Arcane Illusions

Modern Illusion UB (Dimir)

roadkill2104

Creature (29)

• 4x Phantasmal Bear
• 4x Siren Stormtamer
• 4x Krovikan Mist
• 4x Lord of the Unreal
• 4x Phantasmal Image
• 1x Glasspool Mimic  ^Flip
• 4x Grand Architect
• 2x Phantom Warrior
• 2x Phantasmal Dragon

Land (20)

• 2x Castle Vantress
• 11x Island
• 4x Mutavault
• 1x Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
• 2x Otawara, Soaring City

Artifact (8)

• 4x Aether Vial
• 4x Maskwood Nexus

Instant (3)

• 3x Dismember

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Sideboard

Instant (10)

• 3x Rapid Hybridization
• 4x Counterspell
• 2x Hurkyl's Recall
• 1x Dismember

Artifact (3)

• 3x Relic of Progenitus

Creature (2)

• 2x Brazen Borrower

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Maybeboard

Creature (18)

• 4x Jace's Phantasm
• 4x Amoeboid Changeling
• 2x Phyrexian Revoker
• 4x Phantasmal Dreadmaw
• 4x Subtlety

Instant (16)

• 4x Thought Scour
• 4x Archmage's Charm
• 4x Dismember
• 4x Force of Negation

Enchantment (3)

• 3x Arcane Adaptation

Land (4)

• 4x Cavern of Souls

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An illusion tribal deck.

First, an Important Note about Illusions

"Illusion is a handy but fragile medium. Use it only in a pinch, or against the dim-witted." — Jace Beleren

Phantasmal Image et al. will be sacrificed even if you counter the spell that targeted it. The same is true if you try to use any protection spell that targets it (such as Dive Down). This is because the triggered sacrifice ability goes on the stack before any player gets priority. An argument could be made for using an overloaded Mizzium Skin but I think that this slot is better used for interaction such as Archmage's Charm for the reasons given below.

Link to the article - https://blogs.magicjudges.org/rulestips/2012/03/phantasmal-image-will-be-sacrificed-even-if-you-counter-the-spell-that-targeted-it/

The Cards

Main Deck

Lord of the Unreal - This is the centre piece of the deck. Unfortunately without these, most of the creatures die to a stiff breeze. Aim to protect these Lords as much as you can and where possible, only deploy them when you can do so.

Phantasmal Image - One of the key synergies in the deck. When this copies a Lord of the Unreal, they give themselves +1/+1 and Hexproof and are very difficult to remove. Aim to have at least one of these copying a Lord, it's always worthwhile. After this, another good copy target is the Krovikan Mist.

Krovikan Mist - This is the primary beater in the deck. I would argue that this is one of the three most important cards for the tribe.

Maskwood Nexus - First and foremost this is to help protect Lord of the Unreal by making it an illusion and allowing it to give itself +1/+1 and Hexproof. It also brings the non-illusion utility creatures into the tribe, giving them the same bonuses and protections. Finally, if you do end up in the late game it can be used to go wide by churning out changelings. In previous versions this slot was taken by 3x Arcane Adaptation.

Aether Vial - These are essential. I would advise prioritising two counters. Subsequent vials will give you the opportunity to tick up to three if necessary.

Grand Architect - Ideally this slot would be a new illusion Lord but while that doesn't exist, this will do. It has very useful ability to help cast the Maskwood Nexus. In fact in magical Christmas land, if you have one other blue creature already on the battlefield you can cast this on turn three along with a Maskwood Nexus. Don't mock the dream, it can happen.

Phantasmal Bear - It's a one mana 2/2 that's on tribe.

Siren Stormtamer - An odd choice perhaps but it's a utility creature and it's primary function is to protect Lord of the Unreal.

Phantom Warrior - This is a creature flex slot. I like that Phantom Warrior is truly evasive and even if it's not pumped by any other Lords, it still gets through for a tickle. With that said, I would probably swap them out for Brazen Borrower's when I can afford more. (Right now, they're in the sideboard.)

Phantasmal Dragon - Because big and stompy (and cheap considerig it's big stompiness).

Glasspool Mimic   - A clone or a land where needed. Not much else to say.

Dismember - Another flex slot. The deck really needs some removal.

The Sideboard

The sideboard is very fluid and I'll grant you that my reasonings are not the strongest.

Brazen Borrower - More utility and interaction, I also like the flash and the evasion. Unfortunately it's not an illusion until the Maskwood Nexus is on the battlefield.

Counterspell - It's a blue deck and my parentage is questionable enough that counter spells are always a good thing. Especially now that these babies are legal in Modern.

Hurkyl's Recall - I have a tendency to run into artifacts a lot, especially in casual settings, so this gives me enough giggles to hose them.

Rapid Hybridization - There are certain creatures that warrant removing entirely, not just returning to their owner's hand. Often times these cards are bigger than Dismember. They are also big enough and indeed scary enough that the Frog Lizard 3/3 G is infinitely preferable to having a Primeval Titan inserted where only doctors dare to probe.

Relic of Progenitus - I don't know why it is but I don't like to leave home without graveyard hate and this is one of my favourites.

Other Cards Considered

Amoeboid Changeling - Similar to Siren Stormtamer the primary function of this is to protect Lord of the Unreal by giving it all creature types so that it can give itself Hexproof. It's handy that it is also a changeling so it's sort-of on tribe.

Arcane Adaptation - I used to use three of these before Maskwood Nexus. I still like them for the fact that you don't see enchantment removal as often.

Archmage's Charm - I'm concerned with the cost making it slow and possibly clunky but the deck lacks interaction and card draw so I wonder about this to fill that gap.

Cavern of Souls - This is a curious one. Aside from being astronomically expensive, I do like the anti-counter spell ability on it. The problem however, is that the primary card of the deck (i.e. Lord of the Unreal) is a Human Wizard, not an illusion and the same goes for the utility creatures. Therefore I don't think it's a good idea to use them yet until there are some better illusions perhaps. Also; as-tro-nom-ically expensive. It's worth noting that Maskwood Nexus will mean that a Lord of the Unreal is an ilusion while in your hand and on the stack, but that's late game. Did I mention that they are expensive?

Jace's Phantasm - A one mana flyer that's on tribe; I'm still on the fence about this one. Powering it up without skewing the deck was an issue when I tried it out.

Monastery Siege - The deck lacks card draw but these can help and can also give a bit of protection for some of the glass like illusions due to the fact that they can't even be targeted unless your opponent pays the 2 in advance.

Subtlety - Useful for problem creatures and planeswalkers as a pitch-card, in a pinch but also a reasonable flash speed beater.

Phantasmal Dreadmaw - Because also big and stompy.

Thought Scour - The deck lacks card draw and these can help to power up a Jace's Phantasm, it just didn't happen as often as I'd like.

Cards that I don't Like

Adaptive Automaton - OK so it can be an illusion and gives +1/+1 to other illusions but I feel that Grand Architect also fills this spot nicely and gives further utility with casting and activating Maskwood Nexus.

Illusory Angel - It's a pain in the backside trying to get this out without Aether Vial and even if I did have an Aether Vial on the battlefield, I don't want to tick it up to three. I want to keep it at two where I can flash in emergency lords.

Metallic Mimic - A cheaper lord and gives a permanent +1/+1 counter to a creature that enters the battlefield after it but that is only if they are of the right type when they enter the battlefield. On top of this, it doesn't impact the current board state when it enters the battlefield unlike a Grand Architect would. A Grand Architect will immediately affect your existing creatures.

Date added	2 years
Last updated	3 weeks
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	0 - 2 Mythic Rares 30 - 2 Rares 11 - 7 Uncommons 8 - 4 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.25
Tokens	Frog Lizard 3/3 G, Frog Lizard 3/3 G, Shapeshifter 2/2 U, Shapeshifter 2/2 U
Folders	Illusion, Illusions, Paper