Sphinxes

Goliath Sphinx card art

I conclude tribal month by looking at Sphinxes (is that the plural?).

Introduction
Sphinxes first appeared in Legends (1994); 75 unique ones have been printed to date. Though the first was white, they are almost always mono-blue or multi-colored:
- mono-white (1 card)
- mono-blue (53 cards)

- multi-colored (20 cards)

- colorless (1 card)

Probably due to high mana value, Sphinx cards have never been heavily featured in any one set; the Zendikar and Amonkhet blocks had the most, with four each. I don't know of a sphinx tribal deck (in 60-card formats). But these beasts can shake things up once they come out late in the game.

Staple/Sample Cards
Sphinxes generally care about cards: scrying/drawing cards (for you) or milling cards (for your opponent). They can also lock down opponents' creatures or spells. Mono-blue examples below (multi-colored will get their day in the Commander section).

Deck Ideas

For Commander, there are several great options for Sphinx commanders, almost all of them as WU or WUB-colored. For the latter, Sphinx of the Steel Wind would be an obvious "include."

For casual (or other 60-card formats), the only sphinxes I recall seeing heavy play are Raffine, Scheming Seer and Dream Trawler. The former is great for sifting through your library; the latter, for card draw.

Sphinxes may not come out early, but when they do, they can knock the wind out of your opponent . . . dare I say, asphinxiating them?

Elementals

Molimo, Maro Sorcerer card art

Continuing 'tribal month' (see this post), today I look at Elementals.

Introduction
Elementals first appeared in Alpha (1993); 559 unique ones have been printed to date. Color-wise, they are all over the map:

- multi-colored (92 cards)

- mono-white (25 cards)

- mono-blue (94 cards)

- mono-black (31 cards)

- mono-red (192 cards)

- mono-green (125 cards)

- colorless (2 cards)

This doesn't add up to 559 . . . I think because double-sided cards count as one card but can have two distinct color identities.

I don't know how viable Elemental tribal was as a deck archetype a few years ago, but I started paying attention to them in Magic 2020 (released in 2019), as the set featured 31 Elemental cards, and I built a fun Elemental deck that I still enjoy (see below). Elementals were also featured a good deal in the Lorwyn/Shadowmoor blocks (102 cards).

Elementals, due to their definition as embodying some abstract quality, can certainly look bizarre. You'll see that in the sample card art below.

Staple/Sample Cards
This is hard. Elementals are so varied it is difficult to focus on a theme. Draftsim has a nice article on elementals, featuring their 40+ favorites. I will focus on ones I know, and those trend towards 'enter the battlefield' effects. Elementals can feature heavily in 'blink' decks as a result.

But Elementals can have many other abilities. Four examples follow.

Deck Ideas
For Commander, there are a number of nice options. The four below are common multi-colored Elemental Commander choices.

For casual play, the below deck remains my favorite. This was standard-legal at one time. Risen Reef and Omnath, Locus of the Roil (both shown above) are key. Creeping Trailblazer (below) and Scampering Scorcher (shown above) are also essential.

It is Elemental

4 Healer of the Glade (M20) 176

2 Leafkin Druid (M20) 178

3 Lightning Stormkin (M20) 213

4 Creeping Trailblazer (M20) 207

4 Risen Reef (M20) 217

2 Omnath, Locus of the Roil (M20) 216

2 Scampering Scorcher (M20) 158

3 Cloudkin Seer (M20) 54

4 Scorch Spitter (M20) 159

1 Overgrowth Elemental (M20) 187

2 Icon of Ancestry (M20) 229

2 Lava Coil (GRN) 108

2 Shock (M20) 160

2 Negate (M20) 69

4 Fabled Passage (ELD) 244

4 Mountain (ANA) 8

3 Rugged Highlands (M20) 250

3 Island (ANA) 4

1 Breeding Pool (RNA) 246

2 Temple of Mystery (M20) 255

2 Temple of Epiphany (M20) 253

3 Forest (ANA) 10

1 Steam Vents (GRN) 257

I'm having trouble thinking of a pun to end this post. Odd . . . doing so is fundelemental. (Yes, that was bad.)

Angels

Serra Angel (artist: Rebecca Guay) card art

Continuing 'tribal month' (see this post), today I look at Angels.

Introduction
Angels first appeared in Legends (1994), though retroactively, with Gabriel Angelfire; 255 unique ones have been printed to date. As you would expect, they are predominantly mono-white (180 cards), with the remainder multi-colored (55 cards), mono-black (10 cards), colorless (7 cards), mono-red (4 cards), and mono-blue (1 card). (The math doesn't add up here . . . either my search terms are wrong or something is off in scryfall's database. No matter.) 

I don't know how viable Angel tribal was as a deck archetype a few years ago, but Angels got a boost from Kaldheim (2021) with 13 new cards. Righteous Valkyrie, Youthful Valkryie, Valkryie Harbinger, and Starnheim Aspirant (not an Angel but makes them cheaper) are easy includes in most Angel decks.

Staple/Sample Cards

Not surprisingly, Angels are about life and protection. They can buff or protect your creatures, gain life, save you (the player) from losing the game, and more. Most of them are expensive as a result (they have a high mana value). The below sample gives you an idea. Of these, I'll call out one: Inspiring Overseer is a staple in an Angel tribal deck. For only 3 mana, it enables you to draw a card and gain 1 life, which can be quite powerful if paired with synergistic options like the aforementioned Kaldheim cards.

Deck Ideas

For Commander, there are a number of nice options. In mono-white, Lyra Dawnbringer or Iona, Shield of the Emeria are nice, but my commander of choice is Giada, Font of Hope. In multi-color, Sigarda, Font of Blessings and Atraxa, Grand Unifier are nice.

For casual decks, below are two Arena options I quite enjoy. 

For the first: besides cards already mentioned, Speaker of the Heavens and Legion Angel build your army, Scroll of Avacyn gives you life and a card, and Angel of Grace can be a nice surprise when all appears lost.

Angels Watching Over Me

4 Speaker of the Heavens (M21) 38

4 Youthful Valkyrie (KHM) 382

4 Starnheim Aspirant (KHM) 380

2 Resplendent Angel (M19) 34

4 Righteous Valkyrie (KHM) 24

1 Legion Angel (ZNR) 23

2 Baneslayer Angel (M21) 6

1 Angel of Grace (RNA) 1

1 Lyra Dawnbringer (DAR) 26

2 Valkyrie Harbinger (KHM) 374

4 Scroll of Avacyn (JMP) 483

3 Banishing Light (THB) 4

4 Angel of Vitality (M20) 4

24 Plains (SLD) 101

Sideboard

3 Legion Angel (ZNR) 23

For the second: this deck was Standard legal for a time, and really fun. Gain life with various options, and if you can get 1-2 Righteous Valkyrie out, your army becomes formidable indeed. Doomskar, Beaming Defiance, Fateful Absence, and Borrowed Time provide removal or protection.

Angelic

4 Youthful Valkyrie (KHM) 382

4 Starnheim Aspirant (KHM) 380

4 Righteous Valkyrie (KHM) 24

4 Inspiring Overseer (SNC) 18

4 Starnheim Unleashed (KHM) 33

2 Elspeth Resplendent (SNC) 11

2 Valkyrie Harbinger (KHM) 374

4 Giada, Font of Hope (SNC) 14

2 Doomskar (KHM) 9

3 Beaming Defiance (STX) 9

2 Fateful Absence (MID) 18

2 Borrowed Time (MID) 6

23 Plains (JMP) 40

The sky is the limit with Angel decks. Reach for the heavens; you may experience life abundantly.