<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.artstation.com/evynfong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evyn Fong</a></em></p>
<p>This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander deck tech is going to attempt to bring the Fae back to their halcyon days.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist"></div></div>
<h2>Faerie History</h2>
<p>Faeries. Once the boogeyman of Standard, the name still strikes fear into the hearts of those who played competitively during the original <em>Lorwyn</em>. Flashy, evasive, and controlling, Dimir’s prodigal insectoid/humanoids expertly balance aggression and controlling elements to make a truly scary opponent. No <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Midsummer_Night%27s_Dream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Midsummer Night’s Dreams</a> here, these buggers are the stuff of nightmares…for our opponents.</p>
<p>While individual Faeries do predate <em>Lorwyn</em>, and even have an impressive competitive pedigree, they didn’t really have a consistent throughline until the plane was visited. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud of Faeries" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud of Faeries</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> was used as a combo piece, but it was more because the ability to untap lands attached to reasonable effects in <em>Urza’s Legacy</em> was absolutely broken in half. Stapling cycling onto it was just gravy.</p>
<p>The Faeries of <em>Lorwyn</em>, however, proved the creature type wasn’t a flash in the pan. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterblossom" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterblossom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is considered one of the strongest token producers of all time. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spellstutter Sprite" href="#" target="_blank">Spellstutter Sprite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a Pauper all-star. Even <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scion of Oona" href="#" target="_blank">Scion of Oona</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mistbind Clique" href="#" target="_blank">Mistbind Clique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, while they may have fallen by the wayside, were dominant in their day, the former providing the deck’s clock and the latter sealing the game away.</p>
<p>Faeries reached their heyday with <em>Lorwyn</em> and <em>Morningtide</em>, but there have been Fae printed since. Eldraine introduced Fae in blue, black, and green, most notably the planeswalker <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Oko" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oko</a>. This Sultai color identity has continued into <a href="https://edhrec.com/sets/ecl" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Lorwyn Eclipsed</em></a>, notably with the printing of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Maralen, Fae Ascendant" href="#" target="_blank">Maralen, Fae Ascendant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Still, Maralen unites Faeries and Elves, which doesn’t feel like a true expression of either type.</p>
<p>But how do we translate that into Commander success? And can we still honor their playfulness while playing into their competitive pedigree?</p>
<h2>What Does <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Do?</h2>
<p>There are <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/faeries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a lot of Faerie commanders</a>, but Obyra is the one that gives the clearest lines to victory. A 2/2 flier for Dimir (<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-b" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) colors is already decently strong, and flash makes it even better, hearkening back to the days when players could play draw, go and aggro at the same time.</p>
<p>The real show, however, is the triggered ability.</p>
<p>Small fliers can get brick-walled by Dragons and the like, as we saw in articles about <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-bat-typal-with-zoraline-cosmos-caller" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bats</a> and <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/building-spirit-typal-with-millicent-restless-revenant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spirits</a>. So, how do we avoid this? Obyra makes each opponent lose a life whenever a Faerie enters under our control. Notably, this isn’t limited to non-token Fae, so <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterblossom" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterblossom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and its new functional reprint, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterbloom Bearer" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterbloom Bearer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, trigger it over and over.</p>
<p>Even if we can’t attack, we can make a ton of blockers while presenting a clock.</p>
<p>And if our opponents don’t have big fliers? That’s the stuff dreams are made of.</p>
<h2>Key Cards for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></h2>
<p>Faeries may have a reputation as little pranksters, but they provide serious threats. Most have flying, while many also have enters-the-battlefield (ETB) effects and/or flash, enabling them to be playful and mess with opponents’ boards and combat math.</p>
<p>They do, however, tend to have small base stats.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Puppeteer Clique"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faerie Vandal"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Puppeteer Clique" href="#" target="_blank">Puppeteer Clique</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an example of a Faerie with a powerful ETB. It lets us reanimate an opponent’s creature with haste, exiling it at end of turn. It also happens to have persist, which lets it return to the battlefield a bit smaller if it dies, triggering the ETB again.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Vandal" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Vandal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an example of a cheap, aggressive beater, flashing in on an opponent’s turn, simulating haste, and then growing whenever we draw multiple cards in the same turn.</p>
<p>And we intend to draw some cards.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faerie Mastermind"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nightveil Sprite"></div></div>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Mastermind" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Mastermind</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is an ode to one of the most successful Faerie players of all time, <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Yuta_Takahashi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yuta Takahashi</a>. Nicknamed "King of the Faeries," he won two of his three Grand Prix titles with Faeries decks. His invitational card is a flashy flying card draw engine with an activated ability to make each player draw a card.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nightveil Sprite" href="#" target="_blank">Nightveil Sprite</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a surveilling engine, triggering each time it attacks. As long as there’s a safe target, life totals will drop as we tear through our library.</p>
<p>But what are we digging for?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Snap"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aetherize"></div></div>
<p>One of the reasons I love Obyra so much (I even have a build among my personal decks!) is that the triggered ability works well with bounce spells. Several Faeries have self-bouncing abilities, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Impostor" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Impostor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which lets us reuse ETBs.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Snap" href="#" target="_blank">Snap</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is powerful for much the same reason <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud of Faeries" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud of Faeries</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is: It’s strong enough on its face without untapping lands, but untapping lands in a flash deck is even better.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aetherize" href="#" target="_blank">Aetherize</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, on the other hand, is a major tempo card, punishing opponents for overextending. It can even be cast after combat damage but before the second main phase, for a particularly devastating double-whammy when an opponent attacks another opponent.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glen Elendra Archmage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Glen Elendra Guardian"></div></div>
<p>While many on Lorwyn consider <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Glen_Elendra" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glen Elendra</a>’s existence a prank perpetrated by the Faeries, its protective magic, bestowed by <a href="https://mtg.wiki/page/Oona" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oona</a> herself, is no joke. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glen Elendra Archmage" href="#" target="_blank">Glen Elendra Archmage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has a storied history of sacrificing itself to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> opposing spells, often in counters decks that can regrow what it loses by persisting.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Glen Elendra Guardian" href="#" target="_blank">Glen Elendra Guardian</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> follows in its ancestor’s footsteps, entering with a counter that shrinks it, but being able to lose the counter to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> a spell and draw the spell’s controller a card, getting back some of the goodwill lost by countering the spell.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Castle Vantress"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Faerie Conclave"></div></div>
<p>As a flash deck, we want to be able to leave mana up and sink that mana into spells and abilities at instant speed. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Castle Vantress" href="#" target="_blank">Castle Vantress</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> lets us use our excess mana to dig deeper into the deck and set up our draws. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Faerie Conclave" href="#" target="_blank">Faerie Conclave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives us a secret attacker, letting us beat down after a board wipe while also benefitting from Faerie support, like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scion of Oona" href="#" target="_blank">Scion of Oona</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h2>How Does This <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> Commander Deck Win?</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Bitterblossom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Scion of Oona"></div></div>
<p>Our primary plan is to beat down aggressively with small, evasive creatures that are aggressively-costed. We want to win through combat, with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterblossom" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterblossom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterbloom Bearer" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterbloom Bearer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Scion of Oona" href="#" target="_blank">Scion of Oona</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> providing our most intentional forward-moving pieces. These cards swarm the battlefield early and often, and have formed the backbone of Faerie decks for as long as the type has been competitive.</p>
<p>Even in its heyday, however, there were games that a rush of fliers just couldn’t win. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist" href="#" target="_blank">Obyra, Dreaming Duelist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> gives the type a way to win through board stalls, by bouncing our own creatures and replaying them to lower life totals. It doesn’t target or deal damage, either, which makes counterplay particularly difficult.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Perplexing Test"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cryptic Command"></div></div>
<p>There are also board-breaking cards in this deck, some of which have a history with the type, and some of which are newer additions.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Perplexing Test" href="#" target="_blank">Perplexing Test</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is one of the few instant-speed mass bounce spells, which works well with our flash ability. It bounces either tokens or nontokens, so we can pick up our nontoken Faeries to replay later, while leaving our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterblossom" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterblossom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> tokens out to beat down.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cryptic Command" href="#" target="_blank">Cryptic Command</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a frequent collaborator with Faeries, often tapping down opposing boards and drawing a card to enable an all-out attack, but it can also bounce a Faerie to re-cast with Obyra out or an opposing threat to split attacks or prevent a counterattack. Even the <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ability can be useful to protect our board or prevent a nasty game-winning spell!</p>
<h2>Obyra, Dreaming Duelist Commander Deck List</h2>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Obyra, Dreaming Duelist Commander Deck Tech" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Obyra, Dreaming Duelist
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Alela, Cunning Conqueror
*1 Archmage of Echoes
*1 Barrow Naughty
*1 Bitterbloom Bearer
*1 Blightwing Bandit
*1 Brazen Borrower // Petty Theft
*1 Cloud of Faeries
*1 Faerie Bladecrafter
*1 Faerie Dreamthief
*1 Faerie Formation
*1 Faerie Harbinger
*1 Faerie Impostor
*1 Faerie Mastermind
*1 Faerie Seer
*1 Faerie Vandal
*1 Flitterwing Nuisance
*1 Glen Elendra Archmage
*1 Glen Elendra Guardian
*1 Glen Elendra Liege
*1 Halo Forager
*1 High Fae Trickster
*1 Hypnotic Sprite // Mesmeric Glare
*1 Likeness Looter
*1 Malleable Impostor
*1 Mocking Sprite
*1 Nightveil Sprite
*1 Nymris, Oona&#039;s Trickster
*1 Picklock Prankster // Free the Fae
*1 Puppeteer Clique
*1 Quickling
*1 Rankle, Master of Pranks
*1 Scion of Oona
*1 Shadow Puppeteers
*1 Snaremaster Sprite
*1 Sneaky Snacker
*1 Sower of Temptation
*1 Spellscorn Coven // Take It Back
*1 Spellstutter Sprite
*1 Talion&#039;s Messenger
*1 Talion, the Kindly Lord
*1 Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor
*1 Unwelcome Sprite
*1 Vendilion Clique
*1 Voracious Tome-Skimmer
[/Creatures]
[Enchantments]
*1 Bitterblossom
[/Enchantments]
[Sorceries]
*1 Distant Melody
*1 Stolen by the Fae
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Aetherize
*1 An Offer You Can&#039;t Refuse
*1 Arcane Denial
*1 Cryptic Command
*1 Faerie Trickery
*1 Familiar&#039;s Ruse
*1 Glen Elendra&#039;s Answer
*1 Perplexing Test
*1 Run Away Together
*1 Snap
*1 Spell Stutter
*1 Unsummon
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*1 Castle Vantress
*1 Faerie Conclave
*15 Island
*1 Minamo, School at Water&#039;s Edge
*1 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
*1 Otawara, Soaring City
*1 Path of Ancestry
*1 Riptide Laboratory
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*15 Swamp
*1 Three Tree City
*1 War Room
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>Faeries are a playful creature type that can mean business when it wants to. Its members have ranged from aggressive beaters, to control enablers, to combo pieces, and everything in between. The type is incredibly versatile, embracing a wide variety of playstyles and builds, while testing the skills and rules knowledge of its controllers with the flash ability.</p>
<p>They truly embrace the adage "Easy to play, impossible to master," offering endless replayability with even the most stock of builds.</p>
<p>But how would you build this flexible type? And which version is your favorite?</p>


dimir faeries

Building Faerie Typal With Obyra, Dreaming Duelist