I bought this deck from a friend and then tuned it up to get in to the format. I have loved it so far. We recently started a 1v1 league here: 3 matches a week for 4 weeks so I will be able to give some idea on how it performs.
Talrand is not exactly a new deck, so I won't go in to all the cards, just the ones I don't see in many other lists.
Winding Canyons - Great for playing Talrand at instant speed. Most useful for control matchups. Bribery - Currently my meta is filled with a lot of regular EDH players making the transition to french. A lot of big fatties which they want to cheat in to play in their decks. Blue Sun's Zenith - Found I was running out of cards a lot at one point. There are other options like Whispers of the Muse and the retrace spell, but I prefer to be able to use the other spells actively each turn and only spend a turn doing this. Plus I like to put my lands in to play. Muddle the Mixture - Hard counter which can act as an extra tutor? Sweet. Temporal Mastery - Allows you to end the game 1 or 2 turns earlier. You can use Mystical Tutor or Brainstorm to miracle it and it is really backbreaking when you have 5 drakes in play. Augur of Bolas / Snapcaster Mage / Riptide Laboratory / Cavern of Souls - The mini wizard package allows me to get abusive in the late game. Plus it allows me ignore counters when playing Talrand and protect him with a land.
I"m completely inexperienced when it comes to playing blue control except as it's opponent, so take my ideas with a grain of salt >.< That being said, I've seen Flash of Insight used to great effect in a lot of Talrand lists. I also really love Trickbind as a personal favorite, but I can't actually speak to it's effectiveness.
Hope that helps, good luck on your league!
Edit: Also, probably a really stupid idea, but as anyone tested a Talrand list with the Polymorph/Emrakul, the Aeons Torn combo? It's just 2 slots, and it seems like a viable wincon. Dunno, just an idea.
The Emrakul kill doesn't seem very useful, since it basically requires Talrand on the field, at which point you're probably advantaged already.
I've found Blue Sun's Zenith and the 3 CMC counters too clunky, but perhaps its different for you. However, I feel that Flash of Insight, Intuition, and Peer through Depths should definitely be here.
I have considered Flash and Intuition before, but felt like there were other cards I would rather play. Augur of Bolas is holding on to the Peer Through Depths spot. Really not sure which is better.
You articulated something I have noticed while playing. 3+ counters are not good. I can't bring myself to cut Cryptic Command or Dissipate though. One is too versatile, the other is a unique and useful effect.
Vendilion Clique would be great once I figure out what to cut.
I made some changes based on these ideas..
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Modern Ux Whirza Rb Goblins
Legacy U Urza Stompy
Duel Commander
Sai, Master Thopterist
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Here is the deck:
1 Talrand, Sky Summoner
Counters
1 Pact of Negation
1 Misdirection
1 Disrupting Shoal
1 Force of Will
1 Mental Misstep
1 Daze
1 Stifle
1 Spell Snare
1 Force Spike
1 Spell Pierce
1 Swan Song
1 Annul
1 Steel Sabotage
1 Negate
1 Essence Scatter
1 Remove Soul
1 Miscalculation
1 Deprive
1 Remand
1 Memory Lapse
1 Counterspell
1 Muddle the Mixture
1 Prohibit
1 Dissipate
1 Cryptic Command
1 Thwart
1 Snapback
1 Pongify
1 Rapid Hybridization
1 Curfew
1 Snap
1 Withdraw
1 Boomerang
1 Cyclonic Rift
1 Into the Roil
1 Wipe Away
1 Capsize
1 Wash Out
1 Repeal
Card Advantage/Card Selection/Cantrips/Tutors
1 Gush
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Peek
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Brainstorm
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Opt
1 Impulse
1 Think Twice
1 Telling Time
1 Augur of Bolas
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Oona's Grace
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Deep Analysis
1 Temporal Mastery
1 Vedalken Shackles
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Bribery
Lands
1 Dust Bowl
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Wasteland
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Lonely Sandbar
1 Tolaria West
1 Cephalid Coliseum
1 Saprazzan Skerry
1 Winding Canyons
1 Riptide Laboratory
1 Cavern of Souls
25 Island
Talrand is not exactly a new deck, so I won't go in to all the cards, just the ones I don't see in many other lists.
Winding Canyons - Great for playing Talrand at instant speed. Most useful for control matchups.
Bribery - Currently my meta is filled with a lot of regular EDH players making the transition to french. A lot of big fatties which they want to cheat in to play in their decks.
Blue Sun's Zenith - Found I was running out of cards a lot at one point. There are other options like Whispers of the Muse and the retrace spell, but I prefer to be able to use the other spells actively each turn and only spend a turn doing this. Plus I like to put my lands in to play.
Muddle the Mixture - Hard counter which can act as an extra tutor? Sweet.
Temporal Mastery - Allows you to end the game 1 or 2 turns earlier. You can use Mystical Tutor or Brainstorm to miracle it and it is really backbreaking when you have 5 drakes in play.
Augur of Bolas / Snapcaster Mage / Riptide Laboratory / Cavern of Souls - The mini wizard package allows me to get abusive in the late game. Plus it allows me ignore counters when playing Talrand and protect him with a land.
Changes:
2013/12/03 -
-1 Condescend
-1 Dismiss
-1 Blue Sun's Zenith
-1 Complicate
+ 1 Oona's Grace
+ 1 Thwart
+1 Annul
+1 Withdraw
Ux Whirza
Rb Goblins
Legacy
U Urza Stompy
Duel Commander
Sai, Master Thopterist
I"m completely inexperienced when it comes to playing blue control except as it's opponent, so take my ideas with a grain of salt >.< That being said, I've seen Flash of Insight used to great effect in a lot of Talrand lists. I also really love Trickbind as a personal favorite, but I can't actually speak to it's effectiveness.
Hope that helps, good luck on your league!
Edit: Also, probably a really stupid idea, but as anyone tested a Talrand list with the Polymorph/Emrakul, the Aeons Torn combo? It's just 2 slots, and it seems like a viable wincon. Dunno, just an idea.
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The Emrakul kill doesn't seem very useful, since it basically requires Talrand on the field, at which point you're probably advantaged already.
I've found Blue Sun's Zenith and the 3 CMC counters too clunky, but perhaps its different for you. However, I feel that Flash of Insight, Intuition, and Peer through Depths should definitely be here.
Talrand, Sky Summoner - Link (Mono Blue Tempo)
Isamaru, Hound of Konda - Link (Mono White Voltron)
Ezuri, Renegade Leader - Link (Aggro/ Combo)
Lyzolda, the Blood Witch - Link (Aggro)
Sliver Queen - Link (Combo)
Multiplayer EDH:
Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - Link (Tax/ Stax/ Lock/ Control)
You articulated something I have noticed while playing. 3+ counters are not good. I can't bring myself to cut Cryptic Command or Dissipate though. One is too versatile, the other is a unique and useful effect.
Vendilion Clique would be great once I figure out what to cut.
I made some changes based on these ideas..
Ux Whirza
Rb Goblins
Legacy
U Urza Stompy
Duel Commander
Sai, Master Thopterist