<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link only-front"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aang, Swift Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Aang, Swift Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Illustrated by </em><a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CTetsuko%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art"><em>Tetsuko</em></a></p>
<p>When I first picked up <em>Magic</em>, I was also beginning to dabble in playing control decks in other card games. Naturally, that lead me to look into what control decks had to offer in <em>Magic</em>, and I stumbled upon one of my first loves: Azorius(<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) control. In the years since Commander has taken over <em>Magic</em>, I've been on the hunt for interesting commanders that lend themselves to this strategy. Recent reveals from <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/avatar-the-last-airbender-commander-deck-techs"><em>Avatar: The Last Airbender</em></a> have provided me with a new commander that I believe will be perfect for the job. In this deck tech, I'm going to be building a sweet control deck with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aang, Swift Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Aang, Swift Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aang, Swift Savior"></div></div>
<h2>What Does Aang, Swift Savior Do?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aven Interrupter"></div></div>
<p>Aang, Swift Savior is a three-mana 2/3 with flash. When Aang enters, he airbends up to one other target creature or spell. Then, he has an eight-mana ability with waterbend that transforms him into a 5/5 with reach and trample that puts a +1/+1 counter on each other tapped creature its owner controls when he attacks.</p>
<p>The front face reminds me a lot of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aven Interrupter" href="#" target="_blank">Aven Interrupter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, another three-mana flash creature that exiles a spell when it enters. However, Aang has a few things going for him that Aven Interrupter doesn't. First, he can exile a creature that's already in play! That's a huge boost to Aang's versatility as a piece of interaction. Second, he can flip into a big creature and get aggressive when the time comes to get the game over with.</p>
<p>My build of Aang is going to be a control deck that looks to take advantage of blink synergies to repeatedly exile opposing creatures and spells. Then, once all opponents have been rendered inert, this deck will turn the corner by flooding the board with creatures, flipping Aang, and turning creatures sideways to close the game out.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for Aang, Swift Savior</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aven Interrupter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Drannith Magistrate"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aang, Swift Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Aang, Swift Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s enters trigger is great for temporarily dealing with a threat. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aven Interrupter" href="#" target="_blank">Aven Interrupter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can delay the spells that Aang airbends away a little longer by making them more expensive. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drannith Magistrate" href="#" target="_blank">Drannith Magistrate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> removes opponents' ability to cast those spells entirely. As a neat bonus, Drannith Magistrate also restricts opponents from casting their commanders, a perk that has contributed to this Wizard's salt score since he was released in <em>Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths</em>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Yorion, Sky Nomad"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Appa, Steadfast Guardian"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dour Port-Mage"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Yorion, Sky Nomad" href="#" target="_blank">Yorion, Sky Nomad</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a creature that would feel perfectly at home in the <em>Avatar</em> universe, and he's also right at home in this deck! Yorion combines with both <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Appa, Steadfast Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Appa, Steadfast Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aang, Swift Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Aang, Swift Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to create a recurring blink engine. Yorion exiles and returns either Aang or Appa, they return and airbend Yorion, then Yorion can be cast from exile for 2 mana to repeat the process. When creatures with powerful card-advantage-generating enters triggers, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aether Channeler" href="#" target="_blank">Aether Channeler</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spellseeker" href="#" target="_blank">Spellseeker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, are added to the mix, this deck has the ability to run away with games very quickly.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Archaeomancer"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mystic Sanctuary"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ghostly Flicker"></div></div>
<p>On the topic of value, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archaeomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Archaeomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mystic Sanctuary" href="#" target="_blank">Mystic Sanctuary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ghostly Flicker" href="#" target="_blank">Ghostly Flicker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> combine to create one of many infinite recursion engines featured in this deck. Infinitely recurring interactive spells significantly speed up the clock on rendering opposing decks nonfunctional. Perhaps most importantly, Mystic Sanctuary returning a spell to the top of the library also provides insurance against decking out, which isn't a concern I have for this deck when things are going to plan, but if an opponent ends up exiling a win condition, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Secure the Wastes" href="#" target="_blank">Secure the Wastes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, things can veer off course far enough that it comes up.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sublime Epiphany"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Three Steps Ahead"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Sublime Epiphany" href="#" target="_blank">Sublime Epiphany</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Three Steps Ahead" href="#" target="_blank">Three Steps Ahead</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> can both use their copy mode to create a token copy of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Archaeomancer" href="#" target="_blank">Archaeomancer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> that will enter and recur a spell. Barring mana constraints, this gives the deck access to an infinite number of counterspells! I'll get into how I plan on paying for that in the win conditions section.</p>
<h2>How Does This Aang, Swift Savior Deck Win the Game?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Isochron Scepter"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dramatic Reversal"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Displacer Kitten"></div></div>
<div id="4821-5261" style="width: 100%; position: relative; overflow: visible; display: flex; justify-content: center;"><img decoding="async" id="csbLoad" src="https://commanderspellbook.com/images/gear.svg" alt="csb logo" width="300" /><br />
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<p><iframe loading="lazy" src="." width="0" height="0"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Control decks are often quite mana-hungry. My solution is very simple: make infinite mana! I've included <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Reversal" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which can generate infinite mana when paired with nonland permanents that can be tapped for at least three mana. There are plenty of mana rocks to make this plan feasible, along with many tutors to assist with assembling the combo.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Displacer Kitten" href="#" target="_blank">Displacer Kitten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the element that really brings this combo into win condition territory. This deck is not particularly good at making use of infinite mana, with the exception of a couple infinite recursion combos. However, Displacer Kitten triggers is another story entirely! The Isochron Scepter Dramatic Reversal combo generates infinite cast triggers, which translates to infinite enters triggers from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aang, Swift Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Aang, Swift Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. For the rest of the game, Isochron Scepter can be activated over and over again to repeatedly blink Aang in response to airbend every creature in play and every spell an opponent casts until either this deck finds a way to win the game or the opponents simply give up. That being said, the latter is significantly more likely than the former.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Secure the Wastes"></div></div>
<p>One way to put infinite mana to good use is a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Secure the Wastes" href="#" target="_blank">Secure the Wastes</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> making 300 million 1/1s to quickly wrap up a game. I like having access to this card as a way to demonstrate to opponents that have been locked out of the game that do in fact have a way to win the game. Thanks to the back face of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aang, Swift Savior" href="#" target="_blank">Aang, Swift Savior</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, Secure the Wastes is also a perfectly fine win condition even if infinite mana can't be sunk into it.</p>
<h2>Aang, Swift Savior Commander Decklist</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Aang, Spell Queller" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Aang, Swift Savior
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Aang, Airbending Master
*1 Aether Channeler
*1 Appa, Steadfast Guardian
*1 Archaeomancer
*1 Archmage Emeritus
*1 Aven Interrupter
*1 Deep Gnome Terramancer
*1 Displacer Kitten
*1 Dour Port-Mage
*1 Drannith Magistrate
*1 Drift of Phantasms
*1 Grand Arbiter Augustin IV
*1 Hydroelectric Specimen
*1 Katara, Waterbending Master
*1 Palace Jailer
*1 Phyrexian Metamorph
*1 Recruiter of the Guard
*1 Snapcaster Mage
*1 Spell Queller
*1 Spellseeker
*1 Witch Enchanter
*1 Yorion, Sky Nomad
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*1 Airbending Lesson
*1 Cryptic Command
*1 Cyclonic Rift
*1 Dovin&#039;s Veto
*1 Dramatic Reversal
*1 Ephemerate
*1 Final Showdown
*1 Flare of Fortitude
*1 Flusterstorm
*1 Getaway Glamer
*1 Ghostly Flicker
*1 Mana Drain
*1 Muddle the Mixture
*1 Mystic Confluence
*1 Orim&#039;s Chant
*1 Path to Exile
*1 Razorgrass Ambush
*1 Reprieve
*1 Secure the Wastes
*1 Sink into Stupor
*1 Sublime Epiphany
*1 Swords to Plowshares
*1 Three Steps Ahead
*1 Wash Away
[/Instants]
[Sorceries]
*1 Avatar&#039;s Wrath
*1 Sea Gate Restoration
*1 Step Through
*1 Supreme Verdict
[/Sorceries]
[Battles]
*1 Invasion of Gobakhan
[/Battles]
[Artifacts]
*1 Arcane Signet
*1 Azorius Signet
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Gilded Lotus
*1 Isochron Scepter
*1 Marble Diamond
*1 Mind Stone
*1 Sky Diamond
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Talisman of Progress
*1 Thought Vessel
[/Artifacts]
[Enchantments]
*1 Touch the Spirit Realm
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalkers]
*1 Teferi, Time Raveler
[/Planeswalkers]
[Lands]
*1 Adarkar Wastes
*1 Arid Mesa
*1 Command Tower
*1 Demolition Field
*1 Deserted Beach
*1 Emergence Zone
*1 Flooded Strand
*1 Floodfarm Verge
*1 Glacial Fortress
*1 Hallowed Fountain
*1 Hengegate Pathway
*5 Island
*1 Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop
*1 Marsh Flats
*1 Meticulous Archive
*1 Mistrise Village
*1 Misty Rainforest
*1 Mystic Gate
*1 Mystic Sanctuary
*1 Nimbus Maze
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*3 Plains
*1 Polluted Delta
*1 Prairie Stream
*1 Prismatic Vista
*1 Scalding Tarn
*1 Sea of Clouds
*1 Seachrome Coast
*1 Windswept Heath
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>This deck is looking to commit party fouls at a frequency that probably confines it to Bracket 4 (Optimized). The two-card infinite combo of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Isochron Scepter" href="#" target="_blank">Isochron Scepter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dramatic Reversal" href="#" target="_blank">Dramatic Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the squeaky wheel that eliminates it from Bracket 3 (Upgraded) contention, depending on one's interpretation of the bracket system guidelines. I would make the argument that this infinite combo requires a third piece (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Displacer Kitten" href="#" target="_blank">Displacer Kitten</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) to do anything productive in 90% of cases, but those are nuances that players get to bring up in Rule Zero discussions!</p>
<p>This is a high complexity deck for players that enjoy getting really in the weeds with their decision making. At the forefront of that complexity is a high density of tutors, many of which being able to grab other tutors to eventually find the right card. I'd definitely advise a player that wanted to learn this deck to spend some time absorbing the whole decklist. Even I often find myself staring blankly at a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Drift of Phantasms" href="#" target="_blank">Drift of Phantasms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in my hand, positive that I can use it to get what I need but not entirely sure if I remember how. That's part of the fun of Commander for me!</p>
<p>For more Azorius control action, I'd recommend my <em>60 to 100</em> article about <a href="https://commandersherald.com/60-to-100-caw-go/">Caw-Go</a>.</p>


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Aang, Swift Savior Deck Tech