Tarkir: Dragonstorm has a lot of Dragons in it, but they don’t seem particularly competitive. Considering that Dragon Typal is one of the most popular MTG archetypes, this is a crying shame. If Dragon Typal was viable, it could get a lot of players going out to LGSs for their weekly Standard night.
One bizarre combo-y brew based on an older Standard archetype could be exactly what Dragon lovers need. Thanks to some new additions from Tarkir: Dragonstorm, the old Invasion of Alara combo deck may get a serious boost. Not only should this deck become more consistent, but it’ll have an easier time stabilizing against faster strategies.
Dragon Cascade Combo
Found in the Yoman5’s deck dump, this Tarkir: Dragonstorm update on the Invasion of Alara combo gives the old shell a lot more potential. The idea is to use effects like Invasion of Alara and Breaching Dragonstorm to take advantage of split spells. Cascade can no longer do this, but because of Invasion of Alara’s wording, it is still capable of cheating out spells that have a higher mana value than four.
This synergizes really well with the Fetch Quest Adventure on Bramble Familiar. Invasion of Alara sees Bramble Familiar and exiles the spell, but you can still cast the Adventure half. This gives you a massive seven mana spell for only WUBRG. From here, Fetch Quest can now find Breaching Dragonstorm and, essentially, cheat a ton of things into play.
Sadly, Breaching Dragonstorm isn’t guaranteed to hit a massive haymaker threat, but your chances are pretty good. Any of the split spells are decent payoffs for the card, and the Dragons will let you have another crack at it on your next turn. Leyline Binding is, perhaps, the only major whiff that you can hit with Breaching Dragonstorm.
New ‘Split’ Spells
Twinmaw Stormbrood is perhaps the biggest payoff spell added to this combo from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Functioning as a Roast in the early game, Twinmaw Stormbrood can be later cheated in as a 5/4 flyer that gains five life on entry. This is a great way to help stabilize against all of the faster Red decks in Standard.
Otherwise, this combo has also incorporated some Overlords from Duskmourn as a way to play on-curve while ensuring Invasion of Alara hits Fetch Quest. Overlord of the Hauntwoods helps fix your lands to consistently cast Invasion of Alara on or ahead of schedule.
The sample list also includes Ureni, the Song Unending, but I think there are better cards to use here. Bloomvine Regent, for example, might be more appropriate. It can also gain life when Dragons enter play and offers a Cultivate-esque spell if you need to hit your payoffs faster.
If you’re looking for something a bit bigger that can still play a split role, consider trying Marang River Regent. This card can refill your hand in slower matchups and can immediately bounce two permanents on entry.
If you’re just looking for a big finisher, it’s tough to beat Atraxa, Grand Unifier. Even if Ureni bounces your Breaching Dragonstorm, Atraxa will just refill your hand for a similar deck-building cost. Last but not least, this deck can also run Leyline Binding thanks to its five-color mana base. That alone makes this card worth running, however, it can’t be found by Invasion of Alara, which is an added benefit.
Concerns
While this Invasion of Alara deck looks like it could be good enough to see Standard play, the bar is set rather high at the moment. You need to be able to outlast Red, go over the top of Domain, and somehow not die to Omniscience combo on turn four. While the Invasion of Alara combo certainly has a lot of potential, it’s doubtful that the combo will be good enough to do all of this consistently.
Theoretically, between Lochwain’s Scorn and Twinmaw Stormbrood, a good draw should give Invasion of Alara combo a fighting chance against Red. A good tempo turn after you cast one of your big spells should be able to put a lot of pressure on Domain as well. Omniscience combo seems like a bad matchup, but for the time being, that deck is a bit less popular than the top options.
Another matchup that Invasion of Alara combo might struggle with is control. Forcing through a big spell might prove rather difficult. Mistrise Village, which should enter untapped more often than not in this deck, can help.
While this exact 75 is just a theorycraft, the core idea for this Invasion of Alara upgrade is powerful. Breaching Dragonstorm should add some consistency, while Twinmaw Stormbrood should allow you to stave off your opponent’s aggression for a bit longer than usual. If you’re looking for a new Standard deck to try once Tarkir: Dragonstorm hits the internet, this could be a fun experience.