Quick Links
Virtue and Valor is one of the twoMagic: The Gatheringpreconstructed Commander decks released alongside Wilds Of Eldraine. Virtue and Valor is a deck built around the Role mechanic. Since all Roles are enchantments, there is also a general enchantment sub-theme to the deck.
RELATED:Magic: The Gathering – The Best Cards In Wilds Of Eldraine’s Virtue And Valor Commander Deck
The deck is meant to be playable right out of the box, and Virtue and Valor is an excellent choice for those who want to get into the format. Though preconstructed decks are solid, there are cards that are not so great and can be replaced with more powerful choices on a budget.
All prices are taken fromTCGPlayer.com
Creature Upgrades
The selection of creatures in Virtue and Valor is excellent and actually has most of the popular enchantment support cards already included in the base deck. Many of the best creatures will either draw you a card when enchantments are put onto the battlefield or discount their mana cost. However, it is still missing a few budget options that you would want to include in the deck.
Sythis, Harvest’s Hand ($0.87)
Sythis, Harvest’s Handis a popular enchantment commander on its own, but it is also great in any deck that plays enchantments. Sythis provides you with draw and life gain, something enchantment decks appreciate.
Sythis makes it so all your enchantment spells replace themselves as soon as they are cast. Since its effect triggers on the casting of an enchantment, even if the spell gets countered, you still get Sythis' effect.
Archon Of The Wild Rose ($0.16)
AlthoughArchon of the Wild Roseis in the main Wilds of Eldraine set it was not included in Virtue and Valor. However, it is a fantastic option for the deck. It turns any creature with an Aura on it into a 4/4 with flying at the base level. This is before any of the boosts that the Aura may be providing which can make it even stronger.
Virtue and Valor isheavily built around Role tokens- which are Aura tokens that enchant creatures, often with a small stat boost. This combined with Archon of the Wild Rose makes them all stronger, especially with how easy it is to give Role tokens to your creatures.
Noncreature Spell Upgrades
There are more budget upgrades to be found on the noncreature side of things. Although there are plenty of strong ones already in the deck, it is missing some consistency that the deck would greatly appreciate.
Path To Exile ($1.16)
Path to Exileis one of the two main white removal cards (alongside Swords to Plowshares, which is already in the deck). Since it only costs one mana, Path To Exile becomes a very easy-to-cast removal spell.
Exiling a creature is much better than simply destroying it. Not only does it make it harder to get it back for your opponents', but it also gets around indestructible ones since that doesn’t protect them from getting exiled.
Open The Armory ($0.71)
Consistency in Commander is very important. Since decks have 99 cards in them, it is unlikely that you will always draw into the cards you want. As such,tutors help boost consistencyas they can guarantee you see the cards you always want to see.
Open The Armoryis a staple of Aura decks since for just two mana you can get any Aura into your hand at any point. There is no shortage of amazing Auras in the deck, so Open The Armory is always going to be able to find something no matter when you draw it.
Sterling Grove ($2.91)
All Auras are enchantments, soSterling Groveis a way to ensure they stay safe by giving them shroud. It will also give all your enchantment creatures protection as well since they still count for Sterling Grove’s effect.
Sterling Grove will prevent you from putting Auras onto enchantment creatures since shroud prevents any spells or abilities from targeting them, including your own.
If you are in desperate need of an enchantment from your deck, Sterling Grove can act as a tutor by paying one mana and sacrificing it. Although it doesn’t go into your hand, it goes to the top of your deck and can be done at instant speed. As such, you’re able to use this effect before you draw your card per turn, allowing you to guarantee it is what you draw.
RELATED:Magic: The Gathering – The Best Commanders In Wilds Of Eldraine
Mana Upgrades
The mana base for Virtue and Valor is solid but still has room for upgrades to help with consistency. Since it is only a two-color deck, it is easy to keep things on a budget since you don’t need as many dual lands.
The Virtue and Valor mana base ismissing are mana rocks. While it has the traditional combo ofSol RingandArcane Signet, these are the only mana rocks in the deck, which leave plenty of room for upgrades.
Sunpetal Grove ($2.86)
Sunpetal Groveis a solid dual land for Virtue and Valor as it will almost always come in untapped. Untapped dual lands are the best you can be playing as you immediately have a mana source that can tap for the two colors your deck needs.
All you need is either a Forest or a Plains on the battlefield to have it enter untapped. Since you’re only playing green and white lands, this is easy to accomplish. Even if it does enter tapped, you still have a land that can be tapped for both mana you need.
Brushland ($1.72)
Painlands are great because they will always enter untapped (assuming nothing on the battlefield forces them to).Brushlandis a solid inclusion as you can tap it for either white or green mana at any point at the cost of one life.
This life cost is minimal, especially when you’re starting with 40 life to begin with. If you don’t need colored mana, you can just tap it for colorless without having to worry about your life points draining.
Talisman Of Unity ($0.62)
Virtue And Valor is severely lacking in mana rocks, which are vital in Commander. Ones that cost two mana are the best as they can be brought out as early as turn one if you have a Sol Ring to support it.
Talisman Of Unityis one of the best for Selesnya (green/white) decks since you have access to both your colors on one mana rock. It does cost one life to make colored mana, but you can also just tap for colorless mana instead.
Selesnya Signet ($0.90)
Selesnya Signetis a great mana rock as it can turn one mana into two. Not only that, but the mana can be of any color and turns it into one green and one white mana. This helps to ensure you always have access to both of your colors.
Since Selesnya Signet is so easy to cast thanks to its mana value of two, you can start taking advantage of it early on in the game to always be ahead on mana.
