Commander, the beloved multiplayer format in Magic: The Gathering, is experiencing a thrilling resurgence. Recently, the opportunity to dive back into in-person play at conventions highlighted the format’s enduring appeal. Experiencing a multitude of Commander decks firsthand, and piloting my own, led to a powerful realization: the allure of acquiring my opponents’ resources is irresistible. From stealing a Dark Depths with Mirage Mirror to seizing a Revel in Riches with Blatant Thievery, the thrill of turning my opponent’s strengths into my own victory was undeniable.
Order of the Stars
Witnessing the creative deck-building of fellow enthusiasts, like Douglas Johnson’s unconventional Gonti deck, further fueled the desire to explore new Commander strategies. Observing a game where Johnson commandeered an opponent’s Emrakul, the Promised End, and amplified the Mindslaver effect with Lithoform Engine, sparked an idea. While stealing powerful cards is satisfying, what if we could amplify our own board presence to overwhelming levels? This thought process led to a focus on doubling effects, not just for spells, but across the board.
Forget simply doubling down – it’s time for Quadrupling Season. The concept of doubling Doubling Season might sound excessive, but in Commander, it’s the key to explosive growth, especially when Planeswalkers enter the equation. While Blue decks often lean on cloning and copying strategies, this new deck concept ventures into different territory, intentionally avoiding Blue altogether. This constraint, however, becomes a catalyst for innovation, pushing us to explore powerful synergies within other color combinations.
The challenge was set: create a deck that thrives on doubling effects without relying on Blue’s typical cloning mechanics. The solution? Embrace a commander that facilitates copying, but in a controlled, synergistic way. This is where Calix, Guided by Fate enters the picture. Calix, as a commander, initially seems to impose fairness by limiting copies to one per turn. However, this limitation becomes irrelevant when we unleash the true potential of enchantment doubling. With cards like Doubling Season, Parallel Lives, and Anointed Procession on the battlefield, even a single copy from Calix becomes a cascade of tokens and amplified effects. Imagine turning a simple Gather the Townsfolk into a flood of Metropolisfolk, overwhelming opponents with sheer numbers.
The beauty of a deck led by Calix, Guided by Fate lies in its ability to make even seemingly ordinary enchantments extraordinary. Doubling Season isn’t just potent with Planeswalkers; it elevates any enchantment. Consider the impact of multiple copies of Lurking Predators or Sigil of the Empty Throne – each enchantment becomes exponentially more powerful. Calix enhances this by providing consistent value and synergy with the enchantment theme. Suddenly, doubling Nylea’s Colossus’s buff or triggering Unnatural Growth twice per turn doesn’t just sound good – it becomes devastating. Even defensive enchantments like Karmic Justice become significantly more deterrent when multiplied. The strategic depth and potential for explosive plays are virtually limitless with Calix at the helm.
To illustrate this strategy in action, here’s a sample decklist designed to maximize the potential of Calix, Guided by Fate and enchantment doubling:
Double Doubling Season | Commander | Calix, Guided by Fate Decklist
Commander (1)
- 1 Calix, Guided by Fate
Instants (4)
- 1 Clever Concealment
- 1 Heroic Intervention
- 1 Second Harvest
- 1 Teferi’s Protection
Enchantments (33)
- 1 All That Glitters
- 1 Ancestral Mask
- 1 Anointed Procession
- 1 Blind Obedience
- 1 Court of Bounty
- 1 Court of Grace
- 1 Darksteel Mutation
- 1 Doubling Season
- 1 Enchantress’s Presence
- 1 Ethereal Armor
- 1 Fertile Ground
- 1 Flickering Ward
- 1 Grasp of Fate
- 1 Hallowed Haunting
- 1 Karmic Justice
- 1 Lurking Predators
- 1 Mirari’s Wake
- 1 Overgrowth
- 1 Parallel Lives
- 1 Primal Vigor
- 1 Privileged Position
- 1 Rancor
- 1 Seal from Existence
- 1 Shield of the Oversoul
- 1 Sigil of the Empty Throne
- 1 Skybind
- 1 Song of the Dryads
- 1 Sterling Grove
- 1 Sylvan Library
- 1 Unnatural Growth
- 1 Unquestioned Authority
- 1 Utopia Sprawl
- 1 Wild Growth
Lands (34)
- 9 Forest
- 9 Plains
- 1 Boseiju, Who Endures
- 1 Bountiful Promenade
- 1 Branchloft Pathway // Boulderloft Pathway
- 1 Brushland
- 1 Canopy Vista
- 1 Command Tower
- 1 Overgrown Farmland
- 1 Reliquary Tower
- 1 Rogue’s Passage
- 1 Sunpetal Grove
- 1 Temple Garden
- 1 Throne of the High City
- 1 Windswept Heath
- 1 Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth
- 1 Hall of Heliod’s Generosity
- 1 Serra’s Sanctum
This deck is packed with enchantments that synergize powerfully with Calix. From anthem effects like Mirari’s Wake to token generators like Sigil of the Empty Throne and protection spells like Privileged Position, nearly every card benefits from duplication. The inclusion of ramp enchantments ensures consistent mana acceleration, allowing you to deploy your doubling engines and impactful enchantments ahead of the curve.
While pillow fort strategies are common in enchantment-based decks, this Calix build leans towards a more aggressive approach. It’s not about turtling behind defenses; it’s about building an overwhelming board presence that quickly closes out games. Opponents might underestimate the deck’s offensive capabilities, but with the exponential growth potential of doubled enchantments, victory can come swiftly and decisively. Embrace the power of fate guided by enchantments, and unleash the full potential of Calix in your next Commander game!
TAGS: Commander, EDH, Calix Guided By Fate, Enchantments, Selesnya, White-Green, Decklist, MTG, Magic: The Gathering, Doubling Season, Enchantress, Deck Tech, Strategy Guide.
