I have noticed something about many Mizzix Decks posted thus far and my own as well. A lack of Win cons. I mean my deck right now is EXTREMELY dependent on my opponents as I need to use their stuff to win right now. I have no other ways of winning. (well except maybe somehow clearing the board every turn and whacking them with Mizzix.)
Anyway point is I am looking fro win con ideas. Toss em my way, I might have one and not realize it or i could find a way to incorporate it into my deck.
Comet Storm is an excellent Fireball-style spell for you, especially since the cost-discount you get can potentially make the spell cost a grand total of RR and kill all of your opponents. Granted, that would require 42 experience if you had 3 opponents at 40 life, but Mizzix can make it cost substantially less than what you need to actually win, and by that point your opponents probably aren't at 40 life.
Haze of Rage; at 3 experience, it costs R to cast with buyback, and that can stack up to a huge power boost to every creature you control.
Firemind's Foresight tutoring Reiterate, Reset, and any 1-drop instant you want, such as Lightning Bolt for infinite mana and infinite copies of the 1-drop you search for. That one just requires 8 mana from lands without Mizzix in play at all.
I use Comet Storm, Empty the Warrens, Ignite Memories, Haze of Rage, and Insurrection in my Melek deck, although Empty the Warrens tends to be more for Brightstone Ritual than winning, I do occasionally swing with my goblins.
that does sound like a good strategy but i would feel kind of bad breaking out that combo often. It seems cheap and I already get enough hate with people who see me Draw myself out in Azami and win with Maniac. I would rather not win that way in a second deck.
that does sound like a good strategy but i would feel kind of bad breaking out that combo often. It seems cheap and I already get enough hate with people who see me Draw myself out in Azami and win with Maniac. I would rather not win that way in a second deck.
It really just depends on the build. Storm builds can draw their entire deck fairly easily so Laboratory Maniac is an auto-include even without Enter the Infinite, which isn't even very good in the deck anyway. You can either drop the maniac and Stroke of Genius, which is vulnerable and therefore not recommended unless necessary, or drop the maniac with an immediate wincon such as Gitaxian Probe, gush, Tezzeret's Gambit, or any number of cards if you have mana open. The latter is less vulnerable because it is less mana intensive so if your opponents' have a response you have the option of responding with instant speed card draw and still winning.
The only other win-con I'm currently running is Ignite Memories. It isn't great but it usually gets the job done and I would never feel bad about winning with such a janky card. Mind's Desire, Epic Experiment and Mizzix's Mastery also tend to win the game if they resolve.
Another vote for Sphinx-Bone Wand. It's tutorable with Fabricate, recurrable with Academy Ruins, and copyable with Phyrexian Metamorph. If you can untap with this thing + cards in hand, you'll probably win. The damage starts slow, but gets insane fast.
Plus, if the game goes long enough, it's pretty much a two card "I win the game" combo with Mizzix's Mastery or Past in Flames.
For all time style points in Izzet, go for combos with Izzet Guildmage and Nivix Guildmage. Basically any spell that produces mana, plus any ability that copies spells for less mana than that, that equation solves into an infinite combo. And you won't need a third piece, because you already have infinite spells. As an example, Nixiv Guildmage and Reset with 5 or more land on board, copy the spell with the second ability and draw your deck with the first ability. If you're not playing one of the half dozen or so one-card combo's in the game, the next best thing is a 2-carder.
For a possibly less irksome win condition, try something like Sway of the Stars, Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and so on. An unanswered Mizzix will let you cast those for 2 a piece, then you float a bunch of mana and put down something elegant like a Lone Revenant to take the game.
Still too much hate, certain cards are just built to be casual win-cons. You hear people talk about them as "crazy plays", even though they get repeated over and over enough that people really should be expecting them. Think Rite of Replication, Insurrection, Vicious Shadows, Repercussion, and less imminently, Sphinx Ambassador, Consecrated Sphinx, Magmatic Force, Primordials, Praetors, so on. Basically, these are the cards you want if you find yourself often deciding that you've had enough of a particular game and want it to end. Just about everyone considers them "fair", even though ending long-running, uninteractive games is all that they do.
Mizzix does give you a discount on some of the above. Problem is that for the rest of it though, you're less able to make good use out of it than some other non-Izzet color combination. The reason is recursion. Black, White and Green can recur creatures fairly easily, while recurring spells is tough for all colors. So if spells are the best answers to creatures, eventually there will be too many creatures for the number of spells drawn, and that is the inertia of the game. If you want to play that game at all as Izzet, then Artifacts are really the only thing you can recur, and those still not as well as others can recur creatures. Goblin Welder, and Academy Ruins finding Wurmcoil Engine, and so on. To a lot of people's disappointment, Commander 2015 didn't help what's often seen as the only "fair" strategy in Izzet.
Basically, Wizards decided that Izzet is about spells, and not anything else. Players decided that winning with spells, or anything other than creatures really, isn't fair. The sum effect of those decisions is that by playing Izzet, unless you deliberately decide to play a deck that's weaker than everyone else's, will sometimes get looked at as not playing fair. If you do want to win with something like Mizzix's Mastery though, the cards are there.
For a possibly less irksome win condition, try something like Sway of the Stars, Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and so on. An unanswered Mizzix will let you cast those for 2 a piece, then you float a bunch of mana and put down something elegant like a Lone Revenant to take the game.
For a possibly less irksome win condition, try something like Sway of the Stars, Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and so on. An unanswered Mizzix will let you cast those for 2 a piece, then you float a bunch of mana and put down something elegant like a Lone Revenant to take the game.
Sway of the Stars is banned.
I am told that it's unbanned.
But I wouldn't have seen it or played it either way, because it's not that great of a card.
For a possibly less irksome win condition, try something like Sway of the Stars, Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and so on. An unanswered Mizzix will let you cast those for 2 a piece, then you float a bunch of mana and put down something elegant like a Lone Revenant to take the game.
Sway of the Stars is banned.
I am told that it's unbanned.
But I wouldn't have seen it or played it either way, because it's not that great of a card.
Who told you that? Because it's still listed as banned on mtgcommander.com, and the last change to the ban list was September 2014 with the removal of "banned as commander" and the unbanning of Metalworker. The last change before that was banning Trade Secrets and in unbanning Staff of Domination in April 2013.
Mizzix does give you a discount on some of the above. Problem is that for the rest of it though, you're less able to make good use out of it than some other non-Izzet color combination. The reason is recursion. Black, White and Green can recur creatures fairly easily, while recurring spells is tough for all colors. So if spells are the best answers to creatures, eventually there will be too many creatures for the number of spells drawn, and that is the inertia of the game. If you want to play that game at all as Izzet, then Artifacts are really the only thing you can recur, and those still not as well as others can recur creatures. Goblin Welder, and Academy Ruins finding Wurmcoil Engine, and so on. To a lot of people's disappointment, Commander 2015 didn't help what's often seen as the only "fair" strategy in Izzet.
Basically, Wizards decided that Izzet is about spells, and not anything else. Players decided that winning with spells, or anything other than creatures really, isn't fair. The sum effect of those decisions is that by playing Izzet, unless you deliberately decide to play a deck that's weaker than everyone else's, will sometimes get looked at as not playing fair. If you do want to win with something like Mizzix's Mastery though, the cards are there.
I love that you stated this, as it echoes my thoughts exactly. There are definite problems with the format and the players, and spellslinging winning games is viewed as unfun or unfair, but winning with creature based combos ala Kharador is perfectly fine. And as you said, it really rubbed me the wrong way when they didnt print a UR artifact general or at least some support for the archtype. Perhaps they thought with Daretti and Teferi that they already "Covered artifacts last year", and as such, left players still with only Nin as the one really solid UR artifact general.
Regardless, it's really sad for the archetype. RW also got hosed in that regard, as Wizards thinks the only things RW can do together is Dudes, more Dudes, or Voltron, more Voltron.
on topic, many other posters have it covered. You can go Wheels ala Nekusar, or like Psychosis Crawler and Enter the Infinite, Primordials, Insurrection, Storm, Guttersnipe+Storm (SEE, I KILLED YOU WITH A CREATURE THIS IS FAIR), etc
X spells, especially reusable X spells, are extremely good in Mizzix. You can use the XP counters to pay X which basically guarantees the spell will increase the XP as well. So running them independent of your win cons is worth it so you might as well run them as win cons as well.
I played against and with a well built Mizzix deck last night and she has the potential to just explode once you hit 3 or 4 XP. As long as you have enough hand cycling and graveyard recycling she is crazy explosive.
The game I piloted the deck, I got mana screwed early and just sat there hoarding high CMC cards (had a Thought Vessel so no max hand size). I did virtually nothing in the game, had almost no impact. Then, deep in the game, I finally had mana to cast and protect Mizzix. The next turn I cast dozens and dozens of spells (before Turnabout/Reiterate) and just choked the table out.
I built my Mizzix deck with plenty of single target and multi target burns with x-costs and a few mechanics to double, triple or quadruple the spells or the damage. Pyromancer's Goggles, Swarm Intelligence, Reiterate for example. Also there's an enchantment(2red 1colorless) card which copies the damage which creatures receives to their owner which is great (coulddnt find it right now ^^). Also Imminent Doom as a cheaper version of the scepter.
Tactics vise. Just keep on burning/controlling all threats off the battlefield till you have enough mana or "burn boosters" on the field to obliterate your enemies with 1 card ^^. Its quite fun.
Docent of Perfection - Getting a 3/2 flyer with each instant/sorcery you cast can overwhelm an opponent surprisingly quickly. Call the Skybreaker - Turning topdecked lands (or just a glut of land from a Stroke of Genius/Blue Sun's Zenith into a 5/5 flyer for two mana can be surprisingly efficient. Even just two or three can close out a game fast.
Anyway point is I am looking fro win con ideas. Toss em my way, I might have one and not realize it or i could find a way to incorporate it into my deck.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
Runechanter's Pike?
Kiln Fiend?
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
Storm into Empty the Warrens or Ignite Memories.
Haze of Rage; at 3 experience, it costs R to cast with buyback, and that can stack up to a huge power boost to every creature you control.
Firemind's Foresight tutoring Reiterate, Reset, and any 1-drop instant you want, such as Lightning Bolt for infinite mana and infinite copies of the 1-drop you search for. That one just requires 8 mana from lands without Mizzix in play at all.
I use Comet Storm, Empty the Warrens, Ignite Memories, Haze of Rage, and Insurrection in my Melek deck, although Empty the Warrens tends to be more for Brightstone Ritual than winning, I do occasionally swing with my goblins.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
It really just depends on the build. Storm builds can draw their entire deck fairly easily so Laboratory Maniac is an auto-include even without Enter the Infinite, which isn't even very good in the deck anyway. You can either drop the maniac and Stroke of Genius, which is vulnerable and therefore not recommended unless necessary, or drop the maniac with an immediate wincon such as Gitaxian Probe, gush, Tezzeret's Gambit, or any number of cards if you have mana open. The latter is less vulnerable because it is less mana intensive so if your opponents' have a response you have the option of responding with instant speed card draw and still winning.
The only other win-con I'm currently running is Ignite Memories. It isn't great but it usually gets the job done and I would never feel bad about winning with such a janky card. Mind's Desire, Epic Experiment and Mizzix's Mastery also tend to win the game if they resolve.
Plus, if the game goes long enough, it's pretty much a two card "I win the game" combo with Mizzix's Mastery or Past in Flames.
Disciple of the Ring
Bribery
Mind's Desire
Ignite memories
Rite of Replication
Sphinx-Bone Wand
Eye of the Storm
Epic Experiment
Guttersnipe
Charmbreaker Devils
Talrand, Sky Summoner/Young Pyromancer
Edit: And Turnabout Reiterate
For a possibly less irksome win condition, try something like Sway of the Stars, Jokulhaups, Obliterate, and so on. An unanswered Mizzix will let you cast those for 2 a piece, then you float a bunch of mana and put down something elegant like a Lone Revenant to take the game.
Still too much hate, certain cards are just built to be casual win-cons. You hear people talk about them as "crazy plays", even though they get repeated over and over enough that people really should be expecting them. Think Rite of Replication, Insurrection, Vicious Shadows, Repercussion, and less imminently, Sphinx Ambassador, Consecrated Sphinx, Magmatic Force, Primordials, Praetors, so on. Basically, these are the cards you want if you find yourself often deciding that you've had enough of a particular game and want it to end. Just about everyone considers them "fair", even though ending long-running, uninteractive games is all that they do.
Mizzix does give you a discount on some of the above. Problem is that for the rest of it though, you're less able to make good use out of it than some other non-Izzet color combination. The reason is recursion. Black, White and Green can recur creatures fairly easily, while recurring spells is tough for all colors. So if spells are the best answers to creatures, eventually there will be too many creatures for the number of spells drawn, and that is the inertia of the game. If you want to play that game at all as Izzet, then Artifacts are really the only thing you can recur, and those still not as well as others can recur creatures. Goblin Welder, and Academy Ruins finding Wurmcoil Engine, and so on. To a lot of people's disappointment, Commander 2015 didn't help what's often seen as the only "fair" strategy in Izzet.
Basically, Wizards decided that Izzet is about spells, and not anything else. Players decided that winning with spells, or anything other than creatures really, isn't fair. The sum effect of those decisions is that by playing Izzet, unless you deliberately decide to play a deck that's weaker than everyone else's, will sometimes get looked at as not playing fair. If you do want to win with something like Mizzix's Mastery though, the cards are there.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
i kinda liked the idea of using my opponent's stuff against them for the win. i think its a very 'izzet' thing to do
Legacy - Solidarity - mono U aggro - burn - Imperial Painter - Strawberry Shortcake - Bluuzards - bom
Dragonstorm, for style points if little else (grab Bogardan Hellkite & Scourge of Valkas, then copy/kick a Rite on Scourge over and over).
Temporal Fissure for an "effective win" but not an "actual win".
Steel Sabotage'ng Orbs of Mellowness since 2011.
I am told that it's unbanned.
But I wouldn't have seen it or played it either way, because it's not that great of a card.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
(Image by totallynotabrony)
I love that you stated this, as it echoes my thoughts exactly. There are definite problems with the format and the players, and spellslinging winning games is viewed as unfun or unfair, but winning with creature based combos ala Kharador is perfectly fine. And as you said, it really rubbed me the wrong way when they didnt print a UR artifact general or at least some support for the archtype. Perhaps they thought with Daretti and Teferi that they already "Covered artifacts last year", and as such, left players still with only Nin as the one really solid UR artifact general.
Regardless, it's really sad for the archetype. RW also got hosed in that regard, as Wizards thinks the only things RW can do together is Dudes, more Dudes, or Voltron, more Voltron.
on topic, many other posters have it covered. You can go Wheels ala Nekusar, or like Psychosis Crawler and Enter the Infinite, Primordials, Insurrection, Storm, Guttersnipe+Storm (SEE, I KILLED YOU WITH A CREATURE THIS IS FAIR), etc
GB [Primer][Competitive][Stax][Combo] Meren of Clan Nel Toth 95% RETIRED
UW [Primer][Competitive][Combo][Stax] Brago, King Eternal RETIRED
BR Rakdos, Lord of Riots (75%)
G Titania - 75%
W SRAM - Welcome to the cheeri0s jam 95%
U Teferi - stax 100%
R Neheb - janky mono red eggs combo 90%
B Gonti - 50% valuetown
Or Temporal Fissure + some kind of wheel.
BGGRock
Modern
BRGJund
BBGRock
X spells, especially reusable X spells, are extremely good in Mizzix. You can use the XP counters to pay X which basically guarantees the spell will increase the XP as well. So running them independent of your win cons is worth it so you might as well run them as win cons as well.
I played against and with a well built Mizzix deck last night and she has the potential to just explode once you hit 3 or 4 XP. As long as you have enough hand cycling and graveyard recycling she is crazy explosive.
The game I piloted the deck, I got mana screwed early and just sat there hoarding high CMC cards (had a Thought Vessel so no max hand size). I did virtually nothing in the game, had almost no impact. Then, deep in the game, I finally had mana to cast and protect Mizzix. The next turn I cast dozens and dozens of spells (before Turnabout/Reiterate) and just choked the table out.
EDH Decks:
WUBOloro, Combo ControlWUB
UBOona Reanimator ComboUB
BRGProssh, Eater of the Blue MageBRG
UBRGrixis StormUBR
Rebuilding Jenara (stealyourstuff.dec)
Pauper Deck:
UBInspired SirenUB
Tactics vise. Just keep on burning/controlling all threats off the battlefield till you have enough mana or "burn boosters" on the field to obliterate your enemies with 1 card ^^. Its quite fun.
Docent of Perfection - Getting a 3/2 flyer with each instant/sorcery you cast can overwhelm an opponent surprisingly quickly.
Call the Skybreaker - Turning topdecked lands (or just a glut of land from a Stroke of Genius/Blue Sun's Zenith into a 5/5 flyer for two mana can be surprisingly efficient. Even just two or three can close out a game fast.
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist