I think your observations are on point. Adding in Bolas's Citadel is an awesome way to continue the Storm turn and the combo with Top is just too good to pass up. I'm actually wondering if it replaces Paradox Engine or if it should be run alongside it. My thinking is that it replaces the Engine somewhat since they compete in effects and I don't want to have both cards present in the deck alongside Ad Nauseam. I also like the idea of using Insidious Dreams to be able to set up a Citadel turn at instant speed while also not being a terrible tutor effect generally.
@Evil Never Dies
Huh, I like the Eggs approach to your build. How has it been performing for you and how quickly are you able to start the combo chain? And why the lack of Lab Maniac? It seems like it would be an easy include since it looks like this list can draw an obscene number of cards during its combo turn.
I like the idea of Insidious Dreams as it lets us tutor for a bunch of cards and theoretically pitch a bunch of lands or something we can pull from our grave right away. Technically you could use that tutor and put to draw you Bolas's Citadel then Sensei's Divining Top + what ever cards you want to go wild with. I feel like Paradox Engine would probally make the over CMC too high for the deck so It would be like run one or the other. They would work well together however I don't think our mana base could support it. I could always try it and see how it goes, but I think our deck might be a bit too slow with both.
I also think we should consider potentially trying to push yidris out ASAP to get a cascade trigger. If we cast a spell for 1 CMC we could cascade into Ancestral Vision or Wheel of Fate. Based on that value we could attempt to increase our 0 cost mana rocks and add Chrome Mox and Mox Opal there are other expensive rocks but I am sure you gety my drift.
What are you thoughts on swapping Spellseeker for Merchant Scroll I think that it would prove more value as most we would be most likely grabbing a blue spell anyway.
@Evil Never Dies I like Paradoxical Outcome since if we increase our 0 / 1 cost mana rocks we could increase our storm count by quite a bit by bouncing our own stuff. If you bounce Chrome Mox do you need to exile a new card or does it reattach to what ever you exiled before? That is the only downisde I can think of.
@Evil Never Dies
Huh, I like the Eggs approach to your build. How has it been performing for you and how quickly are you able to start the combo chain? And why the lack of Lab Maniac? It seems like it would be an easy include since it looks like this list can draw an obscene number of cards during its combo turn.
With all the "untap/add mana and draw" effects I usually go off in the same moment Yidris connect with the opponent, regardless of what is my hand (unless I got only mana rocks of course). The problem is, to make survive Yidris because opponent will do everything to remove or counter him, so I usually have to recast him more times before going off.
The Lab Maniac is not actually a wise choice since I would had to take off all my "Timetwister" effects and it would take too long to draw all my deck. I win in a much consistent way typically with a high enough stormed Tendrils of Agony / Grape Shot / Aetherflux Reservoir or, even better, Temporal Fissure (because the storm count can be much lower and it's practically gg when the opponent got no permanents in field).
The deck works obviously much better in 1vs1 CEDH than multiplayer environments.
Anyway, all the spells are chosen in a way that literally everything is totally useful and functional when cascaded with Yidris. That means no spells with X in the mana costs, no counters, or stuff that don't make me draw/make mana/do damage in order to advance in the storm chain.
I made it slight tweaks of the list meanwhile, now I added some cheap tutors and explore effects to add consistency and flexibility, while going off and before that:
Added also Sorin Markov, as a potential finisher in sinergy with the damage-based storm spells.
@Evil Never Dies I like Paradoxical Outcome since if we increase our 0 / 1 cost mana rocks we could increase our storm count by quite a bit by bouncing our own stuff. If you bounce Chrome Mox do you need to exile a new card or does it reattach to what ever you exiled before? That is the only downisde I can think of.
No, you need to exile a new card, each time a card change zone it doesn't have any memory of what was before. I dont like it here because it make card disadvantage of a deck hungry of card advantage.
I think Gilded Lotus is a fine inclusion for the deck for budget reasons. Getting to 5 mana is pretty easy for this deck and the Lotus helps to super power out spells.
As a replacement for Grim Monolith, perhaps you could try Basalt Monolith? It's 1 CMC less than Dynamo, which matters for this deck.
I'll be updating the list to include some of the new cards from War of the Spark. I'll edit this post with a brief changelog of what changes I made.
Theoretically once I have a bunch of 0 CMC mana rocks include Paradoxical Outcome as a card draw engine followed by increasing my storm count when I play them for free.
Here is a question, if you cascade for 1 I know this card is fine Lotus Bloom however can you cast Ancestral Vision and Wheel of Fate since they technically don't have a mana cost? Also if they are cast for 0 are they still suspended or do they enter the battlefield right away? I figured I would ask the experts before I read it and proceeded to play the card wrong.
If you're casting a 0 CMC card off of Cascade, yes, the spell will be cast for free since you aren't casting it from your hand. However, if you're attempting to cast the 0 CMC card from your hand it must be suspended.
It's one of the reasons I like Electrodominance since it's another way to cast these kind of cards in case you naturally draw them.
I really like your list, Pufflex. I think you're right that Bolas's Citadel replaces Thousand-Year Storm in the list. I really need to give Citadel a test. I've heard some good things about it so far and it should find a spot in my list somewhere.
That is interesting, so if you cascade into wheel of fate it would be instant wheel.
Last night I won a game by, starting my last turn with 5 health, Vampiric Tutoring to Aetherflux, using top to draw it. Then I resolved the aether flux and and dropped mana crypt and it was game. Granted I did have Scepter already tied to the Dramatic Reversal so it was GG. But I like the deck as its very explosive when you hit the right spot.
So I tested the deck again last night and its really explosive. I was able to use bolas Citadel with Aetherflux on board to minds desire for 14 x2 with narset's reversal. The gas this deck can produce is just stupid, I know the deck will perform better with more 0 cost mana rocks but, it really flies right now. Yidris is always a threat, even when the cmdr isnt on the board you can tutor some solid solutions.
Do you think its worth adding in Spire of Industry? It is relative to the board state but we run so many rock it might be worth including.
Just took a quick look at all the lands, and this could be a potential as well Glimmervoid. Let me know how your play testing goes.
I think with an artifact count of above 15 you have great reliability in consistently having Spire of Industry act as a Mana Confluence, so I say go for it.
I really like your list, Pufflex. As a somewhat budget deck, I think it's in a great place! I'm not sure if I have time to test this deck extensively, since I have some school projects and work project deadlines due over the next two weeks, but I'll try and keep everyone posted of any testing that I do manage to accomplish.
Totally agreed. I'll hold back on doing a formal set review for my threads until the spoiler is totally revealed, but this set is going to be almost as impactful for cEDH as WAR was.
The only card I've jumped the gun on is the new Urza because mono-U is life and Urza is one of my favorite characters in the MTG lore. He's an amazing Commander for cEDH play and he's awesomely designed.
Yea it looks pretty good, it almost feels like EDH Horizons. I am wondering if I can find Weather the Storm a home, as it would escalate quickly for an atherflux win. This deck is way more complicated than Arcades to play but the explosiveness is the fun part.
Now that everything has been spoiled here is my list.
100% In Mox Tantalite - Pure Value
Maybe Urza, Lord High Artificer - I don't think we have enough non-rocks to support him. Echo of Eons - Pretty close to Timetwister without the price tag, CMC is higher but the flashback cost is the same. Maybe find it a good home? Throes Of Chaos - Expensive Cascade Crashing Footfalls - Cool Casacade Synergy but those bodies will probally do nothing for the deck unless you cascade them out T4. String of Disappearances - Very close to Chain of Vapor but it costs 2B to so it might have better overall value? What are you thoughts on this. Weather the Storm - Might be good for storming off with aetherflux. Aria of Flame - Might have syngery with the spells, but I don't know if its worth the spot. Our total amount of instants and soceries probally won't make this card viable. Scour All Possibilities - I think we could find this a home, at the end of the day its a 1 CMC more Ponder with flashback which does open some possibilities if we get stuck on land when trying to storm off.
What are your thoughts? I think these were the most relevant cards but I am sure I missed a few.
From the new set, the cards that catch my attention for Yidris Storm is Narset's Reversal, Narset, Parter of Veils, Ashiok, Dream Render, Bolas's Citadel, Jace, Wielder of Mysteries, Return to Nature, and Ral, Storm Conduit.
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
Huh, I like the Eggs approach to your build. How has it been performing for you and how quickly are you able to start the combo chain? And why the lack of Lab Maniac? It seems like it would be an easy include since it looks like this list can draw an obscene number of cards during its combo turn.
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
I like the idea of Insidious Dreams as it lets us tutor for a bunch of cards and theoretically pitch a bunch of lands or something we can pull from our grave right away. Technically you could use that tutor and put to draw you Bolas's Citadel then Sensei's Divining Top + what ever cards you want to go wild with. I feel like Paradox Engine would probally make the over CMC too high for the deck so It would be like run one or the other. They would work well together however I don't think our mana base could support it. I could always try it and see how it goes, but I think our deck might be a bit too slow with both.
I also think we should consider potentially trying to push yidris out ASAP to get a cascade trigger. If we cast a spell for 1 CMC we could cascade into Ancestral Vision or Wheel of Fate. Based on that value we could attempt to increase our 0 cost mana rocks and add Chrome Mox and Mox Opal there are other expensive rocks but I am sure you gety my drift.
What are you thoughts on swapping Spellseeker for Merchant Scroll I think that it would prove more value as most we would be most likely grabbing a blue spell anyway.
@Evil Never Dies I like Paradoxical Outcome since if we increase our 0 / 1 cost mana rocks we could increase our storm count by quite a bit by bouncing our own stuff. If you bounce Chrome Mox do you need to exile a new card or does it reattach to what ever you exiled before? That is the only downisde I can think of.
With all the "untap/add mana and draw" effects I usually go off in the same moment Yidris connect with the opponent, regardless of what is my hand (unless I got only mana rocks of course). The problem is, to make survive Yidris because opponent will do everything to remove or counter him, so I usually have to recast him more times before going off.
The Lab Maniac is not actually a wise choice since I would had to take off all my "Timetwister" effects and it would take too long to draw all my deck. I win in a much consistent way typically with a high enough stormed Tendrils of Agony / Grape Shot / Aetherflux Reservoir or, even better, Temporal Fissure (because the storm count can be much lower and it's practically gg when the opponent got no permanents in field).
The deck works obviously much better in 1vs1 CEDH than multiplayer environments.
Anyway, all the spells are chosen in a way that literally everything is totally useful and functional when cascaded with Yidris. That means no spells with X in the mana costs, no counters, or stuff that don't make me draw/make mana/do damage in order to advance in the storm chain.
I made it slight tweaks of the list meanwhile, now I added some cheap tutors and explore effects to add consistency and flexibility, while going off and before that:
1x Ancient Tomb
1x Arid Mesa
1x Badlands
1x Bayou
1x Blood Crypt
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Breeding Pool
1x Command Tower
1x Flooded Strand
1x Karplusan Forest
1x Llanowar Wastes
1x Marsh Flats
1x Misty Rainforest
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Polluted Delta
1x Scalding Tarn
1x Shivan Reef
1x Steam Vents
1x Stomping Ground
1x Sulfurous Springs
1x Taiga
1x Tropical Island
1x Underground River
1x Underground Sea
1x Verdant Catacombs
1x Volcanic Island
1x Watery Grave
1x Windswept Heath
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Yavimaya Coast
Instant (8)
1x Ad Nauseam
1x Dig Through Time
1x Frantic Search
1x Growth Spiral
1x Intellectual Offering
1x Manamorphose
1x Snap
1x Turnabout
1x Etherium-Horn Sorcerer
1x Great Whale
1x Grinning Ignus
1x Palinchron
1x Peregrine Drake
Enchantment (3)
1x Null Profusion
1x Recycle
1x Treachery
Planeswalker (3)
1x Teferi, Temporal Archmage
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
1x Sorin Markov
Artifact (28)
1x Aetherflux Reservoir
1x Basalt Monolith
1x Chromatic Sphere
1x Chromatic Star
1x Coalition Relic
1x Commander's Sphere
1x Coveted Jewel
1x Darkwater Egg
1x Dimir Signet
1x Fellwar Stone
1x Golgari Signet
1x Grim Monolith
1x Gruul Signet
1x Helm of Awakening
1x Izzet Signet
1x Mana Crypt
1x Mana Vault
1x Mossfire Egg
1x Mox Opal
1x Paradox Engine
1x Prismatic Lens
1x Rakdos Signet
1x Shadowblood Egg
1x Simic Signet
1x Sol Ring
1x Talisman of Dominance
1x Talisman of Impulse
1x Talisman of Indulgence
1x Baral's Expertise
1x Crush of Tentacles
1x Dark Petition
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Deny Reality
1x Explore
1x Grapeshot
1x Mind's Desire
1x Nature's Lore
1x Pore Over the Pages
1x Reforge the Soul
1x Rishkar's Expertise
1x Rude Awakening
1x Temporal Fissure
1x Tendrils of Agony
1x Three Visits
1x Time Reversal
1x Time Spiral
1x Timetwister
1x Treasure Cruise
1x Wheel of Fortune
1x Windfall
Added also Sorin Markov, as a potential finisher in sinergy with the damage-based storm spells.
No, you need to exile a new card, each time a card change zone it doesn't have any memory of what was before. I dont like it here because it make card disadvantage of a deck hungry of card advantage.
As a replacement for Grim Monolith, perhaps you could try Basalt Monolith? It's 1 CMC less than Dynamo, which matters for this deck.
I'll be updating the list to include some of the new cards from War of the Spark. I'll edit this post with a brief changelog of what changes I made.
EDIT: Changes to the decklist are as follows:
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
4x Yidris, Maelstrom Wielder
Mana Sources
1x Birds of Paradise
2x Cabal Ritual
1x Carpet of Flowers
3x Chromatic Lantern
1x Dark Ritual
1x Deathrite Shaman
2x Dimir Signet
2x Fellwar Stone
5x Gilded Lotus
2x Helm of Awakening
2x Incubation Druid
0x Lotus Bloom
0x Lotus Petal
1x Mana Vault
2x Manamorphose
2x Rakdos Signit
1x Sol Ring
2x Summer Bloom
4x Thran Dynamo
Card Draw
5x Ad Nauseam
0x Ancestral Vision
1x Brainstorm
3x Frantic Search
1x Gitaxian Probe
2x Growth Spiral
2x Impulse
6x Mind's Desire
3x Necropotence
4x Notion Thief
1x Preordain
3x Rhystic Study
2x Sylvan Library
0x Wheel of Fate
3x Windfall
6x Bolas's Citadel
Combo Pieces
2x Dramatic Reversal
2x Isochron Scepter
3x Laboratory Maniac
Win Cons
4x Aetherflux Reservoir
2x Grapeshot
4x Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
4x Tendrils of Agony
Counter Spells
2x Arcane Denial
2x Counter Spell
2x Delay
2x Remand
1x Pyroblast
Util
2x Narset's Reversal
1x Noxious Revival
2x Regrowth
1x Sensei's Divining Top
Removal
2x Abrupt Decay
3x Beast Within
1x Chain of Vapor
2x Cyclonic Rift
1x Nature's Claim
1x Rapid Hybridization
2x Reality Shift
3x Toxic Deluge
Tutors
5x Dark Petition
2x Demonic Tutor
4x Insidious Dreams
3x Intuition
2x Merchant Scroll
1x Mystical Tutor
2x Tainted Pact
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Blood Crypt
1x Bloodstained Mire
1x Breeding Pool
1x Canyon Slough
1x Command Tower
1x Cascade Bluffs
1x Cephalid Coliseum
1x Crosis's Catacombs
1x Crumbling Necropolis
1x Darigaaz's Caldera
1x Exotic Orchard
1x Flooded Grove
1x Flooded Strand
1x Frontier Bivouac
1x Graven Cairns
1x Hinterland Harbor
1x Luxury Suite
1x Mana Confluence
1x Morphic Pool
1x Opulent Palace
1x Polluted Delta
1x Reflecting Pool
1x Smoldering Marsh
1x Steam Vents
1x Sulfur Falls
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Watery Grave
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Yavimaya Coast
As you can tell my land base need a re-work however it atleast gave me all of the colors I needed so far to play test the deck.
I want to roll in the following Lands:
Forbidden Orchard
Citry Of Brass
Spire Garden
Stomping Ground
Maybe
Gemstone Caverns
Grand Coliseum
As well I am going to cut Grapeshot for Yawgmoth's Will.
For the Counterspells
Mana Drain replacing Counterspell
And for Mana Rocks
Mox Diamond Replacing Something...
Mox Opal Replacing Gilded Lotus
Thran Dynamo for Grim Monolith but more Realistally Basalt Monolith until I can get a Grim.
Maybe Include
Chrome Mox
Theoretically once I have a bunch of 0 CMC mana rocks include Paradoxical Outcome as a card draw engine followed by increasing my storm count when I play them for free.
Here is a question, if you cascade for 1 I know this card is fine Lotus Bloom however can you cast Ancestral Vision and Wheel of Fate since they technically don't have a mana cost? Also if they are cast for 0 are they still suspended or do they enter the battlefield right away? I figured I would ask the experts before I read it and proceeded to play the card wrong.
It's one of the reasons I like Electrodominance since it's another way to cast these kind of cards in case you naturally draw them.
I really like your list, Pufflex. I think you're right that Bolas's Citadel replaces Thousand-Year Storm in the list. I really need to give Citadel a test. I've heard some good things about it so far and it should find a spot in my list somewhere.
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
Last night I won a game by, starting my last turn with 5 health, Vampiric Tutoring to Aetherflux, using top to draw it. Then I resolved the aether flux and and dropped mana crypt and it was game. Granted I did have Scepter already tied to the Dramatic Reversal so it was GG. But I like the deck as its very explosive when you hit the right spot.
Do you think its worth adding in Spire of Industry? It is relative to the board state but we run so many rock it might be worth including.
Just took a quick look at all the lands, and this could be a potential as well Glimmervoid. Let me know how your play testing goes.
I really like your list, Pufflex. As a somewhat budget deck, I think it's in a great place! I'm not sure if I have time to test this deck extensively, since I have some school projects and work project deadlines due over the next two weeks, but I'll try and keep everyone posted of any testing that I do manage to accomplish.
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
The only card I've jumped the gun on is the new Urza because mono-U is life and Urza is one of my favorite characters in the MTG lore. He's an amazing Commander for cEDH play and he's awesomely designed.
UB Dralnu, Lich Lord
RBW [Primer]-Kaalia of the Vast
BUG [Primer]-Tasigur, the Golden Fang
GWU [Primer]-Arcades, the Strategist
WUB Primer-Aminatou, the Fateshifter
UBR Nicol Bolas, the Ravager
100% In
Mox Tantalite - Pure Value
Maybe
Urza, Lord High Artificer - I don't think we have enough non-rocks to support him.
Echo of Eons - Pretty close to Timetwister without the price tag, CMC is higher but the flashback cost is the same. Maybe find it a good home?
Throes Of Chaos - Expensive Cascade
Crashing Footfalls - Cool Casacade Synergy but those bodies will probally do nothing for the deck unless you cascade them out T4.
String of Disappearances - Very close to Chain of Vapor but it costs 2B to so it might have better overall value? What are you thoughts on this.
Weather the Storm - Might be good for storming off with aetherflux.
Aria of Flame - Might have syngery with the spells, but I don't know if its worth the spot. Our total amount of instants and soceries probally won't make this card viable.
Scour All Possibilities - I think we could find this a home, at the end of the day its a 1 CMC more Ponder with flashback which does open some possibilities if we get stuck on land when trying to storm off.
What are your thoughts? I think these were the most relevant cards but I am sure I missed a few.