The 25 Best Mono-Blue Combos in Magic Ranked

Retraction Helix | Illustration by Phill Simmer

Looking for mono-blue combos in Magic: The Gathering? Mono-blue and colorless artifact cards can pull off some wild infinite combos—think endless mana, unlimited card draw, infinite tokens, and even game-ending damage. We've compiled a full list of known loops that work in mono-blue Commander decks, organized by what they do. For each combo, you'll find the required cards, any setup steps, what the combo accomplishes, and swap-in alternatives that achieve similar results.

Intrigued by what these may be? Let’s dive right into it!

What Are Mono-Blue Combos in MTG?

Enter the Infinite | Illustration by Jake Murray

Mono-blue combos are powerful interactions that use only blue cards to create game-winning effects, often through infinite loops, card draw engines, or control-based locks.

For this list, I will include artifacts with colorless and mono-blue identity in them to use as part of oppressive and game-winning combos, and will exclude all the ones that only require colorless artifacts for another day.

With that little clarification out of the way, let’s now dive into these powerful combos.

#25. Naru Meha, Master Wizard + Essence Flux

Cards: Naru Meha, Master Wizard, Essence Flux

Prerequisites: Naru Meha, Master Wizard on the battlefield, Essence Flux in hand, and enough mana to cast it.

Result: Infinite ETB triggers, infinite magecraft.

Cast Essence Flux targeting any creature you control. While holding priority, cast Naru Meha, Master Wizard to copy Essence Flux, targeting itself. You now have a loop—every time they re-enter, they copy Essence Flux again.

Variations: You can use any flicker spell in place of Essence Flux, as long as it returns the creature immediately. Add a card like Impact Tremors to win.

#24. Grand Architect + Pili-Pala

Cards: Grand Architect and Pili-Pala.

Prerequisites: Both creatures in play, Pili-Pala has no summoning sickness.

Result: Infinite colored mana.

Use Grand Architect’s ability to make Pili-Pala blue, then tap Pili-Pala for using Grand Architect. Spend that to untap Pili-Pala, which makes one mana of any color. Repeat forever.

Variations: Apprentice Wizard enchanted by Freed from the Real also works, though that setup needs a third card to convert colorless into blue.

#23. Palinchron + Phantasmal Image

Cards: Palinchron and Phantasmal Image.

Prerequisites: At least seven lands. Palinchron on the battlefield and enough mana to cast Phantasmal Image.

Result: Infinite mana.

Cast Phantasmal Image copying Palinchron. It untaps seven lands. Use 4 mana to bounce the Image, keeping 3 floating. Recast the Image for 2, copy Palinchron, and repeat.

Variations: High Tide lets Palinchron go infinite solo with enough islands. Deadeye Navigator also combos with Palinchron or Peregrine Drake. Other cheap clones like Glasspool Mimic work too.

#22. Ghostly Flicker + Archaeomancer + Peregrine Drake

Cards: Ghostly Flicker, Archaeomancer, Peregrine Drake.

Prerequisites: Archaeomancer and Peregrine Drake on the field, Ghostly Flicker in hand or graveyard, and lands that tap for at least 4 mana.

Result: Infinite mana and ETB triggers.

Tap your lands, cast Ghostly Flicker targeting Peregrine Drake and Archaeomancer. Peregrine Drake untaps lands, Archaeomancer returns Ghostly Flicker to hand. Repeat for infinite mana and ETBs.

Variations: Swap Archaeomancer for Mnemonic Wall or Salvager of Secrets. Displace and Illusionist's Stratagem also work. Eternal Witness works if you’re in green, as does Ardent Elementalist in red.

#21. Meloku the Clouded Mirror + Retreat to Coralhelm + Walking Atlas

Cards: Meloku the Clouded Mirror, Retreat to Coralhelm, Walking Atlas.

Prerequisites: All three on the battlefield, one land, and 1 blue mana.

Result: Infinite 1/1 fliers and landfall triggers.

Pay 1 mana to bounce a land with Meloku the Clouded Mirror, making a 1/1 Illusion. Use Walking Atlas to replay that land, triggering Retreat to Coralhelm to untap Atlas. Repeat the loop for infinite tokens, infinite landfall, and tons of synergy.

Variations: Replace Walking Atlas with Sakura-Tribe Scout (if you branch into green), or add Altar of Dementia for a mill win.

#20. Mind Over Matter + Temple Bell

Cards: Mind Over Matter, Temple Bell.

Prerequisites: Both on the battlefield and at least one card in hand.

Result: Infinite draw for all players.

Tap Temple Bell to draw, discard a card to Mind Over Matter to untap it, and go again. You’ll draw everyone out unless you stop—or win with Thassa's Oracle or Laboratory Maniac.

Variations: Arcanis the Omnipotent or Azami, Lady of Scrolls can sub in for Bell with similar results.

#19. Emry, Lurker of the Loch + The One Ring + Krark-Clan Ironworks

Cards: Emry, Lurker of the Loch, The One Ring, Krark-Clan Ironworks.

Prerequisites: All three on the battlefield, with Emry, Lurker of the Loch able to cast artifacts from your graveyard and The One Ring in play.

Result: Repeated card draw, and you gain protection from everything.

Use The One Ring to draw cards, then sacrifice it to Krark-Clan Ironworks for 2 mana. Emry, Lurker of the Loch recasts the Ring from the graveyard, and you do it all over again over turns to maintain protection from everything and consistent card draw.

#18. Future Sight + Sensei’s Divining Top + Etherium Sculptor

Cards: Future Sight, Sensei's Divining Top, Etherium Sculptor.

Prerequisites: All three cards on the battlefield.

Result: Infinite draw and spell casts.

Tap Sensei's Divining Top to draw a card and put the Top back on top of your library. Cast Sensei's Divining Top from the top of your library for free (thanks to Future Sight and Etherium Sculptor), tap it to draw a card and put it back on top, then cast it again. Each loop draws one card and builds your storm count.

Variations: Use Cloud Key or Helm of Awakening instead of Sculptor. Mystic Forge or The Reality Chip can replace Future Sight.

#17. Myr Turbine + Intruder Alarm + March of the Machines

Cards: Myr Turbine, Intruder Alarm, March of the Machines.

Prerequisites: All three permanents on the battlefield, with Myr Turbine untapped (and now a creature thanks to March of the Machines).

Result: Infinite 1/1 Myr tokens.

Tap Myr Turbine to create a 1/1 Myr. Intruder Alarm sees the token enter and untaps all creatures—including the Turbine, since it’s now a creature. Just tap it again to make another token and keep the loop going. You get as many Myr as you want.

Variations: Works with any token-making tap ability and Intruder Alarm. Blue cards like Drowner of Secrets can turn this into infinite mill.

#16. Patron of the Moon + Amulet of Vigor + Storm Cauldron

Cards: Patron of the Moon, Amulet of Vigor, Storm Cauldron.

Prerequisites: All three in play, at least 1 mana to start, and a couple lands in hand.

Result: Infinite mana and landfall triggers.

Use Patron of the Moon to put two lands into play tapped. Amulet of Vigor untaps them. Tap those lands for mana, then Storm Cauldron bounces them back to hand. You now have more mana than you started with and the lands back. Keep looping this and you get infinite mana, infinite landfall triggers, and potential ETB value with things like Sunscorched Desert.

Variations: Add Hedron Crab for infinite mill or Walking Atlas to make land loops even faster.

#15. Aphetto Alchemist + Illusionist’s Bracers + Prodigal Sorcerer

Cards: Aphetto Alchemist, Illusionist's Bracers, Prodigal Sorcerer

Prerequisites: Aphetto Alchemist is equipped with the Illusionist's Bracers, Prodigal Sorcerer can tap, and there’s another target worth untapping with Alchemist.

Result: Infinite damage

Tap Aphetto Alchemist targeting Prodigal Sorcerer, and thanks to Illusionist's Bracers, you also untap Alchemist. Now Sorcerer is untapped and ready to ping for 1, and Alchemist is ready to go again. Each cycle lets you shoot something for 1 and reset the loop.

Variations: Replace Prodigal Sorcerer with any pinger, or switch to a mana rock like Gilded Lotus for infinite mana instead.

#14. Hullbreaker Horror + Sol Ring

Cards: Hullbreaker Horror, Sol Ring (or other cheap artifact/noncreature spell).

Prerequisites: Hullbreaker Horror on the battlefield with mana to recast cheap noncreature spells repeatedly.

Result: Infinite bounce and storm.

Cast a cheap noncreature spell like Sol Ring to trigger Hullbreaker Horror and bounce something—usually the spell itself or another permanent. Recast it to do it again. If you’re netting mana or just looping spells, you get infinite bounces and can clear the board or go for a storm win.

Variations: Artifact cost reduction like Etherium Sculptor makes this easier. Mishra's Bauble, Lotus Petal, and other 0-cost artifacts make great fuel.

#13. Teferi, Temporal Archmage + The Chain Veil

Cards: Teferi, Temporal Archmage, The Chain Veil

Prerequisites: Teferi, Temporal Archmage on the battlefield with at least five loyalty, The Chain Veil on the battlefield, and the ability to produce 4+ mana (usually with mana rocks).

Result: Infinite planeswalker activations

Use Teferi, Temporal Archmage’s -1 to untap four permanents, including the mana you just spent and The Chain Veil. Reactivate the Veil, then use a +1 to reset loyalty, and repeat the process. Every loop gives you another use of each planeswalker you control this turn, including Teferi, leading to infinite activations.

Variations: Any planeswalker that untaps mana sources can potentially go off with The Chain Veil, but Teferi is the cleanest mono-blue planeswalker for the job.

#12. Maddening Cacophony + Fraying Sanity

Cards: Maddening Cacophony, Fraying Sanity.

Prerequisites: Fraying Sanity enchanting an opponent and enough mana to kick Maddening Cacophony.

Result: Double mill that usually kills in one shot.

Cast Maddening Cacophony kicked to mill half of each opponent's deck. Fraying Sanity then triggers and makes the enchanted player mill that much again at end of turn. Because you're doubling “half” the deck, you’re looking at exponential decay—most opponents are left with nothing after a single turn cycle.

Variations: Traumatize or a repeated Maddening Cacophony via recursion can hit multiple players. It’s not truly infinite, but it usually plays out that way.

#11. Ioreth of the Healing House + Vizier of Tumbling Sands

Cards: Ioreth of the Healing House, Vizier of Tumbling Sands, In Bolas's Clutches.

Prerequisites: Both on the battlefield, turn Vizier of Tumbling Sands into a legendary creature (with Clutchs, for example).

Result: Infinite untaps and value recursion.

Tap Ioreth of the Healing House targeting Vizier of Tumbling Sands and another legendary creature to untap them. Tap Vizier of Tumbling Sands to untap Ioreth. You’re back where you started—ready to loop again and generate as much value as you can from, for example, mana your legendary creatures can produce.

Variations: Swap Vizier of Tumbling Sands with Fatestitcher or Tidewater Minion. This is a slow but grindy infinite loop. Leyline of Singularity can make Vizier a legendary creature.

#10. Archetype of Imagination + Stormtide Leviathan

Cards: Archetype of Imagination, Stormtide Leviathan.

Prerequisites: Both on the battlefield.

Result: Soft combat lock.

Stormtide Leviathan turns all lands into islands and only lets creatures with flying or islandwalk attack. Archetype of Imagination gives your team flying and removes flying from your opponents’ creatures. So they can’t attack or block, but your whole army can swing freely. It’s a clean (but expensive) blue way to shut down combat and cruise to a win.

Variations: Wonder in the graveyard or enchantments like Levitation can provide similar flying buffs.

#9. Enter the Infinite + Empty Library Win Conditions

Cards: Enter the Infinite, Thassa's Oracle or Jace, Wielder of Mysteries.

Prerequisites: Enough mana to cast Enter the Infinite (12), and a win condition in hand or on the field.

Result: Instant win.

Cast Enter the Infinite, draw your whole deck, and put any card back on top. Then play Thassa's Oracle, which sees your empty library and wins you the game. If you have Jace, Wielder of Mysteries instead, just +1 to win.

#8. Valley Floodcaller + Retraction Helix

Cards: Valley Floodcaller, Retraction Helix

Prerequisites: Valley Floodcaller on the battlefield, Retraction Helix in hand, a frog, otter, bird, or rat creature you control that doesn’t have summoning sickness, and a 0-mana artifact.

Result: Infinite storm count, infinite untaps, and infinitely large frogs, birds, otters, and rats until end of turn

Target one of your small creatures (bird, otter, etc.) with Retraction Helix. This triggers Valley Floodcaller, which gives all your woodland creatures +1/+1 and untaps them. Once Helix resolves, your creature can now tap to bounce a nonland permanent—ideally a free noncreature spell like Mishra's Bauble or a 0-cost artifact. Recast that spell for free, triggering Floodcaller again and untapping your creature. Keep looping the bounce and recast to generate infinite storm, untaps, and pump triggers.

Variations: Banishing Knack works instead of Retraction Helix.

#7. Mindslaver + Cheap Artifact Recursion/Reanimation

Cards: Mindslaver, and either Academy Ruins or Emry, Lurker of the Loch.

Prerequisites: Mindslaver in the graveyard or on the field; enough mana to activate it each turn.

Result: Lock one player out of the game indefinitely.

Activate Mindslaver to control an opponent’s turn. Then use Academy Ruins to put it back on top of your deck, or use Emry, Lurker of the Loch to recast it from your graveyard. Each loop gives you control over another turn—keeping one player permanently locked under your control.

Variations: Academy Ruins is more reliable, but Emry, Lurker of the Loch works especially well with infinite mana or self-mill support.

#6. Dramatic Scepter

Cards: Isochron Scepter, Dramatic Reversal.

Prerequisites: Isochron Scepter has Dramatic Reversal imprinted, and you have at least 3 mana from nonland sources.

Result: Infinite mana and spell casts.

Tap your rocks or dorks, then use 2 mana to activate Isochron Scepter. Dramatic Reversal untaps everything, including Isochron Scepter. Each loop nets mana or infinite untaps and generates infinite storm.

Variations: A cEDH classic—add Aetherflux Reservoir or Blue Sun's Zenith to finish things off.

#5. The One Ring + Mind Over Matter

Cards: The One Ring, Mind Over Matter.

Prerequisites: Both on the battlefield.

Result: Infinite card draw.

Tap The One Ring to draw X cards (where X = burden counters), then discard a card to Mind Over Matter to untap it. Each time you'll draw more cards than you discard, so you can keep going. The loop grows additively, and you can draw your entire deck in a few cycles.

Variations: Add Thassa's Oracle to win from the draw.

#4. Cephalid Breakfast

Cards: Cephalid Illusionist, Shuko.

Prerequisites: You control Shuko, Cephalid Illusionist.

Result: Infinite self-mill.

Equip Shuko to Cephalid Illusionist and mill 3. Repeat until you’ve milled yourself out, then win with Thassa's Oracle or Laboratory Maniac. Note that you can target Illusionist with Shuko even if it's already equipped, so you do not need to control another creature.

Variations: Cephalid Aristocrat works too. Lightning Greaves can replace Shuko (this would require another creature in play to move Lightning Greaves).

#3. Fate Turns

Cards: Mirror of Fate, Manipulate Fate, Beacon of Tomorrows.

Prerequisites: Manipulate Fate exiles Beacon of Tomorrows, then you resolve and activate Mirror of Fate.

Result: Infinite turns.

Cast Manipulate Fate to exile Beacon. Then sacrifice Mirror of Fate and choose Beacon of Tomorrows as one of the cards to reload your now-empty library. On your next turn, draw and cast Beacon, which shuffles itself back into your one-card library. Now you can draw and recast it every turn, taking infinite turns.

Variations: Any card that exiles Beacon of Tomorrows works. This is a legal and wild wincon in EDH.

#2. Leveler + Thassa's Oracle

Cards: Leveler, Thassa's Oracle.

Prerequisites: You must be able to cast both cards.

Result: Win the game.

Cast Leveler to exile your entire library. Then play Thassa's Oracle—your devotion to blue is irrelevant, and you just win the game.

Variations: Jace, Wielder of Mysteries or Laboratory Maniac also work as wincons here. Paradigm Shift is another library exile option.

#1. Power Artifact + Basalt Monolith

Cards: Power Artifact and Basalt Monolith.

Prerequisites: Basalt Monolith enchanted with Power Artifact. Both are on the battlefield.

Result: Infinite colorless mana.

Power Artifact reduces Basalt Monolith’s untap cost from to , so you can tap it for 3 mana, untap it for 1—netting 2 mana each loop. Repeat for unbounded colorless mana.

Variations: Grim Monolith works similarly—Power Artifact reduces its untap to , letting you net +1 per loop.

Wrap Up

Intruder Alarm | Illustration by Francoyovich

As you can see, there are plenty of powerful combos you can use in both Commander and cEDH as part of your win conditions. That said, most of these tend to show up more often in the higher power Brackets of the format.

What do you think? Did any of these combos catch your eye, or did we miss one that you think is a must-have? Let us know in the comments!

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