
## Doran, Besieged by Time

Doran is a wonderful, grumpy old treefolk who asks a very simple question: *what if a disparity in power and toughness mattered?* And then he rewards you handsomely for answering that question correctly. And if it's power is less... all the better.

He reads:
> Each creature spell you cast with toughness greater than its power costs 1 less to cast.
>
> Whenever a creature you control attacks or blocks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the difference between its power and toughness.

At first glance, this looks similar to other cards that let your creatures deal combat damage using toughness instead of power. The important twist is that Doran **adds the difference** rather than swapping stats. That subtle change opens the door to some very silly combat math.

For example, imagine you have <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-121" title="Indomitable Ancients" /> on the battlefield. It starts life as a humble 2/10. When it attacks with Doran out, it gets **+8/+8**, turning into a 10/18. Now add <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-LCI-176" title="Bedrock Tortoise" />, which lets your creatures assign combat damage equal to their toughness. Suddenly that Ancients is swinging for **18 damage**. That’s the kind of math we like doing here.

The game plan is refreshingly straightforward: flood the board with undercosted, high-toughness creatures, pump them up, and turn them sideways. This deck is cheap, simple, and extremely satisfying when it gets rolling.


<BlogCard cardId="MTG-ECL-215" size="lg" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ECL-215" title="Doran, Besieged by Time" listItem="T" />

## Deck List

<BlogDeckList deckListIndex="0" />

## Mana

The mana package is exactly what this deck wants: efficient, reliable, and budget-friendly. Between mana dorks, signets, and staples like Sol Ring, you’ll usually be able to deploy Doran early and start snowballing. I kept the lands budget friendly but of course you can always upgrade. *see land in deck list above*

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-ECL-178,MTG-DSK-193,MTG-TDC-324,MTG-TDC-272,MTG-TDC-289,MTG-C15-268,MTG-BLC-288,MTG-SCD-257" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ECL-178" title="Great Forest Druid" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-DSK-193" title="Overgrown Zealot" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-324" title="Selesnya Signet" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-272" title="Sylvan Caryatid" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-289" title="Faeburrow Elder" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-C15-268" title="Sol Ring" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-BLC-288" title="Talisman of Resilience" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SCD-257" title="Arcane Signet" listItem="T" />

## Ramp

I did throw in a little extra ramp to help you double-spell early and recover quickly after wipes. These are all efficient, no-frills inclusions.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-ECC-103,MTG-FIC-313,MTG-TDC-245,MTG-ECL-197" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ECC-103" title="Cultivate" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FIC-313" title="Rampant Growth" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-245" title="Arboreal Grazer" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ECL-197" title="Tend the Sprigs" listItem="T" />

## Draw

The card draw could be better, but the deck makes up for it by stapling draw effects onto creatures with chunky toughness. ETB draw creatures do real work here, while flexible spells like <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-CLB-52" title="Your Temple Is Under Attack" /> can either refill your hand or save your board in a pinch. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-M21-186" title="Garruk's Uprising" /> pulls double duty by drawing cards *and* giving trample, which this deck desperately wants.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-HOU-80,MTG-TDC-250,MTG-ECL-26,MTG-LCC-256,MTG-MIC-1,MTG-FRF-132,MTG-CLB-52,MTG-PLST-M21-186,MTG-JMP-442,MTG-FRF-119" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-HOU-80" title="Vile Manifestation" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-250" title="Carven Caryatid" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ECL-26" title="Moonlit Lamenter" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-LCC-256" title="Runic Armasaur" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-MIC-1" title="Leinore, Autumn Sovereign" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FRF-132" title="Fruit of the First Tree" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-CLB-52" title="Your Temple Is Under Attack" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-M21-186" title="Garruk's Uprising" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-JMP-442" title="Wall of Blossoms" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FRF-119" title="Abzan Beastmaster" listItem="T" />

## Buff

Buffs are simple: cheap spells that dramatically increase toughness are all-stars. Cards like <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-DKA-2" title="Bar the Door" />, <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-RNA-147" title="Tower Defense" />, and <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-CLB-45" title="Stoneskin" /> can turn an unassuming board into a lethal swing out of nowhere.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-TDC-246,MTG-DKA-2,MTG-SNC-27,MTG-PLST-MMQ-273,MTG-CLB-45,MTG-VOW-198,MTG-DTK-205,MTG-RNA-147,MTG-SOM-136" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-246" title="Assault Formation" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-DKA-2" title="Bar the Door" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SNC-27" title="Refuse to Yield" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-MMQ-273" title="Spidersilk Armor" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-CLB-45" title="Stoneskin" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-VOW-198" title="Dormant Grove" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-DTK-205" title="Shape the Sands" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-RNA-147" title="Tower Defense" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-SOM-136" title="Accorder's Shield" listItem="T" />

## Trample

Trample is the glue that holds the win condition together. Without it, your giant walls just get politely chump-blocked. Instead of loading the deck with tramplers, trample is treated as a **finisher**. Cards like <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FDN-230" title="Overrun" /> and <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ICE-265" title="Stampede" /> end games, while slower options give opponents a turn cycle to respond—which keeps things interactive and casual.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-FDN-230,MTG-GRN-162,MTG-5DN-87,MTG-PTDM-218p,MTG-A25-188,MTG-ICE-265,MTG-J25-696" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FDN-230" title="Overrun" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-GRN-162" title="Conclave Guildmage" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-5DN-87" title="Fangren Pathcutter" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PTDM-218p" title="Revival of the Ancestors" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-A25-188" title="Stampede Driver" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ICE-265" title="Stampede" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-J25-696" title="Overcome" listItem="T" />

## Selective Wipes

These board wipes are quietly brutal. Because your creatures tend to have tiny power values, spells like <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-MKC-65" title="Fell the Mighty" /> and <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-CMR-48" title="Slaughter the Strong" /> often read as one-sided wraths. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-29" title="Tip the Scales" /> can require a bit of math, but it usually breaks in your favor.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-TDC-29,MTG-MKC-65,MTG-PLST-CMR-48" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-29" title="Tip the Scales" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-MKC-65" title="Fell the Mighty" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-CMR-48" title="Slaughter the Strong" listItem="T" />

## Value

This section is where the deck gets a little weird—in the best way. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FIN-172" title="Ancient Adamantoise" /> can swing, redirect damage, and generate resources. <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-VOW-99" title="Catapult Fodder" /> punishes careless opponents. And <BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-27" title="Jaws of Defeat" /> is an instant value add draining opponents whenever your high-toughness creatures enter the battlefield.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-TDC-4,MTG-CLB-422,MTG-VOW-99,MTG-TDC-315,MTG-TDC-27,MTG-FIN-172" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-4" title="Felothar the Steadfast" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-CLB-422" title="Gluntch, the Bestower" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-VOW-99" title="Catapult Fodder" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-315" title="Colfenor's Urn" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-27" title="Jaws of Defeat" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-FIN-172" title="Ancient Adamantoise" listItem="T" />

## Creatures

Of course, the creatures are the heart of the deck. The checklist is easy: **Is it cheap? Does it have a big gap between power and toughness?** If yes, it probably belongs here. Doran rewards creative creature choices and leaves plenty of room to pivot into secondary themes later on.

<BlogCards cardIds="MTG-OTJ-3,MTG-KHM-11,MTG-PLST-JOU-14,MTG-TLA-200,MTG-M20-41,MTG-ARB-69,MTG-ELD-176,MTG-PLST-WWK-16,MTG-LCI-176,MTG-TDC-126,MTG-TDC-100,MTG-TDC-121,MTG-PLST-GK1-102,MTG-PMOM-256p" />

<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-OTJ-3" title="Armored Armadillo" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-KHM-11" title="Giant Ox" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-JOU-14" title="Lagonna-Band Trailblazer" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TLA-200" title="Turtle-Duck" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-M20-41" title="Yoked Ox" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ARB-69" title="Grizzled Leotau" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-ELD-176" title="Sporecap Spider" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-WWK-16" title="Perimeter Captain" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-LCI-176" title="Bedrock Tortoise" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-126" title="Nyx-Fleece Ram" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-100" title="Ikra Shidiqi, the Usurper" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-TDC-121" title="Indomitable Ancients" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PLST-GK1-102" title="Trostani, Selesnya's Voice" listItem="T" />
<BlogCardLink cardId="MTG-PMOM-256p" title="Yargle and Multani" listItem="T" />


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Doran, Besieged by Time - Budget Commander - Lorwyn Eclipsed