The card draw and counter spells are subpar at best, all so specific and all so lackluster. Yes, its "possible" but honestly its just not what it should be - the power has been drained (imo) from blue as a whole; and it has showed in the past two years.
Indeed, its sad that he can so obviously be catering to a large populous of players which whom just want to run creatures in on the board, and attempt a kill on turn four. I honestly dont see the fun in that what-so-ever, they give us almost an hour to play a game - why not use it?
Control snobs lmfao! Look, I was brought into MTG with "control" actually being able to control the game - currently there really isn't a way for "control" to do that. Our counter spells are terrible, our card draw is miserably sad; and not to mention our mass wipe spells are just about pointless at this point in the standard meta. Look, I get that control isnt fun for some people however, for some players (like myself) control is a amazingly fun game; and makes MTG what I want it to be.
I started plating MTG back in 1997 (around Tempest for all those keeping track), and though I have played on/off since that time I started I have always been more of a control player at heart. That said, in the past year/two years I have seen wizards slowly but surely destroy control both hand and foot. They have gutted are card draw, our counter power, and most of all our identity. That said, most recently in the past 6 months I have been going back and fourth on if MTG was even worth it anymore - it seems as if they have been heading in a direction that is all creature war and little or no spells, at the end of the day a thoughtless game almost equal to heartstone.
Now, this would make since if they are trying to directly compete with hearthstone...but I feel wizards (or their head company .... which is owned by Disney) is destroying a in a sense a real fabric that keeps MTG playable and together. Does anyone remember the paper/scissors/rocks ideology of MTG...ill refresh the memory of you all...could not find the vid on youtube anymore.... Anyway, each color or archetype was clearly able to take out another, and with control loosing its identity these past few years that balance has been interrupted. When aggro is good, control is bad. When combo is good, control is bad. When mid-range is good, control is bad...is anyone seeing a pattern here? Control was always the thinking mans game, it was a type of playstyle thay used to strike fear into the MTG community - but now a days its more/less laughed at. YES, I do realize at the last pro-tour "control" won out a lot of the top spots...but those were not at heart control decks - those were meer shells of what control used to be. That said, I am at a loss right now - I love MTG and I have lived and breathed it for many many years.... Though now with the seemingly known and accepted destruction of control as an archtype I no longer see the point.
Well, the main reason he did that (from my perspective at least) is its Sultai - not U/B control.... In a Sultai deck you have more options and directions you can take -- not really going for a "draw go" type deck like U/B control does/is/will. I mean, there is a reason U/B is refered to as "pure control" v say what they call Sultai Control...which is 'Sultai Control.'
I have some slight hesitations about my wincon package. It's possible I should have a fourth Ashiok in the 75. It's also possible Lily isn't good enough for the maindeck, but I like how she gets to function as a second copy of Ugin whilst being a very reasonable turn 5 play, and her synergy with Interpret the Signs. I'm a bit hesitant to try Ugin as I'm not sure this deck wants to be even more top-heavy, but I figure that he gets to act as a virtual third Vault whilst also meaning I can remove Pearl Lake Ancient from the maindeck (something I've been kind of wanting to do ever since I won the PPTQ with the deck).
I really wish I could have one more sideboard slot for a Pharika's Cure but don't know what I'd take out.
Honestly, 3x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver has been the "perfect" amount in my testing (and I have been doing A LOT) 8P
Thanks all for the replies! I have been kind iffy on the Reality Shift's as well. The thought process behind it was to bring em in in place of the Drown in Sorrow for the bigger threats - but I agree ultimately its not that well suited.
So, since I saw Ugin and Crux I felt like UB could be very strong this format. I built a list, tested it, and found that early game pressure was the main thing that was getting me. The next day SCG came out with a vs video between Brad and Todd and it seemed like Todd was running into the same problem. I adjusted my list and so far it has worked fantastically. I think there's still a lot of testing to be done, though. This is what I have thus far:
I'm open to cutting the Thoughtseize, since there's likely to be quite a rise in the popularity of hyper aggressive decks, but I think it may very well be fine for game 1.
I don't think Vault is a playable maindeck card. At best it's worth sideboard slots, and that's assuming your opponent has nothing to kill it. Now that Crux is here, Vault isn't going to last long. Vault and Pearl Lake were the whole problem with UB up till now, giving it a good matchup (midrange) and a pile of awful ones.
I agree with vault not being used as a full 4 set in U/B however, I still feel the 2/3 split between it and Crux of Fate is the more viable combination though. I mean, on what side you get rid of everything with Perilous Vault BUT, as described in situations above - sometimes a turn 5 wipe is a game winner (and game saver).
Now, this would make since if they are trying to directly compete with hearthstone...but I feel wizards (or their head company .... which is owned by Disney) is destroying a in a sense a real fabric that keeps MTG playable and together. Does anyone remember the paper/scissors/rocks ideology of MTG...ill refresh the memory of you all...could not find the vid on youtube anymore.... Anyway, each color or archetype was clearly able to take out another, and with control loosing its identity these past few years that balance has been interrupted. When aggro is good, control is bad. When combo is good, control is bad. When mid-range is good, control is bad...is anyone seeing a pattern here? Control was always the thinking mans game, it was a type of playstyle thay used to strike fear into the MTG community - but now a days its more/less laughed at. YES, I do realize at the last pro-tour "control" won out a lot of the top spots...but those were not at heart control decks - those were meer shells of what control used to be. That said, I am at a loss right now - I love MTG and I have lived and breathed it for many many years.... Though now with the seemingly known and accepted destruction of control as an archtype I no longer see the point.
Honestly, 3x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver has been the "perfect" amount in my testing (and I have been doing A LOT) 8P
#1
4x Dig Through Time
3x Jace's Ingenuity
#2
4x Dig Through Time
2x Jace's Ingenuity
2x Divination
#3
3x Dig Through Time
3x Jace's Ingenuity
2x Divination
#4
4x Dig Through Time
2x Jace's Ingenuity
Now, my question of course should be framed based on the U/B variation I am running - I will of course link that:
3x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2x Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
Instant: (19)
3x Bile Blight
4x Dig Through Time
2x Disdainful Stroke
4x Dissolve
4x Hero's Downfall
2x Jace's Ingenuity
Sorcery: (7)
3x Crux of Fate
2x Drown in Sorrow
2x Thoughtseize
2x Perilous Vault
Lands: (27)
4x Dismal Backwater
1x Evolving Wilds
5x Island
4x Polluted Delta
3x Radiant Fountain
5x Swamp
4x Temple of Deceit
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1x Bile Blight
2x Drown in Sorrow
2x Murderous Cut
3x Negate
1x Pearl Lake Ancient
2x Reality Shift
2x Silumgar, the Drifting Death
2x Thoughtseize
Thoughts/suggestions?
The Opulant Palace seems a bit odd in a deck which "actually" has no need for green what-so-ever....
I agree with vault not being used as a full 4 set in U/B however, I still feel the 2/3 split between it and Crux of Fate is the more viable combination though. I mean, on what side you get rid of everything with Perilous Vault BUT, as described in situations above - sometimes a turn 5 wipe is a game winner (and game saver).