Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Enchantments and Artifacts: Leveraging a Commander-Friendly Demon

Black magic rarely plays fair, and Demon of Wailing Agonies embodies that ethos with a grin. This 4/4 flyer from Commander 2014 arrives with flying and a Lieutenant ability that makes it a centerpiece for commander-led strategies. If your commander is out, this demon grows not only in size but in menace: its power and toughness become a stubborn obstacle, and its triggered ability nudges opponents toward awkward decisions as life drains away. The real juice, though, is how well it sings in concert with enchantments and artifacts—the kind of tools that turn a single big creature into a persistent headache for your table. 🧙‍♂️🔥

Lieutenant: a buff that changes the tempo of the game

The Lieutenant clause reads: “As long as you control your commander, this creature gets +2/+2 and has ‘Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices a creature of their choice.’” That is a powerful twofold effect. First, a steady +2/+2 makes a 4/4 into a robust 6/6 in mentor mode, turning even small blocks into meaningful pressure. Second, each successful damage event creates a player-only choice—sacrifice, most likely—through which you whittle down board presence and force opponents to respond under pressure. In a multiplayer EDH environment, that can tilt the table for you in the late game, especially when you’ve kept Demon protected and your commander alive to maintain the buff. The synergy is not about one big swing; it’s about stacking the pressure across multiple turns. 🪄

Enchantment play: building a durable, checkmating aura

• Protection and value—enchantments that shield Demon from removal or grant it resilience help you maximize Lieutenant’s uptime. Auras that grant hexproof or shroud, or protective enchantments that draw extra value when a creature is targeted, can keep your threat online while you assemble your other pieces.
• Aura-based card advantage—in black, you’ll often mix in enchantments that replace themselves or recur from the graveyard. The trick is to choose a few that line up with your graveyard plans so that even if Demon is answered, your engine keeps grinding and you stay ahead on card count.
• Evasion and impact—enchantments that grant flying, deathtouch, or menace give you better odds of landing combat damage, triggering Lieutenant’s clause more reliably and accelerating the tempo of the game in your favor.

In practice, the overall plan revolves around two axes: cast Demon early (preferably while your commander is on the battlefield to sustain the Lieutenant buff) and then lean on a small but steady suite of enchantments and artifacts to protect, accelerate, and recur your threats. The elegance of this approach is not in a single combo but in the incremental advantages you stack as the game unfolds. When you manage to keep your demon flying for several turns, you’re not just swinging a big body; you’re pressuring opponents to commit to blocks and sacrifices that reshape the battlefield. 💎⚔️

Artifacts and mana ramp: the practical tempo play

Commander builds thrive on reliable ramp, and Demon of Wailing Agonies benefits from that discipline. Artifacts like Sol Ring, Mana Vault, and other mana rocks can help you reach the five-mana threshold more consistently, letting you drop the demon on curve and start pressuring immediately. The Lieutenant buff then compounds the damage, turning each hit into a choice that saps an opponent’s resources. Beyond ramp, consider artifacts that protect your board state—equipment or staves that grant haste or equip without overexposure—so you can push damage while keeping removal at bay. The key is to strike a balance: you want to threaten lethal damage while not overcommitting to a single plan that a clever answer can disrupt. 🔥

The flavor here is deliciously thematic. A black demon under the lieutenant-driven leadership of your commander paints a picture of a disciplined, sharp-edged assault: menace, momentum, and memory-laden trades that perpetuate the board state in your favor. The synergy also invites a little narrative flair at the table—this demon’s rise is the chorus to your commander’s anthem, a duet where every successful attack echoes through the game’s social contract. 🎲

Art, lore, and the table vibe

Dave Kendall’s artwork captures the looming presence of a demon that thrives on the battlefield’s chaos. The Lieutenant keyword fuels a lore-friendly angle: a demon grown bolder and more strategic when your commander leads from the helm. In practical terms, the theme translates to a deck that values attrition, controlled exchange, and the occasional high-impact blow that compels opponents to respond in unscripted ways. If you enjoy decks that merge theme with steady, incremental advantage, this Demon makes a satisfying centerpiece that never feels gimmicky. 🎨

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As you refine the deck that centers Demon of Wailing Agonies, remember that the best synergy often comes from harmonizing your enchantment and artifact suite with your commander’s identity. This demon rewards patient planning as much as it rewards aggressive tempo, enabling you to navigate late-game pressure with a confident, flavorful edge. May your draws be favorable, your mana smooth, and your table mates enjoying the dramatic swing of a well-timed sacrifice. 🧙‍♂️🎲

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