Sphinx's twice by Taledu

Format: Commander

Commander: Raffine, Scheming Seer

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 57

Deck overview

This deck is a specialized Esper combo-tribal list helmed by Raffine, Scheming Seer that exploits the unique rule allowance of running 28 copies of Sphinx's Approach. The primary game plan utilizes high-velocity fast mana like Sol Ring, Grim Monolith, and Ancient Tomb to deploy Thrumming Stone on Turn 4. Casting a single copy of Sphinx's Approach triggers ripple 4, cascading through the entire library. This draws massive amounts of cards and cheats all legendary and high-impact Sphinxes directly onto the battlefield via the Approach exile ability. While the army of flying creatures must wait one turn cycle to attack, the player holds free countermagic like Force of Will and Fierce Guardianship to protect the board. On Turn 5, an overwhelming aerial assault backed by The Ur-Sphinx and an extra turn from Medomai the Ageless deals over 120 combat damage to eliminate all three opponents.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Ancient Tomb
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archive Arbiter
  • 1 Baral, Chief of Compliance
  • 1 Careful Study
  • 1 City of Traitors
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Consecrated Sphinx
  • 1 Cyclonic Rift
  • 1 Deadly Rollick
  • 1 Defiler of Dreams
  • 1 Demonic Tutor
  • 1 Dream Trawler
  • 1 Fierce Guardianship
  • 1 Flooded Strand
  • 1 Force of Negation
  • 1 Force of Will
  • 1 Frantic Search
  • 1 Geist of Saint Thalia
  • 1 Gemstone Caverns
  • 1 Gleaming Splendor
  • 1 Godless Shrine
  • 1 Grim Monolith
  • 1 Hallowed Fountain
  • 1 Intuition
  • 4 Island
  • 1 Ledger Shredder
  • 1 Lotus Petal
  • 1 Magister Sphinx
  • 1 Mana Drain
  • 1 Marsh Flats
  • 1 Medomai the Ageless
  • 1 Meticulous Archive
  • 1 Misty Rainforest
  • 1 Mox Diamond
  • 1 Otawara, Soaring City
  • 1 Plains
  • 1 Polluted Delta
  • 1 Raffine's Tower
  • 1 Raffine, Scheming Seer
  • 1 Reconnaissance
  • 1 Rhystic Study
  • 1 Sapphire Medallion
  • 1 Scalding Tarn
  • 1 Scrubland
  • 1 Shadowy Backstreet
  • 1 Smothering Tithe
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Sphinx Ambassador
  • 1 Sphinx of the Chimes
  • 28 Sphinx's Approach
  • 1 Supreme Verdict
  • 1 Swamp
  • 1 Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
  • 1 Talisman of Dominance
  • 1 Talisman of Progress
  • 1 Teferi's Protection
  • 1 The One Ring
  • 1 The Queen of Dale
  • 1 The Ur-Sphinx
  • 1 Thrumming Stone
  • 1 Tivit, Seller of Secrets
  • 1 Toxic Deluge
  • 1 Tundra
  • 1 Undercity Sewers
  • 1 Underground Sea
  • 1 Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign
  • 1 Urza's Saga
  • 1 Vampiric Tutor
  • 1 Watery Grave