{"ops":[{"insert":"A bracket 4 mono blue control deck based on "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://moxfield.com/decks/yyT7nOHW-EObwuNvwvyCaA"},"insert":"The Wizards of Ozu"},{"insert":" cEDH Azami. Yes, i play those islands.\n\nThis deck is +/-80% the same as the cEDH version and "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://moxfield.com/decks/yyT7nOHW-EObwuNvwvyCaA/primer"},"insert":"the primer"},{"insert":" is definitly worth a read. It has lots of great info on control playpatterns and the deck's wincons. I would also like to thank "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://moxfield.com/users/ChkndevourerofgalaXIInae"},"insert":"Chicken"},{"insert":", one of the authors of the primer, for inspiring me to build azami, by beating me with it multiple times, on webcam and in our LGS.\n\nThe changes I have made, make the deck a bit slower but optimise it for casual play while maintaining the same deck philosophy as the wizards of ozu:\n\n* play more wizards to better make use of azami's draw ability\n* play draw-go and do almost everything at instant speed\n* no backups or alt-wincons\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"What is good casual control?"},{"insert":"\n\nIn casual games, I want everyone to have some fun, even at bracket 4. I will almost never counter things \"just because i can\". I counter stuff when somebody is actually trying to win or land a very problematic card, problematic for me at least. I also want everyone's deck to do \"it's thing\" to some degree. Even at bracket 4, i will rarely counter their first commander cast. I will of course let them know i could have countered it. Or i will tell them in advance that i can counter it, but that i wont. Sometimes i'll add i'm saving my counters for value engine X or Y and i'll let their commander resolve. This is casual (blue) control. It's politics. It's gently bullying people into the plays you want them to make, without making actual threats. It's perfectly reasonable for me to counter rhystic study/anointed procession/[insert value engine] etc. And people know they can't be mad at \"the control player\" for countering those cards, so when i tell them i won't counter other cards, i've effectivly countered the problematic cards without spending any resources. \n\nI've had games with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Patron Wizard"}},{"insert":" and 3 other wizards out and not counter anything in a turn cycle. Some people don't understand that, or dislike it. \"you could have stopped X or Y\". This complaining usually only comes when X or Y is swinging at them. What they fail to realise is that, in most cases, X or Y isn't swinging at me (yet) because i didn't counter it. People feel some \"debt\" to you for not messing with their stuff. It's the \"I like you, i kill you last\" joke. Which is of course a mistake, because i will combo before you can kill me.\n\nIf you're reading this and have similar good control players in your playgroup who use these non-threathening tactics: don't listen to them, don't take deals, don't feel indebted to them, kill them.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"What is bad casual control?"},{"insert":"\n\nOr how not to play this deck.\n\nPeople think they dislike control decks, but what they actually dislike are bad control players taking away their "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.coolstuffinc.com/a/michaelflores-03132024-agency-in-magic-the-gathering"},"insert":"agency"},{"insert":". Counterspell tribal "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Talrand, Sky Summoner"}},{"insert":" -like decks come to mind. These decks promote bad gameplay paterns by rewarding the control player for countering something. It doesn't matter what, they better use that unspent mana or they'll just timewalk themselves. RiP the player in turn order before the talrand player with open mana, they'll have to use it, doesn't matter on what.\n\nAzami doesn't reward you for countering stuff just because you can. Not countering stuff, even if you could, and timely communication about what you wont and probably will counter, is key to becomming a good casual control player. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Wise men counterspell because they have something to counter; Fools counterspell because they have to counter something"},{"insert":"\n\n-- Plato\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"cEDH Exclusions"},{"insert":"\n\nCards that are great in cEDH were cut because they're not needed at bracket 4. Unless your 'bracket 4' meta is just cEDH decks with a few pet cards thrown in, the listed cards just aren't as effective.\n\nFor example "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mental Misstep"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mindbreak Trap"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Counterbalance"}},{"insert":" just aren't as effective when not everyone is playing the cards that make these counters great in cEDH. \n\nI've also removed some of the stax elements like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Winter Moon"}},{"insert":" , "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Back to Basics"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Harbinger of the Seas"}},{"insert":" . There's just no way this deck can survive the hate you'll get for playing this at the average casual table, even bracket 4. There's room for stax in bracket 4 imo, but it has to fit into the deck's game plan.\n\nI have also cut some cards that could allow for an earlier azami, as in, fast mana. for example Lotus Petal, Chrome mox, Mox Diamond, Gemstone Caverns and Saprazzan Skerry. I feel no need to rush out azami and losing cards or lands for early ramp while also painting a huge target on my head.\n\n*"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rhystic Study"}},{"insert":" : Same as above, rhystic draws a lot of cards, but also a lot of hate and wizards don't block well... \n* "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mystic Remora"}},{"insert":" : It's just not that good in a most casual environments, especially if it's a combat heavy casual meta. While \"casual players\" often wont pay the 1 for rhystic, they were probably going to play a creature anyways. And if they weren't, they'll probably change their mind, play a creature.\n\nIt's not \"wrong\" to play both cards in a bracket 4 azami deck, but when azami does it's thing, you'll be drawing so many cards that rhystic and remora wont make a difference. If [[the one ring]] didn't give a form of reusable protection, i'd cut it too. People will (rightfully) attack you for playing those cards.\n\nCards added to the deck are primarily toolbox-like wizards and some instants that can solve problems you're more likely to encounter in casual\n\n* [[Portal Mage]] disrupts combat and has flash. It's a card very close to being cut, it's funny when it works tho.\n* [[Surgespanner]] (Currently not in list) It's a bit expensive, but when you tap it with azami and pay 1U you get to draw a card and bounce a permanent. yes, any permanent. not a non-land, any. also your own, so this can function as an oboro breezecaller in mystic sanctuary loops or bounce the board in sigil tracer loops. Bouncing a flash ETB wizard or The One Ring can be relevant to.\n* [[Razorfin Abolisher]] and [[Vodalian Illusionist]]: (Currently not in list) offer pseudo removal, while the latter can also function as protection for your own creatures. Razorfin abolisher is also going out as soon as something better get's printed or when i decide to include [[Valley Floodcaller]] . It's pretty niche but can be powerfull if you see a lot of counters matters decks.\n* [[Vedalken Mastermind]] can protect any of your permanents, so bounce wizards with a usefull ETB, bounce [[The One Ring]] for repeated protection, or it can function as an alternate [[oboro breezcaller]] in [[mystic sanctuary]] loops.\n* [[Reality Spasm]] has multiple uses. It can tap down potential attackers, untap some of your opponents land if they need some mana to remove something you can't. It can replace dramatic reversal in [[Sigil Tracer]] loops. As it can also untap lands, it makes sigil tracer loops less dependant on rocks. \n* [[Progenitor's Icon]] : a 3 cmc rock that can let us play a wizard at instant speed without any mana investment. Pretty good imo. Also produces U for sigil tracer loops.\n* [[Cryptic Command]]: (Currently not in list) main use is to tap all creatures to protect against combat, but can function as a win in [[sigil tracer]] loops (bounce permanent)\n* [[Reality Shift]] : It's more expensive than pongify/hybridization, but i really like manifesting everybody's library as an out in sigil tracer loops. Admittedly a pet card inclusion.\n* [[Arcane Denial]] : one of the best counterspells ever. Replaced with [[Lose Focus]] because i have a signed foil artist proof. (the card is a bit underrated, it's pretty good)\n* [[Vendilion Clique]] : (currently not in list) hand disruption at instant speed? yes please. End step tutor to top? Flash it in before they go to their main phase. Niche interaction: you can target yourself and bottom a card for later use. \n* [[Voidmage Husher]] : Not as good as tishana, but it's repeatable and i like countering abilities in casual. A lot of removal and nasty stuff is creature ability based instead of the spell-based interaction in cEDH.\n* [[Merfolk Trickster]] : Also not as good as tishana, but still a solid effect at instant speed on a wizard\n* [[Narset's Reversal]] (currently not in list) : a pet card, with more uses than most people realise. Copying someone else's tutor is pretty obvious. It's also a pseudo counterspell that can bounce and copy your spell that's targetted with a counterspell. The card can \"reset\" sigil tracer loops. cast it targetting dramatic/spasm, copy narset's reversal with sigil tracer targetting the original, bouncing it and creating a copy, which targets the original dramati/spasm. Copy dramatic/spasm with sigil tracer and let the stack resolve. You now have everything untapped, your untap spell and narset's reversal back in hand. This is pretty niche imo, but it allows you to do certain \"mana neutral\" loops that can draw your deck, then play additional rocks to start a mana positive loop. I love this card.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Casual Exclusions"},{"insert":"\n\naka \"Why aren't you runnig card X recomended by EDHREC?\" (most of these are also adressed in the cEDH primer)\n\n* [[Thassa's Oracle]]/ [[Laboratory Maniac]] /[[Jace, Wielder of Mysteries]] : winning with thassa's oracle should go like this: cast oracle, exile library: win. not, draw library, cast oracle: win. If you've already drawn your library, you really shouldn't need an oracle effect to win. \n* [[Isochron Scepter]] : sigil tracer is just better: it's a wizard, it can copy anything (not just your own spells!), doesn't exile dramatic reversal, doesn't have isochron's weakness of having to resolve, with an additional 1U and 2 untapped wizards, you can just copy reversal again in response.\n* [[Triskaidekaphile]] : a backup wincon that has to survive a turn, we don't need it. It is hower an efficiently costed wizard with a relevant ability, i'd play it if i could make room for it, but there isn't anything i could justify cutting for it.\n* [[Baral, Chief of Compliance]] and other instant/sorcery cost reduction : this isn't a spellslinger deck. most of our instants are already pretty cheap. Play talrand for spellslinger control (don't). Also, for some reason, in my playgroup, baral draws hate.\n* [[High Tide]] : great card, but outside reality spasm and oboro, we don't run the tools to untap our islands like a jace high tide deck would. Yes it allows for explosive turns, but doesn't match the playstyle of this deck. IF you really want to run high tide in azami, you'll have to include [[snap]] and [[archaeomancer]] as a wincon. Two cards with little use outside the combo\n* [[archaeomancer]]: who needs sorcery speed recursion at 2UU when we draw so many cards? \n* [[Pongify]] / [[Rapid Hybridization]] : This deck runs 20+ counterspells, do we really also have to be the one destroying creatures? We have the stack interaction, let others bring the removal and graveyard hate.\n* [[Cursecatcher]] / [[Spellstutter Sprite]] : excluded for the same reasons as mental misstep. Yes they're 1 cmc wizard, but the way they counter stuff isn't that relevant in casual.\n* [[Archmage Emeritus]] : if you think you need more draw besides azami, you either haven't played with or against azami, or you're running not enough wizards! We really don't need this.\n* [[Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir]] : he's way to expensive and when you can cast him, you should cast azami. And if you do have the mana to spare after having already cast azami, what does this card contribute to your control plan? You're locking others out of instant speed interaction, are you sure you can keep 3 players in check all on your own?\n* [[Intruder Alarm]]: while it can draw you lot's of cards, the stax element will also draw you into a 3v1 you're probably not winning.\n* [[propaganda]]: hard to tutor and it wont save you. Play more politics instead.\n\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Casual Considerations"},{"insert":"\n\nConsider Cutting:\n* [[Timestream Navigator]]: currently not in the deck as I've never been able to take infinite turns with this. I've used it to take an extra turn, which is very powerful. The requirements to \"win\" with this card is a gamestate where I'm probably already winning\n* [[Ancient Tomb]]: Early azami = early aggro and wizards don't block well. A turn 3 azami from an ancient tomb + mana rock is just asking for a 3v1.\n\nConsider Adding:\n* [[Faces of the Past]]: this card functions very similar to [[intruder alarm]] without the automatic stax element that card brings. This card however, can be far more staxy than most people realise. Use it's \"tap all\" ability wisely and remember the rulings for this card: \"You choose whether to tap or untap during resolution.\" I play this in my budget Azami and wizard/merfolk/human are very common creature types. This will occasionally draw you lots of cards.\n* [[Cavern of souls]]: Not being an [[island]] is the main issue with cavern. I do play [[path of ancestry]] which also isn't an island and enters tapped. One could argue that caverns is significantly better than path of ancestry and in non-control tribal deck, you'd be right! Azami is probably one of the only decks where the scry 1 will be more useful than an uncounterable wizard. Why? It is very unlikely that, **at a casual table,** i'm losing a counter war over a wizard i'm casting. Yes, casting a wizard with cavern of souls would save me a counterspell, but most people wont even try to counter one of my wizards. They either think they'll lose the counter war anyways, or, they know that they should actually save their counters to protect their own spells or use them on my non-creature spells like [[mind over matter]] and use removal on [[sigil tracer]], [[oboro breezecaller]] or [[azami, lady of scrolls]].\n* [[Minamo, School at water's edge]]: Besides azami, it can also untap [[nykthos, shrine to nix]] and [[the one ring]]. I will probably put it in if/when i cut ancient tomb.\n* [[urza's saga]]: if i ever feel like i really need to tutor a 1 cmc artifact, i'm probably going to play [[whir of invention]] first. There's only a few targets to get with saga, 2 rocks (sol ring, and [[springleaf drum]]) and 2 land tutors ([[expedition map]] and [[world map]]). \n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"The combo's"},{"insert":"\n\nunder construction. Most combo's are explained in the cEDH primer, but i will add them here too one day.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Budget options"},{"insert":"\n\nI maintain a 50$/€ "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/12975751/50_azami_control"},"insert":"budget version"},{"insert":" of this deck that i actually also play. So it's not just theory crafted with 1 to 1 budget substitutions. It's a great way to start playing azami. Check the primer for some key differences and potential upgrades for a 100$/€ version.\n\n"}]}