All-round consent is that Blue Braids is a fun casual commander with a group-huggy character. Welcome to my version, where I have tried to make her as degenerate as possible.
The deck really goes deep into what blue does best: control magic in the form of bounce-spells, theft, drawing cards and a lot of counter-magic to provide back-up for all that degenerate blue things that Magic has to offer. It's certainly not a deck I advise you to bring to the table every night (have some mercy on your friends, please), but still is very fun to pilot. It usually comes down to playing 1 versus 3, which when succeeds, feels very satisfying.
Degenerate Wizardry
Approximate Total Cost:
When playing with the same playgroup every week, you can be assured that your friends won't let you get away with all the degenerate stuff they have faced before without at least them trying to stop you. The worst feeling with playing Braids is to cast her for four mana, having to wait until your next upkeep to get value, and have her being removed just before your turn starts. Therefore I have scoured Scryfall for as many cards as possible to give her the needed protection. This includes cards that can be set-up before Braids is into play and give her immediate protection the turn she comes down, Think Patron Wizard, Kira, Great Glass-Spinner, Spellskite or Daring Apprentice. Or do it with some free countermagic that you definitely should be holding back. Using obscure free countermagic like Thwart, Foil, Misdirection or Commandeer to keep Braids or any other bomb online almost always pays off.
Some noteworthy degenerate play-patterns:
- Wizardcycle a Vedalken Aethermage or Step Through on instant-speed during your upkeep with Braids' trigger on the stack. Tutor a juicy wizard like Galecaster Colossus or Azami, Lady of Scrolls and put it into play for free. Generate immediately value, since their ability doesn't require haste to activate.
* Take over your opponents' commander with Gilded Drake and bounce the drake back to the owners hand with something like Tidespout Tyrant, Hullbreaker Horror, Scourge of Fleets or Galecaster Colossus, just so you can cast it again.
* Sphinx of the Second Sun gives you a second beginning phase, so that includes an extra untap phase, draw phase and upkeep. It's especially nice when you have a Leyline of Anticipation on the field. You can basically use all your mana in second main, since it will become untapped again in the second beginning phase. Since everything is castable on instant-speed you can unload your other bomb straight away.
* Throw in a Riptide Shapeshifter for free with Braids' trigger and just wait patiently to sacrifice the shapeshifter to trade it in for a Sphinx, Djinn or Praetor .