Table of Contents
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
The list also features a Wishboard that it can access with
Historic Jeskai Turns – Brewing in a Top Hat
[sd_deck deck=”NARezXTAf”]
Card Selection
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.
This is our strongest turn 2 play. It both provides a shuffle effect for Brainstorm and a token for Transmogrify.
We mainboard this to protect our Transmogrify and token so we don’t get disrupted game one.
Catch-all removal? This card is so good. Okay maybe not catch all; it can’t handle lands.
This is another token maker and good defense against aggro.
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.
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.
A token maker that can be recast from the graveyard is nice, especially if you happen to face Rogues.
Card advantage and consistency that can be cast with Velomachus is good for control matchups.
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.
We’ve had one yes, but what about Second Turn?
Transmogrify with a young dad-vibe. And hey, you can activate it twice if you need to.
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
Think about what deck your opponent is playing and the types of removal they might run. If they are using targeted removal or counter magic, try to hold up your own counter. Count how many cards are in their hand and see if you can bait them into playing out their interaction before you go all in. Remember, there’s hexproof tokens in your sideboard for when you Raven’s Warning. If all else fails, there’s always hard casting.
Could be a few things. Either you are playing too cautiously, or you aren’t prioritizing board wipes in your opening hand. Or you are getting unlucky. This is always a possibility. If you are part of the first party, just suck it up and go for it sooner and deal with the fact that sometimes you will get blown out and lose. It’s part of the game and it’s okay.
If you are in the second party, try to remember what you’re facing when you keep your hand. Try not to just see three lands in your hand and decide to keep it. You need specific playable cards to win certain matches.
If you’re just getting unlucky, then keep playing! Variance will swing back in your favor eventually.
I know! Isn’t it great? What a fantastic meta. This is a good thing. Dust off the loss and take solace in the fact that no one can be prepared for everything, and that is a good thing. Can’t win ‘em all!
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.
For if you want to really go off on them. Each of these can hit Time Warps you cast previously.
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.
Works fine if you have it instead of Single Combat.
Clears the board and hits walkers without killing Velomachus.
Every mode can be useful here, and it can be cast with Velomachus.
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.
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.
