The deck name has a dual meaning: it references the song "Fly Me to the Moon", and also references my perceived wish of the moonfolk to see some play alongside more popular races like elves and angels.
Yep, moonfolk. Gorgeous artwork, not a lot of support. However, I think they can shine in EDH. Or at least not be terrible. The one thing they really need to be able to do well is find some way to cheat lands back onto the field. Our (thematic even) general can do that for them. To be honest, on my first pass I just threw a bunch of stuff together (with a few elementals and spirits to shake things up), and then took a look at my starting point. What I found were infinite combos, all over the place. I decided to run with it on the first version of the deck. Visit Let Me Play Among the Stars if you want to see the infinite combo version of the deck.
This is the second version of this deck. In running some play-tests of version 1, I found the infinite combos detracted from the theme of the deck in my personal opinion. When the deck ran well, it didn't feel like a victory due to moon powers, it felt like it ran well due to artifacts. Not what I wanted. I removed a lot of the infinite potential, though it still exists a little. Oboro Breezecaller is the main culprit. With her, Training Grounds, the Amulet of Vigor, and our general, the Patron of the Moon, you can hit infinite landfall. Caged Sun makes it infinite mana as well. Those two artifacts combined open up a lot of infinite powers with this deck.
But even with those possibilities, in running some playtests of this version, this deck has a lot stronger control element, based on returning cards from play to their owner's hands. I'm significantly happier with this. I also pulled a couple of the more expensive cards like Maze of Ith or Cryptic Command to bring the deck cost down to a more reasonable budget.
The General
Patron of the Moon is our general, and pretty much is a required piece for the deck to run well. There are so many effects that will be putting lands play back into your hand that having him out is pretty much a requirement. The artifact footwear (Lightning Greaves and Swiftfoot Boots) belongs on him, as does Ring of Evos Isle. I'd keep the counters available to protect him foremost.
The Troops
All of the moonfolk are in. All of them. Even the ones that I find terrible are perfect for getting the Patron of the Moon into the field a couple turns early, or reducing the cost of recasting him from the commander zone. There are some outstanding cards though:
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant is the most expensive to your wallet. and rightfully so. Despite the cheap casting cost, I would hold off playing her until late, when you can flip her the turn you cast her. Once she flips, she counters the first spell cast by every other player on every turn! Huge board presence there, especially if we are bouncing cards back to their owner's hands.
Meloku the Clouded Mirror is a cheap source of tokens to use as chump blockers. Very nice in the mid-stages while we are starting to establish control of a game, but haven't locked everything down yet.
Soratami Cloudskater has very weak draw (Soramaro, First to Dream is much better), but still is nice if we get Archmage Ascension early.
Soratami Rainshaper and Soratami Savant both are excellent at protecting our field. The latter is a favorite target of the Illusionist's Bracers for me.
Uyo, Silent Prophet is another outstanding card. She can copy anyone's instants or sorceries as many times as you have the mana and lands to support, which is just insane. Another spectacular target for the Illusionist's Bracers.
The Allies
The deck isn't strictly tribal. I tend to like having a splash of some allies. Gorgons + Statues, Snakes and Scorpions in The Statuary Garden. Moonfolk + Spirits and Elementals here. Some of these are chosen for theme only, and some for theme and because they synergize extremely well with the deck.
Soramaro, First to Dream I mentioned earlier. Works like a moonfolk character, and gives us an excellent, if mana costly, draw option.
Guile is an elemental that eats all the spells that Erayo, Soratami Ascendant and Soratami Savant counter, and allow us to use them ourselves.
Roil Elemental and Tideforce Elemental allow us to abuse landfall.
Tidal Force allows us to negate large threats to ourselves or play politics.
The Advisor
Tamiyo, the Moon Sage is in for obvious theme reasons. She works reasonably well with the deck too, with some light protection via tapping, some card draw, and a crazy good ultimate, especially if you have counterspells in hand. Doubly especially if you have counterspells and Omniscience.
Logistics
I hate having only a couple cards in hand. Fortunately, card draw is something blue excels at. Mostly, I focus on enchantments and the like because I find repeatable benefits much more significant in EDH. There are a couple single use cards, chosen for low casting cost: Ancestral Vision for one blue, or zero mana for Gush using the alternate casting cost.
Seer's Sundial abuses our landfall again.
Temple Bell and Mikokoro, Center of the Sea for early politics, and keeping late game pressure high.
Archmage Ascension can get crazy good if we manage to also find Honden of Seeing Winds, Mind Unbound or Thought Reflection and thus gain a counter every turn.
Establishing Control of the Battlefield
Here is the focus of the deck. The object is to slow down our opponents with some tough decisions long enough to either get a board sweep into our hand or reach a state of complete lock-down.
Mana Breach and Overburden are the best plays early. We aren't hurt too bad by the effects, since our general can cheat the lands back into our field, but our opponents will likely be significantly hindered.
Dissipation Field is in for defense. It isn't a good play against a deck that is focused on "enter the battlefield" effects, but against a lot of decks, this is a strong deterrent to attacking, which we desperately need.
Flooded Shoreline and Soratami Mirror-Mage are in for pinpoint problem removal. Even in this deck, it can get costly though.
Words of Wind is late game only, though you can certainly cast it earlier and have it sit around to be forgotten by everyone. It pretty much requires either significant card draw or the enemy to have nothing in play for it to be a benefit, since you are trading card draw for the effect. If you have Mind Unbound going, this can get pretty ludicrous.
Cyclonic Rift, Evacuation, and Wash Out are all great sweep spells. However, Sunder is the real game changer. We can quickly dump all of our accumulated land back out, but our opponents are unlikely to have the same convenience, which means a lot of those lands are likely to end up in a graveyard.
Final Thoughts
As I said earlier, I feel this version better suits my vision for a moonfolk deck, even if it may be less powerful. I do welcome any thoughts, suggestions or criticism.
