I also don't get the squadron hawks. We're not martyrproc and I definitely can't see a case for running them just as chump blockers, so I just don't see the point.
EDIT: All that said, I'm definitely going to test with interlude as a one of once it's legal. Maybe even a two of. It seems like a sweet end the game with value while protecting your board from wraths/removal card.
- gives the deck a bit more speed when it needs to close out the game faster, especially with a Sword of Light and Shadow.
- allows for the recovery of the board after sweepers.
-gives Mortarpod a lot more potential.
- don't underestimate the chump blocking with Squadron Hawk. One copy provides 4 chump blocks (ie the initial copy you cast and three other bodies you pull from your library). In my (limited) experience playing this deck, there were many times that I just needed one or two more chump blocks to get my engine online and stabilize.
I wonder if there is more value I'm not seeing. Emeria Control is trying to eek out a small, net surplus of value over time and Squadron Hawk fits that MO very well.
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"Until you have lived as a statue, do not talk to me of pigeons."
—Karn, silver golem
Do you think that the newly-spoiled Declaration in Stone can be good in this deck ?
Possibly instead of Detention Sphere or alongside it replacing some counterspells ?
- gives the deck a bit more speed when it needs to close out the game faster, especially with a Sword of Light and Shadow.
- allows for the recovery of the board after sweepers.
-gives Mortarpod a lot more potential.
- don't underestimate the chump blocking with Squadron Hawk. One copy provides 4 chump blocks (ie the initial copy you cast and three other bodies you pull from your library). In my (limited) experience playing this deck, there were many times that I just needed one or two more chump blocks to get my engine online and stabilize.
I wonder if there is more value I'm not seeing. Emeria Control is trying to eek out a small, net surplus of value over time and Squadron Hawk fits that MO very well.
Squadron Hawk on its own isn't doing very much. However, it turns into a value machine once Mistveil Plains hits the table. Stalling the game with recurring chump blockers is exactly what Emeria Control wants to do.
Do you think that the newly-spoiled Declaration in Stone can be good in this deck ?
Possibly instead of Detention Sphere or alongside it replacing some counterspells ?
Eldrazi skyspawner I'm playing as a replacement for pilgrim's eye. I like eyes effect but don't like eye itself. skyspawner gives 3 power over 2 bodies with one being flying and the option to use one to ramp for a turn. I was never happy to see eye even though it was a role player but I am happy to see the skyspawner.
I'm switching over from 2x Pilgrim's Eye to 2x Skyspawner as well. Spawner can ramp Titan out a turn earlier (which is really good vs aggro) and blocks the same threats Pilgrim's Eye does. It also provides 2 power in the air vs 1, which in stalled board states presents a quicker clock, more so when combined with Flickerwisp on the attack.
I feel like 25% of the time Pilgrim's Eye is helpful, the other 75% of the time I already have enough lands in hand due to all the card draw and filtering, and then it's just an overcosted Suntail Hawk.
Now I just need to find something low costed to replace the Aether Spellbombs.
I'm switching over from 2x Pilgrim's Eye to 2x Skyspawner as well. Spawner can ramp Titan out a turn earlier (which is really good vs aggro) and blocks the same threats Pilgrim's Eye does. It also provides 2 power in the air vs 1, which in stalled board states presents a quicker clock, more so when combined with Flickerwisp on the attack.
I feel like 25% of the time Pilgrim's Eye is helpful, the other 75% of the time I already have enough lands in hand due to all the card draw and filtering, and then it's just an overcosted Suntail Hawk.
Now I just need to find something low costed to replace the Aether Spellbombs.
I'm definitely trying this Skyspawner tech the next time I take this deck out! It's a huge amount of pressure for 3 mana.
What are you looking for in a replacement to Spellbomb? If it's just a 1-drop, the choices are very limited, but how about Clockwork Beetle or Bonded Construct? They both trade on-par with Lone Missionary, but they come in a turn earlier, which is huge for a deck that has no other turn 1 plays (blech to turn 1 Path). If you just want the bounce, you could go for Vapor Snag, and if you really like recurring value, Reflector Mage looks like it could be really strong when paired with Flickerwisp.
So the main reason I'm looking to cut the bombs is with Twin out of the picture, I don't see them being important enough to keep their maindeck slots.
Right now based on my mana curve, I need a non blue 1 or 2 drop, and a non blue 2 drop that isn't Mortarpod number 2. I find that with two in the deck sometimes you draw into more than one, and they are bad in multiples.
Reason for the non blue is I'm running 14 cards that need blue with only 10 blue sources. Right now my mana is working flawlessly, and I'm trying not the mess that up.
My 3 drop slots are really clogged (12x) and Reflector Mage is competing with Eldrazi Skyspawner for the slots left open by Pilgrim's Eye.
Like the Barenaked Ladies this deck is supposed to be all about value (bad joke I know). I wish there was some kind of value creature or artifact I could use like spellbomb that does more than give negative CA or waste two mana to get parity - Maybe Mind Stone is the answer? Swap two in for spellbomb to help ramp out titan, then cash them in for cards later on. I just feel like getting out Sun Titan sooner than later really helps stabilize vs aggro and help us go the distance to get Emeria online.
The biggest problem with that of course is spending your 2nd turn dropping a mana rock is a good way to end up dead vs fast aggro.
So the main reason I'm looking to cut the bombs is with Twin out of the picture, I don't see them being important enough to keep their maindeck slots.
Right now based on my mana curve, I need a non blue 1 or 2 drop, and a non blue 2 drop that isn't Mortarpod number 2. I find that with two in the deck sometimes you draw into more than one, and they are bad in multiples.
Reason for the non blue is I'm running 14 cards that need blue with only 10 blue sources. Right now my mana is working flawlessly, and I'm trying not the mess that up.
Knight of the White Orchard seems sweet every time I see it, but it always seems so underwhelming on the play. On the draw it gives a value body and ramp, but on the play the most it allows for (in most situations) is ghost quartering a land and then dropping the Knight so you don't lose on value. I guess there's situations where he allows for recurring ghost quarters without getting behind on mana, but that seems very niche and situational. Loyal Sentry could be neat, especially with all the decks throwing big value creatures around. Has anybody tried it? Revoker and Skite don't seems good main deck, and Javelineers seems very outclassed by mortar pod, even if it does cost one less. I already use Kami as sweet sideboard deck and can attest to how sweet it is, but I wouldn't maindeck it. Holy Nimbus could maybe be sweet against all these aggro decks that want to tap out to play their threats since he can chump forever, and only dies to value removal if they spend 3 mana (I consider nimbus getting pathed value for us). Judge's Familiar could be neat in more counter heavy lists. Skyfisher seems eh. Weathered Wayfarer seems to suffer from the same things that hurt White Orchid IMO.
Of the ones listed, I'd be most tempted to test Sentry and the two Knights, at least for my tap out list.
Depending on how many Verdicts you're running, this (Mind Stone) might not be so bad. T3 Verdict is still pretty strong, even without a T2 Missionary, Wall, or the like. It also serves as yet-another-draw-engine with Titan later (albeit, not as good as Hussar).
This is my current list. May I ask some advice from you guys? What should I change in the sideboard and main deck? The local meta is very diverse but affinity and other white decks seem to flourish well.
I tried some 2 drops in UW recently, looking for more early game plays.
Omenspeaker is decent on turn 2, but underwhelming later in the game. Palace Familiar was slightly better, but not getting a guaranteed draw was sometimes bothersome. Anafenza, Kin Tree Spirit was interesting. She could certainly tip board locks and at worse she eats one removal or opposing creature. Not bad as a one-of.
UW really lacks a cheap threat that can take over the game. I want to play Goyf! (but i don't want to pay for it :P)
SoulofAtlantis:
I think ENC0hRE gives pretty good advice overall. Apparently we both see things for UW Control on a spectrum from the Tap Out builds to the Flash builds (as to some who think it's one or the other). I agree that you want to max PtE. I personally use Swan Song over other countermagic because it's easier to use when you're playing more permanents, but those are a matter of preferance. Dispel may be another legitimate option, depending on what you're worried about. As was said, we're pretty good at answering permanents (shy of those with EtB or WYC triggers).
That said, I will comment a bit further on two things. First: Think Twice is an awful spell almost everywhere. It's only arguably passable in Flash builds (for when you held up for turn 2-3 countermagic and the opponent passed), and even there, Whispers of the Muse is probably better over the course of a game.
The other thing is lands. Most builds run 23-25 land. This is probably enough for either Emeria or Canonnade. However, you have both. I'm not sure about that, as they both serve similar roles (becoming active around the same time to close out a game), but Emeria's requirement of at least 15 Plains plus other cantrips or supplementing can make it tough to fit Canonnade. While you meet thse requirements, you only do so because you're at 27 land, which may mean you run out of answers in the early turns. I'd think about picking one and sticking with it.
Emeria: higher land restrictions, a drop slower in theory, requires no mana once it becomes active, provides card advantage
Canonnade: provides two colors, ignores graveyard hate, might be active a bit earlier, takes a lot more mana to use, vulnerable to creature-removal
In general, the more tap-out and white you play, the better Emeria is, while the more permission and blue you play, the better Canonnade is.
FDL42:
Yes, we lack a cheap threat on the level of 'goyf or even Delver. Generally, that's fine: our early-game defense is pretty solid and we don't lack for finishers later. There are a few decks that I'd like to pressure, but the disruption is often more meaningful there and a decent clock is still provided by Flickerwisp.
That said, we don't lack for early drops in general, and those that you suggested generally look pretty bad for us. Turn 2, we have Wall of Omens, Missionary, Snapcaster, Phantasmal Image, disruption (countermagic or Spreading Seas), and a few others. While some people don't like running a full playset of these individual choices, it shouldn't be difficult to justify 9 of these cards and perhaps as many as 12. If you need more than that, what have you given up to make room for it?
As far as Avacyn Mk. 3, she is really interesting. I personally hate flip cards in general but, putting that aside, 5 mana for a Serra Angel with flash would be good on its surface, the protective effect is a nice surprise, and the flip effect might wipe the opponent's board (and you can recover fairly easily). The only issue is that she's hard to justify over anything else she might compete with. She's only really in competition with the most marginal early drops and Titan #3 or #4. I think generally, I might sooner play Restoration Angel, as RA lands a turn earlier, gives blink-value, and can also win combat math (though not as well as Avacyn v.3, but we tend to be good here already). I think she might be better in the permission-heavy builds, where Flash and Vigilance are favorable anyway and she may get the nod over RA.
Yeah, I play all the 2 drops you listed. I thought that in this creature heavy meta I would try and play more two drops to test them but I went back to main deck Negate.
Went 3-2 in League yesterday.
2-0 Suicide Zoo
0-2 RG Tron (did not play around Game 1 Pyroclasm, might have won a game othersise - still a terrible matchup)
2-0 Living End (won of a discarded to handsize Titan on the play game one, I'm 3-for-3 with that move lol)
0-2 Affinity (I usually like this matchup, but things didn't line up this time)
2-1 Titan Scapeshift (won game 2 on a mull to 5, Turn 2 Ghost Quarter on Valakut + Extraction sealed Game 3)
I did keep Anafenza because as a 1-of I don't get to play her much. She was mostly irrelevant. I'll put my Snapcaster back in the main in her place. Going to try some Skyspanner next (I really like flyers to block Nexus' and pressure Lily).
Without running upward of 26 to 27 lands, I have found myself having trouble getting enough lands to make either Sun Titan or Emeria work. This may be due to the fact that I cut all copies of Pilgrim's Eye, and that without casting any card draw spells/cantrips, there is only a 47.2% chance for me to play a land every turn until turn 6. Maybe I should run some more Pilgrim's Eye?
Maybe I'm missing something, but how is Think Twice awful/terrible? It is often a cantrip that could be casted on instant speed and could potentially net you 1 more card later in the game. More importantly, it allows the mana that I held up for counterspell not to go to waste. How is it worse than Whispers of the Muse ?
The reason I prefer Mana Leak over Negate is precisely because I want to counter the opponent's threat on turn 2. The tap-out version doesn't really have a good turn 2 play (mostly creatures) compared to other decks in the format (Tarmogoyf, Arcbound Ravager, Thought-Knot Seer, Kitchen Flinks, Blighted Agent and Silvergill Adept, to name a few). Even though making the opponent overextend into Supreme Verdict is sweet, I might be dead before turn 4.
Emeria: higher land restrictions, a drop slower in theory, requires no mana once it becomes active, provides card advantage
Canonnade: provides two colors, ignores graveyard hate, might be active a bit earlier, takes a lot more mana to use, vulnerable to creature-removal
In general, the more tap-out and white you play, the better Emeria is, while the more permission and blue you play, the better Canonnade is.
Precisely because I took the middle of the road approach so I've decided to split Emeria and Celestial Colonnade. Celestial Colonnade could also serve as a mana sink and a late game threat that is resilent to sorcery removal. Is this approach flawed?
Once again, I am grateful for your input. I know that I am not any good with deck building by any sketch of imagination so your advice would be very important to me.
What you have to consider is that you're playing a deck where a great deal of the cards you play enter the battlefield to either draw cards or anticipate. These cards promptly flicker off of wisp or get phantasmal imaged or whatnot, and this offers a lot of room to hit the lands you need. This is even moreso the case in a list that plays think twice (although like the others, I really find myself underwhelmed by the idea. Our two and 3 drop permanents offer similar if not better card advantage and come with easily recurrable bodies. If you're actually considering pilgrims to hit lands more consistently, I'd say you should consider running a crucible or two. Ghost quarter strip mining can be a very real win con against some decks and is the only real way I've been able to manage RG tron lists. It also allows for playing the same flooded strand every turn and making a ghost quartered emeria actually just help you get emeria online faster, since you fetch the plains and replay emeria. Sky spawner can also be an option to ramp into sun titan faster and get fetches back with titan if needed to stick more lands.
I've been running 24 lands (with 5 fetches, no Eye these days) for a while now and I wouldn't go higher.
If I'm stuck on 4 lands, it means I'm drawing spells and each spell will allow me to see more cards. Step 1 is to survive the early turns and spell do a better job here than lands 5 to 7. Once I have stabilized I'll start working towards Emeria/Titan.
Most of the time, I find this happens rather naturally without having to force it (though I will Path one of my guys from time to time).
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I played Think Twice earlier in this build, but I find that I like Anticipate more. Think Twice does nothing early, when we're under pressure. You say it allows you to spend the mana you held up for Negate, but all it gives you is a non-TT card and you likely won't be able to flash it back until after you've stabilized (if you can do it), so all you got was hidden information about your own deck. Anticipate on the other hand, digs you much deeper in the early turns when you're scrambling for answers or that 4th land to Wrath. Even if you don't find what you're looking for, you're 3 cards deeper than you would be with TT.
TT is 2-for-1. Anticipate is better at finding the X-for-1s in your deck.
I'll admit that I'm a big fan of the 'pick one of those 3 cards' window.
That being said, I'm pretty sure that running extra draw is mostly marginal upside (if any). Every spell in the decks is there to buy extra draw steps.
Without running upward of 26 to 27 lands, I have found myself having trouble getting enough lands to make either Sun Titan or Emeria work. This may be due to the fact that I cut all copies of Pilgrim's Eye, and that without casting any card draw spells/cantrips, there is only a 47.2% chance for me to play a land every turn until turn 6. Maybe I should run some more Pilgrim's Eye?
Maybe I'm missing something, but how is Think Twice awful/terrible? It is often a cantrip that could be casted on instant speed and could potentially net you 1 more card later in the game. More importantly, it allows the mana that I held up for counterspell not to go to waste. How is it worse than Whispers of the Muse ?
The reason I prefer Mana Leak over Negate is precisely because I want to counter the opponent's threat on turn 2. The tap-out version doesn't really have a good turn 2 play (mostly creatures) compared to other decks in the format (Tarmogoyf, Arcbound Ravager, Thought-Knot Seer, Kitchen Flinks, Blighted Agent and Silvergill Adept, to name a few). Even though making the opponent overextend into Supreme Verdict is sweet, I might be dead before turn 4.
Others have explained part of it, but basically, it's fairly straightforward. "Draw a card" sucks, because you'd rather just play one more actually good card in the same slot. Now, "draw two cards" is okay, but only at reasonable cost. The appropriate cost for "draw two cards" is 3-4 mana, not 5.
So where do you play instant-speed, weak card draw? Permission decks. If you're playing permanents, you're not leaving mana for Think Twice. If you are leaving mana for Think Twice, you're better off being able to cycle cheaply early and get more powerful advantage later. This is exactly why WotM is better: it cycles cheaper than Think Twice but, if you draw one later, it is a potentially game-winning amount of card advantage.
If you're paying mana to cantrip, you need either another perk or at least better card selection. Anticipate is okay. Court Hussar, in this deck, is a lot better. It becomes a repeatable Anticipate later, for free (which is card advantage anyway with Emeria or Titan).
Emeria: higher land restrictions, a drop slower in theory, requires no mana once it becomes active, provides card advantage
Canonnade: provides two colors, ignores graveyard hate, might be active a bit earlier, takes a lot more mana to use, vulnerable to creature-removal
In general, the more tap-out and white you play, the better Emeria is, while the more permission and blue you play, the better Canonnade is.
Precisely because I took the middle of the road approach so I've decided to split Emeria and Celestial Colonnade. Celestial Colonnade could also serve as a mana sink and a late game threat that is resilent to sorcery removal. Is this approach flawed?
Once again, I am grateful for your input. I know that I am not any good with deck building by any sketch of imagination so your advice would be very important to me.
Thanks again in advance.
My point is that 27 land might be overkill if it's cutting into the business spells you need to play in order to survive/win. If you discover that to be the case, and need to cut to 23-25 (which is usually enough to play the deck), you probably can't support both. If you DO keep 27 land, you can support both. But for less land, you probably need to pick one.
Was planning on running this this Saturday at a local tournament with a Top 8 Sealed (there is likely going to be affinity, dredge, burn, various other control decks). I like the list, I am uncertain of how Fiend Hunter will perform and I have never tried running with only 2 Supreme verdict. Any advice appreciated.
I have thought of putting in: Spreading seas, 1x Gifts Ungiven, Pilgrim's eye, more Verdicts etc. Trouble deciding:D
Hey, has anybody ever considered the tiniest of black splashes (I'm thinking like 1 or 2 marsh flats plus a godless shrine and swamp) to fit 1 or 2 wasteland stranglers? I feel like that's more something to be doing with an orzhov emeria titan deck, but it's ability to recycle detention spheres and turn flickerwisps into vindicates seems super sweet. I feel like it almost definitely fits under the category of win more, but I wanna try it haha.
Probably just a good case for a b/w titan list, but I figured I might as well throw it out here.
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Reasons to consider Squadron Hawk:
- gives the deck a bit more speed when it needs to close out the game faster, especially with a Sword of Light and Shadow.
- allows for the recovery of the board after sweepers.
-gives Mortarpod a lot more potential.
- don't underestimate the chump blocking with Squadron Hawk. One copy provides 4 chump blocks (ie the initial copy you cast and three other bodies you pull from your library). In my (limited) experience playing this deck, there were many times that I just needed one or two more chump blocks to get my engine online and stabilize.
I wonder if there is more value I'm not seeing. Emeria Control is trying to eek out a small, net surplus of value over time and Squadron Hawk fits that MO very well.
—Karn, silver golem
Possibly instead of Detention Sphere or alongside it replacing some counterspells ?
To those of you running Eldrazi Skyspawner, why did you choose it over other 3-drop creatures ?
(like: Blade Splicer, Stonecloaker, Kitchen Finks, Lyev Skyknight, Aven Riftwatcher, Reflector Mage)
Squadron Hawk on its own isn't doing very much. However, it turns into a value machine once Mistveil Plains hits the table. Stalling the game with recurring chump blockers is exactly what Emeria Control wants to do.
I like declaration in stone will run it over condemn
Eldrazi skyspawner I'm playing as a replacement for pilgrim's eye. I like eyes effect but don't like eye itself. skyspawner gives 3 power over 2 bodies with one being flying and the option to use one to ramp for a turn. I was never happy to see eye even though it was a role player but I am happy to see the skyspawner.
I feel like 25% of the time Pilgrim's Eye is helpful, the other 75% of the time I already have enough lands in hand due to all the card draw and filtering, and then it's just an overcosted Suntail Hawk.
Now I just need to find something low costed to replace the Aether Spellbombs.
BUDGET DECK BUILDER SINCE 93'
Modern ------------------------- WU Azorius Titan Midrange
Commander ------------------- WUG Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
***Are you looking for cards priced below TCG NM "LOW" and with FREE SHIPPING? - Click HERE! for my sales thread - 485 Feedback 100% positive!***
I'm definitely trying this Skyspawner tech the next time I take this deck out! It's a huge amount of pressure for 3 mana.
What are you looking for in a replacement to Spellbomb? If it's just a 1-drop, the choices are very limited, but how about Clockwork Beetle or Bonded Construct? They both trade on-par with Lone Missionary, but they come in a turn earlier, which is huge for a deck that has no other turn 1 plays (blech to turn 1 Path). If you just want the bounce, you could go for Vapor Snag, and if you really like recurring value, Reflector Mage looks like it could be really strong when paired with Flickerwisp.
Right now based on my mana curve, I need a non blue 1 or 2 drop, and a non blue 2 drop that isn't Mortarpod number 2. I find that with two in the deck sometimes you draw into more than one, and they are bad in multiples.
Reason for the non blue is I'm running 14 cards that need blue with only 10 blue sources. Right now my mana is working flawlessly, and I'm trying not the mess that up.
My 3 drop slots are really clogged (12x) and Reflector Mage is competing with Eldrazi Skyspawner for the slots left open by Pilgrim's Eye.
Like the Barenaked Ladies this deck is supposed to be all about value (bad joke I know). I wish there was some kind of value creature or artifact I could use like spellbomb that does more than give negative CA or waste two mana to get parity - Maybe Mind Stone is the answer? Swap two in for spellbomb to help ramp out titan, then cash them in for cards later on. I just feel like getting out Sun Titan sooner than later really helps stabilize vs aggro and help us go the distance to get Emeria online.
The biggest problem with that of course is spending your 2nd turn dropping a mana rock is a good way to end up dead vs fast aggro.
BUDGET DECK BUILDER SINCE 93'
Modern ------------------------- WU Azorius Titan Midrange
Commander ------------------- WUG Derevi, Empyrial Tactician
***Are you looking for cards priced below TCG NM "LOW" and with FREE SHIPPING? - Click HERE! for my sales thread - 485 Feedback 100% positive!***
Here are some options:
Spellskite, Icatian Javelineers, Phyrexian Revoker, Kami of False Hope, Loyal Sentry, Knight of the White Orchid, Knight of the Holy Nimbus, Judge's Familiar, Kor Skyfisher and Weathered Wayfarer.
Of the ones listed, I'd be most tempted to test Sentry and the two Knights, at least for my tap out list.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
This is my current list. May I ask some advice from you guys? What should I change in the sideboard and main deck? The local meta is very diverse but affinity and other white decks seem to flourish well.
Thanks in advance.
2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
4 Flooded Strand
3 Ghost Quarter
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
9 Plains
2 Prairie Stream
2 Celestial Colonnade
Creatures (19)
2 Lone Missionary
4 Wall of Omens
2 Blade Splicer
4 Flickerwisp
3 Court Hussar
3 Sun Titan
1 Snapcaster Mage
3 Path to Exile
2 Supreme Verdict
3 Detention Sphere
3 Mana Leak
2 Think Twice
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Disenchant
2 Stony Silence
2 Kor Firewalker
2 Timely Reinforcements
3 Spreading Seas
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Celestial Purge
1 Kami of False Hope
UMerfolkU
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wxXtmjT0T1o3dcgqpJWkKNqcfkIobksJFA2rkK7Gf9o/edit?usp=sharing
Omenspeaker is decent on turn 2, but underwhelming later in the game.
Palace Familiar was slightly better, but not getting a guaranteed draw was sometimes bothersome.
Anafenza, Kin Tree Spirit was interesting. She could certainly tip board locks and at worse she eats one removal or opposing creature. Not bad as a one-of.
UW really lacks a cheap threat that can take over the game. I want to play Goyf! (but i don't want to pay for it :P)
They just spoiled Thraben Inspector - http://media.wizards.com/2016/aksdjciawolkcc0_soi/en_6H5ie0Dm3M.png
Looks be interesting as a 1 drop. Trades with X/1s and cantrips immediately in the late game.
The new Avacyn also looks intriguing. Could be a one-of over the 3rd Titan - http://www.mtgsalvation.com/cards/shadows-over-innistrad/26706-archangel-avacyn
I think ENC0hRE gives pretty good advice overall. Apparently we both see things for UW Control on a spectrum from the Tap Out builds to the Flash builds (as to some who think it's one or the other). I agree that you want to max PtE. I personally use Swan Song over other countermagic because it's easier to use when you're playing more permanents, but those are a matter of preferance. Dispel may be another legitimate option, depending on what you're worried about. As was said, we're pretty good at answering permanents (shy of those with EtB or WYC triggers).
That said, I will comment a bit further on two things. First: Think Twice is an awful spell almost everywhere. It's only arguably passable in Flash builds (for when you held up for turn 2-3 countermagic and the opponent passed), and even there, Whispers of the Muse is probably better over the course of a game.
The other thing is lands. Most builds run 23-25 land. This is probably enough for either Emeria or Canonnade. However, you have both. I'm not sure about that, as they both serve similar roles (becoming active around the same time to close out a game), but Emeria's requirement of at least 15 Plains plus other cantrips or supplementing can make it tough to fit Canonnade. While you meet thse requirements, you only do so because you're at 27 land, which may mean you run out of answers in the early turns. I'd think about picking one and sticking with it.
Emeria: higher land restrictions, a drop slower in theory, requires no mana once it becomes active, provides card advantage
Canonnade: provides two colors, ignores graveyard hate, might be active a bit earlier, takes a lot more mana to use, vulnerable to creature-removal
In general, the more tap-out and white you play, the better Emeria is, while the more permission and blue you play, the better Canonnade is.
FDL42:
Yes, we lack a cheap threat on the level of 'goyf or even Delver. Generally, that's fine: our early-game defense is pretty solid and we don't lack for finishers later. There are a few decks that I'd like to pressure, but the disruption is often more meaningful there and a decent clock is still provided by Flickerwisp.
That said, we don't lack for early drops in general, and those that you suggested generally look pretty bad for us. Turn 2, we have Wall of Omens, Missionary, Snapcaster, Phantasmal Image, disruption (countermagic or Spreading Seas), and a few others. While some people don't like running a full playset of these individual choices, it shouldn't be difficult to justify 9 of these cards and perhaps as many as 12. If you need more than that, what have you given up to make room for it?
As far as Avacyn Mk. 3, she is really interesting. I personally hate flip cards in general but, putting that aside, 5 mana for a Serra Angel with flash would be good on its surface, the protective effect is a nice surprise, and the flip effect might wipe the opponent's board (and you can recover fairly easily). The only issue is that she's hard to justify over anything else she might compete with. She's only really in competition with the most marginal early drops and Titan #3 or #4. I think generally, I might sooner play Restoration Angel, as RA lands a turn earlier, gives blink-value, and can also win combat math (though not as well as Avacyn v.3, but we tend to be good here already). I think she might be better in the permission-heavy builds, where Flash and Vigilance are favorable anyway and she may get the nod over RA.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
Yeah, I play all the 2 drops you listed. I thought that in this creature heavy meta I would try and play more two drops to test them but I went back to main deck Negate.
Went 3-2 in League yesterday.
2-0 Suicide Zoo
0-2 RG Tron (did not play around Game 1 Pyroclasm, might have won a game othersise - still a terrible matchup)
2-0 Living End (won of a discarded to handsize Titan on the play game one, I'm 3-for-3 with that move lol)
0-2 Affinity (I usually like this matchup, but things didn't line up this time)
2-1 Titan Scapeshift (won game 2 on a mull to 5, Turn 2 Ghost Quarter on Valakut + Extraction sealed Game 3)
I did keep Anafenza because as a 1-of I don't get to play her much. She was mostly irrelevant. I'll put my Snapcaster back in the main in her place. Going to try some Skyspanner next (I really like flyers to block Nexus' and pressure Lily).
Without running upward of 26 to 27 lands, I have found myself having trouble getting enough lands to make either Sun Titan or Emeria work. This may be due to the fact that I cut all copies of Pilgrim's Eye, and that without casting any card draw spells/cantrips, there is only a 47.2% chance for me to play a land every turn until turn 6. Maybe I should run some more Pilgrim's Eye?
Maybe I'm missing something, but how is Think Twice awful/terrible? It is often a cantrip that could be casted on instant speed and could potentially net you 1 more card later in the game. More importantly, it allows the mana that I held up for counterspell not to go to waste. How is it worse than Whispers of the Muse ?
The reason I prefer Mana Leak over Negate is precisely because I want to counter the opponent's threat on turn 2. The tap-out version doesn't really have a good turn 2 play (mostly creatures) compared to other decks in the format (Tarmogoyf, Arcbound Ravager, Thought-Knot Seer, Kitchen Flinks, Blighted Agent and Silvergill Adept, to name a few). Even though making the opponent overextend into Supreme Verdict is sweet, I might be dead before turn 4.
Precisely because I took the middle of the road approach so I've decided to split Emeria and Celestial Colonnade. Celestial Colonnade could also serve as a mana sink and a late game threat that is resilent to sorcery removal. Is this approach flawed?
Once again, I am grateful for your input. I know that I am not any good with deck building by any sketch of imagination so your advice would be very important to me.
Thanks again in advance.
UMerfolkU
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wxXtmjT0T1o3dcgqpJWkKNqcfkIobksJFA2rkK7Gf9o/edit?usp=sharing
If I'm stuck on 4 lands, it means I'm drawing spells and each spell will allow me to see more cards. Step 1 is to survive the early turns and spell do a better job here than lands 5 to 7. Once I have stabilized I'll start working towards Emeria/Titan.
Most of the time, I find this happens rather naturally without having to force it (though I will Path one of my guys from time to time).
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I played Think Twice earlier in this build, but I find that I like Anticipate more. Think Twice does nothing early, when we're under pressure. You say it allows you to spend the mana you held up for Negate, but all it gives you is a non-TT card and you likely won't be able to flash it back until after you've stabilized (if you can do it), so all you got was hidden information about your own deck. Anticipate on the other hand, digs you much deeper in the early turns when you're scrambling for answers or that 4th land to Wrath. Even if you don't find what you're looking for, you're 3 cards deeper than you would be with TT.
TT is 2-for-1. Anticipate is better at finding the X-for-1s in your deck.
I'll admit that I'm a big fan of the 'pick one of those 3 cards' window.
That being said, I'm pretty sure that running extra draw is mostly marginal upside (if any). Every spell in the decks is there to buy extra draw steps.
Others have explained part of it, but basically, it's fairly straightforward. "Draw a card" sucks, because you'd rather just play one more actually good card in the same slot. Now, "draw two cards" is okay, but only at reasonable cost. The appropriate cost for "draw two cards" is 3-4 mana, not 5.
So where do you play instant-speed, weak card draw? Permission decks. If you're playing permanents, you're not leaving mana for Think Twice. If you are leaving mana for Think Twice, you're better off being able to cycle cheaply early and get more powerful advantage later. This is exactly why WotM is better: it cycles cheaper than Think Twice but, if you draw one later, it is a potentially game-winning amount of card advantage.
If you're paying mana to cantrip, you need either another perk or at least better card selection. Anticipate is okay. Court Hussar, in this deck, is a lot better. It becomes a repeatable Anticipate later, for free (which is card advantage anyway with Emeria or Titan).
My point is that 27 land might be overkill if it's cutting into the business spells you need to play in order to survive/win. If you discover that to be the case, and need to cut to 23-25 (which is usually enough to play the deck), you probably can't support both. If you DO keep 27 land, you can support both. But for less land, you probably need to pick one.
Modern: Merfolk UU // Green Devotion GG // SkRed Red RR
Legacy: Death & Taxes WW // Burn RR // Death's Shadow Delver UB
Commander: Brago UW // Karlov WB
I have thought of putting in: Spreading seas, 1x Gifts Ungiven, Pilgrim's eye, more Verdicts etc. Trouble deciding:D
3 Emeria, The Sky Ruin
4 Flooded Strand
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
8 Plains
1 Prairie Stream
Spells (11)
4 Path to Exile
2 Supreme Verdict
3 Detention Sphere
2 Mortarpod
4 Lone Missionary
3 Wall of Omens
2 Blade Splicer
4 Flickerwisp
3 Court Hussar
2 Phantasmal Image
3 Sun Titan
3 Fiend Hunter
1 Meddling Mage
2 Mana Leak
1 Dispel
2 Kami of False Hope
2 Kor Firewalker
1 Aura of Silence
2 Stony Silence
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Wrath of God
2 Disenchant
Probably just a good case for a b/w titan list, but I figured I might as well throw it out here.