Shadrix Silverquill: Best Cards & Token Combos

Hey everyone! Shadrix Silverquill, the charismatic and powerful Elder Dragon from Strixhaven, has completely stolen my heart – especially when it comes to creating massive token armies. This Orzhov (White/Black) legend is a powerhouse, spitting out tokens and boosting your board presence turn after turn. If you're like me and have fallen for Shadrix's charm, you're probably wondering: What are the absolute best cards to run alongside him to maximize his potential? Well, you've come to the right place! I've been brewing with Shadrix for a while now, and I'm excited to share my favorite cards and strategies for building a truly formidable token-generating machine.

Why Shadrix Silverquill is a Token Master

Before we dive into specific card recommendations, let's quickly break down why Shadrix Silverquill is such a fantastic commander for token strategies. For the low cost of 2 White and 2 Black mana, you get a 2/5 Flying, Lifelink Dragon Elder, but the real magic happens at the beginning of your upkeep. You get to choose two of the following abilities:

• Create a 2/1 White and Black Inkling creature token with flying.
• Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
• You draw a card and you lose 1 life.

This is where the fun really begins. Shadrix offers incredible flexibility. You can flood the board with Inkling tokens, buff your entire team with +1/+1 counters, or refuel your hand with card draw – all while gaining life thanks to his lifelink ability. The key to piloting a successful Shadrix deck is to leverage these abilities in tandem, creating a synergistic engine that overwhelms your opponents.

Building Your Token Engine: Essential Card Categories

Okay, guys, let's talk strategy. To truly unleash Shadrix's potential, we need to focus on a few key card categories. These categories will help us build a resilient, powerful, and, most importantly, fun deck.

• Token Doublers: These cards are essential. They take Shadrix's already impressive token generation and amplify it to ridiculous levels. Think doubling every Inkling he creates!
• Token Buffers: We've got the tokens, now let's make them scary! Cards that provide global buffs, like +1/+1 or other keywords, will turn your small Inkling army into a formidable force. These effects synergize beautifully with Shadrix's own +1/+1 counter ability.
• Value Engines: Token decks can sometimes struggle with card advantage. We need ways to keep our hand full and our options open. Cards that draw us cards, generate mana, or provide other forms of value will keep our engine humming.
• Protection: Shadrix is our commander, our engine, and our star. We need to protect him from removal! Cards that grant protection, indestructible, or hexproof are crucial for keeping him on the battlefield.
• Interaction: We can't just ignore what our opponents are doing. We need ways to interact with their threats, disrupt their plans, and control the board. Removal spells, counterspells, and other forms of interaction are essential for any well-rounded deck.

Top Card Recommendations for Your Shadrix Silverquill Deck

Alright, let's get to the good stuff! Here are some of my absolute favorite cards to run alongside Shadrix, broken down by category.

Token Doublers: The Heart of the Strategy

These are the cards that will make your Shadrix deck truly explosive. Doubling your tokens means doubling your threats, doubling your buffs, and doubling your fun!

• Anointed Procession: This enchantment is an absolute all-star in any token deck, and Shadrix is no exception. Every Inkling you create becomes two, every creature spell nets you an extra body, and your board presence explodes exponentially. It's a must-have.
• Parallel Lives: Similar to Anointed Procession, Parallel Lives doubles the number of tokens you create. Running both of these in your deck will lead to some truly absurd board states.
• Mondrak, Glory Dominus: This legendary creature not only doubles your tokens but also offers protection to your board by making your tokens indestructible. This is a fantastic way to protect your board from board wipes and other removal spells.
• Primal Vigor: This enchantment is a bit of a double-edged sword, as it doubles tokens for everyone, but in a Shadrix deck, you'll be generating far more tokens than your opponents. The upside usually outweighs the downside, especially in multiplayer games.

Token Buffers: Turning Inkling Tokens into a Threat

Inkling tokens are good, but buffed Inkling tokens are great. These cards will turn your small creatures into a serious threat.

• Cathars' Crusade: This enchantment is a powerhouse in any creature-heavy deck. Every time a creature enters the battlefield under your control, you put a +1/+1 counter on all of your creatures. With Shadrix spitting out tokens every turn, this can quickly get out of control.
• Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite: While a bit pricey, Elesh Norn is a game-ender. She gives your creatures +2/+2 and your opponents' creatures -2/-2, effectively wiping out smaller creatures and making your tokens incredibly powerful.
• Intangible Virtue: This simple enchantment grants your creatures +1/+1 and vigilance. Vigilance is particularly valuable in a token deck, as it allows you to attack and still have creatures available to block.
• Shared Animosity: This enchantment gives your creatures +1/+0 for each creature you control that shares a creature type with it. In a token deck, this can quickly become a massive buff, especially if you have ways to create more Inkling tokens outside of Shadrix.
• Legion Loyalty: Granting your entire board myriad is hilarious and powerful. With your tokens, you'll be swinging with a massive army, triggering myriad for each creature you control. This can lead to some very fast wins.

Value Engines: Keeping the Cards Flowing

Token decks can sometimes run out of steam if they can't keep their hand full. These cards will help you maintain card advantage and keep your engine running smoothly.

• Skullclamp: This equipment is an absolute staple in any token deck. It gives equipped creature +1/-1 and whenever equipped creature dies, draw two cards. Since your Inkling tokens are relatively small, Skullclamp effectively turns them into two cards each. It's an incredibly efficient way to draw cards.
• Smothering Tithe: This enchantment generates Treasure tokens whenever an opponent draws a card. Treasure tokens can be sacrificed for mana, which can help you cast more spells and keep your engine going. Plus, it taxes your opponents, making it harder for them to keep up with you.
• Dark Confidant: While the life loss can be a bit risky, Dark Confidant is an incredibly efficient way to draw cards. He reveals the top card of your library and puts it into your hand, and you lose life equal to its converted mana cost. In a deck with a relatively low mana curve, Dark Confidant can generate a lot of card advantage.
• Esper Sentinel: This one-mana creature taxes your opponents for casting noncreature spells. If they don't pay, you draw a card. It's a great way to generate card advantage early in the game.

Protection: Keeping Shadrix Safe

As I mentioned earlier, Shadrix is the heart of our deck. We need to protect him from removal at all costs.

• Teferi's Protection: This instant is a lifesaver. It phases out your permanents, prevents you from being damaged, and protects you from targeted spells. It's a fantastic way to dodge board wipes and other forms of removal.
• Swiftfoot Boots / Lightning Greaves: These equipments grant your commander haste and either hexproof or shroud. Haste allows you to start generating tokens immediately, while hexproof or shroud protects Shadrix from targeted removal.
• Darksteel Plate: This equipment gives the equipped creature indestructible, making it virtually immune to removal. It's a great way to protect Shadrix from board wipes and other forms of destruction.
• Akroma's Will: While not strictly protection for Shadrix, this card can often win you the game. It gives your creatures flying, double strike, vigilance, and indestructible until end of turn. This can easily overwhelm your opponents, especially if you have a large board presence.

Interaction: Disrupting Your Opponents' Plans

We can't just focus on our own game plan. We need ways to interact with our opponents' threats and disrupt their strategies.

• Swords to Plowshares / Path to Exile: These are classic white removal spells that exile a creature for a very low cost. They're incredibly efficient and effective at dealing with problematic creatures.
• Generous Gift / Beast Within: These spells can destroy any permanent, not just creatures. This makes them incredibly versatile and useful for dealing with enchantments, artifacts, and planeswalkers.
• Mortify / Anguished Unmaking: These Orzhov removal spells can destroy creatures or planeswalkers. They're a bit more expensive than Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile, but their versatility makes them worth it.
• Farewell: This board wipe is a bit expensive, but it's incredibly powerful. It exiles all creatures, artifacts, enchantments, and graveyards. This can completely reset the board and give you a huge advantage.

Synergies and Combos to Watch Out For

Beyond individual card choices, there are some key synergies and combos to keep in mind when building your Shadrix deck.

• Shadrix + Token Doublers + Cathars' Crusade: This is the core of the deck. Doubling your tokens and then buffing them with Cathars' Crusade will quickly create an overwhelming board presence.
• Shadrix + Skullclamp: This combination allows you to draw a ton of cards by sacrificing your Inkling tokens. It's a great way to refuel your hand and keep your engine running.
• Shadrix + Smothering Tithe + Mana Rocks: Smothering Tithe generates Treasure tokens, which can be used to cast more spells. Mana rocks provide additional mana, allowing you to cast more spells and take advantage of the Treasure tokens.
• Shadrix + Legion Loyalty: Swing with your entire board and make copies of each creature for each opponent. This can often lead to a one-shot victory.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Inkling Swarm!

Shadrix Silverquill is an incredibly fun and powerful commander that can lead to some truly explosive games. By focusing on token generation, token buffs, value engines, protection, and interaction, you can build a deck that is both resilient and overwhelming. So, embrace the Inkling swarm, and get ready to dominate the battlefield!

What are your favorite cards to run with Shadrix? Let me know in the comments below! I'm always looking for new ideas and strategies to try out. Happy brewing, everyone!