Collected Company: A Game-Changing Card for Aggressive Decks

TL;DR Summary

Collected Company is an incredibly powerful instant spell that allows you to accelerate card draw, put up to two creature cards onto the battlefield from among the top six cards in your library, and send the rest to the bottom of your library. This card excels in formats where early game creature development and acceleration are crucial, making it a staple in many competitive decks.

Detailed Card Mechanics and Interactions

Collected Company is an instant spell that can be played on any turn, allowing you to take advantage of its effects as soon as possible. When played, the top six cards of your library are put into your hand, giving you access to a large pool of potential cards. You then get to choose which creature cards from among them to put onto the battlefield.

The card's power level is determined by the mana value of these creatures. For example, if you play Collected Company and choose two low-toughness creatures like Sylvan Library and Llanowar Elves, you can put them onto the battlefield immediately. However, if you draw more cards than you chose to put on the battlefield, those additional cards can either be played immediately if they're creatures with mana value 3 or less, or saved for future turns.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

Collected Company is a key component in many aggressive decks that focus on early game creature acceleration. It pairs well with other spells that provide card draw, like Sylvan Library, and can also work with creatures that have high power or toughness to maximize the number of cards that get put onto the battlefield.

One common strategy for playing Collected Company is to use it in a combo deck that relies on quick creature development. For example, if your deck contains multiple copies of a high-powered creature like Tron Crater, you can choose that creature and another low-toughness creature to play as soon as possible.

When paired with other spells that allow for instant card draw, such as Vivien, Arsenal of the Elements, this makes it simple to play creatures quickly. Additionally, when looking at an opponent's board, playing Collected Company can be particularly strong if they're low on life or have cards that will destroy them after a certain amount of time.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

In many formats, especially aggressive ones like Modern and Brawl, Collected Company is included in key decks due to its ability to accelerate card draw and increase board presence with creatures of low or moderate power. This can help to swing the momentum of games quickly in favor of the player using it.

Deck archetypes that benefit from Collected Company include:

• Aggro decks: By providing an additional means for aggressive spells like Tron Crater to enter play immediately.
• Combo decks: As a tool to accelerate into more complex plays or provide a way to cast creatures when other cards are insufficient.
• Tokens decks: These types of decks often rely on card draw to ramp up and play creatures quickly.

In general, Collected Company is a versatile card that can be used in any deck where you want to increase the number of creatures you have at your disposal. Its effects work well with many different card interactions, making it an excellent addition to many types of decks.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

Collected Company has seen use in several formats over the years. In Modern, for example, this card is included in aggressive strategies like Tron and is often paired with other powerful instant spells like Sylvan Library. It also works well as a key component of combo decks that rely on other cards to enter play as quickly as possible.

Brawl, another format where Collected Company is played, is an all-in game mode. Players focus on building strong boards with creatures before their opponents even have the chance to take significant damage. When used correctly in this environment, Collected Company can be an extremely effective way to develop your board quickly and overwhelm your opponent.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

In terms of card interactions, it's worth noting that Collected Company doesn't interact with any specific cards besides those that have a mana value 3 or less. This means you won't need to worry about playing around spells like Path to Exile when using this card.

However, be aware that using Collected Company will result in the top six cards of your library being shuffled back into them before they're put on the bottom of your library. For players who rely on keeping certain specific cards at the top of their library, this could be a drawback.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

Collected Company is illustrated by Zac Carlson, who has worked with Wizards of the Coast extensively in designing new card artwork for Magic: The Gathering. This card's art depicts a group of people working together to collect and organize various artifacts.

In terms of flavor text, Collected Company features the line "When you draw your library, look at the cards in it." There is no additional text that tells us more about what happens when we draw our library after having used Collected Company. In other words, the effects of this card are straightforward and do not include any complex interactions with other spells or cards.

Summary of Key Points

• Collected Company allows you to look at the top six cards in your library and put up to two creature cards onto the battlefield from among them.
• Creature cards that have a mana value 3 or less can be chosen, while others will be put on the bottom of your library in any order.
• When paired with other spells like [Vivien, this accelerates drawing and playing creatures quickly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Collected Company is an incredibly powerful card in many formats that focus on early game creature development. Its ability to draw cards from your library and put up to two low-toughness or low-mana creatures onto the battlefield makes it a staple in decks looking to rapidly develop their board presence.

The best results for this card are typically seen when paired with spells like Sylvan Library that provide additional card draw. By accelerating your card draw, you can take advantage of Collected Company's abilities as quickly and effectively as possible.

Optimal Synergies and Strategies

When looking at an opponent's board, playing Collected Company can be particularly strong if they're low on life or have cards that will destroy them after a certain amount of time. This means that you might choose to put multiple creature cards on the battlefield before drawing additional ones from your library.

Additionally, when paired with other spells like [Vivien, this accelerates drawing and playing creatures quickly. By combining these two cards, you can play multiple creatures in quick succession and overwhelm your opponent.

Tips for Effective Gameplay

• Use Collected Company to accelerate card draw and put up to two low-toughness or low-mana creatures onto the battlefield as soon as possible.
• Choose creature cards with a mana value 3 or less, such as Sylvan Library and Llanowar Elves, to maximize the number of cards that get put onto the battlefield.
• Be aware of card interactions, especially those that interact with creatures with a low mana value.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Do not use Collected Company in decks that rely on keeping certain specific cards at the top of their library. The effects of this card can result in these cards being put back into their original position.
• Avoid playing Collected Company if your opponent is low on life or has a strong board presence.

By following these tips and understanding how to play Collected Company effectively, you can take advantage of its powerful abilities and accelerate your deck's development quickly.