Not Your Spell Anymore! *PRIMER*

Commander / EDH Casual Exile Gifts Ungiven Midrange UB (Dimir)

NV_1980

Land (36)

• 1x Blast Zone
• 1x Bloodstained Mire
• 1x Boseiju, Who Shelters All
• 1x Choked Estuary
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Drowned Catacomb
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 6x Island
• 1x Mana Confluence
• 1x Marsh Flats
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Morphic Pool
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Reflecting Pool
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Shipwreck Marsh
• 1x Sunken Hollow
• 1x Sunken Ruins
• 6x Swamp
• 1x Tainted Isle
• 1x Temple of Deceit
• 1x Underground River
• 1x Verdant Catacombs
• 1x Watery Grave

Enchantment (8)

• 1x As Foretold
• 1x Black Market
• 1x Cunning Rhetoric
• 1x Mind's Dilation
• 1x Mystic Remora
• 1x Phyrexian Arena
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Rogue Class

Creature (21)

• 1x Arvinox, the Mind Flail
• 1x Baleful Strix
• 1x Brainstealer Dragon
• 1x Dauthi Voidwalker
• 1x Fallen Shinobi
• 1x Gonti, Lord of Luxury
• 1x Grima, Saruman's Footman
• 1x Halo Forager
• 1x Kheru Mind-Eater
• 1x Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion
• 1x Nightveil Specter
• 1x Notion Thief
• 1x Sage of the Beyond
• 1x Thada Adel, Acquisitor
• 1x Thief of Sanity
• 1x Thieving Varmint
• 1x Tinybones, Bauble Burglar
• 1x Valgavoth, Terror Eater
• 1x Wandering Archaic  ^Flip
• 1x Wrexial, the Risen Deep
• 1x Xanathar, Guild Kingpin

Instant (10)

• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Dark Ritual
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Outrageous Robbery
• 1x Pongify
• 1x Rapid Hybridization
• 1x Reality Shift
• 1x Siphon Insight
• 1x Spelljack
• 1x Vampiric Tutor

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Ashiok, Nightmare Muse

Commander (1)

Artifact (13)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Dimir Signet
• 1x Everflowing Chalice
• 1x Fellwar Stone
• 1x Mind Stone
• 1x Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree
• 1x Skyclave Relic
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Dominance
• 1x Thought Vessel
• 1x Thran Dynamo
• 1x Whip of Erebos
• 1x Worn Powerstone

Sorcery (10)

• 1x Demonic Tutor
• 1x Extract Brain
• 1x Feed the Swarm
• 1x Heartless Conscription
• 1x Mnemonic Betrayal
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Predators' Hour
• 1x Preordain
• 1x Shadow of the Enemy
• 1x Stolen Goods

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Welcome to Not Your Spells Anymore {U}{B}!

Hi there! Welcome to the primer of this Dimir, library/graveyard-theft deck; commanded by Tasha, the Witch Queen. There’s a woman’s laughter in the air. A cackle of sorts. It seems to be coming from everywhere at once. It’s … eerie. It sounds judgmental. Like laughter one laughs to punish. It could thus easily be said that it sounds … hideous! And as well it should, for the source of this laughter has just successfully probed your brain and spell books for words of magic AND has also managed to successfully turn their power against you! This deck is meant to be played casually. It’s not meant to be used in a competitive fashion, but of course anyone is welcome to try! Feel free to comment on anything you (dis)like throughout this primer; hope you will enjoy it!

Why Tasha?

The thievery theme is awesome. Especially when it becomes completely unpredictable to opponents exactly what it is that will be stolen from them next. The look of dread on opponents’ faces when one gets to look at their top or bottom library card (especially when these don’t have to be revealed) is priceless. Then, when it becomes clear something is actually going to be stolen, … the tension this produces is amazing. Tasha seems tailor-made for a deck based on this. First off, Dimir colors (blue and black) are rife with theft opportunities, so there’s a great arsenal of spells to take one’s pick from. Second, Tasha is relatively cheap to use. Her initial casting cost is not cheap, but once she’s been summoned her card advantage abilities are basically free. Then there’s also the wonderful demon-token generation as an added bonus (which isn’t just triggered by what can be stolen through HER abilities, but by all thefts from exile). All these factors combined has made me her a more tempting choice over alternatives like Rona, Herald of Invasion   or Xanathar, Guild Kingpin who are either more difficult or more expensive to use. Tasha’s only real downside is that she can’t be used to steal permanents, but this deck contains plenty of alternatives to fill in for her on that front.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The following ten parameters have been used to determine the strength of the deck. For each, a score of 5 (very good), 4 (good), 3 (mediocre), 2 (bad) or 1 (very bad) has been allocated; when totalized this score represents the power rating of the deck (maximum score is 50 points).

• Mana: indicates the availability of mana sources within the deck.
• Ramp: indicates the speed at which mana sources within the deck can be made available.
• Card Advantage: indicates availability of filter- and draw resources represented within the deck.
• Overall speed: indicates the deck’s potential for pace, based on resource availability and mana curve.
• Combo: indicates the measure of combo-orientation of the deck.
• Army: indicates the deck’s creature-army strength.
• Commander: indicates how much the deck is commander-oriented/dependent (less dependency is better).
• Interaction: indicates how much this deck can mess with opponents’ board states and turn-phases.
• Resilience: indicates whether the deck can prevent and take punches.
• Spellpower: indicates the availability and strength of high-impact spells.

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Mana: 4

This Tasha deck aims to have enough resources available on a turn-by-turn basis, that allows its wielder to cast both his/her own spells AND those of his/her opponents. Therefore, the amount of mana-resources in this deck is relatively high. In all, it contains eleven mana-rocks (of which half only generates colorless mana), a creature that cheapens casts from sources other than the deck wielder’s hand, an instant mana spell and an enchantment that can generate mana based on the amount of perished creatures.

Ramp: 1

Not sure if this would be considered ramping, but an artifact that can steal lands from opposing graveyards has been included. When going for theft, might as well try to go all the way, right?

Card Advantage: 5

In most ways, this deck is all about card-advantage; being able to cast spells from as many graveyards, exile piles, hands and libraries as possible. In terms of direct draw, this deck already has a decent number of options (nine). It also contains a several tutors (two). The way in which this deck’s card-advantage really shines forth, is in its theft options. A whopping thirty cards are geared to this effect (eight of which don’t require additional costs aside from the card’s own CMC), out of which five are specifically focused on stealing non-permanents, seven are focused on stealing permanents and the remaining eighteen can be considered omni-theft cards.

Overall speed: 4

Very decent. About 30% of the deck consists of cheap resourcing and removal. The deck’s average CMC clocks in at 3.34 which is a medium rating. Definitely able to keep pace with the average EDH deck, except maybe decks featuring green or decks very focused on a colorless aspect.

Combo: 1

There’s no focus on combos in this deck.

Army: 4

Overall, this deck’s fighting-force can be considered powerful. Seventy percent of the army’s creatures are not just good combatants, but aid in some way to steal opponents’ stuff. Most of them are hard to block through the application of flight, landwalk-abilities or menace. Very useful as stealing things often requires connecting to the enemy. Stolen creatures join the deck’s own ranks and Tasha generates demon tokens whenever a stolen spell is cast.

Commander: 5

Tasha is fantastic, but she’s definitely not required on the field in order to win games. The deck contains a plethora of other thieving spells/permanents, lots of other card-advantage mechanisms and plenty of creatures to make up for the demons she can bring.

Interaction: 5

Holy-moly, this deck is interaction through and through; mostly with opponents’ hands, libraries and graveyards (the aforementioned thirty theft cards), but it also contains a few decent, cheap-to-cast removal options (eight cards).

Resilience: 3

One cannot expect much direct protection from/for the cards within this deck. However, it does contain a few recursion mechanisms for important stuff. It also features a strong opportunity for life-gain. Most importantly however, the deck is able to use its large number of (non-)permanent theft-cards to recover fast from direct attacks or wipes, by utilizing not just the deck’s own resources but those of others as well.

Spellpower: 5

When it comes to removal, resourcing and theft, half of this deck’s spells are geared to the max. A number of these can even be considered game-ending when cast under the right circumstances.

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Total power score: 37

Out of all the EDH decks on this page, this is undoubtedly one of the most fun ones to play. It’s capable of being relatively fast at obtaining resources, it’s extremely versatile in that it can often choose (at least in a general way) what it wants to steal and thereby adapt to lots of different situations and its army can become truly terrifying; especially when Tasha is able to lead things. It only lacks combos, but experience seems to dictate that during most games it doesn’t need these in any way to perform well.

General strategy

The aim of this deck is to throw off opposing gameplans by depriving other decks of their (key-)cards and using them to advance the wielder’s own ends (i.e.: the utter destruction (or enslavement) of all opposing forces). Priority when it comes to theft, should be resources (mana, card-advantage, etc.), in order to expand further stealing possibilities on a turn by turn basis. Secondary priority on the theft-target-list, would be cards the opponents ought not ever use, because of the dangers they pose. Finally, of tertiary importance, are cards that have a high synergy chance with the cards used within this deck. The gameplan involved to start thievery effectively requires:

1. Summoning mana resources; preferably enough to cast both the deck’s cards and those of others during turns as this will grant maximum advantage;
2. Casting a card that can exile opponents’ cards from their libraries, graveyards or hands; preferably options that allow any color of mana to be used when casting what’s been exiled;
3. Summoning the exiled card using earlier mentioned mana resources and use it;
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 (and occasionally fall back on 1 when good resources come along) until all opponents are defeated.

As the deck is just as good at stealing permanents as it is at non-permanents, no deck-type can truly hide or counter its strategy, though there are always some exceptions of course. Decks that are primarily used to inhibit opposing casts (through copious countering, (s)taxation, milling, preventing no-hand castings, etc.) should really be considered primary targets. At all times, be careful about finishing off opponents completely, as one loses control of all stuff stolen from them once they leave play.

Starting hand

At least three cards in the starting hand ought to be lands (or two lands and a cheap-to-cast rock like Arcane Signet, Sol Ring or Talisman of Dominance). It is recommended not to start a game without this hand (even if one has to mulligan down to three cards). The ideal hand would also contain some additional ramp and/or low-cost draw options.

Early game

The most ideal situation one can create, is one in which the thievery potential keeps increasing while the match proceeds. This can quickly create a massive imbalance between the deck’s wielder and the opposing players in terms of available resources, army-power, casting-versatility, etc. Such advantages are awesome at improving chances to win, so the earlier stealing-spree can start, the better. To achieve this, primary focus is needed on thefts of opposing mana sources and additional card-advantage sources. This focus should always remain, though as resource-advantage over the opposition increases, focus should shift more towards denying opponents the means to kill anything AND obtaining cards that can bring about my opponents’ demise (these might very well be the same cards).

Before any thievery is to be attempted at all, one needs to start with some resources. Aside from rocks already mentioned, grant priority to cards like Dimir Signet, Fellwar Stone, Mind Stone and Thought Vessel. Utilize Dark Ritual early if possible, as it’s such a great boost for a next-to-nothing cost. If one can get it early, putting Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree onto the field can make a significant difference, especially during the start-up phase of games. Early card-advantage options work well too. Specific shout-outs to Mystic Remora, Notion Thief, Phyrexian Arena, Ponder, Preordain and especially Rhystic Study. Lastly As Foretold gets a special mention, as it allows for amazing casting-advantage; even when it just has a few time counters on it.

Once some resources are down, thefts should be undertaken. Amongst the many options this deck has for such endeavors, the favorites one can cast and use early include Dauthi Voidwalker, Kheru Mind-Eater, card:Nashi, Moon Sage Scion, Nightveil Specter, Rogue Class (which should be promoted fast as it’s much more potent then), Thada Adel, Acquisitor and Thief of Sanity. These thieves, and cards like them, are all very capable at finding some additional resources first, before other types of theft are undertaken during the next game-phases.

Mid- and endgame

As resources become more abundant, opponents will undertake more action against the deck, whenever they can in order to slow it down. Major permanent threats deployed against the deck will be dealt with through the use of cards like Feed the Swarm, Mana Drain, Pongify, Rapid Hybridization and Reality Shift. Against players that try to counter such spells, deploy Boseiju, Who Shelters All. Opposing spells can also be intercepted, stolen or copied, via means like Extract Brain, Grima, Saruman's Footman, Halo Forager, Spelljack and Wandering Archaic  . It’s also possible to discourage opponents from attacking this deck by confronting them with Cunning Rhetoric or by having some blockers with deathtouch standing by, like Baleful Strix or card:Ghonti, Lord of Luxury.

By now enough resources should be available to get some more of the outrageous thieves onto the field. Chief amongst these options would be Mind's Dilation; an expensive investment that usually pays for itself many times over once it’s there. Ashiok, Nightmare Muse should also get special mention. Her nightmare minions, whom can more or less be generated for free every turn, are exceptional at forcing exiles from opponents. Other great additions to the thievery force that work well at this game-stage, would be cards like Fallen Shinobi, Wrexial, the Risen Deep and Xanathar, Guild Kingpin. These should be combined, if possible, with some late-stage resources that help out games even more in terms of options and cheaper casting. A reference to cards like Sage of the Beyond, Sire of Stagnation and Skyclave Relic.

In the final stages of a match, the strongest cards will make an appearance to hopefully close out games. Arvinox, the Mind Flail and Brainstealer Dragon can each exile multiple opposing cards per turn without needing to attack or connect to opponents. On a non-permanent level, Shadow of the Enemy does something similar (as does Mnemonic Betrayal, though the casting of stolen spells does have to take place in the same turn as its casting).

Card Choices

Lands

Reliable sources of mana, and some utility:

• Blast Zone: yep, that’s one fantastic looking wipe that looms over everyone who tries to get too smart! It works well in a deck like this one, with abundant colorless mana sources.
• Bloodstained Mire/Flooded Strand/Marsh Flats/Misty Rainforest/Polluted Delta/Scalding Tarn/Verdant Catacombs: these lead to the cards really needed just a tad bit quicker.
• Boseiju, Who Shelters All: basically grants hexproof to instants and sorceries, which is really handy when applied to a key/game-winning spell.
• Command Tower/Exotic Orchard/Mana Confluence/Reflecting Pool: the best mana-flexibility on offer!
• Choked Estuary/Drowned Catacomb/Shipwreck Marsh/Sunken Hollow/Sunken Ruins/Tainted Isle/Temple of Deceit/Underground River/Watery Grave: lands that provide Dimir mana which, depending on circumstances, enter the battlefield tapped or untapped. The best MTG has to offer on this front has been incorporated, except for the original dual lands which are outside most players’ price-range.
• Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: this deck features enough permanents to really make this worthwhile.
• Reliquary Tower: discarding is for suckers.

Mana and Ramp

The cards used to accelerate mana-availability:

• Arcane Signet: one of best cheap-to-cast mana rocks in existence.
• Black Market: when it is time for creatures to perish, their souls will power spells.
• Dark Ritual: a great boost of instant black energy.
• Dimir Signet/Talisman of Dominance: Dimir deck needs some Dimir mana sources.
• Everflowing Chalice: dependent on how many resources one has when casting this, it can become a truly ferocious mana source.
• Fellwar Stone: in a 4-player group, this (almost) always provides the appropriate mana.
• Mind Stone: mana source and draw in a pinch.
• Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree: all your dead lands will be stolen!
• Sage of the Beyond: casting from exile just became a lot cheaper.
• Skyclave Relic: three beautiful mana rocks encompassed in one.
• Sol Ring: are there EDH decks without this card?
• Thieving Varmint: lots of mana for a little life, for casting what one does not own.
• Thought Vessel: no need to discard, with a little mana-bonus on the side.
• Thran Dynamo: excellent rock that provides a nice amount of {C} upon tapping.
• Worn Powerstone: enters tapped but is basically a 2nd Sol Ring afterwards.

Card Advantage

Direct draw, direct theft (no mana requirements) and tutors:

• Ashiok, Nightmare Muse: grants some truly grisly tokens that force you to exile, after which this deck can steal whatever got exiled for free!
• Baleful Strix: dangerous blocker that grants draw.
• Dauthi Voidwalker: whatever dies OR whatever non-permanent you’ve used; it vanishes into exile. Until it gets stolen of course.
• Demonic Tutor: demons seem to be good at granting boons like this.
• Extract Brain: well would you look at that! Let’s haaaave … THAT ONE!
• Fallen Shinobi: we’ll play a game called ‘shinobi tag’; if he manages to tag you, your mind gets syphoned for useful spells (for free!).
• Mind's Dilation: it’s not just you getting something!
• Mystic Remora: not a creature? Great, thanks again, buddy!
• Notion Thief: you’ve just mistaken that for your draw!
• Ponder/Preordain: drawing cards is always more fun when one gets to decide which one.
• Phyrexian Arena: dependable draw at the expense of a little life.
• Rhystic Study: just about the most perfect draw engine; whenever a deck features blue, this card is in it.
• Spelljack: nah, that’s going to be jacked!
• Stolen Goods: let’s see what you’ve got …
• Tinybones, Bauble Burglar: a diminutive little foe is running around, rummaging through your stuff. Soon it will be ours.
• Valgavoth, Terror Eater: that which dies on your end, will end up in ours.
• Vampiric Tutor: some vampires are worth listening to …
• Wandering Archaic  : not necessarily a thief, just a … copyright infringer. Or is that theft too? Meh, who cares!
• Wrexial, the Risen Deep: blue and black mages beware, something’ coming for thine excrement!

Paid-For Thievery

Some say there’s no such thing as a free lunch … but hey, it’s still your lunch being taken:

• Arvinox, the Mind Flail: crazy strong combatant (assuming one controls more than one owns) that helps to steal from all opponents every turn.
• Brainstealer Dragon: a scary combatant that doesn’t even need to connect in order to enable lots of thefts in a single turn (dependent on how many opponents one’s facing (usually three)). And when the loot is cast, it damages the owner. Holy smokes …
• Cunning Rhetoric: the ultimate tax card against attacks; who’s willing to risk it?
• Gonti, Lord of Luxury: doesn’t even require to connect, just an ETB to enable yet another theft.
• Grima, Saruman's Footman: ill news is an ill guest, especially when it can’t be stopped and rummages through your head as a result.
• Halo Forager: that spell there, … used to be yours … it’s needed for a bit. Do you mind?
• Kheru Mind-Eater: vampire that loves planeswalker-brain; yours to be exact.
• Mnemonic Betrayal: what a potential inventory of cards this gives me! Only temporarily though …
• Nashi, Moon Sage's Scion: gaining a major advantage over foes is worth some life-points.
• Nightveil Specter: a nice way to build up an extension of one’s hand.
• Outrageous Robbery: lots of potential new stuff to cast.
• Predators' Hour: it never hurts to give an army even more (temporary) thievery powers!
• Rogue Class: incredibly strong once fully upgraded; grants every creature in its army the power to steal (even Tasha’s demons!).
• Shadow of the Enemy: you’re not using these anymore, are you?
• Siphon Insight: stealing is much more fun when one can repeat the act; especially when it’s cheap to do.
• Thada Adel, Acquisitor: you’d better hope your Sol Ring is already in play when this girl comes knocking.
• Thief of Sanity: no flying blockers? Such a shame. He’ll just mosey over and have a crack at that library of yours.
• Xanathar, Guild Kingpin: that anti-magic cone is a real bitch. Ah well, doesn’t affect this deck!

Responses and Utility

When all else fails, some countering, destruction and a few other bits and bobs are called in:

• As Foretold: a free spell each turn is nothing to sneeze at! Especially when one remembers this applies to other players’ turns too!
• Cyclonic Rift: no more non-land permanents for anyone, except this guy of course.
• Feed the Swarm: a black anti-enchantment spell? Relatively rare, so very useful!
• Heartless Conscription: a wipe that creates a new pool of great stuff to cast.
• Mana Drain: can’t steal your spell this time, so let’s just steal its constituent energy.
• Pongify/Rapid Hybridization: the answer to “How do I turn a behemoth of destruction into something relatively harmless for next to nothing cost?”
• Reality Shift: bit of a risk to cast, but exiling like this makes one feel alive.
• Whip of Erebos: great recursion option, not to mention every creature controlled by this deck can add to its life-total by dealing damage.

Notable Exclusions

Some cards didn’t make the cut.

• Baleful Mastery: not too fond of opponents profiting from this deck’s spells in any way; including some draw.
• Milling options: wanted this deck to be specialized at casting from exile, which is not something that milling can help with.

Thank you for reading!

Appreciate the time you took to read this primer. Hopefully it was entertaining and useful to you. If so, feel free to leave a +1 and/or feedback of any kind in the comments below. Thanks again!

Date added	1 year
Last updated	2 weeks
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	21 - 0 Mythic Rares 46 - 0 Rares 16 - 0 Uncommons 5 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.25
Tokens	Ape 3/3 G, Copy Clone, Demon 3-3 B, Foretell, Frog Lizard 3/3 G, Manifest 2/2 C, Nightmare 2/3 UB