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Riku - cEDH dreamer [PRIMER]

Commander / EDH Competitive Primer RUG (Temur)

giga_watts94

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Land (30)

Artifact (8)

Planeswalker (1)

Instant (24)

Sorcery (9)

Commander (1)

Commander: Riku of Two Reflections

Creature (21)

Enchantment (6)

Maybeboard

Creature (5)

Sorcery (4)

Instant (2)

Artifact (1)

Knowing that Riku will never be accepted as Tier 1 (cries), I decided to try and build a competitive version anyway.

That's a good question, especially since there are so many better commanders. Riku has a gimmick that no other commander has, he (they?) can copy not only instants and sorceries, but also creatures. This effectively means we can get twice the efficiency from the most powerful cards in our colors. Yes, it does cost mana, but the flexibility that this provides makes it worth it. Riku also isn't limited to one game plan and can gain benefits at different phases of the game. This deck is also winconless and every card has a purpose beyond just winning.

Having two ETB's from certain creatures and spells, sorceries in particular, means that we can essentially win off a very small boardstate and can come out of nowhere. Also, our bigger mana dorks (Bloom Tender and Priest of Titania) can be replicated, which gives us a huge increase in mana and let us ramp hard. Cards like Dig Through Time provide absurd amounts of card advantage.

The fact that counter spells can get duplicated for an additional 2 mana means we can function as a control deck while not having to run as many sub optimal counters as traditional control decks.

You might like this deck if:

  • You signed up for every club during freshman orientation

  • You believe Riku is the only true partner commander, because there are literally two of him

  • You want to get better at EDH. Riku teaches you how the stack works - you have to know how your triggers work, how to stack triggers, and ways to resolve certain spells. Riku also teaches you to think of cards as more than one dimensional - each card can function in multiple ways and figuring out how things play together is the key to success with this deck.

  • You have enough spare time to learn a bunch of convoluted lines, instead of just memorizing Fish + Tainted Pact = win

  • No dead cards - every* card can serve a purpose beyond just winning the game (technically this might not apply to Palinchron or Peregrine Drake, but close enough)

  • Lots of lines to win - this deck can easily adjust on the fly and has access to many different lines to win. Bouncing back after getting countered is no big deal

  • Consistent - can consistently win between turns 4 - 6

  • Needs minimal board state - this deck can easily win with just the commander, mana, and one card in hand

  • Commander dependent - While Riku is never required to actually get infinite mana, or win the game, he allows a lot of lines to function more easily and casting him is almost always our early game plan. He is also 5 mana, which means you have to sometimes keep slightly sub optimal hands

  • Slow - no Dimir means no fish. We also lack the tutors from black, and protection from white

  • Mana intensive - because his ability requires 2 colored mana, most lines are very color intensive, and sometimes we have to prioritize ramp over other things, like card draw

  • Convoluted lines - Sometimes getting the win requires jumping through hoops

  • Stax - This deck relies on ETBs, Artifacts, and searching your library. Not having golgari removal hurts, and it can take a lot for us to respond

  • Dependent on other board states - Using Dockside lines means we have to have our opponents have a certain amount of artifacts and enchantments. Also, we most likely will tap out the turn we cast Riku and will rely on other players to counter attempted wins

    • This deck wins through assembling infinite mana and then using an outlet to kill the table. The four main ways of generating infinite mana are outlined below:

    This method requires Riku, Palinchron, and at least 7 lands / lands that produce 7 mana. Cast Palinchron with Riku out, resolve Palinchron's trigger first to untap the lands and then retap those lands (7 mana floating), use 2 mana to copy Palinchron (5 mana floating). Untap the lands off the new ETB (12 mana floating), and then use 4 mana to bounce the original Palinchron to hand (8 mana floating). Recast Palinchron (1 mana floating). Each iteration of this loop will generate 1 mana, and a copy of Palinchron
    The basic premise is to cast both Dockside Extortionist and either Barrin, Master Wizard or Temur Sabertooth while your opponents have at least 5 artifacts and enchantments. By using Dockside's ETB you will generate treasures, which can be used to activate Barrin's or Sabertooth's ability to bounce Dockside. You then keep recasting and bouncing Dockside using Barrin or Sabertooth to generate infinite treasures as each iteration nets you treasures. If you have Riku out, you can also generate infinite Docksides.

    The lines work similarly with Cloudstone Curio, but when you create a copy of Dockside, you bounce the original with Cloudstone

    Lines involving Peregrine Drake function similarly. Cast Drake, then resolve its ETB before Riku (5 Mana floating). Create a copy of the Drake (3 Mana floating). Resolve the copy's ETB (8 Mana floating). If you have Barrin or Sabertooth out, you can use 2 Mana (and sac the copy with Barrin) to bounce the original Drake (6 Mana floating) and recast Drake (1 Mana floating) allowing for 1 mana each iteration. With Cloudstone, you bounce the original Drake after the copy ETBs and you net 3 mana each iteration.

    For this combo, you need Isochron Scepter and Dramatic Reversal, and artifacts / creatures that tap for at least 3 mana. Cast Scepter and imprint Dramatic Reversal. Tap the Scepter to cast a copy of Dramatic Reversal and float all of your nonland mana. The resolution of the spell will untap all your mana rocks and Scepter. Therefore, you can repeat this process and float infinite mana

    Note: with Lithoform Engine in play, you can essentially recreate IsoRev but copying Dramatic Reversal with Engine, then untapping and recopying the original Dramatic Reversal

    This combo involves Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy and Basalt Monolith. Kinnan's ability means Basalt will tap for and can be untapped for . This will generate you one colorless mana each iteration. Due to the need for colored mana, this method is no longer used

    With infinite mana (and potentially infinite Docksides, Palinchrons, or Drakes), the following cards can be used as a mana sink:

    After drawing your deck, you can easily mill out your opponents using Pull or Stroke and then recurring them with either Twister or Eternal Witness

    Below are lines that can be pulled off with Riku and a minimal amount of other cards. While these lines are fairly mana intensive, they are not your main lines of winning, but strictly lines that you can pull off out of nowhere. Note, with the introduction of Lithoform Engine, a lot of these loops can be performed using more colorless mana, instead of colored mana. The situations where Engine can be interchanged with Riku should be fairly straightforward. Most instances will require your opponents having more instants and sorceries because you cannot copy Dockside

    There are two lines, that are functionally identical

    The first line requires Imperial Recruiter, , and your opponents to have at least 5 artifacts and enchantments

    Cast Imperial Recruiter ( ) and copy him (), getting Dockside Extortionist and Barrin, Master Wizard

    Cast Dockside ( ) and resolve the Dockside Trigger, then copy Dockside to generate another Dockside.

    Cast Barrin (3 Treasures) and activate his ability (5 Treasures, 8 Total)

    If you need a wincon, bounce Imperial Recruiter to get Spellseeker

    The second line requires Imperial Recruiter, , and your opponents to have at least 6 artifacts and enchantments

    Cast Imperial Recruiter ( ) and copy him (), getting Dockside Extortionist and Spellseeker

    Cast Dockside ( ) and resolve the Dockside Trigger, then copy Dockside to generate another Dockside.

    Cast Spellseeker (3 Treasures) to get Neoform. Cast Neoform, sacrificing Spellseeker (2 Treasures, 5 Total) to get Temur Sabertooth. Use Temur Sabertooth to start the loop (4 Treasures, 9 Total)

    If you need a wincon, you can copy Spellseeker (2 Additional Treasures) for Pull from Tomorrow or Finale of Devastation

    This line requires Spellseeker and , and your opponents to have at least 4 artifacts and enchantments

    Cast Spellseeker ( ) and make a copy () to get Finale of Devastation and Neoform. Cast Finale for 2 ( and get Dockside Extortionist. Stack the Dockside triggers to make treasures and use the treasures for the Riku trigger. Cast Neoform (2 Treasures), sacrificing the Dockside copy to get Barrin, Master Wizard. Then bounce and recast Dockside (4 Treasures, 6 Total)

    You can also do this line to get Temur Sabertooth by sacrificing Spellseeker to Neoform

    If you need a wincon, bounce and recast Spellseeker to get Pull from Tomorrow and draw your deck or copy Neoform to get Eternal Witness to get back Finale and swing with infinite Docksides. If you went for Temur Sabertooth, you would have needed to copy Spellseeker ()

    This line requires Eldritch Evolution, a creature other than Riku, , and your opponents to have at least 4 artifacts and enchantments

    Cast Eldritch Evolution () sacrificing the creature, and copying Eldritch Evolution (). Resolve the first Eldritch to get Dockside and copy for more treasures. With the second trigger, if you already have a wincon, get Barrin, Master Wizard and proceed to make infinite mana, otherwise get Spellseeker. Resolve Spellseeker's ETB to get Neoform and make a copy (2 Treasures) to get Pull from Tomorrow or Finale of Devastation. Cast Neoform (2 Treasures, 4 Total) targeting Dockside copy to get Barrin, Master Wizard and start the combo (4 Treasures, 8 Total).

    You can also target Spellseeker / copy for Neoform to get Temur Sabertooth

    There are two main lines for Neoform:

    The first requires Neoform, a 2 CMC creature, and , and your opponents to have at least 4 artifacts and enchantments

    Cast Neoform (), sacrificing the 2 drop and copying it (). Get Barrin, Master Wizard and Imperial Recruiter. Resolve the Imperial Recruiter trigger to get Dockside Extortionist. Cast Dockside () and copy it (2 Treasures). Now, start the loop (5 Treasures, 7 Total).

    Once again, can also get Spellseeker instead of Barrin, and get Neoform off the ETB and sacrifice Spellseeker to get Temur Sabertooth for 2 additional mana

    Requires Finale of Devastation, , and your opponents to have at least 4 artifacts and enchantments

    Cast Finale for 3 () and copying it (). Resolve the first trigger to get Dockside and copy for more treasures. If you have a wincon already, get Barrin, Master Wizard and start the loop (5 Treasures). Otherwise, with the second trigger, get Spellseeker. Resolve Spellseeker's ETB to get Neoform and copy it (2 Treasures) to get Pull from Tomorrow or Finale of Devastation. Cast Neoform (2 Treasures, 4 Total) targeting the Dockside copy to get Barrin, Master Wizard and start the combo (4 Treasures, 8 Total).

    Similar idea for Sabertooth, just cast Finale for 4, not 3 or make the changes from previous lines

    Chord of Calling is functionally identical if you tap Riku as part of the cost

    This line requires Merchant Scroll and , and nonland permanents that tap for at least 3 mana.

    Note - this method cannot also fetch a wincon and needs one on board or in hand.

    Cast Merchant Scroll ( ) and copying it (). Get Dramatic Reversal and Muddle the Mixture. Transmute Muddle the Mixture ( ) to get Isochron Scepter. Cast the Scepter, imprinting Dramatic Reversal and then activate () to start the loop to generate infinite mana.

    Due to the fact that Riku is pretty central to the deck, and fairly mana intensive, you always want to have at least 1 piece of ramp in hand (ideally 2), alongside at least 2 lands. Mulliganing aggressively for ramp is fine because you can potentially combo off with a single card in hand. You want Riku out by turn 3, 4 at the absolute latest.
    Ramp and card draw in that order. Ideally, you can do both. Most of the time, Riku will come out Turn 3, so you should use Turn 1 to ramp, and Turn 2 to either ramp harder, or establish some kind of card draw. Since 10% of the deck is essentially a one card wincon, it doesn't matter if you lose a tutor, you can just try again, or you can use that tutor for value
    While this deck can combo off easily, comboing isn't always the best idea. You can fight through other blue players a lot easier because Riku's ability can essentially give you two counterspells for the price of one (and two mana...), but sometimes it is about just sitting back. Let people do all the heavy lifting, and go off when the dust settles and every blew all their counterspells fighting someone else. This deck runs enough counterspells and recursion, that you can easily switch to a control mindset and make sure the game goes the way you want.

    Riku is a value commander, people shouldn't invest resources in him, and you should be able to chill.

    Below is a list of potential other packages that can be added to Riku. However, each package has major setbacks and should only be considered if you have 100% knowledge of your playgroup, or you're looking for a drop in power.

    Due to Riku's first ability, this deck can easily become a storm deck. Any card that can copy a spell (such as Fork) can lead to infinite storm with Riku out. This means that you can use any of the typical storm outlets, such as the following:

    This method involves a lot more dead cards, as you now have all the fork spells, and the storm cards. However, you can win at instant speed a lot easier

    This package involves adding more relevant artifacts and artifact tutors, such as Sensei's Divining Top, Whir of Invention, and Transmute Artifact.

    Whir of Invention allows you to win at instant speed, by getting Scepter and Top and drawing your whole deck.

    Similarly, Transmute Artifact can be used with Spellseeker lines to assemble the Dramatic Scepter combo with Top, however, this method is incredibly expensive and color intensive and is not worth mentioning.

    An artifact focused package is useful in metas that don't heavily lie on artifacts and enchantments.

    Being in Izzet means you have access to the combo Underworld Breach, Brain Freeze, and Lion's Eye Diamond. This can let you either brain freeze your opponents, or pull a wincon from your graveyard. This package also really benefits from Intuition.

    Temur doesn't provide the colors for protection for this combo, and a well timed removal or counterspell leaves us completely out of the game. Also, LED and Brain Freeze only serve as wincons. and I don't want to add dedicated wincons to the deck

    Intuition can essentially be a one card wincon too, but the deck already runs enough of these, and the drop in power isn't worth it

    Below is a list of other potential combos that can be run in the deck, but were excluded for various reasons.

    These combos involve using Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker or Splinter Twin along with a card from the following list to make infinite hasty attackers:

    kiki-jiki and splinter twin infinite combos

    Some methods create tapped creatures and require an outlet.

    As there is no easy way to tutor out Kiki-Jiki or Splinter Twin, these combos became hard to justify.

    Kiki-Jiki lines can be run with Birthing Pod and require 5 cards (2 drop untapper, 3 drop untapper, 4 drop untapper, Kiki-Jiki, Birthing Pod). You have Riku and Pod out and Pod your way up the chain. You do need to copy an untapper to make sure Kiki has a target, but the line is feasible. It is just too many dead cards to justify a slot

    Another way of generating infinite mana is equipping Freed from the Real to Bloom Tender. This will generate infinite green mana. If Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy is out, this can generate infinite blue as well. Kinnan also allows Freed from the Real to go infinite with Birds of Paradise.

    If you want a third infinite mana outlet, you can also add Arbor Elf and have a forest land with Utopia Sprawl or Wild Growth. If you use Wild Growth, the land must produce blue.

    This method is difficult because there is no easy way to tutor for Freed from the Real, and requires set up, as the creatures need a turn on the battlefield before they can tap

    Dualcaster Mage has the ability to easily pull off lots of infinite combos. Having Dualcaster Mage copy Ghostly Flicker allows you to infinitely flicker dualcaster and a permanent, leading to infinite mana, and infinite dualcasters.

    Dualcaster can also copy Heat Shimmer or Twinflame for infinite hasty dualcasters.

    If you liked this Primer, or Riku, feel free to give the deck an Upvote!

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    Casual

    92% Competitive

    Date added 3 years
    Last updated 3 years
    Legality

    This deck is not Commander / EDH legal.
    Rarity (main - side)

    11 - 0 Mythic Rares

    48 - 0 Rares

    22 - 0 Uncommons

    12 - 0 Commons
    Cards 100
    Avg. CMC 2.21
    Tokens Ape 3/3 G, Bird 2/2 U, Copy Clone, Frog Lizard 3/3 G, Spirit 1/1 C, Treasure
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