Do You Pay Your Taxes? by k0ng

Format: Commander

Commander: Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

Bracket: 4

DeckCheck Threat Index: 33

Deck overview

This deck is an Azorius stax and pillowfort control list commanded by Grand Arbiter Augustin IV. Its game plan centers on engineering an asymmetric resource disparity by increasing the mana cost of opposing spells while reducing the cost of its own spells. Early turns focus on accelerating into Grand Arbiter and establishing rule-setting permanents like Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, Authority of the Consuls, and Aura of Silence. The mid-game secures total defensive control using layered attack tax enchantments including Ghostly Prison, Propaganda, and Sphere of Safety, backed by a deep suite of counterspells and sweepers. Opponents find their mana choked and their combat steps disabled, allowing the deck to safely dig into its primary win condition, Approach of the Second Sun, or accumulate counters on Azor's Elocutors. With Teferi, Time Raveler shutting off opposing instant-speed responses, the deck reliably closes the game under ironclad protection.

Decklist (100 cards)

• 1 Adarkar Wastes
• 1 Aether Barrier
• 1 Amphibian Downpour
• 1 Approach of the Second Sun
• 1 Arcane Denial
• 1 Arcane Lighthouse
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Archaeomancer
• 1 Archangel of Tithes
• 1 Archivist of Oghma
• 1 Archon of Sun's Grace
• 1 Aura of Silence
• 1 Authority of the Consuls
• 1 Azor's Elocutors
• 1 Baird, Steward of Argive
• 1 Banishing Light
• 1 Bident of Thassa
• 1 Brainstorm
• 1 Castle Vantress
• 1 Champions of Minas Tirith
• 1 Chancellor of the Annex
• 1 Coldsteel Heart
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Counterspell
• 1 Deserted Beach
• 1 Doomskar
• 1 Dovin's Veto
• 1 Ephemerate
• 1 Exotic Orchard
• 1 Farewell
• 1 Floodfarm Verge
• 1 Founding the Third Path
• 1 Ghostly Pilferer
• 1 Ghostly Prison
• 1 Glacial Fortress
• 1 Gleaming Bastion
• 1 God-Pharaoh's Statue
• 1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 8 Island
• 1 Knight of the White Orchid
• 1 Lightning Greaves
• 1 Mana Leak
• 1 Monastery Siege
• 1 Moon-Blessed Cleric
• 1 Muddle the Mixture
• 1 Mystic Remora
• 1 Narset's Reversal
• 1 Narset, Parter of Veils
• 1 Negate
• 1 Niko, Light of Hope
• 1 Nimbus Maze
• 1 Ornithopter of Paradise
• 1 Path of Ancestry
• 1 Path to Exile
• 8 Plains
• 1 Ponder
• 1 Port Town
• 1 Prairie Stream
• 1 Prismatic Lens
• 1 Propaganda
• 1 Reflecting Pool
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Render Silent
• 1 Sea of Clouds
• 1 Seachrome Coast
• 1 Selfless Spirit
• 1 Settle the Wreckage
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Spelltithe Enforcer
• 1 Sphere of Safety
• 1 Summon: Yojimbo
• 1 Supreme Verdict
• 1 Swiftfoot Boots
• 1 Swords to Plowshares
• 1 Talisman of Progress
• 1 Teferi, Time Raveler
• 1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
• 1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
• 1 The Wandering Rescuer
• 1 Thopter Spy Network
• 1 Three Steps Ahead
• 1 Torrential Gearhulk
• 1 Unwind
• 1 Windborn Muse
• 1 Winds of Abandon