Veyran, Voice of DualityVeyran, Voice of Duality | Art by Mathias Krollos

Greetings and salutations friends. Welcome to a new instalment of Branching Out, where I try to find some fun alternatives to the most played strategies for each color pair.

After taking care of Simic two weeks ago, today we're looking at Izzet (), the colors of chaos, cackling mad scientists, and spells thrown around in glee.

When you tally the top five most played commanders on EDHREC for each color pair, Izzet comes in third place, with almost 70k decks, including a very recent addition to the pool.

Let's take a look at the most popular options chosen by players:

• Ghyrson Starn, KelermorphGhyrson Starn, Kelermorph – 17,538 decks, with top themes being Burn (3.9K), Spellslinger (1.4K), and Pingers (778)
• Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun – 15,960 decks, with top themes being Spellslinger (2.9K), Wheels (2.3K), and Cantrips (1.3K)
• Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier – 14,108 decks (!), with the top themes being Spellslinger (809), Storm (476), and Combo (391)
• Stella Lee, Wild CardStella Lee, Wild Card – 12,809 decks, with the top themes being Spellslinger (4.7K), Storm (1.2K), and Cantrips (1K)
• Veyran, Voice of DualityVeyran, Voice of Duality – 9,385 decks, with the top themes being (you guessed it) Spellslinger (3,2K), Spell Copy (1,2K) and Cantrips (906)

Need I ask you if you can see the main pattern? Aside from Ghyrson Starn, all of the top commanders focus essentially on spellslinging.

A quick look at the top themes in these colors more than confirms the trend, with a twist:

• Spellslinger – 36,067 decks
• Treasure – 11,737 decks
• Artifacts – 10,576 decks
• Wheels – 9,331 decks
• Chaos – 8,605 decks

Spellslinging is by far the most played archetype, but artifact-centric builds are also extremely popular.

With that in mind, let's try a few different options. Some take a different stance altogether, some twist a classic archetype in a weird way.

Here are five ideas that I believe are all underplayed and that you should give more love to.

Wyll, Blade of FrontiersWyll, Blade of Frontiers & Sword Coast SailorSword Coast Sailor

Let's begin slowly. Saying the pair is wildly underrated would be insulting, as they account for a respectable 2,560 decks. However, for this first pick I'd like to focus more on theme rather than popularity.

Wyll does something few other commanders do, and seeing the wild success of coin-flipping pairs (Okaun, Eye of Chaos and Zndrsplt, Eye of Wisdom account alone for 7,502 decks), I feel like playing with dice should be more rewarded.

This is especially the case if you're okay with bending the boundaries and are comfortable with rule-zeroing the table beforehand.

Let's do some digging. There are currently 74 playable cards that include text asking you to roll a certain type of die. Of these, 36 come from either the Adventures in the Forgotten Realms or Commander Legends: Baldur's Gate sets. A few stragglers stumble from specialty or Secret Lairs (I see you, Velukan DragonVelukan Dragon, Fractured PowerstoneFractured Powerstone and Mathise, Surge ChannelerMathise, Surge Channeler).

The rest, the glorious rest, comes from the Un-sets, which is exactly where the fun starts. In my book, this is the perfect candidate for a Bracket 1 deck. One with a silly theme that'll make you think you're playing Craps during a D&D session rather than a serious and tedious Commander game.

Just make sure your table agrees before starting the game, as half of your deck will be made of technically illegal cards.

To make the magic work, you'll need:

• Almost all the card-rolling dice... sorry the dice-carding rolls... erm, I mean... – You get the idea. Pick and choose from the list I provided all the cards that make you happy and cram them in the list. Just keep in mind that most of them, especially the oldest from Unglued, are abysmally bad. But who cares, you're here for the fun. At least 40.
• A light ramp package – If only to be able to cast said spells.
• A couple of ways to close the game – Killing with your unblockable commander is entirely acceptable, but with the right cards you'll make an abundance of Treasures, which could be used for a big splashy burn spell, such as Jaya's Immolating InfernoJaya's Immolating Inferno, or to drive your opponents crazy with Maddening HexMaddening Hex.
• A bunch of dice – For extra flavor, bring a pouch of them and attribute a single lucky one to each and every card asking you to roll something. Sparkly!

You'll like this deck if: 

• You're a bit loony
• You want to try something different
• You're an RPG veteran
• You've played Strike before and loved it

You won't like this deck if:

• You're a serious player
• You like playing with power
• You believe rules are there to be followed
• You hate Un-sets

Dalakos, Crafter of WondersDalakos, Crafter of Wonders

Let's go back to some more serious deckbuilding with a strategy more often attributed to Boros.

Well, who said Izzet couldn't use deadly tools of Doom just as well? With 889 decks, Dalakos is a dormant gem that's only waiting to wreak havoc on your tables.

All in all, the idea remains similar to its counterpart: Play some evasive or hard-hitting creatures for cheap, suit them up with adequate Equipment, and send them into the fray for maximum damage.

Simple and deadly efficient with the right build, all the more so since your commander provides both flying and haste.

Blue also brings something white sometimes struggles with: consistent card draw. And that's invaluable, as keeping your hand full will ensure more and more threats keep coming to the field.

To make this work, you'll need:

• A decent pack of Equipment – Unlike with white, this deck has little means to actually go fetch the most relevant pieces of warfare. Therefore to make sure you'll consistently draw some when you need them, I'd advise playing at the very least 20 in the list. Sword of the AnimistSword of the Animist, Hammer of NazahnHammer of Nazahn, Blade of Shared SoulsBlade of Shared Souls, Brass KnucklesBrass Knuckles, The Reaver CleaverThe Reaver Cleaver, Excalibur, Sword of EdenExcalibur, Sword of Eden...
• Some evasive creatures – It's all well and good to suit up your monsters with even more monstrosity, but it won't do you any good if they can't get through, especially if your commander gets erased repeatedly. Think Triton ShorestalkerTriton Shorestalker, Bria, Riptide RogueBria, Riptide Rogue, Ghostly PilfererGhostly Pilferer, Gudul LurkerGudul Lurker, Invisible StalkerInvisible Stalker, just to be on the safe side...
• Ways to protect your stuff – Blue's the natural color for control, so counterspells are an option. Barring that, I'd pack at least 5-7 outlets that can give your creatures hexproof in a pinch: Mizzium SkinMizzium Skin, Lazotep PlatingLazotep Plating, Dive DownDive Down...
• Equipment cheats – After all, why pay equip costs when you can suit them up for free? The new Gilgamesh, Master-at-ArmsGilgamesh, Master-at-Arms, the value engine Firion, Wild Rose WarriorFirion, Wild Rose Warrior, the mighty Raubahn, Bull of Ala MhigoRaubahn, Bull of Ala Mhigo, but also Magnetic TheftMagnetic Theft or Brass SquireBrass Squire.
• Draw outlets – Even better if they are on Equipment. Robe of the ArchmagiRobe of the Archmagi (even if a tad expensive to equip),

You'll like this deck if:

• You like Equipment but dislike Boros
• You enjoy having evasion provided from the command zone
• You think size is not all
• You're an aggro-control player at heart

You won't like this deck if:

• You're a control freak
• You think combat is for brutes
• You dislike the idea of depending on your commander for primary evasion
• You consider Equipment as fancy toys

OvikonvokeOvikonvoke

What if we took the seventh most popular Izzet commander and used it in a totally underplayed way?

That's right. Ovika proudly boasts 7,215 decks at the time of writing, yet only 26 fall under the convoke tag. And if you ask me, that's a damn shame.

People usually see this commander as a huge token-generator fueled by spending insane amounts of mana into massive noncreature spells, but what if, instead of using mana, you put all of those Goblins to work? What if tapping them was the solution?

There are currently 26 spells with the keyword convoke in Izzet colors. Among them, 15 are noncreature, and all but one cost at least four mana.

If you then consider that Ovika actually triggers off ramp spells as well, you get a recipe for mayhem.

To pull this off, you'll need:

• A HEFTY ramp package – I'm not joking here, at least 18-20 mana rocks. Even when you have more than enough mana (when is that exactly?), they will still be useful to grow your army of Goblins.
• All of the convoke spells you can get – The 14 aforementioned spells, plus a few key creatures you can convoke or which care about convoke. I'm thinking Chief EngineerChief Engineer (see those rocks?), Interdisciplinary MascotInterdisciplinary Mascot (value), Joyful StormsculptorJoyful Stormsculptor (token-creator and pinger all in one), Party ThrasherParty Thrasher.
• A few pingers – Why attack when you can ping your opponents to death? Molten GatekeeperMolten Gatekeeper, Impact TremorsImpact Tremors, Goblin BombardmentGoblin Bombardment, SoulblastSoulblast (for a grand finale).
• A few cheap token-generators – Just to get the convoke engine going, in case your commander gets stumped. Hordeling OutburstHordeling Outburst, Dragon FodderDragon Fodder. Don't be too heavy-handed on these, they are but a backup plan.

You will like this deck if: 

• You like creating massive board state
• You enjoy the idea of having a huge army and not swing with it
• You like toying with power
• You miss Aristocrats strategies

You won't like this deck if: 

• You're afraid on relying solidly on your commander
• You think heavy ramp is for green players
• You don't like to keep count of tokens
• You like your commander cheap

Baeloth Barrityl, EntertainerBaeloth Barrityl, Entertainer & Clan CrafterClan Crafter

Let's continue with another vastly overlooked association. I don't know about you, but in the infrequent times I've played against Baeloth, I've been impressed at the regularity it offers.

Granted, the commander isn't cheap to cast, standing high at , and quickly becoming prohibitive if removed. However, there are few commanders that scream resiliency as this pair.

Baeloth on its own is no slouch, forcing combat for your opponents' weak creatures and potentially generating Treasures in the process. However, he remains fairly puny on his own. This is where Clan Crafter shines.

After all, why should you restrict yourself to using those shinies for mana only? Why not sacrifice them (and other artifact, tokens and not) to grow your commander to immense power? And drawing a billion cards in the process?

Granted, it does require a little setup and adequate protection, for which blue is extremely well equipped, but if you can get Baeloth's power to five or six, not a hard task per se, you'll be able to relax while watching your opponents helplessly tear each other to shreds, and once two of them go down, you can mow the remaining one with a huge commander in a few quick slaps.

So, in order to make this work, you'll need:

• Artifacts, tokens and not – Treasures spring to mind of course, but why restrict yourself to those? Clues, Food, Blood, Maps, are all great fodder. Don't forget the enter-and-leave cycle as well for maximum value: Ichor WellspringIchor Wellspring, LembasLembas, Mycosynth WellspringMycosynth Wellspring, Nimblewright SchematicNimblewright Schematic, Prized StatuePrized Statue...
• Counterspells – Your commander is your life insurance, you need it on the field to make sure you don't get ganged up on. Focus on single-target removal, board wipes, and the occasional alternate win condition.
• A few backup plans – There may be instances where your commander gets removed nonetheless, or where you may need a little external oomph. I particularly like Grafted WargearGrafted Wargear and Hero's BladeHero's Blade, both free to equip.
• A few artifact-related pingers – You're already playing with a ton of tin toys, might as well be rewarded for them. Think Ingenious ArtilleristIngenious Artillerist, Hedron DetonatorHedron Detonator, or Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver.
• Whatever outlets can reduce activation costs – Remember that Clan CrafterClan Crafter gives your commander the ability to sacrifice artifacts. Therefore you can safely add Training GroundsTraining Grounds and HeartstoneHeartstone to the mix.

You will like this deck if:

• You want to know what being a puppet master feels like
• You want to sit back and relax for a while
• You believe violence solves nothing. Except for yours.
• You built pillow forts when you were a kid.

You won't like this deck if:

• You don't want to be on the constant lookout
• You're a proactive player at heart
• You believe control is for cowards
• You're not into schadenfreude

Infinitoggo

Let's finish this series with a silly idea. Toggo is nice. Everyone loves Toggo. Even when Toggo lobs Rocks at people. People don't mind. People love Toggo.

So let's make more Toggos. And more Rocks. And More Toggos. AND MORE ROCKS.

You get the idea. This deck is filled to the brim with clones, so that each and every land that enters the battlefield will create an avalanche of Rocks, which will be put to good use. Don't bother to equip, there are other ways to chug them around!

To make this weird oddity you'll need:

• A good number of clones – The first steps are simple enough. Cast Toggo, cast Sakashima, then cast clones, and clones, and clones. And the occasional ramp spell. And clones.
• A large number of fetchlands – It doesn't matter if they're good or bad. Not really. You're shooting for Bracket 2 with this, so no need to optimize too much. With that being said, you'll still need to trigger your commander(s) as many times as possible. Hence the Panoramas, the Capenna lands, MH3 Landscapes, and the Terramorphic ExpanseTerramorphic Expanses and Evolving WildsEvolving Wilds of the world. Those, and at least 20 basics, lest you end up failing to find in the hour of victory.
• Some payoffs – These will be fairly similar to the ones we mentioned in the previous list. Ingenious ArtilleristIngenious Artillerist, Hedron DetonatorHedron Detonator, Reckless FireweaverReckless Fireweaver, Penregon StrongbullPenregon Strongbull, Embermaw HellionEmbermaw Hellion, Torbran, Thane of Red FellTorbran, Thane of Red Fell, Ghirapur Aether GridGhirapur Aether Grid...
• Value engines – Sage of Lat-NamSage of Lat-Nam, Trading PostTrading Post, Shimmer DragonShimmer Dragon, Sai, Master ThopteristSai, Master Thopterist...
• Some potential instant wincons – Hellkite TyrantHellkite Tyrant, Mechanized ProductionMechanized Production, Brudiclad, Telchor EngineerBrudiclad, Telchor Engineer, Cyberdrive AwakenerCyberdrive Awakener, if you feel too vulnerable.

You will like this deck if:

• You like Rock.
• You like School of Rock
• You like chairs that Rock
• You used to play in Legacy with The Rock.

You won't like this deck if:

• You don't like rubble
• You're not ready to rumble
• You're prone to fumbles
• You hate Goblins who're not humble

Conclusion

Before we part ways, a little peek behind the curtains. Believe it or not, I had to erase two other drafts, as I found out midway that what I thought would be a brilliant idea turned out to be... yet another spellslinging deck.

Oh, Izzet...

How about you? Did you build any of these already? Have these outlines stirred the mad brewed in you?

Let me know in the comments, and I'll see you in two weeks!

More Izzet: