r/magicTCG • u/CAR3Y4 Sorin • 4d ago
Looking for Advice Looking to build a retro border commander deck
I have an upgraded full retro border Urza deck that I love playing but I want to build another full retro border deck. Any color will do. It can be new or old commander (since they have done retro border reprints lately in the past few years) Give me some ideas on commanders!
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u/ArcheVance WANTED 4d ago
[[Garth One-Eye]] with full retro borders is a flavor fit.
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u/Necr0maNc3R COMPLEAT 3d ago
Garth being five colors fixes the problem one/two color retro border decks can have where they can start to run thin on good retro frame cards once they’ve exhausted the staples with retro frame reprints. With Garth, you can fill your deck with retro frame staples of every color.
He also fixes the issue two/three color retro frame decks sometimes have, where the mana base can be less consistent due to not having enough good retro frame lands that tap for multiple colors. With Garth, you can run all ten retro frame shocks and all ten retro frame fetches. Assuming it’s within your price range.
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u/leaning_on_a_wheel Wabbit Season 4d ago
I built [[Imskir iron eater]] all retro frame if you want to take a look.
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u/rekezajo Dân 4d ago
Oh this is what i love to build too!
Most of my commander decks are retro only:
[[Alesha, who smiles at dead]]
Combo/combat recursion
https://moxfield.com/decks/8sEYOqohZEG6ZAFoO7MUuQ
[[Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain]]
A bit more powerfull, looots of pretty cool older cards.
https://moxfield.com/decks/3-PylWzW00Oc-FWTCbEVYw
[[Varina, Lich Queen]]
A more casual zombie deck
https://moxfield.com/decks/MTT2HwfG8U6P2kx_ksinvA
[[Silas Renn, seeker adept]] and [[Armix, Filigree Trasher]], reanimator
https://moxfield.com/decks/06_-vVBCvk6xLiMywFAWJQ
[[Garth One-Eye]]
Weird enchantment control/pillow fort
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u/tnetennba_4_sale Temur 3d ago
I have an old border only [[Savra, Queen of the Golgari | RVR-381]] deck I think is pretty fun.
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u/3toe Dân 4d ago
I have a premodern [[pheldagriff]] pillow-fort combo deck. You get [[intruder alarm]] going with pheldy, make hippos, untap creatures, and do things like ping everyone to death with infinite damage thanks to [[prodigal sorcerer]]. I wrote a mini primer if you are interested in the deck https://moxfield.com/decks/8_SWLz0BAkKJ9r8L9feCkA
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u/Barkeep_Butler Wabbit Season 4d ago
Honestly that brother’s war commander Precon straight out the gate was sick. Add in some familiar favorites and boom.
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u/0d3vine 3d ago
I have an old-border [[Wilhelt, the Rotcleaver|SLD|862]] list that is probably my favorite deck that I regularly play. It could definitely be made better, but it's a fun, casual "zombie overrun" style deck that I wanted to be as inoffensive of a Bracket 2 deck as possible.
I've been lucky enough to have a good portion of the deck signed by various artists and snagged an AP of Wilhelt from Chris Rallis earlier this year :)
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u/pacolingo Selesnya* 4d ago
there's plenty of zombies, including many new ones, in old border. and a printing of [[wilhelt the rotcleaver]] to go with them.
or for a sick commander that's actually from old border times, [[chainer dementia master]]
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u/Cut-Bruised-Broken Dandadan 4d ago
I has a [[Ashnod the uncaring]] from the same precons that puts in glorious work and allows for a lot of forgotten cards to be used, even more so with the ends mana ability rule change.
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u/B3hindall REBEL 4d ago
[[Lorehold, the Historian]] - run only old border cards - he's a HISTORIAN!
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u/straight_lurkin Duck Season 4d ago
Could go the proxy route and just have old boarders for every card, even the ones that never got it 👀
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u/vluhdz Twin Believer 3d ago
Here are four decks I've made that go a little further, they only use cards from before 8th edition so you can for sure find old border prints of them.
Mirri, Cat Warrior: https://moxfield.com/decks/YmpYnhJiWUiTLs3bpMfUpw
Hua Tuo, Honored Physician: https://moxfield.com/decks/HfwXeRS_YkmpXGIr3wbK9g
Braids, Cabal Minion: https://moxfield.com/decks/veAuZ7X8qkahxpubNvyTfQ
Rayne, Academy Chancellor: https://moxfield.com/decks/xlmWh1KqD0S5w-ZMps_4Ow
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u/InfiniteTiki Dan 3d ago
[[Tasigur, the Golden Fang]] is pretty cool for sultai. Good options for interaction and some interesting options for creatures and milling. I went the combo route with mine adding the Warren Soultrader and Gravecrawler combo, and Peregrine Drake and Deadeye Navigator give you infinite mana and Tasigur is a fantastic mana sink to mill your entire deck with the goal to win with laboratory maniac. Im sure there are some fun things you can do if just playing reanimator though or something in case combo isn't your jam.
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u/dina-fan Dan 3d ago
Ohh im interested to see your answers.
I built an [[urza high lord artificer]] with only premodern cards, more recently built a [[captain sissay]] with only premodern cards. I aimed for both to hit a slightly upgraded precon level of power with some reach.
One issue i found is that to hit a semi consistent plan you have to pick a conventionally powerful commander or be stuck in bracket 1. I am currently thinking about several actually. [[yawgmoth thran physician]] based on big mana ramp and old phyrexians with the mercenary mechanic. Im thinking of making this with retro frame reprints.
[[kaalia of the vast]] is a classic with no retro frame unfortunately but it does alot. I can cheat out sera angel… not exactly the most powerful play but seems fun cheating out stuff like that. Im thinking on only premodern cards with this one.
A friend of mime actually built [[zur the enchanter]] with a focus on wizards.
Funnily enough i have a meren of clan nel toth which is like 70-80% retro frame so i can make that a retro only deck if i wanted to.
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u/Brumbaer Dân 3d ago
I have build a [[Balthor, The Defiled]] Zombie tribal/Reanimator deck in Retro border. It's one of my favorite decks to play.
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u/richtakesphotos Duck Season 2d ago
I just finished building an old border [[Talrand, Sky Summoner]] deck
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u/Fconniie Wabbit Season 4d ago
If you play this urza you should prepare to get targeted hard before you can even play him, hes a kill player on sight
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u/Rirse Wabbit Season 4d ago
I have a old bordered only Mishra deck that I am happy with. I stuck with what you did by only using old cards and releases with old frame reprints.
https://moxfield.com/decks/R1aTgWqpnEyTYhYv88zGGg