To Draw? Or Not To Draw?

Commander / EDH

Metaldad

Utility: (23)

• 1x Cast Through Time
• 1x Chandra, Torch of Defiance
• 1x Charmbreaker Devils
• 1x Desertion
• 1x Elite Arcanist
• 1x Enigma Drake
• 1x Etherium-Horn Sorcerer
• 1x Gamble
• 1x Guttersnipe
• 1x Hypersonic Dragon
• 1x Illusionist's Bracers
• 1x Index
• 1x Mystical Tutor
• 1x Parallel Thoughts
• 1x Perpetual Timepiece
• 1x Psychic Spiral
• 1x Ral Zarek
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Spellbook
• 1x Spellheart Chimera
• 1x The Locust God
• 1x Thought Vessel
• 1x Twincast

Cost-reduction (7)

• 1x As Foretold
• 1x Baral, Chief of Compliance
• 1x Dream Halls
• 1x Goblin Electromancer
• 1x Jhoira of the Ghitu
• 1x Primal Amulet  ^Flip
• 1x Seal of the Guildpact

Removal (3)

• 1x Abrade
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Lightning Bolt

Draw (19)

• 1x Consecrated Sphinx
• 1x Dictate of Kruphix
• 1x Electrolyze
• 1x Fateful Showdown
• 1x Howling Mine
• 1x Izzet Charm
• 1x Jace Beleren
• 1x Mercurial Chemister
• 1x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
• 1x Nivix Guildmage
• 1x Opt
• 1x Otherworld Atlas
• 1x Ponder
• 1x Pull from Tomorrow
• 1x Skullclamp
• 1x Thought Scour
• 1x Tormenting Voice
• 1x Wheel of Fortune
• 1x Windfall

Defense (10)

• 1x AEtherling
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Countervailing Winds
• 1x Cryptic Command
• 1x Izzet Staticaster
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Meekstone
• 1x Redirect
• 1x Repeal
• 1x Spell Pierce

Commander (1)

Land (31)

• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Desert of the Fervent
• 1x Desert of the Mindful
• 1x Forgotten Cave
• 1x Island
• 10x Island
• 1x Izzet Boilerworks
• 1x Izzet Guildgate
• 1x Lonely Sandbar
• 8x Mountain
• 1x Reliquary Tower
• 1x Steam Vents
• 1x Temple of Epiphany
• 1x Thespian's Stage
• 1x Transguild Promenade

Win-con (6)

• 1x Curiosity
• 1x Enter the Infinite
• 1x Grafted Exoskeleton
• 1x Laboratory Maniac
• 1x Omniscience
• 1x Ophidian Eye

---

To Draw Or Not To Draw?

I set out to make the most straight-forward and well rounded deck around Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind as possible. I wanted it to be fun to play but incredibly powerful as well. There is still much room for optimization, I definitely have a few cards that I have slated for removal and some definite upgrades that I want to add in the future such as Teferi's Puzzle Box and Show and Tell but that's neither here nor there.

Early Game:

The best outcome is to get Dream Halls out early so that you can start cheating cards out, namely the commander. This isn't always attainable, but getting Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind out as soon as possible is the most crucial step in setting up for the win.

Mid Game:

After the commander is out, the focus should be on finding the pieces to get the win. There are several ways to get this done

Win Cons:

Omniscience into The Locust God, into Enter the Infinite with commander out. This makes every spell free to cast, Locust God sets up the ability to make tokens for every card drawn, then between direct damage from Niv-Mizzet and attacking with insect tokens at least two people will be eliminated.

Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind+Curiosity or Ophidian Eye will allow you to draw as many cards as you want anytime you trigger it by drawing or dealing damage to an opponent. I usually don't go for the win right away unless i know for a fact that i will be able to kill every opponent with the amount of cards in my library, otherwise I will do just enough to keep the board under control until i can guarantee the win by using things such as Psychic Spiral to help replenish my library if it gets low.

Enter the Infinite+Laboratory Maniac pretty simple stuff here, just draw everything with lab maniac out and win!

Grafted Exoskeleton+Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind a slightly easier way to get the win with the commander, use wheel effects and draw cards to get 10 poison counters on every opponent.

Date added	6 years
Last updated	2 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	11 - 0 Mythic Rares 29 - 0 Rares 20 - 0 Uncommons 21 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	3.26
Tokens	Emblem Chandra, Torch of Defiance, Insect 1/1 UR