Orvar, Lord of Tokens

Commander / EDH Clone Mono-Blue Spellslinger

TheWaxMann

Instant (31)

• 1x Cerulean Wisps
• 1x Chain of Vapor
• 1x Clockspinning
• 1x Dizzy Spell
• 1x Dream's Grip
• 1x Essence Flux
• 1x Fleeting Distraction
• 1x Gigadrowse
• 1x Hydroblast
• 1x Leap
• 1x Mind Games
• 1x Mizzium Skin
• 1x Rapid Hybridization
• 1x Stream of Unconsciousness
• 1x Thermal Flux
• 1x Twiddle
• 1x Whim of Volrath
• 1x Arcane Denial
• 1x Counterspell
• 1x Cyclonic Rift
• 1x Enervate
• 1x Glamerdye
• 1x Mana Drain
• 1x Muddle the Mixture
• 1x Pull from Tomorrow
• 1x Sway of Illusion
• 1x Teferi's Time Twist
• 1x Fierce Guardianship
• 1x Ghostly Flicker
• 1x Sudden Substitution
• 1x Sublime Epiphany *f-pre*

Creature (16)

• 1x Cloud of Faeries
• 1x Spellstutter Sprite
• 1x Sea Gate Oracle
• 1x Spellseeker
• 1x Tribute Mage
• 1x Wavebreak Hippocamp
• 1x Amphin Mutineer
• 1x Archaeomancer
• 1x Solemn Simulacrum
• 1x Venser, Shaper Savant
• 1x Azami, Lady of Scrolls
• 1x Mulldrifter
• 1x Peregrine Drake
• 1x Draining Whelk
• 1x Torrential Gearhulk
• 1x Agent of Treachery

Land (34)

• 1x Academy Ruins
• 1x Glimmerpost
• 25x Island
• 1x Myriad Landscape
• 1x Mystic Sanctuary
• 1x Saprazzan Skerry
• 1x Strip Mine
• 1x Swarmyard
• 1x Tolaria West
• 1x Tyrite Sanctum

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Rhystic Study
• 1x Kiora Bests the Sea God

Commander (1)

Artifact (13)

• 1x Expedition Map
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Arcane Signet
• 1x Dowsing Dagger  ^Flip
• 1x Idol of Oblivion
• 1x Isochron Scepter
• 1x Lightning Greaves
• 1x Sapphire Medallion
• 1x Commander's Sphere
• 1x Mirage Mirror
• 1x Primal Amulet  ^Flip
• 1x Gilded Lotus
• 1x Coveted Jewel

Sorcery (3)

• 1x Aquitect's Will
• 1x Curse of the Swine
• 1x Hidden Strings

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Maybeboard

Instant (10)

• 1x Dive Down
• 1x Moonlace
• 1x Pongify
• 1x Alter Reality
• 1x Geistwave
• 1x Reality Shift
• 1x Run Away Together
• 1x Snap
• 1x Cryptic Command
• 1x Dig Through Time

Sorcery (3)

• 1x Energy Tap
• 1x Open Into Wonder
• 1x Ravenform

Enchantment (5)

• 1x Metallurgic Summonings
• 1x Treachery
• 1x Dismiss into Dream
• 1x Eye of the Storm
• 1x Lay Claim

Artifact (4)

• 1x Nim Deathmantle
• 1x Powerstone Shard
• 1x Panharmonicon
• 1x Gauntlet of Power

Creature (5)

• 1x Faerie Miscreant
• 1x Sakashima of a Thousand Faces
• 1x Docent of Perfection  ^Flip
• 1x Precursor Golem
• 1x Voracious Greatshark

Land (4)

• 1x Cloudpost
• 1x Inkmoth Nexus
• 1x Riptide Laboratory
• 1x Sunscorched Desert

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This deck is looking to cast Orvar as soon as possible, but with at least 1 targeter in hand and the mana to cast it so we can at least get some value if he is removed. The first few things we will be looking to copy are lands or mana rocks, so he can be recast if necessary.

Once enough mana is accumulated, the goal is to target other things either for draw (Mulldrifter, Sea Gate Oracle etc) or for other value (Torrential Gearhulk, Solemn Simulacrum, Agent of Treachery). I have tried to keep the cost of as many targeters under 2 as I can to exile to Isochron Scepter but there are a few higher cmc spells that are just worth it like Ghostly Flicker, Cryptic Command, Sublime Epiphany.

Some neat effects

• Mirage Mirror can copy something amazing on the table that someone else owns and then copy the mirror with Orvar.
• Isochron Scepter is not in here for an infinite combo, but to be able to cast a targeter as often as possible. If the spell can target artifacts, you can clone the Scepter and exile another card from hand to it as many times as you have targeters in hand and on the field.
• Gilded Lotus and Whim of Volrath can lead to infinite tapped Lotuses. Do this at the end of the previous turn to untap with infinite mana. You will be able to cast Whim infinitely, allowing you to copy anything you own as many times as you want. If you have Venser, Shaper Savant along with this then you can bounce all of your opponents permanents and "counter" any spells they cast back to their hand, which is effectively a win. The same for Agent of Trechary in this position. If we have Sapphire Medallion on the field, it reduces the Whim with buyback to only so we can use the infinite mana at eot to make copies of enough creatures to deal lethal combat damage on untap.
• Copying Glimmerpost is a way to gain a significant amount of life if you copy it enough times. This is the reason Tolaria West and Expedition Map are in the deck, as there aren't many ways of gaining life in mono blue.
• Riptide Laboratory, Tyrite Sanctum, & Swarmyard are in there for protecting Orvar, as he is a changeling.
• This is the first time I've used Hydroblast in EDH, as it isn't normally very good. In Orvar though, it is there because it can target anything of yours and copy it without destroying the original since it isn't going to be red, or in an emergeny it can be used to counter a Vandalblast or other worrying red card.
• Torrential Gearhulk is a relatively decent wincon in the deck if you have already cast a bunch of cheap spells during the game. The first one casts a spell that targets itself, makes a copy then the copy targets another spell. This can make a gearhulk for each card in your gy that you don't mind exiling at EOT and then swing out. It can also make for a whole lot of surprise blockers during combat.

Rules Notes

• Cards that say "copy this spell" (like Chain of Vapor/Gigadrowse) just copy on the stack without casting the copies. They do not trigger orvar multiple times. Isochron Scepter does trigger orvar though, since it says "You may cast the copy".
• Things that target multiple permanents only trigger Orvar once, he says "create a token that's a copy of one of those permanents". This is easy to miss at first glance.
• Panharmonicon and Isochron Scepter go together very nicely, you can exile 2 cards on ETB and when you tap the scepter you can cast either one of the exiled cards, or both if you want!
• Lay Claim and Treachery don't target when they are copied, they just enter the battlefield enchanting something. This means they can enchant things with hexproof or shroud. Still doesn't get around protection from blue though.

New Additions

• Hidden Strings replaced Trait Doctoring. Strings can tap stuff to try to force damage through blockers to get the targeting effect.
• Panharmonicon replaced Lithoform Engine. Engine seems good, but I always felt like it could be better. Panharmonicon has an interesting interaction with Isochron Scepter where it exiles 2 cards and you can choose to cast either of the spells or both and I wanted to see if it was worth it in this deck.
• Metallurgic Summonings replaced Shark Typhoon. Typhoon mostly makes small 1/1 or 2/2 fliers, as the spells are all so low cmc. They are great for blockers, but it feels like the wrong deck for this card as it isn't making anything big very often. Summonings still makes a bunch of blockers, but it is 1cmc cheaper and it can get a bunch of spells back if needed.
• Teferi's Time Twist replaced Illusionist's Stratagem. Stratagem can only target creatures, which there aren't many of in the deck. The upside is card draw, but I'd prefer a Ghostly Flicker over it every time and time twist seems like it might be better as it has more options.
• Treachery replaced Sakashima the Impostor. Sakashima never felt great, when you are copying with Orvar already it should all be pretty smooth and having an extra trigger wasn't worth the card. Treachery untaps 5 lands though, and can steal any creature (it gets around hexproof/shroud by not being cast when it is copied)
• Swarmyard replaced an island. I only just found out about this card, and it looks like a great way to protect Orvar.
• Stripmine Replaced an island. This seems mean, I might cut it if it gets out of hand.
• Peregrine Drake replaced Treachery for budget reasons. Still goes infinite with Orvar and Whim, but doesn't generate as much immediate value.
• Dizzy Spell replaced dive down. There is plenty of protection for orvar already in the deck, and the tutor effect is great here. this can tutor for a lot of the good targeter spells Whim of Volrath, Cerulian Whisps etc or removal Pongify, Hydroblast or ramp Sol Ring. It can also act as a targeter itself in a pinch, so it seems like a good decision.
• Muddle the Mixture can tutor for draw (Pull from Tomorrow/Idol of Oblivion) interaction (Curse of the Swine, Counterspell, Cyclonic Rift) decent targeter cards (Glamerdye, Enervate, Hidden Strings), some protection for Orvar Lightning Greaves or all star of the deck Isochron Scepter
• Rhystic Study "Do you pay the one" turns into "Do you pay the 3" after copying it a few times with Orvar. There is already so much draw in the deck that I'm not sure it is necessary, but it always feels good to draw cards.
• Sudden Substitution Target you own creature (to copy with Orvar) and steal something big, or steal the best creature on the table for the cost of a twiddle effect, both ways seems good.
• Kiora Bests the Sea Gods maybe you like big creatures, this can make a lot of big beaters, tap all the blockers, and steal some things. I like the card but 7cmc is a bit on the high side so it might get cut again.
• Expedition Map Copying the lands in the deck is fantastic. What's better than copying a basic island though? Tutoring for the best land for the situation and copying that instead. We have Swarmyard etc for protecting Orvar, Mystic Sanctuary for recursion, Glimmerpost for lifegain and Cloudpost for super ramp.

Potential new cards

• Lay Claim. It doesn't untap lands like Treachery does but it can enchant any permanent, so does a better job with Whim of Volrath i.e. taking everyones lands as a wincon
• Nim Deathmantle. Having Orvar out is of the utmost importance, and being able to save him from a board wipe is very important. We always have plenty of mana to spare as we are doing things at instant speed, so we should be able to rescue him a few times when needed to reduce wasted mana on subsequent turns recasting him. This can also be tutored for with Tribute Mage, which is in there to get the most important artifacts in the deck.
• Dismiss into Dream. It has a very high CMC, but with so many inconsequential targeters in the deck this turns everything into removal. Not sure if it worth the slot, but keeping it in maybe to remind me to try it at some point.
• Run Away Together This can target something of yours to clone it, or to protect it from removal while also bouncing something of an opponents. It could also bounce 2 opponents things, but that seems like an uneffective use of the card.
• Energy Tap Make a copy of something and ramp a lot at the same time.
• Thought Vessel and Reliquary Tower I've often found myself discarding to hand size, these seem like decent cards that could help with that although we don't want too many lands though.
• Mystic Reflection Upside looks like you could either copy something of your own to make a copy of while lumbering your opponent with a card that doesn't do much in their deck, or you could make one of your tokens a copy of something really strong on the board.
• Commander's Sphere can be copied to draw lots of cards. Seems reasonable
• Inkmoth Nexus Copy it to get a bunch of infect fliers at EOT for a surprise win?

Date added	3 years
Last updated	2 years
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	5 - 0 Mythic Rares 27 - 0 Rares 11 - 0 Uncommons 30 - 0 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.62
Tokens	Boar 2/2 G, Copy Clone, Eldrazi 10/10 C, Frog Lizard 3/3 G, Kraken 8/8 U w/ Hexproof, Plant 0/2 G
Folders	orvar ideas