This deck tends to durtle around playing payoff cards and cost reduction stuff and then does a bunch of stuff all at once. You get to take a bunch of turns in a row and can take people out with direct damage spells. It does some pretty cool stuff. However it's by no means a deck for beginners. You really have to have a good understanding of the rules of the game and how the stack works, and be able to make quick decisions and play fast. If you take your time and think a lot, your play group will not be happy. Especially if you're taking multiple turns. It's not as fun just watching someone play solitare magic. So it's not for the faint of heart.
You can think of the deck in thirds. One third land, one third spells, and one third stuff that cares about spells. We run 36 lands and 39 spells. There are some really good spells matter cards, but seeing a non instant/sorcery spell on top is always a bummer. And if you have all this spells matter stuff and don't cast spells then you're not having a good time. I would not recommend running less spells.
Spells are the name of the game so we'll start there. Keep in mind that you want to play the spell on top of your library when you can and get value on the copy too. So for the most part I try to play spells that are just good at any time rather than situational spells.
Epic Experiment
is by far the best card in the deck but is also the most confusing rules wise. It's usually what you'll tutor with Mystic Tutor. This is by no means a "storm deck," but I've defiantly taken out my share of opponents casting an
Ignite Memories
off the back of an epic experiment. It nombos a little with the x spells but keep in mind that with static cost reduction effects in play x= the total cost reduction when they are cast for free. Also you want to copy epic experiment as many times as possible when you first cast it because that way you can copy the one that isn't resolving if you cast a spell like
Reverberate
for free with the one that is resolving. This is important because of you copy the epic experiment that is resolving with a Reverberate that is cast for free with that epic experiment, the epic experiment that is resolving will still be on the stack when you cast the Reverberate for free, so it will be a legal target for Reverberate when it's put on the stack. But once all the spells cast for free with the resolving epic experiment are on the stack, the epic experiment resolves and is removed from the stack. So when the Reverberate resolves its target will no longer be legal and it will fizzle.
Running spells we can get overwhelmed by go wide creature decks, so board wipes are necessary. But they aren't the best to copy and are situational enough to be bad cards to see on top.
Blasphemous Act
,
Cyclonic Rift
, and
Mizzium Mortars
, plus
Thing in the Ice
.
For targeted removal we have
Rapid Hybridization
and
Chaos Warp
.
Lightning Bolt
,
Chain Lightning
, and
Prophetic Bolt
are good creature removal for us, cause if they're on top then we can go to face too if there aren't any good targets (which is rare but can happen).
Our straight to the face big burn are
Price of Progress
,
Devil's Play
,
Ravaging Blaze
,
Burn from Within
, OG
Fireball
, and
Ignite Memories
. Plus all the x spells can take out a creature if needed.
For turns we have
Time Warp
,
Part the Waterveil
,
Karn's Temporal Sundering
,
Time Stretch
,
Nexus of Fate
,
Expropriate
,
Temporal Manipulation
,
Temporal Mastery
, and
Temporal Trespass
.
With
Mystical Tutor
, Tutoring to the top of your library is the best. If you cast it off the top make sure to tutor an instant so you can cast it while the second tutor is on the stack to keep the second from just shuffling away the first one.
Rise from the Tides
,
Bribery
,
Blatant Thievery
, and
Past in Flames
are the value spells.
Making and extra copy with Melek is great. Making even more copies is even better.
Mirari
,
Swarm Intelligence
,
Pyromancer's Goggles
, and the
Primal Wellspring
side of
Primal Amulet
are all repeatable. Plus
Twincast
,
Reverberate
,
Reiterate
,
Increasing Vengeance
,
Naru Meha, Master Wizard
, and
Dualcaster Mage
.
Thousand-Year Storm
can get silly, especially with
Epic Experiment
.
Since we're playing spells off the top of the library deck manipulation and cantrips are great. We have
Ponder
,
Serum Visions
,
Preordain
,
Brainstorm
, and
Mystic Speculation
for spells and
Crystal Ball
,
Sensei's Divining Top
, and
Scroll Rack
for non instant/sorcery. We even have a few lands in
Halimar Depths
and
Soldevi Excavations
.
For acceleration and cost reduction we have
Sol Ring
,
Everflowing Chalice
,
Thran Dynamo
,
Izzet Signet
,
Goblin Electromancer
, and
Jace's Sanctum
which are important for all the x spells, expensive spells, and a 6 drop commander.
That leaves us with a precious few slots for non instant/sorcery spells matter cars. Most important here are your token makers.
Metallurgic Summonings
,
Young Pyromancer
,
Talrand, Sky Summoner
, and
Docent of Perfection
.
Thing in the Ice
and
Guttersnipe
round out our spells matter cards. I used to play more, but found these are the cards you cut for more spells.
Which leaves
Vedalken Orrery
and
Leyline of Anticipation
so we can cast sorceries at instant speed.
Hope you enjoy.
