(Izzet GuildgateIzzet Guildgate | Art by Noah Bradley)

Izzet Insectoids

How would you feel about paying one mana to draw six cards and get six 5/5 fliers with haste? Insane, right? This is what happens when you cast BrainstormBrainstorm with The Locust GodThe Locust God, [card]Alhammarret's Archive[/card] and Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms on the battlefield. Mind you, I am not too fond of four card combos. So how about a two card combo? Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery naming Insect to draw your whole library? Best make sure you have a way to stop drawing cards (or a Laboratory ManiacLaboratory Maniac in play) because that enchantment doesn't have a "may" trigger! Or maybe you prefer a one-two punch with SkullclampSkullclamp and [card]Ashnod's Altar[/card] to generate infinite mana and Insect tokens. This, and more, is the power of The Locust GodThe Locust God.

For this installment of the Pursuit of Knowledge series, we will explore the realm of Izzet, using the ranking of cards from EDH gameplay data to build a deck around a commander from this guild. I have been working hard these past few weeks to enter new gameplay data from last fall's MTG Muddstah, Commander Clash, and Game Knights matchups. We now have data from over sixty new games, which means we have better rankings overall and a more diverse card pool.

EDHREC database flourishes with 11,770 Izzet decks from 22 different commanders. The pool of cards that can be ranked with the augmented Command Zone gameplay data covers 596 spells and 137 lands. The original Command Zone gameplay data contained 29 games featuring an Izzet commander, with The Locus GodThe Locus God at the helm eight times. With 1,247 decks, The Locust GodThe Locust God, our pick for this article, is not the most popular commander on EDHREC (Mizzix of the IzmagnusMizzix of the Izmagnus has about 50% more decks than the Locust). However, the mixture of chaos and tempo that lends itself to The Locust GodThe Locust God brews best exemplifies the Izzet.

The Locust GodThe Locust God creates a 1/1 blue and red Insect creature token with flying and haste every time we draw a card. The more cards we draw, the more tokens our fearless leader pumps onto the battlefield. With this token army, we can swarm our opponents, or leverage their presence to generate mana, play more cards, and trigger ETB abilities that lead us to victory.

The Locust GodThe Locust God can also loot, and does not require to tap to do so, which means we can perform this action any number of times, as long as we can fulfill the mana requirement. If we can find a way to generate infinite mana, we will be able to draw cards from our library until we find the tools we need to close the game.

The most effective way to draw cards is with "wheel" effects. Coined after the iconic Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune card, a wheel effect usually requires players to discard their hand, then draw a number of cards. In the case of Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune, that number is seven, but in some cases, like WindfallWindfall, the amount varies. With The Locust GodThe Locust God on the battlefield, playing Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune amounts to seven cards and seven 1/1 fliers with haste, all for just three mana. Not bad! With additional enhancers, this can get pretty nasty. Imagine having a Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms in play. These 1/1 fliers transform into 6/6 fliers, enough to dispose of a player on the spot.

As we normally do in this series, we will look at the usual categories, ramp, card advantage/filtering, disruption, mass removal, and lands. We will also add two new categories, specific to this commander: 'core synergy: wheels' and 'core synergy: swarm.' We will select the cards for our deck based on the gameplay data card ranking, ensuring that we maximize the synergy between the cards to leverage our commander's abilities.

The average card type distribution of a deck with The Locust GodThe Locust God commander and the average mana curve of an average deck are shown below. We will tailor our how card type distribution and mana curve in a similar fashion.

The cards that we select for our deck will be shaded with a colored background in each table. The card rank will also be identified beside the card name. A card with no rank is a card that does not have enough presence in the gameplay data to rank. We need to use our best judgment to select unranked cards. The tables presented in this article can be used as templates to build future Izzet decks.

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Ramp

With no access to green, we mostly rely on mana rocks for ramp. Since our commander has a high casting cost of six CMC, and since our commander's presence is important to our game plan, we add more mana ramp than usual.

[card]Wayfarer's Bauble[/card] (3rd)	Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum (24th)	OmniscienceOmniscience (47th)	Mox DiamondMox Diamond (107th)
Astral CornucopiaAstral Cornucopia (6th)	Thought VesselThought Vessel (26th)	[card]Ashnod's Altar[/card] (48th)	Sky DiamondSky Diamond (109th)
Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar (7th)	Temple of the False GodTemple of the False God	Gilded LotusGilded Lotus (50th)	[card]Azor's Gateway[/card] (129th)
Izzet SignetIzzet Signet (10th)	Mana CryptMana Crypt (27th)	Basalt MonolithBasalt Monolith (56th)	TurnaboutTurnabout (136th)
Mana GeyserMana Geyser (14th)	Primal AmuletPrimal Amulet (29th)	Sneak AttackSneak Attack (71th)	[card]Cultivator's Caravan[/card] (141st)
Expedition MapExpedition Map (15th)	Chrome MoxChrome Mox (33rd)	High TideHigh Tide (90th)	Mind StoneMind Stone (181st)
Sol RingSol Ring (19th)	Dowsing DaggerDowsing Dagger (41st)	Conduit of RuinConduit of Ruin (104th)	Sword of the AnimistSword of the Animist (189th)
Everflowing ChaliceEverflowing Chalice (21st)	Dragonspeaker ShamanDragonspeaker Shaman (43th)	Gauntlet of PowerGauntlet of Power (105th)	Mana EchoesMana Echoes

For the first time in this series, Sol RingSol Ring makes the cut. While in decks that have access to green, it is not rated very high, in Izzet, it sits at a very respectable 19th position. Hooray for Sol RingSol Ring!

If there is a card that deserves attention for ramping in this deck however, it is Mana EchoesMana Echoes. This card generates tons of colorless mana. Playing a BrainstormBrainstorm nets three colorless mana. Playing a Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune nets 21 colorless mana! Draw a Pull from TomorrowPull from Tomorrow with the Wheel and if we have access to two additional blue mana, we can draw 21 cards and net... huh... 231 colorless mana!!!

To make Paradox EngineParadox Engine more effective, we need to ensure we have enough mana rocks in play. We include eight of them in our deck.

Gauntlet of PowerGauntlet of Power not only provides us ramp, but also makes our swarm of Insect tokens more dangerous, doubling their power and toughness. [card]Ashnod's Altar[/card] and Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar enable some of the combos in our deck.

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Card Advantage/Filtering

This category presents the best of the card draw, card filtering, and card tutoring available in Izzet. This deck wants to draw cards, so there will be strong focus on this category.

BrainstormBrainstorm (1st)	Fact or FictionFact or Fiction (31st)	[card]Tamiyos's Journal[/card] (62nd)	Conduit of RuinConduit of Ruin (104th)
SkullclampSkullclamp (2nd)	Frantic SearchFrantic Search (32nd)	Deep AnalysisDeep Analysis (64th)	FabricateFabricate (106th)
Treasure CruiseTreasure Cruise (5th)	Chrome MoxChrome Mox (33rd)	Imperial RecruiterImperial Recruiter (65th)	Jace, the Mind SculptorJace, the Mind Sculptor (108th)
MulldrifterMulldrifter (8th)	PonderPonder (35th)	Trading PostTrading Post (72nd)	Niv-Mizzet, the FiremindNiv-Mizzet, the Firemind (113th)
Mystical TutorMystical Tutor (9th)	[card]Mind's Desire[/card] (36th)	Compulsive ResearchCompulsive Research (78th)	Junk DiverJunk Diver (114th)
[card]Sensei's Divining Top[/card] (11th)	Recurring InsightRecurring Insight (45th)	ConcentrateConcentrate (80th)	Ichor WellspringIchor Wellspring (119th)
Dig Through TimeDig Through Time (12th)	Godo, Bandit WarlordGodo, Bandit Warlord (46th)	Kozilek, Butcher of TruthKozilek, Butcher of Truth (84th)	Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery (128th)
Bident of ThassaBident of Thassa (18th)	Trophy MageTrophy Mage (52nd)	OptOpt (92nd)	[card]Blue Sun's Zenith[/card] (197th)
Solemn SimulacrumSolemn Simulacrum (24th)	Trinket MageTrinket Mage (57th)	[card]Smuggler's Copter[/card] (96th)	Whir of InventionWhir of Invention (390th)
Mystic ConfluenceMystic Confluence (28th)	Pull from TomorrowPull from Tomorrow (58th)	Cathartic ReunionCathartic Reunion (98th)	Faithless LootingFaithless Looting (461st)
Primal AmuletPrimal Amulet (29th)	Arcanis the OmnipotentArcanis the Omnipotent (60th)	Sandstone OracleSandstone Oracle (102nd)	Consecrated SphinxConsecrated Sphinx (497th)
[card]Tezzeret's Gambit[/card] (30th)	[card]Alhammarret's Archive[/card] (61st)	Monastery SiegeMonastery Siege (103rd)	Murder of CrowsMurder of Crows

Blue and red do not feature as many good tutor cards as black and green, so we have to work a bit harder to get the pieces from our combos. As mentioned in the introduction, SkullclampSkullclamp and [card]Ashnod's Altar[/card] provides us infinite mana and Insect tokens. To help us find these two cards, we added Trinket MageTrinket Mage, FabricateFabricate and Whir of InventionWhir of Invention. Mystical TutorMystical Tutor may help us find two of these three tutors.

If we have enough Locust tokens on the battlefield, bringing Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms into play at instant speed with Whir of InventionWhir of Invention may cause lethal damage. Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler is another good target for Whir of InventionWhir of Invention.

[card]Alhammarret's Archive[/card] is our own special Doubling SeasonDoubling Season, doubling any effect that would take place when we draw a card, like creating Insect tokens.

Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery requires special attention. Naming Insect and playing a cantrip with The Locust GodThe Locust God in play will force us to draw our entire library, and lose the game. However, our deck is built with responses that should allow us to win the game before we draw our last card. The inclusion of FlashFlash ensures we can cast any of Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge, Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler, or Laboratory ManiacLaboratory Maniac along the way. DisallowDisallow can also be played to break the drawing loop by countering Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery's triggered ability at any time. What if FlashFlash or DisallowDisallow are in the graveyard? We can always use Snapcaster MageSnapcaster Mage to flash them back, or if all else fails, we can discard Kozilek, Butcher of TruthKozilek, Butcher of Truth (with The Locust GodThe Locust God's loot ability) to shuffle back our graveyard into our deck and continue the drawing process until we find what we need, creating Locust tokens along the way. We just have to set aside enough mana to implement our plan.

Another combo that lets us draw our entire library and create a bunch of mana is the combination of Murder of CrowsMurder of Crows and [card]Ashnod's Altar[/card] or Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar. Sacrificing one of our Locust token to an Altar with Murder of CrowsMurder of Crows in play will allow us to draw a card, which will create a new Locust that can be sacrificed. Rinse and repeat.

Bident of ThassaBident of Thassa could be viewed as a card draw doubler. Since our tokens have some form of evasion in flying, for each card we draw, Bident of ThassaBident of Thassa gives us a good chance to draw another card the same turn by dealing damage with one of our brand new Locusts.

Kozilek, Butcher of TruthKozilek, Butcher of Truth's presence in the deck is mostly there to help bring back the cards we need from the graveyard to our library.

Left unchecked, Consecrated SphinxConsecrated Sphinx will create a swarm of Insect tokens. Playing a wheel card with this critter in play puts us in a very good position to win. Combined with Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler, a wheel effect might be enough to clinch the game.

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Disruption

Most disruption that we include in the deck is meant to protect our game plan.

DisallowDisallow (13th)	Scour from ExistenceScour from Existence (51st)	CounterfluxCounterflux (97th)	[card]Baral's Expertise[/card] (147th)
ReverberateReverberate (17th)	Temporal MasteryTemporal Mastery (53rd)	Time WarpTime Warp (100th)	Thaumatic CompassThaumatic Compass (151st)
Bident of ThassaBident of Thassa (18th)	DissipateDissipate (59th)	Tyrant's FamiliarTyrant's Familiar (101st)	Spine of Ish ShaSpine of Ish Sha (152nd)
Comet StormComet Storm (22nd)	PongifyPongify (67th)	ReiterateReiterate (110th)	[card]Umezawa's Jitte[/card] (156th)
Time StretchTime Stretch (23rd)	ForkFork (70th)	Molten PrimordialMolten Primordial (111th)	Hellkite TyrantHellkite Tyrant (162nd)
Mystic ConfluenceMystic Confluence (28th)	Rapid HybridizationRapid Hybridization (73rd)	Roil ElementalRoil Elemental (117th)	Ingot ChewerIngot Chewer (165th)
Scourge of ValkasScourge of Valkas (37th)	TriskelionTriskelion (77th)	Reins of PowerReins of Power (118th)	Control MagicControl Magic (166th)
Zealous ConscriptsZealous Conscripts (39th)	Soul of New PhyrexiaSoul of New Phyrexia (86th)	Spell PierceSpell Pierce (121st)	Chaos WarpChaos Warp (173rd)
Dualcaster MageDualcaster Mage (40th)	Keiga, the Tide StarKeiga, the Tide Star (93rd)	Chain of VaporChain of Vapor (127th)	Pact of NegationPact of Negation (179th)
Disdainful StrokeDisdainful Stroke (41st)	Lightning GreavesLightning Greaves (94th)	Blatant ThieveryBlatant Thievery (137th)	Mana DrainMana Drain (481st)
Glen Elendra ArchmageGlen Elendra Archmage (43rd)	Inferno TitanInferno Titan (95th)	MemnarchMemnarch (146th)	Commit // MemoryCommit // Memory

We have already talked about the role of DisallowDisallow in the Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery combo. Bident of ThassaBident of Thassa may help us open a breach into one of our opponents by forcing an opponent to attack, leaving them open to our own Locust attack in our next turn.

Pact of NegationPact of Negation is a nice safeguard to avoid an opponent disrupting one of our combos.

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Mass Removal

Mass removal spells have been selected to leverage the wheel and swarm flavor of our deck.

Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift (16th)	Volcanic VisionVolcanic Vision (63rd)	EvacuationEvacuation (66th)	Molten DisasterMolten Disaster (148th)
Chain ReactionChain Reaction (25th)	Blasphemous ActBlasphemous Act (55th)	EarthquakeEarthquake (87th)	InundateInundate (187th)

Imagine playing Cyclonic RiftCyclonic Rift just before the start of our turn, then playing a wheel. I can hear the crickets - or should I say Locusts - buzzing already.

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Core Synergy: Wheels

Several wheel effect cards are present in this deck. These cards allow us to draw chunks of our deck at reasonable cost, creating a bunch of Locust tokens and at the same time letting us find the tools we need to win games. Wheels can also disrupt opponents by making it harder for them to assemble the pieces they need to win on their terms.

Knollspine DragonKnollspine Dragon (38th)	TimetwisterTimetwister (167th)	Reforge the SoulReforge the Soul (480th)	Forgotten CreationForgotten Creation
Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune (115th)	WindfallWindfall (217th)	[card]Jace's Archivist[/card]	Time ReversalTime Reversal
Arjun, the Shifting FlameArjun, the Shifting Flame (136th)	Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler (424th)	[card]Teferi's Puzzle Box[/card]	Molten PsycheMolten Psyche
Magus of the WheelMagus of the Wheel (158th)	Winds of ChangeWinds of Change (473th)	Whirlpool WarriorWhirlpool Warrior	Commit // MemoryCommit // Memory

Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler and Molten PsycheMolten Psyche can really hurt our opponents. This deck is all about drawing cards, so, with Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler in play, damaging our opponents every time we draw a card can be devastating. Playing a wheel effect cards forces our opponents to draw cards, so Molten PsycheMolten Psyche is bound to be effective in damaging our opponents. Commit // MemoryCommit // Memory brings both disruption and wheel effect.

Arjun, the Shifting FlameArjun, the Shifting Flame is an all-star in this deck. Sure, if we end up with all the pieces of a winning combo in hand when Arjun is in play, we'll be out of luck, but the upsides are so good. With The Locust GodThe Locust God in play, Arjun adds a number of Locust tokens equal to our hand size every time we cast a spell, a nice bonus. It should not take long before we flood the battlefield with Insect tokens. In addition, Arjun lets us sift through our deck to find one of our numerous finishers: Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge, Psychosis CrawlerPsychosis Crawler, Paradox EngineParadox Engine, Murder of CrowsMurder of Crows, [card]Ashnod's Altar[/card], SkullclampSkullclamp, and Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms.

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Core Synergy: Swarm

We do not need to rely solely on combos to secure a win. We will likely generate several Locust tokens that can simply swarm our opponents. This category highlights the tools that we can use to attain this goal.

Metallic MimicMetallic Mimic (76th)	Scourge of the ThroneScourge of the Throne (143rd)	Shared AnimosityShared Animosity (217th)	Gravitational ShiftGravitational Shift
Eldrazi MonumentEldrazi Monument (86th)	Coat of ArmsCoat of Arms (153rd)	Goblin BombardmentGoblin Bombardment (302nd)	HellriderHellrider
Gauntlet of PowerGauntlet of Power (105th)	Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker (175th)	Adaptive AutomatonAdaptive Automaton (385th)	In the Web of WarIn the Web of War
Sakashima the ImpostorSakashima the Impostor (112th)	Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge (176th)	Impact TremorsImpact Tremors	Obelisk of UrdObelisk of Urd
Hellkite ChargerHellkite Charger (126th)	Hangarback WalkerHangarback Walker (183rd)	Favorable WindsFavorable Winds	OppositionOpposition

Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge and Impact TremorsImpact Tremors give us another set of finishers. Every card drawn will translate into direct damage to each opponent. Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge can also be used to pump our creatures.

Playing Sakashima the ImpostorSakashima the Impostor copying The Locust GodThe Locust God doubles the number of tokens created on card draw.

Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker brings some resilience to our board state. A board wipe with Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker in play may get rid of our Locust tokens, but these will be replaced with new tokens when Chasm SkulkerChasm Skulker dies.

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Standalone Creatures

Do we really need more win conditions? What if we have drawn our whole deck and still have not find a way to win? How about Laboratory ManiacLaboratory Maniac?

Laboratory ManiacLaboratory Maniac (38th)	Dragon MageDragon Mage (91st)	Stuffy DollStuffy Doll (160th)	Goblin SpymasterGoblin Spymaster (212th)
Deepglow SkateDeepglow Skate (68th)	Young PyromancerYoung Pyromancer (99th)	Mindclaw ShamanMindclaw Shaman (170th)	Phantasmal ImagePhantasmal Image (221st)
Kiki-Jiki, Mirror-BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror-Breaker (75th)	Body DoubleBody Double (101st)	Fog BankFog Bank (187th)	Snapcaster MageSnapcaster Mage (462nd)
Utvara HellkiteUtvara Hellkite (79th)	GuttersnipeGuttersnipe (129th)	Phyrexian MetamorphPhyrexian Metamorph (196th)	Hazoret, the FerventHazoret, the Fervent

As mentioned above, we include Snacapster MageSnacapster Mage, or its Guilds of Ravinca replacement, Mission BriefingMission Briefing, to recur cards that could have been wheeled in our graveyard.

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Standalone Spells

Standalone spells are spells that do not fit any of the above categories and work well on their own or in concert with the commander.

Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir (20th)	[card]God-Pharaoh's Gift[/card] (82nd)	Inexorable TideInexorable Tide (124th)	[card]Saheeli's Artistry[/card] (163th)
Spawning PitSpawning Pit (34th)	Dragon TempestDragon Tempest (83rd)	Nim DeathmantleNim Deathmantle (138th)	The Chain VeilThe Chain Veil (168th)
PanharmoniconPanharmonicon (49th)	Paradox EngineParadox Engine (87th)	Helm of KaldraHelm of Kaldra (135th)	Tempt with VengeanceTempt with Vengeance (169th)
Leyline of AnticipationLeyline of Anticipation (74th)	Altar of DementiaAltar of Dementia (88th)	Mind Over MatterMind Over Matter (142nd)	Mirage MirrorMirage Mirror (198th)
Swarm IntelligenceSwarm Intelligence (81st)	Increasing VengeanceIncreasing Vengeance (118th)	Cauldron of SoulsCauldron of Souls (144th)	FlashFlash

There is one outstanding standalone spell that we can leverage in our deck to complement our game plan: Paradox EngineParadox Engine. This spell can ignite some explosive turns. With a wheel effect to start the ball rolling, we might be able to string several spells if we have access to one or two mana rocks.

Another standalone spell that we add to complement our game plan is FlashFlash. This spell provides us an answer in case we ever play Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery and want to cast one of our creatures (like Laboratory ManiacLaboratory Maniac) before we draw our entire library.

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Lands

We tailor our land package to provide the necessary mana fixing and add a few tools that help us with our game plan.

Command TowerCommand Tower (1st)	Arid MesaArid Mesa (13th)	Arcane LighthouseArcane Lighthouse (25th)	Drownyard TempleDrownyard Temple (37th)
IslandIsland (2nd)	Wooded FoothillsWooded Foothills (14th)	MirrorpoolMirrorpool (26th)	Tectonic EdgeTectonic Edge (38th)
Reliquary TowerReliquary Tower (3rd)	Forgotten CaveForgotten Cave (15th)	Ghost QuarterGhost Quarter (27th)	Remote IsleRemote Isle (39th)
Steam VentsSteam Vents (4th)	Temple of the False GodTemple of the False God (16th)	Exotic OrchardExotic Orchard (28th)	Rocky Tar PitRocky Tar Pit (40th)
Myriad LandscapeMyriad Landscape (5th)	Misty RainforestMisty Rainforest (17th)	Izzet GuildgateIzzet Guildgate (29th)	Tarnished CitadelTarnished Citadel (41st)
Polluted DeltaPolluted Delta (6th)	Sulfur FallsSulfur Falls (18th)	Haven of the Spirit DragonHaven of the Spirit Dragon (30th)	Bloodstained MireBloodstained Mire (42nd)
Scavenger GroundsScavenger Grounds (7th)	Temple of EpiphanyTemple of Epiphany (19th)	Command BeaconCommand Beacon (31st)	Grixis PanoramaGrixis Panorama (43rd)
Scalding TarnScalding Tarn (8th)	Halimar DepthsHalimar Depths (20th)	Cascade BluffsCascade Bluffs (32nd)	Cephalid ColiseumCephalid Coliseum (44th)
Shivan ReefShivan Reef (9th)	Sanctum of UginSanctum of Ugin (21st)	Wandering FumaroleWandering Fumarole (33rd)	City of BrassCity of Brass (60th)
MountainMountain (10th)	High MarketHigh Market (22nd)	Buried RuinBuried Ruin (34th)	Haunted FengrafHaunted Fengraf (61st)
Strip MineStrip Mine (11th)	Terramorphic ExpanseTerramorphic Expanse (23rd)	Hanweir BattlementsHanweir Battlements (35th)	Academy RuinsAcademy Ruins (68th)
Path of AncestryPath of Ancestry (12th)	Shrine of the Forsaken GodsShrine of the Forsaken Gods (24th)	Dust BowlDust Bowl (36th)	Desolate LighthouseDesolate Lighthouse (99th)

The presence of Myriad LandscapeMyriad Landscape and Temple of the False GodTemple of the False God adds some ramp to our deck.

Desolate LighthouseDesolate Lighthouse and Cephalid ColiseumCephalid Coliseum help us in our game plan of drawing cards to create Locust tokens. Reliquary TowerReliquary Tower lets us keep all the cards we draw in our hand, which could make for an impressive WindfallWindfall or Winds of ChangeWinds of Change.

Lands with Cycling ability, such as Forgotten CaveForgotten Cave and Lonely SandbarLonely Sandbar, work well with The Locust GodThe Locust God, but I have left them out to avoid lands that come into play tapped. They could be added depending on your playgroup's power level.

Buried RuinBuried Ruin and Academy RuinsAcademy Ruins may help us retrieve the cards from the graveyard that might have been wheeled earlier.

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Putting It All Together

With the help of our extended gameplay data, we have been able to put all the pieces together that, while never knowing for certain what to expect, should allow us to pull key elements from our bag of tricks that should turn us into legitimate contenders in most games. In the process, we have come up with a list of templates per category that could be used to build many more Izzet decks. If you are not into combos, it is possible to tone down the deck, replacing cards like Murder of CrowsMurder of Crows, [card]Ashnod's Altar[/card], Phyrexian AltarPhyrexian Altar, and Kindred DiscoveryKindred Discovery with ramp alternatives like Astral CornucopiaAstral Cornucopia, Mind StoneMind Stone, and Swarm alternatives like HellriderHellrider or Obelisk of UrdObelisk of Urd.

How do you feel about combos? Are they banned in your playgroup?

Which is your preferred Izzet commander? Any inclusion in your Locust God deck that you find especially effective?

In our next installment, we will take a look at Orzhov. Ravnica Allegiance brings us fresh material for the Orzhov guild. Lets see if any of these cards make it in to our build.