Kellan, the Kid Commander Deck Tech | Fae Cursed Prince

Among the rolling tumbleweeds, in Magic: The Gathering's newest set, Outlaws of Thunder Junction, a Fae returns to the fray. Kellan is back once more, and in a way that we have not seen him in previous sets: TRI-COLORED! Boasting a strong ability typically seen among red mages, we have a lot to unpack and unravel with Kellan, the Kid.

Who Is Kellan?

This fae-cursed prince (so to say) is the spawn of none other than Oko. Y'all remember him, right? The one who ran around turning everyone into Elks or something? Yeah, that's Kellan's dad. For the past three sets, we've followed Kellan across different planes in search of Oko, and it seems as if he's finally found him here in Thunder Junction, but what confrontations and revelations lie ahead for this family reunion remain to be seen. No spoilers, go read the story, it's really good, actually.

Isn't that a red thing?

When building this deck, we're seeking to do something that, from an outside perspective, seems like it would solely be held for red mages: casting spells from anywhere but our hand. While this might seem like a tough order, being in Bant unlocks a lot of tech Magic players may have forgotten about and some new tech thanks to Outlaws of Thunder Junction. We won't be using impulse in this deck; instead, we'll be utilizing the top of our library, our graveyard, and maybe even going on a few Adventures, just like our commander Kellan has in the past.

By embracing the spirit of exploration and leveraging the synergies available within our color identity, we aim to weave a tapestry of spells and strategies that mirror Kellan's own journey across the planes. With each card played, we inch closer to uncovering the truth behind Oko's whereabouts and Kellan's ultimate fate in this tumultuous adventure.

Unveiling the Mysteries: Mastering Top-Deck Manipulation

To fully harness the potential of our commander's unique ability, we must explore unconventional avenues for casting our spells. A fresh addition from Outlaws of Thunder Junction grants us the power to manipulate the top of our deck: Fblthp

It's Not Just a Red Thing: Exile

While exiling cards to cast later may seem like a red thing, there are a few ways for us to accomplish a similar effect in Bant. Wondrous Crucible

A new card from Outlaws of Thunder Junction, The Key to the Vault

More Than Top-Deck: Manipulating Hand and Grave

There's more synergy for this deck in Bant than you'd think, though. Outside of manipulating the top of our deck, we can utilize our grave and cast the cards in our hand in another way.

Flashback

Flashback offers us another method of triggering Kellan, and in Bant? There is no shortage of spells to pick from. Memory Deluge

Fortell and Suspend

Just because we cast a spell from our hand now doesn't mean we can't get it to trigger our commander later. Foretell is a powerful ability that helps us achieve that, with cards such as Behold the Multiverse

Hidden Synergies Lead to Victory: Landfall

We've discussed a lot about the first half of Kellan's ability, but there's even more to this card. When we don't cast a permanent spell with his first ability, we can put a land into play for free, so, logically, we should be running some Landfall synergy, right? Lotus Cobra

These abilities are our hidden win condition. Felidar Retreat

Conclusion

As we traversed Thunder Junction and beyond, unlocking the hidden synergies within our deck, we marveled at the versatility of our commander, Kellan, the Kid. From mastering top-deck manipulation to leveraging the power of hand and grave, each aspect of our strategy contributed to thrilling victories and unforgettable moments on the battlefield. With Kellan as our guide, we remain steadfast in our exploration of new possibilities across the planes, eager to unravel the mysteries that await in the ever-expanding world of Magic: The Gathering.