Ajani, Nacatl Pariah - no cats allowed [WIP]

[DirkGently]

I've been having a hard time acquiring the MH3 flip walkers, but finally picked up my first at FNM in Ajani, Nacatl Pariah // Ajani, Nacatl Avenger. He seems pretty cool so why not, I might give him a shot.

The main thing I notice from EDHrec is that, predictably, he's getting built almost exclusively as cat tribal, which...I mean, I get it, his +2 does clearly say "cat" on it, but the thing is, his 0 ability is so insanely strong for a 2-drop that, even in the situation where the +2 is good, I feel like the 0 is still pretty equivalent.

I can see a couple directions to focus:
-proliferate into his ult
-go wide tokens to burn with his 0
-control using his 0 primarily as removal

I think at least some proliferation makes sense - his ult could be pretty threatening to anyone with a big board, so I could imagine it will be hard to keep him alive if you're telegraphing it, and proliferate makes it easier to catch people by surprise. The go-wide token thing I think also makes sense, but maybe focusing primarily on individual large token production for surprise nukes. Finally, the control mode seems like a good default plan. Ajani himself is a very strong control tool, since his ult is good for dealing with wide boards while his 0 deals with individual threatening targets.

One simple but important aspect is going to be controlling a red permanent to make sure he's always active. Possibly could use red tokens, value pieces, or just random cantripping pieces of garbage to satisfy the requirement as cheaply as possible.

Anyway, still brainstorming, ideas welcome. Unless it's to go cat tribal.

[darrenhabib]

I feel like he is a pretty self contained value and control Commander. Just making 2x or 3x 2/1 cats and then [+2] to get +1/+1 on those, then [-4] to reduce opponents boards is a game plan on its own. As long as you can defend, its hard for opponents to commit too much.
They get stuck in a "should I play out more creatures to attack Ajani?" or "hold onto them in hand and wait?".

However probably one of the biggest design elements is actually transforming him into planeswalker.
Expecting the cat to get killed in combat early isn't going to be easy. So unless you have a way to kill it yourself, you'll be without the planeswalker.
You can play a number of sacrifice cards like Goblin Bombardment for example, but Boros is not known for its aristocratic play style. So how many of these effects do you want to play, when they might just be mainly for a single one off effect? Otherwise you'll want to lean into sacrifice for benefit effects quite heavily.
Lands that sacrifice/damage are going to get you there on Turn 3, High Market, Lazotep Quarry, Desert .. ooh some deserts in there for Sand Scout.
Otherwise your own destroy effects can double up as control or flipping Ajani.
Get Lost and Fateful Absence can give you back some resources.
Sometimes a Lightning Bolt going to need to hit the cat .. "always bolt the cat".
Skullclamp if the rest of creature base supports it.
Felidar Cub is the only cat I'm going to recommend for the purposes of the transform.

Turn 2 transform

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If you really want to transform on Turn 2 then options I found are Duergar Assailant, Fanatical Firebrand, Goblin Firestarter, Frostling, Mogg Fanatic, Fire Bowman, Dwarven Scorcher played on Turn 1.
Gut Shot, Fury and Pyrokinesis can aim a damage at your cat.
Having a bunch of one drops does work into a going wide to make sure [0] is large enough to remove most threating creature.

I'd say creatures that are good at defending would be beneficial.
Borrowing ideas from my Aminatou deck. Onakke Oathkeeper, Wall of Omens.
The Pandorica can phase out Ajani each turn.
Luxior, Giada's Gift can really help on a board the has gotten out of control. Although you then do open yourself up to creature removal.
Urza's Saga is nice to get Luxior, Giada's Gift and a couple of extra creatures for the [0] is good.

Norin the Wary is a solid way to always have a red permanent. An opponent can cast an instant in response to your [0] ability, but just in general an incredibly hard card to remove and should be an additional creature for the ability.

Lands that can make red permanents; Kher Keep, Dwarven Mine, Den of the Bugbear, Ghitu Encampment, Restless Bivouac.
Man lands in general can help with adding more creatures for the [0] ability, so can be a nice way to make sure you get to the threshold to kill off the creature you need, without needing to commit too much to the board. Blinkmoth Nexus, Inkmoth Nexus, Mishra's Factory, Mutavault.

Otherwise he is pretty open for a strategy. The [0] ability steers you towards going wide. Although you don't have to go crazy, often you'll be knocking off an opposing Commander that likely to only have 3 or 4 toughness on average.

[DirkGently]

@darrenhabib Thanks for all the ideas!

You missed a turn 2 transform option, though - Despotic Scepter, which I think is the only colorless 1 mana sac outlet with no activation mana cost. I dunno how hard I want to commit to nonland sac outlets, though - they're awfully dead if he's already flipped, unless they actually have some benefit. Might be better to just accept a turn 3-4 flip and reduce the number of dead-ish cards.