Hello everyone! I'm Levi from The Thought Vessel, and this is Commander Kryptonite, the series where we look at the strongest commanders in the format, their functions, strengths, weaknesses, and most importantly, how to beat them. Today, we're diving into one of the most feared legendary creatures released this year, a card that's been an absolute terror in Standard. That's right, this week we're talking about Vivi Ornitier. While this commander has carved out a niche in cEDH, today's article will focus on brackets three and four, as usual.

The Commander: Vivi Ornitier

Vivi combines damage output, mana production, and sheer size into one brutal package. Every time a noncreature spell is cast, Vivi pings each opponent for one damage and picks up a +1/+1 counter. On top of that, once per turn, Vivi can cash in on its power to generate a mix of Blue and red mana. With the right amount of card draw, this tiny wizard becomes an enormous threat very quickly.

The Deck

Vivi decks are built to exploit every ounce of this commander's power. Redundancy is key, with cards like Coruscation Mage serving as backup pingers or standing in if Vivi gets removed too many times. Typical builds also lean on Curiosity, which when paired with Vivi turns every noncreature spell into three extra cards. Packed full of cantrips and ritual spells, these decks keep Vivi's triggers flowing turn after turn. It doesn't take long for life totals to melt away while the deck storms off. This is the kind of Vivi list you're likely to run into at your local game store.

Vivi Ornitier | Commander

• Commander (1)
• 1 Vivi Ornitier

• Creatures (15)
• 1 Archmage Emeritus
• 1 Birgi, God of Storytelling
• 1 Coruscation Mage
• 1 Goblin Electromancer
• 1 Guttersnipe
• 1 Harmonic Prodigy
• 1 Hullbreaker Horror
• 1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun
• 1 Niv-Mizzet, Visionary
• 1 Quicksilver Elemental
• 1 Simian Spirit Guide
• 1 Storm-Kiln Artist
• 1 Stormcatch Mentor
• 1 Tandem Lookout
• 1 Veyran, Voice of Duality

• Instants (27)
• 1 An Offer You Can't Refuse
• 1 Arcane Denial
• 1 Brain Freeze
• 1 Brainstorm
• 1 Chaos Warp
• 1 Consider
• 1 Counterspell
• 1 Cyclonic Rift
• 1 Deflecting Swat
• 1 Fierce Guardianship
• 1 Flusterstorm
• 1 Force of Will
• 1 Frantic Search
• 1 Gitaxian Probe
• 1 Jeska's Will
• 1 Lightning Bolt
• 1 Mental Misstep
• 1 Mystical Tutor
• 1 Opt
• 1 Pact of Negation
• 1 Pongify
• 1 Ponder
• 1 Preordain
• 1 Serum Visions
• 1 Snap
• 1 Swan Song
• 1 Windfall

• Sorceries (9)
• 1 Blasphemous Act
• 1 Faithless Looting
• 1 Gamble
• 1 Grapeshot
• 1 Rite of Flame
• 1 Sink into Stupor
• 1 Strike It Rich
• 1 Wild Ride
• 1 Underworld Breach

• Artifacts (11)
• 1 Arcane Signet
• 1 Chrome Mox
• 1 Fellwar Stone
• 1 Izzet Signet
• 1 Lotus Petal
• 1 Mana Vault
• 1 Mox Amber
• 1 Sol Ring
• 1 Swiftfoot Boots
• 1 Talisman of Creativity
• 1 Thought Vessel

• Enchantments (5)
• 1 Curiosity
• 1 Mystic Remora
• 1 Ophidian Eye
• 1 Rhystic Study
• 1 Sigil of Sleep

• Lands (32)
• 1 Cascade Bluffs
• 1 Command Tower
• 1 Fiery Islet
• 1 Frostboil Snarl
• 9 Island
• 1 Mistrise Village
• 8 Mountain
• 1 Otawara, Soaring City
• 1 Reliquary Tower
• 1 Riverpyre Verge
• 1 Scalding Tarn
• 1 Shivan Reef
• 1 Steam Vents
• 1 Stormcarved Coast
• 1 Sulfur Falls
• 1 Thundering Falls
• 1 Training Center

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Strengths

The greatest strength here is simply Vivi in the command zone. Having that level of damage and ramp always available in a spell-slinger deck sets up explosive turns few other commanders can match. Pair that with Curiosity drawing extra cards and feeding infinite combos, and you've got yourself a solid bracket-four commander pulled straight off the A-list.

Weaknesses

Of course, there are drawbacks. Because Vivi is so well-known in Standard, the spotlight is always on the Vivi player from the very start of the game. The moment Vivi does something impressive, the table will notice. Since this is a spell-slinger strategy, its power relies on a chain of spells working together rather than a single standalone card. If the deck runs low on cards, it's unlikely that a topdeck alone will radically swing the game back in their favor.

Cards to Look Out For

1. Quicksilver Elemental. This card is terrifying alongside Vivi. By copying Vivi's activated ability repeatedly, it can generate infinite mana, storm off, and win instantly. Under no circumstances should this creature be allowed to stick.
2. Curiosity. This one keeps popping up for a reason. Curiosity is the justification for Vivi's spot in cEDH. Turning every spell into damage and three cards is an absurd level of card advantage and makes the deck run like a finely tuned engine.
3. Sigil of Sleep. One of the few ways to deal with Vivi is through combat damage, but Sigil of Sleep shuts that down immediately. By turning each noncreature spell into three unsummons, it becomes nearly impossible to keep creatures on board to pressure the Vivi player.
4. Hullbreaker Horror. A powerhouse in any deck, Hullbreaker Horror can go infinite with the right pieces, bounce back permanents, or simply return spells to hand. In a Vivi deck, this sea monster is especially dangerous.
5. Birgi, God of Storytelling. This commander thrives on chaining spells, and Birgi makes that even easier by refunding red mana every time one is cast. The result is a flood of resources and wildly explosive turns.

Stopping the Storm

Facing Vivi is essentially a game of Commander whack-a-mole. The moment Vivi hits the field, it has to be dealt with. Most other permanents in the deck simply enhance Vivi, but Vivi itself is the real problem. Expect it to draw attacks, especially since everyone else will already be bleeding from Vivi's noncombat damage. Key cards like Curiosity absolutely cannot be allowed to resolve, as they'll keep the Vivi player flush with resources. The deck's Achilles heel is its reliance on hand size, so limiting their cards is crucial. Because the list usually runs light on big blockers, the table has to work together to race the Vivi player before they go off. It isn't easy, but with cooperation, the storm can be weathered.

Commander Kryptonite

If Vivi still gives you trouble, consider packing some of these kryptonite pieces into your 99.

1. Rule of Law. This deck wants to chain spells together, and Rule of Law shuts that down by limiting them to just one spell per turn.
2. Damping Sphere. While only a minor annoyance for most decks, this artifact is devastating for Vivi. By making it much harder to chain spells into each other, Damping Sphere grinds their engine to a halt unless they have already set up infinite mana.
3. Sheoldred, the Apocalypse. Since Vivi thrives on casting spells and drawing cards, Sheoldred turns that strength into a liability. With the Vivi player regularly drawing five or more cards a turn, Sheoldred can shred their life total in no time.

And that's how you take down Vivi. Sure, Vivi decks will pick up new tricks as time goes on, but so will we. If you've got a commander you'd like to see featured on Commander Kryptonite, send me an email at thoughtvesselshow@gmail.com. Until next time, happy gaming!