I'ld like to build a Grixis control deck.
In addtion, I want to use the Bolas planeswalkers as finishers.
After checking some tournament-decks from the past year, it became clear that a fully powered build is really, really expensive.
I'm not willing to go for the 1000-1500$ build, hence the 'budget' in the title.
Of course some money will need to be spent. I am under the impression that I should focus on the mana base, as Grixis doesn't have great options for fixing.
However, it looks a lot less 'potent' without the value of Snapcaster & JTMS. Probably every deck looks less potent without Snapcaster & Jace?
Anyway. I made the list with cards that aren't 'budget' and that I would like to avoid:
But taking my self-set limits in account, I don't think there are that many ways I can go.
A Bolas planeswalker costs 7-8 mana, meaning that I have to survive 2-4 turns longer than a deck that can close quicklier.
So the question is whether I should add acceleration (coalition relic looks strong)? It always comes in the spot of more controlly cards, so there is a clear trade-off.
With 25-26 lands, I need to get enough 2-for-1's or I will not survive.
Not playing creatures can help me, as it voids the reactive cards of my opponent.
Any comments?
I would like to keep it a Grixis deck, and keep the playing style of Grixis control (ignore irrelevant spells, and answer relevant threats by destroying them, eventually out-valuing my opponent before I drop a big planeswalker).
You need to survive the early game. A 2nd Languish seems much better than Black Sun's Zenith (slow and mana hungry). Going up to 4 Ponder should also help you with consistency.
Ral Zarek seems pretty bad (the permanent untaps on opponent's turn). It's just Lightning Bolt. That and Jace Milling Adept seem like your weakest planeswalkers and the easiest to cut.
Do you want to play counterspells or tap-out control? You can't do both effectively. If you want to play all those Planeswalkers and creatures and sorcery-speed board wipes, it'll be really hard to hold up mana for Negate. Tapped lands don't help either. I think you should decide whether you want to play an "instant speed" control deck or a "sorcery speed" control deck and commit to that.
If you want to support the sorcery speed Super-Friends plan, go up to 4 discard spells (Thoughtseize / Duress) and cut Negates. Consider Savor the Moment, a budget Time Warp that gives you a 2nd turn to use planeswalkers (and also draw and play another land). Cards like Shriekmaw or Blightning may also help with early disruption and 2-for-1s. (getting an Evoked Shriekmaw back with Dark Intimidations is amazing)
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I'ld like to build a Grixis control deck.
In addtion, I want to use the Bolas planeswalkers as finishers.
After checking some tournament-decks from the past year, it became clear that a fully powered build is really, really expensive.
I'm not willing to go for the 1000-1500$ build, hence the 'budget' in the title.
Of course some money will need to be spent. I am under the impression that I should focus on the mana base, as Grixis doesn't have great options for fixing.
However, it looks a lot less 'potent' without the value of Snapcaster & JTMS. Probably every deck looks less potent without Snapcaster & Jace?
Anyway. I made the list with cards that aren't 'budget' and that I would like to avoid:
Creeping Tar Pit
Thoughtseize
Fatal Push
Abrade
Cyclonic Rift
Dire Fleet Daredevil
Dreadbore
Remand
Dismember
Coalition Relic
Kolaghan's Command
Slaughter Pact
Toxic Deluge
Vendilion Clique
Cryptic Command
Hostage Taker
Olivia Voldaren
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Vraska's Contempt
Keranos, God of Storms
Time Warp
The Scarab God
Grave Titan
Kess, Dissident Mage
Torrential Gearhulk
I also think these aren't really budget any more, but I have copies in my binder:
Preordain
Baleful Strix
Shriekmaw
Mulldrifter
Thirst for Knowledge
It's a long list, but there is still a ton of cards that are more reasonably priced and quite strong:
Nephalia Drownyard
Thought Scour
Tragic Slip
Inquisition of Kozilek
Lightning Bolt
Ponder
Anticipate
Devour Flesh
Mana Leak
Ratchet Bomb
Terminate
Think Twice
Fire//Ice
Rise//Fall
Doom Blade
Go for the Throat
Pyroclasm
Roast
Negate
Cast down
Far//Away
Counterflux
Electrolyze
Exclude
Grixis Charm
Hero's Downfall
Crosis's Charm
Manifold Insights
Sea-Gate Oracle
Supreme Will
Repeal
Mimic Vat
Consuming Vapors
Languish
Painful Truths
Profane Command
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Barter in Blood
Dig Through Time
Notion Thief
Fact or Fiction
Dack's Duplicate
Chandra, the Firebrand
Flametongue Kavu
Yahenni's Expertise
Gurmag Angler
Ravenous Chupacabra
Goblin Dark-Dwellers
Jace, Architect of Thought
Lone Revenant
Murderous Cut
Slave of Bolas
Mind Control
Jace, Memory Adept
Treasure Cruise
Bituminous Blast
Dark Intimations
Hour of Devastation
Ob Nixilis Reignited
Rakdos's Return
Black Sun's Zenith
The Scorpion God
Blue Sun's Zenith
Inferno Titan
Cruel Ultimatum
So there are quite some options, on paper.
But taking my self-set limits in account, I don't think there are that many ways I can go.
A Bolas planeswalker costs 7-8 mana, meaning that I have to survive 2-4 turns longer than a deck that can close quicklier.
So the question is whether I should add acceleration (coalition relic looks strong)? It always comes in the spot of more controlly cards, so there is a clear trade-off.
With 25-26 lands, I need to get enough 2-for-1's or I will not survive.
Not playing creatures can help me, as it voids the reactive cards of my opponent.
And I would like to keep/play Dark Intimations for the flavor.
This is what I have in mind - slightly updated:
5 Island
4 Crumbling Necropolis
5 Mountain
1 Steam Vents
5 Swamp
1 Bloodstained Mire
2 Polluted Delta
1 Sunken Hollow
1 Smoldering Marsh
4 Baleful Strix
4 Solemn Simulacrum
Instant
4 Negate
4 Terminate
Sorcery
2 Ponder
2 Crux of Fate
1 Black Sun's Zenith
2 Dark Intimations
3 Thoughtseize
1 Languish
1 Jace Beleren
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Ral Zarek
1 Ob Nixilis Reignited
2 Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
Any comments?
I would like to keep it a Grixis deck, and keep the playing style of Grixis control (ignore irrelevant spells, and answer relevant threats by destroying them, eventually out-valuing my opponent before I drop a big planeswalker).
All help is welcome.
These are the decks that I have constructed, and are ready to play:
01. Ankh Sligh to be exact.
Ral Zarek seems pretty bad (the permanent untaps on opponent's turn). It's just Lightning Bolt. That and Jace Milling Adept seem like your weakest planeswalkers and the easiest to cut.
Do you want to play counterspells or tap-out control? You can't do both effectively. If you want to play all those Planeswalkers and creatures and sorcery-speed board wipes, it'll be really hard to hold up mana for Negate. Tapped lands don't help either. I think you should decide whether you want to play an "instant speed" control deck or a "sorcery speed" control deck and commit to that.
If you want to support the sorcery speed Super-Friends plan, go up to 4 discard spells (Thoughtseize / Duress) and cut Negates. Consider Savor the Moment, a budget Time Warp that gives you a 2nd turn to use planeswalkers (and also draw and play another land). Cards like Shriekmaw or Blightning may also help with early disruption and 2-for-1s. (getting an Evoked Shriekmaw back with Dark Intimidations is amazing)