Built a funzo Blue Briads, Conjurer Adept deck. Idea is let your opponents play some big fatties then steal with Gilded Drake or clone it somehow. The deck cal also just sit back and build mana into big boom booms.
You really want "steal non creature" stuff like Confiscate, Volition Reins since some of the things your opponents bust out will not be creatures.
I play a Barrin list that is also all about stealing stuff, you can check my sig.
Bribery is probably worth trying out. Obviously it is very good but might put too much of a target on ol braids.
Cultural Exchange <- This i like Master Thief <- very interesting, i am usually just focused on creatures but this could be potent.
Roil and Sower are both pretty fragile (and Sower is expensive now!) so i'll probably leave them be. Empress Galina is cute, but might have political implications when someone really wants to play their general.
Took ol' braids for a whirl yesterday and won a game in a convincing manner. Turn 3 Braids led to turn 4 Tidal Force which i then cloned. Twin 7/7s kept my opponents free fatties locked down while i took 14 point chunks out of people. Just as one player was starting to stabilize with loads of chump blockers i used Thespian Stage on Rogue's Passage and double twiddled to make my guys unblock able to finish the game. I was also able to homarid Spawning Bed my braids after it was useless to prevent my opponents from catching up.
Anyway looking at the commander 2015 spoiler there are a few cards worth considering. Æthersnatch - Great thing about this deck is you can sit back and drop krakens while keeping mana up. This is an obvious include. Gigantoplasm - Clones are good in this deck and this is a good clone. Easy add. Mystic Confluence - An other obvious choice. Mirror Match - One of those narrow but blowout possible cards. Not sure if i like it. Synthetic Destiny - Seeing as i have a high density of big creatures this might be potent. Also combos well with homarid Spawning Bed Blade of Selves - The equip cost is rough but there is real potential with this. Sandstone Oracle - There are times when you empty your hand quickly with this deck. He is a braids-able card draw. On the fence about it though. Thought Vessel - A good mana rock, don't care that its colorless. Easy add.
There are lots of alternative "Beginning of Upkeep" trigger cards that interact with Paradox Haze, Eternal Dominion is a very strong example, and you have Tidal Force in your deck as another good example (funny that Tidal Force would benefit from Paradox Haze being on both you, and your opponent). The fact that Braids is your general means that having it in the 99 will always benefit you while your general out, which should be reasonably often. Same reason I always play Paradox Haze in my Sen Triplets deck. Strionic Resonator is another Braids trigger for you too.
Ok you guys sold me on Paradox Haze and Strionic Resonator. Gate to Aether is also fitting and there is good chance i'll swap one of those in. I'll get back to y'all with stories of excellent triggered abilities.
Two of the big hits in my Braids that I don't see mentioned here are Vanishing and Archetype of Imagination. The former breaks the symmetry of Braids for a very low cost, and the later is all around amazing and also creates a soft lock with Stormtide Leviathan.
I also play Leyline of Anticipation and Vedalken Orrery to allow me to keep mana up for counters and bounce while still playing multiple threats per turn.
I have yet to get a Paradox Haze but i did add some cards from commander 2015. I swapped a mana rock a clone and 3 mediocre spells for 3 shiny new ones. The new stuff hasn't popped up yet but hopefully soon. Body Double had some trouble getting going and what you really want is to just straight up clone big stuff your opponent casts.
Maybe a few changes over the past year. The deck can easily switch around the big beasts so i have done a bit of shifting. I trimmed the lands a bit as flooding out can be pretty bad.
Here is what i added: Vodalian Illusionist - nice combo with Braids and can be used for fun tricks here and there. Stunt Double - The Deck likes clones and this is an excellent clone. Flash is especially good when you know an opponent can drop a free fattie Guardian of Tazeem - Can actually be cased and surprisingly effective in shutting out other big creatures. Scourge of Fleets - Can come in handy from time to time. Void Winnower - an other Grozoth target that can be pretty nasty. Brainstorm - Might end up adding a couple other cheap draw. Confirm Suspicions - Trying some clues out to see if they are good. Tamiyo's Journal - More clues for fun.
Any advice is welcome.
1 Gilded Drake
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Fog Bank
1 Cryptoplasm
1 Vodalian Illusionist
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Stunt Double
1 Clever Impersonator
1 Sakashima's Student
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
1 Gigantoplasm
1 Mulldrifter
1 Stormsurge Kraken
1 Guardian of Tazeem
1 Keiga, the Tide Star
1 Draining Whelk
1 Aetherling
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Phyrexian Ingester
1 Sphinx of Uthuun
1 Palinchron
1 Memnarch
1 Scourge of Fleets
1 Tidal Force
1 Lorthos, the Tidemaker
1 STormtide Leviathan
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Breaching Leviathan
1 Grozoth
1 Artisan of Kozilek
1 Brainstorm
1 Stifle
1 Pongify
1 Reality Shift
1 Turn to Frog
1 Dream Fracture
1 Crackling Counterpart
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Blessed Reincarnation
1 Mystic Confluence
1 Confirm Suspicions
1 Supplant Form
1 Counterlash
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Savor the Moment
1 Whelming Wave
1 Amnesia
1 Retreat to Coralhelm
1 Future Sight
1 Sol Ring
1 Wayfarer's Bauble
1 Sky Diamond
1 Thought Vessel
1 Sapphire Medalllion
1 Hedron Archive
1 Gilded Lotus
1 Dreamstone Hedron
1 Caged Sun
1 Tamiyo's Journal
1 Spine of Ish Sah
1 Buried Ruin
1 Temple of the False God
1 Arcane Lighthouse
1 Thespian Stage
1 Blighted Cataract
1 Myriad Landscape
1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 High Market
1 Spawning Bed
1 Mystifying Maze
1 Halimar Depths
1 Lonely Sandbar
24 Island
1 Illusionist's Gambit
1 Ugin's Insight
1 Sphinx of Magosi
1 Body Double
1 Mind Stone
1 Thought Vessel
1 Gigantoplasm
1 Mystic Confluence
1 Aethersnatch
1 Mirror Match
1 Tromokratis
1 Hoverguard Sweepers
1 homarid Spawning Bed
1 Mirror Match
1 Coral Atoll
1 Sword of the Animist
1 Aethersnatch
1 Island
1 Vodalian Illusionist
1 Stunt Double
1 Guardian of Tazeem
1 Scourge of Fleets
1 Void Winnower
1 Brainstorm
1 Confirm Suspicions
1 Tamiyo's Journal
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
BURWGSliver Hivelord's alt wincon deck at Maze's EndBURWG
GWBSidar Kondo and Ikra Shidiq likes big butts
RUMizzix of the Izmagnus Super ThiefRU
BURWGGeneral Tazri, The Megazord AllyBURWG
BURJeleva Mill and Kill BUR
BRGrenzo's get out from under that deck!BR
WUG Roon's Enchanted Evening (enchantment deck) WUG
BUG The Undersea World of Tasigur CousteauBUG
BWGAnafenza, Counter QueenBWG
Other steal stuff things:
Cultural Exchange (highly recommended as it does not target)
Master Thief
Roil Elemental
Sower of Temptation
Empress Galina
You really want "steal non creature" stuff like Confiscate, Volition Reins since some of the things your opponents bust out will not be creatures.
I play a Barrin list that is also all about stealing stuff, you can check my sig.
Retired: WUEphara, God of the PolisWU blink | WGerrard CapashenW lifegain | WUB Ertai, the CorruptedWUB combo | WAvacyn, Angel of HopeW
mono-white controlangel tribalPauper: UBDimirKittyUB | RBG Deathcycle RBG
Modern: GWUEnchantressGWU | GWUTurbofogGWU
Bribery is probably worth trying out. Obviously it is very good but might put too much of a target on ol braids.
Cultural Exchange <- This i like
Master Thief <- very interesting, i am usually just focused on creatures but this could be potent.
Roil and Sower are both pretty fragile (and Sower is expensive now!) so i'll probably leave them be. Empress Galina is cute, but might have political implications when someone really wants to play their general.
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
You're also missing Braids favourite enchantment: Paradox Haze, and her second favourite, Copy Enchantment for a second Paradox Haze!
I also like phasing with Braids: Vodalian Illusionist, Vanishing, Teferi's Veil. Sunken Hope can help mitigate Braids effect going out of control.
Cyclonic Rift is easily the greatest creature bounce ever, followed by Capsize. Inundate and Wash Out can be good too.
Can also recommend Vedalken Shackles as an efficient steal engine, especially when paired with a sac trigger (e.g. High Market), and Declaration of Naught to lock out problem commanders.
Final recommendation: Extraplanar Lens and Snow-covered Islands instead of simple islands. Very potent in mono-coloured decks.
I would be lying if i said Paradox Haze didn't interest me. What juicy stuff works with it other than extra Braids triggers?
I'll try to work in some phasing as well, i am a sucker for cards from the 90s with oddball old mechanics.
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
Anyway looking at the commander 2015 spoiler there are a few cards worth considering.
Æthersnatch - Great thing about this deck is you can sit back and drop krakens while keeping mana up. This is an obvious include.
Gigantoplasm - Clones are good in this deck and this is a good clone. Easy add.
Mystic Confluence - An other obvious choice.
Mirror Match - One of those narrow but blowout possible cards. Not sure if i like it.
Synthetic Destiny - Seeing as i have a high density of big creatures this might be potent. Also combos well with homarid Spawning Bed
Blade of Selves - The equip cost is rough but there is real potential with this.
Sandstone Oracle - There are times when you empty your hand quickly with this deck. He is a braids-able card draw. On the fence about it though.
Thought Vessel - A good mana rock, don't care that its colorless. Easy add.
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
My current Braids deck only has Followed Footsteps and Gate to the Aether that positively interact with having Paradox Haze out on yourself, and Sunken Hope as a negative interaction if you instead enchant your opponent with Paradox Haze.
There are lots of alternative "Beginning of Upkeep" trigger cards that interact with Paradox Haze, Eternal Dominion is a very strong example, and you have Tidal Force in your deck as another good example (funny that Tidal Force would benefit from Paradox Haze being on both you, and your opponent). The fact that Braids is your general means that having it in the 99 will always benefit you while your general out, which should be reasonably often. Same reason I always play Paradox Haze in my Sen Triplets deck. Strionic Resonator is another Braids trigger for you too.
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
I also play Leyline of Anticipation and Vedalken Orrery to allow me to keep mana up for counters and bounce while still playing multiple threats per turn.
Current Decks
GTitania midrange
RGThromok tokens/goodstuff | UB Grimgrin zombie tribal
GW Sigarda enchantress | R Godo voltron
U Braids aggro | WR Kalemne punisher
RU Mizzix storm | BUG Mimeoplasm competitive reanimator | UG Ezuri infect
Changes November 20 2015.
1 Illusionist's Gambit
1 Ugin's Insight
1 Sphinx of Magosi
1 Body Double
1 Mind Stone
1 Thought Vessel
1 Gigantoplasm
1 Mystic Confluence
1 Aethersnatch
1 Mirror Match
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render
Here is what i added:
Vodalian Illusionist - nice combo with Braids and can be used for fun tricks here and there.
Stunt Double - The Deck likes clones and this is an excellent clone. Flash is especially good when you know an opponent can drop a free fattie
Guardian of Tazeem - Can actually be cased and surprisingly effective in shutting out other big creatures.
Scourge of Fleets - Can come in handy from time to time.
Void Winnower - an other Grozoth target that can be pretty nasty.
Brainstorm - Might end up adding a couple other cheap draw.
Confirm Suspicions - Trying some clues out to see if they are good.
Tamiyo's Journal - More clues for fun.
1 Tromokratis
1 Hoverguard Sweepers
1 homarid Spawning Bed
1 Mirror Match
1 Coral Atoll
1 Sword of the Animist
1 Aethersnatch
1 Island
1 Vodalian Illusionist
1 Stunt Double
1 Guardian of Tazeem
1 Scourge of Fleets
1 Void Winnower
1 Brainstorm
1 Confirm Suspicions
1 Tamiyo's Journal
In Progress
GBIshkanah, Grafwidow ~ BWGRTymna the Weaver & Tana, the Bloodsower ~ UGRashmi, Eternities Crafter ~ RGAtarka, World Render