MTG Salvation

SO. I have been running into the issue of only playing against blue decks in my friend-group and store meta. Decks I see often include: Talrand, Nekusar, Braids, Niv-Mizzet, Azami, ect. I think one guy and myself play a non-blue deck. I was looking around for an anti-blue commander, and I stumbled upon Jaya Ballard. I really really like her, and I'm trying to decide between her and Purphurous. I love land destruction, targeted hate, and tokens. I want to know what would be the best option to beat out these decks. Do I outrace them or do I target them?

Maybe Ruric Thar, the Unbowed instead? Jaya still works in the deck AND you have access to both Choke and Carpet of Flowers.

Cheers!

Whoever you go with don't forget Boil and it's brothers are there if you really want to bring the hate.

Marath. Recursion, Combos, grindy, major value from creatures.... Very powerful for a non-blue critter.

Gattock Tieg and hatebears keep them from casting any big finisher.

Green has the best anti blue cards.

What time is it?..... Seedtime!

Red is really good except for one huge weakness... hinder/spell crumple you get Purphoros tucked you can't win basically even worse getting him stolen (control magic) but you can run sac outlets to deal with that. red is good except the decks are very general reliant.

I like the idea of Runic thar anti blue beat down or Marath token making with Purphoros. Atm I am leaning towards Marath gives you whites really good instant speed removal and access to teeg. I had a friend with a really cool, Boros reckoner/spitemare based Marath deck with Æther Flash that should deal with Talrand pretty good.

Surrak.

I made a Surrak deck with the premise of being "Anti-Control Control" while beating down folks with big dudes. You have Green and Red's anti-control, along with Blue for... well, counterspells, blue creatures, utility, card draw, the whole nine yards.

I really wish people would play Surrak more, not even for his "no counter" abilities, but for a Flash 6/6 with Trample to your team.

Just run disruption
ankh of mishra
zo-zu the punisher
blood moon
barbed shocker
teferi's puzzle box
Stuff that will get on their nerves

Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast. I'd say go with Wort, the Raidmother and attack their mana bases along with playing the hate cards name previously. Double Plow Under wrecks people, same goes for Wake of Destruction, Seedtime, even Stone Rain. Double Tooth and Nail for Keldon Firebombers, It That Betrays, Avenger of Zendikar, and Urabrask the Hidden usually ends the game right away, if not soon after. There is also the added benefit that you can conspire a spell like Boil just so that they need two counterspells to stop it.

Quote from ImpulsiveKnowledge »

Surrak.

I made a Surrak deck with the premise of being "Anti-Control Control" while beating down folks with big dudes. You have Green and Red's anti-control, along with Blue for... well, counterspells, blue creatures, utility, card draw, the whole nine yards.

I really wish people would play Surrak more, not even for his "no counter" abilities, but for a Flash 6/6 with Trample to your team.

Decklist???

I second this. Surrak lets you run big dumb beaters and protect your boardstate by fighting fire with fire (or should I say counter with counter). I am currently piecing together a Surrak list to play when the Islands start to overwhelm the board.

However, if you choose to go with Purphoros, I recommend a peak at the list in my signature. Its been fairly successful so far. Most important in a blue meta is getting a Cavern of Souls online to protect Purphy from being countered or tucked. Ricochet Trap and the like are also a necessity.

The decklist I have is still in progress, but I can at least tell you the key cards. Aside from the blatantly obvious ones (Prophet of Kruphix, Seedborn, Fauna Shaman, Eternal Witness, Deadeye Navigator)

Flash Creatures - Dualcaster Mage, Winged Coatl, Venser, Shaper Savant, Bogardan Hellkite, Draining Whelk, Mystic Snake.

You're getting Trample, might as well use it - Charmbreaker Devils, Molten Primordial, Inferno Titan, the Eldrazi, Deadeye Navigator, Speakerbreaker Behemoth, Malignus, Hydra Omnivore, Xenagos, God of Revels, Indrik Stomphowler.

Non-Creature Spells - Domri Rade, Birthing Pod, See the Unwritten, Temur Charm/Voidslime/Counterflux, Krosan Grip.

It's far from perfect, but you get the idea: Overwhelm them with threats and keep getting value by playing creatures. This actually used to be an Animar deck, but less comboy and is looking to player a longer game. Some creatures I chose for the sake of having a better body and doing more damage. Izzet Coronarch for Charmbreaker Devils. Acidic Slime for Inkrid and so forth.

Flash Creatures are there for value and for bounce. Winged Coatl is something no one sees coming, and Dualcaster is just as good as you'd expect.

Theres ways around any blue hate. Ixidron, scourge of fleets, cyclonic rift etc etc. Thats the advantage of running it. You dont have to be creature heavy and still dominate. Honestly the best defense against a blue player would be nekusar. Because most blue decks are gonna want to draw to win.

Quote from ImpulsiveKnowledge »

Surrak.

I made a Surrak deck with the premise of being "Anti-Control Control" while beating down folks with big dudes. You have Green and Red's anti-control, along with Blue for... well, counterspells, blue creatures, utility, card draw, the whole nine yards.

I really wish people would play Surrak more, not even for his "no counter" abilities, but for a Flash 6/6 with Trample to your team.

I second what people say about posting up a list. Just pulled Surrak also and wanting to make a RUG deck with him. So far only thing I got is a bunch of flash ETB dudes and the old shell of Biovisionary combo subtheme. I do like agro. Blue is my "anti-color" according to playgroup..jokes on them when I get back after the first of the year with agro and control!