Archaeomancer Eternal Witness style effect, more narrow in scope but an instant or sorcery is usually my preferred target anyways. Can be returned with Riptide Laboratory/Chulane, Teller of Tales/Cloudstone Curio/Equilibrium in a pinch or used for an expensive but convenient instant/sorcery recursion loop.
Barrin, Tolarian Archmage wonderful value engine early game with things like Wood Elves and Niambi, Esteemed Speaker. Generally sorcery speed bounce that delightfully hits planeswalkers as well. In this build, proccing that secondary ability is remarkably easy if you can allow yourself to lean into it.
Consecrated Sphinx Wing, cards, usually used to soak removal before a better play. Amazing Rite of Replication target for absolute shenanigans
Craterhoof Behemoth Hoofta does hoofta things. Slapping him down multiple turns via Chulane, Teller of Tales or even Sublime Epiphany will make even a modest board lethal…slapping him down 3 or 4 times in the same turn is too good to pass up sometimes. Arguably too good, but I need a way to end the story after I’ve prattled on long enough.
Deadeye Navigator Bounce abuse/evasion/protection for whatever I decide to SB him to. Eternal Witness, Duplicant, Fiend Hunter (to perma exile nonsense), etc. Combos/synergy for days and he comes with a decent body as well. Protects my entire field from spot removal and with my usually ridiculous mana pool, the shenanigans never cease.
Duplicant Exile based removal, possibly large bodied, copy abuse/flicker abuse out the wazoo, and I pulled a masterpiece of this guy so its fate.
Elvish Rejuvenator A well costed land dig, steer into them with a well placed Sylvan Library setup for max appeal. More often than not they net me dual lands which feel better than a Farhaven Elf trigger.
Eternal Witness Always remember to treat yourself. This etb is the crux of the style of soft loops the deck can unleash. Evacuation + Eternal Witness causes a soft lockdown for the low low sum of 8 mana for as long as you want to essentially. Cryptic Command or Sublime Epiphany also can be utterly backbreaking. It is always a boon to flash this lady in with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, Winding Canyons, or Alchemist's Refuge so you can get around responses or lead into an untap for Deadeye Navigator/Niambi, Esteemed Speaker/Chulane, Teller of Tales tempo plays.
Fiend Hunter If you flicker or bounce this bad boy while his first ETB trigger is on the stack it will perma-exile the target before the second ability can resolve. With 6 up we can do this every turn with Chulane, Teller of Tales in a vacuum.
Frilled Mystic Catch All Counter dork that is a wizard. NEXT.
Glen Elendra Archmage amazing dig/value when paired with The Great Henge. Sometimes its nice to play this on a fairly empty board and just have the U:protect my next play available X2. Riptide Laboratory lets you soft loop this set of annoying wings as much as you want if you can’t get that Chulane to stick.
God-Eternal Oketra brings a 4/4 vig zombie playmate for each dork I play. Allowing me some actual combat threat and defense. Her exileproof/deathproof nature makes her a welcome card to play into and reset with after a wipe. Having her out with Chulane, Teller of Tales makes each creature I play net me a card, likely a land, and a 4/4 with vig. Bonkers.
Greenwarden of Murasa see Eternal Witness. Has a pretty darn nice body, if you are into plant bois. My favorite thing to do with this guy is recur Sublime Epiphany or Rite of Replication repeatedly and just create and army of em to brute force my way to victory.
Hydroid Krasis CARDS. LIFE. SNEK. Returning this to hand for a deep dig whenever you want to or utilizing it as a big beater when your hand is flush.
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse Nets me free bodies on my turn, possibly on each of my opponents’ turns as well. Her activated ability can shut out games, especially if I’ve been unchecked and have an army of bears with even an unamped 7 card hand. Pair with Kruphix, God of Horizons or Reliquary Tower for huge buff dorks. Just a little repeatable pocket Craterhoof Behemoth that is a value dork early game.
Knight of Autumn Usually used for lifegain or artifact/enchant removal. In a pinch Rite of Replication into an army of 4/3s after a wipe is still perfectly fine.
Kruphix, God of Horizons Papa himself. The spirit of the first version of this deck. King of pass/go magics. Lets me generate a huge hand or stockpile mana for giant plays.
Meddling Mage Stall out threatening commanders early game, bounce to hand and name an x spell or combo piece after an enemy tutors, oh and she’s a wizard. Clutch meta piece that will get groans every time it hits the board but hey at least its not GAAIV.
Mystic Snake Catch all counter on a body that isn’t a wizard. NEXT
Niambi, Esteemed Speaker all the life, all the durdle recursion. VERY RARELY useful activated ability. Protects your pieces, sets up the next volley of plays, steers into Barrin, Tolarian Archmage value quite well.
Restoration Angel She fly, she protecc, she flash. Versatile flash dorks are quite welcome topdecks at any point in the game.
Seedborn Muse Sets up ridiculous flash plays and gives us access to Chulane, Teller of Tales bounce on every other person’s turn. This is where I’d put my Prophet of Kruphix if fate weren’t cruel.
Selfless Squire The bane of punchy decks and storm decks alike. Being able to recur this dork and slap it down every/any turn you want to feels amazing. Occasionally netting a big beefer beater as a consolation prize can hardly be ignored.
Solemn Simulacrum We still don’t know why this bot is so sad, he nets so much value.
Stonecloaker Free real estate. He can spot remove pesky recursion targets in other graveyards and target himself with the return clause…all while having flash. Essentially a cantrip every turn with the right setup and Chulane, Teller of Tales out. My meta is extremely grave reliant so a little targeted hate is always good.
Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir Makes my spells uncounterable, grants my creatures flash, and allows me to set up uninterrupted on my turn. Using someone’s end step to flash him and a dork in to set up recursion loops once my turn starts is his modus operandi.
Temur Sabertooth My meta is wipe heavy. This protective dork laughs at wipes all while acting as a slower Deadeye Navigator when the indestructible clause isn’t needed. Decent body when paired with the indestructible too.
Thassa, God of the Sea fixes my draws early game, forces big damage through late game. One of my favorite cards to see in an opening hand.
Thragtusk helps mitigate some of the punches that land on me early game, nets big life with Deadeye Navigator or niambi, esteemed healer and even leaves a body when it gets removed.
Torrential Gearhulk BIG SNAPPY with the added bonus of casting a spell for free. Interrupts some of my counter loops but usually it was absolutely necessary if I dropped him.
Venser, Shaper Savant repeatable Unsubstantiate on a body. Pair with Deadeye Navigator to lose friends. Fits the partial wizard tribe, therefore can be utterly abused with Riptide Laboratory. 7 mana counter/bounce slows down the game really hard, people just stop playing until they can bait it properly half the time.
Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger doubles my mana/sleeps theirs. Big booty. Easily protected in this shell. I prefer utilizing him and hoofta strats instead of doing infinite mana strats with Palinchron or Peregrine Drake.
Wood Elves gets me Duals and is generally welcome in every hand.