Seems like a conflicting idea, Invisible Stalker is not really a control oriented card. Have you tried Aetherling? It's the best control win condition at the moment for pretty much every variation of control. Also you are playing a few bad cards.
Cyclops is extremely powerful and in a meta that is not prepared for it, he will just end games.
It's definitely a powerful card, i just think he narrows the decks focus into playing cards that support him which happen to be individually low power level or just very narrow. Not playing any creatures that have to go through unblocked to have high impact (like my list) widens your choices of other cards. I'm not interested in casting Artful Dodge or Feeling of Dread etc.
This idea excited me when i had his article, but i don't like Nivix Cyclops. This is a more counterburn version that i'm looking at w/ m14 cards.
I don't like the cyclops because he actually has to attack and get through to be worthwhile, and then you start building around that (which i don't want to do). Young Pyromancer makes individual bodies, Guttersnipe just works, and Snapcaster can just be value and chump block.
Ridiculous price? I have never been happier to dish out the cash for a non mythic card, but i guess that's just because he is one of my favorite cards I've ever played with.
I'm brewing a BUG prime speaker deck that functions basically like The Rock lists that have recently placed top 16 in scg opens, but with a blue splash and a little higher curve (more midrangey).
If you are looking to make a deck out of just what you open in a single box + the collection you already have, and you are willing to switch from playing standard to modern just because you have some innistrad cards that are rotating, you aren't the kind of player that is really playing either of these formats, are you? It sounds to me like you are only interested in casual magic, because actual modern decks are VERY expensive. Much more then standard.
And for those saying he doesn't have an ETB, he does. When he enters, my opponent breaks a sweat. Lol.
Maybe if they're an idiot ;/
As people in this thread are saying, its way too slow. Phyrexian arena is a gradual (but very powerful) effect. You can't have a gradual affect that doesn't effect the board on a 5cmc black creature. I think its deceiving when a card resembles a previous card that was really powerful, because people feel like the new card should be powerful too, even if its not the same. I just made a BUG midrange deck (very Rock-like with a small blue splash for Prime Speaker Zegana) and i cant even fit him in, even though i wanted to.
Tapping the opposing creatures is a tempo play. You are usually putting yourself at card disadvantage to gain a tempo advantage (similiar to unsummon etc). If you want to play tempo, look into Delver of Secrets decks.
It's Jank because the mana base is going to look weird at first sight, and even more weird, because of some of the card choices. Always you're going to ask how is this even going to work, but it's a culmination of some if not all of the best control cards in the format as it stands right now. You can see that we all know that.
The mana base "Works"(you''ll notice a toolbox of shocks with the main shocks needed for the core of the deck), there are sometimes Chromatic lantern will save it other times farseek will, but the mana base can "mostly" work without them, and more importantly cast things on time. I was inspired from the old Relic teachings deck from '07 and ported a lot of things just for kicks, to throw a curve ball at my buddy for our testing session, but it turns out the deck was a lot better than i thought it would be.
Nightveil Specter is a force to be reckoned with. In this deck you can play anything your opponents play in addition to being a disruptive effect which makes a lot of card advantage for you. Between Flying and the resilient 2/3 body the only thing it's missing is its own protection, but we have a few counters for that.
I still have you cliche control finishers of Aetherling Obzedat while also having Angel of Serenity to recur if need be or just be removal on a stick.
If you get nothing else out of this decklist just note that it's a very fun deck to pilot that has a lot of power.
Too many creatures, unnecessary amount of threats. Too many dissipates, spread your countermagic more (You have Essence Scatter, and Syncopate as other mainboard options).
What's the "new idea" your trying out? Just curious.
My thoughts :
Why young wolf? Good card, but is this an aggro deck? Same with rancor. Also, Slitherhead and Demonlord of Ashmouth are not constructed playable, nor is Treasure Find or Burst of Strength. These cards are for limited If i were to go straight G/B rock, some ideas for the skeleton would be :
It's definitely a powerful card, i just think he narrows the decks focus into playing cards that support him which happen to be individually low power level or just very narrow. Not playing any creatures that have to go through unblocked to have high impact (like my list) widens your choices of other cards. I'm not interested in casting Artful Dodge or Feeling of Dread etc.
I don't like the cyclops because he actually has to attack and get through to be worthwhile, and then you start building around that (which i don't want to do). Young Pyromancer makes individual bodies, Guttersnipe just works, and Snapcaster can just be value and chump block.
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer
3 Guttersnipe
4 Shock
4 Pillar of Flame
4 Izzet Charm
2 Searing Spear
4 Essence Scatter
4 Dissipate
Draw (10)
4 Faithless Looting
4 Desperate Ravings
Purple Rock (BUG Midrange)
4 Arbor Elf
3 Disciple of Bolas
4 Desecration Demon
4 Thragtusk
2 Prime Speaker Zegana
Planeswalkers (3)
3 Garruk Primal Hunter
Spells (15)
3 Putrefy
3 Far // Away
2 Tragic Slip
3 Plasm Capture
Lands (25)
4 Evolving Wilds
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Breeding Pool
3 Alchemist's Refuge
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Woodland Cemetery
4 Crypt Incursion
3 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Duress
3 Golgari Charm
1 Sever the Bloodline
1 Murder
I would avoid playing tempo cards like Feeling of Dread at all costs. Cutting red or black does hurt your removal suite, but you still have
Supreme Verdict
Detention Sphere
Oblivion Ring
Renounce the Guilds
Azorius Charm (ghetto to classify this, but it helps)
This is the main reason a straight blue white list is harder, because you don't get
or
How has it played so far against the aggro decks? (blitz naya etc)
Are you certain?
Too bad they will never reprint Timely Reinforcements
Why does the rarity matter? Rarity doesn't define the power level of a card, look at Delver of Secrets, Lightning Helix, etc.
Maybe if they're an idiot ;/
As people in this thread are saying, its way too slow. Phyrexian arena is a gradual (but very powerful) effect. You can't have a gradual affect that doesn't effect the board on a 5cmc black creature. I think its deceiving when a card resembles a previous card that was really powerful, because people feel like the new card should be powerful too, even if its not the same. I just made a BUG midrange deck (very Rock-like with a small blue splash for Prime Speaker Zegana) and i cant even fit him in, even though i wanted to.
Too many creatures, unnecessary amount of threats. Too many dissipates, spread your countermagic more (You have Essence Scatter, and Syncopate as other mainboard options).
What's the "new idea" your trying out? Just curious.
My thoughts :
Why young wolf? Good card, but is this an aggro deck? Same with rancor. Also, Slitherhead and Demonlord of Ashmouth are not constructed playable, nor is Treasure Find or Burst of Strength. These cards are for limited
Creatures (18)
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Strangleroot Geist
2 Disciple of Bolas
4 Thragtusk
4 Desecration Demon
Removal (12)
3 Putrefy
3 Abrupt Decay
1-2 Tragic Slip
2 Curse of Death's Hold (although maybe you just put these in the board)
2-3 Golgari Charm