Adriana, Captain of the Guard: A Legendary Creature's Potential

TL;DR Summary Adriana, Captain of the Guard is a formidable legendary creature that shines in aggressive and midrange deck archetypes. Her unique ability to grant Melee (melee) to creatures you control makes her an excellent addition to any strategy seeking to overwhelm opponents quickly.

Unleashing Adriana's Potential

The first aspect to examine when considering Adriana's abilities is the Melee trigger, which activates whenever she attacks an opponent. This trigger grants her +1/+1 until end of turn for each opponent attacked during combat. For instance, if you attack two opponents with Adriana during a single combat, she will gain 2/2 in power and toughness at the beginning of your next end step.

However, Adriana's Melee ability extends far beyond granting herself an advantage. It also enables Melee on other creatures you control, allowing them to trigger their own Melee abilities when attacking an opponent. This can lead to explosive combos, as seen with Gisela, Blade of Goldleaf, which gains a significant boost in power and toughness for each opponent attacked during combat.

When combined with cards like Fervent Strike or Draconic Roar, Adriana's Melee ability becomes even more potent, allowing her to potentially deal massive damage to opponents while also gaining significant buffs. This makes her an excellent choice for aggressive decks that want to quickly overwhelm their opponents.

Strategic Applications and Synergies

Adriana excels in a variety of deck archetypes, including aggressive, midrange, and even some controlling builds. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures allows her to play a key role in enabling powerful combos and synergies.

One example is pairing Adriana with Gallia of the Endless Dance, which grants indestructible to all creatures you control. With Melee enabled, this combination can lead to some truly explosive turns, as creatures like Aurelia, Beast Tamer, or Elspeth Tirel gain indestructibility and Melee.

Another strategy is using Adriana in a more midrange-focused deck, pairing her with cards like Ajani's Pridemate or Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca. These creatures provide additional value and synergies with Adriana's abilities, making her an excellent centerpiece for a more controlling build.

Deckbuilding Considerations

Adriana is best suited for aggressive and midrange deck archetypes. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures makes her an ideal choice for decks that want to quickly overwhelm their opponents.

Some potential deck archetypes that feature Adriana include:

• Aggressive Red-White lists with Fervent Strike or Draconic Roar
• Midrange White-Red lists with Gallia of the Endless Dance and indestructible creatures
• Tribal Human decks, where Adriana's Melee ability is amplified by other Human tribal members

Format Viability and Competitive Context

Adriana has seen significant play in recent formats, particularly in Modern and Standard. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures makes her an excellent choice for aggressive and midrange lists.

In Modern, Adriana pairs well with cards like Monastery Swiftspear or Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca, providing additional value and synergies with her Melee ability. In Standard, she is often featured in more controlling builds alongside cards like Ajani's Pridemate or Gallia of the Endless Dance.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

It's worth noting that Adriana's Melee ability triggers separately for each instance of melee on a creature. For example, if you have two creatures with Melee abilities (e.g., Aurelia, Beast Tamer and Gisela, Blade of Goldleaf), each will trigger its own Melee ability when attacking an opponent.

Additionally, Adriana's power and toughness are both 4, making her a relatively durable creature. Her +1/+1 bonus from Melee can be significant, but it's worth noting that this effect only lasts until the end of turn.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

Adriana's art depicts her as a majestic Human knight, standing proudly in front of a grand castle. The artwork is a fitting representation of her role as a leader and protector of the realm.

In terms of flavor, Adriana is described as a skilled warrior and leader who has dedicated herself to protecting the people of Ravnica. Her Melee ability reflects her bravery and willingness to charge into battle alongside her allies.

Key Considerations for Deckbuilders

When considering Adriana in your deck, keep the following points in mind:

• Aggressive decks can benefit greatly from Adriana's ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures.
• Midrange builds can leverage Adriana's potential for explosive combos and synergies with indestructible creatures.
• Controlling lists can utilize Adriana as a key component in enabling more controlling strategies.

Conclusion

Adriana, Captain of the Guard is a powerful legendary creature that offers a unique set of abilities and synergies. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures makes her an excellent choice for aggressive and midrange deck archetypes.

When paired with cards like Gisela, Blade of Goldleaf or Fervent Strike, Adriana can lead to explosive combos and massive damage output. In a more controlling build, she provides additional value and synergies alongside cards like Ajani's Pridemate or Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca.

Overall, Adriana is an excellent addition to any deck looking for a versatile and powerful legendary creature.

Adriana's Potential in Different Formats

While Adriana has seen significant play in Modern and Standard, her potential extends beyond these formats. She can be a valuable addition to Legacy or Commander decks, where her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures can lead to explosive combos and synergies.

In Legacy, Adriana can pair well with cards like Sensei's Divining Top or Tarmogoyf, providing additional value and synergies in an aggressive deck. In Commander, she can be a key component in enabling more controlling strategies alongside cards like Azami, Lady of Scrolls or Estrid, the Masked.

Adriana's Impact on Aggressive and Midrange Deck Archetypes

Adriana has had a significant impact on aggressive and midrange deck archetypes, particularly in Modern and Standard. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures makes her an excellent choice for decks seeking to overwhelm opponents quickly.

In aggressive Red-White lists, Adriana pairs well with cards like Fervent Strike or Draconic Roar, providing additional value and synergies with her Melee ability. In midrange White-Red lists, she can be used in conjunction with Gallia of the Endless Dance and indestructible creatures to enable explosive combos.

Adriana's Role as a Legendary Creature

As a legendary creature, Adriana brings a level of power and versatility that is unmatched by most creatures in the game. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures makes her an excellent choice for aggressive and midrange deck archetypes.

In addition to her Melee ability, Adriana has 4 power and toughness, making her a relatively durable creature. This, combined with her +1/+1 bonus from Melee, makes her a formidable force on the battlefield.

Conclusion

Adriana, Captain of the Guard is a powerful legendary creature that offers a unique set of abilities and synergies. Her ability to enable Melee on multiple creatures makes her an excellent choice for aggressive and midrange deck archetypes.

When paired with cards like Gisela, Blade of Goldleaf or Fervent Strike, Adriana can lead to explosive combos and massive damage output. In a more controlling build, she provides additional value and synergies alongside cards like Ajani's Pridemate or Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca.

Overall, Adriana is an excellent addition to any deck looking for a versatile and powerful legendary creature.