it turns Pongify into a field wipe

Actually, with both Zadar and dual caster mage on the field, letting you cast twin flame with him already on the field. She's the only commander that let's you do that combo out of order

IgnisMachina: Pongify wipes their field if they cast it at the dragon, though. That's why it's better than Ink-Treader Nephilim :)

Didn't read well, thought it was an Ink-Treader Nephilim but mono red. actually like it now, thanks for pointing out Daedalus19876.

Hey Daedalus! I just wanted to say thanks for the deck idea! I'm an Izzet player at heart, so seeing Zada get broken makes me really happy. I do have a question though. Would I be able to upgrade from the $25 Version to this one straight away? If so, how would I go about doing it?

This deck is certainly looking better and better after recent updates. I tend to run gimmicks in mine (arcane spells and dragons currently), but if there were a non-gimmicky version I would play, this would probably be it.

+1

Gfdbobthe3: Glad that I was able to inspire you! :) The $25 version and this one don't differ in too many cards (the only truly expensive addition is Blood Moon), so one can easily transform one into the other :)

If you were planning to upgrade from the $25 one to this one, I would recommend starting with the Gamble, Past in Flames, Sol Ring, and Purphoros, God of the Forge. They're all invaluable, and I wish I could have fit them into the original budget.

Thank you for your comment and your +1! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask :)

1empyrean: I've been considering putting in Blazing Shoal+Desperate Ritual. It's risky, but if it works...

Blazing Shoal is solid enough to run on its own, even without the arcane interaction. My experience with Zada is that throwing in interactions like this with the amount of card draw you are going to be getting allows you to actually play combos that are fun and over the top, which is a big part of the design philosophy I embraced with my deck. Its one card, fits into any Zada deck's game plan and if you splice Desperate Ritual onto it, gives you 3 times the amount of mana as Battle Hymn for the same cost (assuming you exile a card). If you do run it, the easiest card to swap out would probably be Downhill Charge.

1empyrean: The problem is that I play in a meta with a lot of counterspells and Winter Orbs, so people don't let me do fun combos :(

Also, Downhill Charge is NEVER coming out, lol. That card is my best win-con, lol. I would consider putting in Blazing Shoal in addition, though...Hmm...I have to find cards to cut now...

I know your pain. Making cuts to an already effective list can disrupt the way the deck plays in strange ways. Downhill Charge and Blazing Shoal are similar cards that fill the exact same role and it is debatable whether one is better than the other. They are effectively interchangeable.

Counterspells aren't going to stop arcane splice combos. That is part of why I like using them. Crack the Earth is my personal favorite (fun combo), but it doesn't really work for most decks.

1empyrean: The two cards occupy a similar role, but considering the importance of the role (as a finisher), I'd want to play both. The issue in my case is Zada herself being countered, which is what I need to work on.

Since you've played the deck and I haven't, I wouldn't know what to take out for those upgrades. What would you choose?

Gfdbobthe3: Hmm. Some of the weaker cards are From the Ashes, Skin Invasion  ^Flip, and Acorn Catapult. Plus, I've had issues before with Riddle of Lightning...

so I don't really play much red, so my suggestions may not be the best, but I would suggest adding Pyroblast. it can help with fighting counterspells and pesky enchantments that might be annoying. Hanweir Garrison and Hanweir Battlements seem like they could be good too. they are both ok by themselves, and melding them gives a large enough threat to be good. I would also run Stensia Inkeeper, as edh has plenty of good lands. tapping them can be pretty nice. I also just personally like Nephalia Academy.

Pro_Noob: Thanks for the suggestions! I've been thinking about the two parts of the Writhing Township too - I think they'd be a good fit here :) Pyroblast has been hanging out in the maybeboard forever: it's super good, but I never seem to have it at the right time. I'll reconsider it and its cousin Red Elemental Blast. I'm also considering Shreds of Sanity, which seems perfect for the deck. If you like the deck, feel free to leave a +1 ;)

Make Mischief!

Spawning Breath!

Shattering Spree vs Vandalblast -- idk if you get countered down a lot, but the Spree makes counterspells largely irrelevant

illumfolly: Thanks for the suggestions! I think that Make Mischief is strictly worse than Spawning Breath, which is a card that's been hiding in the maybeboard forever. Honestly, I should be playing both Shattering Spree AND Vandalblast, but VB lets me get around shroud, which can be very important. I'll think further on the issue though! :)

Howl of the Horde seems like it would have a place here with so many spells.Reiterate is kinda pricey, not sure of your budget. Seething Anger since buyback might be pretty mean.

You really could use some more protection for your commander. With he off the field, the deck will be underwhelming. Lightning Greaves, Mask of Avacyn, and Whispersilk Cloak can be options for that.

I would also try to fit some more rocks in like Commander's Sphere, Mind Stone, Thought Vessel, Burnished Hart, Fire Diamond, or any other options. You draw hard, the ramp will get you to big plays that include multiple cards in a turn. Those are the type of plays that will win the games faster.

Utility might help out with Arcane Lighthouse, Mystifying Maze, Sea Gate Wreckage, Mirrorpool

Saw you were working on a budget, but still had some mid-range bomb cards. Tried to keep suggestions in-check, and on that level.

Didgeridooda: This isn't the budget version of the deck, so don't worry about the price of your suggestions - within reason, haha :)

Thank you for the suggestions! My responses, in order:

Howl of the Horde and Reiterate: These are both amazing cards, but they don't work extremely well with my commander. Because the copies aren't cast, they don't activate Zada's ability. This means that these spells would only copy mana rituals most of the time (and the occasional Chaos Warp or Mogg Infestation).

It's worth mentioning, though, that Reiterate goes infinite with several of the more prolific mana rituals in the deck (Brightstone Ritual and Battle Hymn in particular), so that's going into the maybeboard (even though it is a little pricey)! I hadn't noticed that before, haha.

Seething Anger used to be in here, but eventually I just found that it was...meh. The buyback is nice, sure, but +3/+0 wasn't worth a slot, even repeatably. I'd prefer Titan's Strength over it, and even that proved to not be good enough.

With regards to protection for my commander - you're absolutely correct, I need more of that. However, giving her shroud prevents me from targeting her as well, which hurts the deck just as badly as not having her at all. That's why Lightning Greaves is excluded from this list, despite that I play it in almost every other deck I make. Mask of Avacyn gives hexproof, but I just find the card too expensive (in terms of mana) to play.

Mana rocks: I've tried some of these before. Thought Vessel is probably the best here, for its prevention of discard. However, I usually need my early turns for token-makers, and my mana rituals currently work well enough that I don't feel that the ramp is worth the card slots. The only way I'd be willing to play the rocks would be if I could cut a land for them - thoughts?

Arcane Lighthouse: I have very little that targets opponents' creatures here. Mystifying Maze: I find that either I can chump an attacking creature, or it's got shroud anyway - I used to play Maze of Ith in here, and it didn't do what I wanted. Sea Gate Wreckage: I don't think I've ever run out of cards in this deck, and I also don't reliably generate colorless mana. Mirrorpool: This ETBs tapped, only gives me colorless (a problem, with a high devotion to red), and neither of its sac abilities are extremely useful here.

Again, thanks for your comments! :)

My current plans: add Mirrorwing Dragon, Blazing Shoal, Desperate Ritual, Hanweir Battlements, Hanweir Garrison, Nahiri's Wrath, and Shreds of Sanity. I might also possibly add Otherworldly Outburst, Reiterate, and Dualcaster Mage. Anybody got any suggestions what to cut to make that happen? :)

Out : Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs Goblinslide

If you are going for the best deck that Zada can be Mana Crypt, Mana Vault, Chrome Mox, Mox Diamond, Ancient Tomb, Strip Mine, Wasteland, Wheel of Fortune, Thran Dynamo

I would personally use Simian Spirit Guide, and Lotus Petal

Blasphemous Act is not a bad idea.

Stranglehold should be main board for sure.

Seize the Day seems like an easy monster in the deck. Can even be looted with the flashback.

Didgeridooda: Mana Crypt, Wasteland, and Mox Diamond are outside of my price range at the moment. I possess a single copy of Wheel of Fortune and Ancient Tomb, which are both in my Judgment Day: Avacyn the Purifier EDH deck, and I don't have the funds currently to re-acquire those (unless I can find someone willing to trade for them).

Mana Vault, Strip Mine, and Thran Dynamo are all roughly within my price range, but the issue is that this deck is very hungry for red mana. Aside from casting my commander, the limiting factor is that I can't produce enough R - often, I even have mana left over from my Sol Ring! With that in mind, I'm not overly keen on adding more colorless-producing land.

I've never really been a fan of Chrome Mox in EDH - the card disadvantage is rarely worth the extra mana IMO. It's nuts in Legacy and Vintage, of course, but mana is at more of a premium there.

I really want to re-add Stranglehold - it's sitting in my binder - but alas I haven't found a slot yet. What would you cut for that, and for the other cards I mentioned in my previous post?