Representative Decklist – Izzet Prowess (CrazyGambler)

Strategy Overview

Izzet Prowess is a hyper-aggressive spellslinger/aggro deck. It leverages cheap prowess creatures – notably Monastery Swiftspear and Cori-Steel Cutter , a new equipment that dramatically widens the board to apply quick pressure.

The gameplan is to stick one low-cost prowess creature into play and then get Cori-Steel Cutter into play then use low cast spells to ensure you cast two spells every turn. This creates a new monky every turn and pumps everything else on the board. Examples of low cost spells are Opt , Torch the Tower , and Monstrous Rage ). Monstrous Rage in particular provides a big power boost and trample, often enabling a surprise lethal attack.

Stormchaser's Talent , an Enchantment Class, further enhances the prowess gameplan (providing scaling bonuses as you cast more spells). Meanwhile, burn spells like Burst Lightning serve double-duty as removal or direct face damage. The deck also runs a touch of interaction ( Spell Pierce , Negate ) to disrupt the opponent's answers or protect its threats.

Key Cards

Representative Decklist – Mono-Black Midrange (bless_von)

Strategy Overview

Mono-Black Midrange is a classic attrition and control deck. It aims to answer the opponent's threats one-for-one, generate incremental card advantage, and then win through powerful late-game cards. Unlike the flashier multicolor decks, Mono-Black relies on the efficiency of single-color mana and the raw power of its cards.

In the early game, the deck is loaded with cheap removal and disruption. Cards like Cut Down and Go for the Throat ensure that opposing creatures don't stick around long. Duress provides hand disruption to knock out key non-creature spells (great for stripping a combo piece or sweeper from control decks).

As the game progresses, Mono-Black drops increasingly threatening bombs that are hard to answer on a one-for-one basis. Sheoldred, the Apocalypse is a centerpiece: a 4/5 deathtouch that drains the opponent for 2 life on each draw. Sheoldred must be removed immediately or it will dominate the game – and if the opponent spends a removal spell, you often draw out in front thanks to the life gain and the next threat coming down.

Other creatures fill out the curve: Archfiend of the Dross is a large flier that can close games quickly (a 6/6 for 4 mana), Liliana of the Veil provides discard and edict effects, and even the one-drops like Deep-Cavern Bat contribute value. The deck's enchantments, such as Unholy Annex // Ritual Chamber , generate ongoing advantage. Mono-Black typically plays a long game – it looks to exhaust the opponent's resources with removal and discard, then out-grind with big creatures.

Key Cards

Representative Decklist – Jeskai Oculus (Phoenix_Flame)

Strategy Overview

Jeskai Oculus is a three-color midrange deck with a combo-control slant. It evolved from earlier Azorius (U/W) builds and splashes red for additional tools. The deck's name comes from its flagship creature Abhorrent Oculus . Jeskai Oculus plays a value-oriented game – it floods the board with efficient creatures that generate value, backs them up with disruptive spells, and can explode with combo-like synergies.

This deck can play multiple roles. On one hand, it can curve out with creatures like Spyglass Siren and apply pressure like a tempo/aggro deck; on the other, it has enough interaction and card advantage to play a long game. By turn 3 or 4, Abhorrent Oculus comes down as a game-changing threat or engine. The deck also runs Proft's Eidetic Memory , a legendary enchantment that synergizes with your many draw effects allowing you to pump a create +3 or +4 every turn.

Unlike pure aggro, Jeskai Oculus doesn't run out of gas easily. Many creatures replace themselves through token generation or card draw effects. This resiliency makes it very tough in grindy matchups. The interaction suite includes Torch the Tower to deal with small creatures efficiently, Get Lost for larger threats, and Spell Pierce / Negate to fight opposing sweepers or key spells.

Key Cards

Representative Decklist – Domain Overlords (Salty_Orange)

Strategy Overview

Domain Overlords is a 4-color control deck that maximizes the "domain" mechanic (benefiting from having multiple basic land types). By excluding Red, it focuses on White, Blue, Black, and Green – giving it access to premier removal and late-game cards in those colors. This deck aims to answer everything the opponent does, build incremental card advantage, and eventually win via overwhelming threats.

In the early game, Domain plays defensively. Get Lost is a crucial 2-mana instant that can remove a creature while giving the opponent a basic land. Temporary Lockdown sweeps up all cheap permanents on turn 3 – devastating for low-curve decks. By turn 3–4, the Domain deck aims to have all five basic land types in play, making Leyline Binding cost just one mana to exile any permanent.

While neutralizing the opponent's advances, Domain builds card advantage through Up the Beanstalk , which draws a card whenever you cast a spell with mana value 5 or greater. The win conditions are the Overlords ( Overlord of the Hauntwoods and Overlord of the Mistmoors ), which become extremely hard to remove when Zur, Eternal Schemer gives them hexproof and lifelink.

Key Cards