cEDH Deck Tech: Vivi Ornitier

Final Fantasy introduced us to a terrifying new commander: Vivi Ornitier! As many expected, Vivi quickly started standing out as one of the most explosive and promising decks in the format as soon as it came out. I, myself, had promised to eat a copy of it in a live broadcast if it didn't make it to a top 16 until the end of the year. However, as it has already done this, I'm going to take it a step further. If it doesn't make it to a top 4 with at least 64 players, I'll eat two copies of it in a live broadcast.

Vivi's incredible. We can use its absurd ability to create mana whenever we cast a noncreature spell, as this will give it a +1/+1 counter, and it will also deal damage to the opponents. All of this made Vivi quite viable for a modern Izzet Storm strategy. It is possibly the best we've ever had, as it is full of fast interactions, card draw engines, and, of course, many combos. The best part of it all? Unlike other Storm commanders, this strategy doesn't need a thousand pieces to work. After all, Vivi is its own damage outlet!

The plan is simple: feed your engine until your deck starts throwing up cards, damage, and a lot of spells.

But don't let it all go to your head yet. It may seem like all you need to do is "Storm out" and win, but you can actually play this deck in a few different ways. So, get ready - the spell is about to begin!

Here's our decklist for today!

This entire strategy centers around casting as many spells as possible to create value with Vivi. Each noncreature spell we cast will make Vivi more powerful and give us one mana. This may also draw cards.

Our game plan is divided into three acts:

The Beginning: Setting Up Mana and Value

On the first few turns, you should set up your mana base and put in play some card draw engine. Unsurprisingly, like any great blue deck, you should look for a Mystic Remora, Rhystic Study, or The One Ring, which are essential at this stage.

Furthermore, mana rocks, like Mox Diamond, Chrome Mox, and Sol Ring, will speed up your game plan and help you put Vivi in play as fast as possible. Even buffs like Zhalfirin Shapecraft and Wild Ride will put you ahead of your opponents, considering Vivi's ability will create more mana when you play them.

Any opening hand with a card draw engine and at least two cheap interactions will already be good enough.

Please note that you're not the table police. Yes, this list is blue, but controlling three different players is a nearly impossible task. You'll be better off using your interactions to protect yourself.

The Middle: The Rising Storm

Once Vivi is in play, you can speed up. It'll create mana for you whenever you cast a noncreature spell, and if you also have any "Curiosity" effects, such as Curiosity itself or Ophidian Eye, each spell in general will also draw cards. Three cards, 1 for 3 - seems like a great surplus.

This is when the deck starts going off. Card draw enchantments, cheap spells, and creatures like Dualcaster Mage or Storm-Kiln Artist will scale pretty quickly.

If your opponents can't kill you, you'll probably kill them.

The End: The Magic Show

The end of the game is full of combos, and you can win in many ways:

Underworld Breach + Brain Freeze + Lion's Eye Diamond results in infinite Storm counters and a win by both milling your opponents and dealing damage to them, one by one.

Displacer Kitten + Haze of Rage results in infinite Storm counters as you blink Vivi.

Hullbreaker Horror + a positive mana rock results in infinite mana and infinite damage with Vivi.

Quicksilver Elemental, copying Vivi, results in infinite mana.

Storm-Kiln Artist + buffs (Haze of Rage) results in infinite mana and damage.

All you need to do is know exactly when you should pull the trigger and keep at least one interaction to protect your combo. After all, everyone knows Vivi is dangerous. Your biggest problem with this list is keeping Vivi alive.

Curiosity Effects

These are your main engines. Enchanting Vivi with Curiosity will make any spell a new card - and this will be the beginning of the end for your opponents.

The best options are above.

Sigil of Sleep might not be a Curiosity effect, but it deserved an honorable mention simply because it obliterates creature decks.

Tutors

With this list, you need to find the right enchantments or combo pieces. These tutors will help you build the perfect hand.

Dizzy Spell draws from Curiosity to Banishing Knack.

Imperial Recruiter finds Tandem Lookout, Valley Floodcaller, Displacer Kitten, and many others.

Gamble, Mystical Tutor, and Spellseeker are classic tutors.

Intuition draws multiple cards at once.

Buffs and Rituals

Your buff spells are almost rituals: with Vivi in play, they become mana and might even draw cards.

Haze of Rage is the best card in this list for infinite Storm combos.

Wild Ride is an explosive buff that creates a lot of mana.

Zhalfirin Shapecraft is the definition of "profit".

Other options to buff Vivi are Twisted Image and Monstrous Rage.

Protection and Interaction

If there's one thing you must focus on, is that Vivi remains in play at all times. This list plays a few protection spells besides classic counterspells:

Spellskite redirects removals targeting Vivi.

Dragonfire Blade is flexible, helps with Vivi activation and costs only one.

Conqueror's Flail prevents opponents from playing on their turn. It is a colorless silence effect.

Let's go through our combos.

Underworld Breach

This combo creates infinite Storm counters and self-mills. Then, you can play it all over again. It is a guaranteed win if Vivi is in play, as it'll drain your opponents whenever you cast a spell. Actually, you'll basically win with this combo even without Vivi.

Displacer Kitten + Haze of Rage

With Vivi and Displacer Kitten in play, play Haze of Rage.

Blink Vivi with Kitten, then play it again and buff it all over again.

Repeat with Storm 3 or more, and you'll basically win through pings.

Hullbreaker Horror

Hullbreaker Horror + two positive or neutral mana rocks.

With this combo, you'll basically be able to bounce and cast an infinite number of cards.

Vivi will deal 1 damage whenever you cast a spell, and you'll just win.

Quicksilver Elemental

Copy Vivi with Quicksilver Elemental by paying

Like so, it'll be able to create mana and deal damage whenever you cast a spell.

It will also create a blue/red mana loop.

Other Combos

Storm-Kiln Artist + any cheap buff.

Frantic Search + Dragon's Rage Channeler + Underworld Breach.

Let's hear a round of applause for Vivi Ornitier, which is more than a pretty card and a cute little mage. It is a Storm machine disguised as an innocent, cute commander. It basically turns common spells into jet fuel and each Curiosity enchantment into an avalanche of cards.

If you enjoy explosive decks that deal a lot of damage, draw a lot of cards, and are quite chaotic, then this deck is perfect for you. The meta is ready for the show... I just can't say the same for your opponents.

What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!