MTG Salvation

Dream Halls Zegana

So the whole deck was originally inspired from Onerionaut's Prime Speaker edh deck(source). The ability to play multiple lands per turn was fun and ramp into big maros worked, but the deck gradually changed. I began to use cards like foil, commandeer, and misdirection in the deck and really enjoyed the idea of a control deck that didn't need mana open. Eventually I came across Dream Halls and the deck sorta just revolved around it and mind over matter. Now the deck is a force to be reckoned with in my more competitive, local game stores meta and works great.

Now when playing this deck the number 1 thing to remember is that even if you think you don't have an answer for something to answer a card you actually might. Now this may seem easy thinking about the situation, but it really inst when you have 20-30 cards in hand. I have made mistakes that have lost me the games all because I forgot about 1 card I could play by discarding some unneeded blue cards. Another thing to expect is that you will be targeted a lot due to this being more or less a combo deck around zegana, to combat this and to survive aggro decks, I run 5 mass bounce spells. These bounce spells arent just a counter measure against waves of aggression it is also a win condition with dream halls. these allow you to reuse zegana multiple times in a turn, thus digging into a win.

Now any draw commander could very well work with a card like Dream Halls, but then you will lose access to Zegana's mass draws and the color green. Green is very important in this deck because it allows you to untap on every other players turn. This allows you to play what you want on your turn and always have counter mana up. Green also has very good removal in the form of Beast Within and Krosan Grip.

If you don't want to be playing Zegana other generals that could work are:

• Nin, the Pain Artist
• Azami, Lady of Scrolls
• Arcanis the omnipotent

Learn to play Zegana was probably the most challenging experience about the deck(second being making cuts), the deck always has ran a little slower and kinda waits on the sidelines like a combo deck should. To play the deck I've separated the decklist into 12 Sections and here id like to talk about each one and its importance in the deck.

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The Goods

The Goods are the cards that usually lead to winning the game, these cards are the cards that usually need to be answered or lead to you winning the game. Dream Halls/Omniscience/Mind Over Matter let you avoid using your mana base to pay for spells these allow you to effectively play your deck and keep drawing cards. Prophet of Kruphix, or Seedborn/Teferi allow you to play creatures on other peoples turns and always have counter mana open if someone tries to mess with your board. Deadeye essentially says pay 1U draw 6 with Zegana on the field and with mind over matter added it becomes draw deck.

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Draw Engines

In a deck like this drawing is everything and the more ways to draw the better. The early game is all about 2 things ramp, and gaining card advantage. One of the best positions you can be in is with a Rhystic Study out this allows you to draw into your dream halls early and effectively lock out the game, if your play group doesn't know the power of Rhystic Study and allow you to draw the cards you can effectively win the game of it.

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Combos

This deck does not need these combos to win a game but it makes it easier if you can assemble one, the deck can usually draw into some loop with Zegana or the Azami + MOM combo. Combos in the deck include:

• Mind Over Matter + Azami, Lady of Scrolls = infinite Card Draw
• Dream Halls + Greater Good + Prime Speaker Zegana + creature power 3 or more = infinite Card Draw
• Deadeye Navigator + Prime Speaker Zegana + Mind Over Matter = Infinite Card Draw

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Dealing with Zegana's kryptonite

Just like most decks Zegana has some Kryptonite, the bane of any Zegana decks existence is Nekusar, the Mindrazer. This guy just stops Zegana in her tracks, if you have a Nekusar in your play group I strongly suggest running more removal and healing cards cards such as:

• Horizon Chimera
• Venser's Journal
• Ivory Tower
• Kiora, the Crashing Wave
• Sword of War and Peace

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Cards to be added but over budget

Now some cards that would work well in this deck are just over my university student budget but if you have the cards or budget isn't a problem, here is a list of cards that would be great inclusions:

• Force of Will
• Misty Rainforest
• Tropical Island

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Cards needing playtesting

• Survival of the Fittest
• Palinchron(as another win condition)
• Defense of the heart(To tutor up Palinchron + Deadeye Navigator if I decide I want to play the combo)
• Snapback
• Venser's Journal (more of a card to side in if Nekusar, the Mindrazer shows up in my meta again)
• Willbender (A counter measure to split second if it gets played more in my meta)
• Disrupting Shoal

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Updates

+1 Long-Term Plans
-1 Horizon Chimera

Do play if:

• You enjoy playing as the control player
• Being able to combo out with no board
• Ridiculous Hand Sizes and drawing cards
• Being able to use cards in hand as mana

Dont play this deck if:

• You don't like being the combo player
• You like winning through combat damage
• You don't like remembering what every card in your hand does