Mono-Blue EDH Win Cons
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on Jan. 30, 2016, 9:20 p.m. by kyuuri117
Alright so, i've got a mono-blue combo deck, and it works absolutely fine. I'm very happy with the deck. The problem is that i've been getting complaints that I don't "win fast enough" once the combo goes off.
Now, I couldn't give less of a damn about this when it comes to the monthly SCG EDH night my shop runs, or if I were to bring it to a Grand Prix. But as far as playing with friends, well, it's a fair complaint.
I have no problem going infinite with mana, or capsizing the entire board and keeping it that way, or infinite turns. My problem is actually winning quickly.
So as far as actual win cons go, i've got "Take infinite turns/capsize whole board -> Ultimate Teferi -> Ultimate JTMS multiple times", "Get infinite mana -> Blue Suns Zenith -> Kill someone... preferably after obtaining infinite turns so I can go find the spell again".
If those don't work out, I've got a Strata Scythe in the mainboard to toss onto one of the like 8 utility creatures.
So yea, once the deck goes off, I find it pretty easy to keep control of the game and win the match, but I'm just looking for quicker ways to do so. My friends aren't getting upset that i'm winning via combo, they're just upset it takes so long.
I should point out that my friends tend to be pretty competitive, and don't just scoop immediately after I go infinite. I'm not personally upset about that (though it would be easier if they did), i'm also quite competitive and would make my opponent play it out if it wasn't an instant win combo. And most don't get too aggravated about it; again, I think wanting your opponent who's combo-ing off to actually win faster is a fair complaint. After all, they're my friends and while I want to win, I also want to keep em happy.
However, one of them in particular tends to be a VERY sore loser and will make whoever's combo-ing off go through the whole thing. That in itself isn't the issue, but if you go too slow he starts getting REALLY pissy, and if you start going too quickly he starts bullshit about how you're missing triggers and how you've fizzled. Doesn't shut up about it until you pass the turn. Obviously, no one wants to lose once they've started combo-ing off, so of course I take my time in order to win. Which then takes like 10 minutes. Hell, it would take LESS time if he wasn't trying to micromanage the game state at all times. For example, if I play a Snapcaster Mage when Omniscience is on the field and i'm in the middle of infinite turns trying to draw cards and finish the game, and there's a Kismet or Blind Obedience on board, he will literally not let the game progress until I tap the damn thing, even though it's completely irrelevant. Or if I play an artifact that doesn't have a tap ability, if it doesn't come in tapped, can't continue combo-ing off. Gets real old real fast.
ANYWAY, sorry for the rant, but if you guys know of any fast ways to win once you've gone infinite, that would be awesome. Oh, don't suggest Laboratory Maniac, I know I need one, working on it. Anything else would be greatly appreciated.
Deckologist Thanks for the suggestion. I did look at that, and I have used it, but I honestly think it's bad. It's too vulnerable to disruption. If they have open mana, you are literally allowing them to draw their entire deck one card at a time, and they WILL find their answer to your combo.
January 30, 2016 9:25 p.m.
Deckologist says... #4
the only thing they can do is cast Wipe Away or Krosan Grip but dont forget that youre in blue and you should have a lot of cards in hand so you discard a few to tap their mana down and then jump to a different phase so that if they float the mana it will be gone.
January 30, 2016 9:29 p.m.
Yea.... Krosan Grip and Wipe Away are... well, popular would be an understatement. Everyone's got em in their decks, and they don't use em frivolously.
I will reconsider the temple bell combo, but I'm honestly hoping to find something else that's harder to interact with.
January 30, 2016 9:32 p.m.
Deckologist says... #6
In blue you're not gonna find it. Its not game winning but one of my favorite combos is Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Knowledge Pool it used to be my decks win con forever ago and once teferis on board they arent doing anything when you cast knowledge pool.
January 30, 2016 9:35 p.m.
I think that if you have someone in your playgroup like that, you should do the following:
- Get Karn Liberated.
- Go infinite.
- Eliminate the problem player.
- Reset game with Karn.
- Try not to feel bad about having one less person in the new game.
It isn't a fast way to win, but nobody I know would actually force me to play it out once I go infinite with my Teferi deck...They know better.
You might try Sharding Sphinx.
January 31, 2016 1:16 a.m. Edited.
Depends on the deck commander.
Azami, Lady of Scrolls: Mind Over Matter into lab man.
Arcum Dagsson: Typically Myr Turbine > Rings of Brighthearth > Basalt Monolith > Staff of Domination.
Teferi, Temporal Archmage: The Chain Veil + 3 sources that tap for a total of 6+ mana to draw the entire deck.
If you're playing a less powerful commander, I sadly do not know the optimal path to victory. Lots of people use Blue Sun's Zenith as win condition for infinite mana, but it's not terribly effective.
January 31, 2016 3:45 a.m.
MagicalHacker says... #9
Who is your commander? Cause if generating infinite mana is what you are trying to do, Ambassador Laquatus, Memnarch, and Oona, Queen of the Fae are mono-blue generals that can win immediately once you generate that infinite mana.
January 31, 2016 9:03 a.m.
I'm using Teferi, Temporal Archmage as I think that the mana ramp he enables is too broken not to use.
NarejED The Chain Veil combo is something that I forgot about, and is probably something I should add. Would at the very least make going off quicker. Might add Lab Maniac anyway as that way I can just blue sun myself.
1empyrean Yea I might just do that, I do have a Karn in my binder. However, if you do reset the game, doesn't the person who was eliminated just come back? Anyway, Sharding Sphinx seems neat, might add that. Also quite like the new one that's uncounterable.
M a g i c a l H a c k e r I don't want to change my commander, as I really like Teferi, but going infinite with Memnarch wouldn't cause a concession. Still, probably worth adding if I can find one.
Thanks for the suggestion guys.
January 31, 2016 11:24 a.m.
kyuuri117 As per the rulings on Gatherer, any player that left the game before the resolution of the ability doesn't come back.
Good luck.
January 31, 2016 1:09 p.m.
Ender666666 says... #12
M a g i c a l H a c k e r, Oona, Queen of the Fae is not a mono-blue commander, technically speaking... But I think I know what you meant.
kyuuri117, it sounds like that one guy is a real dink, and if he is the only one in your group to be like that, I'd suggest asking the other players what they think. Hold a vote or whatever, and I'm sure no one else will insist on you playing through your combo to victory. I think it would irk the douche nozzle guy too, which would be worth bonus points.
It's one thing to ask someone to play through their infinite combo in a tournament situation, where prizes or prestige are on the line, or to prove that they actually DO have the pieces to win, but after the first time proving it, insisting on it every time is just vindictive douchebaggery.
January 31, 2016 7:36 p.m.
MagicalHacker says... #13
I should have said that they can be the commanders of a mono-blue deck. xD
January 31, 2016 8:38 p.m.
You could use Talrand, Sky Summoner and strap a Runechanter's Pike onto one of the "worthless" drakes. That of course depends on how many instants or sorceries you run. If you only run a few utility critters and Capsize you could make "How to train your dragon 4" quite easily. Admittedly, it's not the best idea but if you're taking infin turns the drakes can pile up fast.
February 1, 2016 1:17 p.m.
Just add Psychosis Crawler that will kill everyone evenly once you get your infinite anything and he can attack for lots to boot
Deckologist says... #2
Mind Over Matter and Temple Bell
make sure you have an Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre or Kozilek, Butcher of Truth so you can discard them so you wont deck yourself out as well.
January 30, 2016 9:22 p.m.