Hello Everyone! I'm Levi from The Thought Vessel, and today we are looking at a commander that I am predicting to see a surge in popularity with the Secret Lair reprint of Jodah, the Unifier, or as it will probably be better known, SpongeBob SquarePants. Today we'll be looking at this commander, how the deck works, its strengths and weaknesses, and finally how to beat it. Let's begin!

The Commander

Jodah, the Unifier, aka SpongeBob. When this card was first spoiled, I genuinely thought it was an overpowered custom card on the internet. The ability to have a super Cascade every single time Jodah casts a legendary spell can develop an unstoppable amount of value in the matter of a turn or two. To make matters worse, Jodah also buffs all legendary creatures by a considerable amount. This is what I would consider an Omega-level commander if left unchecked.

The Deck

There are many different versions of the deck since a legends-only restriction isn't very limiting. Some players might build around planeswalkers, essentially getting a two-for-one on these sparked agents of chaos. Others might build a specific creature type like wizards or humans to add additional typal synergy. No matter how it is built, this is a five-color value engine through and through. The longer that Jodah stays around, the worse things get. Here is an average Jodah decklist now that you might see at your local game store.

Sample Jodah EDH | Commander

• Commander (1)
• 1 Jodah, the Unifier

• Creatures (35)
• 1 Annie Joins Up
• 1 Aragorn, the Uniter
• 1 Arvad the Cursed
• 1 Birds of Paradise
• 1 Bloom Tender
• 1 Cadric, Soul Kindler
• 1 Captain Sisay
• 1 Chulane, Teller of Tales
• 1 Delighted Halfling
• 1 Dihada, Binder of Wills
• 1 Djeru and Hazoret
• 1 Esika, God of the Tree
• 1 Faeburrow Elder
• 1 Gwenna, Eyes of Gaea
• 1 Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard
• 1 Halana and Alena, Partners
• 1 Havi, the All-Father
• 1 Inga and Esika
• 1 Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain
• 1 Kellan, the Kid
• 1 Kenrith, the Returned King
• 1 Kethis, the Hidden Hand
• 1 Kutzil, Malamet Exemplar
• 1 Odric, Lunarch Marshal
• 1 Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage
• 1 Ratadrabik of Urborg
• 1 Reki, the History of Kamigawa
• 1 Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh
• 1 Samut, Voice of Dissent
• 1 Shalai, Voice of Plenty
• 1 Shanid, Sleepers' Scourge
• 1 Sisay, Weatherlight Captain
• 1 Surrak Dragonclaw
• 1 Vega, the Watcher
• 1 Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful

• Artifacts (10)
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Chromatic Lantern
• 1 Commander's Sphere
• 1 Fellwar Stone
• 1 Heroes' Podium
• 1 Lightning Greaves
• 1 Mox Amber
• 1 Relic of Legends
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Timeless Lotus

• Instants (7)
• 1 Beast Within
• 1 Counterspell
• 1 Cyclonic Rift
• 1 Heroic Intervention
• 1 Path to Exile
• 1 Swords to Plowshares
• 1 Teferi's Protection

• Sorceries (8)
• 1 Cultivate
• 1 Farseek
• 1 Flowering of the White Tree
• 1 Kodama's Reach
• 1 Nature's Lore
• 1 Primevals' Glorious Rebirth
• 1 Three Visits
• 1 Urza's Ruinous Blast

• Enchantments (3)
• 1 Rhystic Study
• 1 Smothering Tithe
• 1 Vraska Joins Up

• Lands (36)
• 1 Arid Mesa
• 1 Blood Crypt
• 1 Breeding Pool
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Flooded Strand
• 2 Forest
• 1 Godless Shrine
• 1 Great Hall of the Citadel
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Indatha Triome
• 1 Island
• 1 Jetmir's Garden
• 1 Ketria Triome
• 1 Marsh Flats
• 1 Misty Rainforest
• 1 Mountain
• 1 Overgrown Tomb
• 1 Path of Ancestry
• 2 Plains
• 1 Plaza of Heroes
• 1 Sacred Foundry
• 1 Scalding Tarn
• 1 Spara's Headquarters
• 1 Steam Vents
• 1 Stomping Ground
• 1 Swamp
• 1 Temple Garden
• 1 The World Tree
• 1 Verdant Catacombs
• 1 Watery Grave
• 1 Windswept Heath
• 1 Zagoth Triome
• 1 Ziatora's Proving Ground

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Strengths

The strength of this deck all flows through Jodah. The ability to turn each legendary spell into two can push Jodah ahead since the mana expenditure and card advantage (since the cascaded spell was not in hand) are through the roof. In a way, this deck almost functions like a Simic deck due to the nature of spinning wheels and gaining value. The major difference is that Jodah can also put its money where its mouth is by pumping up the team for a swift lethal attack.

Weaknesses

As with most five-color decks, color fixing is extremely important. A Jodah player may struggle to keep an opening hand if their lands and spells don't match up well. Since the deck primarily runs legends that are known for being individual superstars, this deck really needs Jodah in play to maximize its potential. Without Jodah, many of these legends don't have the built-in synergy that other decks might.

Key Cards in Jodah Decks

1. Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard - Once Jodah starts rolling, the default reaction is to sweep the board and make the Jodah player start over. Many decks are prepared for this and will run legends like Hajar that can be sacrificed to give the rest of the table indestructible. This limits effective board wipes to cards like Toxic Deluge (though paying a large portion of your life can be costly), Cyclonic Rift, or Farewell. If Jodah players have counterspells, they can also protect their board.
2. Chulane, Teller of Tales - In creature-heavy builds, this card is an absolute monster. Drawing a card and playing a land with every creature spell equates to two cards drawn and two lands played. Chulane also has vigilance and can bounce legends back to hand to recast for more Jodah triggers.
3. Kenrith, the Returned King - One of the best generic mana outlets in the game. The first ability, giving all creatures trample and haste for a single red mana, is the major concern. When Jodah buffs creatures to massive sizes, Kenrith enables them to close out games at an alarming pace.
4. Dihada, Binder of Wills - An ultimate utility piece in this deck. It can protect a creature with indestructible, gain life back with lifelink, and generate card advantage and treasure with its minus ability. The final ability is rarely relevant, but Dihada can do it all.

How to Beat Jodah

Jodah needs two things to function at its peak: to get into play and stay in play. Disrupting this is key. Fortunately, most players recognize how dangerous Jodah is and are willing to help keep it in check. Countering Jodah out of the command zone or removing it at the first opportunity is crucial. Keeping Jodah off balance forces the player to rely on their other legends, which significantly diminishes the deck's effectiveness.

Jodah's triggered ability is only on casting from hand, meaning that forcing discard effects or shutting down card advantage engines can make it difficult for Jodah to maintain steam.

If you are still needing some extra juice to beat the Jodah player, consider adding some of these cards to your deck.

1. Invasion of Fiora - Though this board wipe hits all commanders, its ability to single out legendary creatures often wipes Jodah's entire board while leaving others relatively unscathed.
2. God-Pharaoh's Statue - This taxes all opposing spells by two mana, making Jodah's free spells significantly more expensive. However, be careful--this card will make you a target.
3. Void Mirror - Since Jodah's triggered ability casts the second spell for zero mana, Void Mirror counters those spells outright. A strong two-mana artifact tech piece.
4. Rule of Law - Holding each player to only one spell per turn completely shuts off Jodah's triggered ability. Most decks can work around this in some way, but Jodah is heavily restricted.
5. Blood Moon - Another card that will paint a target on you, but it can completely dismantle Jodah decks for a few turns by disrupting their mana base. This can buy enough time to find another way to deal with Jodah.

Conclusion

Jodah, the Unifier is a powerhouse commander that can take over games if left unchecked. Its ability to generate absurd value and pump up its creatures makes it a formidable threat. However, the deck heavily relies on Jodah to function, meaning that early disruption, stax pieces, and mana denial are all effective ways to keep it in check. If you're facing off against Jodah, come prepared with answers, and if you're playing Jodah, be ready to defend your board at all costs. If you have a commander you would like to see featured next on Commander Kryptonite, send me an email at thoughtvesselshow@gmail.com

Until next time, happy gaming!