{"ops":[{"insert":"Summary"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThis is a Bracket 3"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Clones"},{"insert":"-focused deck that I've been rocking for some years now. It's got some powerful board control and mana acceleration, but in the spirit of being a Clone deck, it has almost no Theft effects and no win cons of its own. The Clone theme offers a lot of variation from game to game and it can still run away with games if left unchecked.\n\tThe main advantage of this deck is that it basically circumvents the singleton nature of the format, allowing you to constantly have multiple copies of the most powerful card on the table — himself circumvents the Legend rule by keeping his name. Cards like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pirated Copy"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Malleable Impostor"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mocking Doppelganger"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mockingbird"}},{"insert":" even make your own cards better than the original in some way, with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Akroma's Memorial"}},{"insert":" being the epitome of that. It's with this advantage, backed up by some counterspells and mass removal, that you'll eventually win the game.\n\tA warning though - be ready to play medium to long games, with weird rules interactions and overwhelming board states, specially considering you're playing with cards you're not familiar with. It's usually a deck I'll play in the first game of the night and give it a rest.\n\nCategories"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThis is how I split the deck's more exclusive categories, and how each of them contributes to the overall strategy.\n\nClones"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThis is the bread and butter of the deck — cards that clone creatures, in varied ways. Ironically, almost no two clones are identical. Imposter Mech and Machine God's Effigy end up not being a creature, allowing you to protect good effects from removal; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pirated Copy"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mockingbird // Mockingbird"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Malleable Impostor"}},{"insert":" improve on the original creature in some way; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mocking Doppelganger"}},{"insert":" can also protect you from an opposing attacker; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cryptoplasm"}},{"insert":" enters early and can update as the game goes on, though you miss out on Enters triggers; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sakashima the Impostor"}},{"insert":" circumvents the Legend rule by keeping his name, allowing you to have a second normal clone copying your opponent's commander.\n\nNon-Creature Copy"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThese cards expand on the Clones theme and give the deck some flexibility and resilience by allowing you to copy artifacts, enchantments, instants or sorceries. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mirage Mirror"}},{"insert":" needs 2 mana, but can become almost anything on the battlefield and protects itself by becoming a land; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Waxen Shapethief"}},{"insert":" 's flash and cycling provide a lot of versatility; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Court of Vantress"}},{"insert":" is always "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"at least"},{"insert":" a copy, with possibly creating more and more copies of whatever you want (as long as it's an artifact or enchantment).\n\nClone Refresh"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThese cards add some versatility to the deck by allowing you to change what your clones are copying, so you don't need to worry about \"wasting\" a clone on a mid-tier creature in the early game. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thassa, Deep-Dwelling"}},{"insert":" has the added benefit of repeating Enters triggers; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vesuvan Shapeshifter"}},{"insert":" can copy your own "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kheru Spellsnatcher"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mischievous Quanar"}},{"insert":" to repeat their face-up triggers; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crystal Shard"}},{"insert":" doubles as a deterrent for your opponents, greatly disincentivizing them from using up all their mana. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sakashima the Impostor"}},{"insert":" can bounce himself, which is expensive and timing-sensitive (it's a delayed trigger, so you can't respond to removal. Best point to activate it is at the end of your opponent's second main phase), but it can still be relevant sometimes.\n\nSingle Target Disruption (aka Removal)"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tMost cards here adhere to the Clone theme of the deck — interact with one of your opponent's permanents while also copying it (or at least something). "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kheru Spellsnatcher"}},{"insert":" is the only theft effect of the deck (in my defense, it doesn't "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"steal"},{"insert":" cards, it just counters them... and uses them later), but it's such a great combo with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vesuvan Shapeshifter"}},{"insert":" that I couldn't help. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sublime Epiphany"}},{"insert":" is usually a 4-1 and if you can also copy a trigger ability you feel you hit the jackpot. \n\nCard Advantage (aka Card Draw)"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThe deck doesn't have a lot here, specially for a Blue deck, because the goal is to try and use your opponent's draw engines for yourself. The few cards here will usually snag you A BUNCH of cards, so there's that.\n\nRamp"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThis is a very default package in any deck, but it's extra important here because the deck relies on expensive spells. You'll usually be spending 4 mana (the normal cost for a clone) to copy stuff that sometimes cost less than that, so you gotta ensure you have your ramp to stay ahead of the curve. Don't be afraid of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sculpting Steel"}},{"insert":" -ing a Sol Ring, it's a great card even at 3 mana; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Solemn Simulacrum"}},{"insert":" is a good Clone target to get things going that eventually reimburses the card; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Relm's Sketching"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Clever Impersonator"}},{"insert":"-ing lands or mana rocks may suck, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.\n\nMiscellaneous"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThis is currently just "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vedalken Orrery"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Leyline of Anticipation"}},{"insert":". With the deck being so reactive and relying so much in sorcery speed spells, these cards provide a way to keep your shields up without attracting "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"too much"},{"insert":" attention and keep your options open until the last second to ensure you'll always have as much information as possible before deciding what to clone.\n\nHow-to-play"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nEarly game"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThis is a highly reactive deck, so you'll mostly spend the first few turns playing your mana rocks, maybe doing some early advantageous clones ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phantasmal Image"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Imposter Mech"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Flesh Duplicate"}},{"insert":" ), setting up morph cards ("},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mischievous Quanar"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vesuvan Shapeshifter"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kheru Spellsnatcher"}},{"insert":" ), or Foretelling "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spectral Deluge"}},{"insert":". But mostly you'll be ramping up with mana rocks.\n\nMid Game"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tAround turn 4 you'll start to have good clone targets, either in the form of powerful standalone cards; or multiple synergistic cards - remember, you can have multiple of your opponent's key cards. Your opponent plays "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Eidolon of Blossoms"}},{"insert":" ? You can easily have 2 or 3 of those and overwhelm their card advantage. I once had multiple copies of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phyrexian Obliterator"}},{"insert":" and much fun was had. You sometimes won't see the win yet, but focus on accruing advantage and you'll eventually get there.\n\nEnd Game"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tAfter cloning a bunch of cards and overwhelming your opponents with their own value cards, you'll eventually have enough of a board presence to finish off the game. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cyclonic Rift"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spectral Deluge"}},{"insert":" are 1-sided wipes that will greatly help you getting there; "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Akroma's Memorial"}},{"insert":" usually makes you one or two combats away from victory; and a kicked "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rite of Replication"}},{"insert":" often leads to a win sooner or later.\n\nPossible cuts and Notable absences"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\tThese are some cards I'm considering cutting or have put in the deck but already removed that may better fit your own playstyle, if you want to make your own version of this deck. They usually go against what I'm looking for in the deck, but may be what YOU are looking for.\n\n\t"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Impostor Syndrome"}},{"insert":" is a new card I added in the \"Let's make my creatures better than my opponents'\", but it requires good evasive creatures and you'll sometimes only have token copies, so this is a card I'll likely cut unless it proves consistently amazing.\n\t"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Crystal Shard"}},{"insert":" is on the cutting board on the sole reason of being too annoying for my opponents, leading to dragged out games and disincentivizing them from playing their cards, which is something I actually want. At the same time, the deck does need the extra speed and the Shard doubles as a clone-refresher, so it's staying strong for now (notably, I did remove "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Erratic Portal"}},{"insert":" from the deck for the very same reason.\n\t"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Enduring Curiosity"}},{"insert":" is a great card draw engine and amazing clone target (if your clone dies it returns and can copy something else, albeit it'll be an Enchantment version of that, for better or for worse). The latter is the main reason I'm considering cutting this card: it often is the best clone target, which is contrary to the spirit of the deck of using my opponents' cards for varied and fresh gameplay.\n\tThe same reason I'm considering cutting the "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Enduring Curiosity"},{"insert":" is the reason I actually cut "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Diluvian Primordial"}},{"insert":" . A 5/5 flyer that casts up to 3 spells on Entering is a powerful clone target that will usually be able to win the game by itself. Every game I played the Primordial ended up revolving around him, which made for repetitive gameplay that I didn't want when playing this deck.\n\tWith "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thespian's Stage"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mirage Mirror"}},{"insert":" already in the deck, it's tempting to also add "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Dark Depths"}},{"insert":" (and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tolaria West"}},{"insert":" while you're at it)"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"to have your own win condition on hand, but as with the Diluvian Primordial, games with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marit Lage"}},{"insert":" usually revolves around the 20/20 indestructible flyer and didn't offer what I was looking for.\n\n"}]}