Aetherworks Marvel is the defining combo deck in Standard as it stands. Whether you’re playing a Blue-based version that’s more all in or a delirium build that has some kind of backup plan, there are plenty of ways to try to cheat Emrakul, the Promised End into play to crush your opponent. That doesn’t mean it’s the only combo deck in the format. People have tried wacky Aetherflux Reservoir decks before, but I’m not sure we’ve seen anything quite like this before:

U/W Reservoir - Kaladesh Standard | DZiffka, 5-0 Standard League

• creatures (15)
• 4 Cloudblazer
• 4 Thraben Inspector
• 4 Torrential Gearhulk
• 2 Reflector Mage
• 1 Pilgrim's Eye

• Spells (21)
• 4 Engulf the Shore
• 3 Anticipate
• 3 Essence Flux
• 3 Glimmer of Genius
• 2 Aetherflux Reservoir
• 2 Cultivator's Caravan
• 2 Fumigate
• 1 Blessed Alliance
• 1 Immolating Glare

• Lands (24)
• 10 Island
• 2 Plains
• 4 Evolving Wilds
• 4 Port Town
• 4 Prairie Stream

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Aetherflux Reservoir
• 2 Blessed Alliance
• 2 Fumigate
• 1 Immolating Glare
• 1 Authority of the Consuls
• 2 Ceremonious Rejection
• 2 Negate
• 2 Summary Dismissal
• 2 Void Shatter

Buy This Deck

On its face, this is just a Blue-White control deck. Sweepers like Engulf the Shore and Fumigate backed by Torrential Gearhulk and Glimmer of Genius seems like a pretty good place to be for a control deck. This one even goes a little more creature-oriented by playing Cloudblazer, a card which I can’t wait to play more of.

In many games, the combination of Torrential Gearhulk and Engulf the Shore will generate enough tempo and value that you can win the game on raw card advantage. This is especially true if you’re picking up your Cloudblazer and Thraben Inspectors along the way. But what happens when the games go long? How do you end games where the ground stalls out and your opponents can keep pace with you after you resolve an Engulf the Shore?

That’s when you combo out with Aetherflux Reservoir. This deck has the ability to use Cloudblazer and Torrential Gearhulk to chain together Essence Flux. The ones you cast from your hand can target Cloudblazer, and Torrential Gearhulk can flicker itself a few times to cast a couple copies from your graveyard. A follow-up Engulf the Shore can let you replay a few copies of Thraben Inspector, and suddenly it’s not hard to imagine casting eight or nine spells in a turn, which is all you need to turn on the Aetherflux Reservoir to end the game.