With a deck name like that, you know this deck was built to snipe someone. #ripjasonswinrate

Also, May I recommend a Long-Term Plans to be able to tutor for one of your untapping auras so that you can hit the infinite mana combo more consistently. Similarly, Bloom Tender is expensive but also acts like a second copy of your commander in this combo incase he becomes unavailable.

I realize your commander is a mana rock/dork itself but since this looks like a midrange/control deck with a high average cmc, increasing the land count and/or number of 0-2 cmc mana rocks/dorks will help you hit the mana you need to cast your big spells and make sure that #jasonalwaysdiesfirst

Thanks! I've been thinking about the tutor package - I definitely like the idea of being able to find Pemmin's (or just Blue Sun, since it's ultimately what wins the game), though I'll probably settle on transmute cards once I figure what to cut.

Bloom tender's a great idea I hadn't considered, though I think there are a few other budget options - I'll consider both routes and see what I can do - I like the idea of the ramp helping me jump to Arix on t4, so I'll look to find a way to incorporate the idea of a "backup" Aura target while still having fast mana - arbor elf/utopia sprawl might do the trick, even though it's an extra card.

I'm surprised to hear the average cmc is high! 3.2 is about where I aim for, but I suppose the X spells in the deck aren't registered properly.

PS: I'm Jason...

Have you thought about adding Leyline of Anticipation it’s an insanely fun card that can actual be useful in most circumstances.

Also Simic Signet could be useful ramp.

I have - it should definitely be in the deck, thanks for reminding me.

I'll probably pass on the signets - I like the idea of having a few artifacts to diversify as land destruction is present in my meta, but ultimately farseek effects seem much better than signet/talismans in this deck (or most decks with green). I like having 0-1 drops for Arix's counters, anyway, so looking to get away from those anyway.

I suppose along with leyline it'd be nice to have multiple effects like that, hmm...

Dear Jason,

You're right, arbor Elf + utopia Sprawl + untapping aura also does the trick for infinite. I'm actually testing this combo as a tertiary backup in my own deck.

As for Transmute spells, Drift of Phantasms will find you your untappers, Dizzy Spell can find you Arbor Elf and Utopia Sprawl. Personally, I'm a big fan of Muddle the Mixture as its a tutor and a counterspell but you don't have many important targets in the 2 cmc slot (especially since you haven't maninboarded Cyclonic Rift yet).

An average cmc of 3.0 or more is usually considered high. With too high of a curve, many of you turns will be spent waiting for your lands to drop for you to cast 1 of the many big spells cluttering your hand. We all just want to play magic, so aiming for a curve below 3.0 will mean more of your turns will be spent actually playing magic rather than waiting to play magic. Also having a curve lower than 3.0 means that your deck will be able to play and interact on the first couple turns of the game which is important if you're the one that #mustdiefirst

Swapping out some of the higher cmc pieces of interaction, such as Commit//memory, not of this world, and unwind, with stuff such as Counterspell, Swan Song and Negate will go a long way (i realize that Not of this world is supposed to protect your commander for 0 but its better to have more general counterspells if you don't have a high density of counters). Having a high density of 1 cmc mana dorks or 2 cmc mana rocks or Rampant Growth effects, make sure you can hit your 4 cmc commander turn 3 consistently and also lower your curve at the same time. Other cards that should be in the deck that will help drop the CMC of your deck include Birds of Paradise, Mystic Remora and Beast Within. Sylvan Library and Rhystic Study should also be on your radar but I understand their prices are not that agreeable.

Sincerely, Another UGx midrange/control player who also must die first in his playgroup

does your group play with commander damage? if so make it so u can give it evasion and something like double strike or double damage...maybe double its power so u can one shot people...

Considered Berserk? Seems like a natural fit for me

Thanks for all the suggestions! Hard to keep up...

This is not a budget list so any recommendations are worth considering - however my experience has been to avoid focusing too much on the voltron aspect of Arix. Cards like Berzerk and double strike equipment can be really good - but I think I'd rather have vigilance, evasion, or even lifelink.

If I'm connecting with players, I seem to be winning whether it takes one hit or two, but there are games where I can't keep Arix on the board and the best cards seem to be the ones that pull me out of the "I'm behind" quadrant.

With that said, I like transmuting for answers and I really like having room for a few more counterspells. For now, I'm leaning toward Arcane Denial variants and hard counters rather than situational ones EXCEPT for disallow effects that can stop a strip mine, but the jury's still out on which are best for this deck.

Thanks again!

Who is Jason?

Uhhhhhhh, that would be... me.

This deck looks really nice. However, since you are a paying user of this page, you are able to set up fancy clickable buttons that makes it easier to read. Example of what I mean are found here: Yeva Draw-Grow (Budget) <-- drop down menus and stuff like in this example here make it easier to read, I assume paying users are able to do this. I can't, you should be able to. This deck does look really nice however, look forward to read everything the deck does when you put up the sections. the wall of text just isn't my thing. +1 never the less.

Thanks! And i'm really embarrassed! I got a new job the day after I wrote this, and had to put it on the sidelines. I'll get it nice, pretty, and interactable ASAP

I did a more budget friendly version based on this deck, managed to cut the price by around 1000 $ and still keep the competitive meter at 100%, not sure how the site calculates this, but hey, I managed. you can find that deck right here: Slumbering terror. the only non-budget card in the deck is Scalding Tarn , I put it in there because I own one, people that want to build it can just remove it for a basic Island or Prismatic Vista or something.

DIE JASON!

Is a mana doubler, like Vorinclex , + Palinchron for infinite mana a reasonable inclusion in this deck?

Vorinclex is a good greedy option if you find yourself wanting another large creature, but I like Void Winnower alot better as disruption if you only have room for one.

As far as Palinchron, I think we can do better. Kiora's Follower is probably a better choice if you're looking for more parts toward an infinite, helps us ramp into our commander if drawn early, and she can be found with Muddle the Mixture .

Theres an argument for a few more midrange threats in the budget version, but I think I'd rather see Tidespout Tyrant or Time Stretch as top end threats.

Perhaps I'm just dense, but how are you generating infinite Blue mana? Freed from the Real/Pemmin's Aura on Arix only generates infinite Green.

@ Selakah Utopia Sprawl on a Tropical Island (or similar Forest Island) with combo enchanted Arbor Elf in play can generate infinite green and blue mana by alternating the type of mana the land produces while Utopia Sprawl always produces blue. This is the only way to generate infinite mana of both colors in this deck.

jaymc1130 Got it. Thank you for clarifying!

Have you considered Thassa's Intervention? If you are able to generate arbitrarily large amounts of mana, but are missing any of your kill spells, you can potentially cast it where X is equal to the size of your library and retrieve Stroke of Genius + Blue Sun's Zenith. It also doubles as a counterspell in a pinch.

Good call on Thassa's Intervention. It was in the maybeboard for a while, but was ultimately skipped due to the double blue requirement (and being less useful than Dig through Time). Fact or Fiction won out in that slot, as a good medium between Harmonize (easy to cast but sorcery) and TI.

With the recent changes to the deck, I feel we're able to support double blue slightly more and also lean into the combo kill more often than extra turns. This is probably a better card than FoF at many stages in the game. Thanks!

I just came up with a pretty janky Tooth and Nail combo that works with Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle untapped, 6 other lands - or even fewer if you have mana doublers, and one additional mana (so 9 altogether). However, it requires at least 3 blue mana sources in your lands (including arixmethes) and at least 3 green ones (also including him). So no additional mana but T&N's casting cost is required (in contrast to the Palinchron/Eternal Witness combo).

Altogether, you will need to "build around" this combo a bit, but I'll try it myself when I switch from Vorel of the Hull Clade to Arixmethes.

Great Primer! Sadly the cards except of Arix arent linked to the cards, which makes reading the primer difficult if you don't know the cards. You wrote that there's an updated list on Moxfield. Can you please post the link?

Thanks for the feedback! Re-updated with current moxfield link. (https://www.moxfield.com/decks/AUlUYuOXP0SEApAjbMAlXA)