my arbiter

Commander / EDH Bracket 4 Counterspell Protection WU (Azorius)

zagtastic

Creature (27)

• 1x Absolute Virtue
• 1x Archmage Emeritus
• 1x Avacyn, Angel of Hope
• 1x Aven Mindcensor
• 1x Drannith MagistrateGC
• 1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
• 1x Fatespinner
• 1x Giver of Runes
• 1x Gold-Forged Thopteryx
• 1x Grand Abolisher
• 1x Hullbreaker Horror
• 1x Hushbringer
• 1x Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant
• 1x K-9, Mark I
• 1x Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
• 1x Linvala, Keeper of Silence
• 1x Mother of Runes
• 1x Pippin, Guard of the Citadel
• 1x Reidane, God of the Worthy  ^Flip
• 1x Spelltithe Enforcer
• 1x Strict Proctor
• 1x Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
• 1x Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1x The Reality Chip
• 1x Unsettled Mariner
• 1x Weathered Wayfarer
• 1x Windborn Muse

Artifact (6)

• 1x Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass
• 1x Isochron Scepter
• 1x Norn's Annex
• 1x Relic of Legends
• 1x Sensei's Divining Top
• 1x Sol Ring

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Approach of the Second Sun

Land (32)

• 1x Academy Ruins
• 1x Command Tower
• 1x Deserted Beach
• 1x Eiganjo Castle
• 1x Eiganjo, Seat of the Empire
• 1x Flagstones of Trokair
• 1x Flooded Strand
• 1x Floodfarm Verge
• 1x Glacial Fortress
• 1x Hall of Heliod's Generosity
• 1x Hallowed Fountain
• 1x Hengegate Pathway  ^Flip
• 5x Island
• 1x Kor Haven
• 1x Monumental Henge
• 1x Mystic Gate
• 1x Nimbus Maze
• 1x Otawara, Soaring City
• 1x Path of Ancestry
• 6x Plains
• 1x Port Town
• 1x Prairie Stream
• 1x Rivendell

Enchantment (8)

• 1x Aura of Silence
• 1x Counterbalance
• 1x Frozen Aether
• 1x Land Tax
• 1x Propaganda
• 1x Solemnity
• 1x Telepathy
• 1x Unstoppable Plan

Planeswalker (3)

• 1x Narset, Parter of VeilsGC
• 1x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
• 1x The Wanderer

Commander (1)

Instant (22)

• 1x Akroma's Will
• 1x Bovine Intervention
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Disallow
• 1x Disenchant
• 1x Dovin's Veto
• 1x Dramatic Reversal
• 1x Enlightened TutorGC
• 1x Generous Gift
• 1x Hindering Light
• 1x Mystical TutorGC
• 1x Narset's Reversal
• 1x Negate
• 1x No More Lies
• 1x Path to Exile
• 1x Permission Denied
• 1x Render Silent
• 1x Reprieve
• 1x Silence
• 1x Sink into Stupor  ^Flip
• 1x Stroke of Midnight
• 1x Swords to Plowshares

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Sideboard

Creature (5)

• 1x Aegis of the Gods
• 1x Azor's Elocutors
• 1x Crystal Barricade
• 1x Tishana's Tidebinder
• 1x Triskaidekaphile

Instant (3)

• 1x Blue Elemental Blast
• 1x Hydroblast
• 1x Orim's Chant

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Dovin, Hand of Control

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Ghostly Prison

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Maybeboard

Instant (6)

• 1x Ancestral Recall
• 1x Cyclonic RiftGC
• 1x Fierce GuardianshipGC
• 1x Force of Negation
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Teferi's ProtectionGC

Creature (4)

• 1x Ancient Silver Dragon
• 1x Consecrated SphinxGC
• 1x Esper Sentinel
• 1x Serra Ascendant

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Rhystic StudyGC
• 1x Smothering TitheGC

Land (3)

• 1x Minamo, School at Water's Edge
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 1x Tundra

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Sea Gate Restoration  ^Flip

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my attempt at a "budget" stax/ccr deck. maybeboard contains cards that would fit the deck, but don't fit the (admittedly arbitrary) budget. recommendations appreciated.

ccr = counter, control, and remove. also lots of tax and hate (mostly asymmetric) in this deck.

win cons:

• creatures/combat damage. big hitters Absolute Virtue, Avacyn, Angel of Hope, and Hullbreaker Horror aided by things like Akroma's Will, K-9, Mark I, etc.
• Approach of the Second Sun: can be tutored (Mystical TutorGC) and/or cheated back into hand (Narset's Reversal). can be cast-protected by Grand Abolisher, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, or Silence.

sideboard:

• Dovin, Hand of Control, Crystal Barricade/Aegis of the Gods/Leyline of Sanctity, Tishana's Tidebinder, and Ghostly Prison provide additional hate or protection that can be swapped in based on matchup(s).
• Azor's Elocutors or Triskaidekaphile can be subbed in to provide alternate (/passive) win con(s) for stalled games, tho beware of elocutors' conflict with Solemnity.
• and, of course, Blue Elemental Blast + Hydroblast should be used vs red...

other critical cards/interactions:

• Sensei's Divining Top: shenanigans can enable Counterbalance (repeatable 0 or 1-mana denial) or The Reality Chip/Crystal Skull, Isu Spyglass (tempo, card advantage); a justified budget-buster.
• Relic of Legends: lots of additional mana, due to 13 legendary creatures (including commander). combine with Unstoppable Plan or Dramatic Reversal to retain the flexibility to attack, defend, and/or recover mana production capability for counterspells.
• Land Tax, Weathered Wayfarer: repeatable land fetch effects that can help recover from a bad shuffle (or if Sensei's Divining Top says there's nothing good coming), fill hand for Triskaidekaphile win con (if sideboarded in), or thin lands from future draws / top-of-library play.
• Isochron Scepter: pick one of the 16 qualifying instants to be able to re-cast every turn. faves include the tutors (go get what you need!), Dramatic Reversal (potential for infinite mana + creature abilities), Narset's Reversal, Silence, etc. particularly powerful when combined with Unstoppable Plan and/or Archmage Emeritus.
• Pippin, Guard of the Citadel, Mother of Runes, Giver of Runes: provide resilience for commander and other control/utility creatures (beyond ward or other tax effects), as well as unblockability as needed.

counter effects:

• [C] Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant
• [C] Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
• [E] Counterbalance
• [I] Counterspell
• [I] Disallow
• [I] Dovin's Veto
• [I] Hindering Light
• [I] Negate
• [I] No More Lies
• [I] Permission Denied
• [I] Render Silent

control (disable/tax/return):

• [P] Narset, Parter of VeilsGC
• [P] Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
• [C] Aven Mindcensor
• [C] Drannith MagistrateGC
• [C] Fatespinner
• [C] Grand Abolisher
• [C] Hullbreaker Horror
• [C] Hushbringer
• [C] Lavinia, Azorius Renegade
• [C] Linvala, Keeper of Silence
• [C] Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• [C] Spelltithe Enforcer
• [C] Strict Proctor
• [C] Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
• [C] Windborn Muse
• [AC] Reidane, God of the Worthy  
• [A] Norn's Annex
• [E] Frozen Aether
• [E] Propaganda
• [E] Solemnity
• [I] Narset's Reversal
• [I] Render Silent
• [I] Reprieve
• [I] Silence

removal:

• [P] Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (w/ emblem)
• [P] The Wanderer
• [I] Bovine Intervention
• [I] Disenchant
• [I] Generous Gift
• [I] Path to Exile
• [I] Stroke of Midnight
• [I] Swords to Plowshares

durability (protection/prevention/hexproof/indestructable):

• [L] Eiganjo Castle
• [L] Kor Haven
• [P] The Wanderer
• [C] Absolute Virtue
• [C] Avacyn, Angel of Hope
• [C] Giver of Runes
• [C] Mother of Runes
• [C] Pippin, Guard of the Citadel
• [I] Akroma's Will
• various cards that have or grant ward effects.

Date added	3 weeks
Last updated	2 days
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	6 - 0 Mythic Rares 51 - 6 Rares 26 - 2 Uncommons 6 - 2 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.91
Tokens	Copy Clone, Elephant 3/3 G, Emblem Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, Human 1/1 W, Ox 2/2 W