Im a fan of Mindlock Orb Commander, so the only argument youll get from me on Ashiok is that its not symmetrical
It enters play with 2 +1/+1 counters thanks to Scales
Then while you're using proliferate to advance your plan, it can also lock down creatures for multiple turns after that
Based on round-by-round results from the Regional Championships earlier this year and my own observations since then, Izzet Spellementals is favored against Selesnya Offense but is weak against Dimir Excruciator
Not only that, but it reads, At the beginning of your end step, gain control of target nonland permanent controlled by a player who was dealt combat damage by three or more Pirates this turn. It can be tricky to get that many hits in, but if youre playing with cards that make your creatures tricky to block, then you should be able to keep adding more things to your collection
That way, Insidious Roots will trigger twice