This is the very first EDH deck I built when I heard about the format. It basically started with me playing Illusions in Standard, Magic 2012 had just came out. I thought it was so much fun to use Grand Architect to power out Wurmcoil Engine and Steel Hellkite, then have aggressive aggro with Lord of the Unreal being copied by Phantasmal Image. The deck might not have been Tier 1, but it was a bunch of fun playing with all that synergy. So I started out jamming every illusion creature I could into a deck. Then it evolved over time. Unfortunately the Illusions don't have a great Legendary leader. Meloku the Clouded Mirror might not be an actual Illusion creature, but she provides a flying army that can draw cards, get buffed and get value out of lands. The deck wins by gaining incremental advantages with Mana acceleration, Anthems and Permanent control.
Jace Beleren is my favorite Planeswalkers, not because he's interesting, but because he's Jace, the Mind Sculptor. Mono-blue with subthemes of: Cards depicting Jace, Suspend, Illusions and Artifact control. A huge bulk of this deck can be built by using Duel Deck: Jace vs. Vraska, Commander 2014: Peer Through Time and Duel Deck: Jace vs. Chandra. After the spoiling of Liliana, Heretical Healer and confirmation of the cycle of flip planeswalkers - Jace will finally get to command his legion of Illusions. Update:Jace, Vryn's Prodigy is not fit to lead an EDH deck IMO. He will therefore not be taking the helm.
Please as always provide any feedback possible. There might be a cute interaction I'm missing. I've played magic for a long time, doesn't mean I know everything! I don't want cheesy 'off-theme' infinite combos or anything, but feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I don't really like the Howling Mine effects as just a way of drawing cards. Because so many of your creatures are cheap and difficult or impossible to block, Coastal Piracy and Bident of Thassa might be good replacements. I also think you should find room for Adaptive Automaton, Brass Herald, and Mutavault to help get your tribal synergies going.
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You would never guess, at the terrifying sight of the man, that Hunding was as charming a companion as one could wish for.
I don't really like the Howling Mine effects as just a way of drawing cards. Because so many of your creatures are cheap and difficult or impossible to block, Coastal Piracy and Bident of Thassa might be good replacements. I also think you should find room for Adaptive Automaton, Brass Herald, and Mutavault to help get your tribal synergies going.
I considered Meloku for some time, but she herself isn't actually an illusion, and although she makes them, Kira tested better, cheaper and the ability is more relevant because of how precious removal can be in singleton.
I like the idea of doing combat damage to just draw cards myself and not give them to everyone if I'm not punishing them for it.
Brass Herald and Mutavault were in the every incarnation of this deck since the beginning, they gave way during some of my Commander 2014 excitement. Needless to say I can picture them returning.
How relevant is Bidents activated ability? It's piqued my interest. Anyway to use it to my advantage?
I think Bident of Thassa will most often just be another copy of Coastal Piracy. You may be able to get some utility dork to attack to their doom, but I don't think it'll come up that often.
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You would never guess, at the terrifying sight of the man, that Hunding was as charming a companion as one could wish for.
That Jace is way better unflipped. You never want the PW's emblem and never want the -2/0 either, so I'd suggest you concentrate on delve with spells like Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time. If he flips, you will get extra mileage of these delve spells for cheap.
You probably want to play a lot of spells to gain extra turns also (it seems the best way to abuse him, for me). You flip him, you -2 for an extra turn, +1 him and cast an extra then from your hand, then -2 to kill him to play that extra turn again, cast him face-up, loot again...
Haste would be handy (Lightning Greaves), and since it doesn't give flashback but allows you to cast a spell from your graveyard which would be exiled only if returned to the graveyard, spells with Buyback are stronger (Walk the Aeons is completely nuts, you only have to buyback it when casting it with Jace.
The Chain's Veil could work here too if you add Tezz and Teferi, it can go infinite with these PWs and would help getting some mileage off Jace.
My own rules when building a Commander deck:
1) Underrated general that I can build around but the deck must work without him/her too.
2) Every card must be legal in both banlists.
3) No infinite combo that could win (and ruin) instantly a multiplayer game.
4) Synergy at all costs; stay on theme, avoid goodstuff.
My own rules when building a Commander deck:
1) Underrated general that I can build around but the deck must work without him/her too.
2) Every card must be legal in both banlists.
3) No infinite combo that could win (and ruin) instantly a multiplayer game.
4) Synergy at all costs; stay on theme, avoid goodstuff.
This is why I'm super hesitate all of a sudden. New jace doesn't let me win, at least Meloku makes evasive fliers. I'll wait to see what Origins has in store, but so far it seems like I'm getting a legendary Merfolk Looter without a useful +Plus ability. Disappointed to say the least. I didn't need him to be as good as Meloku, just not horribly useless. I'd have to delve away everything to be able to loot per turn to prevent him from flipping and losing any value.
Meloku the Clouded Mirror and Cromat beg to differ.
I don't really like the Howling Mine effects as just a way of drawing cards. Because so many of your creatures are cheap and difficult or impossible to block, Coastal Piracy and Bident of Thassa might be good replacements. I also think you should find room for Adaptive Automaton, Brass Herald, and Mutavault to help get your tribal synergies going.
I considered Meloku for some time, but she herself isn't actually an illusion, and although she makes them, Kira tested better, cheaper and the ability is more relevant because of how precious removal can be in singleton.
I like the idea of doing combat damage to just draw cards myself and not give them to everyone if I'm not punishing them for it.
Brass Herald and Mutavault were in the every incarnation of this deck since the beginning, they gave way during some of my Commander 2014 excitement. Needless to say I can picture them returning.
How relevant is Bidents activated ability? It's piqued my interest. Anyway to use it to my advantage?
UW Ephara Hatebears [Primer], GB Gitrog Lands, BRU Inalla Combo-Control, URG Maelstrom Wanderer Landfall
You probably want to play a lot of spells to gain extra turns also (it seems the best way to abuse him, for me). You flip him, you -2 for an extra turn, +1 him and cast an extra then from your hand, then -2 to kill him to play that extra turn again, cast him face-up, loot again...
Haste would be handy (Lightning Greaves), and since it doesn't give flashback but allows you to cast a spell from your graveyard which would be exiled only if returned to the graveyard, spells with Buyback are stronger (Walk the Aeons is completely nuts, you only have to buyback it when casting it with Jace.
The Chain's Veil could work here too if you add Tezz and Teferi, it can go infinite with these PWs and would help getting some mileage off Jace.
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Pauper decks: Weenie Tokens — Zombies
My own rules when building a Commander deck:
1) Underrated general that I can build around but the deck must work without him/her too.
2) Every card must be legal in both banlists.
3) No infinite combo that could win (and ruin) instantly a multiplayer game.
4) Synergy at all costs; stay on theme, avoid goodstuff.
Prevents him from flipping. Since he's a lot better as a 2 mana looter...
Rules Advisor
Pauper decks: Weenie Tokens — Zombies
My own rules when building a Commander deck:
1) Underrated general that I can build around but the deck must work without him/her too.
2) Every card must be legal in both banlists.
3) No infinite combo that could win (and ruin) instantly a multiplayer game.
4) Synergy at all costs; stay on theme, avoid goodstuff.