Good Lessons | Building Your Iroh, Grand Lotus Commander Deck

Everybody loves Uncle Iroh, and he is one of the more high-impact new Commanders from the Avatar: The Last Airbender Magic set. He channels his wisdom and the art of reusing spells in ways that make your graveyard an extension of your hand, so you never run out of spells.

Let’s dive into how to build your Iroh, Grand Lotus Commander deck and get the most out of his spell-recursion potential.

What Makes Him Unique — Lessons, Spellslinger, and Flashback

Iroh’s core identity lies in spell recursion and lesson synergy. During your turn, Iroh, Grand Lotus gives each non-Lesson instant and sorcery in your graveyard flashback equal to its mana cost, and each Lesson flashback for just 1 mana.

This means your graveyard becomes a second hand, letting you cast your best spells over and over, but it also means the deck wants a critical mass of spells, lessons, and ways to copy your threats and fill the graveyard in meaningful ways.

What Makes Him Fun

Iroh turns what would be a one-time spell into multiple impactful turns. You don’t just draw cards and cast tricks; you repurpose them. Spellslinger effects, self-mill, loot effects, and lessons all become engines of value. It’s like having your cake and eating it every turn.

Early Game Strategy — Setup the Fires

The early game with Iroh is about ramp, setup, and getting cards to your graveyard. Since Iroh’s ability doesn’t do anything until he hits the battlefield, you want to ensure you hit the ground running and maximize your spell output before he arrives.

The Setup

What to focus on:

• Mana ramp & fixing: With Iroh’s three-color identity (Temur — Blue/Red/Green), mana fixing is essential with cards like Cycle of Renewal and Three Wishes.

• Graveyard filling: Cantrips like Abandon Attachments and Frantic Search help you load your graveyard with targets.

• Protective interaction: Keep cheap interaction and counterspells handy to protect yourself while you assemble your engine.

  
  

By the time Iroh hits the field, you’ll want a decently stocked graveyard and enough mana sources to start casting them at a high rate.

Mid Game Strategy — Cast, Recoup, and Recast

Once Iroh is on board, the deck transitions into its heart: recursion and value spells. Every spell you cast before now becomes a new opportunity.

The Flow

What to focus on:

• Flashback your big spells: Anything from removal to card draw now becomes reusable.

• Leverage lesson cards: Lessons in particular become cheap triggers that keep your board developing.

• Prowess & triggers: Creatures that grow or trigger off spells help apply pressure while you’re recasting spells. Creatures like Goblin Electromancer and Stormcatcher Mentor make this easier by lowering costs, and Guttersnipe makes it hurt with ping damage.

  
  

Because Iroh can make each non-Lesson spell in your graveyard flashback on your turn, you can chain powerful turns that overwhelm opponents.

Late Game Strategy — Outvalue and Overwhelm

In the late game, Iroh’s recursion can burst into overdrive. With a good chunk of instants at your fingertips and plenty of flashback fuel, you’ll abuse every resource available.

The Win Condition

What to focus on:

• Endless recursion: Reusing your most efficient spells turns each turn into a threat and answer packed into one.

• Spell-powered engines: Cards that get bigger with casts, like prowess or spell triggers, can turn your flashback turns into combat wins. Drop an Aetherflux Reservoir early and build it up in no time to end the game.

• Card advantage engines: Drawing more cards and refilling the graveyard keeps the loop going even when opponents respond.

  
  

At this stage, Iroh doesn’t just cast spells, he recasts an entire arsenal.

5 Must-Include Cards

Archmage Emeritus

A spellslinger all-star, Archmage Emeritus turns every instant and sorcery, including all the ones you’re flashing back with Iroh, into raw card advantage. With Iroh constantly giving your graveyard flashback, you’ll often draw two, three, or even more cards per turn cycle just by doing what your deck already wants to do. This is one of the most efficient engines you can include.

Birgi, God of Storytelling

To power your engine, you are going to need mana. Birgi awards you with 1 red mana whenever you cast a spell. But her real value comes from her battery ability, allowing you to carry your unspent mana with you between turns. You may need pen and paper to keep track, but it's worth it when you're able to cast half your graveyard in one turn.

Doc Aurlock, Grizzled Genius

Doc Aurlock transforms every flashback turn into a discount dream. Cards are going to be filling your graveyard. Why not make them cost 2 less?

Secrets of the Dead

This uncommon enchantment is absurdly good with Iroh. Since every flashback cast triggers a draw, this becomes one of the highest-ceiling value engines in the deck. Even cheap lessons or simple cantrips turn into real card advantage. Just churn through your deck and bury opponents in incremental value.

Thousand-Year Storm

The ultimate finisher. Thousand-Year Storm turns Iroh’s recursion into devastation. As you flashback spells, Thousand-Year Storm multiplies them, which in turn multiplies your triggers, damage, card draw, or storm-like synergies. Casting even two or three spells with this on the battlefield can end games outright. With Iroh giving you reliable access to spells in the graveyard, this enchantment becomes a nuclear option.

Is an Iroh, Grand Lotus Commander Deck a Fit?

For most people, especially beginners, I'd say absolutely, but know what you’re building. Iroh is fundamentally a spellslinger and recursion commander rather than a creature-beatdown general or combo piece.

If it sounds fun to cast your favorite spells again and again, building toward explosive turns where every card becomes a threat or an answer, and enjoying the flavor of a wise mentor getting the most out of every trick in your arsenal, an Iroh, Grand Lotus Commander deck delivers on both mechanics and flavor.