This is my GAAIV EDH deck. I've been playing this for about a year now, and its changed up quite a bit. It wins nearly every game that its not playing 1 v 3, and it wins a fair amount of those as well. The goal is to land a very early Grand Arbiter (turn 2-3 hopefully) and then use it to ramp into big threats such as Drogskol Reaver or Medomai, the Ageless while keeping counter magic and protection ready. Currently, the deck is missing three very notable cards: Jace, the Mind Sculptor (Architect is currently sitting for it), Mana Drain (not sure what will be replaced for that), and Mindbreak Trap (Counterflux, Cavern of Souls, and Boseiju, Who Shelters All have become popular cards in my meta nowadays, so I need to pick one up), which will probably replace Hinder now that tucking generals is no longer an option. I'm also not particularly keen on Worn Powerstone in the deck anymore, as it does not help ramp out an earlier Arbiter. I'm considering Commander's Sphere in its place, as it can cycle as well as add colored mana. I'd also love to pick up a Force of Will, but I feel as if 2 for 1'ing yourself in multiplayer can be very weak. Still, being able to protect key cards tapped out might be good enough, so someday I'll have to try it out.
Some meta choices or otherwise odd card choices: Frozen Æther: While a popular card in Stax version of the deck, my particular list runs almost no other stax cards. I choose to include this one because it hoses the Kiki-Jiki in my meta (and being an enchantment, its nearly impossible for the mono-red list to remove), and combined with an early GAAIV drop it is incredibly hard to fight. The other tax cards generally require setup or hose both ways. This one is a great one-way only effect.
Aura of Silence: The other stax-like card, I play against way too many Darettis and other artifact decks ever since the precon was released.
Dismiss over Cryptic Command: I found that 90% of the time, Cryptic was being used as a dismiss. The deck often wanted to spend one less blue mana than have the extra options, so I swapped the two out.
Sphere of Safety: Despite only running 8 enchantments total, this card is incredibly useful. It protects the 7 planeswalkers in this deck, and combined with GAAIV often means players either choose to play something or choose to attack me. In a lot of cases, they make the wrong choice. As soon as this card stops protecting PWs and myself, I'll cut it, but so far its doing a surprisingly good job.
Looks a bit like my GAAIV deck, just wondering, why not supreme verdict instead of wrath of god? And what about treasure cruise and blue sun's zenith?
Also, how does venser, shaper savant work out for you in the deck? I'm considering playing him in the future.
To answer DrTim0n, Venser is working really great for me. He's pretty much my one answer to the Obliterate, and can stop an uncounterable combo card like Tooth and Nail off a Boseiju. He can also work as a flash blocker for a planeswalker, if you're really desperate. I want to add Treasure Cruise to the deck for sure. I like the BSZ effect, but more as a 1-of, and already have Sphinx's Rev. I've found Wrath of God to be a more consistent answer to the elfball decks that run regenerate cards like Ezuri or Yavimaya Hollow. Though, I am considering replacing Austere Command with Supreme Verdict just to get the average CMC of this deck down (its a little too high atm, even with considering Dig Through Time as a 2 drop).
After a couple of months people have started not making the wrong choice with the Sphere of safety. Its still very good against overrun decks that win with Craterhoof, as it makes them wait an extra turn or two before they can kill me, which is usually enough. So I'm gonna try playing without it for a while and see how it goes.
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BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth UWGrand Arbiter Augustin IV R Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer B Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed G Titania, Protector of Argoth
1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
Lands - 37
1 Adarkar Wastes
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Arid Mesa
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 City of Brass
1 Command Tower
1 Flooded Strand
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Hallowed Fountain
7 Island
1 Mana Confluence
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Mystic Gate
1 Nimbus Maze
7 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Reflecting Pool
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Strip Mine
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Tundra
1 Windswept Heath
Artifacts - 10
1 Azorius Signet
1 Chromatic Lantern
1 Coalition Relic
1 Fellwar Stone
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mind Stone
1 Sol Ring
1 Talisman of Progress
1 Worn Powerstone
1 Aura of Silence
1 Detention Sphere
1 Frozen Æther
1 Future Sight
1 Omniscience
1 Rhystic Study
1 Sphere of Safety
1 Treachery
Creatures - 15
1 Academy Rector
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Avacyn, Angel of Hope
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Drogskol Reaver
1 Glen Elendra Archmage
1 Medomai the Ageless
1 Phantasmal Image
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Sakashima the Impostor
1 Serra Ascendant
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Sun Titan
1 Venser, Shaper Savant
Sorceries - 7
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Austere Command
1 Bribery
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Terminus
1 Wrath of God
1 Condemn
1 Counterspell
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Desertion
1 Dig Through Time
1 Dismantling Blow
1 Dismiss
1 Dissipate
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Hinder
1 Mana Leak
1 Path to Exile
1 Return to Dust
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Swords to Plowshares
Planeswalkers - 7
1 Gideon Jura
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Jace Beleren
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Karn Liberated
1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1 Venser, the Sojourner
Some meta choices or otherwise odd card choices:
Frozen Æther: While a popular card in Stax version of the deck, my particular list runs almost no other stax cards. I choose to include this one because it hoses the Kiki-Jiki in my meta (and being an enchantment, its nearly impossible for the mono-red list to remove), and combined with an early GAAIV drop it is incredibly hard to fight. The other tax cards generally require setup or hose both ways. This one is a great one-way only effect.
Aura of Silence: The other stax-like card, I play against way too many Darettis and other artifact decks ever since the precon was released.
Dismiss over Cryptic Command: I found that 90% of the time, Cryptic was being used as a dismiss. The deck often wanted to spend one less blue mana than have the extra options, so I swapped the two out.
Sphere of Safety: Despite only running 8 enchantments total, this card is incredibly useful. It protects the 7 planeswalkers in this deck, and combined with GAAIV often means players either choose to play something or choose to attack me. In a lot of cases, they make the wrong choice. As soon as this card stops protecting PWs and myself, I'll cut it, but so far its doing a surprisingly good job.
To Acquire:
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Mana Drain
Mindbreak Trap
Force of Will
To Cut:
Worn Powerstone
UW Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
R Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer
B Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
G Titania, Protector of Argoth
Retired:
BG Glissa, the Traitor
Also, how does venser, shaper savant work out for you in the deck? I'm considering playing him in the future.
Currently making quite a few changes to the deck. Considering adding the following cards:
Dragonlord Ojutai
Elspeth, Knight-Errant
Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Treasure Cruise
Supreme Verdict
Cryptic Command
Thought Vessel
Cards probably to cut:
Worn Powerstone
Jace, Memory Adept
Sphere of Safety
Desertion
Avacyn, Angel of Hope
After a couple of months people have started not making the wrong choice with the Sphere of safety. Its still very good against overrun decks that win with Craterhoof, as it makes them wait an extra turn or two before they can kill me, which is usually enough. So I'm gonna try playing without it for a while and see how it goes.
UW Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
R Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer
B Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed
G Titania, Protector of Argoth
Retired:
BG Glissa, the Traitor