{"ops":[{"insert":"Watch out "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Ur-Dragon"},{"insert":"; there's another expensive typal commander with no apparent win conditions. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"TL;DR⌛"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"The Ur-Sphinx"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"takes flight in this midrange Esper Fractured variant of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Ur-Dragon"}},{"insert":", featuring the best Sphinxes across Magic's vast lore ("},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"they still be kinda mid, though"},{"insert":"). We utilize The"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" Ur-Sphinx"},{"insert":"'s Eminence ability alongside a heavy bevy of ramp to cast our fellow Sphinxes ahead of the curve, swinging out our mythical winged beasts to Mill the table and cast our opponents' best spells. Backed by riddle mind-games, we keep our opponents guessing until we snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Game Plan 🛕"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Early Game"},{"insert":"\nThe average mana cost of most of our Sphinges ("},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Gesundheit"},{"insert":") ranges from five to six mana, so we need to ramp early and ramp often. We have all of our usual ramp staples such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Sol Ring"}},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Arcane Signet"}},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Fellwar Stone"}},{"insert":", the Talisman cycle, and typal discounters like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Herald's Horn"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"or "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Urza's Incubator"}},{"insert":". Card draw engines such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Esper Sentinel"}},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"The Queen of Dale"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Mystic Remora"}},{"insert":" keep our hand replenished and help us dig for further utility or answers. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Grand Abolisher"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"keeps our board locked down during our turn, and if anyone is feeling brave enough to interact with our board state, we've got answers for that too. Esper control gang,"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" rise up"},{"insert":". \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Mid Game"},{"insert":"\nTime for our opponents to play the Sphinx's mind game of"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" play crappy games and win crappy prizes"},{"insert":". There are no right answers, and there are certainly no easy answers as we keep our opponents on their toes. We include riddle draw cards such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Riddles in the Dark"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Fact or Fiction"}},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign"}},{"insert":" that stock our hand or put spells in our graveyard to potentially use later. We have also included riddle removal options such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Do or Die"}},{"insert":", "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Make an Example"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sphinx Ambassador"}},{"insert":" to whittle down our opponents' board states and seize creature engines straight from their libraries. Next up, we have riddle ramp pieces such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Show and Tell"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Master of Predicaments"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tivit, Seller of Secrets"}},{"insert":" that offer a terrible gambit for our opponents. If we have "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Omniscience"}},{"insert":" in hand when we cast "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Show and Tell"},{"insert":", this is the optimal closing spell to cast a flurry of Sphinx fury upon our enemies. "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"But wait, there's more!"},{"insert":" Lastly, we have riddle tutors such as "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Extrapolate the Impossible"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Isperia the Inscrutable"}},{"insert":", and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Parallel Thoughts"}},{"insert":" to search our library for the best cards and close in on victory.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Late Game"},{"insert":"\nAs the old adage goes,"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" it's rude to play with your food"},{"insert":". Time to cast our overpriced commander, and as any "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"The Ur-Dragon"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" "},{"insert":"player would tell you, consider leaving additional mana up for a counterspell to protect our commander and avoid additional commander tax ("},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"ouch"},{"insert":"). At this stage of the game, we will be at the tip of the spear, and we need to be decisive with our attacks to maximize "},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Ur-Sphinx"}},{"insert":"'s triggered Mill ability and dig deeper into our opponents' (and our) libraries to cast the best game-ending spells. "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"The Water Crystal"}},{"insert":" is a helpful boon for our Sphinx commander, as it doubles the amount of cards Milled to net even better cards from the Mill trigger. The optimal game-closing spells from our library include "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Medomai the Ageless"}},{"insert":" for an additional turn, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Magister Sphinx"}},{"insert":" to bring an opponent within lethal range, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Rise of the Dark Realms"}},{"insert":" to reanimate everyone's graveyard and create an overwhelming board state, and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Akroma's Will"}},{"insert":" to produce a lethal alpha strike with our creatures swinging out.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Key Synergy / Tech ✅"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Roaming Throne"}},{"insert":": Every typal-focused deck loves it; every typal-focused deck needs it. Our Sphinxes have a plethora of triggered abilities, and doubling down on them enhances all our game lines: more draw, more mind games, and ultimately doubling "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"The Ur-Sphinx"},{"insert":"'s Mill ability to dig deeper into our opponents' libraries and cast their best spells.\n \n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"The Water Crystal"}},{"insert":": Similarly to "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Roaming Throne"},{"insert":", this also doubles the number of cards Milled, yielding more optimal spells from our opponents' graveyards to cast. More importantly, this discounts all blue spells by one, and with our commander's Eminence ability, further discounts our Sphinxes; it's a fantastic early ramp spell that aligns directly with our game plan.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Isperia the Inscrutable"}},{"insert":": Personally, my favorite Sphinx in the build and very emblematic of the mind games we play on our opponents. Sure, we could take the easy route by guessing basic lands in an opponent's hand, but that wouldn't be fun. We could also bounce permanents back into their hand to have a guaranteed route. If you're good at politicking and listening to your opponents, we also have a strong avenue to guess their Commander-specific staples.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"bold":true},"insert":"Powering Up ⚡"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Want to take "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"The Ur-Sphinx"}},{"insert":" to higher brackets and pods? Here are some higher-power inclusions:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Consecrated Sphinx"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":":"},{"insert":" How could we not include the premier Sphinx in Magic? "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Consecrated Sphinx"},{"insert":" is an elite engine for card advantage that keeps our hands stocked with answers for whatever scenario we're in. It also opens up hand-size-specific alternate win conditions such as "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Triskaidekaphile"},{"insert":" and "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Twenty-Toed Toad"},{"insert":".\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Cyclonic Rift"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":":"},{"insert":" We're playing midrange, large creatures; this is an auto-include for higher-level bracket play. Whether we cast an overloaded "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Cyclonic Rift"},{"insert":" defensively to avoid losing ("},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"boo"},{"insert":") or offensively to clear the board state for open lanes, this elite spell has a lot of versatility.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Perch Protection"}},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":":"},{"insert":" Speaking of defensive spells, what better way to ease the sting of an opponent's missed combat than by gifting them an extra turn? At six mana, this is more on the expensive side, and I'd recommend casting protection spells like "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":{"card-link":"Galadriel's Dismissal"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Inkshield"}},{"insert":" first. However, if you have the open mana, this is a fantastic way to curry our opponents' favor, preserve our life total, and give us some birds to swing out with next turn. Who said politicking was "},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"difficult"},{"insert":"?\n\nCheers! \n\nThis build is brought to you by "},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/u/MTG_Kounterspell","color":"inherit","background":"#232323","bold":true},"insert":"MTG_Kounterspell"},{"attributes":{"color":"inherit","background":"#232323","bold":true},"insert":" 🌀"},{"insert":"\n\nCheck out the other decks from our Reality Fracture series:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26216503/kwia_vigorbloom_contaminated_lotus"},"insert":"Kwia Vigorbloom"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26222704/denzilore_fatehold_scry_another_day"},"insert":"Denzilore Fatehold"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26234013/ingris_stingerquill_go_horde_or_go_home"},"insert":"Ingris Stingerquill"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26330439/uldaros_theorix_smokin_jaces"},"insert":"Uldaros Theorix"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26232203/liliana_the_repentant_ghoul_dinner"},"insert":"Liliana the Repentant"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26281079/liliana_the_faultless_no_pain_all_gain"},"insert":"Liliana the Faultless"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26289709/vraska_soul_of_stone_sculpture_of_limitations"},"insert":"Vraska, Soul of Stone"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26502225/nissa_leyline_tamer_grounded_circuitry"},"insert":"Nissa, Leyline Tamer"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26496725/tamiyo_upriser_crowned_anocracy_now"},"insert":"Tamiyo, Upriser Crowned"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26537561/codie_ravenous_codex_dewey_decimal_destruction"},"insert":"Codie, Ravenous Codex"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26551175/omnath_locus_of_the_void_wastes_management"},"insert":"Omnath, Locus of the Void"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://archidekt.com/decks/26511556/nivmizzet_ghost_counsel_parunnormal_activity"},"insert":"Niv-Mizzet, Ghost Counsel"},{"insert":"\n"}]}