Voja, Jaws of the Conclave | Upping the Average 

Voja is so good he needs to spawn the “Lowering the average” series XD

I love the explanation of how to play against Voja decks at the end. It adds another different dimension to the videos. Keep up the good work 😊

It's been so long since we have gotten a Upping the Average video. I forgot what it was a thing.

I love the Upping the Average series, we should have it more often.

To add onto non targeting removal effects I'd like to mention Olorin's searing light, from the holydays lotr set. It takes care of the biggest creature from each opponent and also has some nice free burn if you have enough instant and sorceries. I really like it in my Narset, enlightened exile deck because being able to use it twice feels super good!

I've missed upping the average. Glad to see it back!

Dang, Jodah was so good that they were able to split him into Voja, and Pantlaza, and both are still a bit much.

Great timing, I am building this deck right now. Got it as my promo during the prerelease.

A budget card I added is Maze of Ith. If we don’t have any good attacks with Voja, we can maze him and still get our attack trigger in a pinch.

As a longtime Tolsimir fan, I’m both proud of Voja for becoming his own card and a bit sad that he’s so much better than Tolsimir.

I love Upping the Average, do more of it!

I love these upping the average videos so much I wish we could get more

Can I just say, thankyou for pronouncing Voja correctly 😂

So happy to see another upping the average! Its my favorite deck building series, but omg this fella did not need his average upped

8:37 speaking of the spirit of the deck I added all three tolsimir cards to this deck. Not because they’re amazing but because I wanted to keep some flavor from where Voja started in magic

If we're talking removal spells that become elves, have any of yall heard about Mercy Killing? It is a bonkers card from Lorwynn that could be even used on your own creatures that are about to eat a removal spell to make your board just as terrifying as it was previously.

Great video! I also agree with Joey’s sentiment here - while I normally try to throttle my decks somewhat to keep them more themed or fun, this was the first deck that I really let off the leash to be as fast and hard-hitting as possible. 👍😄

I wish Voja required you to control another wolf and elf for its ability to trigger on attack. While it would make Voja less powerful, it would better encourage a wolf/elf hybrid rather than trending Voja so aggressively towards Naya elf ball.

Naya Charm is basically Cryptic Command at home, both can sleep, 3 damage to a creature is basically Gruul Unsummon, and regrowth is kinda draw a card, it just cant counter something but still a really good

Mutavault might be my favorite addition of yours to the deck Joey, its basically a library of Alexandria with voja in play plus its a heavily discounted gavony township at the same time. Really sweet 😄

Been obsessed over this brew! You nailed this one on the head sir. Only comment….feed the pack….trade a beefy elf for hella card draw one turn.

As much as I like to see these videos it would be nice to see an upping the average on a commander that is powerful but not played often.

I feel Uncivil unrest is there mainly for the riot, getting haste on your mana dorks and Voja changes the power of this deck dramatically. The counter dmg synergy is just the cherry on top. 👌

I'm glad you caught the need for evasion! This deck really struggles to close out if there's chump blockers in play, so cards like Bramblewood Paragon and Garruk's Uprising can really make the difference, but if your willing to branch out I'm also a fan of Pridemalkin, Gnarlid Colony, and Abzan Falconer. Anything that can load you up on elf tokens, like Ghaldrim's Ambush, Elvish Promenade, or Hunting Triad effectively scales much harder than most elfball decks: every token is an additional counter *and* attacker, so numbers quickly get out of control. I would disagree about not needing fixing, though. This deck wins by getting Voja out ASAP and that's generally not happening on turn 3/4 unless you have a rock or dork that taps for the color you need.

Adding one Elvish Champion is the greatest finisher in the deck btw. I have a similar list and trust me, not once my opponents thought that they die to forestwalking elves :D

I love these videos! When is the next one?

I would like to add the Elf Harbinger,which prepare the next draw by placing an elf on top of the library, and Kami of False Hope, which is Hardened Scales on a stick AND FIL the mana Anyway, the X counters on everybody is power creepy, it should have been either be: "put X counters on a single target" or "put a single counter on up to X creatures" .. or,just to push a bit more: "distribute X counters"

An another cheaper way to make voja in trouble just focus him since the begining of the game. If you had flying creatures too don't forget to just swing on it. Even if elfes have bows is not so frequent to see a good elfes for the deck with the keyword reach or flying and it's pretty hard to block. For this main reason i had in my voja deck : Kodama of the west tree for ramping + give trample + reach,(he's just crazy on this deck) Abzaan falconer to give to all of my creature flying and make them hard to block but also good blocker again'st heavy flyer deck, card to grant to me to grab more quickly this card for this kind of deck (Wordly tutor, eldanari's call, trying the discovery with contest of claws) Choose some kind of versatile removal to work great with my legolas master archer to ping another creature. Even with that it's true it's hard to win when 3 or just 2 player play deck with many flyer, know you are a menace and focus you. But in the other part if they just sleep on it you just swing and kill easilly one or two player. And after that it's just snow ball. Other card i don't understand in the average build some people don't play Bamblewood paragon ?-? on the first preview on edhrec it was on each average build and now it's not the case why ? I mean she cost nothing play and just some peny and she's so destructive on the deck.

I found that Invigorating Hot Spring made this deck go a little faster. It might be a little redundant with Fires of Yavimaya, but it really cranked up the pressure when I played it.

Joey! you did it! you made your own pun! Lycan subscribe! for blue players wanting to deal with Voja, Mocking Doppleganger, and Mystic reflection easily come to mind (mystic subdual is going to have to have the ward cost paid, though it'll shrink down Voja immediately and make the text box blank). Involving White, Blind Obedience buys you a turn, and Don't Move kills the other creatures when attacks are declared (same with sunblast angel). red and black don't care as much as others (blastphemous act and Chain reaction totally exist, same with Living End and the many other black board wipes)

for more haste enablers I love using Rhythm of the Wild and Invigorating Hot Springs, they are great

Hmmm, damn. I was excited for this as the home for wolves and elves as support but you're right. If the goal is to stomp then elves are the main focus. That said, where does wolves find a good home? I want to build a fun wolves deck for one of my daughters and cats for the other one.

I wish you could do Elesh Norn mother of machines upping the average. I made a giada deck following your video about her and it has been the best deck I've ever had. Thank you so much!

Would love to see an upping the average on Hylda of the Icy Crown

Naya Charm is the best Charm. Hands down.

While I agree that if you’re trying to up the power level of the deck getting rid of the wolves is probably correct I don’t think anyone is actually going to do that cause we know what commander players like 😂

To anyone thinking of building this, please be careful. Understand that YOU the player will have fun for a night or two but depending your friends / playgroup that might end quickly once they start teaming up. Your deck can be frail because of how commander centric // dependent it can feel at times. This is an insanely fun deck but you have to be able to take the heat as well as understand that your wins are permanent based and can be countered easily. All the best fellow Voya players 🫡

15:21, 15:37 Damnable... pact..? The black draw spell?

Taunting Elf mentioned! Let's goooooooo. I also like Unbreakable Formation, it's simple Indestructible and also you can spread counters and Vigilance, it's great. Lapse of Certainty is a nice counterspell on the standard 3-mana rate, and Fires of Yavimaya is both a great budget replacement and redundancy for Rhythm of the Wild. I made this sort of deck a while back for exactly that mentioned reason: wolves are good boys and elves are fun. Difference is that I actually don't like playing at a massively high level, and so my Voja deck, while it would be an intelligent choice to include Teferi's Protection and Galadriel's Dismissal due to literally every W deck at my LGS running the very fair and balanced card known as Farewell, instead runs actual wolves. Not even good ones like Anara or Pyreheart (though they're both in the Considering on my Moxfield list), but ones that actually use the colors like the First Strikers Fearless Pup, Scourge Wolf, and Tundra Wolves, or weird ones like Witchstalker or Immerwolf because I'm also running some Werewolves (namely Mayor of Avabruck and Tovolar, yes having wolf lords is redundant but it's fun to hit like a plane sometimes). Honestly, I even considered Timber Wolves and Dire Wolves because Banding is a funny mechanic and you might get a Plains out in Naya colors. Still threw in Radha though, that's basically just free mana. But it was little more than pulling up Scryfall and putting in "(type:wolf OR type:elf) commander:rgw" than anything properly designed. Also, honorable mention for my boy Turntimber Ranger with the changeling tech being thrown around. It's an inexpensive Elf card (it's a bit of mana, but lmao mana troubles in an elf deck) that makes a Wolf token if an Ally-type creature ETBs. ETB with changeling means it ETBs as an Ally, which makes the Wolf token ETB as an Ally, on a "may" ability, so you can make exactly as many wolves as cards you want to draw. Or alternatively, Warleader's Call to Impact Tremors people to death with a critical mass of good boys. That's really where I figured out that Voja is cracked, when you reach the point of card advantage where you have to actively consider not decking yourself out if you get Fog'd, which is always a consideration because I'm low-power and love Fogs.

I had to cut All Will be One from the Voja deck I'm building. I'm just not running enough red to justify the 2 red pips.

Craterhoof Behemoth indeed. My Voja deck is named Craterwoof Howly-mouth.

I feel that odric lunarch marshal could shine here making voja a really craterhoof behemoth. Yes it is not either a wolf or an elf, but making the board have vigilance and trample sounds insane powerful to me.

I'd love to see a video for commander mustard

I am afraid to admit that I think WotC knew *exactly* what they were doing when they designed Voja. Seriously POWERFUL commander even went built basically. Going to the be the bane of many casual tables.

I was super excited for this card when I seen it got announced. I bought a Hollowhenge Overlord for $4 and when it went up to like $15 the seller just refunded my order, so they could resell it for more. I hate TCGPlayer. 💀

They are good dogs, Brent.

Love the series can you pls make one with sovereign Okinec Ahau

I like how it takes a true mtg fan to pronounce the name correctly

I want this card so bad. I have a fun bant elf deck with Galadriel, Light of Valinor, and Voja would be fun to hot swap out and play with red instead of blue.

My personal favorite add to this deck is Eladamari, Lord of Leaves. It’s not exactly budget though. Haha!

Crazy how the prices jumped. I bought hollowhenge overlord when it was like $3

I wonder any chance of a Syrix the flame Carrier upping the average?

Hey! I'm new to Magic EDH. I was inspired to play by Rhystic Studies' video starring Gonti, Lord of Luxary. It would be awesome if you did an Upping the Average on Gonti!!!!!

I built this with wolves and elves. I always build for flavor!

One of the few decks I've built recently and legitimately feel bad using 😔

Heeey requesting Stella Lee, she is so much fun

Voja would be good at 5 mana for a trample vigilance ward 3. Then they stapled “god of elves and wolves” to him.

See you at magiccon Chicago

I do want to build this commander but I might house-rule remove the ward 3. It'd still be very strong but slightly more likely to be removed

aren't the surveil lands just better than the scry lands in a green deck?

Requesting Eriette of the Charmed Apple.

How long has it been since an Upping the Average vid?

Would you make an Upping the Average about the First Sliver? :)

I've been saying to people the Wolves are redundant and unnecessary. I'd still keep the guy that gives your commander Indestructible.

Errant and Giada UTA?

Voja-shalai is such a beautiful disaster

I really like these videos but is like to see older commanders.

Its aggro baby. I love making them control and combo player's cry. Hey, at least it is a quick death. We don't shut anyone off, nor does it take us 20 minutes figuring out how to win!

Did you just say hits like a plane?! In front of my pet eagle, Tommy Freedom? How dare you, sir. #neverforget

I think I'm gonna start running new mkm removal like slice from the shadows to get past this ward nonsense

Ha! Dog food for thought... nice

In terms of gameplay, ward 3 feels like hexproof

I think insult/injury should be played in this deck, just for messing with peoples fog plans

And yet they couldn't give my boy Kaust Haste... :(

Nah Pyroheart Wolf has won me games, my opponents had trouble blocking all my huge elves aswell.

I'm not sure $200 is very budget? I really wanna play voja though.

I'm not "above" this commander by any means, but I would just say for those that are excited to build this, expect to be instantly removed. And if people don't have targeted removal, player removal usually is the Plan B. Just expect it, I'm not assuming you will complain about the attention by any means, but this just can't be left alone.

Local word from your Red player: the best kind of removal is player removal

One card I don’t see enough is Delina Wild mage for Voja. She can target Voja when she attacks and make a non legendary token copy of Voja, allowing us to go even crazier with multiple Voja and can get even more explosive with dice rolls over 15.

Classic elf ball

How, just HOW were bramblewood paragon and taunting elf NOT on yhe average list? Wtf?

Why does this commander make me salty before playing against it?

As a person who loves wolves and has been building wolf and werewolf decks for year....im going to ignore all ofnthis advice and stuff in as many fun wolves as I can

At the beginning of the video, you said: "elves or wolves, which one to choose?" I said, WHY NOT SHAPESHIFTERS?

As always, very good swaps. But also, i feel like these episodes aren't as warranted on new commanders. It's a new commander so it's going to be a mess at first, let the community figure out and streamline the average deck. Then, when it's older i think an upping the average makes more sense :) Also, i feel like you're hand motions in these videos feel very forced. I'm sorry. I can imagine how you feel it needs more movement to not feel stale when you're alone in the screen. But it's not natural and everyone can tell :/ you don't do this in the podcast, gameplay episodes or when someone meets you in person, do you? I appreciate natural ways of talking more (even though it's pre written) :)

Forcing you to sacrifice Voja is such an easy way to beat Voja, it's not that overpowered. There are countless better commanders. I know I have a Voja deck.

Voja is just the newest Miirym or Urza where you would have to be incompetent to build a bad deck around them. These are basically CEDH only or training wheel decks for new players.

I am starting to feel this format is losing some of its charm with how often folk push into the ideal of truly optimizing. Not massively, but it's starting to feel a lot more like the casual side is being stripped down to just CEDH-lite at times. Still, I do like this breakdowns and this series despite that feeling. Especially since I am so rarely drawn to new Commanders that it's just kind of a neat informational thing on what these other cards can do that I've more or less skipped over.

Voja? More like VoNo

I don’t think Voja needed any help to be better, this card is so busted

I know I’m the minority here but I have built this and it has yet to win a single game so I don’t think it’s as good as everyone thinks it’s very frail and don’t get me wrong his ability yeah it’s just insane but yeah anyone else feeling this way

This card is stupidly pushed. I hate the way it plays. Vomit your whole hand onto the board, play commander. Board wipe or lose commanders are lame.

I dislike this commander. Its way too powerful with no downside.

Naya charm is ass. Play noxious revival

Joey moxfield is better

Yes, because of all the new commanders, the elf trash is the one we need to make better, because elves are obviously the worst tribe in magic and they cant win without a handicap

I absolutely hate this commander. He's such a pushed commander, but also not a cEDH viable commander. He's the epitome of awful design; he's too good for most casual tables and not good enough for a competitive table. Awful design