Inalla
[[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]] commands one of the fastest decks in the competitive EDH format, leveraging powerful wizard synergies to deliver swift and efficient wins. Inalla's ability to create token copies of wizards on demand enables the deck to execute resilient combo strategies that capitalize on infinite loops and high-value plays. By combining Inalla's token generation with potent wizards like [[Spellseeker]], [[Scholar of the Ages]], and others, the deck can consistently assemble game-winning combos, often before opponents have a chance to stabilize. This speed, paired with its adaptability and resource generation, makes [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]] a dominant force in any cEDH pod.
Strategy / Gameplan
The primary strategy centers around deploying key wizard creatures that, when combined with Inalla's triggered ability, facilitate game-winning combos. Early game efforts involve assembling critical combo pieces and protecting them with counterspells and removal. The deck balances proactive combo assembly with reactive interaction, allowing it to adapt to various board states and opponent strategies.
Payoffs
[[Spellseeker]]: 1 card win the game combo (see Spellseeker line below).
[[Ad Nauseam]]: Allows the deck to draw a significant portion of the library at instant speed. It synergizes well with low average mana cost decks, enabling a fast combo win.
[[Wheel of Fortune]] or other wheel effects: Resets hands and fills the graveyard, which can be exploited with reanimation spells or cards like [[Underworld Breach]].
[[Mnemonic Betrayal]]: A graveyard-centric payoff that lets you cast your opponents' cards for explosive plays, often chaining spells into a win condition.
[[Necropotence]]: Provides unparalleled card selection and resource generation at the cost of life. Synergizes with [[Ad Nauseam]] by providing consistency.
[[Underworld Breach]]: A recursive engine enabling infinite loops or efficient resource recovery to set up a win condition like [[Thassa's Oracle]].
Combos
[[Spellseeker]] Line
Prerequisites: 1 Blue, 1 Black, 2 Colorless and more than 7 life available.
Cast [[Spellseeker]]. Order triggers so [[Spellseeker]]'s ETB is first, then [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]].
Resolve [[Spellseeker]] trigger, tutoring for [[Culling the Weak]].
Cast [[Culling the Weak]], sacrificing [[Spellseeker]].
Resolve [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]]'s trigger, creating a token copy of [[Spellseeker]].
Resolve token copy of [[Spellseeker]]'s ETB trigger, tutoring for [[Unearth]].
Cast [[Unearth]], targeting [[Spellseeker]].
Resolve [[Spellseeker]] trigger, tutoring for [[Burnt Offering]].
Resolve [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]]'s trigger, creating a token copy of [[Spellseeker]].
Resolve token copy of [[Spellseeker]]'s ETB trigger, tutoring for [[Finale of Promise]].
Cast [[Burnt Offering]], sacrificing [[Spellseeker]].
Cast [[Finale of Promise]] for X = 1, targeting [[Culling the Weak]] and [[Unearth]].
Free cast [[Unearth]], targeting [[Spellseeker]]. Order triggers so [[Spellseeker]]'s ETB is first, then [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]].
Resolve [[Spellseeker]] trigger, tutoring for [[Entomb]].
Resolve [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]]'s trigger, creating a token copy of [[Spellseeker]].
Resolve token copy of [[Spellseeker]]'s ETB trigger, tutoring for [[Reanimate]].
Cast [[Entomb]], tutoring [[Scholar of the Ages]] and placing it in the graveyard.
Cast [[Reanimate]], returning [[Scholar of the Ages]] to the battlefield and paying 7 life.
Resolve [[Scholar of the Ages]] trigger, returning [[Burnt Offering]] and [[Entomb]] to hand.
Cast [[Burnt Offering]], sacrificing [[Scholar of the Ages]].
Cast [[Entomb]], tutoring [[Shallow Grave]] and placing it in the graveyard.
Resolve [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]]'s trigger, creating a token copy of [[Scholar of the Ages]].
Resolve token copy of [[Scholar of the Ages]] trigger, returning [[Burnt Offering]] and [[Shallow Grave]].
Cast [[Burnt Offering]], sacrificing [[Scholar of the Ages]].
Cast [[Shallow Grave]], returning [[Scholar of the Ages]] to the battlefield. [[Scholar of the Ages]] and [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]] triggers go on the stack.
[[Scholar of the Ages]] will loop from here:
Resolve [[Scholar of the Ages]] trigger, returning [[Burnt Offering]] and [[Entomb]].
Cast [[Burnt Offering]], sacrificing [[Scholar of the Ages]].
Resolve [[Inalla, Archmage Ritualist]]'s trigger, creating a token copy of [[Scholar of the Ages]].
Resolve token copy of [[Scholar of the Ages]] trigger, returning [[Shallow Grave]] and another instant/sorcery to hand.
Repeat to make infinite mana and [[Entomb]] any number of cards to be returned with [[Scholar of the Ages]].
[[Underworld Breach]]
Cast [[Underworld Breach]].
Cast [[Lion's Eye Diamond]].
Activate [[Lion's Eye Diamond]], adding and discarding your hand.
Cast [[Brain Freeze]] from your graveyard using its escape cost and exiling 3 cards, targeting yourself with all copies.
Cast [[Lion's Eye Diamond]] from your graveyard using its escape cost and exiling 3 cards.
Repeat steps 3 - 5 to mill yourself until you can win with [[Thassa's Oracle]] or mill out your opponents' libraries using [[Brain Freeze]].
[[Thassa’s Oracle]]
Cast [[Thassa's Oracle]].
Hold priority on [[Thassa's Oracle]]'s enter the battlefield trigger and cast [[Demonic Consultation]] or [[Tainted Pact]].
Exile your library and resolve the [[Thassa's Oracle]] trigger to win the game.
Things to keep in mind when winning with [[Thassa's Oracle]]:
Removing [[Thassa's Oracle]] before the trigger resolves does not stop your win if you have an empty library even if you have 0 devotion to blue because your devotion must "greater than or equal to the number of cards in your library"
If you think your opponents don't have a creature counterspell you can cast [[Demonic Consultation]] or [[Tainted Pact]] before [[Thassa's Oracle]] to trick them into not countering the spell. This is more dangerous, however, because if they counter your [[Thassa's Oracle]] you'll have no library and lose the game on your next turn.
Win Conditions
Infinite Combat Damage: Utilize infinite hasty tokens generated from combos like the [[Scholar of the Ages]] line.
[[Thassa's Oracle]]: Winning with an empty library using Oracle's triggered ability.
[[Underworld Breach]] loops: Use [[Brain Freeze]] to mill out opponents.
[[Mnemonic Betrayal]]: Casting opponents' graveyard spells to build a decisive advantage.
Things to Keep in Mind
Protecting Combo Pieces: Utilize counterspells and removal to safeguard key creatures and disrupt opponents' plans.
Resource Management: Efficiently sequence spells and abilities to maximize value and maintain flexibility.
Adapting to Opponents: Be prepared to shift between aggressive combo execution and a more controlling approach based on the game's progression.
Inalla, Archmage Ritualist offers a dynamic and potent strategy in cEDH, capitalizing on wizard synergies and combo potential to dominate the game.
