How it grades
Fundamentals 89/100. Plays like Spellslinger.
This reads as Spellslinger, built around Fire Lord Azula. The spells are the deck: every instant and sorcery triggers payoffs (drain, tokens, copies, treasure), so chaining cheap cantrips is the game plan. Creature count stays low by design; protect the two or three payoff engines and the velocity does the rest. Fire Lord Azula sits on the cEDH tier list, so the ceiling here is tournament-grade, and experienced tables will treat it that way. Its strongest fundamental is land count (35 lands. About 33 fits this curve for Spellslinger, with your cost reduction counted); the first thing to tighten is mana reliability: 79% of your spells arrive on time. Counterspell is the riskiest: its U cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
- BMana reliability
- A+Land count
- A+Mana curve
- A+Ramp
- ACard draw
- AInteraction
- A+Commander synergy
- A+Win conditions
- A+Card quality
- A+Legality & size
Where it falls short
- BMana reliability79% of your spells arrive on time. Counterspell is the riskiest: its U cost is heavy for this mana base, so expect it several turns late.
Strong on land count, mana curve, ramp, card draw, interaction, commander synergy, win conditions, card quality and legality & size.
87 cards graded: A 1, A- 18, B+ 35, B 31, B- 2. The command zone is the plan, so it isn't graded.
Upgrades
Cyclonic Rift1U$39.16
In place of Fated Firepower: its R cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (56/100)
Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. WotC game-changer.
Fierce Guardianship2U$63.43
In place of Azula, Cunning Usurper: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (59/100)
Feeds the commanders' instant-and-sorcery payoff. Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data.
Vampiric TutorB$54.03
In place of Leyline of Anticipation: weakest slot in the deck (63/100)
Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. WotC game-changer.
Mystical TutorU$18.75
In place of Sozin's Comet: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (63/100)
Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. WotC game-changer.
Force of Will3UU$59.96
In place of Nightscape Familiar: weakest slot in the deck (66/100)
Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. WotC game-changer.
Marionette Apprentice1B$2.06
In place of Ozai, the Phoenix King: its B cost is heavy for this mana base; expect it several turns late (66/100)
Pays off your artifact engine (11 producers). Fits the commander's plan. Works with the commander directly.
Vivi Ornitier1UR$33.13
In place of Zuko, Firebending Master: weakest slot in the deck (66/100)
Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (33 producers). Shares the commanders' burn mechanic. EDHREC Spellslinger staple.
Displacer Kitten3U$34.67
In place of Goblin Electromancer: weakest slot in the deck (67/100)
Chases the same instant-and-sorcery plan as your commanders. Pays off your instant-and-sorcery engine (33 producers). Top-5% staple by play data.
Arcane Denial1U$1.72
In place of Mana Geyser: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (67/100)
Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. Feeds the commanders' instant-and-sorcery payoff.
Negate1U$0.24
In place of Big Score: expensive for ramp: the help arrives late (68/100)
Fuels your instant-and-sorcery payoffs (13 in deck). Top-5% staple by play data. Feeds the commanders' instant-and-sorcery payoff.
Save a copy to try them. The editor's Improve list has these and more, with the swaps one click each.
Decklist
Commander 1
Creatures 18
- A
- B+
- B-
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
- A-
- B+
- B
- B
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
Instants 27
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- A-
- B+
- B+
- B+
- B
Sorceries 6
- A-
- B+
- B+
- A-
- B
- B
Artifacts 10
- B+
- B+
- B
- A-
- B+
- A-
- B
- B+
- B
- A-
Enchantments 4
- B-
- B+
- B
- B+
Lands 34
- B
- B
- B
- B+
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B×5
- B×6
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B
- B×4
- B
- B
- B+
Prices are current market estimates, not what the sealed product costs. Magic: The Gathering is © Wizards of the Coast.