Niv-Mizzet: Of Devious Machinations

Commander / EDH* Burn Infinite Combo UR (Izzet)

ctenochaetus

Creature (23)

• 1x Arcanis the Omnipotent
• 1x Arjun, the Shifting Flame
• 1x Baral, Chief of Compliance
• 1x Charmbreaker Devils
• 1x Chasm Skulker
• 1x Clever Impersonator
• 1x Dack's Duplicate
• 1x Dominus of Fealty
• 1x Gelectrode
• 1x Graceful Adept
• 1x Guile
• 1x Kefnet the Mindful
• 1x Keranos, God of Storms
• 1x Laboratory Maniac
• 1x Mercurial Chemister
• 1x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
• 1x Nucklavee
• 1x Psychosis Crawler
• 1x Purphoros, God of the Forge
• 1x Razorfin Hunter
• 1x Tandem Lookout
• 1x The Locust God
• 1x Vizier of Many Faces

Enchantment (4)

• 1x Curiosity
• 1x Dismiss into Dream
• 1x Mind Over Matter
• 1x Ophidian Eye

Instant (20)

• 1x Brainstorm
• 1x Confirm Suspicions
• 1x Counterflux
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Double Negative
• 1x Evacuation
• 1x Forbid
• 1x Glorious End
• 1x Learn from the Past
• 1x Misdirection
• 1x Mnemonic Nexus
• 1x Muddle the Mixture
• 1x Price of Progress
• 1x Pull from Tomorrow
• 1x Rebuild
• 1x Spell Crumple
• 1x Suffocating Blast
• 1x Swan Song
• 1x Swerve

Artifact (8)

• 1x Basilisk Collar
• 1x Gorgon's Head
• 1x Izzet Cluestone
• 1x Seal of the Guildpact
• 1x Spellbook
• 1x Staff of Nin
• 1x Temple Bell
• 1x Thought Vessel

Commander (1)

Land (38)

• 1x Evolving Wilds
• 1x Grixis Panorama
• 18x Island
• 1x Izzet Boilerworks
• 1x Izzet Guildgate
• 13x Mountain
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Swiftwater Cliffs
• 1x Terramorphic Expanse

Sorcery (6)

• 1x Blast of Genius
• 1x Insurrection
• 1x Mogg Infestation
• 1x Ruination
• 1x Stitch in Time
• 1x Vandalblast

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Maybeboard

Artifact (2)

• 1x Gorgon Flail
• 1x Mizzium Transreliquat

Creature (1)

• 1x Guttersnipe

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Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind deck.

Burn/draw strategy involves doing as much of both a possible, and emphasizing the effects of each burn and each draw. Most of the cards here that aren't control are there for augmenting burn/draw. My approach, compared to other Niv-Mizzet players, is to keep burn as a focus of the deck even aside from Niv-Mizzet himself.

A few cards such as Razorfin Hunter are there in large part to keep up burn if Niv-Mizzet is out of commission for whatever reason (such as an opponent with Silklash Spider). Cards like Dismiss into Dream and Basilisk Collar carry the potential to make every burn count.

Combo 1: The Infinite Combo:

Guile + Mind Over Matter + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind or Guile + Mind Over Matter + Temple Bell . Works by using Mind over Matter to discard Guile and untap Niv-Mizzet or Temple Bell, which puts Guile directly into my library again. This gives me infinite cards to draw. If Niv-Mizzet is the one being untapped, the combo does infinite damage. With Temple Bell, this combo forces opponents to draw their decks dry.

Combo 2: A Not-So-Drawn-Out Death

Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Ophidian Eye + Psychosis Crawler or Curiosity + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Psychosis Crawler or Laboratory Maniac + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Ophidian Eye or Curiosity + Laboratory Maniac + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind . This one's pretty self explanatory. Curiosity or Ophidian Eye enchanted on Niv-Mizzet will allow me to draw cards indefinitely. With Psychosis Crawler out, opponents will lose life very quickly, and with Laboratory Maniac I can (obviously) hit the end of my deck and win.

Note that Psychosis Crawler or Laboratory Maniac aren't necessary in a 3-player game, and are less likely to be necessary in lategame otherwise.

Combo 3: Wrath of Purphoros

Chasm Skulker + Mogg Infestation + Purphoros, God of the Forge . This one is harder to pull off than the others (which is EXACTLY why I want to make it happen at some point). With just a few other creatures out and after only several card draws with Chasm Skulker, I would cast Mogg Infestation on myself and do devastating damage to each opponent's life. Mid to late game, this would easily be enough to win.

Date added	9 years
Last updated	6 years
Key combos	Guile + Mind Over Matter + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind Guile + Mind Over Matter + Temple Bell Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Ophidian Eye + Psychosis Crawler Curiosity + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Psychosis Crawler Laboratory Maniac + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Ophidian Eye Curiosity + Laboratory Maniac + Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind Chasm Skulker + Mogg Infestation + Purphoros, God of the Forge
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 0 Mythic Rares 29 - 0 Rares 18 - 0 Uncommons 13 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.71
Tokens	Bird 2/2 U, Clue, Goblin 1/1 R, Insect 1/1 UR, Squid 1/1 U, Vizier of Many Faces 0/0 W
Folders	Inspiration