Bird Watching by Kawaiiguy4465

Format: Commander

Commander: Hermes, Overseer of Elpis

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 56

Deck overview

Hermes, Overseer of Elpis commands an agile mono-blue tempo deck that transforms cheap noncreature spells into an evasive army of 1/1 flying Bird tokens with vigilance. The deck uses low-cost cantrips to rapidly assemble mana and card velocity, landing Hermes on turn 3 or 4. Once operational, attacking with Birds provides consistent library manipulation through Hermes's scry 2 trigger, fueling powerful combat-damage draw engines like Curiosity Crafter, Bident of Thassa, and Enduring Curiosity. The resulting surplus of cards feeds a robust package of free counterspells, ensuring the board remains protected while developing lethal pressure. The game is closed around turn 7 using anthem effects like Banner of Kinship, tempo resets like Raise the Palisade or Cyclonic Rift, and extra turns from Temporal Manipulation.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Abjure
  • 1 Academy Ruins
  • 1 Airborne Aid
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Archmage Emeritus
  • 1 Archway of Innovation
  • 1 Banner of Kinship
  • 1 Bender's Waterskin
  • 1 Bident of Thassa
  • 1 Brainstorm
  • 1 Command Beacon
  • 1 Consider
  • 1 Counterspell
  • 1 Curiosity Crafter
  • 1 Cyclonic Rift
  • 1 Deserted Temple
  • 1 Distant Melody
  • 1 Enduring Curiosity
  • 1 Favorable Winds
  • 1 Fierce Guardianship
  • 1 Flare of Denial
  • 1 Flow State
  • 1 Force of Negation
  • 1 Force of Will
  • 1 Frantic Search
  • 1 Ghost Quarter
  • 1 Gitaxian Probe
  • 1 Halimar Depths
  • 1 Heraldic Banner
  • 1 Hermes, Overseer of Elpis
  • 1 High Tide
  • 1 Idol of Oblivion
  • 1 Impulse
  • 1 Invasion of Segovia // Caetus, Sea Tyrant of Segovia
  • 1 Inventors' Fair
  • 20 Island
  • 1 Keeper of the Nine Gales
  • 1 Kindred Discovery
  • 1 Kitsa, Otterball Elite
  • 1 Ledger Shredder
  • 1 Lightning Greaves
  • 1 Lilypad Village
  • 1 Lotus Petal
  • 1 Mana Drain
  • 1 March of Swirling Mist
  • 1 Mind Stone
  • 1 Mindbreak Trap
  • 1 Mission Briefing
  • 1 Mystic Remora
  • 1 Mystic Sanctuary
  • 1 Mystical Tutor
  • 1 Narset's Reversal
  • 1 Opt
  • 1 Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver
  • 1 Patchwork Banner
  • 1 Ponder
  • 1 Pongify
  • 1 Portent
  • 1 Preordain
  • 1 Raise the Palisade
  • 1 Rapid Hybridization
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Resculpt
  • 1 Rhystic Study
  • 1 Riptide Laboratory
  • 1 Rivendell
  • 1 Sapphire Medallion
  • 1 Savor the Moment
  • 1 Serum Visions
  • 1 Sink into Stupor // Soporific Springs
  • 1 Skullclamp
  • 1 Sleight of Hand
  • 1 Snap
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Stock Up
  • 1 Strip Mine
  • 1 Temporal Manipulation
  • 1 Thought Vessel
  • 1 Three Tree City
  • 1 Valley Floodcaller
  • 1 Wavebreak Hippocamp