Magic: The Gathering deck - Blue/Red - Combo

This is a list of cards in the deck, they are grouped by type (Creature, Spell, Land).

Creatures

4 x Drift of Phantasms
2 x Gelectrode
4 x Izzet Chronarch
1 x Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
4 x Tidewater Minion
4 x Wee Dragonauts

Spells

1 x Blaze
4 x Feed from the Real
4 x Izzet Signet
1 x Mana Leak
2 x Peel from Reality
4 x Pyrmatics
3 x Telling Time
3 x Train of Thought
4 x Volcanic Hammer

Lands

6 x Islands
4 x Izzet Boilerworks
5 x Mountain

These are some of the great combos in this deck. Some are game winners, some just kill alot.

Tidewater Minion + Freed from the Real + Izzet Boilerworks + Blaze


Enchant your Tidewater Minion with the Freed from the Real, have 1 Izzet Boilerworks on the table and a Blaze (or Pyromatics) in your hand.
- Tap the Izzet Boilerworks (1 Red, 1 Blue mana in pool)
- Tap Tidewater Minion to untap Izzet Boilerworks (second ability of the Tidewater Minion)
- Tap Izzet Boilerworks again (2 Red, 2 Blue mana in pool)
- For 1 Blue mana, Untap Tidewater Minion (second ability of Freed from the Real) (2 Red, 1 Blue mana in pool)
- Repeat from step 2 to have infinite Red mana + 1 Blue mana in the pool
- Cast Blaze with X = zillion (on the player)

Gelectrode + Volcanic Hammer


Have one or more Gelectrodes in play.
- Tap Gelectrode to do one damage to a creature or player
- Cast Volcanic Hammer to do another 3 damage, Gelectrode untaps
- Tap Gelectrode
With this small combo, you can kill a 5/5 creature for 2 mana.
Options: Replace the Volcanic Hammer by any other instant or Sorcery to do 2 damage for each Gelectrode, have a Wee Dragonauts on the table to increase its size while performing this combo.

Gelectrode + Freed from the Real


This small combo allows you to tap the Gelectrode for 1 damage, then untap it for 1 Blue mana with the Freed from the Real. The result is 1 damage / 1 Blue mana.

Izzet Chronarch + Peel from Reality


Have the Izzet in play. When it's your opponents turn, you can stop 2 attackers without any losses on your side.
- Opponent attacks (with creature A and B)
- Block A with the Izzet Chronarch
- Before damage, play Peel from Reality targeting your Izzet Chronarch and his Creature B
- A is blocked, B is no longer there, and you have your Izzet Chronarch in hand
Wy Izzet Chronarch? You actually want it in your hand a second time, because each time you play it you can bring back a card like Volcanic Hammer.

Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind + Freed from the Real


Enchant the dragon with Freed from the Real. On it's own, the dragon is a great card, but now you can draw 1 card and do 1 damage for 1 Blue mana. Over and over again.

This deck is slow.
It won't kill your enemy in the first 4 turns, not even in the first 10 turns.
Some things in the deck, like Drift of Phantasms, are just there to slow down the game.

So what would be the perfect hand ?
1 land
Mulligan, don't even look any further.
2 lands
This could work. However, make sure you have some spells to slow down the opponent. Examples here are Drift of Phantasms, a Gelectrode is nice, a Mana Leak or for example an Izzet Signet (which will get you to 3 mana).
3, 4 or 5 lands
This is an excellent hand for this deck. Even 5 lands. If you happen to have a signet with that and Drift of Phantasms or Gelectrodes, you can start stalling and/or killing from turn 3.
6 or 7 lands
This could work. Seriously. I've won a game where I started with just lands in my hand. The first 2 turns you can't do anything anyways with this hand. If you draw anything but lands in those 2 turns, you are set to go.

Here are some tips to get you through a game with the deck.

Rule number 1, once you are past turn 3 and have something on the table, don't play too fast. There is probably something you can do. At end of the opponents turn, check the following: Have I tapped all my Gelectrodes, do I have mana to play my Telling Time, can I tap a Niv-Mizzet, can I do a little Gelector/Telling Time/Pyromatics combo.

When an enemy kills one of your creatures, check the series again. If it is a Gelectrode, you might still want to tap it, or tap it, play an instant, and tap it again. That's extra damage you need.

Thumb rule when doing damage, if there is a creature on the opposite side, kill it first, unless it gets blocked (Tidewater Minion or Drift of Phantasms on your side) or you can kill the player.

Always be on the lookout for any of the combos above. They really do help.

Don't play your instant damage spells on the first creature that pops up. A Volcanic Hammer is nice to kill that 2/2 creature, but with 1 Gelectrode the next turn, that same Hammer can kill a 5/5.

Gameplay usually looks bad for you, until you get some nice cards and the tables turn. So don't give up, even at 2 life or something.

A very big weakness with the deck is when the opponent can't die.
For example, if your opponent has a Worship. This deck can't get rid of it. If you know you are playing against these kind of decks, you could include some enchantment killing spells or more counter spells, your choice.