Silence is Golden (Control)

Commander / EDH Combo Control Midrange Stax WU (Azorius)

hkhssweiss

Instant (28)

• 1x Anticipate
• 1x Arcane Denial
• 1x Blue Sun's Zenith
• 1x Capsize
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cryptic Command
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Disenchant
• 1x Dissipate
• 1x Evacuation
• 1x Fact or Fiction
• 1x Foil
• 1x Forbid
• 1x Impulse
• 1x Long-Term Plans
• 1x Mindbreak Trap
• 1x Misdirection
• 1x Mystical Tutor
• 1x Negate
• 1x Render Silent
• 1x Return to Dust
• 1x Rewind
• 1x Sphinx's Revelation
• 1x Stifle
• 1x Stroke of Genius
• 1x Swan Song
• 1x Swords to Plowshares
• 1x Void Shatter

Enchantment (7)

• 1x Aura of Silence
• 1x Blind Obedience
• 1x Counterbalance
• 1x Leyline of Anticipation
• 1x Mystic Remora
• 1x Omniscience
• 1x Rhystic Study

Land (36)

• 1x Adarkar Wastes
• 1x Azorius Chancery
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Glacial Fortress
• 1x Halimar Depths
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 1x High Market
• 12x Island
• 1x Mystic Gate
• 1x Nimbus Maze
• 7x Plains
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Reflecting Pool
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Seachrome Coast
• 1x Strip Mine
• 1x Temple of Enlightenment
• 1x Temple of the False God

Artifact (9)

• 1x Azorius Signet
• 1x Elixir of Immortality
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Sapphire Medallion
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Talisman of Progress
• 1x Thought Vessel

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Jace, Architect of Thought

Commander (1)

Creature (9)

• 1x Academy Rector
• 1x Archaeomancer
• 1x Consecrated Sphinx
• 1x Deadeye Navigator
• 1x Glen Elendra Archmage
• 1x Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
• 1x Peregrine Drake
• 1x Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1x Venser, Shaper Savant

Sorcery (9)

• 1x Austere Command
• 1x Day of Judgment
• 1x Enter the Infinite
• 1x Merchant Scroll
• 1x Supreme Verdict
• 1x Temporal Mastery
• 1x Terminus
• 1x Time Warp
• 1x Wrath of God

---

8th EDH Deck

Background:

After playing around with so many commanders, I decided to make a pure control based commander. I thought about which commander would suit my endeavors in stalling and taxing people to drag out the game and stopping all those fast combo players. Grand Arbiter Augustin IV was my answer.

In the beginning GAA4 was quite literally a mess, it was chocked up full of counterspells and random enchantments. The reformed version of this deck now has the value counterspell back up suite along with the various finishers to end the game.

---

General:

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV : Reduces the cost of spells I play is amazing in a control deck, the additional clause of making my opponents pay more to cast their spell is super detrimental. Just be wary that people will attempt to kill you first, so best to make friends with politicking.

---

Creatures:

Academy Rector : The best enchantment tutor we have available that brings it straight to the field. There should be only one card that Academy Rector should go far and that is Omniscience .

Archaeomancer : The classic blue recursion staple, abuse-able with Deadeye Navigator to grab back that spell you want to have.

Consecrated Sphinx : Too good to not include,one of the best hand refills we got. Just make sure you always have that spell to protect your Sphinx, as it is guaranteed not to make it past one full round.

Deadeye Navigator : The one and only enabler that makes my whole deck run. This is essentially the main win-con I run with my creatures to gain value. Pray that you never get it exiled.

Glen Elendra Archmage : Another blue staple, also abuse-able as a recurable Negate with the Deadeye Navigator .

Kozilek, Butcher of Truth : The alternative win-con, gives you card advantage and becomes a threat when it hits the field. Also useful for anti-mill measures against deck that likes to do that shenanigans.

Mulldrifter : Card draw on a flyer is great, another prime example of a blue staple.

Peregrine Drake : My enabler for infinite mana with Deadeye, I do not run Palinchron in this build due to being 7 cmc is a high cost.

Phyrexian Metamorph : Pretty much a backup Sol Ring or if there are any delicious creatures or artifacts that I would also like to have.

Solemn Simulacrum : Solid ramp and card draw ensuing that a board wipe will happen eventually. A ramping chunk blocker is always great.

Venser, Shaper Savant : Another prime blue staple, this gets around the can't be countered clause of some spells. Also stops the Boseiju'ed spells.

---

Planeswalkers:

Tamiyo, the Moon Sage : Another alternative win-con, ulting Tamiyo pretty much guarantees you the game. Just got to make sure to protect her, as your opponents will surely not.

Venser, the Sojourner : Used to abuse the ETB triggers of your creatures, and also to help reuse those artifact rocks (i.e. Gilded Lotus ).

---

Enchantments:

Aura of Silence : Great stax and removal all in one, especially good against those decks that rely on having multiple artifacts and enchantments on the field.

Blind Obedience : Especially devastating when it comes in on turn 2, this halts aggro decks completely.

Counterbalance : Countering without having to use your resources is a no-brainer, gets more value when it is combined with Scroll Rack or Sensei's Divining Top .

Detention Sphere : Gains a lot of value against those token decks, also gets rid of those multiple Sol Rings! Can be blinked with Venser, the Sojourner for additional value.

Leyline of Anticipation : Yeah having everything at instant speed gives you the option of being a draw go deck.

Mystic Remora : A burst card draw and also additional stax nets very good card draw especially early game against combo decks where they like to accelerate to gain more advantage.

Omniscience : Oh yeah this card allows you to do so much plays it is not funny, however most of time you shouldn't be hard-casting this.

Rhystic Study : Early game tax, is early game tax. However tax that gives card draw is much better than early game tax, it gives you answers.

---

Artifacts:

Elixir of Immortality : You need some way to shuffle back your library in case you mill out. The eldrazi titan is not a surefire way, but it is a way.

Scroll Rack : Top deck manipulation at it's finest. When you have more than 20+ cards in hand this will be able to give you enough answers to keep the game in lock.

Sensei's Divining Top : The classic staple, top deck manipulation and filtering is what I like to do best.

Mana Rocks:

Azorious Signet

Gilded Lotus

Sapphire Medallion

Sol Ring

Talisman of Progress

Thought Vessel

---

Instants:

Anticipate : The 3 deep dig is really nice, pretty much another lesser Impulse . Can help you find that card you need.

Blue Sun's Zenith : This deck doesn't rely on the steady card draw, it goes more on burst card draw.

Capsize : The other win-con once you proc infinite mana or when you ult Tamiyo.

Cyclonic Rift : Man it is staples after staples in blue isn't it? The big answer to the board while protecting your own.

Evacuation : This halts a lot of aggro based decks, since it also doesn't target you get much more value against those shrouded or hexproof commanders.

Fact or Fiction : No matter what pile you choose there will always be something good you want to keep, whether it be card draws or even a land.

Impulse : The classic dig spell, lets you go pretty deep in your deck. Should be in any control deck built.

Long-Term Plans : Since I have all the manipulation I can get, having access to a tutor that does not reveal and lets me search for any card in my library is a great boon.

Mindbreak Trap : Against those counterspell wars, and also those cascade players. A very powerful card.

Misdirection : In my meta this card is absolutely amazing. There are many extra turn players, so taking that extra turn for myself is amazing. Gets around Boseiju also!

Mystical Tutor : Should not even have to explain why this should be in the deck, it gives you the ability to answer anything.

Sphinx's Revelation : The premiere burst draw that this deck has, remember that Arbiter's innate static ability already nets you two cards for the price of .

Counterspell Suite (12):

Arcane Denial

Counterspell

Cryptic Command

Dissipate

Foil

Forbid

Mindbreak Trap

Negate

Render Silent

Rewind

Swan Song

Void Shatter

Spot Removal Suite (5)

Capsize

Cryptic Command

Disenchant

Return to Dust

Swords to Plowshares

---

Sorceries:

Merchant Scroll : Having another tutor to gain access to one of my burst card draws or instant spot removal can matter when winning the gain or not.

Temporal Mastery : Gaining that extra turn is always nice, with top deck manipulation you can also choose when you want that extra turn.

Terminus : You have no idea how many times Terminus has saved me in my time of need. Always a great card to have.

Board Wipes: (4)

Austere Command

Day of Judgment

Supreme Verdict

Wrath of God

---

If you have any question or comments please leave a message below on the bottom.

+1 If You Like It!

Top Ranked	Achieved #41 position overall 5 years ago
Date added	9 years
Last updated	5 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	9 - 0 Mythic Rares 39 - 0 Rares 20 - 0 Uncommons 13 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.55
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U
Folders	h, Retired Decks, Possible decks, To Buy, EDH Decks