If you've been playing this deck for a little while as I have, you may want to take the time to read this.
Double draw is a pseudo tempo deck, and plays in a very similar fashion to decks like Delver and U/G Madness, the biggest draw back (ha-ha) is that you have to draw extra cards, and that ends up taking a chunk out of the deck that could be used for utility. The other problem is that it exists in a format where Narset is a huge trump card, and control decks playing her in the sideboard can wreak havoc on your game play and could ultimately cause you to forfeit the match if you're unable to deal with her.
So there are a couple things you want to look at when building this deck, and with a HUGE plethora of cards that draw, it can be complicated to make a streamlined build.
So the first thing you want to look at are cards that draw one for one. That means you only want to pay one mana for each card and leaves only a handful of decent draw enablers. Anything else, (for example 3U draw two cards = 3U, make a token, deal three damage, etc) is too costly.
Secondly, you need to forget about drawing two on your opponents turn. Yes, it's nice to have combat tricks available, but if you've ever sat across a table against a Bitterblossom, you would understand that token on your turn, every turn can be absolutely devastating.
Thirdly, you want to have instant speed card draw available. I know it seems contradictory to the previous statement, you have to keep in mind that you will sometimes need to respond to your opponent, and enhance your board presence on their turn or end step.
And lastly, you need to have access to a permanent "draw a card" effect, that does not cost you too much in resources if you run out of gas.
It is crucial to evaluate your mana costs, you really don't want to be spending any more that two mana for the majority of your deck,and there are cards that make exceptions but you should mostly curve out at four at the highest with a minimal number of three cost cards that includes four mana draw a card abilities.
So now we can move on to card choices.
Faerie Vandal: Do: It was honestly coin toss between this card and Pteramander. Being able to flash this guy in on an opponent's turn makes him a great blocker, being able to pump him on turn four on your opponents turn makes him even better. Something Ptermander can't do, along with potentially being a threat your opponent has to answer in late game. This also fills out as a 5-8 of Improbable Alliance
Pteramander: Do or Don't: This is the only other "acceptable" early game creature drop, if you choose to play Winged Words, or heavy draw/discard, he can potentially be pumped by turn four, if you're tossing instants and sorceries in the yard. The drawback with him is if you are attempting to pump him early game, you lose your turn two and turn three tempo plays and can cost you board presence, making him only a chump blocker or effective only in the late game when or if you've run out of options.
Spectral Sailor: Don't: Spectral Sailor can come down on turn one, has flash and gives you a source of card draw. If you're going creature heavy, you may want to play this. However his biggest draw back is paying four mana for one card, and your deck should already contain enough enablers that four mana or potentially eight makes his draw a card ability fairly useless except in late game or when (if) you run out of gas. He doesnt pump, and the flash ability only makes him a mediocre blocker for what you need to do. The only time you would draw from this guy, is turns five or later, making him incredibly underwhelming and a very bad play for what's available. Most of the time, you will either go for early points of damage, chump block, or use him as blocker later in the game. This deck does not run as a turn one-do something-go type deck, and never will considering the restrictions the deck has.
Irencrag Pyromancer: Do. Always: This guy is one of the reasons to build this deck, she is a threat your opponent has to respond to, she helps to remove creature threats, takes planeswalkers off the table and can send damage in your opponents face, in multiples this card becomes devastating. The biggest
problem is that she can't attack, The other biggest drawback, is the three mana cost and typically should be played on turn four if you already have Improbable Alliance. It is neccessary to play these cards and start reaping the benefits immediately. So if you turn two Improbable Alliance, you will spend turn three, drawing one card on your turn, making a token, and then drawing two cards on your opponents turn to make another token, following up with her, and then drawing a card the same turn to deal three damage. It is important to remember to play these cards first and then draw your second card for the turn You will always have a draw step, so a low cost draw spell on your turn is a better play than drawing two on your opponents, you can play this an alternate way where you're only enabling this on your opponents turns, but truthfully, if your opponent isn't doing something to take this card off the table, they arent playing magic, and makes any four cost draw stifle your plays.
Crackling Drake: Do or Don't: Crackling Drake works well in this deck as a threat, and in a late game can close things out very quickly. Not to mention the additional draw enabler on your turn makes him a solid choice. Four toughness makes him harder to kill, and a solid blocker, but in this deck he will typically be a 5/4. His four mana cost pushes him more towards turn five, and because of playing other permanents and not spells, he will typically be weak. Use a heavy discretion when considering this card in your deck.
Loch Dragon: Don't: This guy has some potential allowing for a permanent second draw every turn. However, he does not grow and his two toughness leaves him dead to shock and regular blocking.
Niv Mizzet, Parun: Do and Don't: This guy accelerates the clock, can't be countered, and is a permanent source of enabling for the deck as well as allowing you to ping for each draw. He turns every instant speed draw one like Opt into draw two. If going main board, my suggestion would be to play one or two, with of course a higher land count of twenty three or more, ensuring that he can be cast. The biggest problem with that is a higher land count means less chances of drawing into to more draw enablers. This is terrible for the consistency this deck needs, and he should most always be played in the sideboard with no more than two copies.
The Royal Scions: Do. Always: Royal Scions is a permanent enabler, that is right on tempo post Faerie Vandal or Improbable Alliance. You will always play this on turn three unless you just have a bad hand or you have a one mana draw, and a draw two for your opponents turn The only problem is the correct number to play. If you are playing this deck properly you WON'T play anything on turn one except a tapped land, and you would only draw your first turn if you need the hand sculpting, for land, Improbable Alliance, etc. So running three knowing you will draw more cards and hoping to draw into it may not be correct. The fact that they will enable your turn draw two's and pump creatures should you have the draw at no mana cost is extremely important, and corner stone but not highly neccessary to have in the deck.
Jace, Weidler of Mysteries: Do and Don't: Jace is much like The Royal Scions, if you're on a budget he will work in a pinch, however the triple blue makes him that much harder to cast, and you will have to consider using more tapped lands to play him properly. You won't draw cards fast enough to empty your deck, but can be used as another enabler if you go the Crackling Drake/ Pteramander route. Use as a three of only, his four mana casting cost makes him very undesirable to draw into when needing to do multiple things on different turns.
Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor: Do and Don't: If going creature heavy, you may consider a planeswalker heavy draw two approach. She will protect your cards a little while both enabling and creating a 2/2 Wizard. It can be beneficial but only for a short amount of time. If going the budget route, my suggestion would be to play her over Jace. However, four mana once again stifles your plays. I'll give an example, turn two Improbable Alliance, turn three Irencrag Pyromancer, turn Four Kasmina. Draw make a token, deal three, make a 2/2. It's not a bad exchange, but you started effecting the board state turn four and spent the first three turns doing nothing, giving your opponent the opportunity to deal you damage, or remove the pieces you have in play and is way too slow.
Ral, Izzet Viceroy: Never: This card is too costly for a permanent draw every turn.
Bag of Holding: Do and Don't: Heavier on the Do. This card is a first turn permanent draw enabler that allows you to start reaping the benefits turn three. With this card along with a few other permanent enablers, you can potentially cut draw slots to allow for more answer cards in your deck. The only drawbacks is the two mana cost activation to draw with, slowing you down potentially a turn post Alliance or Irencrag. A draw one for two mana is not particularly bad to use, later in the game they can be very helpful, but in the early game you want to get your center pieces started asap.
Witching Well: Don't: I won't lie, a turn one artifact that allows you to scry two and draw two later is great. There's not a lot of artifact removal main deck and a different type of draw two can be built to make this a fantastic card. However, four mana is still very clunky for facing much faster
opposition.
Guilds Lockets: Don't: They take up turn three plays to only produce mana and draw later.
The Magic Mirror: Don't: I've tried using this card, I wanted to really really like using it. BUT. It enables your second turn draw on your upkeep, and won't allow you to play Improbable Alliance, Faerie Vandal, or Irencrag Pyromancer, and draw a card after effectively turning them on. The earliest it gets cast is turn five typically making this too slow despite it's amazing draw capabilities.
Opt: Do. Always: Instant speed draw one for one allowing you to scry. Post Irencrag, Vandal, and Alliance, this card instantly turns them on. The drawback is you have to two-for-one on your opponents turn. Still, you're not looking to always enable these cards on their turn. You mostly want it always on your turn.
Merchant of the Vale: Do and Dont Don't: Heavy Heavy Heavy on the do. Here's why, aside from the discard, it functions in the same way opt does for your deck. Giving you eight draw one card for one mana enablers. Gives you a body to cast later and gives you a permanent draw source which is cheaper than any other outside of planeswalkers and Bag of Holding. You can use the Senate Guildmage if you want to play white, but I don't recommend this. The deck plays much smoother in two colors, however white does give you additional options for removal, which may be something to venture into.
Thrill of Possibility: Do. Always: Two cards for two mana at instant speed. Allows for combat tricks and triggers on your opponents turn.
Risk Factor Do or Don't: I want to play this in a 3 or 4 of. Sadly I only purchased one on the uncertainty of how well it performs. Draw three for three mana at instant speed and repeatable. It presses your opponent to make a hard choice on their turn. Give you triggered abilities for the long game, or take four for the short game. With a Pyromancer out, this spell is very very devastating. This is a higher cost card exception in the deck and at instant speed too.
Chemisters Insight: Don't, possibly Do. Possibly. Expensive, but repeatable. I would include this as a two of at most. If playing Goblin Electromancer, this could be beneficial, but sadly the Electromancer shuts out other turn two plays, unless you are always playing Alliance draw turn three, Irencrag draw turn four.
Into the Story. No. Just Don't. Not even as a one of.
Radical Idea and Discovery//Dispersal: Do. More so than Don't: While these cards push you out a turn early game, two mana for one card is not bad, Radical Idea is much better than Discovery, being that later game you can draw two on an opponents turn and early game can still enable your decks build around. Discovery and Dispersal works with the graveyard draw build alongside, Pteramander and Crackling Drake, but more often than not you'll only surveil away the lands.
Cards with Addendum and draw: I've tried used these to either reduce damage on creatures or bounce or even gain life, and they're clunky at best mostly remaining in your hand than being used. However these cards can be used to fill in the slots for "answer" cards if need be.
Answer cards: depending on your build and number of permanent draw sources you have, you will typically have nine to twelve other card slots (Potentially more) I've filled my build with mainly answers to Narset. However you can put whatever your meta requires in these slots. I would say at most would be twelve, due to the potential of you running out of gas if you don't have a permanent draw source. Oko, is very non threatening to this deck. Make a 1/1 into a 3/3? Ok. Let my Pyromancer actually swing? Ok. Take two turns to make your own 3/3? Sure. Fires is the same considering you can just chump block your way around threats. Faster creatures builds are more problematic and I would recommend using Flame Sweep or some other mass removal. My inclusions of Mystical Dispute is to counteract the the blue planeswalker problem, along with Slaying Fire for Questing Beast being that the deck has a hard time dealing with them.
Lands: Now the mana base is important, you have to have a minimal number of lands to increase the number of draws. If you use the old school Magic adage, two cantrips (a one mana draw source) =one land, you should be able to effectively cut your mana base, to produce enough draws and still play the majority of your deck. Temple of Epiphany being able to scry allows for a better top deck, You can also use Swiftwater Cliffs to gain a life, but only one or the other is necessary if you have Steam Vents. Then Fabled Passage is included to thin out the deck and produce better draws. If on a budget, you can use Terramorphic Expanse to produce a similar effect, but ideally you want at least seven lands to smooth out your draws.
Castle Embereth and Castle Vantress: Between the two I would choose Castle Embereth, turning your tokens from 1/1's to 2/1's is a huge deal either in terms of blocking or swinging at your opponent and ensures wins better than without. I reccomend using them alongside Steam Vents to ensure entering untapped. Castle Vantress can be played, but at most as a one of considering scrying two cards for four mana is costly and does little to benefit you
I hope you guys enjoy the deck and hope it brought a little insight to current builds, if I've missed a card or you have further ideas or suggestions, feel free to leave below in the comments
