How to Mulligan Narset, Enlightened Master
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Opening hand priorities
Attack-trigger spells deck that uses Narset to cheat expensive noncreature payoffs into extra combats or extra turns. The goal is not a pretty seven-card hand. It is a hand that develops mana, lines up colors, and actually points toward the deck first meaningful turns.
Ideal Early Script
- Turn 1: develop mana or the cheapest enabler for Jeskai free-spell attacks.
- Turn 2: add protection, card flow, or the support piece that makes Narset matter.
- Turn 3+: commit the commander or bridge toward the first engine turn only when the board can use it.
Your opener should support
Hands to be suspicious of
- - creature-heavy shells
- - filler spells that do not matter off Narset
- - hands that cast Narset with no protection plan
Mulligan decisions with Narset, Enlightened Master start with role clarity: does your opener actually support a real Narset, Enlightened Master game plan around spells and extra combats? Attack-trigger spells deck that uses Narset to cheat expensive noncreature payoffs into extra combats or extra turns. Narset rewards brutal clarity: protect the commander, connect once, and make that attack step count. The deck improves when your top-end is full of true game-swingers instead of flashy cards that are only medium off the trigger.
What a keepable hand looks like
Keep hands with fast mana, protection, or top-deck setup. , , , , , and are exactly the kinds of cards that justify a Narset opener.
When to ship a hand
Ship hands with expensive hits but no way to accelerate or protect the commander. A seven that can cast Narset on turn six with no shield is usually worse than a leaner hand that guarantees one clean swing.
Your first three turns
Your first turns should either ramp or sculpt the first attack. The turn you cast should feel like the start of a winning line, not merely the beginning of your setup.
Ready to test real opener quality for Narset, Enlightened Master? Run your own list through the ManaTap mulligan simulator, compare play versus draw, and check how often your opener actually lines up with the plan above.
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FAQ
- What is the London mulligan?
- You put any number of cards from your hand on the bottom of your library, then draw back up to seven. In Commander, your first mulligan is free.
- How many lands should I keep?
- Most Commander decks want two to four lands in the opener. Low-curve decks can keep two; higher curves want three or four.
- Should I mulligan a hand with no ramp?
- It depends on your curve. If your deck needs early ramp to function, ship hands without it. If you have enough lands and cheap plays, you might keep.
- Does play vs draw affect mulligan strategy?
- Yes. On the draw you get an extra card, so you can sometimes keep slightly weaker hands.
- How can I test my mulligan strategy?
- Use the ManaTap mulligan simulator. Paste your decklist, set parameters, and run thousands of simulations to see keep rates.