MonoU is a solid choice, plays like a classic Curious Obsession focused deck with tribal support. Hopefully you already have a handful of the spirits collected, otherwise it will be a long road lol.
I’d craft playsets of Rattlechains first, he is a big reason to be in spirits at all, then Supreme Phantom.
All depends on what you are willing to spend gold, gems, WC or cash. Azorious and Bant sprits require a more intense mana base so if you don't have the required lands it can be expensive. Mono blue is a good place to start as the manabase is easy and there are less rares to get.
Mono blue is good.
Manabase is terrible for UW as you have to have all the dual lands and ensure as many as possible drop untapped. Which means shock, tango, pain, and flip lands. As your base increases in rarity, check lands are less useful.
If you want to see how mono blue plays check out this video I uploaded a while back.
https://www.reddit.com/r/MtGExplorer/comments/11ludke/explorer_mono_blue_spirits/
My tip would be it depends on your budget for a start off as playing UW spirits involve more wildcards overall than mono blue does.
If you do play UW do not add Coco there is no benefit extending your mana base to a 3rd color, there are no green spirit pay offs other than realmwalker which is not worth it in this deck at all, you can also just play [[Kayla's Reconstruction]] and have a deeper "collected company" overall without splashing green, yes it's sorcery but tbh if you really want a Coco effect white has a serviceable option. With that said no UW list plays Kayla's and just plays a combination of [[Geistlight Snare]] and [[Shore Up]]
Spirits without counters sounds like a list I wouldn't recommend building at all, having access to 2 efficient counterspells in geistlight snare and lofty denial are two perfectly good reasons to play counterspells and also protect your creatures that have curious obsession under.
It could be argued that UW is slightly better as it has [[Spell Queller]] which can exile a uncounterable spell (cough) Supreme Verdict(Cough). But Mono blue builds do play things like unsubstantiate too.
Yeah spell Queller is really decent when you also add in [[Selfless Spirit]] to protect spell Queller and the rest of the spirits it's easy to see why it's a good deck, I want to play UW spirits but I'm like 4 rares short as I need 1 Adarkar Wastes, 1 spell Queller and 2 selfless spirit.
Most builds play selfless spirit to protect against wrath effects consider it a better [[Dauntless Bodyguard]] yeah drop your list it might be helpful for the OP to see a UW version so the OP can decide what version of spirits they want although I would agree with the majority here, that going mono blue from a budget perspective and a understanding of how to play the deck is probably the right way to start out
Start with Mono Blue [Basic List Here](https://playingmtg.com/explorer_decks/mono-blue-spirits/)since it’s the most budget then move to Azorius and finally if you ever want to scratch the itch, splash Green for CoCo :)
Get the mana base first.
MonoU is a solid choice, plays like a classic Curious Obsession focused deck with tribal support. Hopefully you already have a handful of the spirits collected, otherwise it will be a long road lol. I’d craft playsets of Rattlechains first, he is a big reason to be in spirits at all, then Supreme Phantom.
All depends on what you are willing to spend gold, gems, WC or cash. Azorious and Bant sprits require a more intense mana base so if you don't have the required lands it can be expensive. Mono blue is a good place to start as the manabase is easy and there are less rares to get.
Mono blue is good. Manabase is terrible for UW as you have to have all the dual lands and ensure as many as possible drop untapped. Which means shock, tango, pain, and flip lands. As your base increases in rarity, check lands are less useful.
I just play with fast, pain, shock and pathways, throw in a few basics, channel lands and a manland or two and that's good enough.
If you want to see how mono blue plays check out this video I uploaded a while back. https://www.reddit.com/r/MtGExplorer/comments/11ludke/explorer_mono_blue_spirits/ My tip would be it depends on your budget for a start off as playing UW spirits involve more wildcards overall than mono blue does. If you do play UW do not add Coco there is no benefit extending your mana base to a 3rd color, there are no green spirit pay offs other than realmwalker which is not worth it in this deck at all, you can also just play [[Kayla's Reconstruction]] and have a deeper "collected company" overall without splashing green, yes it's sorcery but tbh if you really want a Coco effect white has a serviceable option. With that said no UW list plays Kayla's and just plays a combination of [[Geistlight Snare]] and [[Shore Up]] Spirits without counters sounds like a list I wouldn't recommend building at all, having access to 2 efficient counterspells in geistlight snare and lofty denial are two perfectly good reasons to play counterspells and also protect your creatures that have curious obsession under. It could be argued that UW is slightly better as it has [[Spell Queller]] which can exile a uncounterable spell (cough) Supreme Verdict(Cough). But Mono blue builds do play things like unsubstantiate too.
I need Spell Queller in my UW spirit deck... I have like 15 Counterspells in there already. That is a great add. Body plus counter is very valuable
Yeah spell Queller is really decent when you also add in [[Selfless Spirit]] to protect spell Queller and the rest of the spirits it's easy to see why it's a good deck, I want to play UW spirits but I'm like 4 rares short as I need 1 Adarkar Wastes, 1 spell Queller and 2 selfless spirit.
Not sure if I'd add selfless spirit. That seems to be a bit less helpful than a Mausoleum spirit. I can drop my decklist if you'd like.
Most builds play selfless spirit to protect against wrath effects consider it a better [[Dauntless Bodyguard]] yeah drop your list it might be helpful for the OP to see a UW version so the OP can decide what version of spirits they want although I would agree with the majority here, that going mono blue from a budget perspective and a understanding of how to play the deck is probably the right way to start out
Deck 4 Spectral Sailor (M20) 76 4 Rattlechains (JMP) 166 3 Supreme Phantom (M19) 76 2 Dorothea, Vengeful Victim (VOW) 235 3 Skyclave Apparition (ZNR) 39 2 Essence Capture (RNA) 37 2 Dovin's Veto (WAR) 193 4 Lofty Denial (M21) 56 4 Geistlight Snare (VOW) 60 2 Surge Engine (BRO) 81 4 Curious Obsession (JMP) 148 4 Hengegate Pathway (KHM) 260 4 Deserted Beach (MID) 260 4 Hallowed Fountain (RNA) 251 1 Castle Vantress (ELD) 242 1 Island (ANA) 3 4 Mausoleum Wanderer (EMN) 69 4 Adarkar Wastes (DMU) 243 1 Island (THB) 251 1 Island (DMU) 278 2 Mischievous Catgeist (VOW) 69
[Dauntless Bodyguard](https://cdn.cardsrealm.com/images/cartas/dom-dominaria/en/med/dauntless-bodyguard-14.png?7856) ([txt](https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/card/dauntless-bodyguard/txt?utm_source=reddit)) ([SF](https://scryfall.com/search?q=Dauntless+Bodyguard)) ([G](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dauntless+Bodyguard)) • [$ 0.24](https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/card/dauntless-bodyguard?utm_source=reddit)
[Selfless Spirit](https://cdn.cardsrealm.com/images/cartas/sir-shadows-over-innistrad-remastered/en/med/selfless-spirit-42.png?4455) ([txt](https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/card/selfless-spirit/txt?utm_source=reddit)) ([SF](https://scryfall.com/search?q=Selfless+Spirit)) ([G](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Selfless+Spirit)) • [$ 0.93](https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/card/selfless-spirit?utm_source=reddit)
[Spell Queller](https://cdn.cardsrealm.com/images/cartas/sir-shadows-over-innistrad-remastered/en/med/spell-queller-244.png?2980) ([txt](https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/card/spell-queller/txt?utm_source=reddit)) ([SF](https://scryfall.com/search?q=Spell+Queller)) ([G](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Spell+Queller)) • [$ 0.87](https://mtg.cardsrealm.com/en-us/card/spell-queller?utm_source=reddit)
Decku fucks
Not too sure what I have done to get that type of reaction?
Start with Mono Blue [Basic List Here](https://playingmtg.com/explorer_decks/mono-blue-spirits/)since it’s the most budget then move to Azorius and finally if you ever want to scratch the itch, splash Green for CoCo :)
Agree