This is a statement I've seen bandied about here and there over the years - that the draw-go archetype just doesn't work in multiplayer EDH. I would say that, as a whole, draw-go is my favorite style of play (think old-school RWU control in Modern that would just counter everything and then start Snapcaster Mage + Lightning Helixing your face and smashing you with Celestial Colonnades), so I've generally tried to buck this conception.
So, from those who say it doesn't work, why doesn't it? From those who say it does, why does it? Can it be extrapolated to a discussion of whether proactive strategies are just better in multiplayer EDH than reactive strategies?
Proactive and Reactive strategies are fairly balanced, though most will probably say that reactive is just stronger.
"Draw-go" doesn't work in multiplayer edh for one and only one reason: People start to get suspicious when you're just gathering up cards in your hand.
It all just goes back to multiplayer psychology and threat assessment. The more people play, the more they realize they can't trust the guy sitting there hitting their land drops and just stacking cards in their hand. They just can't, and for good reason. The Draw-go player is typically going to have more answers at most given times and has the chance to have their win condition at any time. People get cautious around control players, especially the one's that haven't played many cards. Removal-based control doesn't have this stigma, because you're playing a bunch of cards. Even if you're still managing to keep your hand full at all times, so long as you're playing a bunch of cards it keeps people settled. The more cards you play the less resources you have, so you don't register as big of a threat as a draw-go player does.
The simple reason is that draw go tends to have 1 for 1 answers (counterspells, spot removal, maybe one or two instant speed wraths) and a deck full of 99 cards. That means you have as many answers as one other player. Now you have two opponents (3 way), but that same 99 card limit with 1:1 answers. Now what do you pick? A threat will land and since you're probably ticking them off, it's going to come after you. How about three opponents? You've still got those 99 cards and 3 opponents to try to control. In essence, the entire 1:1 answer doesn't scale to multiplayer edh, but wrath effects, ghostly prison effects, etc. do and hence those tend to be the stronger decks in a multiplayer game. However, it's not that counters and spot removal don't have a place in edh: they do. Just use them to stop the opponents from winning or stopping you from winning. They are also solid answers to combo decks. That said, if you run a few counters/spot removal too many, I promise you mr. aggro player somewhere in that pile of opposition is gonna focus on you and then you're going to get steamrolled.
How do you know what creatures are gonne attack you, and who you do not need to counter? (Hint: They can do what ever they want once in play.)
The person sittung to your left tends to get their stuff countered, and the person to you tight has easy mode.
Control isn't that simple. Most of the time, I don't care if a creature attacks me and I only counter or remove things that are potentially game ending or highly dangerous to me specifically. The main thing to remember is that you are not the only one that can answer threats, unless no one runs answers and then why are you playing control at all? Most of my control decks are so slam packed with removal that I can easily afford to remove things that aren't threatening to me at all just to keep the one or two players it does threaten on my side for a while longer. Normally, I don't start caring about my life total until I'm 10 or lower, and most of the time it's me lowering to that much with things like City of Brass and Ancient Tomb. The goal isn't to be the strict "nothing resolves" control player, leave that for 1v1. The goal is to survive long enough to stabilize and take full control of the game or just combo win. The build up until a control deck stabilizes is the entire thrill for most control players. After you've stabilized, you've basically got control of the game. Having control over the whole game is boring and that's when the game usually ends.
If you get everyone worked up and aggravated at what you "might" have in hand, it does not work. Its a strategy that can be good against combo and haymaker but can suffer when playing attrition and or active value generation strategies. The more "fair" decks you are up against, probably the worse it will perform but when people start playing more haymaker and combo it tends to play better.
Its kind hard to say as its a little bit up to what is being played in the meta as well as how people will play around you as a draw go player. I have in the last few years been saying that the correct way to play draw go is to combine known defenses with unknown defenses. If you rely too much on the unknown factor of mana up cards in hand or defenses in play it can be disastrous so its a little about maintaining a state where its awkward to come at you through both tactics.
Remember with draw go that you will need to do some things at sorcery speed. Keep those things cheap so you can keep mana up and don't forget to have plenty of draw to offset how awkward tricks can be for a long drawn out game.
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I have officially moved to MTGNexus. I just wanted to let people know as my response time to salvation decks being bumped is very hit or miss.
To me, and take this as you will, it is difficult to control many players at the table. Also, you are probably not the only blue player, which makes things even more arduous. If you were the only blue player, sure you can sit there, remove what you want and cyclonic rift at leisure, but if that is happening I would say your circle of players is very casual.
The other issue is that while trying to play "draw go" you need as many 2 for one's as possible, and preferably you want permanents that control many elements in play to relieve the stress of cards in hand. Rule of Law, Humility are such examples. To control multiple things at once, you need to protect them, and that is where the art of politics comes in. Politics is going to really help sustain your draw go approach.
I will say, yes you can in fact play draw go, even at a competitive edh table. It will be challenging, since the higher the threat of game ending fast and early combo wins are possible and don't forget you're not the only one playing blue or force of will lol.
Politically, the best way to play draw-go is to focus on others to deal with the threats as they appear and draw attention away from yourself and toward aggressive players. Rather than counter every threat, create a narrative into why exactly you're countering that spell. For example, if someone tries to cast Necropotence, then call them out on it and let everyone know how the spell is going to affect the game, but thankfully you're countering it to preserve the fun (using actual propaganda like stating how spell X is unfun, so you're stopping it and how you're just trying to keep things fun can be powerful if used correctly). This provides a better picture than being "that guy" (or gal) who is arbitrarily going to counter things left and right.
Draw go from a mechanical standpoint doesn't work in 4P EDH because there's simply too many threats and not enough resources. It's like letting your opponent take three turns to your one.
You can play a controlling game for sure, but as stated above, the "traditional" draw-go style doesn't work. However, there are ways to make things a bit more like draw-go, they mostly involve giving ALL your stuff instant-speed. Leyline of Anticipation, Vedalken Orrery, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, Winding Canyons and Alchemist's Refuge are the to-go-to cards for that kind of strategy. These in turn are best of friends with Seedborn Muse, or Paradox Engine and a pile of mana dorks/rocks. This way, people will know you MIGHT have a counter ready to fire off, and if nothing that absolutely needs to be countered gets played, you can go EOT - Cast something that advances your actual gameplan.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Maybe I am all wrong, but I will speak from m experience of playing magic over the last 12 years.
Control has changed over the years. Early on, Brian Wiseman invented "The Deck" and wrote about this new idea called "Card Advantage." Using fast mana + Mind Twist to rip apart your opponent's hand, then later using Braingeyser to refill your hand and Serra Angel to eventually win the game.
Later, we saw the rise of "draw-go" control, where you simply draw, play a land, say go, and then cast spells at EoT to gain incremental advantage. This is a passive form of control and a fun tactical way to play for many of us. I loved playign "Teachings Control" back in time spiral standard.
However, at some point in magic's history, a change in card design and adaptation by players, we saw the rise of "tap out control." Now you could play an active role in the game by tapping out every turn to play threats which also doubled as answers. One of my favorite examples of this is the simple Trygon Predator. The 3 toughness would allow it to block the one and two drops your opponent would play while it had summoning sickness, then can aggressively beat face and remove threats.
Draw spells tend to be use as a way to replenish a spent hand or to dig for answers in a pinch all at once more than the old school Whispers of the Muse at EoT every turn.
Counter spells tend to be use more as protection for game changing effects or to slam on the breaks against a game changing card being played... and even then they are not nearly as effective as they used to be thanks to how many cards have or grant "you control can't be countered" to a spell. It isn't that "nothing can be countered, as much as it is that "this game changing/ending spell can't be countered so we lose." That doesn't mean that having counters in your deck is bad. It just means you can't lean on them as the "be all/end all" spells they once were 6 or 7 years ago. They are more support cards rather than the back bone of a deck.
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With all of that said, I found myself changing my Merieke Ri Berit deck into an Oloro, Ageless Ascetic "tap out control" deck. I will just cast raw value each turn and try to take over the game that way. I can still play some "draw-go" in the late game with powerful instants and creatures with flash like Draining Whelk or Venser, Shaper Savant. However, I also use Leyline of Anticipation, Vedalken Orrery, and Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir as ways of flashing permanents into play that I would have otherwise tapped out for on my turn for anyway.
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"Whatever style you wish to play, be it fast and frenzied or slow and tactical, the surest way to defeat your opponent consistently is by dominating him or her in the war of card advantage." - Brian Wiseman, April 1996
Another thing to consider is the Commander you will choose to naviagte the draw go deck. I am confident the best option is teferi, mage of zhalfir. I, persaonlly have experience playing Teferi as the General, so I can offer at least some food for thought and consideration.
Hatebears- Grand abolisher is the King in this realm. They're others like him, but to me none compare to his cmc and power. Creatures like him that resolve and are protected are going to be no fun for draw go.
Hand refill-When you're playing draw-go, you really want as much instant speed card drawing power as possible. Instant speed is the best option as it allows you to refill your hand and leave mana open as well. Don't fall for the trap of sorcery speed card draw UNLESS it comes on a cheap permanent like rhystic study or mystic remora.
Now, after I said all this, again I return to general of choice. I know some others mentioned cards like vedalken orrey, and leyline of anticipation, however, I would shy away from those kinds of cards. One reason is they are high in cmc, they don't deal with that's on the board, and you need to draw AND resolve these cards as well. Honestly, I think Teferi is the only viable true draw go commander of choice. The only other one I can think of for multiplayer is Wydwen, the biting Gale. However, Teferi is monoblue, and that isn't bad at all (no matter what the naysayers think lol). Teferi also turns off the ability for other blue players to counterspell you, which is huge, however, it leaves you as the sole way to stop game winning spells from resolving.
I played Teferi with tons of counterspells, combo win, and plenty of draw power. He can definitely do the job as draw go.
I think that it is very hard to control 3 other players at a table (when I think multiplayer, I think 4 players). They may all be aggro, or all be combo, or a mix of things. It is hard to have the answers to everything, but a well-built deck can manage.
How?
Not by doing 1 for 1 trades at instant speed. I am definitely someone who would advocate Fleshbag Marauder over Diabolic Edict. I would definitely pick a Shriekmaw, which can attack, is easy to reanimate, flicker, bounce, etc, over a Doom Blade.
Now, a control deck that gets a lot of card draw may prefer the instant-speed effects. My mono-black control deck plays several instant-speed edicts, and zero Fleshbags, for example. But the deck draws a ton of cards, and can afford to play more spot removal, which is better against the one-shot kills and combos. However, this is not a draw-go style deck. It plays a lot of sorcery-speed wraths, mana accelerants, etc.
Draw-go seems hard to manage. Permanents and board wipes help you get ahead on cards. Permanents like Propaganda go a long way in a control deck. I think you need a certain amount of proactive control to stay ahead on cards.
One of the best control decks is Derevi-Stax. It is permanent-based. You don't need to deal with a threat at instant speed if your opponent can never cast the threat.
These types of effects scale better to a game with 3 opponents, while draw-go type cards scale poorly as you add players.
You will need to have some serious ways of generating card advantage if you want to play this style successfully in EDH.
I've had great success with draw go with my Nin, the Pain Artist deck. Much of my success comes from people not wanting to commit things to the board when they know a mass bounce effect is imminent, not wanting to attack when they know a defensive spell is coming, and not wanting to play a power spell through a wall of 20+ counterspells and spot removal. It definitely takes some work, and necessitates playing some resilient defensive cards (Kher Keep, Mazes, etc), but it can be done.
Granted if the entire table focuses you you run the risk of dying, but that is true of pretty much every deck in EDH.
It can work, but you have a lot of ways to hate it out (largely because a lot of players don't like facing draw-go), and you only get one Counterspell, one Mana Drain, one Mana Leak, one Daze, one Force of Will, etc.
One thing I end up doing is looking up more exotic counterspells to supplement my staples. In my WU decks, I've even found a use for Spiketail Drakeling in my Sun Titan package.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Control is easy. Just throw down some rattlesnakes and keep removal and instant card draw up while people gnaw at the proactive threats on the table. Draw-Go, however? Not dropping anything at all, strictly traditional? Well, you don't draw aggression like that, but you may leave yourself open to dying very quickly to threats that just spread out the damage as they should. But with very slight concessions to developing the required board state to not be completely vulnerable you can easily play Draw-Go and win.
It is hard to discuss what’s “possible” in EDH, when the format itself is not widely played anywhere near the actual limitations of the card pool. People would find that a lot of things are possible when actually trying to find the most efficient ways of ending a game against 3 other players sitting at 40 life.
With the concept of “draw-go”, it’s a little bit of a mismatch to what the deck actually needs to do to win. Sure, you counter and remove enough things in order to keep afloat, and then build advantage with EOT draw spells. But historically, you also cast creatures like Serra Angel, Sphinx of Jwar Isle and Dragonlord Dromoka. It’s those cards that just aren’t good enough to get there in EDH. But cards like Mind Over Matter, Reiterate, etc, sure are. Then though, you’re not perceived as “Draw-Go” anymore, you’re perceived as a “Combo deck” that just sat around durdling for 6-7 turns until it went off. Because again, the EDH experience is defined by norms and decks that break those norms. Effective playing a deck that is extremely answer-heavy requires you to break those norms, because no other win condition is compact enough within the space you have left in your deck.
Viewed another way, it’s a tempo thing. In a duel, tempo is relative. If you spend enough resources slowing the game down for your opponent (removing and countering active plays), then you begin to pull ahead on tempo. Your opponent is bled of resources and can’t make use of all their mana, while you have more mana-intensive cards and pull ahead. But in FFA, tempo is more absolute (or at least relative between 4 players). You can slow the game down for the other three, but you can’t pull ahead by tempo that way without some extremely efficient way to use your resources better. Those means exist within combo’s of all types, but then you are just a meanie and not a “control” deck.
The closest I have ever come to a similar draw-go style, at least without breaking the combo barrier, is with a Bruna, Light of Alabaster deck. The idea is to have 2-3 auras that are needed to 1-shot with her, add Vanishing for resilience, then the rest of the deck is answer cards. Bruna herself gets flashed in so as to not be disrupted. A win condition needs to be similarly abrupt and resilient to win against 3 other players, and even then, Bruna just tended to be slower and more disruptable than actual combo’s that could’ve been used.
Now, the most effective deck I’ve made in the draw-go Control archetype, norms against combo or not, was a Keranos, God of Storms deck that used Reiterate combos. There are certainly better decks with more active gameplans for their combo, but this one was extremely answer heavy and played well against better decks.
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So, from those who say it doesn't work, why doesn't it? From those who say it does, why does it? Can it be extrapolated to a discussion of whether proactive strategies are just better in multiplayer EDH than reactive strategies?
R.I.P. Sundering Titan (6/20/12) and Braids, Cabal Minion (9/12/14)
"Draw-go" doesn't work in multiplayer edh for one and only one reason: People start to get suspicious when you're just gathering up cards in your hand.
It all just goes back to multiplayer psychology and threat assessment. The more people play, the more they realize they can't trust the guy sitting there hitting their land drops and just stacking cards in their hand. They just can't, and for good reason. The Draw-go player is typically going to have more answers at most given times and has the chance to have their win condition at any time. People get cautious around control players, especially the one's that haven't played many cards. Removal-based control doesn't have this stigma, because you're playing a bunch of cards. Even if you're still managing to keep your hand full at all times, so long as you're playing a bunch of cards it keeps people settled. The more cards you play the less resources you have, so you don't register as big of a threat as a draw-go player does.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
The person sittung to your left tends to get their stuff countered, and the person to you tight has easy mode.
Club Flamingo Wins: 1!
Credit to DolZero for this awesome sig!
Control isn't that simple. Most of the time, I don't care if a creature attacks me and I only counter or remove things that are potentially game ending or highly dangerous to me specifically. The main thing to remember is that you are not the only one that can answer threats, unless no one runs answers and then why are you playing control at all? Most of my control decks are so slam packed with removal that I can easily afford to remove things that aren't threatening to me at all just to keep the one or two players it does threaten on my side for a while longer. Normally, I don't start caring about my life total until I'm 10 or lower, and most of the time it's me lowering to that much with things like City of Brass and Ancient Tomb. The goal isn't to be the strict "nothing resolves" control player, leave that for 1v1. The goal is to survive long enough to stabilize and take full control of the game or just combo win. The build up until a control deck stabilizes is the entire thrill for most control players. After you've stabilized, you've basically got control of the game. Having control over the whole game is boring and that's when the game usually ends.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
Its kind hard to say as its a little bit up to what is being played in the meta as well as how people will play around you as a draw go player. I have in the last few years been saying that the correct way to play draw go is to combine known defenses with unknown defenses. If you rely too much on the unknown factor of mana up cards in hand or defenses in play it can be disastrous so its a little about maintaining a state where its awkward to come at you through both tactics.
Remember with draw go that you will need to do some things at sorcery speed. Keep those things cheap so you can keep mana up and don't forget to have plenty of draw to offset how awkward tricks can be for a long drawn out game.
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The other issue is that while trying to play "draw go" you need as many 2 for one's as possible, and preferably you want permanents that control many elements in play to relieve the stress of cards in hand. Rule of Law, Humility are such examples. To control multiple things at once, you need to protect them, and that is where the art of politics comes in. Politics is going to really help sustain your draw go approach.
I will say, yes you can in fact play draw go, even at a competitive edh table. It will be challenging, since the higher the threat of game ending fast and early combo wins are possible and don't forget you're not the only one playing blue or force of will lol.
Draw go from a mechanical standpoint doesn't work in 4P EDH because there's simply too many threats and not enough resources. It's like letting your opponent take three turns to your one.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Control has changed over the years. Early on, Brian Wiseman invented "The Deck" and wrote about this new idea called "Card Advantage." Using fast mana + Mind Twist to rip apart your opponent's hand, then later using Braingeyser to refill your hand and Serra Angel to eventually win the game.
Later, we saw the rise of "draw-go" control, where you simply draw, play a land, say go, and then cast spells at EoT to gain incremental advantage. This is a passive form of control and a fun tactical way to play for many of us. I loved playign "Teachings Control" back in time spiral standard.
However, at some point in magic's history, a change in card design and adaptation by players, we saw the rise of "tap out control." Now you could play an active role in the game by tapping out every turn to play threats which also doubled as answers. One of my favorite examples of this is the simple Trygon Predator. The 3 toughness would allow it to block the one and two drops your opponent would play while it had summoning sickness, then can aggressively beat face and remove threats.
Draw spells tend to be use as a way to replenish a spent hand or to dig for answers in a pinch all at once more than the old school Whispers of the Muse at EoT every turn.
Counter spells tend to be use more as protection for game changing effects or to slam on the breaks against a game changing card being played... and even then they are not nearly as effective as they used to be thanks to how many cards have or grant "you control can't be countered" to a spell. It isn't that "nothing can be countered, as much as it is that "this game changing/ending spell can't be countered so we lose." That doesn't mean that having counters in your deck is bad. It just means you can't lean on them as the "be all/end all" spells they once were 6 or 7 years ago. They are more support cards rather than the back bone of a deck.
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With all of that said, I found myself changing my Merieke Ri Berit deck into an Oloro, Ageless Ascetic "tap out control" deck. I will just cast raw value each turn and try to take over the game that way. I can still play some "draw-go" in the late game with powerful instants and creatures with flash like Draining Whelk or Venser, Shaper Savant. However, I also use Leyline of Anticipation, Vedalken Orrery, and Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir as ways of flashing permanents into play that I would have otherwise tapped out for on my turn for anyway.
Uncounterbale spells- They exist, and on top of that cards like boseiju, who shelters all and cavern of souls may at some point rear their faces. For good reason, spells exist that exile or bounce spells back to the opponents hand. Venser, shaper savant, summary dismissal, mindbreak trap, unsustantiate help quite often.
Hatebears- Grand abolisher is the King in this realm. They're others like him, but to me none compare to his cmc and power. Creatures like him that resolve and are protected are going to be no fun for draw go.
Hand refill-When you're playing draw-go, you really want as much instant speed card drawing power as possible. Instant speed is the best option as it allows you to refill your hand and leave mana open as well. Don't fall for the trap of sorcery speed card draw UNLESS it comes on a cheap permanent like rhystic study or mystic remora.
Now, after I said all this, again I return to general of choice. I know some others mentioned cards like vedalken orrey, and leyline of anticipation, however, I would shy away from those kinds of cards. One reason is they are high in cmc, they don't deal with that's on the board, and you need to draw AND resolve these cards as well. Honestly, I think Teferi is the only viable true draw go commander of choice. The only other one I can think of for multiplayer is Wydwen, the biting Gale. However, Teferi is monoblue, and that isn't bad at all (no matter what the naysayers think lol). Teferi also turns off the ability for other blue players to counterspell you, which is huge, however, it leaves you as the sole way to stop game winning spells from resolving.
I played Teferi with tons of counterspells, combo win, and plenty of draw power. He can definitely do the job as draw go.
How?
Not by doing 1 for 1 trades at instant speed. I am definitely someone who would advocate Fleshbag Marauder over Diabolic Edict. I would definitely pick a Shriekmaw, which can attack, is easy to reanimate, flicker, bounce, etc, over a Doom Blade.
Now, a control deck that gets a lot of card draw may prefer the instant-speed effects. My mono-black control deck plays several instant-speed edicts, and zero Fleshbags, for example. But the deck draws a ton of cards, and can afford to play more spot removal, which is better against the one-shot kills and combos. However, this is not a draw-go style deck. It plays a lot of sorcery-speed wraths, mana accelerants, etc.
Draw-go seems hard to manage. Permanents and board wipes help you get ahead on cards. Permanents like Propaganda go a long way in a control deck. I think you need a certain amount of proactive control to stay ahead on cards.
One of the best control decks is Derevi-Stax. It is permanent-based. You don't need to deal with a threat at instant speed if your opponent can never cast the threat.
These types of effects scale better to a game with 3 opponents, while draw-go type cards scale poorly as you add players.
You will need to have some serious ways of generating card advantage if you want to play this style successfully in EDH.
8.RG Green Devotion Ramp/Combo 9.UR Draw Triggers 10.WUR Group stalling 11.WUR Voltron Spellslinger 12.WB Sacrificial Shenanigans
13.BR Creatureless Panharmonicon 14.BR Pingers and Eldrazi 15.URG Untapped Cascading
16.Reyhan, last of the Abzan's WUBG +1/+1 Counter Craziness 17.WUBRG Dragons aka Why did I make this?
Building: The Gitrog Monster lands, Glissa the Traitor stax, Muldrotha, the Gravetide Planeswalker Combo, Kydele, Chosen of Kruphix + Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa Clues, and Tribal Scarecrow Planeswalkers
Granted if the entire table focuses you you run the risk of dying, but that is true of pretty much every deck in EDH.
One thing I end up doing is looking up more exotic counterspells to supplement my staples. In my WU decks, I've even found a use for Spiketail Drakeling in my Sun Titan package.
On phasing:
With the concept of “draw-go”, it’s a little bit of a mismatch to what the deck actually needs to do to win. Sure, you counter and remove enough things in order to keep afloat, and then build advantage with EOT draw spells. But historically, you also cast creatures like Serra Angel, Sphinx of Jwar Isle and Dragonlord Dromoka. It’s those cards that just aren’t good enough to get there in EDH. But cards like Mind Over Matter, Reiterate, etc, sure are. Then though, you’re not perceived as “Draw-Go” anymore, you’re perceived as a “Combo deck” that just sat around durdling for 6-7 turns until it went off. Because again, the EDH experience is defined by norms and decks that break those norms. Effective playing a deck that is extremely answer-heavy requires you to break those norms, because no other win condition is compact enough within the space you have left in your deck.
Viewed another way, it’s a tempo thing. In a duel, tempo is relative. If you spend enough resources slowing the game down for your opponent (removing and countering active plays), then you begin to pull ahead on tempo. Your opponent is bled of resources and can’t make use of all their mana, while you have more mana-intensive cards and pull ahead. But in FFA, tempo is more absolute (or at least relative between 4 players). You can slow the game down for the other three, but you can’t pull ahead by tempo that way without some extremely efficient way to use your resources better. Those means exist within combo’s of all types, but then you are just a meanie and not a “control” deck.
The closest I have ever come to a similar draw-go style, at least without breaking the combo barrier, is with a Bruna, Light of Alabaster deck. The idea is to have 2-3 auras that are needed to 1-shot with her, add Vanishing for resilience, then the rest of the deck is answer cards. Bruna herself gets flashed in so as to not be disrupted. A win condition needs to be similarly abrupt and resilient to win against 3 other players, and even then, Bruna just tended to be slower and more disruptable than actual combo’s that could’ve been used.
Now, the most effective deck I’ve made in the draw-go Control archetype, norms against combo or not, was a Keranos, God of Storms deck that used Reiterate combos. There are certainly better decks with more active gameplans for their combo, but this one was extremely answer heavy and played well against better decks.