Have you ever stood in line at the local DMV and the phrase "this is where I am going to die" passed through your head multiple times as clock keeps winding? That is the exact feeling I am trying grasp with this deck. This is an Azorius control deck helmed by none other than Azor himself... or so the rest of the table is led to believe. In reality, this is actually a combo deck! The goal of the deck is to lock out your opponents and prevent them from doing anything. Once you have complete control of the game, you can choose however you want to win, whether that is commander damage with Azor or just sitting around until your opponents run out of cards in their deck. Let's break this deck down.
The Combo:
The main and most consistent way this deck wins through the combo of Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Knowledge Pool. Playing Teferi on your opponents end step will guarantee protection for the combo because once Teferi resolves, no one will be able to cast spells until their main phase. Knowledge Pool is a weird card that exiles a spell when your opponents cast one. Then the opponent may choose a spell exiled by Knowledge Pool to cast instead. There is one small problem, however. Teferi only allows opponents to cast spells at sorcery speed. Because Knowledge Pool triggers on the stack in response to casting a spell, your opponents will be trying to cast the spell at instant speed. Teferi will not allow this, thus your opponents will no longer be able to cast any spells from their hands. !!!!CAUTION!!!! Note that I said they cannot cast spells from their HANDS. This means that their commander can still be cast. This also means that a card could theoretically be cast from the graveyard (Gravecrawler, Hogaak, any card with flashback, etc.) so just keep this in mind. Of course Drannith Magistrate solves this problem but locking out your opponents commanders as well. While Teferi is the “safest” combo piece because it can be flashed in, the Magistrate is the most absolute lockout combo in the deck. This is great if can be searched with Muddle the Mixture.
Knowledge pool also has the same effect with Lavinia, Azorius Renegade and Rule of Law. Rule of Law is a cyclical effect but it is an enchantment instead of a vulnerable creature. Do not combo with Rule of Law unless your commander has a clear advantage over your opponent's commanders. For example, if your opponent is playing Gishath, you might want to reevaluate your strategy.
A somewhat less effective combo is Omen Machine with either Lavinia, Azorius Renegade or Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. This lock results in opponents only being able to use the remaining few cards in their hand for the rest of the game. If they do not have a way to remove one of these cards, they will have a very hard time winning.
Alternative Win Conditions
What do I do if the combo does not work? Do not worry. There are a couple of built in backup combos that accomplish similar results. Delaying Shield is great because it prevents commander damage. But when paired with Solemnity, your opponents can never damage you without destroying one piece of the combo. As long as you protect these two pieces, there are very few ways to lose. Approach of the Second Sun is a one card combo that lets you win the game, given enough time. The same is true for Azor's Elocutors. Honestly, I have never won using Azor's Elocutors. I just had to add him in because of the flavor. Let me know if you ever steal a game using him!
What if I can't lose, but I haven't found a route to victory? Fear not. You have Guile in your deck. You can never run out of cards. All of your opponents will mill out before you. If your opponent has a card with a similar effect (Kozilek, Ulamog, Blightsteel Colossus, etc.) ... you are on your own. The best I've got is summary dismissal the trigger on the stack? Figure it out. Otherwise I think that a tie is pretty funny.
If all combos fail, you still have a 6/6 flying sphinx. That kind of commander damage adds up quickly. Luminarch's Ascension is also win conditions all on its own. This deck is designed to adapt on the fly. It never has too many non-land permanents on the battlefield at once so find the path to victory.
Disruption:
There are a lot of board wipes in this deck. There are very few creatures in the deck so board wipes are easy reset buttons. Some of these wraths are at instant speed. Do not be afraid to hold up mana and threaten your opponents with a board wipe (even if you might not necessarily have one). There are quite a few counterspells as well. Do not use these lightly. You need to save them to protect the combo or protect yourself from losing the game.
Alternative Commander:
Lavinia, Azorius Renegade can be an alternative commander. This option is much better against well polished decks that like doing shenanigans on turn 3 and 4. Lavinia can be a combo piece herself and she slows all of your opponents down. I do not run her as my main commander because Lavinia draws a lot of hate. But consider it an option to keep things fresh.
Final note:
This is one of my favorite decks. There is a lot of intricate gameplay. When to hold up mana for a counterspell and wrath vs when to tap out and draw some cards with Azor. Knowing when to go for the combo is also important too. If your opponents counter or destroy your Knowledge Pool, it is very hard to recover. Planar Bridge is one of the best cards in the deck because it can grab the combo at instant speed. Muddle the Mixture is one of the best cards in the deck because it can get Luminarch's Ascension, Heliod's Intervention, or Dig Through Time**. This is a very fun deck to play but be careful. If you play the same win-con too often, your opponents will figure out cards they need to answer. Keep them guessing!
