Ivy Gleeful Spellthief CEDH

In the world of Commander, the competitive scene often called cEDH (Competitive Elder Dragon Highlander) is a space where only the most efficient and finely tuned decks survive. Among the many legendary creatures that have made their mark, Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief has emerged as a fascinating choice for players looking to combine trickery, spell-copying mechanics, and powerful combos. This Simic-colored commander (green and blue) thrives on clever interaction and exploiting opponents’ spells for her own advantage, making Ivy a unique threat in any competitive pod. Understanding how to build, pilot, and counter an Ivy cEDH deck requires deep familiarity with the commander’s mechanics and the broader cEDH environment.

Understanding Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief

Commander Breakdown

Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief is a 2/1 Faerie Rogue for {G}{U} with flying. Her ability reads: ‘Whenever a player casts a spell that targets only a single creature other than Ivy, you may copy that spell. The copy targets Ivy.’ This wording is what makes her so dangerous she doesn’t need you to cast the spells yourself. She can leech off your opponents’ targeted buffs, combat tricks, or removal, provided Ivy isn’t the original target.

This ability opens the door for a build-around strategy that focuses on cheap creature-targeting spells. Combined with a well-planned decklist, Ivy becomes a consistent value engine, cloning powerful effects and triggering synergies with almost no cost. In cEDH, where efficiency is king, having a low-cost commander that interacts favorably with cheap spells is a huge advantage.

Why Ivy Works in cEDH

Efficiency and Low Mana Curve

One of the most important aspects of cEDH is speed. Ivy’s mana value of just two allows her to be cast early, which is essential for establishing a game plan before opponents assemble theirs. Most of the spells in her deck will cost 1 or 2 mana, allowing for explosive plays even with limited resources.

Synergy with Targeted Spells

Unlike commanders that require significant setup or expensive combo pieces, Ivy works directly with spells like:

• Slip Through Space– Makes another creature unblockable, and the copy does the same for Ivy.
• Mutagenic Growth– Buffs an attacker cheaply, and the copy helps Ivy stay relevant in combat or survive damage-based removal.
• Curiosity– Drawing cards for each successful hit becomes doubly impactful when duplicated onto Ivy.

These cheap, flexible spells enable tempo plays that scale rapidly and often generate multiple advantages in a single turn.

Core Win Conditions

Enchantress and Card Draw Combos

One of the strongest win conditions in Ivy cEDH involves enchantments that allow you to draw cards when dealing combat damage or casting spells targeting creatures. Key pieces include:

• Curiosity
• Ophidian Eye
• Combat Research

These enchantments pair with Ivy and another evasive creature (such as Ledger Shredder or Spellseeker) to set up a draw engine. If you enchant both Ivy and another attacker, each successful combat hit draws multiple cards, fueling your hand and setting up your combo turns. With infinite mana, these draw loops can become win conditions themselves.

Spell Copying and Looping Effects

Another approach focuses on copying and looping spells. Key cards that support this line include:

• Dualcaster Mage + Twinflame
• Naru Meha, Master Wizard + Ghostly Flicker

With Ivy on the field, copying Twinflame or similar spells leads to exponential growth in creatures and triggers, which can overwhelm the board or be converted into a win via ETB triggers or combat damage. This method requires tighter timing but is extremely effective against slower decks.

Staple Cards and Key Inclusions

Creatures That Enable Loops and Interactions

To support Ivy’s gameplay and win conditions, the deck includes a set of creatures that interact well with targeting spells and combo engines:

• Spellseeker– Searches for key instants like Twinflame or Crop Rotation.
• Thassa’s Oracle– A staple win condition when paired with Demonic Consultation or Tainted Pact.
• Ledger Shredder– Provides evasion, card filtering, and synergy with casting multiple spells.

Cheap Instants and Enchantments

The deck is loaded with low-cost instants and enchantments to fuel Ivy’s ability:

• Defiant Strike
• Canopy Cover
• Snakeskin Veil
• Slip Through Space

These cards provide draw, protection, evasion, and synergy with Ivy, while keeping the mana curve extremely low.

Interaction and Protection

No cEDH deck is complete without ways to disrupt opponents and protect your own game plan:

• Force of Will
• Flusterstorm
• Fierce Guardianship
• Veil of Summer

These cards provide essential coverage against counterspells, combo pieces, and removal. Ivy may look like a tempo commander, but she needs protection just as much as combo commanders do.

Mana Base and Acceleration

Efficient Ramp and Fixing

The mana base is tuned for speed, consistency, and combo potential. Staples include:

• Mana Crypt
• Mox Diamond
• Chrome Mox
• Birds of Paradise

The land base features the usual cEDH suspects dual lands, fetch lands, and utility lands like Otawara, Soaring City. Keeping Ivy on curve in the early game is essential, so the ramp suite is designed to get her down quickly while still enabling interaction.

Weaknesses and Counterplay

Vulnerability to Board Wipes

Like many creature-based decks, Ivy Spellthief builds struggle against frequent or early board wipes. Cards like Toxic Deluge or Cyclonic Rift can severely delay Ivy’s tempo. Smart players will hold their board development until they can protect key pieces or rebuild quickly.

Graveyard Hate and Stack Interaction

Some of Ivy’s combos rely on looping cards or stacking triggers. Graveyard hate like Dauthi Voidwalker or Rest in Peace can interfere with these lines. Additionally, high-level counterspell decks can disrupt key turns if Ivy isn’t sufficiently protected.

Tips for Piloting Ivy in cEDH

Know When to Push and When to Hold

With Ivy, it’s tempting to go all-in once you have a few pieces online. But in cEDH, patience often wins games. Don’t overextend into a known board wipe or commit too many resources to a turn that isn’t safe. Hold up protection and look for windows where opponents are tapped out or distracted.

Leverage Opponent Spells

One of Ivy’s most overlooked strengths is copying opponent spells. If someone targets their own creature with a buff, Ivy can copy that spell and benefit immediately. Pay attention to the stack and learn to read your opponents’ intentions it’s free value waiting to happen.

Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief offers a unique and competitive option in the cEDH meta. Her low cost, powerful copying ability, and synergy with low-mana spells make her a potent tempo commander with explosive combo potential. While she demands careful play and proper timing, Ivy rewards those who can adapt, exploit interaction, and maintain flexibility at the table. Whether you’re aiming to outvalue your opponents or combo off in a flash, Ivy brings spellcraft and cunning to the forefront of competitive Commander.