Being a member of the Azorius guild, this next deck was a lot of fun to make.
When this RTR spoiler hit the fan, I was pretty excited. Original Isperia, as you'll soon find out, is one of the decks I've been running for a while.
Rather than guessing and searching for flyers, we're drawing cards now from a more defensive place, almost egging the opponent to get a piece of Isperia's beefier 6 power.
So a lot of things will have to change. The biggest challenge being that we'll have to create ways to force our opponents to attack when Isperia's on the table.
Before I begin though, here's a quick recap of the rules I placed on the Deck Series project:
- Budget under $100
- Have at least one board sweep
- have at least one late-game "bruiser"
- have at least one card from the original Ravnica
- have at least one "surprise" win con
- utilize the new guild's mechanic
Commander: Isperia the Inscrutable
Creatures (37)
Augury Owl
Azorius Guildmage
Beguiler of Wills
Clone
Djinn of Wishes
Drogskol Reaver
Dungeon Geists
Fiend Hunter
Galepowder Mage
Grand Abolisher
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
Invisible Stalker
Isperia, Supreme Judge
Jhessian Balmgiver
Kor Skyfisher
Minister of Impediments
Mistmeadow Witch
Plumeveil
Pride of the Clouds
Sage Owl
Sky Hussar
Sky Spirit
Soulsworn Jury
Sphinx of Jwar Isle
Sphinx of Uthuun
Spirit of the Hearth
Sprite Noble
Stonehorn Dignitary
Sunblast Angel
Thistledown
Wall of Denial
Wall of Omens
Whitemane Lion
Windborn Muse
Windreaver
Planeswalker (1)
Land (37)
Azorius Guildgate
Evolving Wilds
Flood Plain
Glacial Fortress
Island (x15)
New Benalia
Nimbus Maze
Plains (x12)
Sejiri Refuge
Soaring Seacliff
Instant (9)
Dissipate
Hindering Light
Overrule
Path to Exile
Redirect
Safe Passage
Turn to Frog
Unsummon
Enchantment (8)
Angelic Shield
Curiosity
Inexorable Tide
Oblivion Ring
Propaganda
Sigil of Sleep
Steel of the Godhead
Telepathy
Sorcery (4)
Preordain
Revoke Existence
Sleep
Artifact (4)
Conjurer's Closet
Fieldmist Borderpost
Norn's Annex
Swiftfoot Boot
The spells that were focused on Isperia 1 had to go: bye bye Telepathy, Sprite Noble, Pride of the Clouds.
Next to go were some of the pieces to my silly combos:
Venser, the Sojourner +
As far as creature removal, Turn to Frog was replaced with Rapid Hybridization (still froggy, though).
Next I got rid of the cards that weren't really doing anything.
Sky Hussar was alright for card draw, but leaves you in a sore spot, and once he does enter the battlefield, he's nothing more than a flying Village Bell Ringer without Flash. Sky Spirit and Plumeveil weren't too special either.
Windreaver was a bad ass in the old deck, but here he was tying up a lot of crucial mana for his abilities, which I'd rather have for counters and Azorius Guildmage.
All in all, fourteen cards were removed. Two open slots were filled up with a Terramorphic Expanse and a Transguild Promenade (mana was an issue in play). Azorius Keyrune and Druidic Satchel were also thrown in for extra mana solving.
Nephalia Smuggler was added for some extra blinky power. New Prahv Guildmage lets me give creatures flying or detain things (albeit for a lot of mana). Azorius Charm is a charm of a card, so in it went. Guard Gomazoa also felt like a good defensive plan, a tad better than Plumeveil. Hinder was added as an additional counter spell.
Ghostly Prison, Dissipation Field, and Lyev Skynight help control my opponents attacks on me. Sword of Vengeance also makes any creature a powerhouse.
This original deck build didin't have anything in terms of a board wipe (unless you count Sleep), so a Supreme Verdict was needed. Took out the Angelic Shield (it wasn't doing much) for the Verdict.
As far as a "surprise" win con goes, I think that the amount of "Don't attack me" enchants made Azor's Elocutors a prime candidate (pun totally intended). That, alongside a Sphere of Safety, a Witchbane Orb, and a Palisade Giant, would certainly take me by surprise. The question is: What needs to go to make room?
Jhessian Balmgiver was taken out and the Elocutors put in. The Balmgiver is really only effective if your deck strategy requires unblockable (like Rafiq).
Minister of Impediments is nice, but a Palisade Giant was more useful. My mana curve will have to suffer a tad.
As for my initial decision to incorporate Witchbane Orb and Sphere of Safety, I decided against it. Spirit of the Hearth is a much more badass Witchbane Orb and there aren't enough enchants to make the Sphere more effective than Propoganda or Windborn Muse.
A wise Judge from the Mega-City One Justice Department once said, "I am the law." This deck hopes to be that:
Commander: Isperia, Supreme Judge
Creatures (32)
AEther Adept
Augury OwlAzor's Elocutors
Azorius Guildmage
Beguiler of Wills
Clone
Drogskol Reaver
Dungeon Geists
Fiend Hunter
Galepowder Mage
Grand Abolisher
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Guard Gomazoa
Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer
Isperia, Supreme Judge
Kor Skyfisher
Mistmeadow Witch
Nephalia Smuggler
New Prahv Guildmage
Palisade Giant
Sage Owl
Soulsworn Jury
Sphinx of Uthuun
Spirit of the Hearth
Stonehorn Dignitary
Sunblast Angel
Thistledown
Wall of Denial
Wall of Omens
Whitemane Lion
Windborn Muse
Planeswalker (1)
Venser, the Sojourner
Land (39)
Azorius Chancery
Azorius GuildgateEvolving Wilds
Flood Plain
Glacial Fortress
Island (x15)
New Benalia
Nimbus Maze
Plains (x12)
Sejiri Refuge
Soaring Seacliff
Terramorphic Expanse
Transguild Promenade
Instant (11)
Azorius Charm
Cancel
DissipateHinder
Hindering Light
Overrule
Path to Exile
Safe Passage
Unsummon
Enchantment (6)
Curiosity
Dissipation Field
Oblivion Ring
Propaganda
Steel of the Godhead
Sorcery (4)
Ponder
PreordainRevoke Existence
Artifact (7)
Azorius Keyrune
Conjurer's Closet
Druidic Satchel
Fieldmist Borderpost
Norn's Annex
Swiftfoot Boot
Sword of Vengeance
So then, what're the win cons? Attack with big, stompy flying creatures while blinking frequently to cleanse your eyes and the field; stall and fillabuster; or stall and Venser the crap out of your opponent's stuff (hint: exiling lands is way more effective than creatures in the long run). Did I follow all my rules? Nah, but then again, Isperia is not necessarily built for detain. That will be explored once I get a copy of Lavinia of the Tenth!
I did however manage to make a deck that falls just over sixty dollars, though, a huge achievement considering how well this deck perfoms against my buddy Marco's Doran the Siege Tower deck (which I'm almost certain is around 135 bucks). Proof that the power is not in the pocket of the player, but rather in his playing.
Until then, stay classy planewalkers, and don't hesitate to build new decks!
-VJ
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