Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward + Illusionist's Stratagem + Eternal Witness

3-card combo · GWU

Verdict

Yes — this 3-card loop generates infinite card draw and near-infinite creature tokens in any Bant shell that can produce 4 mana from nonland permanents.

Cards required: 3
Cheapest stack total: $1.97
Color identity: GWU
Popularity: 57 decks
Format: Commander

Buy required cards on TCGplayer

Illusionist's Stratagem blinks Abdel Adrian, which returns Eternal Witness and the exiled mana-producers to the battlefield; Eternal Witness recovers Illusionist's Stratagem from the graveyard, and Abdel Adrian's trigger re-exiles the support permanents while minting a 1/1 Soldier token for each. The loop demands enough mana-producing nonland permanents to cast a 4-mana instant each cycle, so the deck needs a critical mass of mana dorks or rocks — Elvish Mystic, Selvala, Heart of the Wilds, or artifact rocks all qualify. Abdel Adrian as the commander makes assembly straightforward: any tutor finding Eternal Witness or Illusionist's Stratagem closes the gap.

Recipe

How it works

Prerequisites

You have any number of other nonland permanents that enter the battlefield untapped, and that can collectively tap to produce enough mana to cast Illusionist's Stratagem exiled by Abdel Adrian.

Steps

Cast Illusionist's Stratagem by paying its mana cost, blinking Abdel Adrian.
Abdel Adrian leaves the battlefield, returning Eternal Witness and all other cards that were exiled with it to the battlefield.
Abdel Adrian and Eternal Witness trigger.
Resolve the Eternal Witness trigger, returning Illusionist's Stratagem from your graveyard to your hand.
Holding priority, activate any number of nonland permanents you control by tapping them, adding at least enough mana to cast Illusionist's Stratagem.
Resolve the Abdel Adrian trigger, exiling Eternal Witness and the mana-producing permanents until Abdel Adrian leaves the battlefield, and creating a 1/1 Soldier creature token for each permanent exiled this way.
Repeat.

Result

Infinite card draw; Near-infinite ETB; Infinite draw triggers; Near-infinite storm count; Near-infinite LTB; Near-infinite magecraft triggers; Near-infinite creature tokens; Near-infinite blinking of nonland permanents you control

Variations

Cheaper, tighter, alternate lines

Generous Gift or Displace can substitute for Illusionist's Stratagem if the blink effect resolves at lower cost, but Illusionist's Stratagem's draw clause is what makes this loop card-neutral rather than a liability. The token flood wins without a dedicated finisher, but Impact Tremors or Purphoros, God of the Forge — if splashing red elsewhere — converts every Soldier into a ping; in strict Bant, Altar of the Brood or a static damage outlet from white closes faster than swinging with tokens.