This time I didn’t have the luxury of unboxing the product for you, oh Hub City Geeks.  The “Forged in Stone” Commander deck has been in play at the SpartanNerd’s house for some time, and I didn’t get a chance to unbox it for you.  Sorry!

The unboxing was similar to the unboxing of “Sworn to Darkness” from the same set, which you can see my review of here. (click the link)

Regardless, I am including a video of the cards.

I also have the main insert.

The art features Nahiri, the Lithomancer.  This has been a mysterious character in Magic the Gathering fiction, evidently.  I’ve only recently begun to read the online stories, but evidently Nahiri was the one who created the prison for the Eldrazi at the behest of Ugin, the Spirit Dragon.  Fans have long said that the person featured on the card Stoneforge Mystic was the Lithomancer, though she was never named or had details officially given to her.  So now the wizards have made it official…

The art is good, but it was too much work for me to try and read that white text over that white background.  Come on. Wizards.  You know better than that!

The back is more of the same, but gives you a decklist as well.  Here is that image, extra large so you can read it!

The “Forged in Stone” deck features a mainly white strategy, with an emphasis on artifacts.  Nahiri, the Lithomancer, is the main commander, a planeswalker that has a very dangerous ultimate ability…you get a sword called “Stoneforged Blade” that adds +5/+5 and double strike to a creature.  OUCH!!!

Her other two abilities are also very relevant, because as a mainly white strategy, the deck can get a lot of token creatures out easily.  And equipment cards can be attached to them for free.  That’s crazy!  Her -2 ability makes it possible to get equipment out of the graveyard in case it gets removed.

Nahiri is a great commander…Not as good as Ob Nixilis, though.  For instance, her abilities are conditional..you have to have an equipment card on the battlefield or graveyard in order for her top two abilities to be relevant.

The other possible commanders in this deck are Jazal Goldmane and Kemba,Kha Regent.  Jazal lets you pump your creatures, while Kemba is the real danger, putting new 2/2 Cat creatures out each turn for each equipment she has attached.

The other creatures do things that white creatures are supposed to do.  Sun Titan is here to get things back out of the graveyard upon entering the battlefield or attacking.  There are some clerics, angels, mentors, priest…each doing something classically white.  The angels are especially relevant…usually big fliers with abilities.  You know how I feel about angels in Magic!

In addition to the mana rocks that always seem to be included in these commander decks, you get some really good equipment.  You get Moonsliver Spear and Loxodon Warhammer…both really good in the hands of either a chump or a fighter. There is also Bonehoard, a card that can get rediculous in a multiplayer game with lots of board wipes.

The instants and sorceries are really good, with comeuppance usually being a star.  Basically you redirect damage back to either an attacker or a player.

This deck includes the double sided tokens…an idea that I hope the wizards use more in the future.  The packaging was cool, with tasteful white and black styling, but the box is the same box that all the other commander decks came with. It can’t hold the deck when sleeved.

When pitted against Ob Nixilis, Nahiri’s deck has problems with board wipes.   Because there is really only a token strategy for the early  game.  But usually when she can stage a turnaround, Nixilis will lose.  It’s usually an angel that causes the win.

Remember when I said some of Nahiri’s abilities were irrelevant sometimes?  They usually aren’t irrelevant.  There are enough equipment cards for her to do what she needs to do.  I haven’t played this deck in a multiplayer match yet..as I get the chance I will let you know.

The other deck I have played it against is a modified “Eternal Bargain” deck from Commander 2013.  Oloro,s life gain was significant, but Nahiri was able to pull off a win!

SpartanNerd’s rating of Magic the Gathering “Forged In Stone” Commander 2014 EDH deck is 4/5.  I am knocking the point off because I think Ob Nixilis’ deck is better.  Maybe that is bias, because I favor black over white.  But white is my secondary color, so…

The other thing might not be as relevant…it is difficult to read the text on the insert material.  Someone botched it when they decided to use white text over a white background.

Do you agree?  Let me know in the comments!