u/CuratedLens

Betor isn’t an unknown commander, #103 on edhrec and top 5 abzan commander (sitting at #4), but ever since I built this commander it’s gone through several evolutions and each one has been fun unlike other commanders where it feels like I’m trying to find the shape that fits, Betor just feels good but I want to see where there’s extra juice to be had.

My list for those interested: https://archidekt.com/decks/15505727/betor\_overdraft\_protection

I was looking through my list, having recently tried some additions from tmnt like [[savanti]] and [[Madame null]]. But personally I’ve been going through an evolution, taking my decks from decks that do the thing, ask my opponents do they have interaction? Do they have enough to stop shot after shot after shot that I take? Or will they fold under an onslaught of value. That meant though that my interaction suite was lackluster and compressed, synergy was lost in favor of proxies of best in class cards like teferis protection. Why do I care what’s going on on board? I’m gaining life!

I’ve found the gaps in that strategy and found real enjoyment in synergy that feeds the deck plan while being able to answer actual threats such as faster decks, graveyard decks that may be fed by board wipes, decks that move faster and outvalue like a token swarm deck. So I took my interaction from an anemic 9 pieces to 19. Swaps are cards such as teferis protection for [[winds of abandon]], a swamp for [[boggart trawler]] to join [[dauntless scrapbot]], [[endurance]] to protect my graveyard or remove someone else’s lines from the graveyard.

Also added cards like [[snuff out]] instead of selfless spirit, [[druid of purification]] and [[bane of progress]] to have a chance against the proliferation of enchantress decks in my area. [[poisoners apprentice]] because -4/-4 gets around a lot and hits a lot while keeping things trivial such as it coming back on end step. In testing, the deck functions in a very good and interactive way, it’s not a spell slinging instant speed deck but it runs very well and I’m sure will continue to evolve as I evolve and it’ll remain one of my favorites!

What cards do you play in your Betor list? Any adds outside the obvious that are sleepers and unlikely to show up on edhrec? Or meta specific cards? One I’m considering swapping in for a draw slot is [[alma collector]] instead of [[twilight prophet]], less synergistic but it allows the slower Betor deck to keep up and prevent others from crazy draws.

When I saw the face commanders for each of the precons going into Secrets of Strixhaven, I was very excited for [[Rootha, Mastering the moment]], an izzet (prismari) commander that would finally get me to play the color combo. And since getting it, I have made upgrades and changes and am enjoying it as much as I'd hoped to.

But if I'm being honest with myself, I am wholly enamored with [[Quintorius, History Chaser]] and the precon (upgraded). Out of the box this thing was already quite strong but now I am finding myself wanting to bring it out all the time, over Rootha and many of my other decks.

It's not uncommon for me to find a deck I really enjoy and have it be my favorite toy to trot out for a bit, but some decks reach that level where they are just so fun and scratch that itch so well that they reach another echelon and go from fun, to staple deck and I think Quintorius has reached that level for me, over even Ragost (the lobster that taught me that I could like Boros).

Of course, it's likely got something to do with the graveyard synergies but having added cards like [[Crucible of worlds]], [[caretakers talent]], [[wondrous crucible]],[[on wings of gold]], [[mole module]], and [[ghost vacuum]]; as well as cards from the set like [[rubble rouser]] and [[practiced offense]] and this deck just hums now. Quintorius feels like a game plan that's not as enabled as [[Teval the balanced scale]] is where it does everything, but it's not as limited where the deck really needs to work around it like my [[fire lord zuko]] deck. he's just a strong commander with a game plan that works really well and is strong.

Here's my deck list for anyone interested (Proxies are used). Anyone else playing with Quintorius and found themselves enjoying it much more than expected? any other commanders that have surprised you by how much it clicked for you?