The Spell Storm | Building Your Vivi Ornitier Commander Deck

As a longtime Commander player and lover of Izzet, I couldn’t resist building around Vivi Ornitier, Final Fantasy IX's loveable Black Mage. Wizards of the Coast nailed his design in the Universes Beyond set, and the deck has quickly become one of the most popular Izzet commanders in 2025. If you love casting spells, burning opponents, and pulling off explosive combo turns, Vivi is your guy.

Here’s how to build a powerful Vivi Ornitier commander deck, what makes it tick, and why it’s lighting up LGS tables everywhere.

Why Vivi Ornitier Is So Popular

• Flavor meets function: Vivi’s card captures his spellcasting identity perfectly. Every non-creature spell you cast gives him a +1/+1 counter and pings each opponent for 1.

• Mana engine built-in: His activated ability lets you convert his power into blue and red mana once per turn. That means every spell you cast makes your next turn even bigger.

• Combo potential: Vivi supports storm lines, Breach loops, and draw-based combos. He’s flexible enough for casual play and powerful enough for cEDH.

• Universes Beyond hype: The Final Fantasy set brought in new players and collectors, and Vivi is one of the most beloved characters in the franchise.

  
  

Early Game Strategy — Setup and Acceleration

Your goal in the early turns is to get Vivi on the board quickly and start building momentum.

• Ramp: Use cheap mana rocks like Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, and Mox Amber to cast Vivi by turn 2 or 3.

• Cantrips: Spells like Brainstorm, Gitaxian Probe, and Consider help you dig for combo pieces while triggering Vivi.

• Protection: Hold up interaction like Swan Song or Force of Will to protect Vivi from early removal.

  
  

Once Vivi is out, every spell you cast grows his power and sets up future turns with extra mana.

Mid Game Strategy — Value and Combo Setup

This is where Vivi shines. You’ll start layering value and assembling combo pieces.

• Card draw: Rhystic Study, Mystic Remora, and Jeska’s Will keep your hand full.

• Combo enablers: Look for Underworld Breach, Isochron Scepter, or Curiosity to start building toward a win.

• Synergy creatures: Storm-Kiln Artist, Birgi, God of Storytelling, and Harmonic Prodigy amplify your spellslinging.

  
  

You’re aiming to either storm off or set up a draw loop that turns damage into cards and cards into more damage.

Late Game Strategy — Explosive Finish

By turn 5 or 6, you should be ready to close out the game.

• Storm kill: Cast a flurry of spells and finish with Grapeshot or Crackle with Power.

• Draw loop: Pair Vivi or Niv-Mizzet with Curiosity or Ophidian Eye to create an infinite damage loop.

• Mill combo: Use Underworld Breach and Brain Freeze to mill out the table.

  
  

Hold up counterspells to protect your combo turn, and don’t be afraid to go all-in if the timing is right.

5 Must-Include Cards for Success

Jeska’s Will

Role: Mana engine and card advantage

This card is explosive with Vivi on board. If your commander is out, Jeska’s Will lets you exile three cards and potentially add up to seven red mana—fuel for storm turns or finishing combos. It synergizes with Vivi by triggering his ping and counter abilities, and the mana it generates can be converted with Vivi’s activated ability into blue mana if needed. It’s a backbone spell for setting off combo chains.

Underworld Breach

Role: Graveyard recursion and combo enabler

A critical piece for combo turns. With Breach in play, every cheap spell you've cast earlier becomes fuel for casting even more spells from your graveyard. Pair it with Brain Freeze or Wheel of Fortune effects, and you’re looking at potential infinite loops. Breach also triggers Vivi with each recast, rapidly stacking +1/+1 counters and mana via his activated ability.

Curiosity

Role: Draw engine and combo tool

Enchant Vivi with Curiosity, and every opponent ping from his ability nets you a card. In multiplayer, that’s up to three draws per spell. If you cast a free spell like Gitaxian Probe, you suddenly have card advantage and counter growth—and that sets the stage for deeper combos. Paired with Niv-Mizzet or Ophidian Eye, it becomes an infinite loop of draw and damage.

Storm-Kiln Artist

Role: Token generator and mana ramp

This creature creates Treasure tokens every time you cast an instant or sorcery. In a deck built to sling spells nonstop, Storm-Kiln Artist turns every action into free mana. Treasures enable flashy combo turns and support blue/red needs perfectly. Plus, it scales with spell count in the same way Vivi does, letting you build critical mass fast.

Isochron Scepter

Role: Consistent spell casting

Vivi is all bout the spells, and Isochron Scepter ensures you always have something to cast. Every player, no matter how good the deck, is eventually humbled by the draw. Make sure you can mitigate a bad sequence of cards with a guaranteed cast each turn.

Vivi Ornitier Commander Deck: All the Spells

Vivi Ornitier is more than just a nostalgic pick. He’s a powerful, flexible commander who rewards creativity and precision. Whether you’re storming off in cEDH or slinging spells at your local game store, Vivi brings the heat and the charm.

Did we miss something? What cards do you swear by in your Vivi deck? Let us know in the comments below, and as always, all cards here can be picked up from our friends at TCG Player!.