Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Understanding Pako’s Color Identity in Practice
Two colors, one fierce statement. Pako, Arcane Retriever melds red and green mana in a way that immediately signals an EDH deck built for fast starts, bold decisions, and a resilience that scales with the game’s tempo. With a mana cost of {3}{R}{G} and a powerful haste clause, this legendary creature arrives with aggression that doesn’t just hit—it accrues. The card’s identity is a classic Gruul flavor: a blend of chaos and growth that rewards you for leaning into noncreature spell activity and the strategic disruption that comes with attacking. 🧙♂️🔥💎
Two colors, two philosophies at the table
Red’s temperament is all about speed, risk-taking, and the thrill of a sudden surge. Green counters that with ramp, resilience, and a knack for turning raw power into a longer game plan. Pako’s ability—an attack-triggered exile of the top cards from every library—offers a canvas where both colors shine. The more noncreature cards you exile this way, the more Pako grows, thanks to +1/+1 counters piled on for each noncreature exiled. It’s a design that whispers to players: “Make bold plays, and the battlefield will tilt in your favor.” The mechanic also rewards careful decking choices: instants, sorceries, artifacts, and enchantments—all count toward that growing benchmark. The result is a card that feels both reckless and rewarding, a true red-green paradox you can ride to victory. ⚔️🎨
Mechanics spotlight: the attack trigger and counters
On each attack, Pako triggers a dramatic cascade: exile the top card of each player's library and affix a fetch counter to every exiled card. Then, tally up the noncreature cards exiled in that moment and place that many +1/+1 counters on Pako. This isn’t just power for power’s sake; it invites a richer strategic layer. You’re not simply swinging for damage—you’re engineering a moment where the table’s libraries become a shared resource that you convert into a growing threat. This is where red’s appetite for momentum meets green’s appetite for growth, creating a memorable tempo swing that can redefine a game’s pacing. And yes, the thrill of watching Pako creep upward with each exiled noncreature card is a small, glorious dopamine hit for any tabletop strategist. 🧙♂️💥💎
“Attack with wild energy, then let arcane momentum do the heavy lifting.”
Partner dynamics: synergy with Haldan, Avid Arcanist
One of Pako’s defining design notes is its partnership clause: Partner with Haldan, Avid Arcanist. In Commander, Partner is a tactical invitation to craft a two‑card, color‑rich command zone that unlocks expansive synergy. While Pako’s color identity is RG, the pairing with Haldan broadens the strategic horizon, enabling you to weave additional spellcasting threats, card filtering, and utility that ladders into Pako’s power spike. The result is a two‑card engine that remains true to red and green’s core instincts while inviting creative, multi‑color interactions that only Commander can indulge. The flavor of arcane retrieval—Pako pulling arcane knowledge from the libraries of all players—feels perfectly aligned with the idea of a knowledgeable, hunt‑driven duo. 🧭🧙♂️
Art, lore, and the design language
Manuel Castañón’s illustration for Pako captures a canine silhouette suffused with crackling, ceremonial energy. The creature feels both earthy and electric—a perfect visual metaphor for a being that thrives on natural growth while unleashing red‑hot arcane power. The “Elemental Dog” motif kicks against the ordinary, blending domestic loyalty with untamed magic. This is a card that invites you to narrate its story at the table: a loyal hunter of knowledge, racing ahead with haste, gathering clues from the top of every library it surveys. The artistry supports the sense of aetherial mystery that green‑red decks chase, and it does so with a playful, almost comic‑book energy that matches the card’s momentum. 🎨🔥
Why Pako finds a home in many Commander tables
As a mythic from Commander 2020, Pako sits in a tier where it’s both aspirational and approachable. Its attack‑triggered engine rewards players who lean into tempo and growth, while its partner framework encourages dynamic deck construction and synergy with like‑minded copilots. In practical terms, a RG Pako build often features a balance of ramp, removal, and noncreature spells that maximize the exiled pool’s value without compromising board presence. The card’s prowess isn’t limited to power on the battlefield; the way it interacts with each opponent’s top deck adds a storytelling layer that makes games feel like shared adventures rather than isolated skirmishes. The mythic rarity signals a design that aims to be memorable, and the card’s presence in EDH communities—from casual tables to serious lists—reflects that ambition. Price points and collector interest tend to tilt upward for well‑built decks, especially with foil variants and reprints in the mix. 💎🧙♂️
Deck‑building notes and practical takeaways
- Maximize noncreature spell density to fuel Pako’s growth—think a mix of red instants and green auras or sorceries that you’re happy to exile. 🎲
- Protect Pako from removal to preserve the acceleration—anti‑wrath and targeted answers help maintain tempo as Pako snowballs. ⚔️
- Leverage the Partner mechanic with Haldan to craft a two‑card engine that expands the color identity landscape you can work within, while keeping Pako’s power front and center. 🧭
- Be mindful of timing: the best attacks often come when you can guarantee a strong noncreature exiled pool, turning temporary libraries into lasting threats. 🔥
- Consider diversity in card types to avoid over‑reliance on a single category—balance your noncreatures with a few genuine utility options that can swing a turn even if Pako isn’t the immediate attacker. 💎
For fans who love a card with a bold identity, Pako offers a flavorful, mechanically rich path to victory. It’s a celebration of both red’s rush and green’s resilience, wrapped in a canine, arcane chassis that invites playful, tactical storytelling at the table. If you’re drafting a RG EDH shell or simply exploring two‑card command‑zone synergies, Pako’s design rewards curiosity, tempo, and a little bit of reckless joy. 🧙♂️🎲
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