Shared Commander deck
Volo, Itinerant Scholar deck
Volo, Itinerant Scholar · Colorless · 100 cards · 36 lands
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Bracket unknownCommander 1Creatures 41Instants 12Artifacts 8Enchantments 2Lands 36
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Strategy
This is a mono-blue draw-centric deck built around Volo, Itinerant Scholar. When Volo enters, it creates Volo's Journal, which notes a new creature type each time you cast a creature spell. Because the deck is loaded with diverse creature types, the Journal accumulates many notes, letting you pay {2},{T} to draw a card for each noted type. The deck converts that massive card draw into board dominance, mill-proof win conditions, and control elements to protect the engine.
Early: Deploy mana rocks like Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Mind Stone, Fellwar Stone, Sky Diamond, and Thought Vessel to accelerate toward Volo. Early creatures such as Silver Myr, Ornithopter of Paradise, Bronze Walrus, and Omni-Changeling ramp and fix mana while diversifying creature types for Volo's Journal. Bilbo Baggins, Burglar and Solemn Simulacrum smooth early draws and ramp. Hold interaction like Counterspell, Negate, and An Offer You Can't Refuse to protect your development.
Mid: Land Volo, Itinerant Scholar to create Volo's Journal, then cast creatures with varied types (Chasm Skulker's Squid Horror, Man-o'-War's Jellyfish, Mulldrifter's Elemental, Cavalier of Gales' Elemental Knight, Thieving Skydiver's Merfolk Rogue) to stack notes on the Journal. Activate the Journal's {2},{T} ability to draw a card per noted type. Deploy draw payoffs: Psychosis Crawler drains each opponent whenever you draw, Chasm Skulker, Clinquant Skymage, and Oneirophage grow with each draw, and Mischievous Mystic makes Faeries on your second draw. Teferi's Ageless Insight, Vnwxt, Verbose Host (at max speed), and Wizard Class amplify draws further. Ornithopter of Paradise, Bronze Walrus, and Omen Hawker help pay activation costs.
Late: With a fully-noted Volo's Journal, a single activation can refill your hand dramatically. Untap effects like Vizier of Tumbling Sands, Forensic Researcher, and Peregrine Drake/Cloud of Faeries mana untaps let you activate the Journal multiple times or reuse tap abilities. Marvin, Murderous Mimic copies your creatures' activated abilities, and Echo, Perceptive Prodigy copies the Journal's draw trigger for extra cards. Elrond, Moon-Reader draws when you activate a creature ability. The Reality Chip and Wizard Class (level 1) let you play off the top and dump excess cards. Protect the engine with Siren Stormtamer, Tishana's Tidebinder, Swiftfoot Boots, and Plumecreed Escort, and reset boards with Evacuation or Aetherize.
Win conditions: Laboratory Maniac wins the game when you would draw from an empty library, which your explosive Volo's Journal draws can enable via Frantic Search and repeated activations. Triskaidekaphile wins at your upkeep with exactly thirteen cards in hand, supported by no-maximum-hand-size cards like Thought Vessel, Body of Knowledge, and Wizard Class. Psychosis Crawler drains opponents with each of your many draws for a life-loss kill. Big bodies like Body of Knowledge, Stonecoil Serpent, and Chasm Skulker's Squid tokens close games in combat, with Wonder granting your team flying while you control an Island.
- Psychosis Crawler - Draw payoff that drains each opponent 1 life whenever you draw, turning card advantage into a kill.
- Laboratory Maniac - Wins the game if you would draw from an empty library after emptying your deck with Journal draws.
- Triskaidekaphile - Alternate win at upkeep with exactly thirteen cards in hand; also grants no maximum hand size.
- Teferi's Ageless Insight - Doubles all draws beyond your first each draw step, supercharging every draw effect.
- Peregrine Drake - Untaps up to five lands on entry to power extra Volo's Journal activations.
- Marvin, Murderous Mimic - Grants your creatures' activated abilities across the board, enabling more untap and mana engines.
- Omni-Changeling - Being every creature type, it notes a fresh type for Volo's Journal and diversifies the board.
- Siren Stormtamer - Cheap protection, sacrificing to counter spells or abilities targeting Volo or your key creatures.
~$69.33
estimated to build this deck
Commander (1)
Volo, Itinerant Scholar
Legendary Creature — Human Wizard
When Volo enters, create Volo's Journal, a legendary colorless Book artifact token with hexproof and "Whenever you cast a creature spell, note one of its creature types that hasn't been noted for Volo's Journal."
{2}, {T}: Draw a card for each creature type noted for target permanent you control named Volo's Journal.
Choose a Background
Creatures (41)
Bilbo Baggins, Burglar // Take a Glance
Legendary Creature — Halfling Rogue // Sorcery — Adventure
$0.13
When Bilbo Baggins enters, draw a card.
//
Scry 2. (Then exile this card. You may cast the creature later from exile.)
Omen Hawker
Creature — Octopus Advisor
$0.34
{T}: Add {C}{U}. Spend this mana only to activate abilities.
Chasm Skulker
Creature — Squid Horror
$0.35
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
When this creature dies, create X 1/1 blue Squid creature tokens with islandwalk, where X is the number of +1/+1 counters on this creature. (They can't be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
Siren Stormtamer
Creature — Siren Pirate Wizard
$0.31
Flying
{U}, Sacrifice this creature: Counter target spell or ability that targets you or a creature you control.
Laboratory Maniac
Creature — Human Wizard
$0.34
If you would draw a card while your library has no cards in it, you win the game instead.
Vizier of Tumbling Sands
Creature — Human Cleric
$0.19
{T}: Untap another target permanent.
Cycling {1}{U} ({1}{U}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle this card, untap target permanent.
Psychosis Crawler
Artifact Creature — Phyrexian Horror
$0.63
Psychosis Crawler's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand.
Whenever you draw a card, each opponent loses 1 life.
Solemn Simulacrum
Artifact Creature — Golem
$0.29
When this creature enters, you may search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
When this creature dies, you may draw a card.
Peregrine Drake
Creature — Drake
$0.25
Flying
When this creature enters, untap up to five lands.
Defiler of Dreams
Creature — Phyrexian Sphinx
$0.4
Flying
As an additional cost to cast blue permanent spells, you may pay 2 life. Those spells cost {U} less to cast if you paid life this way. This effect reduces only the amount of blue mana you pay.
Whenever you cast a blue permanent spell, draw a card.
Mulldrifter
Creature — Elemental
$0.28
Flying
When this creature enters, draw two cards.
Evoke {2}{U} (You may cast this spell for its evoke cost. If you do, it's sacrificed when it enters.)
The Reality Chip
Legendary Artifact Creature — Equipment Jellyfish
$3.91
You may look at the top card of your library any time.
As long as The Reality Chip is attached to a creature, you may play lands and cast spells from the top of your library.
Reconfigure {2}{U} ({2}{U}: Attach to target creature you control; or unattach from a creature. Reconfigure only as a sorcery. While attached, this isn't a creature.)
Hullbreaker Horror
Creature — Kraken Horror
$5.44
Flash
This spell can't be countered.
Whenever you cast a spell, choose up to one —
• Return target spell you don't control to its owner's hand.
• Return target nonland permanent to its owner's hand.
Body of Knowledge
Creature — Avatar
$0.31
Body of Knowledge's power and toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand.
You have no maximum hand size.
Whenever this creature is dealt damage, draw that many cards.
Triskaidekaphile
Creature — Human Wizard
$0.96
You have no maximum hand size.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have exactly thirteen cards in your hand, you win the game.
{3}{U}: Draw a card.
Ornithopter of Paradise
Artifact Creature — Thopter
$0.42
Flying
{T}: Add one mana of any color.
Walking Atlas
Artifact Creature — Construct
$1.47
{T}: You may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.
Cloud of Faeries
Creature — Faerie
$0.31
Flying
When this creature enters, untap up to two lands.
Cycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Forensic Researcher
Creature — Merfolk Detective
$0.26
{T}: Untap another target permanent you control.
{T}, Collect evidence 3: Tap target creature you don't control. (To collect evidence 3, exile cards with total mana value 3 or greater from your graveyard.)
Wonder
Creature — Incarnation
$1.25
Flying
As long as this card is in your graveyard and you control an Island, creatures you control have flying.
Thieving Skydiver
Creature — Merfolk Rogue
$0.24
Kicker {X}. X can't be 0. (You may pay an additional {X} as you cast this spell.)
Flying
When this creature enters, if it was kicked, gain control of target artifact with mana value X or less. If that artifact is an Equipment, attach it to this creature.
Man-o'-War
Creature — Jellyfish
$0.09
When this creature enters, return target creature to its owner's hand.
Bronze Walrus
Artifact Creature — Walrus
$0.14
When this creature enters, scry 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom and the rest on top in any order.)
{T}: Add one mana of any color.
Stonecoil Serpent
Artifact Creature — Snake
$0.34
Reach, trample, protection from multicolored
This creature enters with X +1/+1 counters on it.
Cloudfin Raptor
Creature — Bird Mutant
$0.16
Flying
Evolve (Whenever a creature you control enters, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Looter il-Kor
Creature — Kor Rogue
$0.15
Shadow (This creature can block or be blocked by only creatures with shadow.)
Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, draw a card, then discard a card.
Tishana's Tidebinder
Creature — Merfolk Wizard
$1.87
Flash
When this creature enters, counter up to one target activated or triggered ability. If an ability of an artifact, creature, or planeswalker is countered this way, that permanent loses all abilities for as long as this creature remains on the battlefield. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)
Network Disruptor
Artifact Creature — Moonfolk Rogue
$0.23
Flying
When this creature enters, tap target permanent.
Omni-Changeling
Creature — Shapeshifter
$0.34
Changeling (This card is every creature type.)
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature's color.)
You may have this creature enter as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it has changeling.
Mischievous Mystic
Creature — Human Wizard
$0.3
Flying
Whenever you draw your second card each turn, create a 1/1 blue Faerie creature token with flying.
Clinquant Skymage
Creature — Bird Wizard
$0.26
Flying
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Oneirophage
Creature — Squid Illusion
$0.15
Flying
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
Cavalier of Gales
Creature — Elemental Knight
$1.7
Flying
When this creature enters, draw three cards, then put two cards from your hand on top of your library in any order.
When this creature dies, shuffle it into its owner's library, then scry 2. (Look at the top two cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom and the rest on top in any order.)
Plumecreed Escort
Creature — Bird Scout
$0.31
Flash
Flying
When this creature enters, target creature you control gains hexproof until end of turn.
Elrond, Moon-Reader
Legendary Creature — Elf Noble
$3.48
Whenever you activate an ability of a creature, draw a card. This ability triggers only once each turn.
{5}{U}{U}: Exile up to two other target nonland permanents you control. Return those cards to the battlefield under their owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.
Marvin, Murderous Mimic
Legendary Artifact Creature — Toy
$3.24
Marvin has all activated abilities of creatures you control that don't have the same name as this creature.
Echo, Perceptive Prodigy
Legendary Creature — Human Hero
$0.24
Vigilance
{1}, {T}: Copy target activated or triggered ability you control from a creature source. You may choose new targets for the copy. (Mana abilities can't be targeted.)
Vnwxt, Verbose Host
Legendary Creature — Homunculus
$0.45
Start your engines! (If you have no speed, it starts at 1. It increases once on each of your turns when an opponent loses life. Max speed is 4.)
You have no maximum hand size.
Max speed — If you would draw a card, draw two cards instead.
Clever Conjurer
Creature — Gnome Wizard
$0.15
Mage Hand — {T}: Untap target permanent not named Clever Conjurer. Activate only as a sorcery.
Twenty-Toed Toad
Creature — Frog Wizard
$5.17
Your maximum hand size is twenty.
Whenever you attack with two or more creatures, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature and draw a card.
Whenever this creature attacks, you win the game if there are twenty or more counters on it or you have twenty or more cards in hand.
Instants (12)
Pongify
Instant
$1.8
Destroy target creature. It can't be regenerated. Its controller creates a 3/3 green Ape creature token.
Rapid Hybridization
Instant
$0.78
Destroy target creature. It can't be regenerated. That creature's controller creates a 3/3 green Frog Lizard creature token.
Reality Shift
Instant
$0.21
Exile target creature. Its controller manifests the top card of their library. (That player puts the top card of their library onto the battlefield face down as a 2/2 creature. If it's a creature card, it can be turned face up any time for its mana cost.)
Resculpt
Instant
$0.3
Exile target artifact or creature. Its controller creates a 4/4 blue and red Elemental creature token.
An Offer You Can't Refuse
Instant
$2.92
Counter target noncreature spell. Its controller creates two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with "{T}, Sacrifice this token: Add one mana of any color.")
Frantic Search
Instant
$0.67
Draw two cards, then discard two cards. Untap up to three lands.
Arcane Denial
Instant
$1.7
Counter target spell. Its controller may draw up to two cards at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
You draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.
High Tide
Instant
$0.87
Until end of turn, whenever a player taps an Island for mana, that player adds an additional {U}.
Artifacts (8)
Swiftfoot Boots
Artifact — Equipment
$2.12
Equipped creature has hexproof and haste. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. It can attack and {T} no matter when it came under your control.)
Equip {1} ({1}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
Arcane Signet
Artifact
$0.4
{T}: Add one mana of any color in your commander's color identity.
Mind Stone
Artifact
$0.29
{T}: Add {C}.
{1}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.
Everflowing Chalice
Artifact
$0.29
Multikicker {2} (You may pay an additional {2} any number of times as you cast this spell.)
This artifact enters with a charge counter on it for each time it was kicked.
{T}: Add {C} for each charge counter on this artifact.
Fellwar Stone
Artifact
$0.75
{T}: Add one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.
Enchantments (2)
Teferi's Ageless Insight
Legendary Enchantment
$3.51
If you would draw a card except the first one you draw in each of your draw steps, draw two cards instead.
Wizard Class
Enchantment — Class
$2.68
(Gain the next level as a sorcery to add its ability.)
You have no maximum hand size.
{2}{U}: Level 2
When this Class becomes level 2, draw two cards.
{4}{U}: Level 3
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.
Lands (36)
Halimar Depths
Land
$0.37
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, look at the top three cards of your library, then put them back in any order.
{T}: Add {U}.
Lonely Sandbar
Land
$0.21
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {U}.
Cycling {U} ({U}, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Faerie Conclave
Land
$0.57
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {U}.
{1}{U}: This land becomes a 2/1 blue Faerie creature with flying until end of turn. It's still a land.
Mystic Sanctuary
Land — Island
$1.17
({T}: Add {U}.)
This land enters tapped unless you control three or more other Islands.
When this land enters untapped, you may put target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard on top of your library.
Myriad Landscape
Land
$0.25
This land enters tapped.
{T}: Add {C}.
{2}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Search your library for up to two basic land cards that share a land type, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Blast Zone
Land
$0.3
This land enters with a charge counter on it.
{T}: Add {C}.
{X}{X}, {T}: Put X charge counters on this land.
{3}, {T}, Sacrifice this land: Destroy each nonland permanent with mana value equal to the number of charge counters on this land.
Bonders' Enclave
Land
$0.36
{T}: Add {C}.
{3}, {T}: Draw a card. Activate only if you control a creature with power 4 or greater.
Basic lands: 28 Island
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