Sphinx-ter by Strife6567

Format: Commander

Commander: The Ur-Sphinx

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 53

Deck overview

This Esper list leverages The Ur-Sphinx and its eminence ability to reduce the cost of all Sphinx spells by {1} generic mana from the command zone. It exploits this discount by running low-mana changelings like Universal Automaton and Changeling Outcast as surrogate Sphinxes. An explosive fast mana package accelerates early turns, enabling turn 2 or 3 deployment of cost reducers and stax pieces like Drannith Magistrate and Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. On turns 3 and 4, anchor engines such as Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign and Kindred Discovery draw large amounts of cards, while finishers like Coat of Arms and Mirror Entity convert cheap creatures into lethal threats. Efficient countermagic and Teferi's Protection defend the board as the deck eliminates the table over two combat rotations.

Decklist (100 cards)

  • 1 Adarkar Wastes
  • 1 Ancient Tomb
  • 1 Arcane Sanctum
  • 1 Arcane Signet
  • 1 Aven Mindcensor
  • 1 Bloodline Pretender
  • 1 Cavern of Souls
  • 1 Caves of Koilos
  • 1 Changeling Outcast
  • 1 Chrome Mox
  • 1 Coat of Arms
  • 1 Command Tower
  • 1 Consecrated Sphinx
  • 1 Counterspell
  • 1 Cyclonic Rift
  • 1 Dark Ritual
  • 1 Dauthi Voidwalker
  • 1 Dazzling Sphinx
  • 1 Demonic Tutor
  • 1 Deserted Beach
  • 1 Dovin's Veto
  • 1 Drannith Magistrate
  • 1 Drowned Catacomb
  • 1 Exotic Orchard
  • 1 Flooded Strand
  • 1 Glacial Fortress
  • 1 Godless Shrine
  • 1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
  • 1 Graveshifter
  • 1 Hallowed Fountain
  • 1 Heartless Summoning
  • 1 Herald's Horn
  • 1 Imperial Seal
  • 1 Impostor of the Sixth Pride
  • 1 Irregular Cohort
  • 3 Island
  • 1 Isolated Chapel
  • 1 Jet Medallion
  • 1 Kindred Discovery
  • 1 Kindred Judgment
  • 1 Kozilek's Unsealing
  • 1 Lotus Petal
  • 1 Mana Drain
  • 1 Mana Vault
  • 1 Marsh Flats
  • 1 Maskwood Nexus
  • 1 Metallic Mimic
  • 1 Mind Stone
  • 1 Mirror Entity
  • 1 Mischievous Sneakling
  • 1 Mox Amber
  • 1 Mox Diamond
  • 1 Mox Opal
  • 1 Omni-Changeling
  • 1 Ornithopter of Paradise
  • 1 Otawara, Soaring City
  • 1 Patchwork Banner
  • 1 Pearl Medallion
  • 3 Plains
  • 1 Polluted Delta
  • 1 Raffine's Tower
  • 1 Reliquary Tower
  • 1 Roaming Throne
  • 1 Sapphire Medallion
  • 1 Scrubland
  • 1 Semblance Anvil
  • 1 Shattered Sanctum
  • 1 Shipwreck Marsh
  • 1 Sol Ring
  • 1 Sphinx of False Conclusions
  • 1 Sphinx of the Second Sun
  • 3 Swamp
  • 1 Swords to Plowshares
  • 1 Talisman of Dominance
  • 1 Talisman of Hierarchy
  • 1 Talisman of Progress
  • 1 Teferi's Protection
  • 1 The Ur-Sphinx
  • 1 Thought Vessel
  • 1 Three Tree City
  • 1 Toxic Deluge
  • 1 Tundra
  • 1 Uldaros Theorix
  • 1 Underground River
  • 1 Underground Sea
  • 1 Unesh, Criosphinx Sovereign
  • 1 Universal Automaton
  • 1 Unsettled Mariner
  • 1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
  • 1 Urza's Incubator
  • 1 Vampiric Tutor
  • 1 Watcher of the Spheres
  • 1 Watery Grave
  • 1 Yennett, Cryptic Sovereign