A Wizard Tribal Deck (sort of) in the Brawl Format
As soon as I saw the Brawl format announced on the Magic mothership, my mind went racing toward a deckbuilding mindset. Poring over the Dominaria release notes that accidentally leaked, then posted officially, I found my first deck idea: Wizards! Then, something happened. Most of the wizards got cut in favor of more spells!
The culprit is Adeliz, the Cinder Wind. He has haste and flying and pumps all wizards each time you cast an instant or sorcery. So you've got one strategy pulling you into a Wizard tribal direction and another into a spell direction. With only 60 cards in the Brawl format, something had to give.
The solution: concentrate on Adeliz and a core cast of wizards, all of whom care about spells and work well together. And load the rest with burn, draw and counters. Include some of those sweet Sagas and a couple of Planeswalkers, and all the best red and blue lands and a couple of colorless all-stars. You’ve got yourself a deck.
The strategy is to cast Adeliz, attack, then cast spells, backing him up with counterspells if the opponent tries to remove him. This deck seems likely to perform better in a 1v1 situation as a result, but multiplayer might work too.
Here are some of the deck’s all-stars that help Adeliz push through damage. Keep in mind that much of this deck is Dominaria cards, so you won’t be able to build it for a few weeks yet.
Wizard’s Lightning & Wizard's Retort
With Adeliz or another legendary wizard or Planeswalker out, these cost the same as Lightning Bolt and Counterspell of old.
Jaya's Immolating Inferno
A Legendary sorcery that requires one of your key legendary players to be on the battlefield, this acts as a triple-fireball against up to three targets. Key for removing blockers.
Karn's Temporal Sundering
Another Legendary sorcery that gives you an extra turn and bounces a nonland permanent, meaning Adeliz has a good chance of hitting twice for significant damage.
Naru Meha, Master Wizard
Naru can flash in and copy an instant or sorcery on the stack, and is also a Wizard lord for another small boost to Adeliz.
The Mirari Conjecture
This Saga can do it all ... return key spells to hand, and a few turns later, copy all instants or sorceries you cast that turn. A vicious way to finish off your opponent.
Jaya Ballard
Effectively a 2-cost Planeswalker, as the three red mana gained by the +1 is easily put toward an instant or sorcery cast that turn. In a pinch, you can fill your graveyard with spells and draw more, and of course the ultimate is amazing.
Fight with Fire
After you’ve got one of your spell-doubling cards online, this can effectively deal 20 damage to the face, which by that point in the game, is likely lethal.
Baral, Chief of Compliance
Baral makes a third of your deck cost 1 less, and there are tons of counterspells, which let you draw and discard. In a pinch, he gets a boost from Adeliz and Naru. Where's the downside?
Adeliz Brawl
1 Adeliz, the Cinder Wind
1 Wizard's Lightning
1 Jaya's Immolating Inferno
1 Wizard's Retort
1 Opt
1 Fight with Fire
1 Karn's Temporal Sundering
1 Cancel
1 Countervailing Winds
1 Disallow
1 Essence Scatter
1 Negate
1 Pull from Tomorrow
1 Spell Pierce
1 Glimmer of Genius
1 Heiroglyphic Illumination
1 Abrade
1 Harnessed Lightning
1 Lightning Strike
1 Censor
1 Supreme Will
1 Commit // Memory
1 Naru Meha, Master Wizard
1 Siren Stormtamer
1 Baral, Chief of Compliance
1 Champion of Wits
1 Nimble Obstructionist
1 Torrential Gearhulk
1 Mox Amber
1 The Mirari Conjecture
1 Time of Ice
1 Search for Azcanta
1 Jaya Ballard
1 Chandra, Torch of Defiance
1 Zhalfarin Void
1 Aether Hub
1 Arch of Orazca
1 Evolving Wilds
1 Spirebluff Canal
1 Desert of the Fervent
1 Desert of the Mindful
1 Highland Lake
1 Ipnu Rivulet
1 Unclaimed Territory
8 Mountain
8 Island
