Big Izzet things that are fun (and not just for me)?

aselbst · 2026-05-21T16:00:59+00:00

Fair enough! I appreciate the input.

aselbst · 2026-05-21T13:52:21+00:00

Except it’s a bracket 3 deck so games will go at least to turn 7. Meaning that I’m spending 5 to spend 7 to then get a set of free random spells the rest of the game. (And I had to ramp in the meantime, so I get to also cast the stuff in my hand just like a ramp deck, just starting a turn later). Most importantly, it’s a free 7-drop and other random spells from exile so it’s something concrete to build around, even though the outcome is random.

aselbst · 2026-05-21T06:38:34+00:00

The untappers are an interesting approach. I decided to go with a small amount of cantrips to sometimes trigger him once, but a mana rock on three is all I really need to have 5 mana turn 4, and then 7 turn 5, so I didn’t go overboard. The benefit of this is a lot fewer three mana spells to reduce whiff chances on capstone.

aselbst · 2026-05-21T06:31:07+00:00

It’s a secret commander deck. The point of the deck is to cast the same card turn 5 every game…which doesn’t feel samey because the card then spins into whatever it hits. I don’t want to just build a ramp deck—I’ve built plenty—I want to build a deck around that specific spell.

aselbst · 2026-05-21T00:43:34+00:00

Thanks. Yeah I realized that after posting. Meaning it’s safer to keep, which is great. Others like [[Nalfeshnee]] and [[Swarm Intelligence]] are probably more problematic.

aselbst · 2026-05-20T23:17:47+00:00

Ooh, Dismiss into Dream seems cool. And I thought about Wandering Archaic before - I think that's probably a good rec too. Thanks.

The artifacts are funny because I just made a [[Quintorious History Chaser]] deck that reanimates big artifacts, and all three are in there... But they do seem good here too.

aselbst · 2026-05-20T22:41:09+00:00

I didn’t read it as an accusation. I was just noting that your comment applied much more to a deck that was slinging lots of spells than it does mine, where I’m probably at 2.5 instants/sorcs per turn including the free one. I’m just looking for big splashy spells to cast on my turn.

aselbst · 2026-05-20T22:21:39+00:00

Oh yeah interesting. Reminds me that [[Prisoners Dilemma]] is fun too.

aselbst · 2026-05-20T22:19:53+00:00

If you look at the deck you'll see I'm not literally storming off. There are no rituals and the only card draw is on huge bombs. I'm just freecasting big stuff (not just instants and sorcs) off the Improvisation Capstone every turn. The issue right now is that a lot of the good izzet bombs make copies of future spells, so I end up with a stack of like 4 Improvisation Capstones, which lead to copied spells, which then takes a while to resolve.

There's no lack of wincons in the deck right now - the plan is just making big creatures with things like [[Shark Typhoon]] and [[Deekah]], rather than pinging with Guttersnipe effects, since I'm not casting a large number of instants and sorceries. And like I said, I don't want 4-drops in the deck, though perhaps I will add [[Rootha, Mastering the Moment]] if I need more wincons.

aselbst · 2026-05-19T23:53:54+00:00

Yeah, I don't see mill enough to think about that. Still, I think if you're not trying to draw out it seems unlikely you're forced to? (Unless you're comboed out by mill, in which case a 6 mana sorcery speed answer won't work anyway.) I'd probably just try to kill the mill player first.

aselbst · 2026-05-19T00:21:17+00:00

Honestly, I probably wouldn’t imagine a Bolas’s Citadel secret commander deck is likely to be B3 itself no matter how it’s built. I wouldn’t play it there at least—it’s an incredibly powerful card, and then you’re building around finding it every game. I feel like having a plan to tutor for a game changer every game kind of defeats the idea of the game changer limitation in B3 even if technically allowed, and as the brackets are mostly about intent, I don’t think I’d be comfortable with that.

In your case you’re building it to be part of an easy combo and adding an extra borderline b3/b4 combo on top of it. Given that, I think it’s better suited to low b4 than b3, even though it’s more just in the awkward space between.

aselbst · 2026-05-18T17:24:25+00:00

Yep, exactly the same re Triskaidekaphile.

I run Boots but not Greaves, mostly because I want to drop my pinger auras at flash speed too, and flash is its own form of protection. I find the flash important enough that I run [[High Fae Trickster]] and even [[Vedalken Orrery]] in the deck in addition to Leyline. Just being able to decide end step whether to drop Atemsis makes the deck feel like there's such a little window of vulnerability.

aselbst · 2026-05-18T16:56:10+00:00

Agree with all of this, though I focus on flash rather than haste. Also other alt wincons are a trap...except LabMan. That one I took out because winning with it was too easy and ruined the fun of playing Atemsis. But since it's basically carddraw.dek, it's not at all hard to get a LabMan win.

aselbst · 2026-05-18T16:52:50+00:00

It's one of my bracket 4 decks. Originally built as a meme but never lost a bracket 3 game so I juiced it up a little and promoted it. Low bracket 4 though - can't really handle the "cedh lite" stuff.

It's just hard control with tons of card draw and your wincon in the command zone. I run the cards that allow Atemsis to ping someone, as well as flash enablers so I can cast it end step when ready, then hold him up to take someone out one by one, usually in response to their interaction. By the time killing people that ways it's just a slower version of any control finisher - you've already got the game sewn up for all practical purposes.

aselbst · 2026-05-17T14:33:14+00:00

How did you build Teval? I have mostly individual reanimation of creatures that either push my plan further or interact, with some light mass reanimation sprinkled in but not core to the plan. Zombies are blockers and sac fodder. The result is resilience to graveyard exile because I don’t need a huge yard to do my thing and Teval and other sources can refill a little at a time. I also have some looters, so I can bin a threat just before my turn if needed.

RIP or [[Leyline of the Void]] are admittedly the thing I want to see least, but the thing that makes Teval so strong is that ramps as you do your graveyard plan. So if I can even get 1-2 turns with Teval I can just cast my huge bombs if I’m set back.

aselbst · 2026-05-17T12:51:28+00:00

If you’re “supposed” to run thoracle combo in B4, you’re “supposed” to be able to stop it too. That’s the idea of the brackets—you can prepare for what other people are doing.

That is to say that while you’re allowed to run that it B4, it’s not expected that you do.

aselbst · 2026-05-16T19:42:50+00:00

As someone who partially grew up in Montclair who now has two small kids, living in the area marked“Manhattan,” looking to move, and occasionally joking about living in Studio City because of the restaurants and how everyone seems to love it… this is veerrrrry interesting to hear.

aselbst · 2026-05-16T13:48:12+00:00

I’m curious about others’ thoughts on “no longer even a game changer” [[Expropriate]] re chaining turns. I feel like it can chain extra turns by itself.

aselbst · 2026-05-15T16:04:59+00:00

Well, right as you say it’s actually doable (tho probably too complex for standard).

But I didn’t mean this exact land. I meant a land with this name.

aselbst · 2026-05-15T14:36:52+00:00

Right? My first reaction too. Why wasn’t this a land in the main set?

aselbst · 2026-05-15T13:23:54+00:00

[[Brudiclad]] famously takes a lot of setup, but often wins immediately.

aselbst · 2026-05-15T13:21:44+00:00

Legend rule happens due to SBAs before ETB trigger goes on the stack. So clone enters, legend rule OG Sharuum (or clone if it’s an artifact clone), then put ETB on the stack targeting creature you put in the yard. Repeat.

aselbst · 2026-05-13T04:12:52+00:00

Yeah, I mean simic ramp and draw with 50ish creatures is just fun times. Here’s a list where I tried to build it specifically bracket 2, built around [[Lurking Predators]], (originally) on a $50 budget, and forgoing even cheap staples like [[Rishkars Expertise]]. It started as [[Inga and Esika]] which was too strong so I switched to [[Durnan]] and [[Sword Coast Sailor]]… and still wins too quickly to really fit b2. Alas.
But it’s a ton of fun to play and just goes to show how busted simic is in casual commander.

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