Your Soul, IS MINE! *PRIMER*

Commander / EDH Casual Clone Control Mono-Blue Multiplayer

NV_1980

Artifact (22)

• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Blackblade Reforged
• 1x Blade of Selves
• 1x Caged Sun
• 1x Champion's Helm
• 1x Commander's Plate
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Jeweled Lotus
• 1x MImic Vat
• 1x Mirage Mirror
• 1x Mox Opal
• 1x Nyx Lotus
• 1x Sapphire Medallion
• 1x Scroll Rack
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Shadowspear
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sword of Feast and Famine
• 1x Sword of Light and Shadow
• 1x Sword of War and Peace
• 1x Thought Vessel
• 1x Thran Dynamo

Enchantment (9)

• 1x Control Magic
• 1x Extravagant Replication
• 1x Followed Footsteps
• 1x Mirror Mockery
• 1x Mystic Remora
• 1x Propaganda
• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Steal Enchantment
• 1x Treachery

Land (35)

• 1x Academy Ruins
• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Arcane Lighthouse
• 1x Blast Zone
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Halimar Depths
• 22x Island
• 1x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
• 1x Polluted Delta
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Seat of the Synod
• 1x War Room

Creature (11)

• 1x Agent of Treachery
• 1x Clever Impersonator
• 1x Cryptoplasm
• 1x Empress Galina
• 1x Gilded Drake
• 1x Phantasmal Image
• 1x Phyrexian Metamorph
• 1x Renegade Doppelganger
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Steel Hellkite
• 1x Thalakos Deceiver

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Tezzeret the Seeker

Commander (1)

Instant (13)

• 1x AEtherize
• 1x Arcane Denial
• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Cackling Counterpart
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cryptic Command
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Fated Infatuation
• 1x Fierce Guardianship
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Mystical Tutor
• 1x Polymorphist's Jest
• 1x Swan Song

Sorcery (8)

• 1x Bribery
• 1x Curse of the Swine
• 1x Fabricate
• 1x Inevitable Betrayal
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Preordain
• 1x Quasiduplicate
• 1x Stolen Identity

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Welcome to Your Soul IS MINE {U}!

Hi there! Welcome to the primer of my mono-blue aikido deck, commanded by Keiga, the Tide Star. It has been designed to bank on Keiga’s death trigger that will allow for the theft of opposing, creature-like toys one happens to desire. I play this deck in casual formats. It’s not meant to be used in a competitive fashion, but of course I welcome anyone to try! Feel free to comment on anything you (dis)like throughout this primer; I hope you will enjoy it!

Why Keiga?

Creatures and spells that capture stuff are typically either expensive to cast/use or their applicability is limited. At first glance, Keiga, the Tide Star seems to belong to category one. If left to herself, this would certainly be the case. Yet there are cheap ways to copy Keiga, and make use of her death-trigger time after time. This is where her true strength lies. It also makes her an unlikely target for assassination; unless someone is willing to lose a creature over that. Finally, let’s not forget, that she’s a 5/5 flyer; so a tough creature to deal with.

Strengths and Weaknesses

I use the following ten parameters to determine the strength of the deck. For each, I allocate a score of 5 (very good), 4 (good), 3 (mediocre), 2 (bad) or 1 (very bad); when totalized this score represents the power rating of the deck (maximum score is 50 points).

• Mana: indicates the availability of mana sources within the deck.
• Ramp: indicates the speed at which mana sources within the deck can be made available.
• Card Advantage: indicates availability of filter- and draw resources represented within the deck.
• Overall speed: indicates the deck’s potential for pace, based on resource availability and mana curve.
• Combo: indicates the measure of combo-orientation of the deck.
• Army: indicates the deck’s creature-army strength.
• Commander: indicates how much the deck is commander-oriented/dependent (less dependency is better).
• Interaction: indicates how much this deck can mess with opponents’ board states and turn-phases.
• Resilience: indicates whether the deck can prevent and take punches.
• Spellpower: indicates the availability and strength of high-impact spells.

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Mana: 3

Nine artifact mana sources have been included in this deck, to provide some additional juice next to the deck’s lands. One card that will double my available blue mana and a resource that will allow me to cast blue spells cheaper have also been included.

Ramp: 1

Ramping options have not been added to this deck.

Card Advantage: 5

The most important objective of this deck is to create card/resource advantage in such a way that it’s directly detrimental to my opposition’s board-state; in other words, by stealing. Some spells will enable this in a very direct way (nine cards) while many others will do so in an indirect way by relying on the copying of Keiga (sixteen cards). Aside from the deck’s primary mode of attack, it allows for some direct draw/filtering options (nine cards) and some tutoring (three cards).

Overall speed: 3

Rocks and card advantage this deck has aplenty; no ramping options though. Still, the deck’s average CMC isn’t high so with these resources at hand, I can expect at least to coax a decent measure of speed out of it.

Combo: 2

This deck features a lot of synergy; over half the deck’s card content is focused on accomplishing its main strategy. However, it does not feature much (if anything) in terms of (infinite-)combos.

Army: 2

For mono-blue, this deck features an average amount of creatures. The bulk of them are focused on copying and stealing. The combat power the deck can produce depends to a great degree on the power its (combined) opposition can produce.

Commander: 3

Utilizing Keiga absolutely brings out the best of this deck’s capabilities. However, copying/stealing my opponents’ strongest stuff might in some cases be enough to win the day as well.

Interaction: 5

Stealing means messing with my opponents’ boardstate, to my immediate advantage. Aside from nine direct stealing opportunities, any cloning ability (of which there are a lot of in this deck) combined with Keiga, results in similar opportunities for me. In case this doesn’t mess enough with my opponents’ capabilities, almost a dozen other spells have been included to counter, bounce, exile, destroy or even transform their stuff.

Resilience: 3

This deck doesn’t need much to bounce back from anyone trying to use a serious counter-strategy against mine; just Keiga and something to copy her with. In cases that don’t present anything suitable to copy, I’ll just arm my dragon with some equipment and go to town on the opposition. I’ve included seven pieces that make her almost impervious to harm.

Spellpower: 4

Almost half of this deck's offensive power resides in spells focussed on countering opposing spells, capturing opposing spells and creating tokens in a lot of different ways.

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Total power score: 31

In terms of power, I score this deck as slightly above average. It has an average speed compared to single-color decks. It’s an aggressive deck in that it will have a substantial impact on what opponents will play from the mid-game and onwards. Its offensive capabilities go hand-in-hand with its defensive capabilities and for a number of these, having Keiga around is key.

General strategy

This deck wins by using my opponents' creatures against them; either by stealing or by copying them. my most reliable path to successful thievery lies in the copying of Keiga, which triggers the legend-rule and forces the destruction of either Keiga or the copy (I usually choose the copy as re-summoning Keiga becomes incrementally more expensive). The creature’s destruction activates its death-trigger and allows for a theft. Aside from a number of shapeshifting creatures, this deck contains ways to produce Keiga-copies on an industrial scale. Then there are stealing-enablers that can function independently and a whole host of card-advantage-, counter- and exile options that can be used to rake in a win. The use of Keiga really empowers this deck; summoning and copying her early is recommended.

Some decks, like control and weenie-token decks will offer little for me to steal. In such cases I’ll revert to the deck’s secondary attack-mode, which either involves copying the creatures from other decks or using Keiga’s commander-damage to take out opponents (augmented by some equipment).

Starting hand

At least three cards in the starting hand ought to be lands (or two lands and a Mox Opal, Sol Ring, Sky Diamond, Arcane Signet or Sapphire Medallion). This is a must; we’re not going to start a game without this hand (even if I have to mulligan down to three cards). The ideal hand would also contain some additional ramp and/or low-cost draw options.

Early game

The objective of the early game is to prepare to cast Keiga, as she is the deck’s go-to thief. While finding and casting resources, the deck is played reactionary. Early aggression is bounced/countered/exiled/inhibited in some other way. Quick attacks can be countered by using some of my cloning abilities.

Resources like Arcane Signet, Mox Opal, Sapphire Medallion, Sky Diamond, Sol Ring and Thought Vessel need to be cast asap. While doing so, I aim to use cheap draw/filter options like Brainstorm, Mystic Remora, Ponder, Preordain, Scroll Rack and Sensei's Divining Top in order to quickly get to the cards I need. Game-determining spells cast by opponents will be nipped in the bud with Arcane Denial, Fierce Guardianship, Counterspell, Mana Drain, Rewind or Swan Song. Opposing creatures that bring early aggression can be subdued by Propaganda. I can also copy some of the aggressors and use them as blockers. Options for that include Cryptoplasm, Phantasmal Image and Phyrexian Metamorph. I can even attempt to steal something exceedingly powerful with Gilded Drake.

Mid- and End game

It is time to start stealing in earnest, which means I will summon Keiga, the Tide Star at the earliest convenience. Ideally, I want methods in place that will allow me to start producing copies of her on an industrial scale. I can use the creatures mentioned in the ‘Early game’ section as well as cards that will allow me to create multiple copies over time like Blade of Selves, Followed Footsteps, Mirror Mockery and Stolen Identity.

Independent thievery methods should now become available too. I have many options to choose from on this front, but amongst my favorites are Agent of Treachery, Bribery, Desertion, Empress Galina and Treachery. Stolen property will be put to good use attacking (or otherwise damaging) my opposition.

Combos and synergies

• Keiga, the Tide Star + Blade of Selves: this gets pretty hilarious when playing multiple opponents. I can generate a Keiga for each one by attacking. The Legend-rule kills off all of them (save the one with Blade) and I get to steal an amount of creatures equal to the amount of opponents Keiga attacked.
• Keiga, the Tide Star + Mirage Mirror/Phyrexian Metamorph + Academy Ruins: I make a copy of Keiga. Then, I let the legend-rule kill off the copy. Last but not least, I put the copy on top of my library with Ruins.

Card Choices - mainboard

Lands

My reliable sources of mana, and some utility:

• Academy Ruins: a great facilitator to recur the deck’s artifacts.
• Ancient Tomb: helps to get some important cards (like artifact mana rocks) onto the battlefield a little earlier.
• Arcane Lighthouse: this helps me to steal creatures even when they start out with an immunity to targeted spells.
• Blast Zone: able to kill off a lot of opposing permanents, in case this is required.
• Flooded Strand/Misty Rainforest/Polluted Delta/Scalding Tarn: in here as filters.
• Halimar Depths: acts as a one-time filter when it enters the battlefield.
• Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: staple land in a single-color, permanent-rich deck, in which it is easy to reach high levels of devotion to the deck’s color.
• Reliquary Tower: combines well with the card-advantage this deck can generate.
• Seat of the Synod: helps to obtain metalcraft for Mox Opal.
• War Room: another little draw resource.

Rocks & Mana Acceleration

The cards I use to accelerate mana-availability:

• Arcane Signet: a nice, cheap to cast mana rock that gets me {U} for tapping.
• Caged Sun: allows me to tap islands for {U}{U} and empowers my creatures to boot!
• Gilded Lotus: solid mana rock that can be tapped for {U}{U}{U}.
• Mox Opal: CMC0 that gets me a mana of any color on tapping IF I can achieve metalcraft.
• Nyx Lotus: a mana rock that works very well in a permanent-rich deck; offers even better returns than Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx as it doesn’t require mana to activate.
• Sapphire Medallion: cheapens every blue spell in this deck by 1.
• Sky Diamond: small mana rock that can provide {U}.
• Sol Ring: a CMC1 artifact that comes into play untapped and grants 2 colorless when tapped; almost the best turn 1 start-up card anyone could wish for.
• Solemn Simulacrum: helps me to search for a land and draws me a card when killed.
• Thought Vessel: not in here for the mana primarily, but for the unlimited hand-size it grants.
• Thran Dynamo: a solid mana-rock that can be tapped for three colorless mana.

Draw, Scry and Tutor

The mechanisms that provide me with card advantage:

• Brainstorm: very versatile draw/filter card for just {U}.
• Fabricate: makes finding important artifacts (like MImic Vat) a lot easier.
• Mystic Remora: no-one pays the taxes levied by this enchantment, so it’s guaranteed to generate a bunch of additional draw.
• Mystical Tutor: great tool to search for instant/sorcery win-conditions.
• Ponder/Preordain: neat little filtering/draw spells that are cheap to cast.
• Rhystic Study: people hate being taxed, and I are banking on that hate!
• Scroll Rack: lets me increase my hand-size, allowing for more casting choices.
• Sensei's Divining Top: cheap filtering and draw in a single artifact; by far one of the most common cards to be seen in EDH and a staple in any draw-deck.

Counter, Disruption & Inhibition

The way in which I say ‘No!’ to my opponents:

• AEtherize: opponents with a large (token) army are in serious trouble.
• Arcane Denial: sometimes it pays off to have someone draw instead of casting something nasty. And to top it off, I get to draw a card too.
• Counterspell: run of the mill c-spells.
• Cryptic Command: multifunctional counter/draw/bounce spell that adapts to whatever scenario I need it in.
• Curse of the Swine: you’re all PIGS! PIGS!
• Cyclonic Rift: the best bounce-spell ever in MTG; I use this it defensively.
• Fierce Guardianship: potentially free counterspell.
• Polymorphist's Jest: enables my spells/abilities to affect even creatures that start out with an immunity to targeted spells.
• Mana Drain: not just a counter, but a mana source!
• Propaganda: taxing opposing attacks is a great way to keep myself from getting hit.
• Steel Hellkite: a massively effective army killer, as long as I can damage an opponent.
• Swan Song: cheap-to-cast counter (with a negligible drawback).

Cloning

Where there was one, there are now more:

• Blade of Selves: equipped to Keiga, the Tide Star, this artifact can ensure an ability to steal as many creatures as I have opponents with a single attack.
• Cackling Counterpart/Quasiduplicate: copies one of my creatures and (potentially) again from the graveyard.
• Clever Impersonator: as this copies any permanent, I usually do not use it to copy Keiga but a mana-, draw- or utility card instead.
• Cryptoplasm: one of the most undervalued copiers. Can be used over and over every upkeep to copy different creatures. Also has a decent base power/toughness score for its casting cost.
• Extravagant Replication: a great predictable copier for Keiga.
• Fated Infatuation: copies something I control (like Keiga) and allows for scrying.
• Followed Footsteps: grants me a free copy during every upkeep; ideal enchantment for Keiga.
• Inevitable Betrayal: cheap copying that is cast on delay.
• MImic Vat: great for recurring copy-creatures from the graveyard.
• Mirror Image/Renegade Doppelganger: cheap spells to create copies of a creature on my side of the battlefield; ideally suited to make copies of Keiga.
• Mirror Mockery/Stolen Identity: get a free copy by attacking and/or dealing damage with the enchanted creature.
• Mirage Mirror: artifact with which I can make a cheap copy of Keiga.
• Phantasmal Image: very cheap-to-cast copy of any creature; also ideally suited to make a copy of Keiga.

Stealing

What was once yours, is now mine:

• Agent of Treachery: not just an opportunity to steal, but also an opportunity to draw some additional cards.
• Bribery: one of the most evil, non-black tutors in MTG’s existence. Especially fun if it can be used to steal a key-card to a strategy of an opposing deck.
• Control Magic: a cheap, vanilla enchantment to take control of an opposing creature.
• Empress Galina: the ultimate thief of commanders.
• Gilded Drake: a very cheap way to steal a key creature from an opponent.
• Thalakos Deceiver: attack, do not get blocked and steal an opposing creature.
• Treachery: the ‘free’ version of Control Magic.

Equipment

Protecting and empowering Keiga make her a powerful force onto herself:

• Blackblade Reforged: easy, yet very large, boost for Keiga.
• Champion's Helm: makes Keiga stronger and impervious to targeted, opposing spells.
• Commander's Plate: protection against almost anything and a very large power/toughness boost.
• Shadowspear: not even those immune to targeted spells/abilities will escape my copying/stealing shenanigans.
• Sword of Feast and Famine/Sword of Light and Shadow/Sword of War and Peace: a lot of utility abilities, nice bonuses to power/toughness and a lot of protection.

Notable exclusions

This deck is still evolving. The following cards were considered but not added (yet):

• Clone: this is going to sound weird, but it’s too vanilla as a cloning card and in my opinion also too expensive for what it can do. I’ve chosen other cloning cards in favor of it.
• Commandeer: I’ve never really liked the drawbacks of this card; feels like an option to use when all other avenues would fail.
• Dance of Many: I considered this card more than once, however the drawback of having to sacrifice both Keiga’s clone and Keiga itself when this card gets whacked (by the legend rule) makes Keiga more expensive to cast next time around, which is what I am trying to avoid doing to myself.

Thank you for reading!

I appreciate the time you took to read my primer. Hopefully it was entertaining and useful to you. If so, feel free to leave a +1 and/or feedback of any kind in the comments below. Thanks again!

Date added	6 years
Last updated	4 months
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	13 - 0 Mythic Rares 44 - 0 Rares 10 - 0 Uncommons 9 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.97
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U, Boar 2/2 G, Copy Clone
Folders	edh, Theft Ideas, Nice Decks, yo, 2_Chaotic Night-Ruiners, Commander, Decks, Keiga