Kinnan

MidrangeMetaTop 5Beginner Friendly
Written By Evan Pierce

[[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]] is a dynamic and proactive commander that leverages explosive mana production and infinite mana combos to dominate cEDH tables. Its static ability enhances mana-producing nonland permanents, while its activated ability allows you to cheat game-winning creatures into play. Kinnan decks thrive on consistent ramp, resilient combo lines, and flexible win conditions.

Core Gameplan

The primary goal of Kinnan is to generate infinite mana and convert it into a win through powerful spells or combo loops. With multiple ways to produce infinite mana and access to strong card advantage tools, Kinnan creates a streamlined and effective game plan.

Step-by-Step Gameplan

  1. Ramp Early:
    Use mana dorks and mana rocks to accelerate into a fast Kinnan cast.

    • Example: Turn 2 Kinnan followed by Turn 3 artifact ramp and dorks sets up infinite mana potential.

  2. Establish Infinite Mana Combos:
    Focus on assembling combos with [[Basalt Monolith]], [[Hullbreaker Horror]], or [[Tidespout Tyrant]] to create infinite mana loops.

  3. Convert Mana into a Win:

    • Filter [[symbol:infinity-c]] into [[symbol:infinity-u]][[symbol:infinity-g]] with [[Mirage Mirror]] or [[Treasure Vault]].

    • Use infinite mana to activate Kinnan, finding [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]].

    • Activate [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to draw your deck and assemble a win condition.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

  • Explosive Ramp: Kinnan amplifies mana production, accelerating your game plan faster than most opponents.

  • Multiple Win Conditions: Infinite mana enables diverse win options, increasing resilience.

  • Proactive and Reactive: Combines fast combo potential with strong interaction ([[Flusterstorm]], [[Swan Song]]).

Weaknesses

  • Vulnerability to Stax: Cards like [[Collector Ouphe]] or [[Null Rod]] can shut down mana production.

  • Graveyard Hate: Combo lines like [[Cephalid Coliseum]] loops are disrupted by graveyard hate ([[Rest in Peace]], [[Leyline of the Void]]).

  • Reliance on Nonland Mana Sources: Heavy artifact and dork reliance makes the deck susceptible to wipes and hate effects.

Core Combos

Infinite Mana Combos

[[Basalt Monolith]] + [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]]

  1. Requirements: [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]] in play, [[symbol:3]] to cast [[Basalt Monolith]] or the ability to tutor it into play.

    1. Cast [[Basalt Monolith]].

    2. Tap [[Basalt Monolith]] for [[symbol:4]].

    3. Activate [[Basalt Monolith]]'s second ability to untap it, leaving [[symbol:1]] floating.

    4. Repeat steps 2 - 3 to create [[symbol:infinity-c]].

    5. See "Infinite Mana Outlets" section below to win the game.

[[Grim Monolith]] + [[Nyxbloom Ancient]]

  1. Requirements: [[Nyxbloom Ancient]] in play, [[symbol:2]] to cast [[Grim Monolith]] or the ability to tutor it into play.

    1. Cast [[Grim Monolith]].

    2. Tap [[Grim Monolith]] for [[symbol:9]].

    3. Activate [[Grim Monolith]]'s second ability to untap it, leaving [[symbol:5]] floating.

    4. Repeat steps 2 - 3 to create [[symbol:infinity-c]].

    5. See "Infinite Mana Outlets" section below to win the game.

[[Hullbreaker Horror]] or [[Tidespout Tyrant]] + 2 Mana-Positive Rocks

  1. Requirements: [[Hullbreaker Horror]] or [[Tidespout Tyrant]] in play + 2 mana rocks that go mana positive when casting between them. Combinations listed below:

  2. Without Kinnan:

    1. Any of the following mana positive rocks with each other: [[Mox Opal]], [[Mox Amber]], [[Sol Ring]], [[Grim Monolith]], [[Mana Vault]]

    2. Any of the aforementioned mana positive rocks with the following: [[Basalt Monolith]], [[Chrome Mox]], [[Lotus Petal]]

    3. [[Mana Vault]] + any of the following: [[Fellwar Stone]], [[Arcane Signet]], [[Simic Signet]], [[Talisman of Curiosity]]

  3. With Kinnan:

    1. Any of the previously mentioned combinations

    2. [[Sol Ring]] or [[Grim Monolith]] or [[Mox Amber]] or [[Mox Opal]] or [[Mana Vault]] with any of the following: [[Fellwar Stone]], [[Arcane Signet]], [[Simic Signet]], [[Talisman of Curiosity]]

Note: We'll assume [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]], [[Hullbreaker Horror]], and [[Sol Ring]] are in play and [[Mox Amber]] is in hand.

  1. Cast [[Mox Amber]], returning [[Sol Ring]] to hand with the [[Hullbreaker Horror]] trigger.

  2. Tap [[Mox Amber]] for [[symbol:u]][[symbol:u]] or [[symbol:g]][[symbol:g]].

  3. Cast [[Sol Ring]], returning [[Mox Amber]] to hand with the [[Hullbreaker Horror]] trigger.

  4. Tap [[Sol Ring]] for [[symbol:3]].

  5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 to make [[symbol:infinity-u]][[symbol:infinity-g]][[symbol:infinity-c]].

  6. See **Infinite Mana Outlets** below to win the game.

Win Conditions

  1. [[Finale of Devastation]]

    • Once infinite mana is achieved, cast [[Finale of Devastation]] to fetch a creature like [[Hullbreaker Horror]] or win through a massive attack.

  2. [[Cephalid Coliseum]] Loops

    1. Requirements: [[symbol:infinity-u]][[symbol:infinity-g]], [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]]

    2. Option 1: [[Mirage Mirror]] Line

      1. (Optional) Use [[Tidespout Tyrant]] to bounce all of your opponents' permanents to their hand.

      2. (Optional) Move to the next phase to clear opponents' floating mana.

      3. Activate [[Emergence Zone]] or cast [[Valley Floodcaller]] to enable flash speed.

      4. If [[Cephalid Coliseum]] is not in play, use [[Crop Rotation]] or [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to put it into play.

      5. Cast [[Mirage Mirror]].

      6. Activate [[Mirage Mirror]] targeting [[Cephalid Coliseum]].

      7. Ensure you have Threshold by discarding cards with [[Nezahal, Primal Tide]], using [[Chain of Vapor]] to sacrifice lands, or casting to fill your graveyard.

      8. Activate and sacrifice [[Mirage Mirror]] (currently a [[Cephalid Coliseum]]) targeting an opponent, holding priority.

      9. Cast [[Endurance]]. Target yourself with the enter the battlefield trigger, holding priority.

      10. Cast [[Pongify]] targeting [[Endurance]].

      11. Let the [[Endurance]] enter the battlefield trigger resolve, shuffling [[Mirage Mirror]], [[Endurance]], and [[Pongify]] onto the bottom of your library.

      12. Activate [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to draw until you find [[Mirage Mirror]], [[Endurance]], and [[Pongify]]. The original [[Cephalid Coliseum]] activation should still be on the stack.

      13. Repeat steps 5–12 to put infinite draw triggers on the stack targeting a single opponent.

      14. Pass priority on the draw triggers to force them to draw from an empty library. If they take any game actions, you can counter them or repeat the loop on top.

      15. Repeat steps 13–14 to kill your other two opponents.

    3. Option 2: [[Crop Rotation]] Line

      1. (Optional) Use [[Tidespout Tyrant]] to bounce all of your opponents' permanents to their hand.

      2. (Optional) Activate [[Emergence Zone]] or cast [[Valley Floodcaller]] to enable flash speed.

      3. (Optional) Move to the next phase to clear opponents' floating mana.

      4. Cast [[Crop Rotation]] to put [[Cephalid Coliseum]] into play.

      5. Ensure you have Threshold by discarding cards with [[Nezahal, Primal Tide]], using [[Chain of Vapor]] to sacrifice lands, or casting spells to fill your graveyard.

      6. Activate and sacrifice [[Cephalid Coliseum]] targeting an opponent, holding priority.

      7. Cast [[Endurance]]. Target yourself with the enter the battlefield trigger, holding priority.

      8. Cast [[Pongify]] targeting [[Endurance]].

      9. Let the [[Endurance]] enter the battlefield trigger resolve, shuffling [[Crop Rotation]], [[Endurance]], and [[Pongify]] onto the bottom of your library.

      10. Activate [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to scry 1 and draw all cards to the top except [[Cephalid Coliseum]] (Scrying it on the bottom of your library).

      11. Repeat steps 4–10 to put infinite draw triggers on the stack targeting a single opponent.

      12. Pass priority on the draw triggers to force them to draw from an empty library. If they take any game actions, you can counter them or repeat the loop on top.

      13. Repeat steps 11–12 to kill your other two opponents.

  3. [[Faerie Mastermind]]

    • When paired with infinite mana and [[Endurance]], [[Faerie Mastermind]] can force opponents to deck out. The loop can be restarted on top of any response they may have.

Infinite Mana Outlets

[[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]]

  1. Requirements: [[symbol:infinity-c]][[symbol:infinity-u]][[symbol:infinity-g]]

    1. Activate [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]] infinite times to put all non-human creatures into play.

    2. Activate [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to draw your deck.

    3. Assemble a win condition (see "Win Conditions" above) to win the game.

[[Mirage Mirror]]

  1. Requirements: [[symbol:infinity-c]], [[Basalt Monolith]] in play.

    1. Cast [[Mirage Mirror]].

    2. Activate [[Mirage Mirror]] targeting a land or mana rock that taps for [[symbol:u]] and [[symbol:g]] (we'll assume it is [[Tropical Island]] for this example), holding priority.

    3. Activate [[Mirage Mirror]] targeting [[Basalt Monolith]], holding priority.

    4. Repeat steps 2 - 3 to put infinite [[Mirage Mirror]] activations on the stack.

    5. Pass priority on a [[Mirage Mirror]] activation, letting it become [[Tropical Island]].

    6. Tap [[Mirage Mirror]] (Currently a [[Tropical Island]]) for [[symbol:u]] or [[symbol:g]].

    7. Pass priority on a [[Mirage Mirror]] activation, letting it become [[Basalt Monolith]].

    8. Activate [[Mirage Mirror]] (Currently a [[Basalt Monolith]]) to untap it.

    9. Repeat steps 5 - 8 to create [[symbol:infinity-u]][[symbol:infinity-g]].

    10. Use [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]] put every creature in your deck into play then use [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to draw until you find a win condition.

[[Thrasios, Triton Hero]]

  1. Requirements: [[symbol:infinity-c]]

    1. Activate [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to Scry 1 and draw a card.

    2. Repeat step 1 until you draw most of your deck.

    3. Assemble a win condition to win the game.

[[Treasure Vault]]

  1. Requirements: [[symbol:infinity-c]]

    1. Activate [[Treasure Vault]] to create infinite Treasure Tokens.

    2. Use [[Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy]] put every creature in your deck into play then use [[Thrasios, Triton Hero]] to draw until you find a win condition.

Tips for Playing Kinnan

  • Mulligan Aggressively: Look for hands with ramp ([[Sol Ring]], [[Birds of Paradise]]) and card advantage. A Turn 2 Kinnan is ideal.

  • Play Around Stax: Remove problematic stax pieces like [[Collector Ouphe]] or [[Drannith Magistrate]] to advance your gameplan, or pivot to a strategy that is unaffected. [[Chain of Vapor]] and [[Into the Floodmaw]] can remove any problematic pieces.

  • Focus on Efficiency: Plan your plays to maximize mana usage each turn and assemble combo lines quickly.

Conclusion

Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy is a versatile and explosive cEDH commander that excels at infinite mana combos and proactive strategies. With the ability to adapt to a wide variety of table states, Kinnan remains a formidable force in competitive play. Mastering this deck requires strategic resource management, efficient ramp, and precise decision-making.

Evan Pierce
Previous

Tayam
Next

Rograkh Silas