@jar75
I'm not a huge fan of his list (No End Hostilities!?!?), but his manabase is really solid and as you picked up, with 4 Anticipate, you can drop to 26 lands. Unlike UW, Roast + Anger of the Gods allows you to run fewer or no Nullify main.
One thing I didn't like about his mana base was that he only had 13 red sources in the list. That doesn't seem like it's enough to reliably cast Anger. I upped mine to 16 (still a bit light for RR on turn 3) at the expense of some white sources. I don't need WW until turn 6, so it seemed like a better plan. Mana base is pretty damn slow though.
I'm not a big fan of the 5 mana wraths in this format, especially now that the GW Manifest deck has emerged. I thought about including 2 (1 main, 1 board), but I just like Vault better. Anger + Elspeth's minus ability seems like it'd be enough to clean everything up that slips through.
You're probably right on the Nullify, especially now that the command can do it's own Nullify impersonation.
Encase in Ice is something I likely should have found a place for. That does do a great job of disabling Stormbreath.
Keranos, for as much as I love that card, doesn't seem well positioned. There are so many must answer enchantments in standard that there will be ample hate for him around. The same is true for B-Light, but I do think those are worth the risk (if you're not on the Vault plan).
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Narset. The +1 will frequently draw you a card; rebounding one of your draw spells is fantastic; but I'm not sure if that's enough or not. I like her a lot more in a proactive deck.
Dragonlord Dromoka is obivously a crippling card against us, but what does everyone think of a green splash to include her on our side? She wrecks the mirror, UB and mid range.
I like her a lot, but the thing about pure control decks is that you're not really worried about being able to cast spells or your turn. The goal is to be casting spells during your opponent's turns, limiting, countering, and removing their options and permanents. The only spells we should be casting on our turn is our wincons. I mean, I'm not saying no to her, but Pearl Lake Ancient is just as good a finisher, has flash and prowess, and doesn't require us to add a third color to our deck. I could maybe see her replacing Prognostic Sphinx in my deck (previously posted in this thread) as a sideboard card, and running PLA mainboard.
I guess what I like most about her is she has evasion and lifelink. The uncounterable is nice, and the Grand Abolisher effect helpful in a few corner cases. Is the absence of Flash too much to lose PLA to?
Dragonlord Dromoka is obivously a crippling card against us, but what does everyone think of a green splash to include her on our side? She wrecks the mirror, UB and mid range.
I like her a lot, but the thing about pure control decks is that you're not really worried about being able to cast spells or your turn. The goal is to be casting spells during your opponent's turns, limiting, countering, and removing their options and permanents. The only spells we should be casting on our turn is our wincons. I mean, I'm not saying no to her, but Pearl Lake Ancient is just as good a finisher, has flash and prowess, and doesn't require us to add a third color to our deck. I could maybe see her replacing Prognostic Sphinx in my deck (previously posted in this thread) as a sideboard card, and running PLA mainboard.
I guess what I like most about her is she has evasion and lifelink. The uncounterable is nice, and the Grand Abolisher effect helpful in a few corner cases. Is the absence of Flash too much to lose PLA to?
I feel it's better than PLA, PLA can survive removal, but has literally no evasion. But not worth going bant.
@jar75
So here's a thing... GW Devotion. A much as I like the UWR, I think it isn't very good against GW Devotion and UB and Esper don't have the legs for it either. That deck has to be attacked with sweepers and counters, they have to be made to overextend. Maybe it has to be attacked with Perilous Vault in place of Banishing Light, although I am not a fan of that card in UW. If I tap out, I want to do it for one turn only unless I am playing another card. Plus, I want rebound against them. I want them to have to face repeated sweepers.
@Everyone
Does anyone else feel like Contradict is pretty much better than either Ux Command? I know 5 mana is bad, but it is already better than Silumgar's Command and if it was 4 mana, it would be outright better than Ojutai's Command too. Counter any spell, draw 1 is pretty powerful.
This is what I am planning on running ATM, with everything spoiled:
EDIT:
After reading Shaheen Soorani's article on SCG, I feel like Silumgar's Scorn might be the way to go, as that UU really does work turns 2-4 against almost every deck and forces decks that would want to tap out to hold back. Of course, that would mean changes to the deck, like a couple Dragonlord Ojutai and a 1-of Haven of the Spirit Dragon.
"Unfortunately, all of my test animals have died or escaped, so i shall be the final subject. I feel no fear. This is a momentous night."
--Laboratory notes, final entry
Please tell me how a playset of Silumgar's Scorn with only one dragon works out. I am concerned it may be a dead draw when it really counts. Please also let me know how Narsetwalker performs, she seems to be a card advantage machine that might not necessarily win the game for you.
Silumgar's Scorn is fine turns 1-4 with out a dragon because it still force spike's, late game you don't really want it unless you have a dragon. Which making an opp play around force spike in game 2 is good to because it makes them play off curve, and you can easily board out the scorn's for more relevant Counterspells.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Unfortunately, all of my test animals have died or escaped, so i shall be the final subject. I feel no fear. This is a momentous night."
--Laboratory notes, final entry
Silumgar's Scorn is fine turns 1-4 with out a dragon because it still force spike's, late game you don't really want it unless you have a dragon. Which making an opp play around force spike in game 2 is good to because it makes them play off curve, and you can easily board out the scorn's for more relevant Counterspells.
Actually, it's quite bad on turns 1 & 2 since you'll likely have a tap land, and is just an overcosted force spike on 3 and 4.
Initially i was very High on Silumgar's Scorn as i got to hit quite a few people with it t2-4 and just disrupt, but the card is practically worthless late game in my build so i went back to this.
"Unfortunately, all of my test animals have died or escaped, so i shall be the final subject. I feel no fear. This is a momentous night."
--Laboratory notes, final entry
One thing I didn't like about his mana base was that he only had 13 red sources in the list. That doesn't seem like it's enough to reliably cast Anger. I upped mine to 16 (still a bit light for RR on turn 3) at the expense of some white sources. I don't need WW until turn 6, so it seemed like a better plan. Mana base is pretty damn slow though.
I'm not a big fan of the 5 mana wraths in this format, especially now that the GW Manifest deck has emerged. I thought about including 2 (1 main, 1 board), but I just like Vault better. Anger + Elspeth's minus ability seems like it'd be enough to clean everything up that slips through.
You're probably right on the Nullify, especially now that the command can do it's own Nullify impersonation.
Encase in Ice is something I likely should have found a place for. That does do a great job of disabling Stormbreath.
Keranos, for as much as I love that card, doesn't seem well positioned. There are so many must answer enchantments in standard that there will be ample hate for him around. The same is true for B-Light, but I do think those are worth the risk (if you're not on the Vault plan).
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Narset. The +1 will frequently draw you a card; rebounding one of your draw spells is fantastic; but I'm not sure if that's enough or not. I like her a lot more in a proactive deck.
UR Blue-Red Control
Modern:
UBR Grixis Control
UWR Jeskai Control
I guess what I like most about her is she has evasion and lifelink. The uncounterable is nice, and the Grand Abolisher effect helpful in a few corner cases. Is the absence of Flash too much to lose PLA to?
I feel it's better than PLA, PLA can survive removal, but has literally no evasion. But not worth going bant.
So here's a thing... GW Devotion. A much as I like the UWR, I think it isn't very good against GW Devotion and UB and Esper don't have the legs for it either. That deck has to be attacked with sweepers and counters, they have to be made to overextend. Maybe it has to be attacked with Perilous Vault in place of Banishing Light, although I am not a fan of that card in UW. If I tap out, I want to do it for one turn only unless I am playing another card. Plus, I want rebound against them. I want them to have to face repeated sweepers.
@Everyone
Does anyone else feel like Contradict is pretty much better than either Ux Command? I know 5 mana is bad, but it is already better than Silumgar's Command and if it was 4 mana, it would be outright better than Ojutai's Command too. Counter any spell, draw 1 is pretty powerful.
This is what I am planning on running ATM, with everything spoiled:
1x Pearl Lake Ancient
Planeswalkers 4
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2x Narset Transcendent
Removal 11
4x Banishing Light
1x Fated Retribution
1x Ætherspouts
2x Devouring light
3x End Hostilities
Counter 10
4x Dissolve
2x Disdainful stroke
3x Nullify
1x Ojutai's Command
4x Anticipation
4x Dig Through Time
Lands 26
4x Temple of enlightenment
4x Flooded Strand
4x Tranquil Cove
3x Radiant Fountain
5x plains
2x Island
2x Evolving wilds
4x Negate
3x Encase in Ice
2x Soulfire Grand Master
2x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
1x Glare of Heresy
1x Pearl Lake Ancient
1x Fated Retribution
1x Disdainful stroke
EDIT:
After reading Shaheen Soorani's article on SCG, I feel like Silumgar's Scorn might be the way to go, as that UU really does work turns 2-4 against almost every deck and forces decks that would want to tap out to hold back. Of course, that would mean changes to the deck, like a couple Dragonlord Ojutai and a 1-of Haven of the Spirit Dragon.
Too bad our other dragons kind of stink.
Tempo
Modern
Eldrazi and Staxes
Whir Prison
Legacy
5c Humans
DnT
"I'm a lead farmer... !" Quote ruined due to policy.
4x Anticipate
2x Devouring Light
3x Dig Through Time
4x Dissolve
3x Silkwrap
1x Ojutai's Command
4x Silumgar's Scorn
2x Secure the Wastes
4x End Hostilities
2x Banishing Light
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2x Narset Transcendent
4x Flooded Strand
1x Haven of the Spirit Dragon
5x Island
3x Plains
2x Polluted Delta
3x Radiant Fountain
4x Temple of Enlightenment
4x Tranquil Cove
2x Encase in Ice
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Erase
1x Citadel Siege
2x Nullify
2x Negate
1x Pearl Lake Ancient
This is what i am currently Testing
--Laboratory notes, final entry
--Laboratory notes, final entry
Actually, it's quite bad on turns 1 & 2 since you'll likely have a tap land, and is just an overcosted force spike on 3 and 4.
4x Anticipate
2x Devouring Light
3x Dig Through Time
4x Dissolve
3x Silkwrap
1x Ojutai's Command
2x Nullify
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Secure the Wastes
4x End Hostilities
2x Banishing Light
2x Narset Transcendent
4x Flooded Strand
1x Haven of the Spirit Dragon
5x Island
3x Plains
2x Polluted Delta
3x Radiant Fountain
4x Temple of Enlightenment
4x Tranquil Cove
3x Surge of Righteousness
2x Encase in Ice
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Erase
2x Citadel Siege
3x Negate
1x Pearl Lake Ancient
--Laboratory notes, final entry
Truly a very controlly deck.