Guide to Modern Deck: Azorius Spirits
Azorius Spirits is an aggressive tempo deck in Modern that leverages disruptive creatures and synergistic tribal effects to control the game and swiftly defeat opponents. Here’s a guide to understanding and playing this deck effectively:
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Deck Overview:
Azorius Spirits focuses on deploying evasive Spirit creatures quickly while protecting them with disruptive spells. The deck aims to pressure opponents early with its aggressive creatures and maintain control through counterspells and removal.
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Key Cards:
Aether Vial: Accelerates deployment of your Spirit creatures and bypasses counterspells.
Mausoleum Wanderer: One-drop Spirit that grows stronger with other Spirits and counters opposing spells.
Spell Queller: Temporarily removes a spell from the stack while providing a flying body.
Supreme Phantom: Lord effect that boosts all your Spirits, enhancing their power and toughness.
Skyclave Apparition: Provides versatile removal by exiling any nonland permanent with converted mana cost 4 or less.
Rattlechains: Protects your Spirits from removal and gives them flash, enabling surprise plays.
Drogskol Captain: Provides hexproof to your Spirits, making them difficult to target with spells or abilities.
Unsettled Mariner: Offers protection by taxing opponents who target your creatures or spells.
3. Game Plan:
Early Game: Use Aether Vial to cheat creatures into play and start applying pressure with evasive creatures like Mausoleum Wanderer and Supreme Phantom.
Mid Game: Deploy disruptive creatures such as Spell Queller and Skyclave Apparition to control the board and hinder opponents' game plan.
Late Game: Maintain tempo advantage with Rattlechains and Drogskol Captain. Close out the game with evasive attacks from buffed Spirits.
4. Sideboard Guide:
Against Aggro: Bring in cards like Consign to Memory for lifegain and removal, or Deafening Silence to slow down spell-heavy decks.
Against Control: Include Kira, Great Glass-Spinner to protect your creatures from targeted removal, and Surge of Salvation for additional threats.
Against Combo: Use Surgical Extraction to disrupt combo pieces or Rest in Peace to exile graveyards and hinder graveyard-based strategies.
5. Play Tips:
Mana Efficiency: Use Aether Vial effectively to deploy creatures at instant speed and avoid counterspells.
Timing: Hold back creatures with flash (like Rattlechains) to surprise opponents and protect key creatures.
Creature Management: Prioritize protecting your key Spirits like Drogskol Captain to maintain board presence and evasion.
6. Practice and Adaptation:
Azorius Spirits rewards practice and familiarity with Modern matchups. Adapt your sideboard strategy based on local metagame trends and opponent strategies to maximize your chances of success.
By mastering the synergy between Spirit creatures, disruptive elements, and efficient mana usage, you can pilot Azorius Spirits to victory in Modern, overwhelming opponents with swift, evasive threats and strategic disruption.
