Last updated Oct 8, 2017
I'm going to be constantly updating this deck's description with detailed individual card analysis and explanations for removed and added cards.
This deck was built around the card Cloven Casting, which allows you to pay 1 extra mana to copy multicolored instants and sorceries. The main goal is to dig through your deck until you find one of your big spells like Cruel Ultimatum, and either copy or recast it until your opponents are dead. It's a very controlling deck, because you need to keep the board in check until you can go off, but it's also extremely fun to play.
I recently added Tunnel Vision, and it's been great. Typically I target myself naming Splendid Reclamation, so I can cast it the next turn to get back all the lands I milled.
Abzan Charm - Great multicolor removal with lots of flexibility. I would love to see more cards like this. Unfortunately, most Charms are outclassed by other, stronger spells.
Aetherflux Reservoir CUT - A big problem with this card is that it paints a pretty big target on you, but the life gain is too good to pass up. Just don't use it unless you have some good removal spells handy.
Alchemist's Refuge - Being able to cast things at instant speed is worth only producing colorless mana.
All Suns' Dawn - Excellent card. One of the best returns in the deck.
Ancient Excavation - Digs deep at instant speed. This deck utilizes the graveyard well, so you basically just draw your hand size.
Animist's Awakening - A ramp spell that scales really well in the late game and is a great target to copy. It's also very easy to get spell mastery.
Approach of the Second Sun - A good alternate win condition.
Arcane Melee - Symmetrical effects are usually pretty bad in multiplayer formats, but I'm usually able to make much more use of this than any of my opponents.
As Foretold - Kinda slow, but free spells are free spells.
Aurelia's Fury
- An alternate win con that can fog and silence your opponents in a pinch.
Blast of Genius - Draws cards and deals damage. Unfortunately it's not an instant, but it is easy to copy.
Bound/Determined - CUT I can use this to detonate my commander and fill my hand, or to protect my game-ending spells.
Bring to Light - A very versatile tutor that cars whatever it fetches up. Great card.
Chromatic Lantern - The best mana rock for 4+ color decks.
Cloven Casting - The deck was basically built to take abuse this enchantment.
Codex Shredder - Flips cards into your graveyard and can return something in a pinch. Very useful for very cheap.
Commander's Sphere - A mana rock you can sacrifice to draw a card is very useful.
Cruel Ultimatum - A big spell that can be devastating when copied a few times.
Cultivate - One of the best ramp spells.
Cyclonic Rift - The most played card in the format under Sol Ring.
Darksteel Ingot
- CUT Indestructible ramp.
Debt to the Deathless - This is one of my win conditions. Just cast this a few times, or copy it, and it's hard for your opponents to stop you.
Desolate Lighthouse - Loot land in case I really need it.
Decimate - CUT Great removal that can clean up a lot of annoying permanents at once.
Dig Through Time - Probably the best dig effect there is. Super strong.
Epiphany at the Drownyard
- Scaling FoF.
Fact or Fiction - Great instant speed draw spell that also fills your graveyard.
Faithless Looting - Cheap digging with added flashback. Wish there were more cards like this.
Farseek - Nice, cheap ramp.
Forbidden Alchemy - Also a great digger with flashback.
Geistblast - Mostly useful for it's ability to copy a spell from the graveyard.
Grisly Salvage - More cheap, strong digging.
Harrow - Instant speed ramp. Very strong card.
Hour of Promise - Fetches up any two lands I need.
Hull Breach - Flexible removal that will more often than not be a two-for-one.
Increasing Vengeance - This card is great for closing out games by copying my biggest spells.
Invoke the Firemind - CUT Expensive and slow, but the fact that it can either dig really deep or kill opponents makes it very strong in this deck.
Izzet Charm - A counterspell, removal, and dig all in one best little package.
Jace's Sanctum - Reduces the cost of your spells and helps to scry away unwanted cards. Everything this deck wants in a permanent.
Kodama's Reach - Another very good ramp spell.
Leyline of Anticipation - Powerful in any deck, but especially in a very reactive deck like this one.
Magmaquake - CUT Awesome instant speed board wipe.
Merciless Eviction - One of the best board wipes in the game.
Metallurgic Summonings - Gives you board presence for every spell you cast, as well as letting you refill your hand when you need it.
Mirari - Copies spells. It's a bit too expensive, but it's one of the only cards in the game with this ability.
Mizzix's Mastery - Very versatile, and can sometimes be used to swing the game in your favor.
Mystical Tutor - CUT Instant speed tutor with flashback. Very solid.
Naya Charm - CUT Instant speed return with additional versatility.
Primal Amulet - A worse Jace's Sanctum that turns into a better Pyromancer's Goggles? Color me tickled pink.
Prophetic Bolt - Great spell. Burning and digging at instant speed is very strong.
Pyromancer's Goggles
- It doesn't copy all of the spells in the deck, but it's definitely a solid card.
Rakdos Charm - I love this card. At it's worst it blows up an artifact at instant speed, and at it's best it can hose a graveyard-based deck or straight up kill a token deck.
Rampant Growth - The pinnacle of land ramp spells.
Reborn Hope - CUT Cheap return that doesn't exile after use.
Recoup - CUT Haven't had much chance to use this card, but it seems strong.
Refuse / Cooperate
- A new Geistblast.
Search for Tomorrow - Great ramp spell.
Seasons Past - Refills your hand. Great card.
Sins of the Past - Recasting things from your graveyard is very strong in this deck. I wish there were more cards like this.
Slave of Bolas - CUT Creature removal that lets you use it before it dies. Good by itself, great when copied.
Spelltwine - Casting two cards for the price of one.
Splendid Reclamation - This card is incredible. It often puts 10+ lands into the table. When I cast this, I'm very close to winning.
Steam Augury - Instant speed digging that is amazing when copied.
Sultai Charm - Versatile removal with the ability to dig in a pinch.
Sunbird's Invocation - A better Maelstrom Nexus. I bought this card for a dollar. Take that to the bank.
Supreme Verdict - CUT Solid board wipe.
Sylvan Reclamation - Early game mana fixing, late game removal.
Thoughtflare - CUT Digs deep at instant speed.
Treacherous Terrain - Early game mana fixing, late game win con.
Tunnel Vision - A "tutor" that also puts a huge chunk of your deck into your graveyard. Great card.
Urban Evolution - Draw and ramp. Pretty good value.
Utter End - CUT Unconditional spot removal. Very useful.
Vanish into Memory - Great instant speed digging that can also be used to blink attackers or remove +1/+1 counters.
Vedalken Orrery - Why this card isn't used in most decks is beyond me.
Vengeful Rebirth - A return that also burns.
Villainous Wealth - Great win con, especially if you can copy it a few times.
Volcanic Vision - Return that also board wipes.
I've decided to make a section explaining why certain cards that seem like they might fit in the deck may have been much worse in testing.
I did run Conflux for a while when I first made the deck, and it was definitely really hard to warrant a slot for it. It's so expensive, hard to cast, and at sorcery speed. Another card people often suggest is Maelstrom Nexus, but the pricetag always put me off, and now with the cheaper, better Sunbird's Invocation, I really don't see a need for it.
