Best Mono-Blue Cards to Buy that Survive Rotation for MTG Standard 2022

Rotation is one of the best times to get into the Standard format for multiple reasons. It’s exciting to see how the new metagame is shaken up, and how players adapt to losing so many tools from their decks. There’s also an injection of new cards, this time through the release of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt wich will have big impacts on the format as well.

But rotation is also an opportune time to get into the Standard format (or buy a new deck) from a financial perspective. There is a smaller pool of viable cards. Instead of having to track down cards across eight different sets, now there are only five.

While it is exciting to think about all the cards from the newest set, if you want to play Standard, there are important cards from the sets that survive Standard rotation, which in this case are Zendikar Rising, Kaldheim, Strixhaven: School of Mages, and Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. In this article we are going to look at some of the best Mono-Blue cards you can buy for Standard 2022.

Read More: Best MTG White Cards to Buy that Survive Standard Rotation

Iymrith, Desert Doom

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Izzet Dragons was a forerunner in the Standard 2021 metagame and it is not losing much from rotation. Imyrith accompanies Goldspan Dragon Goldspan Dragon Flying, haste
Whenever this creature attacks or becomes the target of a spell, create a Treasure token.
Treasures you control have "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add two mana of any one color." as the deck’s top-end flying threats. While Imyrith is not as aggressive as Goldspan, what it does have is both card draw and resistance built into it.

Iymrith also has some cool synergy with the new Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset +1: Choose up to one target artifact, up to one target creature, and up to one target land. Untap the chosen permanents you control. Tap the chosen permanents you don't control. You gain 2 life.
−2: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
−7: You get an emblem with "Untap all permanents you control during each opponent's untap step" and "You draw a card during each opponent's draw step." as you can attack with the Desert Doom, draw some cards when you deal combat damage, and then use Teferi’s +1 ability to untap Imyrith and give it ward 4 again. If there is a deck that wants to utilize the new Teferi, it will likely want this legendary dragon to help close out games and serve as protection for Teferi.

Alrund’s Epiphany

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Alrund’s Epiphany has mostly seen play as a finisher in Izzet Dragons, often working as a one-two punch to fly over the top of opposing blockers with Imyrith, Desert Doom and Goldspan Dragon. It may seem expensive to play at seven mana, but its Fortell ability can actually come in handy, allowing you to play Epiphany on turn 6, and acting as a bluff when played alongside cards like Saw it Coming Saw it Coming Counter target spell.
Foretell {1}{U} (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.) and Behold the Multiverse Behold the Multiverse Scry 2, then draw two cards.
Foretell {1}{U} (During your turn, you may pay {2} and exile this card from your hand face down. Cast it on a later turn for its foretell cost.) .

There’s a chance that Alrund’s Epiphany could pop up in future ramp decks too. It’s no Nexus of Fate Nexus of Fate Take an extra turn after this one.
If Nexus of Fate would be put into a graveyard from anywhere, reveal Nexus of Fate and shuffle it into its owner's library instead. , which headlined many blue-green decks during its time in Standard, but Alrund’s Epiphany could work in a similar vein, especially because the two 1/1 birds it creates helps apply pressure when you’re taking extra turns.

Demilich

Demilich got a considerable amount of hype when it was spoiled in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, but that attention died down a bit as the skeleton wizard struggled to find a home in Standard 2021. This isn’t to say that Demilich is a bad card because it isn’t. Demilich has a lot going for it: It can discount its mana value, it recasts spells from your graveyard, and it can reanimate itself.

But there are a lot of new toys for Demilich coming out of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt like Consider Consider Surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
Draw a card. , Faithful Mendiing, and Cathartic Pyre Cathartic Pyre Choose one —
• Cathartic Pyre deals 3 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
• Discard up to two cards, then draw that many cards. . Plus we’ll be visiting Innistrad once more when Innistrad: Crimson Vow releases which will likely bring more graveyard focused and flashback spells.

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Mordenkainen is starting to pick up some play in blue-black control Standard 2022 decklists. Although he is six mana, Mordenkainen ticks a lot of boxes you want to see in planeswalker card. He has card draw, protects himself with big Dog Illusion creature tokens, and has an effectively game winning ultimate ability.

If there is a blue control deck to come out of rotation, it will likely feature a few copies of Mordenkainen to bury your opponents in card advantage and close out games with massive Dog tokens.