Brewing in a Top Hat: Historic Jeskai Turns

This week in Brewing in a Top Hat, I return to you with a powerful twist on Historic Jeskai Turns. Unlike the control shell that has been floating around the ladder, this iteration uses Lukka and Transmogrify to bring out Velomachus Lorehold, who then proceeds to attack and cast as many Time Warp as he can.

The list also features a Wishboard that it can access with The Raven’s Warning to set itself up for whatever it needs next; either put a big creature on top to Transmogrify or a big spell to cast with Velomachus.

Historic Jeskai Turns – Brewing in a Top Hat

[sd_deck deck=”NARezXTAf”]

Card Selection

Brainstorm

We all know how powerful this card can be with shuffle effects, but in our deck it also allows us to set up our Transmogrify or our Velomachus Lorehold.

The Birth of Meletis

This is our strongest turn 2 play. It both provides a shuffle effect for Brainstorm and a token for Transmogrify.

Memory Lapse

We mainboard this to protect our Transmogrify and token so we don’t get disrupted game one.

Rip Apart

Catch-all removal? This card is so good. Okay maybe not catch all; it can’t handle lands.

Timely Reinforcements

This is another token maker and good defense against aggro.

The Raven’s Warning

This card makes the deck click. It does so much more than make a token. It can set up a backup win condition like Ulamog. It lets us see our opponent’s hand to know whether to try to go off or not. It can grab our whole suite of sideboard tech. I love this card.

Deafening Clarion

Sure, it deals with wide strategies, but it also can be cast by Velomachus to give him lifesteal if you don’t find the Time Warp.

Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis

A token maker that can be recast from the graveyard is nice, especially if you happen to face Rogues.

Behold the Multiverse

Card advantage and consistency that can be cast with Velomachus is good for control matchups.

Transmogrify

You take the token and you turn it into Velomachus. That’s it. That’s the deck. Also can be hard removal if your opponent thinks they’re slick with their Grafdigger’s Cage.

Time Warp

We’ve had one yes, but what about Second Turn?

Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast

Transmogrify with a young dad-vibe.  And hey, you can activate it twice if you need to.

Velomachus Lorehold

The Founder himself.  The dragon, the legend, the taker of turns.

Wishboard Guide

Use the following 7 card sideboard for best-of-one to fetch with The Raven’s Warning:

• Aquatic Incursion: For when your opponent keeps removing your tokens.
• Chandra, Awakened Inferno: For when your opponent has too many counterspells to get anything else through, or is about to take a lot of turns.
• Rest in Peace: For graveyard shenanigans.
• Single Combat: To board wipe without hurting Velomachus, and to lock certain decks out for a turn. Not technically a Time Warp, but if they can’t cast anything it’s pretty close.
• Test of Talents: For Sultai Ultimatum, Mizzix’s Mastery, and other combo nonsense.
• Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger: Because sometimes you need a big dumb beater than can’t die…
• Zetalpa, Primal Dawn: … And sometimes you need it to have Flying.

Sideboard Guide

Gruul / Elves

In	Out
+2 Deafening Clarion	-1 Memory Lapse
+1 Anger of the Gods	-1 Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis
+1 Single Combat	-2 Behold the Multiverse

Auras

In	Out
+2 Deafening Clarion	-2 Behold the Multiverse
+1 Anger of the Gods	-1 Time Warp
+1 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger	-2 Velomachus Lorehold
+1 Zetalpa, Primal Dawn

Sultimatum / Turns

In	Out
+2 Test of Talents	-2 Deafening Clarion
+1 Dovin’s Veto	-2 Timely Reinforcements
+2 Mystical Dispute	-1 Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis

Control

In	Out
+2 Test of Talents	-2 Deafening Clarion
+1 Dovin’s Veto	-2 Timely Reinforcements
+2 Mystical Dispute	-1 Memory Lapse

Jund

In	Out
+2 Rest in Peace	-2 Behold the Multiverse
+2 Deafening Clarion	-1 Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis
+1 Anger of the Gods	-1 Timely Reinforcements
	-1 Memory Lapse

Arcanist

In	Out
+2 Rest in Peace	-2 Behold the Multiverse
+2 Deafening Clarion	-1 Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis
+1 Anger of the Gods	-1 Rip Apart
	-1 Memory Lapse

Tips and Tricks

Other Cards and Budget Options

Here are some other cards that I tried and evaluated for you. Some were playable and some, not so much. Adjust for your collection to craft the version that works best for you, without blowing all your wild cards.

Mizzix’s Mastery

For if you want to really go off on them. Each of these can hit Time Warps you cast previously.

Scholar of the Lost Trove

Works the same way as Mizzix’s Mastery, but is better off in the Wishboard so you can plop it on top with The Raven’s Warning then Transmogrify it out.

Urza’s Ruinous Blast

Works fine if you have it instead of Single Combat.

Storm’s Wrath

Clears the board and hits walkers without killing Velomachus.

Lorehold Command

Every mode can be useful here, and it can be cast with Velomachus.

Starnheim Unleashed

I had these in at one point and they were a useful backup win-con, but I rarely cast them so I transitioned away from them.  Still, if you have them, they work.

Commit

This is a decent way of shuffling Time Warps back into deck if you run out.  I’d keep it in the sideboard.

Lightning Helix / Justice Strike / Abrade

Oh you mean worse Rip Apart?  No but seriously, these are fine replacement options.  It’s really just a preference.  Use whatever balance fits what you are facing best.