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Optimal deck archetypes for Taught by Narset
Blue magic meets command-zone strategy in a way that’s equal parts elegant and cheeky. Taught by Narset is a two-mana commander-enchantment aura that slides onto a commander creature and never quite leaves—no matter how many zones that commander may wander into. When you cast this aura, you draw a card, and the enchanted creature gains prowess and ward {2}. That ward is not just a shield; it’s a subtle nudge that invites you to lean into a tempo-y, noncreature-spell-centric game plan. 🧙♂️🔥💎 In short, it rewards careful spell sequencing, careful protection, and a love for blue’s bag of tricks. Let’s explore three solid archetypes that make the most of its chassis, with practical tips to tune each vibe for your table. 🎲⚔️🎨
1) Blue Voltron with Aura-Driven Behemoths
Voltron is the classic “one big commander, lots of buffs” game plan, and Taught by Narset slots in as a gentle but potent enabler. The aura’s static grant of prowess means your commander grows more dangerous each time you sling a noncreature spell—every cantrip, every cycle, every draw spell feeds the puzzle. The ward {2} adds a layer of resilience in a format where removal-heavy boards are the norm and landing a single hard-to-answer threat can swing the entire game. 🧙♂️
- Core idea: lean into a commander with strong evasion or automated value generation, and fill the deck with cheap, efficient blue spells that you can cast often. Each spell you cast makes the enchanted general bigger or tougher to remove thanks to prowess and the protective ward. The payoff is a predictable, incremental beatdown that doesn’t require you to wade through a maelstrom of permanents.
- Key inclusions: cantrips and card-advantage spells that don’t require creatures to hit the battlefield. Think bounce, redraw, or filtering that keeps your hands full while you pepper opponents with spell-based pressure.
- Tip: protect your commander with versatile countermagic and selective hand disruption. If you’re leaning into Voltron, a few “protect the aura” tools—return-to-hand or reattachment options—help you stabilize when an opponent nukes your board or tries a mass removal sweep.
2) Spellslinger Tempo: Blue Draw, Counter, and Cast Every Turn
Another natural home for Taught by Narset is a spellslinger tempo deck that lives and breathes on high-volume spellcasting. The aura’s card draw on casting gives you a steady cadence of resources, and the prowess granted to your enchanted commander means your noncreature spells are not just fillers—they’re momentum. The ward is a nice safety valve as you push in with a nimble threat while keeping opponents at bay with disruption. 🔮🎲
- Core idea: fill the deck with cheap, flexible counterspells, cantrips, and value draws. Your aim is to sequence spells that keep your opponent on the back foot while you chip away with a well-protected commander.
- Synergistic commanders: look for blue leaders who love spell density, whether they reward you for casting more spells or simply provide a solid blueprint for tempo and card advantage. Taught by Narset plays nicely with these plans because every cast expands your options without forcing you to overcommit to a board state.
- Practical touchstones: include ways to untap or recycle your noncreature spells, and a few targeted removal pieces to deal with problem permanents. You’re building toward a rhythm: draw, cast, protect, redraw, and repeat.
3) Enchantment-Centric Control: A Curious Enchantress’s Playground
Here’s a flavor-filled approach: lean into a deck that mauls opponents with a suite of enchantments, countermagic, and heavy control elements while your commander—enchanted by Narset—takes advantage of prowess and ward to stay safe and relevant. Taught by Narset acts as both a value engine (draw a card when you cast it) and a way to empower your commander in a soft-stax-y, tempo-heavy fashion. The Unknown Event set’s playful aura design invites a playful control shell that doesn’t rely on brute force alone. ⚔️🎨
- Core idea: fill the board with protective enchantments, a few "enchantments that draw" effects, and a reliable suite of counterspells. Let the aura anchor your strategy, giving your commander the stay-and-fight toolkit it needs to weather answers and push through a final victory
- Deck tweaks: include a modest number of targeted discard or disruption spells to slow the opposition while your own draw engine digs for answers. Enchantments that synergize with blue’s control identity—hand disruption, auras that provide both defense and advantage—become your workhorse pieces.
- Finishers: you don’t need huge creatures to win; a properly empowered commander can swing for a surprising amount of damage or present a lethal clock in the air, especially with an ever-growing board of noncreature spells behind it.
For players who love the meta where “cast, draw, protect, cast again” defines the pace, this aura opens a path that respects both volatility and control. The Unknown Event—playful as its name suggests—reminds us that even a casually themed card can anchor serious, competitive play when built with intent. 🧙♂️🔥
“A tutor in the mind, a shield in the air, a pulse of blue that never stops beating.”
Practical deckbuilding notes
- Mana base: blue-heavy, with a healthy number of island sources and mana rocks or prisms to ensure you can deploy Taught by Narset early and still have options for follow-up spells.
- Card draw and filtering: since you draw on cast, you want a robust set of cantrips and cheap draw spells to keep your hand full and your options open.
- Protection matrix: counterspell suite plus targeted removal. Consider some bounce effects to reattach the aura if needed and a few clone-like effects to maintain pressure after a wipe.
- Commander synergy: pick a commander that can take advantage of a high spell density without collapsing under pressure. Blue’s strength is keeping options open and dictating the pace of the game, so lean into that.
- Budget considerations: the Unknown Event set’s aura is common, which helps if you’re building on a budget. The real value comes from the archetype you choose and the quality of your noncreature spells.
Whether you lean into a Voltron-style beatdown, a tempo-driven spellslinger, or a meticulous enchantment-control corridor, Taught by Narset invites you to blend card advantage with protective tempo. It’s a reminder that blue isn’t just about saying “no”—it’s about shaping the game’s tempo so you can say “yes” to your next draw, your next spell, and the next turn. For fans who’re chasing the next meta-shift or simply chasing the next brilliant play, this aura is a nudge in the right direction. 🧙♂️💎
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