Standard: Azorius Oculus - Deck Tech and Sideboard Guide

Azorius Oculus is a tempo deck that focuses on Abhorrent Oculus. This creature, was released in Duskmourn and soon stood out because it is a 3-cost 5/5 with a very interesting ability that lets you fill the board bit by bit. You will have to pay an additional cost to put it in play, but still, a 5/5 with flying always puts a lot of pressure on the board.

This creature becomes even better when we remember cards like Helping Hand and Recommission exist. They let you completely ignore this additional cost and put it in play from your graveyard, sometimes as early as turn 2. This can make all the difference in the world in a vast variety of matchups.

Nonetheless, we still need ways to put Oculus in our graveyard - and that's why we use blue in this deck. It will not only help us fill our graveyard and create card advantage, but also give us ways to protect our strategy and interact with enemy threats.

Founding the Third Path is also critical in this list, considering it feeds our graveyard and also makes this entire strategy more recursive, as well as more consistent. After all, it lets you reanimate a creature for free on turn 2.

Besides Oculus, we also play other creatures that will either support our strategy (like Picklock Prankster) or benefit from it, like Haughty Djinn. The Djinn, in particular, is great in this deck because it can become incredibly powerful in the late game.

Kiora, the Rising Tide is also a great addition. It supports the strategy and is a potential finisher at the same time.

An interesting detail about this list is that you can reanimate all your creatures because they cost 3 or less, which adds even more value to it.

This deck also includes a very solid mana base because it plays lands that enter untapped and thus give you more speed. Meticulous Archive is also essential: it is a mana fix that has synergy with the overall strategy because of its surveil.

Mulligan and Game Style

Azorius Oculus is very similar to decks like Izzet Phoenix: you need to feed your graveyard and, at the same time, get ready to deal with your opponent's threats.

Keep in mind that you can always cast Abhorrent Oculus in the traditional way, as you'll fill your graveyard quite fast.

Here's an example of a perfect opening hand:

Vs. Dimir Midrange

This is a very close matchup. Dimir is currently the most popular deck in the format, and it plays very similarly to Azorius. However, it plays more removals that are also more efficient, and also creatures that can trade well and create a lot of value.

Deep-Cavern Bat is an issue you'll have to deal with, as it can exile one of your key pieces. Be fast and precise to create inevitability as fast as possible.

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Vs. Gruul Prowess

In this matchup, you need to be fast and put Oculus in play as early as possible so you can stabilize the game. Even then, game 1 will be tough, and your opponent can quickly put pressure on you until they can deal a lethal amount of damage.

In game 2, your sideboard may give you a few strategies that will definitely help, but it will still be complicated. You'll have to rely on luck quite a lot.

Monastery Mentor is an excellent way to stabilize the game. Sheltered by Ghosts is special in this matchup, but keep an eye out for Screaming Nemesis - this card can destroy your life points entirely.

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Vs. Boros Burn

If Gruul is bad, Boros is worse. Red decks got some powerful support recently, particularly Boltwave, a 1-mana burn that lets them deal damage directly.

Together, Burst Lightning, Boros Charm, and Lightning Helix make 16 burn spells that will certainly make your life a lot harder. This is perhaps one of the worst matchups for Azorius, but, with a little bit of luck and a good sequence, you can still kill them before they kill you. Sheltered by Ghosts is once again critical.

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Vs. Golgari Midrange

Golgari Midrange is one of the best decks in the format nowadays. It combines the best removals available and powerful creatures alongside an excellent game plan. Now, it also uses the interaction between Archfiend of the Dross and Unholy Annex, which, on its own, is enough to beat many decks.

In this matchup, you should do exactly the same you did against Dimir. However, the difference is that, instead of counters, you'll face more disruption and a new enemy that joined this list recently, Scavenging Ooze. This graveyard hate with a body can frustrate us quite a lot.

Nonetheless, a well-played Oculus or Djinn are more than enough to win the game. So, focus on your game plan and try to fill the board as much as possible.

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Vs. Mono-White Tokens

I consider Oculus slightly favored in this matchup. Mono-White plays many removals, and their global removals are particularly powerful, but blue gives you the tools you need to deal with this. Nonetheless, you still need to play your creatures faster and put a lot of pressure on your opponent until you can finish the game more safely.

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Azorius Oculus is a fun deck that can be quite rewarding. It stands out among other decks in the format because its game plan is different. Yet, it is also a bit similar to them.

What about you? What did you think of this list? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!