This deck is a very heavily based Dimir Cipher deck. The key focus is casting spells with Cipher on the Invisible Stalker to eventually mill your opponent to death while keeping their creatures at bay. It also has a fairly healthy mana curve so mana should not be a problem.
Key cards:
Creature
Invisible Stalker - Simple; unblockable creature used to recast the cipher spells of the deck over and over. Hexproof gives it some much needed protection, except from board wipe.
Jace's Phantasm - Around turn three or four your opponent will easily have more than ten cards in their graveyard (hopefully). This will allow this card to become either an effective blocker or it can be used as an offensive creature dealing large chunks of damage.
Nightveil Specter
- The reason I decided to put this card in is that it can mean that I can start casting big shot cards from my opponents deck which can, in most cases, turn their deck against them and counter their decks tactics. For example, if you had your Thragtusk exiled and the next turn your opponent ended up casting it that would be very annoying.
Lazav, Dimir Mastermind - This card can be very useful for many reasons. First of all the hexproof is a great bonus to have on top of its other ability. The second reason is much the same as Nightveil Specter's however the bonus is that Lazav, can change to a different creature every time a new creature is put in my opponent/s graveyard.
Consuming Aberration - Basically the Grand finale. I have had this become a 30/30 or so many times aorund turn 6/7 which is a very scary creature if you ask me. Not only this but it allows for even more mill.
Instant/Sorcery/Enchantment/ Artifact
Nevermore - Here to stop annoying cards in particular Supreme Verdict.
Curiosity - This card has always been a fantastic combo with Invisible Stalker due to ability to draw so many extra cards. Whats great is having more than one on one or more different Invisible Stalkers because then I end up with lots of available cards.
Hands of Binding
- The creature controller of the deck. This card should keep my opponent's creatures at bay long enough more me to cast more spells without loosing life too drastically.
Hidden Strings
- I also thought this new card could be handy, using it to untap my land, and then a second of my lands each turn. This would allow for more cards to be cast each turn or for more powerful ones with expensive CMC.
Mind Grind - A good finisher. By paying attention to your opponents field and graveyard you should be able to get a rough idea of how many lands they have left in their deck. Simply wait until they have few enough for you to cast this and finish them off.
Paranoid Delusions
- This card is here for the mill. Two CMC and three or more cards milled each turn sounds good to me.
Elixir of Immortality - Many people ask Why? I have this card in the deck for two reasons. The first being it can give me some much need life in difficult situations and the second because if I lose my Invisible Stalker or my many, many cipher cards, I can simply bring them back again.
Lands
Drowned Catacomb, Island, Swamp - I kinda need these.
Sideboard
Sideboard is now based around damage rather than countering board wipe.
Contaminated Ground
,
Duskmantle Guildmage
and Illusionist's Bracers are now in the deck to help with damagin the opponent. The other card worth noting is Crypt Incursion. This card can be useful in the instance that I am running out of life too quickly and if my opponent has a lot of creatures in their deck. Jace's Phantasm also for another creature to deal heavy damage to add tot he existing 3. The 2
Desecration Demon
are in the sideboard to deal extra damage, make my opponent sacrifice creatures as well as a distraction to keep the attention away from Invisible Stalker. Mirko Vosk, Mind Drinker is also here for damage as well as mill.
Win Conditions
Kill - Eventually deplete opponents health through lots of attacks over many turns.
Mind Grind Kill - By paying attention to your opponents field and graveyard you should be able to get a rough idea of how many lands they have left in their deck. Simply wait until they have few enough for you to cast this and finish them off.
Mill - Eventual mill of the opponent's deck.
Thanks. Suggestions welcome. Hope you like it.
