The best way to play Narset is probably to pack the deck with the biggest spells and as many extra turns as you can manage, but I don't think it's the most exciting. When she was first spoiled, I saw a kung fu master who always had a bunch of combat tricks up her sleeve, slinging her four free cards at her enemies at instant speed. Her absurd card advantage fuels the deck and lets you get away with playing tons of smaller spells without ever running out of fuel. Each of these spells in turn triggers powerful prowess cards like Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest and others that benefit from playing noncreature spells (Guttersnipe, for example) to batter foes into submission. That's the theory, anyway, the deck is still in the testing phase and I'm sure there are plenty of suboptimal choices in there. Any suggestions are appreciated on the way to kung fu mastery!
If you are going to run creature spells in your Narset list, being able to fix the top of your deck is going to be hugely important to minimizing dead flips. Some cards to consider:
Maybe it's not the most ideal Narset deck, but since the themes are prowess and combat tricks, I felt some more creatures wouldn't go amiss. This deck could probably just as easily be commanded by Shu Yun, I just like Narset a bit better because she gives you in-built card advantage, which becomes especially crucial when you rely on plenty of small spells. So far, her triggers still have yielded plenty of good results for me. You're right that a bit more manipulation couldn't hurt though.
Some new additions:
- Mercadia's Downfall: Potentially a huge attack boost at instant speed for a small price, just what this deck wants.
- Keep Watch: Ditto for cheap and huge card draw.
- Isochron Scepter: Feel like an idiot for forgetting that card in the first place x_O
- Tidespout Tyrant: Lovely with plenty of small instants.
- Strongarm Monk: Prowess for everyone!
- Past in Flames: Cast everything again!
- Pulse of the Grid: Instants that return to your hand are good.
- Djinn Illuminatus: Not sure how good he will be, but worth a shot I think.
- Long-Term Plans: For stacking the deck.
- Mystic Speculation: More deck stacking, and also a recurring prowess trigger.
- Land Tax: Also helps Narset by thinning the deck.
I'm a bit light on the actual combat tricks now, but we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll add in one or two more double strike instants like Double Cleave. Ideas for more fun instants for the combat the step are always welcome!
The best way to play Narset is probably to pack the deck with the biggest spells and as many extra turns as you can manage, but I don't think it's the most exciting. When she was first spoiled, I saw a kung fu master who always had a bunch of combat tricks up her sleeve, slinging her four free cards at her enemies at instant speed. Her absurd card advantage fuels the deck and lets you get away with playing tons of smaller spells without ever running out of fuel. Each of these spells in turn triggers powerful prowess cards like Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest and others that benefit from playing noncreature spells (Guttersnipe, for example) to batter foes into submission. That's the theory, anyway, the deck is still in the testing phase and I'm sure there are plenty of suboptimal choices in there. Any suggestions are appreciated on the way to kung fu mastery!
Commander
1 Narset, Enlightened Master
Draw and Tutor
1 Peer Through Depths
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Steam Augury
1 Telling Time
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Firemind's Foresight
1 Brainstorm
1 Impulse
1 Mystic Speculation
1 Keep Watch
1 Bident of Thassa
1 Long-Term Plans
1 Dig Through Time
1 Pulse of the Grid
Prowess and Other Triggers
1 Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest
1 Charmbreaker Devils
1 Anax and Cymede
1 Dragon-Style Twins
1 Cunning Breezedancer
1 Mistfire Adept
1 Wee Dragonauts
1 Kiln Fiend
1 Nivix Cyclops
1 Talrand, Sky Summoner
1 Monastery Mentor
1 Myth Realized
1 Young Pyromancer
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Strongarm Monk
1 Jeskai Ascendancy
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Path to Exile
1 Reality Shift
1 Rapid Hybridization
1 Valorous Stance
1 Jeskai Charm
1 Ride Down
1 Dismantling Blow
1 Orim's Thunder
1 Oblation
1 Cyclonic Rift
Combat Tricks
1 Bathe in Light
1 Temur Battle Rage
1 Boros Charm
1 Leap of Flame
1 Titan's Strength
1 Brute Force
1 Rally the Righteous
1 Flying Crane Technique
1 Mercadia's Downfall
Ramp
1 Sol Ring
1 Izzet Signet
1 Boros Signet
1 Azorius Signet
1 Darksteel Ingot
1 Commander's Sphere
1 Land Tax
Other Support
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Strionic Resonator
1 Savage Beating
1 Eye of the Storm
1 Melek, Izzet Paragon
1 Runechanter's Pike
1 Sunforger
1 Djinn Illuminatus
1 Past in Flames
1 Isochron Scepter
1 Slayers' Stronghold
1 Izzet Boilerworks
1 Boros Garrison
1 Mystic Monastery
1 Terramorphic Expanse
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Temple of the False God
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Clifftop Retreat
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Vivid Meadow
1 Vivid Creek
1 Vivid Crag
1 Command Tower
1 Chaos Warp
1 Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Shivan Reef
1 Adarkar Wastes
5 Island
5 Mountain
5 Plains
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Current Commanders: Derevi, Empyrial Tactician (coming soon) | [Primer] Sedris, the Traitor King | Maelstrom Wanderer | Najeela, the Blade Blossom | Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow
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Retired Commanders: [Primer] Jenara, Asura of War | [Primer] Ghave, Guru of Spores | Freyalise, Llanowar's Fury | Saskia the Unyielding | Sydri, Galvanic Genius
Some new additions:
- Mercadia's Downfall: Potentially a huge attack boost at instant speed for a small price, just what this deck wants.
- Keep Watch: Ditto for cheap and huge card draw.
- Isochron Scepter: Feel like an idiot for forgetting that card in the first place x_O
- Tidespout Tyrant: Lovely with plenty of small instants.
- Strongarm Monk: Prowess for everyone!
- Past in Flames: Cast everything again!
- Pulse of the Grid: Instants that return to your hand are good.
- Djinn Illuminatus: Not sure how good he will be, but worth a shot I think.
- Long-Term Plans: For stacking the deck.
- Mystic Speculation: More deck stacking, and also a recurring prowess trigger.
- Land Tax: Also helps Narset by thinning the deck.
I'm a bit light on the actual combat tricks now, but we'll see how it goes. Maybe I'll add in one or two more double strike instants like Double Cleave. Ideas for more fun instants for the combat the step are always welcome!