Intro: I haven’t built a new deck in a while so I figured I’d take a crack at a mono-blue control-ish deck. That being said, I thought it would be a ton of fun to just horde half my deck into my hand and then dump the entire thing while holding the entire table at bay. The following deck is what I came up with and it’s been pretty successful so far. I took second in a local tourney and it came down to me and mono-green elves (the g-wave for 27 got me in the end). Anyways, as always I welcome criticism and suggestions.
Additional Thoughts: Mind Over Matter - Seems like it could be awesome but I can’t find room for it… suggestions on what to take out? I’m thinking maybe a counterspell… Body Double – Thinking about taking this out and subbing in Clone but it seems to be working alright so far. I know that Grim Monolith is way better than Basalt Monolith, but I don’t own one…
After a few more playtests, I think I need a little more early game. But I need to add that early game without compromising the integrity of the end game... suggestions?
Believe me when I say it is hard to get much commentary on mono blue lists that arent Azami. Speaking of which have you considered running Azami, Lady of Scrolls as the commander? She costs one less to cast and can trigger her draw right away. She is at least worth considering but I understand that Arcanis is a cool dude.
Anyways lets see what else I can do for you...
Mind over Matter works just fine with Arcanis to draw infinitely. It works a bit better for Azami due to the fact that she can tap right away but you will net more cards overall.
Overall I would say you could use more wincons as well... Blue tends to be a color for combo but looking at what you have listed as your wincons.... it could be a struggle to finish off the stragglers.
Another trick I like using in blue decks is Twincast off of someone else's green ramp. It can be very handy. I have also used it on someone's entrwined Tooth and Nail which is very nice too. It could be tricky to use on the ramp though due to all of your early game artifacts though.
Thada Adel, Acquisitor could be another fun addition to the deck. If you drop her in early you can just theft sol rings to ramp you. Later in the game she can be used to steal control like Duplicant or Oblivion Stone both of which somewhat widely used.
EDIT: ohh and I suppose Sea Gate Oracle could help your early game out some. He replaces himself in hand too so he isnt bad to draw later on. He is sort of wall like too so he is great on defense.
Thanks ISBPathfinder, I appreciate you taking the time to give me some pointers. And I'll actually take all of them and use them...
Kaho, Minamo Historian < Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Forsee < Sea Gate Oracle
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre < Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Venser, Shaper Savant < Mind Over Matter
Sphinx of Uthuun < Twincast
Thanks ISBPathfinder, I appreciate you taking the time to give me some pointers. And I'll actually take all of them and use them...
Kaho, Minamo Historian < Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Forsee < Sea Gate Oracle
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre < Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Venser, Shaper Savant < Mind Over Matter
Sphinx of Uthuun < Twincast
I wouldn't cut Ulamog or Venser.
Ulamog lets you make infinite mana with Mind Over Matter and Arcanis while letting you dig for Blue Sun's Zenith which can be used to deck everyone. Another combo piece for MoM is Temple Bell. Again Ulamog lets you deck everyone without decking yourself.
Venser is just really useful.
I also wouldn't run Spellbook. With a commander like Arcanis, having no hand size is good, but I don't thing spellbook really cuts it. A better option would be Expedition Map. It can be tutored up with Trinket Mage and can in turn fetch Reliquary Tower if handsize is becoming an issue.
A few other changes i recommend are switching Nev's Disk for Oblivion Stone (or make room for both). While it costs a lot more to activate, being able to pop it the turn you play it makes it far stronger. I would also switch Time Warp for Time Stretch (or, once again, make room for both). Time Warp lets you take an extra turn, Time Stretch wins games.
Ulamog lets you make infinite mana with Mind Over Matter and Arcanis while letting you dig for Blue Sun's Zenith which can be used to deck everyone. Another combo piece for MoM is Temple Bell. Again Ulamog lets you deck everyone without decking yourself.
Venser is just really useful.
I also wouldn't run Spellbook. With a commander like Arcanis, having no hand size is good, but I don't thing spellbook really cuts it. A better option would be Expedition Map. It can be tutored up with Trinket Mage and can in turn fetch Reliquary Tower if handsize is becoming an issue.
A few other changes i recommend are switching Nev's Disk for Oblivion Stone (or make room for both). While it costs a lot more to activate, being able to pop it the turn you play it makes it far stronger. I would also switch Time Warp for Time Stretch (or, once again, make room for both). Time Warp lets you take an extra turn, Time Stretch wins games.
You have some good points but I need clarification on the Ulamog, infinite mana combo you referred to and what would you suggest cutting in the place of Venser and Ulamog? I only cut them because I felt they were the best options I had...
You have some good points but I need clarification on the Ulamog, infinite mana combo you referred to and what would you suggest cutting in the place of Venser and Ulamog? I only cut them because I felt they were the best options I had...
With Arcanis and Mind Over Matter in play:
1) Tap Arcanis for 3 cards
2) Pitch 2 cards to MoM, untap Arcanis and a land
3) Tap land for mana
4) Repeat for infinite mana and infinite draw
Ulamog can be pitched to MoM matter to prevent yourself from decking out because he shuffles your 'yard back into your deck. When you hit Blue Sun's Zenith, you can play it repeatedly to deck everyone else for the win.
Things I would cut to make room:
- Diplomatic Immunity - Okay for protecting Arcanis, but it prevents you from untaping Arcanis.
- Thought Reflection - I believe this card is way too expensive for what it does.
- Kira, Great Glass Spinner - Same problem as diplomatic immunity. Really, any card that grants shroud is kind of counter intuitive if your goal is to abuse Arcanis's draw ability.
I could also see Darksteel Plate possibly worthy of inclusion if you can find a spot. Neurok Stealthsuit has also been good for me in my Teferi list and I could see it being possibly worth considering.
Az
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
Creatures (20):
1 Azami, Lady of Scrolls
1 Body Double
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Fatestitcher
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Lorthos, the Tidemaker
1 Memnarch
1 Palinchron
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Psychosis Crawler
1 Roil Elemental
1 Soramaro, First to Dream
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Stonybrook Angler
1 Stormtide Leviathan
1 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Tidespout Tyrant
1 Trinket Mage
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Planeswalkers (1):
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
Non-Creature Artifacts (15):
1 Caged Sun
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Expedition Map
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Grim Monolith
1 Library of Leng
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Mana Vault
1 Nevinyrral’s Disk
1 Sensei’s Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Swiftfoot Boots
1 Thousand-Year Elixir
1 Thran Dynamo
1 Venser’s Journal
1 Arcane Denial
1 Blue Sun’s Zenith
1 Capsize
1 Counterspell
1 Cryptic Command
1 Evacuation
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Force of Will
1 High Tide
1 Hinder
1 Long-Term Plans
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Oppressive Will
1 Spell Crumple
1 Twincast
Enchantments (7):
1 Confiscate
1 Dream Halls
1 Future Sight
1 Mind Over Matter
1 Pemmin's Aura
1 Propaganda
1 Rhystic Study
1 Thought Reflection
1 Treachery
Sorceries (4):
1 Bribery
1 Fabricate
1 Time Stretch
25 Island
1 Academy Ruins
1 Coral Atoll
1 Halimar Depths
1 Maze of Ith
1 Minamo, School at Water’s Edge
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Saprazzan Skerry
1 Seat of the Synod
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolaria West
Additional Thoughts:
Mind Over Matter - Seems like it could be awesome but I can’t find room for it… suggestions on what to take out? I’m thinking maybe a counterspell…Body Double – Thinking about taking this out and subbing in Clone but it seems to be working alright so far.
I know that Grim Monolith is way better than Basalt Monolith, but I don’t own one…Win-Cons:
1 Dream Halls with a handful of cards
1 High Tide + Palinchron
1 Lorthos, the Tidemaker
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre[/SPOILER][/DECK]
*edits*
Kaho, Minamo Historian < Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Forsee < 1 Sea Gate Oracle
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre < Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Venser, Shaper Savant < Mind Over Matter
Sphinx of Uthuun < Twincast
Diplomatic Immunity < Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
Spellbook < Expedition Map
Sea Gate Oracle < Cryptic Command
Freed from the Real < Pemmin's Aura
Whispersilk Cloak < Long-Term Plans
Time Stop < Future Sight
Time Warp < Time Stretch
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Anyways lets see what else I can do for you...
Mind over Matter works just fine with Arcanis to draw infinitely. It works a bit better for Azami due to the fact that she can tap right away but you will net more cards overall.
Overall I would say you could use more wincons as well... Blue tends to be a color for combo but looking at what you have listed as your wincons.... it could be a struggle to finish off the stragglers.
Another trick I like using in blue decks is Twincast off of someone else's green ramp. It can be very handy. I have also used it on someone's entrwined Tooth and Nail which is very nice too. It could be tricky to use on the ramp though due to all of your early game artifacts though.
Thada Adel, Acquisitor could be another fun addition to the deck. If you drop her in early you can just theft sol rings to ramp you. Later in the game she can be used to steal control like Duplicant or Oblivion Stone both of which somewhat widely used.
EDIT: ohh and I suppose Sea Gate Oracle could help your early game out some. He replaces himself in hand too so he isnt bad to draw later on. He is sort of wall like too so he is great on defense.
Signature by Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
[Modern] Allies
Kaho, Minamo Historian < Azami, Lady of Scrolls
Forsee < Sea Gate Oracle
Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre < Thada Adel, Acquisitor
Venser, Shaper Savant < Mind Over Matter
Sphinx of Uthuun < Twincast
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
I wouldn't cut Ulamog or Venser.
Ulamog lets you make infinite mana with Mind Over Matter and Arcanis while letting you dig for Blue Sun's Zenith which can be used to deck everyone. Another combo piece for MoM is Temple Bell. Again Ulamog lets you deck everyone without decking yourself.
Venser is just really useful.
I also wouldn't run Spellbook. With a commander like Arcanis, having no hand size is good, but I don't thing spellbook really cuts it. A better option would be Expedition Map. It can be tutored up with Trinket Mage and can in turn fetch Reliquary Tower if handsize is becoming an issue.
A few other changes i recommend are switching Nev's Disk for Oblivion Stone (or make room for both). While it costs a lot more to activate, being able to pop it the turn you play it makes it far stronger. I would also switch Time Warp for Time Stretch (or, once again, make room for both). Time Warp lets you take an extra turn, Time Stretch wins games.
You have some good points but I need clarification on the Ulamog, infinite mana combo you referred to and what would you suggest cutting in the place of Venser and Ulamog? I only cut them because I felt they were the best options I had...
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
With Arcanis and Mind Over Matter in play:
1) Tap Arcanis for 3 cards
2) Pitch 2 cards to MoM, untap Arcanis and a land
3) Tap land for mana
4) Repeat for infinite mana and infinite draw
Ulamog can be pitched to MoM matter to prevent yourself from decking out because he shuffles your 'yard back into your deck. When you hit Blue Sun's Zenith, you can play it repeatedly to deck everyone else for the win.
Things I would cut to make room:
- Diplomatic Immunity - Okay for protecting Arcanis, but it prevents you from untaping Arcanis.
- Thought Reflection - I believe this card is way too expensive for what it does.
- Kira, Great Glass Spinner - Same problem as diplomatic immunity. Really, any card that grants shroud is kind of counter intuitive if your goal is to abuse Arcanis's draw ability.
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
MY PRIMER ON NIV-MIZZET, THE FIREMIND, MY CUSTOM CARDS ON DEVIANTART
My other decks:
Kaalia of the Vast: Certified Air Raid Material
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher: NOM NOM NOM!
Aurelia, the Warleader: Warclamp
EDH Deck
URGThe Group HugsWUG
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
MY PRIMER ON NIV-MIZZET, THE FIREMIND, MY CUSTOM CARDS ON DEVIANTART
My other decks:
Kaalia of the Vast: Certified Air Raid Material
Prossh, Skyraider of Kher: NOM NOM NOM!
Aurelia, the Warleader: Warclamp
updated, thanks for the reminder...
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Whispersilk Cloak < Long-Term Plans
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
I could also see Darksteel Plate possibly worthy of inclusion if you can find a spot. Neurok Stealthsuit has also been good for me in my Teferi list and I could see it being possibly worth considering.
Signature by Inkfox Aesthetics by Xen
[Modern] Allies
Time Warp < Time Stretch (Finally picked one up!)
WUB Sharuum the Hegemon, the Destroyer of Darksteel
BGW Teneb, the Harvester, my Pimped Out Reanimator
GUB The Mimeoplasm Ooze-Mill
GWU Rafiq the Exalted
Is there any reason why Laboratory Maniac would not be playable as an alternate wincon?