Fblthp: Lost and Found

Commander / EDH Competitive Mono-Blue Primer

TronBonne

Instant (30)

• 1x Blink of an Eye
• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Capsize
• 1x Chain of Vapor
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Delay
• 1x Dispel
• 1x Dramatic Reversal
• 1x Fierce Guardianship
• 1x Flusterstorm
• 1x Force of Will
• 1x Frantic Search
• 1x Gush
• 1x High Tide
• 1x Impulse
• 1x Intuition
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Mental Misstep
• 1x Muddle the Mixture
• 1x Mystical Tutor
• 1x Narset's Reversal
• 1x Negate
• 1x Nexus of Fate *list*
• 1x Pact of Negation
• 1x Reality Shift
• 1x Stifle
• 1x Swan Song
• 1x Whir of Invention
• 1x Winds of Rebuke

Planeswalker (3)

• 1x Karn, the Great Creator
• 1x Narset, Parter of Veils
• 1x Tezzeret the Seeker

Artifact (20)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Basalt Monolith
• 1x Chrome Mox
• 1x Codex Shredder
• 1x Cursed Totem
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Grim Monolith
• 1x Isochron Scepter
• 1x Lion's Eye Diamond
• 1x Mana Crypt
• 1x Mana Vault
• 1x Mox Amber
• 1x Mox Diamond
• 1x Mox Opal
• 1x Proteus Staff
• 1x Rings of Brighthearth
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Voltaic Key

Sorcery (10)

• 1x Echo of Eons
• 1x Fabricate
• 1x Gitaxian Probe
• 1x Merchant Scroll
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Preordain
• 1x Reshape
• 1x Timetwister
• 1x Transmute Artifact
• 1x Windfall

Commander (1)

Land (30)

• 1x Academy Ruins
• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Buried Ruin
• 1x Emergence Zone
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Inventors' Fair
• 19x Island
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Mystic Sanctuary
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Scalding Tarn

Enchantment (6)

• 1x Back to Basics
• 1x Copy Artifact
• 1x Mystic Remora
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Steal Enchantment
• 1x Verity Circle

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Maybeboard

Instant (5)

• 1x Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1x Pongify
• 1x Rapid Hybridization
• 1x Spell Pierce
• 1x Tale's End

Artifact (3)

• 1x Helm of Awakening
• 1x Mind Stone
• 1x Vedalken Shackles

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Future Sight
• 1x Legacy's Allure

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Welcome to my Fblthp primer!

This is one of my paper cEDH decks, and a list I'm very proud of. Hopefully this primer will give some insight into the deck and how to pilot it.

The original shell of the deck came from Chain Veil Teferi, however it has branched away from that fairly substantially.

With the loss of Paradox Engine the deck is in a state of creative flux, with numerous potential replacements being tested. We are constantly brewing on discord, however the deck has settled down a lot and is faring very well across metas. Watch this space!

Gameplan

The primary goal of this deck is to assemble infinite mana, and then draw the deck. After this there are multiple routes to victory. We aim to achieve this by stacking our deck using Proteus Staff (this combo will be explained more in-depth in the Combos section of this primer).

This is a mono-blue deck, and with that comes certain restrictions. It's uncommon for us to be the fastest deck at the table, so we're going to want to prioritise interaction and card draw early game. The aim is to exhaust our opponents options before going for the win ourselves - we have multiple counterspells, stax pieces and disruption that allows us to do this.

Combos

Proteus Staff

Proteus Staff + Fblthp, the Lost

This is likely the "combo" that attracted you to the deck. Resolving Proteus Staff and targeting Fblthp, the Lost allows us to stack our entire deck, and then draw 2 cards.

This works because we do not run any other creatures in the deck, meaning Fblthp, the Lost will be the only creature found during the search.

Please note: The creature is brought into play at the same time that the rest of the cards are "put back in any order". This is part of the resolution of the ability - Fblthp, the Lost's ETB will not happen until after the library is stacked in the order you want.

There's countless potential orders we can stack the deck after a successful activation of Proteus Staff. Below are some examples, but please do feel free to create your own - I'd love to add to these examples, so leave a comment with your ideas!

Also please note, if you already have one or more of the cards listed in your hand you can replace any/all the cards with interaction (Pact of Negation being the best, due to not requiring mana or discard alternate cost like Force of Will).

Example Pile 1

1. Gush
2. Mana Crypt
3. Isochron Scepter
4. Dramatic Reversal

This is the most basic pile. It relies on us having at least to activate the Isochron Scepter, and at least one producing mana rock already on the board.

Example Pile 2

1. Brainstorm
2. Mox Amber
3. Mana Crypt
4. Isochron Scepter
5. Dramatic Reversal

If we don't have Gush, this pile allows us to get everything for the Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal combo. Again, we need to activate the Isochron Scepter, however the Mox Amber means we will have enough .

You will need two cards in hand to pitch to Brainstorm to properly crack this pile.

Example Pile 4

Everything has gone wrong. Isochron Scepter was destroyed, leaving Dramatic Reversal in exile. We don't have Gush but we do have mana on board. How can we get back into the game?

1. Narset, Parter of Veils
2. Lion's Eye Diamond
3. Echo of Eons

We can cast Narset, Parter of Veils and activate her to get the Echo of Eons. We then cast and crack the Lion's Eye Diamond to dump Echo of Eons into our graveyard, and then cast it with flashback.

It's not pretty, but it gets us all of our graveyard back into the deck and strips our opponent's hands.

Hopefully we'll survive the turn cycle (due to them not having many cards), and we can activate Proteus Staff on our next turn to try to get an Isochron Scepter combo together.

Example Pile 5

Sometimes it's important to play your cards close to your chest until an opportunity arises. This is an "out of nowhere" pile. It relies on opponents thinking you're not a threat, and tapping out.

This also avoids Isochron Scepter - if this is an option, just make the basic pile.

The required boardstate before this pile is simply 5x Island in play and High Tide in hand. You also want Proteus Staff in hand, however if you tutored for it then opponents will likely not give you the opening. Save this pile for when you drew it naturally.

Begin the turn by casting High Tide, then cast Fblthp, the Lost. Draw a card then cast and activate Proteus Staff:

1. Gush
2. Mana Crypt
3. Mox Amber
4. Frantic Search
5. Sol Ring
6. Nexus of Fate

Make sure to hold onto an Island that Gush bounced back, don't discard them both to Frantic Search (you need to hit the next land drop).

On the extra turn play your land then activate Proteus Staff again, this time getting:

1. Nexus of Fate
2. Mox Opal

You now have the mana to loop Nexus of Fate. Once you've hit enough mana sources, be sure to bounce Mana Crypt so you don't accidentally die to upkeep triggers!

Example Pile 6

Similar to the previous pile, this can win with only 4x Island on board and High Tide, Proteus Staff and either Mystic Sanctuary or a Fetch land in hand.

Begin the turn by casting High Tide. Next, either play Mystic Sanctuary (or play and crack your fetch to find Mystic Sanctuary), and put High Tide back on top of your Library. Next, play Fblthp, the Lost and draw off of the ETB. Re-cast High Tide. You should have one floating. Cast and activate Proteus Staff, then stack your deck in the following order:

1. Gush
2. Mana Crypt
3. Frantic Search
4. Mox Amber
5. Isochron Scepter
6. Dramatic Reversal

Cast Gush by returning two Islands to your hand. Now cast Mana Crypt and Mox Amber, then cast Frantic Search (discarding the two lands from Gush). Cast Isochron Scepter and imprint Dramatic Reversal.

You can now create infinite mana and untaps to draw through your deck and find an outlet.

NOTE: This pile can be played without Mystic Sanctuary by just casting High Tide once (using a normal Island instead), however this route leaves you with an extra that can be used for interaction if needed.

Example Pile 7

REQUIRESFuture SightCOMBO IN DECK

This is another pile that works without Isochron Scepter. It can be risky due to Lion's Eye Diamond, however sometimes you have to take risks!

1. Gush
2. Lion's Eye Diamond
3. Mana Crypt
4. Future Sight
5. Mox Amber
6. Mox Opal
7. Helm of Awakening
8. Sensei's Divining Top

This will allow you to draw your deck, after which you can use either Hurkyl's Recall or Dramatic Reversal to make enough mana to cast Jace, Wielder of Mysteries and draw to win.

Example Pile 8

REQUIRESRings of Brighthearth COMBO IN DECK

This pile isn't the most efficient, but hopefully gives some idea of how creative this deck can be.

The required board state is as follows: On board: Voltaic Key, Fblthp, the Lost Optional: Sensei's Divining Top or any rock that taps for , such as Mox Amber

1. Gush
2. Lion's Eye Diamond
3. Mana Crypt
4. Windfall (An opponent with either 4 or 5 cards in hand)
5. Mana Vault
6. Dramatic Reversal
7. Basalt Monolith
8. Rings of Brighthearth
9. Sensei's Divining Top or Mox Amber (only if these weren't in play at the start)

Have fun with this one!

Infinite Mana Combos

Ideally we want to assemble our combos using Proteus Staff, however please do note that everything can be assembled "manually". We run a high density of artifact tutors and card draw so it's not uncommon to build your combos without Proteus Staff.

1. Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal: This in conjunction with worth of mana rocks will create infinite mana and infinite untaps. Should any of those rocks create then we can create infinite allowing us to activate Proteus Staff again and again to draw our entire library
2. Rings of Brighthearth + Basalt Monolith: This creates infinite colourless mana Adding Voltaic Key and any producing mana rock to this combo will allow you to create infinite Adding Gilded Lotus + Capsize allows us to create infinite and then bounce all permanents

Codex Shredder

Rings of Brighthearth + Basalt Monolith + Codex Shredder: This highly versatile combo allows us to win the game from a variety of boardstates. After creating infinite colourless mana, you can activate Codex Shredder's second ability and then copy it to return a card from your graveyard AND return the Codex Shredder using the copied ability. To this end we can loop any card in our deck.

Below are a list of cards that synergise with this combo. These cards can be on the board, in your hand or in your graveyard.

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If you have access to zero mana:

Voltaic Key: Copy the key ability to untap Codex Shredder and the Voltaic Key. You can then mill yourself with the shredder and then grab every single card into your hand using Codex Shredder

Sensei's Divining Top: Pull it out of your graveyard using Codex Shredder and then use Rings of Brighthearth to copy the draw ability and draw your deck

Mind Stone: Similar to Sensei's Divining Top, we can activate the draw ability and then recover Mind Stone with Codex Shredder to draw our deck

Inventors' Fair: If you haven't made your land drop yet this turn you can activate Inventors' Fair to find any of the cards mentioned above. If Inventors' Fair was in the graveyard you can recover with Codex Shredder

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If you have access to one mana:

Intuition: Find whatever you want and one of the cards mentioned in the zero section. With Codex Shredder it doesn't matter what the opponent gives you, you can pull what you need from the graveyard

Fabricate: Find one of the zero cards

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If you have access to two mana:

Tezzeret the Seeker: Find any zero outlets, and you can copy the ability with Rings of Brighthearth to get two (protection is always nice)

Reshape: Find any of the zero outlets, but you will probably have to sacrifice Basalt Monolith

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If you have access to three mana:

Whir of Invention: As with previous tutors, go find one of the zero outlets and win!

Outlets/Wincons

1. Capsize: With infinite we are able to bounce all opponent's permanents, setting us up to wrap up the game however we wish

2. Sensei's Divining Top: If we have infinite untaps with Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal or infinite mana with Rings of Brighthearth + Basalt Monolith we can activate the Sensei's Divining Top multiple times to draw our deck
3. Proteus Staff: With Fblthp, the Lost and infinite untaps from Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal we can draw our deck with Proteus Staff activations
4. Nexus of Fate: If we have a way to get Nexus of Fate on top of the deck, then we can get infinite turns. This can be done with Proteus Staff or Isochron Scepter + Mystical Tutor. We can also copy it each turn with Isochron Scepter + Narset's Reversal
5. Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal + Copy Artifact + Swan Song: This allows us to create infinite swans with which we can swing out and win. This works especially well with a Nexus of Fate, giving us an extra turn to swing Variations on this include Blink of an Eye instead of Swan Song to allow us to bounce our own stuff infinitely. With infinite mana we can play and bounce (to command zone) Fblthp, the Lost - drawing our deck with each re-cast.
6. NOT CURRENTLY MAINDECK: Blue Sun's Zenith: Target yourself first to draw the library, and then use cantrips to reclaim the Blue Sun's Zenith to draw out all the opponents

Single Card Discussion

Interaction

• Capsize: This can be used in a variety of ways in the deck, however is primarily used as a wincon

• Cyclonic Rift: Huge in this deck, we need to ensure the coast is clear before we can safely go off

• NOT CURRENTLY MAINDECK: Hurkyl's Recall: Send one player back to the stone age, or use as a ritual on mana positive rocks

• NOT CURRENTLY MAINDECK: Ugin, the Spirit Dragon: Exiling problem permanents, whilst leaving our mainly colourless deck unscathed. His + ability kills the majority of creatures in the format too

• Stifle: Anti Protean Hulk tech. Also great against consultation decks as it can be used to counter Jace, Wielder of Mysteries

• Blink of an Eye, Chain of Vapor and Winds of Rebuke: Blues way of dealing with Null Rod. If you didn't have a counterspell the first time it was cast, you better have one the second!

Card Draw

This is the backbone of this deck, resolving one of these early can make or break a game.

• Mystic Remora: If this is in our starting hand it's usually a snap keep. Best card draw in the format, it's usually worth paying for for a few turns at least
• Rhystic Study: "Are you paying the "?
• Verity Circle: Grossly underplayed in my opinion. If we're in a pod with creature ramp this card can get out of control
• Fblthp, the Lost: Don't forget this little dude draws a card. I'll often run him out turn one or two just to offset mana costs on future turns. As he came from the command zone, it's technically card advantage

Stax

• Cursed Totem: Great against breakfast combo, The Gitrog Monster, Najeela, the Blade-Blossom to name a few

• Karn, the Great Creator: He shuts down other Isochron Scepter decks and has the added bonus of destroying cost artifacts. On top of all that, he can actually recover an exiled artifact for us (which happens fairly often when you try to slam an early Proteus Staff!)

• Vedalken Shackles: Sometimes it's nice to have a Thrasios, Triton Hero as our infinite mana outlet #Yoink

• Legacy's Allure: See above
• Back to Basics: In a format dominated by four colour decks, do not underestimate the power of this card
• Narset, Parter of Veils: The ability to prevent out of control card draw is nice, however don't overlook her ability to dig into your deck

Tutors

• Whir of Invention: Cast this for in opponent's end step to get Proteus Staff into play at instant speed

• Intuition: Versatile tutor that has a high skill ceiling. It ranges from basic uses like getting Force of Will, Pact of Negation and Dispel to forcing opponents to make impossible decisions. The Najeela, the Blade-Blossom probably wont be too keen on the Cursed Totem or Vedalken Shackles, meaning you can brute force a card that you really need by stacking it with those.

• Muddle the Mixture: Finds both pieces of Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal. Can also grab multiple counterspells and Cyclonic Rift

Twister loops

• Echo of Eons + Narset's Reversal: If we are able to draw our deck and have infinite mana (the two go hand in hand) we are able to infinitely cast and shuffle Echo of Eons and Narset's Reversal back into our library, along with whatever is in our graveyard. We can then redraw them.

  With this method we can loop any of our wincon cards like Capsize or Nexus of Fate to lock out the game. We can also loop Swan Song or Blink of an Eye or Winds of Rebuke to give us infinite swans and/or bounce on opponents' permanents.

It is good practice to resolve Narset, Parter of Veils in the first loop to prevent opponents from drawing into potential answers.

DISCLAIMER: Original Timetwister does the same thing, however I like being able to have the option to Lion's Eye Diamond into Echo of Eons. It's not uncommon to have both in your starting hand, allowing you to play out any lands and rocks you may have and then twister everyone's hand away.

Lands

• Fetch lands: These allow us to shuffle our library. Their ability can be copied with Rings of Brighthearth for double lands

• Academy Ruins & Buried Ruin: Can recover a lost artifact (usually Proteus Staff). The abilities can be copied with Rings of Brighthearth
• Blast Zone: Sometimes this is our only way to deal with multiple problem permanents at the same time such as Null Rod and Collector Ouphe
• Inventors' Fair: This can only be countered by ability counters, which are rare. Can also be copied with Rings of Brighthearth
• Emergence Zone: A pet card of mine, this allows us to "flash" in cards like Karn, the Great Creator or Narset, Parter of Veils in response to opponents. It can also make some of our best tutors instant speed, which can massively throw opponents' gameplans

Narset's Reversal

Narset's Reversal aka the best card in any deck that can run it. Here are just a few things it can do:

• Narset's Reversal + Isochron Scepter: Still looking for that Dramatic Reversal? No worries, just throw Narset's Reversal on Isochron Scepter and get value until you find it. The "Dramatic scepter" works just the same if you copy Dramatic Reversal (you will need a few more rocks out though)
• Narset's Reversal + Opponent's tutor or card draw: Ever wanted Demonic Tutor or Ad Nauseam in mono blue?
• Narset's Reversal + Echo of Eons: Twister loops in mono blue

Non-combo synergies and tricks

• Karn, the Great Creator: Can get back our Proteus Staff or Isochron Scepter from exile. Can also blow up cost artifacts

• Narset, Parter of Veils + Windfall or Echo of Eons: Strip your opponents of their hands

• Rings of Brighthearth + Vedalken Shackles/Legacy's Allure: Double steal

• Rings of Brighthearth + Tezzeret the Seeker: Double tutor into play

Weaknesses

Null Rod effects also hit us very hard, but we have multiple ways to deal with them so if they are stopping someone else on the board from winning, let them stick around until you're all set up!

The main issue with Fblthp, the Lost is that he "dies" to any targeted spell. If an opponent disrupts our Proteus Staff activation by targeting Fblthp, the Lost there's very little we can do other than try to recast him and go for it again.

If this is a problem, consider cards like Lazotep Plating as this can prevent Fblthp, the Lost being targeted.

This being the case timing is everything in this deck, sometimes leaving mana open for counterspells is the best option. In games like that we need to rely on our draw engines to keep us fuelled up.

Please don't let Fblthp, the Lost's triggered ability scare you though, below is a non-exhaustive analysis of the current top decks and their options:

Meta Options Show

Shuffle Hulk: Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Chain of Vapor, Swords to Plowshares

Najeela: Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Cyclonic Rift, Fire Covenant, Pyroblast, Swords to Plowshares

CST: Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Chain of Vapor, Cyclonic Rift

Food Chain Sliver: Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy, Chain of Vapor

Opus Thief: Chain of Vapor

Shimmer Zur: Chain of Vapor, Cyclonic Rift, Swords to Plowshares

Gitrog: Abrupt Decay, Assassin's Trophy

CVT: Chain of Vapor, Cyclonic Rift

Potential Changes

As mentioned in the intro, this deck exists in a post-Paradox Engine world. As such, we're in the process of testing out multiple lines as a back-up to Isochron Scepter + Dramatic Reversal.

Here are some options being considered:

1. NOT CURRENTLY MAINDECK: [ Future Sight/Mystic Forge + Helm of Awakening + Sensei's Divining Top ]: This combo allows us to draw our deck. It is easy to assemble off a Proteus Staff activation, however once we have our deck in hand, it doesn't close out the game - we still need a way to win.
2. NOT CURRENTLY MAINDECK: [ Treasure Hunt + Scroll Rack/Tolarian Winds ]: This allows us to draw (or put in hand) a tonne of cards. It's easy to assemble, however does not close out the game. Requires additional cards to actually win.
3. NOT CURRENTLY MAINDECK: [ Karn, the Great Creator + Mycosynth Lattice ]: This prevents our opponents from tapping lands for mana, essentially giving us as much time as we want to close out the game. Karn, the Great Creator is amazing in this deck regardless, and we have a lot of tutors for the Lattice. The main issue is it costs , making it difficult to assemble after a Proteus Staff activation.
4. IN TESTING: [ Rings of Brighthearth + Basalt Monolith ]: This allows us to generate infinite colourless mana, and with the addition of Sensei's Divining Top we can draw our deck, eventually making infinite using Voltaic Key and any generating rock. This combo is a great back up, as all the pieces are useful in the deck already. Rings of Brighthearth has a lot of targets, and can be deceptively strong outside of the combo.

Discord

https://discord.gg/xrpcsFn

The deck is currently being adapted for the loss of Paradox Engine, so please do feel free to join the active community over on Discord to help refine this new version of the list!

Top Ranked	Achieved #16 position overall 5 years ago Achieved #10 position in Commander / EDH 5 years ago Achieved #1 position in Commander / EDH Mono-Blue 5 years ago
Date added	5 years
Last updated	4 years
Legality	This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 0 Mythic Rares 35 - 0 Rares 20 - 0 Uncommons 18 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.09
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U, Manifest 2/2 C
Folders	cEDH, Saved, cEDH, edh decks, Decks, Decks, 2020 Commander Decks, Awesome Ideas, EDH, Decks I can Play
Based on	Chain Veil Teferi LabManiac_Sigi EDH