When I decided to build a casual EDH deck to play with against my friends, I wanted to find a deck that could be competitive, yet was still fun. I had always loved RUG style decks due to the sheer flexibility they had; mana ramp, burn, counter, and Intet was the obvious choice for commander.
The intent of this deck is to build up an early game mana base using some of the small green ramp creatures, Elvish Mystic,
Utopia Tree
, Birds of Paradise, etc, so that you can have the necessary control. The board state is controlled through blue counter spells (Mana Drain, Force of Will, etc.), and red burn spells (Lightning Bolt, Searing Blaze) that keep the small creatures clear on my opponents board. Due to the large amount of ramp, it is possible to have 3 or 4 6/6's out on turn 7, at which point your control spells will pave the way for a win.
The Commander
Intet, the Dreamer
- the granddaddy of all free casters, he can hold back a Counterspell for the opportune moment, or play for the win with a Maelstrom Wanderer/Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, or even ramp your board even more with a land.
The Creatures
Animar, Soul of Elements - can really help to cast some of the big guns (Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, Maelstrom Wanderer, etc), and is also protected from black and white.
Lotus Cobra - I almost always am dropping a land during the first few turns, with sometimes multiple, and this can help to speed up the game a lot.
Balefire Dragon - can act as a boardwipe against an opponent, all around great beater.
Elvish Piper - has the possibility of a turn 5 Kozilek, but can also change the board state every turn with the possibility of two biggies per turn.
Hellkite Charger - one of the big win conditions in this deck, playing him means you will almost certainly win by the next turn.
Kira, Great Glass-Spinner - she can be game-winner in herself, forcing an opponent to keep two Path to Exiles or Doom Blades.
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth - here he is, the big bad monster of the deck, and he can come out on turn 5. You're screwed.
Maelstrom Wanderer - he has cascade. Twice.
Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
+
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
- one of the best win combos ever devised. Also, each Niv-Mizzet is awesome in his own right.
Primeval Titan - the big prime time, the single best creature ramp card ever printed, and he's illegal. Fortunately for me, my group of friends is pretty lax about this and they don't care.
Riku of Two Reflections - another great RUG guy, he can double up a dragon or titan, or he can double burn, or he can do anything.
Thundermaw Hellkite - the last big beater of this deck, he can pave the way for a Hellkite Charger win, or provide some battleground power whenever he comes out.
The Ramp
Axebane and Prime Time already talked about.
Birds of Paradise and
Utopia Tree
- the T1 and T2 preferred plays, will move the game along much quicker.
Bloom Tender - late game crad to set up for a big win cast.
Gyre Sage + Elvish Mystic + Llanowar Elves - adds some G to the mana pool, can pave the way for some better rampers.
Radha, Heir to Keld - great mana choice, RR or G, depends on the situation.
Farseek - the best fetcher in here, can get any of the dual lands or even a basic.
Rampant Growth - there are only 4 basic lands, but they can be mana changers.
Exploration - very helpful early game, can empty a hand full of lands quickly, and will help against double land draws.
Xenagos, the Reveler - every turn adds more and more mana, then tutors for the win, all around amazing card.
Sol Ring + Chromatic Lantern - the three EDH artifact necessities. Always helps get the win quicker.
The Burn
Bonfire of the Damned - a damned good burn, the miracle is an utter bomb.
Incendiary Command - very versatile spell, can rework your hand and/or burn the opponent.
Red Sun's Zenith
- great early game removal and late game win.
Rolling Earthquake
- it's essentially a Bonfire miracle every time, but you also get hit. Great for a mid to late game attack if you have nothing on the board.
Comet Storm - all around powerhouse, board removal/ targeted removal.
Fling - an odd card, but well worth it, if I have an overflow of creatures, this can help to get a much quicker damage.
Lightning Bolt - the single best burn card ever printed, output per CMC is unmatched.
Searing Blaze - with a constant fetchland approach, playing a land is almost guaranteed, and 6 damage for 2 red is always welcome.
Warstorm Surge - great spell to play the turn before a big beater, can be a win condition in itself.
Counter Magic
Complicate + Condescend + Logic Knot + Mana Leak - all variations of the same idea, forcing your opponent to pay more, with some scrying, delving, and other aspects mixed in.
Counterspell - your basic counter, low CMC, nothing fancy.
Mana Drain - (the wallet drain) this card is Counterspell on steroids, 2 blue, counters, then adds some mana, WAY OP.
Cryptic Command - one of the most fun counters to play, you can counter, draw, tap, or Unsummon, however you like.
Dissipate + Dissolve - equal CMC, both counter, one scry's. the other exiles.
Force of Will - the go to blue counter, you can play with no mana for a little cost, or you can play with an excess of mana for a large cost.
Rewind - if the mana is on hand, it is just as it says, ultimate denial of a dream.
Draw Engine
Serum Visions - you can tutor from the top of your deck, or go below for the draw, but there are three choices for 1 blue.
Blue Sun's Zenith - the all blue Sphinx's Revelation, but it can be recycled.
Brainstorm - similar to Serum Visions, this card allows you to tutor which cards to draw and when, but now you can move a large part of your hand around.
Curiosity - pairs well with any flying creature, can win the game when paired as Curiosity + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
.
Future Sight - epic late game card that basically adds another card to your hand.
Enter the Infinite + Omniscience
- the expensive, ultra-high CMC combo that wins the game very single frickin' time. You draw and play every creature, artifact, and enchantment, then win.
The Other Cards
Birthing Pod - sweet creature tutor, can build up the board every turn.
Lightning Greaves - attach to a big creature when you cast them, then win.
Sword of Feast and Famine - combos well with Hellkite Charger for unlimited attacks. (Hellkite Charger + Sword of Feast and Famine
.
Asceticism - hexproofs all of your creatures and can regenerate any of them.
Jace, Architect of Thought - his ultimate is a game winner, you can play any card from another person's library, for FREE.
Kiora, the Crashing Wave - once you hit her ultimate, she wins the game with the sheer amount of damage output.
