EDH Optimizer
Shiko, Paragon of the Way
Legendary Creature — Spirit Dragon · 2URW
Color identity: Red · Blue · White · Jeskai
Shiko, Paragon of the Way is Jeskai (red, blue and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones.
Rules text:
Flying, vigilance
When Shiko enters, exile target nonland card with mana value 3 or less from your graveyard. Copy it, then you may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. (A copy of a permanent spell becomes a token.)
Reference price of the card: €1.18
Average lands in decks for Shiko, Paragon of the Way: 35
BlinkSpellslingerComboControlStormTokensBurnCycling
Build your Shiko, Paragon of the Way deck step by step, with in-depth analysis and AI optimization of your list.
🛠️ Build a deck for Shiko, Paragon of the Way 📥 Analyze my deck🎲 How the average Shiko, Paragon of the Way deck starts over 4,000 games
The list people actually play (the 99 most-included cards, with its average land count), simulated with the EDH Optimizer engine: hands, mulligans, lands, curve and commander. It does not model opponents; it measures whether the plan gets going.
Deck health of the average list: B+ (77/100)
- Consistency64
- Speed52
- Interaction82
- Resilience89
- Closing100
See the cards of the average deck · 99 cards, 35 lands (25 nonbasic, 4 Plains, 4 Island, 2 Mountain)
Arcane Signet · Sol Ring · Ephemerate · Frantic Search · Swords to Plowshares · Essence Flux · Ghostly Flicker · Cloudshift · Faithless Looting · Displacer Kitten · Momentary Blink · Soulherder · Talisman of Progress · Talisman of Creativity · Dour Port-Mage · Path to Exile · Talisman of Conviction · Windfall · Counterspell · Blur · Vega, the Watcher · Fellwar Stone · Jeskai Ascendancy · Scrollshift · Sevinne's Reclamation · Storm-Kiln Artist · Impact Tremors · An Offer You Can't Refuse · Azorius Signet · Roiling Dragonstorm · Dualcaster Mage · Izzet Signet · Panharmonicon · Parting Gust · Pinnacle Monk // Mystic Peak · Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs · Imperial Recruiter · Kykar, Zephyr Awakener · Charming Prince · Displace · Flicker of Fate · Aether Channeler · Candlekeep Sage · Eerie Interlude · Flamehold Grappler · Loran of the Third Path · Generous Gift · Spellseeker · Whirlwind of Thought · Dragon's Rage Channeler · Guttersnipe · Prismari Command · Witch Enchanter // Witch-Blessed Meadow · Blasphemous Act · Boros Signet · Jeska's Will · Monastery Mentor · Teleportation Circle · Acrobatic Maneuver · Skyclave Apparition · Archmage Emeritus · Chaos Warp · Conjurer's Closet · Another Round · Command Tower · Exotic Orchard · Hallowed Fountain · Steam Vents · Sacred Foundry · Mystic Monastery · Glacial Fortress · Sulfur Falls · Clifftop Retreat · Shivan Reef · Adarkar Wastes · Battlefield Forge · Raugrin Triome · Flooded Strand · Arid Mesa · Scalding Tarn · Sea of Clouds · Training Center · Meticulous Archive · Thundering Falls · Prairie Stream · Spectator Seating · Elegant Parlor · Deserted Beach · Stormcarved Coast
🃏 Recommended cards for Shiko, Paragon of the Way
The highest-synergy cards in decks for Shiko, Paragon of the Way, with their inclusion rate.
| Card | Inclusion | Synergy |
|---|---|---|
| Ephemerate | 78% | +74% |
| Essence Flux | 65% | +64% |
| Ghostly Flicker | 63% | +61% |
| Cloudshift | 62% | +60% |
| Momentary Blink | 55% | +54% |
| Displacer Kitten | 57% | +53% |
| Soulherder | 55% | +53% |
| Frantic Search | 67% | +52% |
| Faithless Looting | 61% | +48% |
| Dour Port-Mage | 46% | +44% |
| Blur | 41% | +40% |
| Windfall | 46% | +38% |
| Scrollshift | 37% | +37% |
| Vega, the Watcher | 39% | +36% |
| Roiling Dragonstorm | 33% | +32% |
| Parting Gust | 32% | +31% |
| Flicker of Fate | 30% | +30% |
| Displace | 30% | +29% |
| Charming Prince | 30% | +29% |
| Sevinne's Reclamation | 37% | +29% |
| Dualcaster Mage | 32% | +29% |
| Candlekeep Sage | 29% | +28% |
| Kykar, Zephyr Awakener | 31% | +27% |
| Eerie Interlude | 29% | +27% |
💰 The best cards for your Shiko, Paragon of the Way deck, by budget
Three tiers based on the maximum price PER CARD you are willing to pay. Paste your list and hit Optimize: you pick that cap and the AI only suggests swaps that fit under it.
Tier 1 · Budget up to €2/card
The most value for almost nothing. Coming from a precon? Start here.
- Essence Flux
- Ghostly Flicker
- Cloudshift
- Momentary Blink
- Soulherder
- Frantic Search
Tier 2 · Balanced up to €10/card
The real step up: pieces that are no longer cheap but still sensible.
- Ephemerate
- Dour Port-Mage
- Windfall
- Dualcaster Mage
- Eerie Interlude
- Imperial Recruiter
Tier 3 · No cap no cap
The cards your price cap was hiding from you.
- Displacer Kitten
- Spellseeker
- Meticulous Archive
- Thundering Falls
- Thassa, Deep-Dwelling
- Scalding Tarn
Reference prices (cheapest English printing). They change daily.
♾️ Known combos with Shiko, Paragon of the Way
- Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring → Infinite colorless mana, Infinite storm count
- Underworld Breach + Lotus Petal + Brain Freeze → Infinite self-mill, Near-infinite magecraft triggers, Near-infinite mill
- Underworld Breach + Lion's Eye Diamond + Brain Freeze → Infinite self-mill, Near-infinite colored mana, Near-infinite magecraft triggers, Near-infinite mill, Near-infinite storm count
- Underworld Breach + Wheel of Fortune + Jeska's Will → Infinite draw triggers for all players, Infinite looting for all players, Near-infinite magecraft triggers, Near-infinite storm count
- Underworld Breach + Lion's Eye Diamond + Wheel of Fortune → Infinite draw triggers, Infinite looting, Infinite looting for opponents, Near-infinite storm count
- Dualcaster Mage + Twinflame → Infinite creature LTB, Infinite creature ETB, Infinite creature tokens with haste, Infinite magecraft triggers
Other commanders
Frequently asked questions
What is Shiko, Paragon of the Way's color identity?
Shiko, Paragon of the Way is Jeskai (red, blue and white): its deck can only run cards of those colors plus colorless ones. Color identity comes from every mana symbol on the card, including those in the rules text, not just the casting cost.
What turn does Shiko, Paragon of the Way come down, and how often does the deck get stuck?
In the average Shiko, Paragon of the Way deck (the 99 cards most played with it, with 35 lands), simulated 4,000 times, the commander comes down on turn 5.1 on average and is on the battlefield before turn 7 in 95 % of games. It misses at least one land drop in the first six turns 30 % of the time and floods 12 %. Deck health: B+ (77/100).
How many lands should a Shiko, Paragon of the Way deck run?
Real Shiko, Paragon of the Way decks run 35 lands on average. That is a starting point, not a rule: a lower curve can shave one or two, big-mana builds want more. The EDH Optimizer simulator tells you, over 10,000 games, how often you get mana screwed or flooded with your exact count.
What are the best cards for Shiko, Paragon of the Way?
The three highest-synergy cards are Ephemerate, Essence Flux, Ghostly Flicker. This page lists the top 24 with their real inclusion rate in Shiko, Paragon of the Way decks.
What combos does Shiko, Paragon of the Way have?
Shiko, Paragon of the Way has 6 known combos. The most popular one is Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring. Note that two-card combos raise your deck's bracket, so it is worth knowing which ones you are running before you sit down.
How much does a Shiko, Paragon of the Way deck cost?
You can start cheap: Essence Flux, Ghostly Flicker, Cloudshift are under €2 each. The "Level up" section on this page splits the best cards into three price caps PER CARD (up to €2, up to €10 and no cap), and the optimizer only suggests swaps that fit the cap you pick.