I harkened back to an earlier era in Magic the Gathering for inspiration here and thought of some of my favorite cards: Tims! i.e. Prodigal Sorcerer, etc. They are all pretty janky TBH so it’s fun to try to make them work.
Of my 10+ EDH decks, this is my only combo deck. I’m not the biggest fan of the play pattern of tutoring up combo pieces - so rule number one - no tutors. Instead, I play a bunch of wheel effects that hopefully allow me to draw into the combination of cards I need. Also - two card combos, which are quite easy in this color combination, are off the table. Hence why you don’t see Niv-Mizzet, Parun or Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind at the helm or in the 99 - too easy to combo off. Therefore when I do win with the deck - I never get too guilty as I feel like I’ve earned it. Do my opponents always feel that way? Not necessarily, haha.
So, we’ve got an actual Tim, Nin, the Pain Artist, leading the pack. Truthfully, she isn’t key for the deck to function, but is really one of the only legendary options. She essentially usually functions as one big card draw burst in the mid game - usually doing X damage to herself to draw a handful of new cards.
Dismiss into Dream, Gorgon's Head, Basilisk Collar, and Sigil of Sleep help me keep the board in check. But really they are red herrings, buying me time until I can assemble a combo. Glacial Chasm serves the same purpose.
The best card in the deck, by far, is the infamous Mind Over Matter. It enables the deck to do so many powerful things. If it is out, Curiosity or Ophidian Eye or Tandem Lookout on a Tim will let me machine gun my opponents to death. I can also just draw my whole deck with it and Archivist, Azami, Lady of Scrolls, or Arcanis the Omnipotent.
The other big combo line in the deck is generating infinite mana. Our untappy boys Vizier of Tumbling Sands, Fatestitcher, Aphetto Alchemist, Kelpie Guide, and Clever Conjurer are central here. We need one of them. And then a source that produces multiple mana with blue in it - Lotus Field, Izzet Boilerworks, Coral Atoll, Gilded Lotus, High Tide plus an island, or just Illusionist's Bracers to double up the untap effect. And finally Pemmin's Aura or Freed from the Real. If we have infinite blue mana, we can use the untapping effect to infinitely untap a Tim - so it can machine gun down our opponents. Or - Comet Storm can also do the trick here with any color or infinite mana.
Record:
9-17
35% win percentage
September 2021 Deck Changes
Out:
Gorgon Flail - the two other versions of this card in the deck are more efficient. so when i draw this one it annoys me
Magewright's Stone - I like my untappers not to cost mana to activate. Just not impactful enough.
Suq'Ata Firewalker - the double color pips are only worth it if the tims have haste
Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind - even though he is perfect here, removing the dragon means no two card combos in the deck. so i can feel less guilty when i win :)
In:
Jace's Archivist - It's a combo deck so wheeling through cards is a great way to search for pieces. With an untapper I can potentially see 20+ cards in a turn.
Pact of Negation - I had difficulty forcing through my combos last game - more protection can't hurt. Plus I've never had a copy of this card and this is the perfect deck for it.
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - Another copy of archivist. except I also have ~10 wizards in the deck so could be lots of fun with the right board state
Glacial Chasm - swapped this for a mountain. if i'm a turn or two away from a combo - could save me just enough time
High Tide - Like izzet boilerworks, gilded lotus, and lotus field, a well timed high tide, combined with one of my aura untappers or illusionist bracers, gives me infinite mana.
Valakut Awakening
- Another wheel option without a deck slot. now up to 4 ways to wheel in the deck. I won't tutor for a combo - but feel fine wheeling for it
November 2021 Deck Changes
In
Stormcarved Coast - these new dual lands are spectacular. have to cut a non-land for it as i accidentally cut a proper land for glacial chasm last time - which it doesn't count as
Cerebral Vortex - i think this is really good. 3 mana instant speed draw 2, nice and efficient. also can do some work in a pinch with all my wheels - dome someone for a good amount
Fabled Passage - quality land! cutting a mountain for it
Out
Grafted Exoskeleton - As fun as it would be to infect someone with ten pings from a Tim... it is unlikely and mana intensive to set up.
Pull from Tomorrow - My commander basically serves this function once a game. And Cerebral Vortex, replacing it is more efficient.
December 2021 Deck Changes
In
Blink of an Eye - realize im light on removal in the deck. an artifact or enchantment on my opponents side - only chaos warp was an option. now with this and the below, at least i have some answer
Vandalblast - see above
Out
Cerebral Vortex - short lived stay. not a lot to cut in the deck, its just tight
Fact or Fiction - debatably my fave magic card... im realizing it may not be so good. id love for my draw to cost 2-3, 4 is a lot. also - i have to reveal the cards, which can bite me in the ass - especially in a combo deck like this one
January 2022 Deck Changes
In
Training Center - these lands are great and affordable at the moment. pulling an island.
Cerebral Vortex - previously cut but a lot of my card advantage is actually combo pieces i.e. curiosity so I'm counting it wrong - need just some pure draw
Pull from Tomorrow - see above!
Out
Willbreaker - Willbreaker seems like a perfect fit for the deck, but it is 5 mana, and if I’m using that to solve a serious problem - like a big attacker, I can’t count on it. It is a removal magnet - and the removal will cost less than 5. But the biggest problem is I can’t tap out and then know I’ll last to the next turn - unlike one of my deathtouch things which is pretty much a sure thing. Charisma is similar - triple blue - and is asking ‘please kill my creature’. Only really works if boots is out - and that’s one card in the deck. Instead - I want more draw
Charisma - see above
February 2022 Deck Changes
In
Otawara, Soaring City - free removal! pulling an island
Clever Conjurer - so much untapping synergy i think i play him despite the sorcery restriction
Coral Atoll - along with izzet boilerworks, another way to generate infinite mana. pulling a non land as it is a bit restrictive
Resculpt - undervalued this card originally. replaced vandalblast - hits an artifact too, instant speed
Out
Vandalblast - see above
Blink of an Eye - can afford to cut this with otawara joining
Cerebral Vortex - pulled this instead of an island for coral atoll. its really close to staying
May 2022 Deck Changes
In
An Offer You Can't Refuse - deck doesn't have swan song. this protects my combos for a single mana.
Out
Artificer's Epiphany - hope this isn't cutting too much draw
October 2022 Deck Changes
In
Nimbleclaw Adept - this card isn't perfect. the main problem being it can't go infinite the way my other untappers can. so have to see if there is enough synergy to make it worth it. by definition there are things i want to untap in the deck so i'll see
Out
Fervor - never a card i'm super jazzed to see. will try out the adept instead
November 2022 Deck Changes
Frostboil Snarl - soured on these, swapped for an island
November 2022 Deck Changes Part II
In
Another basic island. Adding a land to each of my decks this month to increase my land count
Out
Nimbleclaw Adept - as quick as it came, it was gone. the once per turn is just a non-starter. doesnt work with any of my shenanigans
September 2023 Deck Changes
In
The Irencrag - love me untapped 2 cmc rocks
Ioreth of the Healing House - untappy guys run this deck
Out
Brash Taunter - love it but not crucial for the wins here
Arcane Denial - great card but other counters are better and running out of space
