If you've drafted Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, you know all about the power of Zenith Flare. In Limited, the instant will often deal 5-8 damage. In the new multiplayer format Oathbreaker, we hope to deal 10-20 damage with our signature spell, one-shotting the opposition and gaining life for our trouble.

To unleash this Godzilla-strength energy blast, we're playing a deck with over 30 cyclers. Cards like Fluctuator will power them. Gavi, Nest Warden will also tend to our cycling needs, while raising an army of adorable Dinosaur cats. With a potent backup plan of creatures, we will prepare a countdown to our doom laser. First, we'll need to cast our planeswalker from the command zone. As long as she is on the battlefield, we can cast our signature spell, taxed two more each time.

Zenith Flare and Narset of the Ancient Way in Oathbreaker

Narset's Zenith | Oathbreaker | AE Marling

• Locket (2)
• 1 Narset of the Ancient Way
• 1 Zenith Flare

• Creatures (16)
• 1 Cloud of Faeries
• 1 Cunning Survivor
• 1 Curator of Mysteries
• 1 Drannith Healer
• 1 Drannith Stinger
• 1 Flourishing Fox
• 1 Flameblade Adept
• 1 Gavi, Nest Warden
• 1 Hollow One
• 1 Nimble Obstructionist
• 1 Stoic Champion
• 1 Snare Tactician
• 1 Splendor Mare
• 1 Tribute Mage
• 1 Valiant Rescuer
• 1 Yidaro, Wandering Monster

• Instants (7)
• 1 Angelsong
• 1 Censor
• 1 Countervailing Winds
• 1 Forsake the Worldly
• 1 Miscalculation
• 1 Neutralize
• 1 Rescind

• Sorceries (2)
• 1 Decree of Justice
• 1 Sweltering Suns

• Enchantment (9)
• 1 Astral Drift
• 1 Astral Slide
• 1 Cast Out
• 1 Drake Haven
• 1 Fires of Invention
• 1 Lightning Rift
• 1 New Perspectives
• 1 Ominous Seas
• 1 Reptilian Reflection

• Artifacts (2)
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Fluctuator

• Lands (22)
• 1 Island
• 1 Mountain
• 1 Plains
• 1 Ash Barrens
• 1 Azorius Chancery
• 1 Blasted Landscape
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Desert of the Fervent
• 1 Desert of the Mindful
• 1 Desert of the True
• 1 Drifting Meadow
• 1 Forgotten Cave
• 1 Hallowed Fountain
• 1 Irrigated Farmland
• 1 Lonely Sandbar
• 1 Mystic Monastery
• 1 Raugrin Triome
• 1 Remote Isle
• 1 Sacred Foundry
• 1 Secluded Steppe
• 1 Smoldering Crater
• 1 Steam Vents

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Oathbreaker allows for a focused strategy revolving around the two cards in your command zone. At the same time, if your plan is too singular, your opponents may be able to stop you from executing it. For example, Drannith Magistrate could stand in the way of Narset obtaining enlightenment and subliming material distractions with a Zenith Flare. But thanks to our alternate plan of attacking with creatures, we will be able to punish any player for disrupting our meditative state.

Another creature, Nimble Obstructionist, can counter a planeswalker's ultimate. You could also simply cast the Bird Wizard at end of turn and attack. Leaving mana untapped has political power, even if your plan is as innocent as cycling. I've included a few counterspells with which you can use to gain favors. Before casting Miscalculation on an opponent's spell, see if you can reach an understanding. After all, there's no need to Neutralize a Fireball if the pyromancer has no intention of targeting you.

I chose Narset of the Ancient Way as our Oathbreaker to have access to the colors of her Jeskai heritage. With her, we can gain New Perspectives, and from the lofty heights of her transcendent mental state we will be able to Zenith Flare for 20. Her abilities also have minor synergies with our strategy. Her +1 will help us cast our signature spell, and her -2 can fill our graveyard with more cyclers while subduing opposing planeswalkers.

With Blue, we can also tutor for the critical Fluctuator with Tribute Mage. Enlightened Tutor would also be useful, though I excluded it to make this decklist more budget. Mystical Tutor is less expensive, and you could even play it as your signature spell to hide Zenith Flare within your deck. Seeing the high-damage instant face-up in your command zone will make your opponents sweat. They'll feel the pressure as you count down the turns, charging your enormous spell cannon. You may win more games with slightly more subtlety. As powerful as Mystical Tutor is, it will require your foes to do more mental calculus to understand your threat.

If you choose to study under a Mystical Tutor, you will still want the option to cast Zenith Flare multiple times. To that end, include Mystic Retrieval. You can also choose between the mana efficient option of Flood of Recollection or the more flavorful Volcanic Vision, as Narset takes inspiration from the lava flows of the Raugrin Triome.

Though subterfuge has advantages, the Mystical Tutor package will force you to cut creatures. You cannot afford to reduce your cycler card count. If anything, 37 cyclers are too few. You may also question the number of lands. Decks with lots of cycling tend to play fewer, but remember, many of our cyclers are lands. Drawing more of them isn't a problem. And you will need them all to cast Zenith Flare multiple times to explode the heads of more than one opponent.

Speaking of lands, I chose as many budget options as I could. Add a Sea of Clouds if you own one, and should you be able to play it, please do imagine Narset levitating through the sky in a lotus position. I added one and only one Ravnica bounce land, Azorius Chancery. Though I like the idea of returning a cycling land to my hand, the deck already has reached its capacity for tapped lands. The bounce lands also are a nombo with Fires of Invention, which can really heat up your cycling engine. Yes, it will shut off your counters, but this deck never has dead draws, only more cyclers.

Fires of Invention may be dominating Standard now, but back in the day the format was defined by different enchantments: Astral Slide and Lightning Rift. Their presence on the casual table will intimidate potential attackers. Any who dare approach Narset in her trance will be exiled or electrocuted.

To best use these synergies, you need as many cyclers as you can squeeze into a decklist. It's for that reason I excluded otherwise powerful Jeskai cards, such as Pramikon, Sky Rampart. This is our first commander with that color identity, and I don't blame you for wanting to include all your favorite Raugrin cards, new and old. For this focused strategy, stick to cyclers. For a more general one full of individually powerful cards, examine this list by the Weirdcards Charitable Club, creators of the Oathbreaker format.

The set of Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths has given new velocity to the cycling strategy. Not only did it provide our signature spell but also the delightful Reptilian Reflection. The raptor dodges sorcery-speed board wipes and can turn into a creature at instant speed to block. Clever girl!

One Ikoria card I excluded was Shark Typhoon. Not only do I find the concept more derivative than creative, but also I object to the card name. A typhoon is a sea storm, not a tornado. I would've preferred "Sharkspout."

But always remember that casual formats are about having fun. If you find Shark Typhoon fun, find a place for it in your decklist. In times dark as these, it's important to find joy where you can.

Narset had her own ordeal to endure. War of the Spark brought out the worst of her (and everyone). After provoking so many judge calls as Narset, Parter of Veils, she needed a chance to center herself. That's why she journeyed to Ikoria. Her heart drew her to the Raugrin Triome. There, between the crash of the sea and the boom of volcanoes, she found peace. As the waters shone blue and the crystals glowed red, she felt the return of her own brilliance. A gale of Faerie Dragons provoked a Whirlwind of Thought.

How different Ikoria was from Tarkir, where dragons ruled. Here they were far smaller but no less wondrous. Traveling to a different plane helped Narset find her inner balance. In the same way, I hope a journey of imagination into the game of Magic can help you.

True, we cannot meet to play in person, but Weirdcards is organizing a Discord to connect players online. You should join them.