Alirios’s Reflective Obsession: A ~$50 Narcissus Deck That Really Stares Back

Hey fellow brewers! Get ready for another ThemEDH “Theory Brew”! This is where we explore unique Commander concepts driven by flavor and our $50 budget goal. These are untested blueprints, perfect for discussion and inspiration before they potentially hit the battlefield.

Today, we’re diving deep into the mythic waters of Theros with a truly unique commander: Alirios, Enraptured. His lore doesn’t just whisper Narcissus – it screams it: a figure so captivated by his own reflection he becomes immobilized. Our theme? To embrace this profound self-obsession, building a deck focused on an endless cascade of Alirios creating and duplicating his empowered Reflection, all while staying under $50 (this brew, based on prices when assembled, clocks in around $49.51!).

Thematic Deep Dive: A Narcissist’s Tale, Told in Cardboard

This deck aims to not just play Magic, but to narrate Alirios’s story through its mechanics:

• The Gaze & The Empowered Reflection: Alirios entering tapped and remaining so while his Reflection is present perfectly captures Narcissus immobilized by his own image. The 3/2 Reflection token isn’t just a creature; it’s the object of obsession, the magically empowered extension of Alirios himself, which we want to generate and duplicate ad infinitum.

• Echoes of Another: The Narcissus myth isn’t complete without the tragic nymph Echo. Curse of Echoes is a direct nod, making an opponent’s spells reverberate for the table, a flavorful, political, and potentially chaotic representation of her fate.

• Fleeting Beauty & Vanity: Alirios is beautiful, and his focus is on that beauty. Aqueous Form (the puddle he stares into), Prism Ring (an object of adornment he’d surely wear), and even Gilded Lotus (a beautiful, prized flower, echoing Narcissus’s transformation) touch on this aesthetic obsession.

• Narcissistic Disregard: A true narcissist might not care if their actions benefit others, as long as they benefit more. Gauntlet of Power (helping all blue players) and Tempt with Reflections (offering opponents copies) play into this risky, self-absorbed flavor – Alirios gets his power boost and extra Reflections, heedless of the consequences for others!

The Decklist (Approx. $49.51)

(Note: Prices based on TCGplayer Market around late April 2025. Prices fluctuate! )

Commander (1)

• Alirios, Enraptured

Creatures (15)

• Mockingbird
• Mirror Image
• Clone
• Copycrook
• Gigantoplasm
• Identity Thief
• Mirrorhall Mimic // Ghastly Mimicry
• Phantom Steed
• Stunt Double
• Undercover Operative
• Visage Bandit
• Vizier of Many Faces
• Waxen Shapethief
• Replication Specialist
• Quicksilver Gargantuan

Instants (15)

• Bounce Off
• Essence Flux
• Counterspell
• Fleeting Reflection
• Negate
• Planar Incision
• Siren’s Ruse
• Teferi’s Time Twist
• Blur
• Cackling Counterpart
• Fated Infatuation
• Aetherize
• Evacuation
• Flow of Knowledge
• Mirror Match

Sorceries (9)

• Splash Portal
• Open into Wonder
• Quasiduplicate
• Distant Melody
• Rite of Replication
• Sleep
• Tempt with Reflections
• Saheeli’s Artistry
• Self-Reflection
• Clone Legion

Artifacts (13)

• Prism Ring
• Sol Ring
• Stoneforge Masterwork
• Arcane Signet
• Fellwar Stone
• Mind Stone
• Sapphire Medallion
• Thought Vessel
• Assassin Gauntlet
• Heraldic Banner
• Mirage Mirror
• Gauntlet of Power
• Gilded Lotus

Enchantments (8)

• Aqueous Form
• Candlekeep Sage
• Mirrormade
• Levitation
• Reconnaissance Mission
• Vesuvan Duplimancy
• Curse of Echoes
• Thought Reflection

Lands (38)

• Island (37)
• Rogue’s Passage

Deck Breakdown & Synergies

• The Commander: Alirios, Enraptured: The heart of the obsession. His ETB is our primary source of the precious 3/2 Reflection token. His drawback isn’t a bug; it’s a feature of his enraptured state, one we gleefully bypass with our strategy.

• The Flicker/Bounce Engine – The Never-Ending Gaze: This is how Alirios constantly renews his focus, creating more Reflections.

• Budget instants like Essence Flux, Planar Incision, Siren's Ruse, Teferi's Time Twist (with its delayed gratification), Fleeting Reflection (hello, hexproof and a temporary new form!), and Blur (which cantrips!) allow us to repeatedly trigger Alirios’s ETB at instant speed.

• The star accompanist here is Candlekeep Sage, turning each flicker or bounce of Alirios into card draw, fueling our obsession further.
• The Hall of Mirrors – Clones & Copies Galore: Once we have a Reflection (or even Alirios himself), we want more!

• Creature Clones: A versatile suite of shapeshifters like the classic Clone, instant-speed Stunt Double and Waxen Shapethief (which can even copy our artifacts!), the value-packed Copycrook (with connive!), and the protective Undercover Operative (shield counters!). These can multiply our Reflections or, in a pinch, pivot to become the best threat on any board.

• Token Copies: Spells like Cackling Counterpart and Fated Infatuation (so thematic!) offer instant-speed token copies, great for Alirios (ETB trigger, then legend rule dance) or more Reflections. Quasiduplicate gives us a second chance with Jump-start. The potentially game-ending Rite of Replication (kicked, targeting a Reflection token or a utility creature = pure joy) and the massive Clone Legion act as our late-game showstoppers.

• Synergistic Copy Engines:

• Vesuvan Duplimancy: This enchantment is a powerhouse. Imagine casting Essence Flux on Alirios: Duplimancy creates a non-legendary token Alirios (which then makes a Reflection!), and then the original Alirios flickers and makes another Reflection! Double the Alirios bodies, double the Reflections!

• Phantom Steed: Offers a unique angle – Flash it in to save Alirios, exiling him. Then, each time the Steed attacks, it creates a temporary attacking Alirios token, which still triggers its ETB for a Reflection before vanishing!

• Replication Specialist: If we have enough non-token artifacts (our mana rocks!), this Moonfolk can duplicate them, accelerating our plans.

• Card Advantage & Interaction – Maintaining Focus:

• Draw: Beyond Candlekeep Sage, Reconnaissance Mission turns our attacking Reflections into card draw. Distant Melody (naming “Reflection”) can refill our hand spectacularly. Flow of Knowledge leverages our mono-blue nature for a big instant-speed draw. And Thought Reflection (thematic name!) makes every draw twice as potent, if we can afford its high cost.

• Interaction: Budget counterspells (Counterspell, Negate) protect our setup. Mass bounce like Aetherize (defensive) or Evacuation (panic button/reset) and targeted effects like Sleep or Assassin Gauntlet’s ETB clear the way for our Reflections.

• Thematic Flair & Payoffs – The Beauty and the Risk:

• Mirror Magic: Mirrormade copies our best support artifacts/enchantments (or our opponents’). Mirror Match is a wild, thematic combat trick turning attackers’ might against themselves. Mirage Mirror offers ultimate, albeit temporary, flexibility.

• Narcissus’s Price (Risky Plays): As mentioned, Gauntlet of Power and Tempt with Reflections offer huge upside for Alirios but also benefit opponents – a truly narcissistic move where Alirios only sees his own gain!

• Making Reflections Matter: Anthems like Heraldic Banner or Gauntlet of Power make our 3/2s hit harder. Stoneforge Masterwork turns one Reflection into a colossal threat. Evasion like Aqueous Form (the puddle!), Levitation, or Open into Wonder ensures our Reflections connect.

How the Deck Should Play (Theory)

The game plan is a dance of self-admiration and magical multiplication:

• Early Game (T1-3): Deploy mana rocks (Sol Ring, Arcane Signet, Mind Stone) and ideally Candlekeep Sage to set the stage.

• Mid Game (T4-7): Cast Alirios, get the first Reflection. Begin the flicker/bounce loop at instant speed (often on opponents’ end steps) to generate more tokens and draw cards. Use clones or token copy spells to bolster your Reflection count. Hold up mana for protection or more value.

• Late Game (T8+): Unleash an overwhelming force. This could be a kicked Rite of Replication on a Reflection, a massive Clone Legion, or simply attacking with a board full of 3/2s (or larger!) made unblockable by Sleep or Open into Wonder.

Potential weaknesses include graveyard hate (less relevant for this build, but good to note generally), effects that stop ETB triggers (Torpor Orb is a nightmare), and needing Alirios himself to stick around (though we have protection).

Meeting the Budget (Approx. $49.51)

Based on the prices listed earlier (approx. late April 2025), this deck comes in at $49.51, right on target for our $50 ThemEDH goal!

The most significant costs are efficient mana rocks like Sapphire Medallion, the powerful enchantment Vesuvan Duplimancy, the unique creature Mockingbird, and the potentially risky anthem Gauntlet of Power. However, the commander, most of the flicker effects, and many of the clones are very affordable, allowing us to fit these powerful pieces while staying under budget.

Call for Feedback!

As this is a Theory Brew, it’s untested waters! What do you think of this narcissistic reflection theme? Does the flicker/clone strategy seem viable on a budget? Are there any other mono-blue flicker effects, budget clones, or cards evoking mirrors and vanity that I missed? Let me know your thoughts below!

Conclusion

I absolutely love how this Alirios brew turned out conceptually! It takes a simple commander with a flavorful drawback and builds an entire strategy around his lore, using flicker and clone effects to represent his self-obsession mechanically. It feels like a truly unique mono-blue deck that tells a story, all while fitting the ThemEDH budget. Unlike Narcissus who perished by the water’s edge, this Alirios aims to make his self-obsession a victorious strategy. I’m very eager to see if this reflection can stare down opponents in a real game!

Thanks for stopping by ThemEDH, and happy brewing!