoftheorient → u/Saintbaba]

Yeah it would make it seem like hes powerful enough to break the fourth wall. Give him flavor text directly addressing the player

[u/Majias → u/Saintbaba]

Who is he in Star Trek lore ? Or what can he do ?

[u/Saintbaba → u/Majias]

He's basically a trickster god. His entire race - also know as just Q - are from another higher plane of existence - the "Q Continuum." They apparently live outside space and time, and they can do basically whatever they want. Like, straight up, they snap things in and out of existence, can fiddle with time, can travel any infinite distance they want, and ignore the rules of causality. Mostly Q (the character) uses his powers to fuck around and mess with "lesser beings," and he especially appears to enjoy toying with Captain Picard and, by extension, the crew of the Enterprise.

Things he's done in episodes off the top of my head: sent the ship across the galaxy to fight insanely powerful aliens, conjured a mariachi band onto existence on the bridge, offered the first officer omnipotent powers for funsies, "tested" humanity's very right to exist, and pulled an "it's a wonderful life" with Picard, letting him relive a key moment from his youth to see how it would alter the course of his life.

[u/zaphodbeeblemox → u/Majias]

He’s a Loki adjacent character, his race are godlike beings capable of manipulating reality, planes walking, 4th wall breaking, time travel, unlimited power to do anything they want and shape reality to their will.

This particular Q, is fascinated by testing mortal races to see if they should be allowed to continue their existence when he stumbles upon humanity.

His episodes are highlights among an already exceptional Star Trek series (next generation), and without much work can be watched as standalone episodes so you can go in and just watch all the Q episodes + 1-2 others for some context.

After his first encounter with humanity he takes a particular fondness to the captain and lead character of Star Trek TNG: captain Jean-Luc Picard. Often showing up right in the middle of important moments, snapping everyone away to go and do a ‘filler episode’.

Without spoilers imagine you are at the pivotal moment in a two or three episode run and they are about to get struck down by the big bad guy when deus ex machina the god himself freezes time and says ‘he gang let’s all go to the beach’ and you have no choice, now everyone you know who was just engaged in bloody war is all on the beach.

If you don’t play volleyball with him he turns you into a pile of maggots and feeds you to birds. But if you do you have the time of your life. Also he’s decided to give all the men boobs and all the women now have samurai outfits.

Then once he’s done playing with his friends he snaps you all back and you continue your epic fight scene.

That in a nutshell is Q.

[u/WillDonJay → u/Saintbaba]

Be a cool alter!

[u/slimenite]

So what 1 card and 98 lands do you play?

[u/DandyLionMan → u/slimenite]

[[Lightning bolt]]

[u/tractioncities → u/DandyLionMan]

[[Boltwave]]

[u/mtgcf → u/tractioncities]

Boltwave - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/mtgcf → u/DandyLionMan]

Lightning bolt - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/Yakb0 → u/slimenite]

[[Worldfire]]

[u/mtgcf → u/Yakb0]

Worldfire - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/cwx149 → u/Yakb0]

And then you win by swinging with Q? Or? How are you closing that game?

[u/andergriff → u/cwx149]

My opponents scooping after my 3rd worldfire

[u/cwx149 → u/andergriff]

If your playgroup is letting you get to turn 27 in a game where you're casting multiple world fires they deserve to suffer

After you cast it the first time you'd need the next 9 turns before you could cast it again and it's your only spell (besides q who costs 6 now and is basically a 4/4 with "when etb exile your library")

[u/andergriff → u/cwx149]

Heart of the cards

[u/liveactiongeek]

[[Seven dwarves]]

[u/Crimson_Raven → u/liveactiongeek]

May actually be the most sensible suggestion yet

[u/liveactiongeek → u/Crimson_Raven]

Thanks. I'm something of a scientist, myself.

[u/austin-geek → u/liveactiongeek]

Hmm, they will start to get huge and it minimizes the potential to exile your whole deck on the first commander cast. 

[u/mtgcf → u/liveactiongeek]

Seven dwarves - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/askvo]

So 98 mountains and you essentially make any red card your commander with Epic. First thought is [[delayed blast fireball]] since the copy is cast from exile

EDIT: should mention that you have to cast the copies with mana, hence the Epic similarity. It also means Wheel of Fate doesn’t work

[u/mtgcf → u/askvo]

delayed blast fireball - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/Ok_Ad_9188 → u/askvo]

Wait, does that work? When you make copies of things in exile, the copies themselves are played from exile?

[u/randomdragoon → u/Ok_Ad_9188]

If you copy a game object and you don't specify where the copy goes, it's in the same zone as the original object.

[u/askvo → u/Ok_Ad_9188]

Yep. When you copy the card, you copy that it’s in exile. Just imagine you’re doing Control C + Control V on the card and making a duplicate in exile. I use this trick in my exile deck to play full damage Delayed Blast Fireball using [[Mizzex’s Mastery]] and [[Arcane Bombardment]]

[u/HuskerWolf63962 → u/askvo]

We need a dnd wizard proxy so all you can cast is fireball.

[u/Outlawgamer1991]

Something that a lot of people are missing about Q; he doesn't let you cast the copy for free. He carries the same wording as [[Chun-Li, Countless Kicks]] which makes you pay for the copies.

So everyone's 98 lands and a big burn spell dreams are kinda flat.

[u/mainman879 → u/Outlawgamer1991]

You can still do something like [[Delayed Blast Fireball]]. People are gonna have trouble killing you when you deal 5 dmg to all enemy creatures every turn.

[u/mtgcf → u/mainman879]

Delayed Blast Fireball - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/schmambuman → u/mainman879]

Surely not if you take 4 turns off to do nothing (and not even in a threatening way like holding up interaction) before even being able to start doing 5 for 3 mana every turn?

[u/AgentJackjohn → u/Outlawgamer1991]

I think the silliest card to do the 98 mountains strat is with [[prisoners dilemma]]. Once you get down to 1 opponent it's slow but the inevitability is fun

[u/mtgcf → u/AgentJackjohn]

prisoners dilemma - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/leaning_on_a_wheel]

Alchemy ass ability

[u/Jackeea → u/leaning_on_a_wheel]

Q is a very Alchemy-adjacent being

He'd love [[Enter the Eternities]]

[u/Reutermo → u/leaning_on_a_wheel]

More like "Red Chaos ability". Far older then alchemy!

[u/Ouaouaron → u/Reutermo]

Have they given an ability to an exiled card before? That's what made it feel like Alchemy to me, even if it's not practically different from the other shenanigans they pull with exiled cards

[u/Kaprak → u/Ouaouaron]

They have given an ability to a card on the stack before, this is nothing

[u/SemicolonFetish → u/Ouaouaron]

Yeah, definitely. [[Greater Gargadon]] lets you remove counters from it while it's exiled.

[u/thisisjustascreename]

Insane to name this guy “stacking the deck” when he literally randomizes it.

[u/thedeadparadise → u/thisisjustascreename]

Considering everything is talking about building the deck with 99 lands and one red card, that feels like “stacking” the deck to me.

[u/Ashley_1066 → u/thedeadparadise]

I dont 'include veggies' I dont 'build my deck' I put one card in my pile of mountains and if I draw it before turn 4 I kill myself

[u/Necr0maNc3R → u/Ashley_1066]

Just make it 2 or 3 cards.  More variety, and less non-games where you draw your one spell or deck yourself.

[u/corbinolo]

Everyone is saying just one nonland, but I think this is way more fun as a roguelike deck where you put every fun card you can think of in and the deck plays differently every game

Add some sac outlets/blink effects and keep casting him for more funny spells

Do any mono red slivers stack abilities well?

[u/Capital_Abject → u/corbinolo]

I was thinking maybe put about 10ish non lands in so you get enough variety but still mostly just hit land drops, maybe bump it up to 17 if you wanna play the seven dwarves as the default mode

[u/YouCanChangeItRight → u/Capital_Abject]

I was just thinking this on the way home from work. I think the correct number if you want a semi-serious deck is probably between 17-24 nonlands.

[u/krazybananada → u/corbinolo]

There's 3 different slivers that give all +2/+0. Put those 3 in the deck so as not to deck yourself, and cast away.

Probably not a great deck, but you'll have a slow army of massive attack slivers

[u/Jdoose08]

[[altar of the brood]] best mono red mill commander

[u/mtgcf → u/Jdoose08]

altar of the brood - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/Markars → u/Jdoose08]

13 copies mills 78 cards, 14 for 91.

It's a bit out of reach but not impossible!

[u/Jdoose08 → u/Markars]

Land drops

[u/GrAyFoX312k]

[[manamorphose]]

[u/mtgcf → u/GrAyFoX312k]

manamorphose - (G) (SF) (txt)

[u/nimbusnacho → u/GrAyFoX312k]

That plus [[grapeshot]] and just hope you hit manamorphose

[u/thrilldigger → u/nimbusnacho]

What I love is that this lets you kill exactly one other player in Commander (assuming you lose about half your deck to the initial search), then you just have Q and nothing else left so are effectively dead.

Peak hate deck.

[u/YouCanChangeItRight]

Notably it doesn't shuffle the lands you exiled back into your deck. So there's a chance that one spell is on or near the bottom of your library and you'll get close to milling yourself out. Pretty interesting.

[u/GarciLP]

What's going on in that typeline

[u/Aerim → u/GarciLP]

Q is a race in Star Trek. They're all also named Q.

The John de Lancie Q there is the most recognizable one.

[u/Jackeea → u/GarciLP]

Q

[u/X_Marcs_the_Spot → u/Jackeea]

Not to be confused with Qu.

[u/thegoodgero]

Close enough, I'm incredibly excited to see Spellshaper support seeing the light in 2026

[u/austin-geek → u/thegoodgero]

We effectively had one earlier this year, [[Lluwen, Imperfect Natutalist]] for [[Worm Harvest]].

[u/Loose-Neighborhood48]

Don't you still have to pay mana to cast the copy?

[u/Zennistrad]

I do love that this is as close as you can probably get to [[Discord, Lord of Disharmony]] in a black-bordered set.

[u/No_Place5472]

I think I'm having a stroke... had to read this a few times. It's like a shitty isochron scepter that might be ok sometimes?

[u/tntturtle5]

Ok, so kinda like a spellshaper. I'm more conflicted about the fact that 'Q' is now a creature type.

[u/Maur2 → u/tntturtle5]

Heh, that ship sailed when they made "Qu" a creature type.

[u/ikkleste → u/Maur2]

Future un- queue and cue creature types. Making chagelings "cue, queue, qu, q" ?

[u/focketeer → u/tntturtle5]

That’s what I said to my pod after I sent this. Q is now a creature type.

[u/Champiggy]

Without even thinking about breaking anything, this is way too cool.

[u/Beautiful-Ad-6568]

TIL copy cards in exile only stop existing as a state based action, otherwise they are fine

[u/PackagedTuba]

I like all of the ideas coming out in this post, but you still have to pay the mana cost for the exiled copy, right?

[u/CareerMilk → u/PackagedTuba]

Yes. He doesn’t say “without paying its mana cost” so you do still need to pay the mana cost

[u/AporiaParadox]

Will there be an alternate artwork of Q in the Judge outfit?

[u/Seitosa → u/AporiaParadox]

They showed him in the judge outfit on the art of cryptic command. Idk if there will be other Qs in the set. 

[u/Noahnoah55]

Nobody's ready for the worst fog deck of all time with [[Rocco, Cabaretti Caterer]], this, and [[Teferi's Protection]]. Just don't die in the first 7 turns of the game :).

[u/pogo69]

It's not very good, but I feel "best" version of the almost all lands and a couple spells is [[dualcaster mage]] [[heat shimmer]] [[molten duplication]] [[twin flame]] and 94 mountains, the copy spells let you keep spinning until you hit dualcaster and then you can go infinite, very fragile and very boring but it does basically always go off on turn 6, you just kinda brick if you hit dualcaster first, the extra copy spells reduce your chances of bricking but running just dualcaster twinflame gives you a coin flip win on turn five which is arguably funnier, but still boring

[u/moak0 → u/pogo69]

That's the best plan yet.

[u/CitySeekerTron]

I wish they could more directly reference the old Star Trek TCG card backs in the illustration.

[u/hotdogapocalypse69]

🤔 [[Food Fight]] commander?

[u/Skullcrimp → u/hotdogapocalypse69]

Where are you getting the artifacts?

[u/UInferno-]

The second John de Lancie card

[u/Capital_Abject]

Oddly this goes insane with one copy of [[Memory Worm]]

[u/ccantman]

Are these the only blinks with card draw attached (or someway to go +1 in hand)

[[llusionist's stratagem]] [[Scrollshift]] [[Acrobatic Maneuver]] [[Blur]]

[u/RancidRance]

Does this draw your deck and go mana positive (if you have enough cards in your opening hand) with [[Path of the Pyromancer]]

[u/Sallymander]

This feels like it would be prime Alchemy material. Conjure/draft cards into my hand just to exile them to cast the exiled card from Q.

[u/HeavyReputation3283]

How does this work with stickers?

[u/hauntingduck]

I thought this was an unset or custom card for several minutes.

[u/abobtosis]

Q is confirmed to be about as strong as four squirrels.