MTG Salvation

Grixis Control

• 2 x Mizzium Mortars
  
• 2 x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
  
• 2 x Dreadbore
  
• 2 x Jace, Architect of Thought
  
• 2 x Augur of Bolas
  
• 2 x Olivia Voldaron
  
• 1 x Cyclonic rift
  
• 1 x Rakdos return
  
• 2 x Izzet Charm
  
• 2 x Rakdos Keyrune
  
• 2 x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
  
• 4 x Pillar of Flame
  
• 2 x Tragic Slip
  
• 2 x Forbidden Alchemy
  
• 4 x Sulfur Falls
  
• 4 x Desperate Ravings
  
• 2 x Evolving Wilds
  
• 1 x Dragonskull Summit
  
• 4 x Drowned Catacomb
  
• 4 x Blood Crypt
  
• 3 x Steam Vents
  
• 3 x Swamp
  
• 2 x Syncopate
  
• 3 x Island
  
• 2 x Mountain

How does this look?

Quote from aurorasparrow

I agree that Gilded Lotus/Increasing Ambition/Blasphemous Act is too expensive for standard right now.

Did my updated list I posted look ok?

I'm beginning to think gilded lotus and increasing ambition are just too slow. But without lotus it makes it harder for us to get the mana for Nicol Bolas. Some list don't even run Bolas because of his high mana cost.

This is my current playtesting list:

• 2 x Mizzium Mortars
  
• 2 x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
  
• 2 x Dreadbore
  
• 2 x Jace, Architect of Thought
  
• 2 x Augur of Bolas
  
• 2 x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
  
• 4 x Pillar of Flame
  
• 1 x Rakdos's Return
  
• 1 x Cyclonic Rift
  
• 2 x Izzet Charm
  
• 2 x Tragic Slip
  
• 2 x Forbidden Alchemy
  
• 4 x Sulfur Falls
  
• 4 x Desperate Ravings
  
• 2 x Evolving Wilds
  
• 1 x Dragonskull Summit
  
• 4 x Drowned Catacomb
  
• 1 x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
  
• 4 x Blood Crypt
  
• 3 x Steam Vents
  
• 3 x Swamp
  
• 2 x Syncopate
  
• 3 x Island
  
• 2 x Mountain
  

Have we given any thought to using desecration demon?

Ugh, I'm stil racking my brain on how to correctly build this. Do I use guilded lotus? 2 or 3 jaces? Do I use snapcaster? Do I use user charm in mainboard? Nighthawk? Ugh.

Quote from Toonamiguy

That's a good list, only thing that seems out of place is Essence Scatter. Wouldn't Dissipate or Syncopate be better?

Also, try add some Mizzium Mortars or Bonfire of the Damned? Seems better than Rolling Temblor.



I really do miss Pristine Talisman too. A lot of our lifegain options are gone, Wurmcoil Engine, Batterskull too. The only thing left is Vampire Nighthawk.

Btw, why Cremate over Rakdos Charm?



I think 2 is a good amount.



-2 Jace, Architect of Thought
-2 Augur of Bolas
-2 Tragic Slip
-1 Increasing Ambition
-2 Syncopate

+2 Snapcaster Mage
+1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
+2 Mizzium Mortars
+1 Olivia Voldaren
+3 Vampire Nighthawk

Maybe something around the lines of that? Depends on your playstyle too.

I'm unsure how sold I am on snapcaster in this deck. Most the spells have flashback anyway. And without syncopate I have no counters. And ambition helps me get bolas out, no?

How would I adjust the deck I posted then?

Quote from kamWise

Jace is really really good, but you don't want to be holding copies in your hand while you have one in play. I only use 2 in my list, and see it pretty much every game. I wouldn't mind using a 3rd, but I don't want to rely too heavily on walkers since so many deck will be pumping out the dreadbores.

Grixis Control, by Gerry Thompson
2 x Mizzium Mortars
2 x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
2 x Dreadbore
4 x Jace, Architect of Thought
2 x Augur of Bolas
1 x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
4 x Pillar of Flame
2 x Tragic Slip
1 x Increasing Ambition
2 x Forbidden Alchemy
1 x Blasphemous Act
4 x Sulfur Falls
4 x Desperate Ravings
2 x Evolving Wilds
1 x Dragonskull Summit
4 x Drowned Catacomb
1 x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
4 x Blood Crypt
3 x Steam Vents
2 x Gilded Lotus
3 x Swamp
2 x Syncopate
3 x Island
2 x Mountain

How can I adjust this? It dosent even run snapcaster.

I've seen so many variants of this deck that I have no idea how to build it. Like, how many jace architects do I use?

I want to play grixis in standard, but really can't figure out hue to build it. Ive seen do many list vary: some run snapcaster, some don't. Some run 3 jace archetect, some run 4. It's really confusing.

Grixis Control, by Gerry Thompson
2 x Mizzium Mortars
2 x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
2 x Dreadbore
4 x Jace, Architect of Thought
2 x Augur of Bolas
1 x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
4 x Pillar of Flame
2 x Tragic Slip
1 x Increasing Ambition
2 x Forbidden Alchemy
1 x Blasphemous Act
4 x Sulfur Falls
4 x Desperate Ravings
2 x Evolving Wilds
1 x Dragonskull Summit
4 x Drowned Catacomb
1 x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
4 x Blood Crypt
3 x Steam Vents
2 x Gilded Lotus
3 x Swamp
2 x Syncopate
3 x Island
2 x Mountain

This was a list I was going to test. But am really unsure how we should go about building grixis now. Is this 60 a good starting point? Theres no snapcaster in it. Any ideas how to build the deck?

I just realized Gerry t's build didn't run any snapcasters. Is that correct?

Quote from Toonamiguy

Looks like a good list, not enough finishers though.

P.S. I have updated my decklist in the opening post, feel free to have a look.

Well, how would you adjust it? Also, is 4 Jace too many?

Also, can I maybe get a breakdown to the advantages of grixis? I'm trying to decide if I really wanna play it. I'm interested in it, though.

Grixis Control, by Gerry Thompson
2 x Mizzium Mortars
2 x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius
2 x Dreadbore
4 x Jace, Architect of Thought
2 x Augur of Bolas
1 x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
4 x Pillar of Flame
2 x Tragic Slip
1 x Increasing Ambition
2 x Forbidden Alchemy
1 x Blasphemous Act
4 x Sulfur Falls
4 x Desperate Ravings
2 x Evolving Wilds
1 x Dragonskull Summit
4 x Drowned Catacomb
1 x Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
4 x Blood Crypt
3 x Steam Vents
2 x Gilded Lotus
3 x Swamp
2 x Syncopate
3 x Island
2 x Mountain

This was a list I was going to test. But im really unsure how we should go about building grixis now. Is this 60 a good starting point? Any ideas how to build the deck?

Quote from TheRogue

very few. its not very effective at comboing with blood artist. i'd say 2 but even that doesn't sound very effective unless you miracle. or the game has dragged on into turns 7+ where you have more mana than the deck needs.

Would running two over 1 even be worth it though? Im currently running one.

That is the question. I'm really curious what our stance is on using bonfire in black red zombies. I know some builds don't even use it, while others (like the one tat won the last SCG Open) only use 1 bonfire in the entire 75. I'm playing that build right now, and alot of times I'm hoping to top deck a bonfire. But honestly, I'm not sure if it's necessary or what I would even take out for a second one.

What do you guys think? Do BR zombies need bonfire? If so, how many copies?