{"ops":[{"insert":"Nin Paradox Scepter Primer"},{"attributes":{"header":1},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":"Updated May 30, 2019"},{"insert":"\n\nNin is a commander I've been playing for years. I've explored several builds ranging from storm to artifact combo to some other, more experimental things, and at the moment (June 2019), I think this deck is decently suited to play at typical cEDH tables. I would describe this deck as a midrangier version of Paradox Scepter Thrasios.\n\nThis version of the deck cuts some of the more expensive pieces from my previous list ("},{"attributes":{"link":"http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/nin-competitive-primer-1/"},"insert":"hosted here"},{"insert":") and replaces them with lower-cost creatures. This has the pleasant effect of reducing the ACMC of the deck from 2.01 to 1.80, but the main reason for the change is to respond to the Tymna-heavy metas of cEDH in 2019. The creatures I've selected serve as blockers with some upside - usually when they enter the battlefield. When they're no longer useful, I'm taking a tip from FARM strategies and harvesting them for cards using Nin's ability.\n\nSee it in Action"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This deck has appeared in several episodes of The Spike Feeders:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pcH44U3FZg"},"insert":"Season 1, Episode 1"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbcGHsFl3yw"},"insert":"Season 1, Episode 7"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk_CZoU8C-U"},"insert":"2018 Christmas Special"},{"insert":" (piloted by Eliot)\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbjvHGs9c9k"},"insert":"Season 2, Episode 3"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVWocKbLg1A"},"insert":"Season 3, Episode 9"},{"insert":"\n\nThe list is not identical in all of these episodes. The only episode so far where you can see this specific list in action is Season 3, Episode 9.\n\nNin as a Commander"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Nin serves one primary purpose in this deck"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":" - drawing cards!"},{"insert":" People often compare "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nin, the Pain Artist"}},{"insert":" to "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thrasios, Triton Hero"}},{"insert":" as an infinite mana outlet, but that is a problematic comparison because functionally Nin is closer to Tymna. It allows you to take hands full of fast mana without worrying about what you're going to do when you're hellbent on turn 3. In this version of the deck, we're looking to pump 3-5 mana into "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nin, the Pain Artist"}},{"insert":" before untapping, targeting one of our utility creatures, to draw 2-3 cards per turn. This allows us to mitigate card disadvantage from spot removal and countermagic.\n\nNin also serves three secondary purposes in the deck. In order of importance, Nin can:\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nin can serve as a non-infinite mana sink"},{"insert":" during manual storm turns with Paradox Engine, and the rate per-card greatly exceeds "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thrasios, Triton Hero"}},{"insert":" once you have more than 4 mana to pump into it."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nin can function as an infinite mana sink"},{"insert":". Once we've achieved infinite mana through one of our combos, Nin can either kill any player who controls a creature or draw the rest of my deck to find the other infinite mana sinks to close out the game. This isn't the primary function of Nin in the deck because Nin has summoning sickness. It does happen occasionally, and it's usually a good idea to keep Nin on board early in the game in case you need to use her this way."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"In the most corner of cases, "},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Nin can function as spot removal in a pinch"},{"insert":". This works really well for things like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Phantasmal Image"}},{"insert":" where the player isn't actually going to draw a card, and every once in awhile you can pop an X/1 hatebear like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Spirit of the Labyrinth"}},{"insert":" or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Notion Thief"}},{"insert":". If you're only giving your opponent a single card it isn't the worst thing you can do (because it doesn't actually cost you a card), but I'd probably avoid doing this for anything X/2 or higher because you're usually just better off drawing a few cards yourself unless it's a matter of life or death."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThere are two main reasons to play Nin over "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thrasios, Triton Hero"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tymna the Weaver"}},{"insert":":\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Blood Moon and Back to Basics - "},{"insert":"Nin is a pretty great commander if you're looking to punish greedy landbases. The prevalence of singleton nonbasic landbases in the current meta enables things like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tainted Pact"}},{"insert":", but they also allow us to slow the game to a crawl by turning them into mountains."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Budget - "},{"insert":"If you're building cEDH on a budget, you can trim hundreds dollars from this list by playing primarily basic lands. In its current iteration, an even split of islands and mountains isn't that much worse than what I'm running."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nYou won't hear me say that Nin is better than playing 4C commanders because it's definitely not. It performs best in midrangey metas and contains the tools you need to handle Flash Hulk, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Doomsday"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Ad Nauseam"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Najeela, the Blade-Blossom"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tymna the Weaver"}},{"insert":".\n\nHow to Win"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nPrimary Combos"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Dramatic Scepter"},{"insert":"\nThis combo is common because it works. Both pieces are relatively easy to tutor for, it only costs 4 mana to cast and get the engine running, and the pieces aren't totally useless on their own. If you're wondering how this combo actually works, stay tuned for summer 2019 when we'll be releasing a Better Know a Combo video to explain it in excruciating detail. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Paradox Scepter"},{"insert":"\nParadox Scepter wins always feel cobbled-together. Essentially we're taking any spell that you can imprint on Scepter and using Paradox Engine's untaps to cast them repeatedly. There are a few unique categories of wins here, and each of them have their quirks:\n\nIf we have a ritual imprinted on the Scepter we can eschew mana rocks entirely"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"If we have a targeted spell imprinted on the Scepter we need a valid target. This can work with counterspells provided they can legally target a spell that's on the stack. The important thing here is that the spells don't have to resolve to get the untap triggers, so you can use an artifact to start off a Paradox Scepter combo with Pyroblast even though your artifact might not be blue."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"The combo doesn't necessarily have to net mana as long as you have something to do with the untap triggers. "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Sensei's Divining Top"}},{"insert":" lets you draw your deck and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Jace, Vryn's Prodigy // Jace, Telepath Unbound"}},{"insert":" can let you dig for whatever piece you need to complete the combo. Sometimes this involves digging for something like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chain of Vapor"}},{"insert":", which allows you to bounce your own Scepter and recast it with a different spell imprinted."},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nManual Storm"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Paradox Engine"}},{"insert":" enables all sorts of manual storm lines that aren't unique to this deck. Essentially you're looking to get 4 or 5 mana worth of rocks on the board alongside Paradox Engine, allowing you to net 2 or 3 mana off of each spell you cast, using Nin to refill whenever necessary. With a lower ACMC in this list, it's a lot easier to do this than it used to be. I don't have any actual factual storm payoff spells because we can pretty reliably draw into one of the infinite combos listed above.\n\nWin Conditions"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"In order of preference, the infinite mana sinks in this deck are:\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Walking Ballista"}},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Comet Storm"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Nin, the Pain Artist"}},{"insert":" "},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nWalking Ballista tends to be the easiest way to close out the game because of the density of artifact tutors. You can also grab it off of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Tolaria West"}},{"insert":" and recur it with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Academy Ruins"}},{"insert":" if it's ever in your graveyard at an inconvenient time.\n\nNin is our last choice for using infinite mana because it's a little awkward to play around summoning sickness, but "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Swiftfoot Boots"}},{"insert":" tends to make things quite a bit easier.\n\nSetting Up the Win"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nAcceleration"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Rocks and Rituals"},{"insert":"\nI leaned a little harder on fast mana with this build. Modern Horizons brought us the wonderful "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Talisman of Creativity"}},{"insert":" to play with, but I've also included "},{"insert":{"card-link":"High Tide"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pyretic Ritual"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Desperate Ritual"}},{"insert":" to help me power out stax pieces a turn earlier and interfere with my opponents' ability to assess my ability to go for the win. All three of them can be imprinted on "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Isochron Scepter"}},{"insert":" and create infinite mana with "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Paradox Engine"}},{"insert":".\n\nResource Denial"},{"attributes":{"header":3},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"This deck leans heavily on resource denial elements. Nin is at least a turn or two slower in setting up a win than most of the fast combo decks in the cEDH meta, which means we need to throw up at least a few roadblocks to have a chance in an average pod.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Blood Moon Rising"},{"insert":"\nThis deck hates on 4- and 5-colour decks using nonbasic land hate like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Blood Moon"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Magus of the Moon"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Back to Basics"}},{"insert":". The two moons essentially don't affect this deck at all. If you're playing towards a line that involves one or more of these, focus on fetching basic islands because you don't want to be stuck with a board full of red mana producing lands. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Board wipes "},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Kozilek's Return"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Pyroclasm"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Rolling Earthquake"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Anger of the Gods"}},{"insert":" serve as a suite of damage-based sweeper spells to help us handle Tymna and Najeela decks that use small creatures to generate mana, draw cards, and pressure life totals in the early game. Even though this iteration of Nin took a hard left-turn into creatures, we're not nearly as reliant on having creatures on board as Tymna decks. Casting one of these spells is generally a massive card advantage play.\n\nOne piece I'm really enjoying in this list is "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Thing in the Ice // Awoken Horror"}},{"insert":". It checks a ton of the boxes I had in mind for this version of the list. It's a creature with a big booty for blocking and Nin activations, it makes life miserable for strategies that are looking to dump out mana dorks to produce mana and draw cards off Tymna, and it pressures life totals when it flips.\n\nFinally, "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Comet Storm"}},{"insert":" can also serve as a board-wipe in a pinch, but it's a little more expensive and a little more surgical. If you're looking to clear out just a few bodies like hatebears that are holding you back or a couple key commanders, don't hesitate to fire this off for a non-infinite X value.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Grand Theft Creature"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gilded Drake"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Vedalken Shackles"}},{"insert":" serve as ways to remove key creatures a little more permanently. They tend to be really effective ways to neuter decks that are heavily reliant on their commander being in play like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Najeela, the Blade-Blossom"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Captain Sisay"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Selvala, Heart of the Wilds"}},{"insert":", and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Yisan, the Wanderer Bard"}},{"insert":". \n\nn general, don't get too anxious to fire off your "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gilded Drake"}},{"insert":". It's definitely not worth it to take a creature if it's only a minor inconvenience to your opponent. Ideally you're taking something that you can actually use. The extra benefit of playing these cards in this deck is that you can pop the creature you steal for cards if someone ever tries to remove it or take it back.\n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Grafdigger's Cage"},{"insert":"\nI don't even know that I have a ton to say about this card. It stops creatures from entering the battlefield off of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Protean Hulk"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Chord of Calling"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Green Sun's Zenith"}},{"insert":", and nearly every reanimation method that exists. I cut a lot of stax in this version, but this card is not going anywhere. \n\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Utility Creatures"},{"insert":"\nAs I mentioned in the introduction, this deck utilizes a small suite of creatures as quasi-resource denial. Ensuring that we're never open to eat damage from Tymna players means we're reducing the number of cards they're able to draw.\n\nWith the exception of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Walking Ballista"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Gilded Drake"}},{"insert":", all the creatures in this deck serve purposes:\n\nBlock creatures that would trigger Tymna draws"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Serve as targets for Nin activations, reducing the number of times I have to cast Nin from the command zone"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"Provide some other utility"},{"attributes":{"list":"bullet"},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThe specific creatures in this package aren't super important, and there are a ton of creatures along the lines of "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Augur of Bolas"}},{"insert":" that can serve the same purpose and may be better suited for different metas. If you're playing this deck and you have creatures that fit the above criteria they're absolutely worth testing.\n\nNotable Weaknesses"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\nThis is an artifact-heavy deck, so be careful playing this into a meta where people are playing things like "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aura Shards"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Null Rod"}},{"insert":" "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Collector Ouphe"}},{"insert":", or "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stony Silence"}},{"insert":".\n\nI also randomly have a ton of difficulty playing against "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Marath, Will of the Wild"}},{"insert":". I realize this commander isn't common in the current cEDH meta, but playing against someone who can repeatedly throw a single damage around basically means my primary card draw engine is offline. The matchup is still winnable, but the games tend to go way longer. \n\nFinally, this deck also has a ton of trouble at a table where all three opponents are racing to combo. Trying to pin down 3 opponents is a fool's errand at the best of times, and if you don't have anyone else slowing down the game with you, you're typically going to stop the first person who tries to go off just in time to watch the second person win.\n\nNotable Exclusions"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Aetherflux Reservoir"}},{"insert":" and other storm payoff cards\nUltimately storm payoff cards are unnecessary. Whenever we're actually storming we're drawing plenty of cards, and drawing into actual combo pieces is an inevitability. The cards I'm storming with all have alternate use cases but the storm payoff cards themselves typically don't.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Stuffy Doll"}},{"insert":", "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Psychosis Crawler"}},{"insert":" and "},{"insert":{"card-link":"Threaten"}},{"insert":" effects\nThese cards are a mainstay in more casual Nin lists. With the exception of Gilded Drake and Vedalken Shackles as listed in the Resource Denial section above, they simply cost too much and only provide a marginal benefit. Focusing on infinite mana is 100% necessary to be able to compete with the current cEDH meta.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Candelabra of Tawnos"}},{"insert":" \nI wasn't running "},{"insert":{"card-link":"High Tide"}},{"insert":" up until this iteration of the deck. Now that I've included it as a ritual it's only natural to ask whether Candlesticks make the cut as well. I would say it's probably not a great fit here because I don't have a ton of ways to either untap it or cast High Tide more than once. I'm willing to be wrong on this but I think if I were to include Candelabra it would probably find its way to the chopping block almost immediately after testing.\n\nTesting"},{"attributes":{"header":2},"insert":"\n"},{"insert":"\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Loyal Apprentice"}},{"insert":" \nThis is one of the creatures I've been considering for the utility suite. It makes chump blockers like nobody's business, and I can Nin them whenever I need a refill. I don't think there's room for a ton more creatures in this list so I'm going to keep playing it in its current state and swap out an under-performer with this card once I get a few games under my belt.\n\n"},{"insert":{"card-link":"Darksteel Myr"}},{"insert":" \nThis is one piece of casual Nin tech that I think might have a place in the list. It's a perpetual blocker, sticks around after board wipes, and I can Nin it for any X value. It's more expensive than I'd like it to be but it checks the boxes it needs to check. I'm not 100% sold but don't be surprised if you see me cast this card on the show at some point in the near future.\n"}]}