Bracket 4 · Our Vivi Ornitier decklist · Spellslinger
Our Vivi list is high-power Izzet spellslinger. Every noncreature spell grows Vivi and pings each opponent, and once a turn Vivi pays you back with mana equal to its power.
The deck chains cheap cantrips and free spells, doubles Vivi's triggers with Harmonic Prodigy and Veyran, refuels with Rhystic Study and Niv-Mizzet, Visionary, and wins with Niv-Mizzet, Parun loops, Grapeshot or Underworld Breach.
- Strategy
- Spellslinger
- Bracket
- 4
- Avg. mana value
- 2.18
- Lands
- 31
01The Commander
Vivi Ornitier is a three-mana 0/3 Wizard. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, Vivi gets a +1/+1 counter and deals 1 damage to each opponent.
For {0}, Vivi adds X mana in any combination of {U} and {R}, where X is its power. You can use this only during your turn and only once each turn, so cast a few spells first and tap Vivi when it is big.
Vivi is a Wizard, so Harmonic Prodigy makes its trigger happen twice. Veyran, Voice of Duality does the same for instants and sorceries.
02How This Deck Wins
- 1
Fast start
Sol Ring, Chrome Mox, Lotus Petal and Simian Spirit Guide get Vivi out on turn one or two. Mox Amber only makes mana once Vivi is out.
- 2
Chain cheap spells
Brainstorm, Ponder, Preordain and Gitaxian Probe each grow Vivi and ping the table, then Vivi's mana pays for the next round.
- 3
Close it out
Niv-Mizzet, Parun with Curiosity draws and pings the table out, or a big turn ends with Grapeshot or an Underworld Breach loop.
03Deck at a Glance
Bracket 4 · Spellslinger · 100 cards
Composition
- Commander1
- Creatures15
- Instants & sorceries36
- Artifacts & enchantments17
- Planeswalkers0
- Lands31
- Tokens5
Mana Curve
Color Split
symbols
- Blue 65%
- Red 35%
By the Numbers
Cards by Role
04Spell Payoffs
Creatures that turn every spell into damage, cards or mana.
Also in this role
05Card Draw
Cheap draw keeps the chain going.
Also in this role
06Finishers and Tutors
Find the kill and end the game.
Also in this role
07Fast Mana
Cheap and free mana means more spells per turn.
Also in this role
08Interaction
Free and cheap answers that also grow Vivi.
Also in this role
09Combos and Key Interactions
Niv-Mizzet, Parun + Curiosity
Each card you draw makes Niv deal 1 damage to an opponent, and Curiosity draws a card off that damage. The loop runs until your opponents are dead or your library runs out. Ophidian Eye and Tandem Lookout work the same way.
Niv-Mizzet, Parun + Niv-Mizzet, Visionary
Each draw makes Parun ping an opponent, and Visionary draws a card for that damage, starting the loop again.
Vivi Ornitier + Harmonic Prodigy
Every noncreature spell gives Vivi two counters and deals 2 damage to each opponent. Add Veyran and each instant or sorcery triggers Vivi three times.
Vivi Ornitier + Niv-Mizzet, Visionary
Each Vivi ping draws you a card for each opponent hit, so every spell refills your hand.
10How to Play
Opening hand
Keep hands with Vivi castable by turn two or three, some fast mana and a couple of cantrips. Free counterspells make a hand much stronger.
Early gameturns 1-3
Play fast mana and Vivi, then cast cheap spells like Ponder or Consider to start growing it.
Mid gameturns 4-7
Chain spells, tap Vivi once it has grown, and add Harmonic Prodigy, Curiosity or Niv-Mizzet, Visionary. Hold up Force of Will or Fierce Guardianship.
Late gameturn 8+
Assemble Niv-Mizzet, Parun with Curiosity, or chain into Underworld Breach and finish with Grapeshot.
Tips
- Vivi's mana works only once each turn and only on your turn, so tap it after you have grown it.
- Free spells like Fierce Guardianship, Pact of Negation and Lotus Petal still trigger Vivi if they are noncreature spells.
- Snap and Frantic Search untap lands, so they grow Vivi almost for free.
- Harmonic Prodigy also doubles triggers on Guttersnipe, Storm-Kiln Artist and both Niv-Mizzets.
Common mistakes
- Tapping Vivi for mana before casting your cheap spells that turn.
- Forgetting to pay for Pact of Negation on your next upkeep.
- Casting Windfall when it refills an opponent more than you.
- Overextending creatures into a wipe when the deck wins with spells.
Watch out for
- Removal on Vivi and Niv-Mizzet.
- Counterspells and stax that tax noncreature spells.
- Graveyard hate against Underworld Breach.
- Fast combo decks you need to counter.
11Bracket and Rule 0
Our list runs 9 Game Changers (Chrome Mox, Cyclonic Rift, Fierce Guardianship, Force of Will, Gamble, Jeska's Will, Mystical Tutor, Rhystic Study, Underworld Breach). That is more than the Bracket 3 limit of three, so we call it Bracket 4 at the table.
This list runs nine Game Changers, including Force of Will, Chrome Mox, Underworld Breach and Jeska's Will, so it pushes toward Bracket 4. Talk to your table before the game.
Niv-Mizzet, Parun with Curiosity, Ophidian Eye, Tandem Lookout or Niv-Mizzet, Visionary is a two-card loop that wins on the spot, so flag it at Rule 0.
12Full Decklist
Every card in our Vivi Ornitier proxy deck (100 cards). Hover or tap a name to see the card.
Commander
- 1Vivi Ornitier1UR
Creatures (15)
- 1Coruscation Mage1R
- 1Harmonic Prodigy1R
- 1Hexing Squelcher1R
- 1Runaway Steam-Kin1R
- 1Stormcatch MentorUR
- 1Guttersnipe2R
- 1Simian Spirit Guide2R
- 1Tandem Lookout2U
- 1Veyran, Voice of Duality1UR
- 1Archmage Emeritus2UU
- 1Storm-Kiln Artist3R
- 1Quicksilver Elemental3UU
- 1Niv-Mizzet, ParunUUURRR
- 1Niv-Mizzet, Visionary4UR
- 1Hullbreaker Horror5UU
Instants (22)
- 1Pact of Negation0
- 1An Offer You Can't RefuseU
- 1BrainstormU
- 1ConsiderU
- 1FlusterstormU
- 1Lightning BoltR
- 1Magic DamperU
- 1Mystical TutorU
- 1OptU
- 1PongifyU
- 1Swan SongU
- 1Arcane Denial1U
- 1Brain Freeze1U
- 1CounterspellUU
- 1Cyclonic Rift1U
- 1Negate1U
- 1Snap1U
- 1Deflecting Swat2R
- 1Fierce Guardianship2U
- 1Force of Negation1UU
- 1Frantic Search2U
- 1Force of Will3UU
Sorceries (14)
- 1Faithless LootingR
- 1GambleR
- 1Gitaxian ProbeU/P
- 1PonderU
- 1PreordainU
- 1Rite of FlameR
- 1Strike It RichR
- 1Wild RideR
- 1Callous Dismissal1U
- 1Expressive IterationUR
- 1Grapeshot1R
- 1Jeska's Will2R
- 1Windfall2U
- 1Blasphemous Act8R
Artifacts (11)
- 1Chrome Mox0
- 1Lotus Petal0
- 1Mox Amber0
- 1Sol Ring1
- 1Arcane Signet2
- 1Fellwar Stone2
- 1Izzet Signet2
- 1Lightning Greaves2
- 1Swiftfoot Boots2
- 1Talisman of Creativity2
- 1Thought Vessel2
Enchantments (6)
- 1CuriosityU
- 1Mystic RemoraU
- 1Sigil of SleepU
- 1Underworld Breach1R
- 1Ophidian Eye2U
- 1Rhystic Study2U
Lands (31)
- 1Cascade Bluffs
- 1Command Tower
- 1Fiery Islet
- 1Frostboil Snarl
- 9Island
- 1Mistrise Village
- 7Mountain
- 1Otawara, Soaring City
- 1Reliquary Tower
- 1Riverpyre Verge
- 1Scalding Tarn
- 1Shivan Reef
- 1Steam Vents
- 1Stormcarved Coast
- 1Sulfur Falls
- 1Thundering Falls
- 1Training Center
Get the deck
Vivi Ornitier Spellslinger proxy deck
Vivi grows with every spell and pays you back in mana. Chain spells, protect the engine, and burn the table out.
Every card in this guide is shown exactly as it prints in the deck you get, sleeve-ready, with tokens.
Shop the deck · $45Every card named in this guide is in our deck, and every image is our own proxy card, rendered from the art in this deck.