Table of Contents
I guess it is time to get the gang back together. Avengers Assemble! Well, that is the name of this preconstructed deck.
This one is all about the iconic Avengers team. It does not include everyone, as Wizards has put some of the heroes in other colours. This deck has Captain America as the face commander, so the deck is Jeskai {R}{W}{U} — red, white and blue.
They even changed the order of the mana pips to match this. Normally, the order is blue, red and white for any Jeskai card. But I will talk more about the commanders later.
Avengers Assemble is a more traditional Commander deck, aiming to deploy creatures and attack with them. The front of the box says it has a sub-theme of Equipment and counters. The deck has two Equipment, so that is a bit of a stretch. It does do counters though, which I will talk more about when we get to the commanders.
As with all my upgrade blogs, I am looking to make 10 cuts and put in 10 new cards. But I have a budget. This is £10, just to keep it new-player friendly, so you can put minimal extra money into the deck for maximum value.
The Commanders
The Face Commander
The face commander is [[Captain America, Team Leader]].
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/879/captain-america-team-leader
This is a Kindred commander that cares about Heroes. Similar to the Doom Prevails deck, it has limited support for the typing. Only Spider-Man really acts as the main other set with Heroes in it.
We did get one other Hero with [[Nobody]] from the Turtles set, but that is not really playable here. We are going to get more support in future sets, as we still need the other Infinity Stones, so we are likely to see more Heroes then.
Captain America is a pretty straightforward commander. You want to play Heroes, get them into combat, and grow both them and Captain America in the process.
The Alt Commander
The alternative commander is [[Director Nick Fury]].
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/81/director-nick-fury
Director Nick Fury makes all your Heroes cheaper to cast. The flavour text sums this card up perfectly:
“All the heroes are out there fighting their own battles. Someone has to connect the dots.”
As you attack, you get to dig for another Hero. This makes Director Fury the mastermind behind all the Heroes as they go into battle, assembling more of them to grow the team.
With around a quarter of the deck being Heroes, you are statistically likely to see one with each trigger. If you want to use Director Fury as your commander, I would look to increase those numbers to make sure you hit more consistently.
collection::magic-the-gathering-available::Shop Magic: The Gathering::https://gatheringgames.co.uk/collections/magic-the-gathering
Budget Upgrades
Upgrade 1
IN: Wave Goodbye
https://scryfall.com/card/tmc/46/wave-goodbye
The first card I am adding has usually been outside of my budget. But the recent printing in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles precon has reduced the price significantly, enough that I can use [[Wave Goodbye]] as an upgrade.
This is a far more limited, but cheaper, [[Cyclonic Rift]]. That is true both monetarily and mana-wise, although it does have far more drawbacks.
Both cards only return your opponents’ stuff, which is why you play them. [[Wave Goodbye]] only hits creatures, but in this deck that can be enough. The main downside is that you need counters on your creatures so they are not returned too. Luckily, [[Captain America, Team Leader]] has that covered.
OUT: Gift of Immortality
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/134/gift-of-immortality
I am cutting [[Gift of Immortality]]. This card is definitely showing its age now. It is over 13 years old. Back in Theros, it was okay. Commander was relatively new, and exile effects were rarer. Now, they are far more common.
[[Gift of Immortality]] relies on your creature dying for it to come back, which is not always guaranteed with modern removal. Even if it dies to combat damage, it comes back as a base copy.
You are likely wanting to put this on [[Captain America, Team Leader]], which means you lose all the counters you have built up. It also requires you to successfully enchant the creature in the first place. If your opponents kill your creature in response, you have just spent three mana for nothing.
Upgrade 2/3
IN: Abzan Battle Priest + Abzan Falconer
https://scryfall.com/card/moc/164/abzan-battle-priest
https://scryfall.com/card/moc/165/abzan-falconer
My next two additions are a pair. These were also released shortly after Theros, but they are still reasonable, unlike [[Gift of Immortality]]. They are [[Abzan Battle Priest]] and [[Abzan Falconer]].
Wizards has not really done much with “creatures with +1/+1 counters on them get X ability”. There are only 23 of them currently. Most of them are green and give trample, which we cannot use here.
[[Sapphire Drake]] and the more playable [[Skatewing Spy]] are also usable. I was tempted to put [[Skatewing Spy]] in over [[Abzan Battle Priest]], but I wanted to mix up what abilities were being given.
Flying is usually better than lifelink, as the evasion helps ensure damage and trigger any additional combat damage effects. There are some on-hit effects in the deck too. However, a number of the creatures already fly, so having lifelink to buffer your life total is nice.
Another card I considered was [[Ainok Bond-Kin]], but this is eclipsed by another card I am adding later.
OUT: Plains + Mountain
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/873/plains
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/858/mountain
Wizards has made my next two cuts easier, as they have gone back up on the amount of lands. This is quite the flip-flop I see in Commander decks, but I am cutting two: a [[Plains]] and a [[Mountain]].
I am cutting a Plains because that has the highest count, and a Mountain because it has the lowest pip density, meaning we need it the least.
Even after these cuts, we have a 78% chance to have three lands on turn three, or 93% if we take a mulligan. This extrapolates to a 45% and 65% chance to get five lands on turn five.
This is not including any other sources of mana though. There are eight mana rocks in the deck, as well as other sources of card draw, all of which increase the odds of getting the required mana on the turn. All of this is to say: it is fine to cut down to 36 lands.
Something that is not calculated into this, and I really do not have the time to work it out, is the colour requirements. This is a consideration, but as I am cutting basics, you want to drop more of these for more dual lands.
On that point, [[Spectator Seating]] is a very welcome addition to the deck. This is part of the Battlebond cycle of lands and one of the premium “budget” dual lands. These even see play in the highest level of Commander play: cEDH.
Upgrade 4
IN: Champions from Beyond
https://scryfall.com/card/fic/11/champions-from-beyond
The only other set currently to support the Hero subtype is Final Fantasy, although this was only in the form of created tokens. None of the cards have the subtype, so this does limit what cards can be used.
But I have found one: [[Champions from Beyond]]. The name also fits thematically, pulling heroes from a different universe.
With [[Captain America, Team Leader]] out, these basic 1/1 tokens become 2/2s with haste that also buff Captain America. [[Champions from Beyond]] also has extra modes in addition to the token generation, scrying and drawing a card when you attack with four or more creatures. I do not think that is too hard in this deck.
At minimum, you can cast this for five mana with Captain America out and get the trigger. If you manage to get to eight attacking creatures, you also get a +4/+4 buff on those attackers, as well as the previous trigger.
[[Champions from Beyond]] can easily turn into a win condition in the late game. Nine mana and Captain America turns into seven 6/6 Heroes and a 14/14 Captain America swinging in. That is a lot of damage — 56 damage, to be precise — and that is without anything else on the table.
OUT: Love on the Battlefield
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/87/love-on-the-battlefield
I am cutting [[Love on the Battlefield]], as I feel this is counterintuitive to the deck. This only triggers if you attack with exactly two creatures.
I read this deck as more of a swarm deck, deploying creature after creature and sending them into combat. So limiting yourself to only two creatures does not really work.
I will say, the art is excellent, and Stephanie Hans did a brilliant job.
Upgrade 5
IN: Damning Verdict
https://scryfall.com/card/ncc/15/damning-verdict
OUT: Avenge
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/11/avenge
I generally stay away from cutting removal, as precons do not have enough as it is. But I am making a swap instead.
This is also a board wipe which, in a go-wide deck, is a nuclear option for removal. [[Avenge]] is the card coming out. Another great piece of art, very faithful to an existing comic. [[Avenge]] reminds me of [[Fumigate]], gaining you life for each creature destroyed, although [[Avenge]] can cost less if you were attacked.
[[Damning Verdict]] is going in. This is another board wipe, but it is more selective, only destroying creatures without counters on them.
Wait. Will all our creatures have counters thanks to [[Captain America, Team Leader]]? Exactly the point.
This becomes a one-sided board wipe and tactical removal, which is far better for the deck. This does use up a lot of my monetary budget, but I think it is worth it for the effect.
collection::magic-the-gathering-available::Shop Magic: The Gathering::https://gatheringgames.co.uk/collections/magic-the-gathering
Upgrade 6/7
IN: SP//dr, Piloted by Peni + Araña, Heart of the Spider
https://scryfall.com/card/spm/147/spdr-piloted-by-peni
https://scryfall.com/card/spm/123/ara%C3%B1a-heart-of-the-spider
I have paired my next two cards together: [[SP//dr, Piloted by Peni]] and [[Araña, Heart of the Spider]]. This is because they are both Heroes, and they both care about modified creatures.
To be modified, a creature can be Equipped, enchanted by an Aura you control, or, importantly, have a counter on it. So every creature we control should count as modified with [[Captain America, Team Leader]] — at least all the Heroes.
Even without Captain America, both of these cards have ways to get counters onto creatures as well.
[[Araña, Heart of the Spider]] is worse in terms of the card advantage you get, as you only get to play the exiled card that turn. But it gives out counters every time you attack.
[[SP//dr, Piloted by Peni]] can only give out the counter when they enter, but they will actually draw you a card for every creature that connects with a player. So this is actual card draw, and it can become massive card advantage with all your modified creatures.
OUT: Captain Mar-Vell, Space-Born + Metallic Mimic
https://scryfall.com/card/msh/12/captain-mar-vell-space-born
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/203/metallic-mimic
I am cutting [[Metallic Mimic]] and [[Captain Mar-Vell, Space-Born]].
[[Metallic Mimic]] is better in a Kindred token deck, where you really want to be buffing a mass amount of creatures. But Avengers Assemble does not naturally have any token generation for Heroes. The only way we are getting any is [[Champions from Beyond]], which is a card I have added.
[[Captain Mar-Vell, Space-Born]] is similarly disappointing. Five mana for a 4/4 with flying and vigilance is a reasonable rate for a draft pick, but not for a Commander deck.
He does have an additional ability, Cosmic Awareness, allowing you to cast spells as though they had flash if an opponent has cast a spell this turn. While gaining flash can be powerful, it is wasted in this deck.
[[Captain America, Team Leader]] already gives haste to all the creatures, and the other spells do not really benefit from flash. At five mana, you are also likely needing to untap before you have mana for additional spells anyway.
Upgrade 8
IN: Urdnan, Dromoka Warrior
https://scryfall.com/card/j25/34/urdnan-dromoka-warrior
[[Urdnan, Dromoka Warrior]] is the card I was referring to earlier when I was talking about [[Ainok Bond-Kin]].
While Urdnan can only give first strike to one creature, making it worse than [[Ainok Bond-Kin]] in that respect, it is the second half of the ability I care about: giving double strike if that creature has two or more counters.
I see this as a backup win condition with [[Captain America, Team Leader]]. Captain America is going to get fairly large with all the counters on him. If you can get some form of evasion, the double strike is quickly going to end games, whether through commander damage or just regular damage.
OUT: Speed, Young Avenger
https://scryfall.com/card/msh/152/speed-young-avenger
[[Speed, Young Avenger]] would be a great way to give evasion to your creatures. I just do not like how you get it.
Not only do you have to cast a noncreature spell, you also have to pay {1} on top. It also only works on creatures with haste, so you cannot even give it to [[Captain America, Team Leader]] by default. Captain America does not have or gain haste himself; he only gives it to the Hero entering.
So now you have to cast a creature, cast a noncreature spell, and pay {1} to get the “unblockable” effect. That is just too much work for me. I would rather have static evasion modifiers like [[Abzan Falconer]].
Upgrade 9
OUT: Thor, Asgard's Avenger
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/756/thor-asgards-avenger
I have stated that this is a go-wide deck. But we are not a token go-wide deck, and that limits how good [[Thor, Asgard's Avenger]] is here.
Adding one extra damage to fifteen 1/1s is 15 extra damage. Adding one extra damage to three 5/5s is only three extra damage. While the initial damage may be the same, the bonus damage is not.
This is why I am cutting Thor. We are a bigger deck, playing actual creatures and not making lots of tokens. He does not even synergise with the deck that well. There is not any reliable way to deal damage outside of combat. If the commander could deal damage, I would be more interested, but Captain America does not.
IN: Raphael, the Muscle
https://scryfall.com/card/tmc/4/raphael-the-muscle
So let us add the better version of [[Thor, Asgard's Avenger]], at least for this deck: [[Raphael, the Muscle]].
I would have used [[Uncivil Unrest]], as it is harder to remove, but it is out of my budget. So Raphael is coming in.
Doubling damage for all our creatures is just gravy. He even comes with a Mutagen token to give himself a counter, as [[Captain America, Team Leader]] cannot give him one. Raphael is not a “Hero”, even though in the TMNT universe, the turtles are always saving the day.
Upgrade 10
IN: Ripples of Potential
https://scryfall.com/card/lcc/77/ripples-of-potential
My final addition is another big card: [[Ripples of Potential]]. This has two modes.
First, it proliferates, so you can add an extra counter to all your creatures. This gives you extra damage when required, maybe for an alpha strike.
But the main reason I am adding this is the ability to phase your creatures out. This spell doubles up as protection. Even better, you get to choose which of the creatures phase out.
You do not even need to phase out everything you proliferated. These are two separate parts of the card. You can proliferate your entire board, then choose which creatures from among them you phase out.
So you can protect your entire board in response to a board wipe. Or you can choose the ones that would die in combat and let the unblocked ones connect.
As this is phasing, all the creatures will keep any Auras, Equipment and, importantly, counters attached to them.
OUT: Hulkbuster Armor
https://scryfall.com/card/msc/107/hulkbuster-armor
My final cut is [[Hulkbuster Armor]]. While it is nice to see this as a card, I think it misses the mark a bit in terms of playability.
It does work flavour-wise. The Hulkbuster is additional armour for Tony to put on over his suit to try and match the Hulk. So setting the base power to 9/9 is solid.
But in Magic terms, I am not wanting to pay four mana for the Equipment and then an additional three to equip. I would rather have a higher mana cost and then a cheaper equip cost.
This is also unplayable outside of Hero decks unless you are cheating the equip cost. Paying {9} to equip to a non-Hero is just not playable.
collection::magic-the-gathering-available::Shop Magic: The Gathering::https://gatheringgames.co.uk/collections/magic-the-gathering
Non-budget Upgrades
If you want to push the deck further beyond the £10 budget, these are the cards I would look at next:
https://scryfall.com/card/msh/6/avengers-assemble!
https://scryfall.com/card/eoc/70/deepglow-skate
https://scryfall.com/card/tmt/2/agent-bishop-man-in-black
https://scryfall.com/card/one/118/all-will-be-one
https://scryfall.com/card/msh/9/captain-america-super-soldier
https://scryfall.com/card/drc/18/aetheric-amplifier
https://scryfall.com/card/ltr/15/flowering-of-the-white-tree
https://scryfall.com/card/spm/34/impostor-syndrome
https://scryfall.com/card/pspl/6/spectacular-spider-man
https://scryfall.com/card/spm/124/biorganic-carapace
Final Thoughts
Overall, I like the theme and what Wizards was going for with Avengers Assemble. It feels very thematic. You build your team, and Captain America leads them straight into battle.
My main problem is that Kindred Hero is very limited in scope. We currently have two sets that support this, so choices are low. But other Kindred decks have been in the same position with low-support creature types.
At least Hero is likely to see more support with future Universes Beyond sets, mostly future Marvel ones. We are still waiting on the other Stones.
I would have liked to see more Equipment if you are going to stick that as a theme on the front of the box, but that is a small gripe.
If you like Marvel superheroes, Avengers Assemble is a great way to pick them up and play with them. If you want to buy booster boxes, commander decks any other Magic: The Gathering product, you can do it right here at Gathering Games.
As always, good luck, and remember to have fun!
PS. All the card prices were under budget at the time of writing. The dynamic price might have changed since.
collection::magic-the-gathering-available::Shop Magic: The Gathering::https://gatheringgames.co.uk/collections/magic-the-gathering
