Overview:

This mono-blue deck leverages Orvar, the All-Form as its central engine, utilizing low-cost instants that target its own permanents to create token copies of high-value artifacts, lands, or utility creatures. The primary strategy involves generating exponential value through copying mana rocks (e.g., Sol Ring, Mana Vault), stax pieces (e.g., Cursed Totem, Back to Basics), or win conditions like Idol of Oblivion. Orvar is essential to the deck's function, enabling explosive turns where a single cantripping spell like Twitch or Dream's Grip can produce multiple copies. The deck wins via overwhelming resource advantage, stax locks, or combos involving infinite mana (e.g., Peregrine Drake + Ghostly Flicker—though not listed, similar loops exist) into Walking Ballista-like effects or Torrential Gearhulk recursion. Backup plans include combat with copied threats or Idol of Oblivion's 10/10 token.

Primer:

Core Strategy Execution:

1. Early Setup (Turns 1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Mana Vault, Sapphire Medallion), cantrips (Mystical Tutor, Merchant Scroll), or stax (Grafdigger's Cage). Prioritize protection for Orvar if possible.
2. Deploy Orvar & Value Engines (Turns 3-5): Cast Orvar ideally with counter backup (Force of Will, Fierce Guardianship). Use cheap targeting instants (e.g., Twitch, Argent Mutation, Dream's Grip) on mana rocks or Idol of Oblivion to generate copies and draw cards. Copy Mystic Remora or Rhystic Study for card advantage.
3. Stax/Combo Setup (Turns 4-6): Copy Cursed Totem or Back to Basics to lock opponents. Use tutors (Spellseeker, Muddle the Mixture) to find combo pieces like High Tide for mana or Ghostly Flicker loops. Copy Torrential Gearhulk to recur key instants.
4. Win Condition Execution:
   • Infinite Mana: Combine Peregrine Drake (or similar) with a flicker effect (e.g., Essence Flux targeting Drake + another permanent) to generate infinite mana/copies. Win via Walking Ballista or Idol of Oblivion's activated ability.
   • Stax Lock: Overwhelm with copied Cursed Totem/Back to Basics backed by counterspells.
   • Combat: Swarm with copied Imposter Mech (cloning opponents' threats) or Idol of Oblivion tokens.

Mulligan Priorities:

• Keep hands with 2-3 lands, including at least one blue source.
• Prioritize hands containing Orvar + a protection spell (e.g., Swan Song, Force of Negation) or a cantripping targeter (e.g., Twitch, Argent Mutation).
• Ensure early ramp (Sol Ring, Mana Vault) or a tutor (Mystical Tutor, Merchant Scroll) to find key pieces.
• Avoid hands lacking blue mana or with only high-CMC spells.

Key Tips:

• Sequence Carefully: Cast Orvar only when you can protect him or immediately generate value. Copy mana rocks before deploying high-cost stax.
• Abuse Buyback/Retrace: Use Whim of Volrath (buyback) or Glamerdye (retrace) to repeatedly trigger Orvar without card disadvantage.
• Leverage Copy Targets: Prioritize copying Idol of Oblivion for card draw, Cloud Key/Sapphire Medallion for cost reduction, or Narset, Parter of Veils to stifle opponents.
• Protect Critical Pieces: Use free counterspells (Fierce Guardianship, Force of Will) to defend Orvar or combo turns. Dress Down can temporarily disable threats or enable safer attacks.

Weaknesses:

Critical

• Orvar Dependency: Removal targeting Orvar (especially sacrifice/exile effects) cripples the deck's engine. Recasting becomes prohibitively expensive.
• Board Wipes: Mass removal (e.g., Toxic Deluge, Cyclonic Rift) resets copied permanents and forces slow recovery.
• Anti-Token Hate: Cursed Totem (shuts off Idol), Torpor Orb (stops ETB value), or Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines devastate the strategy.

Moderate

• Graveyard Hate: Rest in Peace or Scavenger Grounds disrupts recursion from Torrential Gearhulk or Mystic Sanctuary.
• Nonbasic Land Destruction: Blood Moon or Back to Basics (mirror) counters the mana base, which relies on utility lands.
• Stack Interaction: Heavy countermagic can disrupt critical instant chains or combo assembly.

Minor

• Artifact Removal: Targeted removal (e.g., Abrade) can hit key rocks or stax pieces, but redundancy mitigates this.
• Hand Disruption: Thoughtseize effects can pluck key instants/tutors, but the deck draws heavily.

Most Important Cards:

• Orvar, the All-Form (Core engine: enables token copies)
• High Tide (Mana multiplier for explosive turns)
• Sapphire Medallion (Cost reduction for blue spells)
• Mystical Tutor (Finds key instants/combo pieces)
• Cursed Totem (Stax piece that shuts down opponents)
• Idol of Oblivion (Card draw engine & win condition)
• Force of Will (Free protection for Orvar/combo)
• Back to Basics (Stax lock against nonbasic lands)
• Spellseeker (Tutors critical low-CMC instants)
• Mystic Remora (Early card advantage against noncreature spells)

Attribute Ratings:

Speed: 8/10

• Capable of T4-5 wins via Orvar + cantripping instants copying mana rocks into infinite combos or overwhelming stax locks.

Resilience: 6/10

• Free counterspells and protection spells defend key plays, but heavy reliance on Orvar and tokens makes it vulnerable to targeted removal/board wipes. Recursion (e.g., Torrential Gearhulk) offers limited recovery.

Consistency: 8/10

• Abundant tutors (Mystical Tutor, Merchant Scroll, Spellseeker), card draw (Rhystic Study, Mystic Remora, Idol of Oblivion), and functional redundancy in targeting spells ensure reliable access to the engine.

Interaction: 9/10

• Exceptional stack interaction with free/cheap counters (Force of Will, Fierce Guardianship, Flusterstorm), targeted bounce (Chain of Vapor, Resculpt), and stax (Cursed Totem, Back to Basics) to disrupt opponents proactively.

Rating Justification:

This deck operates at high power, leveraging Orvar to threaten T4-5 wins through efficient combos or stax locks, aligning with the "Highly Optimized" tier (T4-5 win/lock). Its vulnerability to commander removal and board wipes prevents it from reaching cEDH viability, but premium interaction and consistency elevate its resilience.

Power level: 7.5 - 8.0