PokeDecks: Sygg, the Relicanth

Sygg, River Cutthroat

by Jeremy Enicio

Getting Syggy with it!

Like Rosheen Meanderer

What is a PokeDeck? A PokeDeck is a collaboration between brewer and alterist that results in a uniquely flavored Commander deck. The commander of the deck is altered with the visage of a Pokemon, and the deck, in turn, represents the moves of that Pokemon. The fusion of these elements takes commanders in distinctly new directions and creates a cohesive experience that both brewer and alterist can be proud of every time the commander hits the table.

Sygg, River Cutthroat

In Commander, I love burn decks, especially ones that take it into unusual colors. I also look to functional reprints when new sets come out, as those help to invigorate or reinvigorate strategies. In this case, the key piece to the deck was the printing of Blood Pact

But what Pokemon matches Sygg's vibe? With Sygg being a Merfolk, it kind of had to be a fish. But Sygg is more of a river fish, especially given the name, so it needed to be a fish one would find in muddy waters. Since the commander has seemingly been around forever, always seeming to have a niche but never earning the popularity it deserved, it seemed fitting to pair it with a Pokemon that has been around for a while and represents an old-world fish: Relicanth.

Sygg's Abilities

The first challenge was to figure out what Sygg brings to the table. Like Kalain, the first commander I wrote about for this series, Sygg is a two-drop role-playing creature with defensive stats who does a very important job. Kalain made a Treasure on entering the battlefield and buffed creatures made off of Treasures, while Sygg draws cards at the end of each turn if an opponent lost three or more life. Sygg is an incredibly fun political card, as it can draw cards passively just for existing and having opponents hit each other. It can draw as many as four cards per turn cycle, which is incredible value for two mana. That's the best-case scenario, though, so how do we make sure this happens?

Blood Pact

Damnable Pact

Urza's Guilt

Relicanth's Moves

The next challenge is to figure out how to cross the IP from Pokemon to Magic. Originally, I wanted to show the incidental life loss through the Rough Skin ability that Pokemon like Sharpedo have, but Fox had recently done a Sharpedo alter, the incidental damage is more controlled than retributive, and Relicanth seemed like a better fit, but didn't get the ability. Most of Relicanth's moves are directly damaging, but it does get Stealth Rock, which seems like a neat allusion to the secretive nature of the deck as a covert burn list. So, what does the move do, and how does this translate into Magic?

Stealth Rock leaves rocks floating around the opponent's side of the battlefield. Whenever a Pokemon is switched in, it takes damage. This sort of incidental damage adds up, especially when the card draw is also burn. Ankh of Mishra

Faerie Tauntings

Duskmantle Seer

The Perfect Fusion

Both Relicanth and Sygg need the power to back up the incidental damage they do. For Relicanth, it often leans into its ability, Rock Head, which prevents recoil damage. This ability allows it to use high-power moves without taking the associated recoil damage. Quite a lot of the deck has the flexibility to become burn spells, but at the risk of giving the opponents an advantage, so how can we imitate Rock Head and turn the incidental damage into game-enders, mitigating the downside?

The answer is to amplify the damage! Underworld Dreams

Skull Storm

Peer into the Abyss

Relicanth, Use Stealth Rock!

The pieces of this list work together to tenderize opponents before dealing bigger and bigger chunks. There's a reason this armored fish has survived so long, and it's by being equal parts savvy and merciless. The same spells that serve political purposes early in the game transform into chunk damage and make it so that, with the proper setup, every top deck becomes live.