Lorthos, the Tidemaker EDH Need HELP please!!!

[xBeLLaTriX]

Ya so I'm new to edh, only know the basics and have never tried to make a deck before.  I've got a few really solid and competitive standard decks, but I've never had any experience with edh.  I wanted to make a deck with {Lorthos, the Tidemaker} as the general and a general theme of maybe tapping down opposing creatures (i.e. {Sleep} or {Tamiyo, the Moon Sage}), but I'm not sure that's the best way to go about making a deck.  I want the deck to be pretty competitive yet fun, and I don't mind including some expensive cards.  Also, with my very little knowledge of edh, I have no idea what cards are edh staples for blue, and those would be great suggestions as well.  Finally, I hear blue relies a lot on artifacts, so good artifact suggestions would be great too!  Simply put, I have no idea how to go about building an edh deck around Lorthos and I want any and all suggestions that would make a good, competitive EDH deck!

[Thorn]

Well if your playing mono-blue then you are going to want all the artifact ramp you can find. Lots of counters and things to protect yourself. A very nice card is {Stormtide Leviathan}. Card draw is a must. Make sure you have enough creatures but since you are most likely playing counters you can play less creatures than other decks.

[Dudecore]

Generally, but not always, a mono blue deck is better served playing a {Kira, the Great Glass-Spinner} or a lower CMC commander because the effect is greater, cheaper and if you're playing mono blue...you'd better get a bigger bang for the buck.

Lorthos isn't bad, but he costs so much that a) casting him is difficult b) once you do, he doesn't force your opponent to react differently

[xBeLLaTriX]

Definitely want Lorthos as my General . But I really have no idea where to start guys, I have 0 experience and I've only been playing for a few months now

[Gorzo]

Mono blue control is definitely viable as a commander deck. Make sure to load yourself up with card draw.
{Trade secrets}
{Minds aglow}
{Blue sun's zenith}
{Mind spring}
{Staff of Nin}
{Mind Unbound}
And others. And with all that card draw, make sure you have an infinite hand size.
{Reliquary Tower}
{Spellbook}
{Venser's Journal}
Load up with counterspells to protect your creatures and stop game-killing effects made by your opponents. Remember that blue is weak on creatures compared to other colors, so you need to protect your good ones and halt their better ones.
{Dissipate}
{Counterlash}
{Hinder}
{Spell Crumple}
{Time Stop}
{Mindbreak Trap}
You don't have many power hitter creatures with blue. You have your general, {Stormtide leviathan}, some artifacts like {Blightsteel colossus}, and some eldrazi your beefcakes. But you have lots of utility creatures to help you and hinder your foes, like {Djinn of Wishes} and {Fatespinner}.