Grand Arbiter Stax

Commander / EDH Competitive Control Stax WU (Azorius)

kfournier1

Creature (4)

• 1x Consecrated Sphinx
• 1x Dragonlord Ojutai
• 1x Gilded Drake
• 1x Venser, Shaper Savant

Planeswalker (7)

• 1x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
• 1x Gideon Jura
• 1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
• 1x Karn Liberated
• 1x Teferi, Temporal Archmage
• 1x Tezzeret the Seeker
• 1x Venser, the Sojourner

Land (35)

• 1x Adarkar Wastes
• 1x Ancient Den
• 1x Arid Mesa
• 1x Blighted Cataract
• 1x Celestial Colonnade
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Darksteel Citadel
• 1x Dust Bowl
• 1x Eiganjo Castle
• 1x Flagstones of Trokair
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Glacial Fortress
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 6x Island
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 1x Minamo, School at Water's Edge
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Mystic Gate
• 1x Nimbus Maze
• 2x Plains
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Seachrome Coast
• 1x Seat of the Synod
• 1x Strip Mine
• 1x Tectonic Edge
• 1x Temple of Enlightenment
• 1x Windswept Heath

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Detention Sphere
• 1x Rising Waters

Artifact (16)

• 1x Azorius Signet
• 1x Chrome Mox
• 1x Coldsteel Heart
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Mana Vault
• 1x Mind Stone
• 1x Mox Opal
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sphere of Resistance
• 1x Static Orb
• 1x Sword of Feast and Famine
• 1x Talisman of Progress
• 1x Thought Vessel
• 1x Winter Orb

Instant (24)

• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Complicate
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cryptic Command *list*
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Dig Through Time
• 1x Dismiss
• 1x Enlightened Tutor
• 1x Fact or Fiction
• 1x Force Spike
• 1x Hinder
• 1x Impulse
• 1x Mana Leak
• 1x Memory Lapse
• 1x Miscalculation
• 1x Misdirection
• 1x Mystical Tutor
• 1x Negate
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Reality Shift
• 1x Remand
• 1x Spell Crumple
• 1x Sphinx's Revelation
• 1x Swords to Plowshares

Sorcery (11)

• 1x Ancestral Vision
• 1x Armageddon
• 1x Catastrophe
• 1x Council's Judgment
• 1x Day of Judgment
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Preordain
• 1x Supreme Verdict
• 1x Terminus
• 1x Treasure Cruise
• 1x Wrath of God

Commander (1)

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Maybeboard

Land (1)

• 1x Ancient Tomb

Instant (1)

• 1x Pact of Negation

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WRITE UP IN PROGRESS

This is my GAAIV stax deck. It is currently in play testing. So far it has played 5 1v1's and 1 4 player game. All have ended before turn 6 with the opponent scooping. Brago is better for a extremely fast combo/lockdown deck; GAAIV is far more consistent, and I find plays a lot smoother. Brago I find has trouble recovering from losing tempo (mind you if he gets solid tempo on turn 2 it just goes out of control). GAAIV if played smartly will play well into the late game and has no issues regaining any form of tempo. The key thing to remember is that counter spells are for anything that will seriously hinder your board state or lock. Any suggestions would be great. Please give a +1 if you like the deck.

Breakdown of Creatures

1. Dragonlord Ojutai: One of the main beaters here. He's hex proof when untapped(mitigated with Minamo, School at Water's Edge) and gives you free Aquire when he connects. All of this on a 5/4 flyer.
2. Consecrated Sphinx: While you may not want to really be swinging with sphinx; it's a 4/6 flier that generates insane card advantage.
3.Gilded Drake: Steals a threat and has a great synergy with Venser, the Sojourner
4.Venser, Shaper Savant: Counterspell/Bounce on a stick. You can get more mileage out of him with Venser, the Sojourner. I've never been disappointed to see this creature in my hand.

Breakdown of Sorceries

1. Ancestral Vision: A great turn 1 play. Great throughout the game as well. For just you net 3 cards.
2.Armageddon: This card and it's slower, yet more versatile version Catastrophe are the ways that we can solidify the lock. Since we run a healthy amount of artifact ramp; we can safely engage in some good ol' fashion MLD and not have our gameplay hindered.
3.Catastrophe: See Above
4.card:Councils Judgement: In multiplayer, this can get several problem non-land permanents. In 1v1 this lets you remove anything from an enchantment to a planes walker.
5.Day of Judgment: Classic sweeper6.Ponder: This will let you have a little more insight into what your drawing for your next couple turns; also netting you a card. This card also will allow you to shuffle if you really don't want to see the cards you viewed for awhile.
7.Preordain: Lets you potentially send your top two to the bottom. Also draws a card.8.Supreme Verdict: Fantastic sweeper that cannot be countered.
9.Terminus: I'm still not sold on this completely. It can be set up in a pinch with a Mystical Tutor. I'm not sure if what I would sub out for this.
10.Treasure Cruise: This card is bonkers. Turn's into an Ancestral Recall mid to late game.
11.Wrath of God: Classic sweeper that also shuts out regeneration.

Breakdown of Instants

1. Brainstorm: Blue staple, always good.
2. Complicate: Mana Leak-lite that can also be cycled to draw a card while countering a spell.
3. Counterspell: Oldie but a goodie.
4.deck:Cyclonic Rift: This has become a blue staple. It is a one sided sweeper that under a Static Orb + Winter Orb lock will take your opponents essentially out of the game.
5.Dig Through Time: Grabbing 2 cards from the top 7 at instant speed can not only get you out of bad situation; but make a good situation better.

Date added	9 years
Last updated	5 years
Key combos	Static Orb + Winter Orb
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	14 - 0 Mythic Rares 44 - 0 Rares 21 - 0 Uncommons 13 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.05
Tokens	Emblem Elspeth, Sun's Champion, Emblem Teferi, Temporal Archmage, Emblem Venser, the Sojourner, Manifest 2/2 C, Soldier 1/1 W