Mind Games

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Legality

Format Legality
1v1 Commander Legal
Archenemy Legal
Canadian Highlander Legal
Casual Legal
Commander / EDH Legal
Commander: Rule 0 Legal
Custom Legal
Duel Commander Legal
Highlander Legal
Legacy Legal
Leviathan Legal
Limited Legal
Oathbreaker Legal
Pauper Legal
Pauper Duel Commander Legal
Pauper EDH Legal
Planechase Legal
Premodern Legal
Quest Magic Legal
Tiny Leaders Legal
Vanguard Legal
Vintage Legal

Rules Q&A

Mind Games

Instant

Buyback (2)(Blue) (You may pay an additional (2)(Blue) as you play this spell. If you do, put this card into your hand as it resolves.)

Tap target artifact, creature, or land.

multimedia on Braids & her Interdimensional Friends

1 year ago

Hey, thanks for all the upvotes at my decks.

Nice start for mono blue and interesting Commander who I don't see played much. You have 101 cards, Desolation Twin could be cut to make 100. It's a much worse Eldrazi then the others.

Your deck could be less price, it's not overpriced garbage, but you could cut the price in half and it would be just as good. Three of the most expensive price cards here are Blightsteel, Ulamog and Betrays, but without more protection, counterspells and some more haste these creatures can be subpar to cheat with Braids because they don't give you value unless they can attack. Each of these creatures is a must kill by opponents. If you don't get to attack the first turn you give your opponents an entire cycle of turns to find an answer which in multiplayer Commander is a lot time. Treasure Mage is another creature who can tutor for Blightsteel.


Consider some more lower mana cost hard counterspells such as Arcane Denial and some creatures who can protect such as Spellskite? Protecting Braids is not as important as protecting what you cheat onto the battlefield because opponents are getting value from Braids too. More one mana instant protection is helpful such as Stubborn Denial and Slip Out the Back which is phasing and it's powerful with Braids.

Swiftfoot Boots is a lesser Greaves, but still fine and wanted in blue that doesn't have haste options. Akroma's Memorial is more price, but it's a big artifact to cheat with Braids that helps to setup other big creatures since it gives haste as well as other attacking abilities. Might also want to play Tribute Mage because can tutor for Greaves.

If you play Blightsteel, Ulamog and Betrays also consider playing some big creatures who give you value without attacking such as Hullbreaker Horror and Tidespout Tyrant? Each are much less price and can pack a punch without attacking. With Braids you'll have mana open to cast spells after your upkeep, use this mana for protection while also getting value from each spell you cast.

Bounce the permanents that your opponents cheat with Braids because the first turns cycle opponents get to trigger Braids before you. Bounce your own clones to clone something else or them. Both of these creatures when you control two them can infinite combo with Sol Ring. Bounce your own creatures who draw to cast or cheat them to draw again. Bouncing Braids can be a smart strategy because sometimes you don't want to give opponents the upkeep trigger and maybe you don't need the trigger.


Phasing, when you can control when a creature phases out is a busted effect with Braids. Vanishing can repeatedly protect Braids if you need that or deny your opponents her trigger because of how phasing works, only phasing in at your untap step. With Vanishing you can phase out Braids at any time or after your upkeep trigger which skips all your opponents upkeeps. It also protects her from opponent's sorcery board wipes which are plentiful in multiplayer Commander. You don't have to phase out Braids, but having the option can be helpful and you can politic with it by letting one opponent have the upkeep trigger and skipping the rest.

A phased out creature also phases out all auras/equipment that's attached to it, Vanishing is protected from removal when Braids is phased out. Vodalian Illusionist can also repeatedly phase out Braids. Combine phase out with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir to protect during your turn especially any hasty creatures you cheat with Braids. If you can get Teferi down before you cast Braids then you can flash Braids in before your upkeep to trigger her before your opponents.


Consider more draw especially from creatures such as Nezahal, Primal Tide or artifacts such as The Magic Mirror that Braids can cheat? Nezahal is Mystic Remora which is excellent in multiplayer Commander with a big body who can protect itself. With Mirror you can stack the upkeep triggers to draw before Braids trigger. Mulldrifter is a budget creature for draw who can also be easily cast and is a nice target to clone/create token or bounce.

Braids is a Wizard you could take advantage of some Wizard only effects such as Azami, Lady of Scrolls can repeatedly draw two cards by tapping her and Braids. Galecaster Colossus can repeatedly bounce two nonland permanents opponents cheated with Braids. Riptide Laboratory can repeatedly bounce Braids. Combine this effect with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir to deny your opponents Braids triggers by flash cast her at last opponent's end step and then after your upkeep bounce her with Riptide. Teferi is also a Wizard.

Vedalken AEthermage can Wizardcycle to get any Wizard including Orvar, the All-Form who does count as a Wizard while in your library/hand/graveyard. Vodalian Illusionist is also a Wizard. Wizard's Retort is Counterspell with Braids.


I like the secondary strategy of cloning your own or opponents permanents and/or gaining control of your opponents permanents that they cheat with Braids. You could expand on this strategy with Agent of Treachery, who is more price, but he can gain control of any permanent. He's also not legendary making him an excellent clone/create token target since the more of him you have the easier to control three permanents you don't own to then repeatedly draw. He's a good target to bounce because you don't lose the permanent you gained control of. Clever Impersonator can clone any nonland permanent.

Instants with buyback that target such as Mind Games and Capsize are good with Orvar, the All-Form to repeatedly trigger it. Capsize can be a win condition when you create infinite blue mana which mono blue is quite good at doing. If you want go this route you wouldn't have to add very many cards. In fact Orvar + Peregrine Drake + any buyback instant that targets is a combo for infinite blue mana from Islands as well as infinite Drake tokens as a potential win condition.


Consider more ramp? You're playing a lot of high CMC spells that you're counting on Braids to cheat them, but if you don't control Braids then more ramp could help to cast these spells. More ramp can also help to be able to cast Braids and have mana up for instant interaction the turn you play her.

High Tide is a favorite of mono blue since it's only one mana and playing so many Islands. Caged Sun with or without Braids can help to repeatedly cast almost any spell. Combine Tide/Sun with a draw spell such as Pull from Tomorrow or Blue Sun's Zenith to draw a lot of cards at instant speed, giving you a lot of options of permanents to cheat with Braids.

Good luck with your deck.

lagotripha on

2 years ago

This looks fine - commander is a more casual format, so there is a lot less pressure on what you must play. I'd look at only spending money on commander staples and filling out the rest from magic history. You've got 25 spots or so left, and some bigger spells and mana rocks will fill most of that.

Sol Ring, Clockspinning, Mind Games and mana rocks is the only thing I look and think 'must include'- being able to clone rocks with Orvar and reuse spells makes them a lot more important in a format they already like. Capsize is a neat option, but here the 1 mana stuff that leaves it on the board is better, so its not essential.

The higher mana curve is important to remember - the expectation to pay 6+ mana creatures and spells means that there are a lot of sweet options - most of them budget.

Its all about what feels best to play with your playgroup. Not everyone likes abrupt mono blue 'I win the game' setups, but orvar lets you mess around with stuff like AEtherling in a far more casual way too. Use judgement.

Its important to remember that while a lot of clone effects revolve around creatures, Orvar can make The Mirari Conjecture or similar enchantments/artifacts/planswalkers/lands go pretty wild. This means if you want to do the silliest of combos, stuff like Arcane Melee,Cowardice or Dismiss into Dream lets you massively misuse a spells-and-permanents matter deck.

Piglord98 on I'm gonna get DMCA'd original

2 years ago

Seems like a missed opportunity not running Mind Games, its a card that is really in theme and is reusable if need be. Whim of Volrath is another card that can fit with a slightly lower buyback cost. Though it is rather pricey and it does not have possible use on an opponent's permanent.

Snake_Oil on All-Form One, One-Form All [Orvar Goodstuff]

3 years ago

NivMizzet04

Powerstone Shard is a good idea, though at 3 it's a bit expensive in terms of mana cost. Cloudpost at least doesn't cost anything to play though less spells can target it. It's absolutely worth considering though for big mana.

Clockspinning is simply there as a buyback spell, the counter effect won't occur, but the spell can still be cast and target a permanent for Orvar's effect. Same with Whim of Volrath and Mind Games -- Those do have some fringe usages for their actual effects, but both are more there as trigger spells to make tokens. The Cipher spells are in similar space, you're not casting them for their actual effects 9 times out of 10, you cast them for the tokens.

CJPlayer90 on Orvar, the All-Form. Theft and Control.

3 years ago

Danelogburke Thanks. Thats actually a better Mind Games for this deck.

Regoober on Not exactly in the eye of the storm.

4 years ago

I love your decklist, I love your playbook, I love this take. It's a hot take. I was about to suggest a bunch of BS about cards that would make it look more every go-infinite Najeela Warrior Ball Deck, but you can just EDHREC that. I will suggest Cryptolith Rite because its budget Druids' Repository and Earthcraft , and dorks is the key to the deck, so why not dork out hard? (Also, I don't know if your win strategy necessarily needs Najeela online, but that is the most obvious).

What I want to do is talk about abusing your untap enchants. I have a lot of experience with Intruder Alarm , but this thing with the Jeskai Ascendancy : magnificent. Didn't this idea get a little play in standard? Anyway.

Intruder Alarm first: Cheap creatures that bounce themselves like Shrieking Drake or Man-o'-War or Dream Stalker . There's Stonecloaker and Whitemane Lion in white, too. Green has Temur Sabertooth which is super nasty for saving other creatures as well as completing your loop. Great with ETB Triggers.

Jeskai Ascendancy is what I'm really excited about. I've never brewed with this card, but it's got huge potential. You have enough colors and sources to make this one really sparkle. There's buyback cards: Capsize , Elvish Fury , Fanning the Flames , Haze of Rage , Mind Games maybe, Sprout Swarm Definitely (works with Intruder Alarm, too), and many lesser ones. Another Tempest-theme comes in the form of a cycle of Aura Crown of Flames , Shimmering Wings , Whip Silk , and Flickering Ward . The last two are playable (you can make a lot of green and usually white with creatures?), but a lot of this means you have to be hitting at least one strange mana color. I would consider looking at some of the "any color" dorks or Gemstone Array Effects. (That's the best one because it's a battery, too.) ... Priest of Titania ...

I would get my draw from creatures. Beast Whisperer is my dude right now. There's elves and wizards that etb trigger with draw (which would be good to bounce and storm off with, too) and would synergize with tribal cards you are running if they're just lame ducks after being played.

If you want your jank to really clank, consider some more tutors, too. I'm thinking cheaper Enlightened Tutor , Mystical Tutor , Worldly Tutor , Gamble ... I guess that's not too cheap, but way cheaper Vampiric Tutor or Grim Tutor . The reveal might be too much information in your play group, though, so I could see leaving them out.

Also, While researching for this deck, I came across Sunscape Master and Banishing Knack Who I think have been hoping for this deck forever.

All that, I just love this mashup. do whatever. I can't wait to see how you evolve this.

jessedictor on Phelddagrif Group Hug

4 years ago

I'm assuming you:

Route 1) Stength Draw with Worse Creature Tempo

Cut cards that are good tempo plays but otherwise don't help you win by drawing cards. The idea is that you draw into Approach of the Second Sun , cast it, and then trigger your draw abilities to be able to cast it again very quickly. I assume this deck isn't trying to be super competitive. I added a little recursion for toolbox, while still being group hug.

Cut

Add

Side Note: I really don't like Sunscorch Regent but I get why he's in the deck as part of a wincon. I just feel Toothy, Imaginary Friend and Pir, Imaginative Rascal are very similar and provide much more to the deck in an obvious way, but they cost $8 as a pair so I didn't want to formally recommend them.

Have Simic Ascendancy , cast Toothy, Imaginary Friend and Pir, Imaginative Rascal , draw 5 cards with in game triggers which puts 10 on toothy which puts 20 on Simic Ascendancy .

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