MTG Salvation

Why play control in multiplayer commander
One of the biggest problems in commander is when a group is moving on from full casual fun into semi-competitive level. Everyone is still there to have fun but peoples decks have been constantly upgrading and evolving. This can lead to situations where someone’s decks threats can easily out- pace the answers available in the group hyper ramp or combo can just start sucking the fun out of games.
The way out of this situation is playing multiplayer control commander packing a deck filled with answers and disincentivising linear decks. Creating resistance and interaction with those decks can make games more fun.


Why Dragonlord Ojutai?
Well when you compared to other UW control generals such as Grand arbiter Augustine VI you'll notice that Ojutai is a large flying creature.
The hardest part of multiplayer control is winning the game, having both a win con and a way to draw cards in the command zone is exactly what you want.
Compared to other large flying UW commanders he is much harder to kill and important quality if you have put your shields down to put in a threat.


Why aren't you playing all these UW combos or these stax cards?
Because the end doesn’t justify the means, you have to avoid becoming your enemy in pursuit of your goals. I would argue that doing this will only create an arms race that can lead to people losing sight of the having fun part of the game.
Also a true control player likes to see people suffer under the control not just end the game straight away, you also want to give them some hope.

So how do you win the game then?
Plan A Hit people for 21 with Dragonlord Ojutai, typically you want to pump it once just to make it 4 swings. Yes you will have to do this for everyone in the game. but typically everyone takes each other out during a game.
Plan B Ultimate a plainswalker, the ones I have chosen typically have the more powerful ultimates the deck has a lot of tools to put pressure on opponents to kill them.
Plan C Luminarch ascension, sometimes this goes off and you just win. You also have similar token making cards and walkers you can use to deal damage.

What’s with the hate cards?
The short answer is, die combo die!

The long answer is that because these hate cards effect everyone you can effectively hold down multiple decks long enough to take some players out or gain overwhelming advantage. The more linear the more devastating these cards can be and often takes awhile for them to find an answer.

I have perhaps gone to extremes to avoid nonbo’s, such as running 0 mana rocks but I prefer it that way. The only nonbo is Tamiyo’s ultimate and Rest in peace.
If Ojutai is the win con why not Voltron?
1. Stony silence
2. I didn’t want to use up slots on cards that weren’t really doing anything without Ojutai, (akroma’s memorial is the closest). It is a control deck first.

Aren’t counterspells card disadvantage in multiplayer?
Yes they are which is why they often don’t get played as much as they should do.
Most of my conterspells have “draw a card” written on them this is the try to mitigate this downside on counterspells. In multiplayer I am willing to forgo efficiency for can tripping. The counterspells I am running are either actual counterspell or counters with other non-draw a card advantages.

Other Tips and Tricks
Expect to get targeted at the start of the game people hate it when you ruin their fun. But typically someone else is going to make themselves a threat and you will be there to save everyone.

Commander mid range decks have overwhelming recursion and resilience to defeat these decks you have to get Ojutai down and start swinging quickly or they will eventually run you out of answers. Turn 5 Ojutai, with a way to untap him (or give vigilance turn 4) is ideal, you have to start ending the game even if you are a control deck.

The hate is not going to last long against multiple players it effects. You really have to use them as almost tempo plays

This deck is actually french legal, If you play it 1v1 against decks that of the power level of what you normally face in multiplayer well its not going to be fun for them. I had someone rage quit because I countered every play he made in a game.

Favourite game sequence. Me: island ponder go. player 2 swamp sol ring. Player 3 mountain Top, Player 4 island Sol ring Top. Me: plains stony silence. I wish this wasn't online so I could of seen their faces.

I had a stax/control Ojutai deck.
I played 30 instants/sorceries and some stax pieces. Stax is important since they have long term value, a counterspell handles a problem only once. The key is card draw to stay ahead.
A very effective "counterspell" is silence and Orim's Chant. They buy you a turn or safe you is someone has a critical mass of creatures.
Frozen Aether was a very good card in the deck to slow opponents down. Torpor Orb doesnt interact well with your etb creatures.
You might want to think about more fast mana (rocks) and MLD.

I don't want to play stax or MLD. That is not enjoyable for anyone. We aren't playing a game if no one can cast spells.
I have only ever seen MLD go badly where we just start the game again with no lands in hand and see who is the luckiest at top decking.

"Armageddon.. in response... cyclonic rift".

I have hate cards because they have lasting value.

Can't play mana rocks because stony silence, also they don't do anything later in the game, I don't want too many bad top decks.

I will consider silence and Orim's chant. render silent is quite useful for stopping someone trying to bait me or against Narset.

I think its difficult to have your deck built to take advantage of it, but Torpor Orb is an absolute beating of a hate card. I've noticed a lot people who replaced effects like Nature's Claim with things like Acidic Slime because of the added value of having a body along with the removal spell. The Orb shuts all that down and so much more while a lot of decks just can't seem to find an answer to it quickly enough. Either it eats removal immediately, or it annoys the table for turns and turns. The problem is it backfires against certain cards that a W/U deck like yours probably really wants such as Solemn Simulacrum. If you can find a way I think it's right up your alley for the type of effect you're looking for and I did see it was on your 'maybe list'. Think you should give it a shot

Arcane Denial is different because it costs two mana - only one of which need be blue - but I don't like Dream Fracture at all (outside of Pauper EDH and maybe some other corner cases, that is). Any of the counters you're considering would be better than it. Good on ya for running Calciform Pools in your draw-go deck. That card is seriously underrated in this format. Along similar lines, how about Myriad Landscape? It taps for C before you're ready to pop it, so you can play it early and still hold up countermagic until the time is right.

Angel's Trumpet could be amusing here.

Also, considering how amazing Minamo, School at Water's Edge is with Ojutai, I would want Expedition Map (whoops, pretty bad with Stony Silence) and Tolaria West just to go find it.