Hello Everyone! This is my first attempt at a brew on here so any feedback on formatting is appreciated. Should be noted this deck is meant to be more casual, kitchen table fun than competitive. Additionally, it's a deck I'm interested in building so suggestions to improve it are welcome.
The goal of the deck is to survive until we cast Refurbish on turn 4 targeting God-Pharaoh's Gift in the graveyard and start sending powerful threats like Angel of Invention to stabilize and kill our opponent.
Sorta Budget?
At the moment, I can't reasonably pay countless dollars on shiny cardboard, so I've sadly given myself the budget of around $200 or less. Additionally, I'm not worried about a side board at the moment, but suggestions for one are welcome.
Why Azorius?
Blue was always going to be a part of this. For the other color, I've tried various versions of the deck, but overall I've enjoyed the feeling of Azorius. Red might have some fun combo potential taking multiple combat steps with Combat Celebrant-like effects, black might have better graveyard synergies, but something about surviving until turn 4, stabilizing, and dropping fun endgame threats, with some removal, felt more satisfying. Also, the land base with 3 colors on a budget feels bad.
Card Choices:
Turn 4
God-Pharaoh's Gift: The deck build around. Although very clunky, once it's generating value you'll be set.
Rules Side Note: The tokens created from this keep their mana cost. For example, if someone tried to Fatal Push your reanimated Angel of Invention it can't be targeted because the card is still considered 5 CMC rather than 0 like most token. Creatures that have been Eternalized are still 0 CMC though so keep that in mind. Another relevant rules clarification is that GPG doesn't target the creature in the graveyard. In other words, the opponent can't exile the creature you choose to reanimate in response.
Refurbish: The other half of the combo. Get this in your hand and keep it there.
Self Mill/Looting
Hedron Crab: You'll be hopefully playing lands on curve, so if this lil buddy comes down turn 1, and lives, you'll have milled a minimum of 9 cards by turn 4 from this guy alone. This is the fastest way we can get cards in the yard, so having one early really helps get GFG and threats ready for action. Crab makes our life so much easier. Worst case scenario it's a 4/4 when bought back with GFG.
Strategic Planning: I chose this over Chart a Course because looking at I value digging 3 cards deeper into the deck over digging 2 deeper and having an easier discard selection. There's obviously an argument for running both. Ideally, you'll cast this turn 2 looking for whatever part of the combo you need.
Champion of Wits: This snake person does work. Looting 2 cards when it's played is really nice. It's also an excellent target for GFG because we will draw 4 cards and discard 2 giving us more cards in hand and more threats in the graveyard. If you're flooding, just eternalize the Champion for a solid body and lots of draw. A fun interaction with Angel of Invention and Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite is that their anthem effects will apply to the trigger. So with Angel it's draw 5 and with Norn it's draw 6 and so on. However, if Champion is removed before it's etb resolves we unfortunately get nothing.
If you want to be cheeky, you can choose to still draw based on it's power after it's been removed. So you'll draw 0 and discard 2. If there's something in hand you want in the graveyard you'll be able to still discard it this way.
The Big Guns
Angel of Invention: The perfect target for GFG. This comes back as a 6/6 Haste/Lifelink/Vigilance/Flying creature who anthems our board. Alternatively, we can go wide and make servos with a 4/4. Talk about a deal. Flying is great evasion and the Lifelink/Vigilance combo leaves no window for a crackback. If they do attack you'll gain even more life! It's almost always the #1 pick to reanimated for this reason. If this is in your hand, and you happen to have 5 mana, then it's a fine play. Typically, you'll want the servos in this case to make a wider board because Angel is way less threatening without haste and as a 4/3 by itself.
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite: Alright... full disclosure, this card is in here because it's fun. The +2/+2 for our board is awesome and helps close out the game, but the -2/-2 for the enemy board is a back breaker. She's also a 4/4 Haste/Vigilance creature which isn't bad. If she's not removed, Norn will end the game quick and our opponent will cry about our chad creatures while looking at their baby beta board. It's possible to hard cast her, but I personally would discard this whenever possible.
Zetalpa, Primal Dawn: ...what? It's a big dinosaur! I had to include the big dinosaur. I mean, look at all the soupy keywords! Alright, this is another card that is here because it's fun. A 4/4 Haste/Flying/Double Strike/Vigilance/Trample/Indestructible when brought back with GPG. This is another potential game ender. It's swinging in for 8 damage a turn and it's able to block and kill almost anything. If you've got any anthem creatures on the board then the big bird just gets scarier. You aren't hard casting this, but you've at least got the option.
Removal
Path to Exile: Pretty straightforward. It's just a great removal spell. We switch out their threat for a basic land.
Brazen Borrower: Borrower is mostly here for its Petty Theft. Bouncing any non-land permanent at instant speed is really nice. It's not hard removal, but the deck just wants to delay our opponent until we slap down GFG. The creature half of Borrower also relevant as a potential flash threat and can be brought back as a 4/4 flier with GFG.
Deputy of Detention: A catch-all exile on any annoying non-land permanents and their friends. A nice GFG target to remove blockers as well.
Wrath of God: Typical white board clear. If it's too risky to get GFG online, then just wipe the board first.
Other
Sunscourge Champion: This one surprised me. Although, we can play it as a blocker that gains us 2 life, the main use for this card is actually Eternalizing it from the graveyard. 4 mana and discard a card is actually very relevant. Getting to discard a card of your choice can be a lifesaver if you can't get GFG in the yard or need another threat for GFG. The heal is also a nice way to stabilize with a 4/4 body. It's a utility card that can be played somewhat early from the graveyard. The same interactions with anthem effects I mentioned for Champion of Wits also applies to Sunscourge.
Glasspool Mimic
: A creature and a land all in one! If you are flooding, it's can be played as a copy of your scary GFG creatures. If you are getting mana screwed, it's at least a tapped land to play. This is a card that's never really "good," but its versatility more than makes up for it. Additionally, it's another creature to target with GFG. More Angels, more Champions, etc. Important to note, Norn and Zetalpa are legendary and the legend rule will still apply.
Ipnu Rivulet: An untapped land that can be sacrificed for 2 mana in order to self mill for more threats or GFG itself. Ideally, used after you have one Refurbish in your hand already.
Mystic Sanctuary: If there is one big flaw of the deck it's the reliance on Refurbish. Without Refurbish, you'll have to play fair magic (yuck). If forced discard strikes or we get unlucky and our favorite Hedron Crab accidentally mills over all of our Refurbishes, then Sanctuary can help. This land is just here as a safety net. It can also get back Wrath of God for another board wipe.
