Matt Capra

[Bracket 3] Veyran, Voice of Duality

Decklist

https://moxfield.com/decks/7w2cqYbXR0u_lNuUARW8AQ

Credit: Fidgit9

Primer

https://moxfield.com/decks/ayesJUouSUefwvLjCf4mWw/primer

Introduction

This Primer is a work in progress, and I plan to maintain it for the life of the deck with links to all resources that I use. The focus will primary be on new cards and updates as I make them since most of the Cards and Combos are already discussed in other resources such as EDHREC, Scryfall and Commander Spellbook. Always cite your sources!

I generally avoid tutors to maintain the random nature of the format.

Short History

This is not my first attempt at creating an Izzet Commander Deck. I previously built a Melek, Izzet Paragon deck and a Mizzix of the Izmagnus deck, but neither felt quite right for me. Veyran’s doubling effect creates a more restricted pool of cards and a mechanic to build around.

Reasons to play Veyran

  • You enjoy storm
  • You like cantrips
  • You like spellslinger decks
  • You like to double your triggers
  • You like building decks with a lot of synergies
  • You like to be in control through counterspells
  • You prefer to win through infinite combos or commander damage

Similar Commanders

  • Anhelo, the Painter / Kess, Dissident Mage - Both of these decks tend to focus on spell triggers and use the same magecraft package with the addition of black and the cards that it offers. Do you want to copy spells (Anhelo, the Painter), play them from your graveyard (Kess, Dissident Mage), or double up on magecraft triggers (Veyran, Voice of Duality)?
  • Teysa Karlov/Yarok, the Desecrated - Commanders who double specific types of triggered abilities are currently popular, they reward you for building around the theme.
  • Rielle, the Everwise - I have a Rielle deck, and while they are focused on different mechanics, both decks rapidly burn through their library and typically swing for lethal commander damage Voltron style.
  • Vadrik, Astral Archmage - Based on Nebex’s deck Vadrik BattleMage, it looks like Vadrik decks will be using a similar set of creatures and artifacts to support a slightly different suite of instants and sorceries. I am starting to see a trend of Voltron style commanders who gain power for playing spells, another example is Adeliz, the Cinder Wind.

The Deck

This Veyran deck is primarily a spellslinger deck that is built around Veyran, Voice of Duality’s ability to double Magecraft (or similar abilities) triggers.

Commander Breakdown

I started this section to help assess what a commander does. This process also helps me determine if I will enjoy playing the commander. The formula is simple Commander (does a thing) when (something happens). Some commanders do more than one thing, but for the purposes of building an EDH deck we typically focus on one thing which I will describe as Primary. After these short statements I list the restrictions to see just how hard it is to make the commander function.

Primary – Veyran, Voice of Duality doubles instant/sorcery triggers (like magecraft) when I cast or copy an instant or sorcery.

Restrictions – None

Secondary – Veyran, Voice of Duality gains power and toughness when I cast or copy an instant or sorcery.

Restrictions – None

Comments - As a doubling commander, Veyran is a pretty open-ended with limited restrictions and can be built multiples ways as long as you focus on instant and sorcery triggers.

Play Style

Since Veyran, Voice of Duality doubles abilities triggered by the casting or copying of instants or sorceries, the primary play style of the deck is to cast or copy low cost spells (Cantrips) that trigger Magecraft (or similar) abilities.

  • Cantrips - Most, if not all, of the cards in this category should replace themselves when cast.

    • Examples - Brainstorm | Consider | Disrupt | Expedite | Expressive Iteration | Gitaxian Probe | Impulse | Jeska’s Will | Opt | Peek | Ponder | Shadow Rift | Preordain | Quicken | Serum Visions | Slip Through Space | Telling Time | Thought Scour | Warlord’s Fury.

  • Copy Effects - Instants or Sorcery spells that copy spells are generally stronger in this deck than Creatures that copy spells, since casting the Instant or Sorcery will trigger Magecraft (or similar) abilities in addition to the copy they create.

    • Examples - Krark, the Thumbless | Mizzix’s Mastery | Narset’s Reversal | Thousand-Year Storm.

  • Low Land Count - The combination of a low mana curve and lots of cantrips also drops the total number of lands seen in Veyran decks and frees up those slots for more instants & sorceries.

  • Repeatable Card Advantage that Triggers off the Deck’s Main Theme - For Veyran, we need draw effects that trigger when you cast or copy spells.

    • Examples - Archmage Emeritus | Niv-Mizzet, Parun | Jori En, Ruin Diver | Wavebreak Hippocamp | Krark, the Thumbless.

  • Other Card Advantage - Other effects to keep your hand full and deck rolling.

    • Examples - Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch | Jeska’s Will | Mystic Remora | Teferi’s Ageless Insight.

  • Commander Protection - The primary commander protection will be in the form of counterspells. Remember to save them to protect your commander.

    • Counterspells - Arcane Denial | Counterspell | Dissipate | …
    • Boots - I excluded boots because they do not trigger the many Magecraft (or similar) abilities.

  • Mana Ramp - There are three forms of mana ramp in this deck, the typical mana rocks, permanents that lower the cost of instants and sorceries, and Magecraft (or similar) abilities that generate mana.

    • Mana Rocks - Sol Ring | Arcane Signet | Izzet Signet | Talisman of Creativity | Fire Diamond | Sky Diamond.
    • Lower Instant/Sorcery Cost - Rowan, Scholar of Sparks | Baral, Chief of Compliance.
    • Magecraft Mana Generators - Birgi, God of Storytelling | Storm-Kiln Artist.

  • Win Conditions - The two primary win conditions of the deck are the payoff from Magecraft (or similar) abilities and commander damage.

    • Token Armies - Balmor, Battlemage Captain | Deekah, Fractal Theorist | Docent of Perfection | Murmuring Mystic | Talrand, Sky Summoner | Third Path Iconoclast | Young Pyromancer | Metallurgic Summonings.
    • Damage Triggers - Fiery Inscription | Guttersnipe | Kessig Flamebreather | Impact Tremors.

Synergies and Combos

Infinite Loops - With two spells that copy spells and a cantrip you can create infinite copies. (Example: Cast Reverberate to copy a cantrip, then cast Increasing Vengeance to copy Reverberate, the Reverberate copy can target the original Reverberate or the original Increasing Vengeance to create a 2nd copy which can target…) This will create an infinite number of copies, however, these copies only trigger Magecraft abilities. Here is an example.

  • Veyran, Voice of Duality - Infinite +1/+1
  • Ral, Storm Conduit - Infinite Damage
  • Archmage Emeritus - Infinite Draw
  • Deekah, Fractal Theorist - Infinite Tokens
  • Storm-Kiln Artist - Infinite Treasure

The Stats

Total Number of Lands

Assessed 04Jul2024

This section will assess the number of lands I am running in this deck, utilizing Frank Karsten’s article “How Many Lands Do You Need in Your Deck?”. The formula he provides for a 99 card deck is:

31.42 + ( 3.13 x [Average Mana Value without lands] ) – ( 0.28 x [Number of Card Draw or Mana Ramp Spells that cost 2 mana or less] )

When we apply Frank’s formula to this deck we get:

Recommended Total Lands: 33 = 31.42 + ( 3.13 x 2.74 ) – ( 0.28 x 25 )

Average Mana Value (without lands): 2.74

Card Draw or Mana Ramp Spells (2 mana or less): 19+6 = 25

MDFCs: I am not running any MDFCs.

Conclusion: My current land total is 34. This formula suggest I am running one more land than I statistically need.

Colored Mana Sources

Assessed 04Jul2024 - Table Here

This section will assess the number of colored mana sources I am running in this deck, utilizing Frank Karsten’s article “How Many Sources Do You Need to Consistently Cast Your Spells?”. His article suggests that we should target a 90% chance to cast our spells on curve and more colored pips in the casting cost of a spell makes it harder to cast. In these counts I will exclude conditional colored mana sources like Phyrexian Tower or The Grey Havens because they require more setup.

Blue Mana

Current Hardest Blue Card to Cast on Curve: Narset’s Reversal (UU), recommended 30 blue mana sources.

Blue Mana Sources: 30 (15 basic lands + 11 dual lands + 4 from mana rocks)

Conclusion: - There are plenty blue mana sources to ensure a ~93% chance to cast my blue spells. Red Mana

Current Hardest Red Card to Cast on Curve: Harmonic Prodigy (1R), recommended 19 red mana sources.

Red Mana Sources: 25 (7 basic lands + 11 dual lands + 4 from mana rocks)

Conclusion: There are plenty blue mana sources to ensure a ~93% chance to cast my blue spells. (I did not consider either Expedite or Warlord’s Fury since the goal is not to play them on curve. Multicolored Mana

Current Hardest Dual Color Card to Cast on Curve: Expressive Iteration (UR), recommended 19 blue mana sources and 19 red mana sources. For these dual color cards I assess the colors separately.

Conclusion: There are plenty colored mana sources to ensure a ~93% chance to cast my multicolored spells.