Magic: The Gathering Bloomburrow Commander Deck - Animated Army
Hey there, fellow planeswalkers! You know how sometimes you just want to build a Commander deck that’s, like, super fun and doesn’t make your brain hurt trying to figure out the optimal line of play? Yeah, me too. And guess what? WotC has just dropped a bomb of awesome with the new Bloomburrow set, and they've got a Commander deck that's right up that alley: the Animated Army deck!
So, picture this: a whole world filled with adorable, yet fierce, woodland creatures. Think squirrels that are surprisingly good at holding a sword, rabbits with a knack for casting spells, and maybe even a badger who’s just really good at digging up trouble. That’s Bloomburrow for ya! And this Animated Army deck? It’s basically your ticket to unleashing a horde of these critters on your opponents. No, seriously, get ready to feel like you're playing an RTS game, but with more fuzzy friends and less rage-quitting (hopefully).
The main star, the big cheese, the commander that makes all this delightful chaos happen, is Tana, the Bloodsower. Now, Tana isn’t exactly a squirrel wielding a tiny axe. She’s a legendary goblin druid, and her whole deal is making these little green seedling tokens. And when I say little, I mean itty bitty. But don't let their size fool you! Tana’s ability lets her sacrifice a creature to create a bunch of these tokens. So, it’s like a sacrifice, but instead of a sad goodbye, it’s a joyous "hello!" to a whole new army. Pretty neat, right?
And that’s where the “Animated Army” part really kicks in. You’re not just making tokens, you’re making an army. The deck is designed to churn out these seedling tokens, and then use them for a variety of purposes. Some of them might just be there to chump block (you know, sacrifice themselves to save your precious commander), while others are meant to grow into something much bigger. Think of it as a snowball effect, but made of pure, unadulterated nature power. Or, you know, tiny green things. Whatever floats your boat.
The color identity of this deck is Golgari – that’s Green and Black for all you newbies out there. And if you know Golgari, you know it’s all about death, rebirth, and generally having a good time with the graveyard. This deck totally leans into that. You’re going to be sacrificing creatures, reanimating them, and generally making the graveyard your best friend. It’s a beautiful cycle of life and death, with a healthy dose of “Oops, I just made another army!” sprinkled in.
So, what’s the game plan here? Well, it’s pretty straightforward, which is a huge plus for anyone who wants to jump into Commander without feeling completely overwhelmed. First, you want to get your commander, Tana, onto the battlefield. Once she’s there, you start doing what she does best: sacrificing creatures to make those sweet, sweet seedling tokens. The more creatures you sacrifice, the more tokens you get. Simple math, really.
But here’s the fun part: those seedling tokens are just the beginning! The deck is packed with cards that love it when you have a bunch of creatures, especially tokens. You've got cards that get stronger the more creatures you control, cards that have abilities that trigger when you sacrifice creatures, and cards that just straight-up love tokens. It’s like a party, and everyone’s invited, as long as they’re small and green and ready to march.
Let’s talk about some of the specific cards you’re likely to find in this bad boy. You’ve got your classic Golgari staples, of course. Things like Grave Pact, which is basically a “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours… or else!” kind of card. If you sacrifice a creature, everyone else has to sacrifice a creature too. Talk about a power play! Then there’s Dictate of Erebos, which is pretty much the same vibe. These cards are your bread and butter for making your opponents’ lives a little bit… inconvenient. And by inconvenient, I mean they’re losing all their stuff.
You’ll also find plenty of ways to get creatures to sacrifice. Think cheap, expendable creatures like Elvish Mystic or Llanowar Elves. These guys tap for mana, which is always good, but in this deck, they’re also prime fodder for Tana’s abilities. Or maybe some little token producers themselves, like Ophiomancer, who gives you a snake token at the beginning of your upkeep. Suddenly, you’ve got more mouths to feed… I mean, more bodies to sacrifice! It’s a beautiful ecosystem, really.
And don’t forget about the graveyard synergy! Cards like Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord are fantastic here. You can sacrifice creatures to Tana, make tokens, and then if you’re feeling spicy, sacrifice a creature to Jarad to deal damage to an opponent. It’s like a multi-stage missile of doom, but with more squishy bits. Plus, Jarad can bring creatures back from the graveyard, so you’re never really out of options. It’s a graveyard party, and everyone’s invited… again.
The deck also has a good amount of ramp. You know, mana acceleration. Because the more mana you have, the more spells you can cast, and the more creatures you can play, and the more creatures you can sacrifice… you get the picture. Cards like Farseek or Sakura-Tribe Elder are your best friends in getting those bigger plays off the ground. Who needs to wait for mana when you’ve got little elves helping you out?
What makes this deck so fun, you ask? Well, for starters, it’s really satisfying to watch your army grow. You start with Tana, maybe a couple of dorks, and then BAM! Suddenly you have a dozen seedling tokens. Then you start sacrificing those to make more tokens, and then you play a card that buffs all your tokens, and before you know it, you’ve got a literal forest of creatures ready to stomp your opponents into submission. It’s a power fantasy, but instead of being a muscle-bound hero, you’re a clever druid with a knack for botany and a slightly morbid sense of humor.
And the best part is that it’s not too complicated. You don’t need to be a calculus professor to figure out the optimal play. The game plan is generally: get Tana out, make tokens, sacrifice tokens to make more tokens, and then use those tokens (or cards that interact with them) to win the game. It’s a very organic process, much like how a forest grows. And speaking of organic, you’ll probably find a bunch of cards that care about having a lot of creatures, like Overrun or Beastmaster Ascension, which can just end the game out of nowhere. Imagine swinging with an army of a hundred 1/1s, and then casting Overrun. It’s like a green, leafy tidal wave of destruction. Beautiful.
The Bloomburrow set itself is also really charming. The idea of animals being the dominant species, living their lives, fighting their wars, and generally just being awesome, is super appealing. And this deck perfectly encapsulates that. You’re not playing with grizzled veterans or ancient dragons (though those are cool too!), you’re playing with the everyday heroes of the forest. The squirrel who bravely charges into battle, the rabbit who wisely guides the troops, the little seedling that dreams of becoming a mighty oak. It’s a heartwarming, yet terrifying, prospect.
So, if you’re looking for a Commander deck that’s easy to learn, incredibly fun to play, and has a really satisfying progression, the Animated Army deck from Bloomburrow is an absolute winner. It’s got ramp, it’s got sacrifice, it’s got tokens, and it’s got that sweet, sweet Golgari graveyard synergy. You’ll be making friends, making enemies, and most importantly, making an army. And who doesn’t love an army, especially when they’re as cute and cuddly as they are deadly?
Ultimately, this deck is about embracing the chaos and the growth. It’s about finding joy in the little things, and then turning those little things into an unstoppable force. So go forth, embrace your inner druid, and let the animated army bloom! You might just surprise yourself with how much fun you can have turning a bunch of tiny seedlings into a world-ending force. Happy gaming, everyone! May your graveyards be full and your armies be vast!