Tayam
[[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] is an Abzan midrange/stax/control deck that leverages [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]]'s unique ability to grind value and control the game through a combination of resource-efficient combos, stax pieces, and strategic interactions. The deck rewards skilled pilots with a high ceiling for mastery, as optimal play requires nuanced decision-making and adaptability. With over 50 potential combos and multiple layers of interaction, [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] thrives in grindy games and overwhelming board locks.
Combos
Floating Loop
This loop requires the following components:
An Undying Creature (e.g., [[Young Wolf]] or [[Strangleroot Geist]]).
A Haste Enabler (e.g., [[Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler]]) or use [[Strangleroot Geist]].
A Sacrifice Outlet (e.g., [[Carrion Feeder]]).
A Mana Converter (e.g., [[Earthcraft]] or [[Rishkar, Peema Renegade]]).
Access to one mana outside the loop, referred to as "Floating".
Execution
Setup:
Have all three components: an Undying Creature, a Sacrifice Outlet, and a Mana Converter on the battlefield.
The Undying Creature must be able to tap for mana ([[Rishkar, Peema Renegade]] + [[Strangleroot Geist]] or [[Young Wolf]] + [[Earthcraft]]).
Ensure you have one floating mana to start.
Initial Activation:
Tap the Undying Creature for [[symbol:g]] using the Mana Converter.
Sacrifice the Undying Creature to the Sacrifice Outlet.
The Undying Creature returns to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter due to its undying ability.
Tap the Undying Creature again for [[symbol:g]].
Now you have [[symbol:g]] and still have your initial floating mana.
Activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]]:
Use [[symbol:3]] (2 from the previous step and 1 from your floating mana) to activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]].
While the activation is on the stack, sacrifice the Undying Creature to the Sacrifice Outlet.
The Undying Creature returns to the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter.
Tap the Undying Creature for [[symbol:g]] (this becomes the new floating mana).
Sacrifice Without Undying:
Sacrifice the Undying Creature again. This time, it does not return to the battlefield because it already has a +1/+1 counter.
[[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]]'s ability resolves, returning the Undying Creature from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Repeat:
You are now back to the same state as Step 1, with 2 additional counters on the Sacrifice Outlet or another creature and 3 cards milled.
Repeat Steps 1–4 until you have milled your entire library.
Generate Infinite Mana and Counters:
After milling your library, activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] to return [[Lion's Eye Diamond]] from the graveyard.
Sacrifice [[Lion's Eye Diamond]] to generate 3 mana of any color.
Replace Step 3 with sacrificing and recurring [[Lion's Eye Diamond]], netting [[symbol:infinity-g]][[symbol:infinity-b]][[symbol:infinity-w]] and infinite counters.
By the end of this loop, you will have infinite mana, infinite counters, and access to all permanents with a mana value of 3 or less from your graveyard
[[Devoted Druid]] + [[Centaur Garden]]
Activate [[Centaur Garden]] targeting [[Devoted Druid]] to give it +3/+3.
Tap [[Devoted Druid]] for [[symbol:g]].
Activate [[Devoted Druid]]’s second ability to put a -1/-1 counter on it and untap it.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have [[symbol:g]][[symbol:g]][[symbol:g]] floating and [[Devoted Druid]] has 3 -1/-1 counters on it.
Activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] removing 3 -1/-1 counters from [[Devoted Druid]].
Repeat to mill your library and assemble a win condition.
Gaea’s Cradle Loop
[[Sylvan Safekeeper]] + [[Gaea’s Cradle]] + Undying Creature + Sacrifice Outlet
We’ll assume our undying creature is [[Young Wolf]] and our sacrifice outlet is [[Carrion Feeder]].
Sacrifice [[Young Wolf]] using [[Carion Feeder]]’s ability. [[Carrion Feeder]] will gain a +1/+1 counter and [[Young Wolf]] will return with a +1/+1 counter and a Vigilance counter.
Tap [[Gaea’s Cradle]] to make at least [[symbol:g]][[symbol:g]][[symbol:g]][[symbol:g]].
Sacrifice [[Gaea’s Cradle]] targeting one of your creatures, holding priority.
Activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] removing all counters from [[Young Wolf]] and a +1/+1 counter from [[Carrion Feeder]].
Resolve the Tayam activation returning [[Gaea’s Cradle]] to the battlefield.
Repeat steps 1 - 5 to mill your library and make [[symbol:infinity-g]].
Win Conditions
[[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]]’s win conditions revolve around grinding opponents out of resources or executing infinite loops:
Infinite Activations: Through loops generating infinite mana or counters, [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] recurs [[Orcish Bowmasters]] or [[White Plume Adventurer]] to deal infinite damage to the table.
[[Deathrite Shaman]] Loop:
Requirements: [[Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler]] and [[Deathrite Shaman]] on the battlefield, access to [[symbol:infinity-w]][[symbol:infinity-g]][[symbol:infinity-b]], and infinite Tayam activations.
Tap and activate [[Deathrite Shaman]] using [[symbol:b]] to exile an instant or sorcery from a graveyard ([[Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler]] allows you to tap it as though it has haste).
Sacrifice [[Deathrite Shaman]] to a sacrifice outlet like [[Carrion Feeder]].
Activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] to return [[Deathrite Shaman]] to the battlfield.
Repeat to kill all 3 opponents.
Geier Reach Sanitarium: Forces opponents to draw themselves out while keeping your resources replenished.
Synergies
The deck is built on layers of synergy that enable [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] to convert mana and counters into powerful board states:
Stax Recursion: Stax pieces such as [[Drannith Magistrate]], [[Archon of Emeria]], and [[Collector Ouphe]] can be looped to continuously disrupt opponents.
Counter Producers: Cards like [[Wall of Roots]] and [[Icatian Moneychanger]] provide a steady stream of counters to fuel [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]]’s ability.
Mana Efficiency: Effects like [[Earthcraft]] and [[Cryptolith Rite]] transform creatures into mana generators, doubling as combo pieces.
Strategy
The strategy is divided into three phases:
Early Game:
Ramp with mana dorks ([[Birds of Paradise]], [[Elvish Mystic]]) and efficient lands ([[Gaea's Cradle]]).
Deploy selective stax pieces to disrupt opposing game plans while setting up [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]].
Use tutors ([[Vampiric Tutor]], [[Birthing Pod]]) to position key combo or stax cards.
Midgame:
Focus on activating [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] to mill and recur value pieces.
Counter opponents' attempts at fast wins by bringing back stax pieces like [[Eidolon of Rhetoric]] or [[Opposition Agent]].
Accumulate resources and board presence while dismantling threats.
Endgame:
Transition into infinite loops or dominate with a board state that overwhelms opponents.
Adapt to opposing disruption using flexible recursion lines.
Interacting with Opponents
[[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] employs unconventional interaction through stax permanents and graveyard recursion:
Reactive Stax: Permanents like [[Eidolon of Rhetoric]] stop combo decks, while [[Endurance]] disrupts graveyard strategies.
Flexible Responses: Use [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]]’s ability at instant speed to recur specific stax pieces in response to opponents’ win attempts.
Key Interaction Examples:
Against [[Thassa's Oracle]]: Activate [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] to return [[Archon of Emeria]] and prevent follow-up spells.
Against [[Underworld Breach]]: Bring back [[Drannith Magistrate]] to stop escapes.
Against Mana Engines: Recurring [[Collector Ouphe]] disrupts artifact-based combos.
Mulligan and Play Patterns
The deck’s mulligan strategy prioritizes:
Early mana production (e.g., [[Wall of Roots]]).
Fast access to [[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]].
Interaction pieces to halt fast combo decks.
During gameplay:
Use early activations for stax pieces or setup tools.
Adaptively pivot between proactive (combo) and reactive (control) playstyles based on board state.
Deckbuilding Philosophy
The list avoids traditional card draw engines and over-reliance on fast mana in favor of:
Resilience: Cards like [[Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler]] and [[Rishkar, Peema Renegade]] that double as ramp and combo pieces.
Flexibility: Cards serve dual purposes, ensuring that no draw is "dead."
Adaptability: Builds around redundancy with “two of each effect” to consistently access critical interactions.
Conclusion
[[Tayam, Luminous Enigma]] is a versatile and rewarding deck that thrives on skill-intensive decision-making. Its unique ability to recur stax and combo pieces at instant speed makes it a powerful contender in grindy and competitive metas. While demanding, it offers significant rewards for those willing to master its intricate lines and play patterns.
References:
Tayam, The Luminous GrindStone (cEDH)
