Welcome to Mono BlUe Control,one of the most polarizing archetypes in casual.
This thread will be about the discussion and improvement of MUC in casual, emphasis on “mono”, “blue” and “control”. Nomen est omen, the deck controls the game and at some point where control is established starts to win the game. The prime way for MUC to control the game are counters (Counterspell etc.). They are known to be able to handle about anything played and earned the deck the reputation to be boring and unfun to play against, as the the opponent can’t enjoy what his deck does.The matches will be skill intensive, no matter on what level you play and people enjoying this will enjoy MUC - on both sides of the table. The game plan is against any type of deck as simple as complicate: Counter anything dangerous - if possible. Within this sentence lie the biggest weaknesses of the archetype: [spoiler=Weaknesses] - A counter is usually 1 : 1 and always handles only one card, the one it counters.- You need the mana to cast counters. This both applies for the first few turns as to the late game when you need to cast more than one counter.- You need to hold a counter to play it. This seems banal but it’s essential, as your deck is not and can not only be counters and land you need to draw into the counters.Summing the three up:- The deck needs CA and counters can’t provide it. - You need to know what is dangerous. This is more a matter of experience than anything else.- Spells slipping past the wall of counterspells. A good pilot usually will have a less tight clock, as he counters the right things, but still will have one.
[spoiler=Usual card choices] Due to the enormous flexibility and a generally efficiency, counters are the core and backbone of MUC. A deck should at least contain 10 counters and at most about 25, the majority should be among 2 or 3 mana and as definite as possible. Notable CountersPact of Negation - 'Free' the turn you play it. Mostly known in MUC thanks to Wafo Tapa' Sonic Boom (for the thread scroll down) and only to second for that deck.Daze - A free counter to surprise an incautious opponent who taps out once you are.Force of Will - The free counterspell, if you can afford them they are worth the investment. Free counters fill the gap when you’re tapped out or have to counter something early. You should use them only when you really have to.Force Spike - This little gem is another punishment for people tapping out. Once the opponent knows you play one of the two Spikes, he’ll play different, leaving the one crucial mana open, that’s a tempo advantage one should not underestimate. You can even take them out from time to time.Counterspell - The mother of all counters: Cheap, unconditional and definite. If you can use them!Mana Drain - This is Counterspell on steroids. It’s a really pricy card though and as the mana is not optional you’d better have something to do with it on your turn. That said it has an influence on what non-counters you should play.Mana Leak - This is most of the time a hard counter, if they have the mana open and you need to play this you’re in a bad position anyways. That’s a different story if you want them to tap out, for whatever reason.Rune Snag - The first one is worse than Leak, the rest is better, early two mana are hard to leave open and later you’ll have drawn into more.You should have atleast 8 counters with a converted manacost of 2.Dissipate - A strictly better Cancel, if you would want to run Cancel, run these. Faerie Trickery - The new Dissipate, unless you face Fae, Changelings or ‘Goyf they’re equal, as this is casual Fae and ‘Goyf will not be that much of a problem.There is no situation playing MUC where you’d be happy if your opponent has a countered card in his grave rather then rfg. Most often it’s actually an advantage.Forbid - Another card strictly superior to Cancel. Depending on the build, it can be an advantage to Buyback this.Hinder - You should chose bottom as you want to get rid of the card. Very similar to Dissipate, the bottom of the library is even with shuffle effects about as good as removed from the game.Dismiss - A self replacing counterspell.Cryptic Command - Counterspell, Fog, Boomerang, self replacing. The high cost is justied by the sheer flexibility. If it’s in your budget it’s strictly superior to Dismiss.Rewind - This is free once you have four lands, it allows you to play stuff eot.4cc counters are only recommended if your meta allows it, if you face a lot of combo and fast beatdown decks, you’d be better off with sweeping the board with the mana.Draining Whelk - Listed on audience wish, not listed under wincondition and speedbump because it's to easy to get rid off respective to expensive, thus listed here under it's main application. Compare it to Dismiss, that can also beat face.
MUC needs card advantage, blue’s the king of drawing cards, but the nature of the deck limits the spells. Instants are preferred, so you can play them eot if you happen to have some mana open, it is also good if they are cheap. It’s important to always leave open mana for counters and only play drawspells when you need to or can. Notable drawAncestral Vision - An awesome game opener. The drawback of resolving after four turns is negligible even in mid to late game, as the deck kills very slow. Being a sorcery is at one mana also rather irrelevant.Brainstorm - “Find a FoW.” As YuanTi said. Even if you have no FoW it will draw you into a counter that you should be able to play after just spending a meager u.Ponder - Bad sub for Brainstorm. Compared to Brainstorm and even deemed worthy a restriction in Vintage, but unlike Brainstorm it's not an instant and it's crucial for the effect to be instant, atleast in MUC. Note: The problem is not that you have to tap a land during your turn but that the effect is not reactive. Do yourself the favour and play Brainstorm if you can. Preordain - Controverly discussed new version of Ponder. If you don't have effects that shuffle your library, it gives you marginaly higher chances that you see a card you're looking for.Whispers of the Muse - Early on a fast dig, late game repeatable card draw at instant speed, but the 6 mana are a problem.Treasure Hunt - This one really depends on what you play along it. Ponder, Brainstorm, Jace2 and SDT can turn this into a 2cmc draw 3 spell, even a higher than usual land count, based on manlands f.e. can lift this above gambling.Accumulated Knowledge - The Rune Snag of draw spells, the longer the game the better they become.Think Twice - A solid card, not much to say.Standstill - Needs a bit of building around, should only be played when the board position is in your favour, atleast empty.Frantic Search - It’s card disadvantage but free, needs also a bit of building. Becomes better if you play non-basics that have tap effects.Scroll Thief/Thieving Magpie - The improved versions of the old school card advantage engine Ophidian, once online works it’s hard to lose backed by their CA.Thirst for Knowledge - Another card that needs some building or that is chosen because of how the deck is built.Fact or Fiction - Instant speed, diggs five cards deep into your library and nets usualy two or three cards; sometimes just 'that one' spell or even four cards.Jace, the Mind Sculptor - Too powerfull to not be listed, too expensive to be included in most builds.Jace's Ingenuity - No Fact or Fiction, but it does the same job, and that rather well for a modern blue card. If you want FoF in your list, but can't get any, try these.
Each MUC needs ways to handle permanents. You should dedicate about 10 slots to this. It is recommended to have at least 3 board sweepers that destroy, so you draw one in each game. Notable board controlNevinyrral's Disk - The classic: Cheap, unconditional and definite. A bit pricy, but a playset always will find a home in a deck.Oblivion Stone - Cheaper to get, but needs more mana.Powder Keg/Ratchet Bomb - In competitive once it was the choice #1. For casual not of big use, for obvious reasons. If you need it, you know it.Echoing Truth - Boomerang can bounce lands for a tempo swing, as MUC does not need such a thing this is the targeted bounce spell of choice. It can handle tokens and multiples of the same creature, as weenie agro decks play them. This gets you the second chance to counter and buys you up to two turns to draw into or play permanent solutions.Into the Roil - Rather than dealing with multiple permanents, this can cantrip. Better than ET agianst anything that isn't agro or token based.Wash Out - This can be a huge tempo swing, self explaining.Propaganda - To give the opponent a choice is usually a bad thing to do, but you can live with either option: Either they play cards you can counter and don’t attack that hard or attack and play less spells. It does slow down, even if only getting destroyed, what you can prevent with a counter.Web of Inertia – Another option to prevent the opponents from attacking, opposed to Propaganda this card uses the resource it’s based on up and you can even thin the resource out.Gomozoa- Blue removal that can also block smaller creatures in a pinch, very cost efficent.
This form of board control might not be enough, not your style or in your meta simply inefficent (hardly, but possible). MUC has a history of playing 'cheap' solid creatures mostly to keep opposing creatures off its lifetotal and killing them in the process. Sometimes you can hit back with them and get closer to winning, somthing that most other spells in your deck won't do for you.A creature light deck like MUC leads to the op. holding his mostly useless removal (next to) all game long. If now a creature of ours enters the field, it'll be gone fast. Despite their solid bodies MUC's midrange creatures tend to end up as speedbumps. This 'problem' is also a problem of red burn decks as you might know. Now MUC has an advantage over Burn in that it can run finishers and then each spell of removal less in the op.'s hand is welcome. Of course you can protect the creature with your counterspells, but then it'd be better to counter spells that hurt you.You can look at them as Psionic Blast variants that draw removal and thus generate passive CA. Mind that this CA is 'only' tempo, because an unplayable spell is also a dead draw. It's just an exchange of mana that's in your favour that buys you time and the deck might or might not need that.Gist: Creatures are to consider over Propaganda if you run creatures as finishers. If not try to stay away from them. Notable speedbumpsWall of Tears - Nightmare to agro. Buying time and giving new chances to counter nasty creatures.Spire Golem - ~3 mana 2/4 flyer, later on even cheaper, is a bit in a conflict with non-basics.Steal Golem - A classic, you’ll hardly ever need more than one on the board, so his drawback is next to non-existent. Phyrexian Ironfoot - A new variant on Steely, he needs a snow land base and is tied to 1S per attack, but you get pseudo-vigilance for the investment and the ability to play more than one.Phyrexian Warbeast - Oldschool option. The explanation before this section explains why this is a sub-par choice; the drawback is likely to be activated and losing a land is no light drawback for a control deck.Plumeveil - Brutal and efficent. Flashy 4 damage in the air. Apart from two things I can only praise the card. The first is that it has defender; the second is what I explained above, being a problem of each creature here.Crag Puca - Saccing solidness for flexibility. If you run a more agro approach this is worth a try.Calcite Snapper- Shroud is an allmost-solution to the speedbumps' problem and to top that, you can switch it's power. Mishra's Factory - The eldest manland, a blocking 3/3. Better in multiples. Very solid card.Stalking Stones - Uncounterable, instant speed Hill Giant that produces mana until you use him.Faerie Conclave - Evasive beater, cipt and tied to 1U, nonetheless capable of winning a game. It survives board sweepers and sorcery speed removal.
You should at least fill two slots with good unconditional non-land wincons; agressive speedbumps can be added. You should not have, or need for that matter, more than eight creatures. The lands can be played along them, recommended is one of them, the number depends on your deck. Notable WinconsVedalken Shackles – What’s nastier than beating up people with their own creep? This card speaks for itself.Rainbow Efreet - A budget Morphling. It’s always flying and the ability to phase out can be superior to shroud, for example it can survive a board sweeper, it can chump block deal 3 and survive no matter what, the same trick with Morphling is tied to more mana.Morphling - The classic, both good on the offense and defence. Built in evasion and shroud, what this creep can’t handle you have counters for.Meloku the Clouded Mirror - Also good on both sides of combat, lacks self protection, but can end games faster than the other options.Oona, Queen of the Fae - She is impressive on her own, avoids most removal, nullifies a lot of tutors late game (tutors that put the card on the top of the library), creates a win condition (milling) against lifegain decks. On the other side, the token ability is not really reliable. (quoting Memna)Guile - Selfrecursive, evasive, fat, spelljacking and this for only 6 mana, sweet overkill. For the Timmys that play MUC surely one of the better options.Sphinx of Jwar Isle- Currently one of the best wincons for MUC, efficent body + shroud, peaking is icing on the cake. Poor Zephid.Steel Hellkite - No selfprotection, but a built in 'Vindicate'. It's hard to lose when you can keep this puppy on the table.Wurmcoil Engine - Neither true self-protection nor evasion, yet still a force to be reckoned with. Lifelink on a 6/6 is a serious obstacle to many decks. The partial resilency towards removal, including MUC's own, plus its recurrsion potential (that also applies to the above) make this a mean choice. Notable techIsochron Scepter - Turns a solid 2cc counter into a nightmare for the opponent and a card advantage engine for you.Trinket Mage - Based on him one can set up a nice toolbox. He would replace the speedbumps, playing him it’s recommended to play 1 or 2 artifact lands.Sensei’s Divining Top - Affordable quality and draw in a pinch. (toolbox)Counterbalance - SDT’s best friend, only recommended if your meta has sort of a manacurve and you can adjust your deck to it without crippling it.Scrabbling Claws / Phyrexian Furnace - Nice against graveyard based decks, great synergy with Net of Inertia. (toolbox)Synod Sanctum - This (is a pet card of mine, sorry and) is good at ducking spotremoval and awesome with Shackles. (toolbox)Academy Ruins - If you have artifacts you want to recycle. Winding Canyons - This was played to give Steel Golem flash and get multiples of them into play.Riptide Laboratory - If you have a wizard sub-theme, this will give the deck a big boost.Tolaria West - To get the land (or 0cc spells) you want.Halimar Depths - If you have space and don't need a high Island quote, try 'em, they are good.
This lists are the basis of the archetype, you won’t get around some of the cards if you want to play MUC. You can’t play all of them usually and they’re not the only options. You can adjust the whole thing to your budget, type, meta (kitchen table) and personal preferences. Those restrictions and the sheer size of the current list are the reason for it not being bigger.Some cards lead you to a certain way of building the deck, sort of a subtheme, artifcats for example, and some cards are really hard to play in the same deck.
[spoiler=Threads and lists concerning MUC] The following threads and lists are representative and by no means optimal: casualthe first GMAD random1 random2 anti agro Highlander Peasant More are in this thread. Looking at a competive decklist one should allways rember that the meta has a heavy influence on decks, this leads to cards being chosen in competive play not always be good in casual. Ext. MUC is currently not existant, due to the overhauling of the whole format.
LegacyOfficial MUC VintageAdds nothing afordable. T2 The most current MUC thread for T2/Standart is here. Thanks & credits for crafting the great banner go to spiderboy4 from High~Light Studios.
I don't see why one should play AD, there are enough better options. Enlighten me please ^^ Impulse and Ponder are not on the list because they're not CA. FoF is in my book too expensive, as is Oona
If the community wants to have them in the list Lotus may put them in.
Maybe the discussion of card choices befor going into decks can help.
Brainstorm is cheaper than Impulse, that's the crucial point, you'll find yourself more often able to get U than 1U and it gives you up to three new cards when you need them.
Ponder is a sorcery and sort of a replacemant for Brainstorm, and if you can't afford a playset of that, uhm well... you're probably building the wrong deck. besides Bs is a card as Disk, allways finding a home.
I'd wish I had your op.s... what does the fact you have 4 mana free eot say? either you had nothing to cast, in which case a cheaper spell would have drawn you into something, maybe; or you did not need to cast something in which case you're fine anyways.
draw spells are the second priority and none should limit you in playing counters and other buisness spells.
ok, you got me with Oona... It has to be me, she's such an inelegant timmy creep *shudder*... I'll edit here in.
I know I sound harsh, variety is good and needed, but unless it's a theme deck, but no excuse for a bad card choice as long as it's not a matter of budget.
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Each reality is but the dream of another, and each sleeper a god unknowing.
We define the boundaries of reality; they don't define us.
I think that if we're aiming to make a list of cards that are staples in casual MUC decks, then choices like FoW, Mana Drain and Counterbalance probably don't belong.
Also, your list seems like on theft effects, something I prefer to a hand full of counterspells. Sower of Temptation, Control Magic and Confiscate are all good choices.
There are enough groups allwoing proxies, enough people who can afford FoW or have them already and Cb has to be mentioned in the same breath as SDT, even if it's, as I said, highly dependant on your meta.
Maybe I should metion that this is actually a primer for a "Draw Go" build looking at the non-counters... *shrug* one could certanly divide this up.
I take it as my fault not to PM Lotus the OP first (it was to big so I posted it, instead of two PMs) but I have the feeling that it's better to have the masses take my OP apart then only Lotus ^^
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Each reality is but the dream of another, and each sleeper a god unknowing.
We define the boundaries of reality; they don't define us.
I know I sound harsh, variety is good and needed, but unless it's a theme deck, but no excuse for a bad card choice as long as it's not a matter of budget.
You do realize you're in a casual forum? You know, the format where I put whatever the hell I want in my deck, and so does everybody else in the group except for the lonely spike in the corner wondering why nobody will play against his two out of two legacy tournament deck...
Remand and Memory Lapse are two counters I think could be worth adding onto that list.
As far as wincons go, I think Memnarch is a worthy addition to the list, as well. It can be recurred via Academy Ruins and can steal anything that slips through a grip of Counters.
Yes. A thousand times yes. They lured me in with Ivory Tower and Zuran Orb, and I kept telling myself "I can quit whenever I want...just look at that untapped disk". That was ten years ago man.....
Seconded on both of these. Palinchron is a huge beater that leaves mana open for a counter or several. Additionally, he can dodge removal when you have no counter.
If you can afford Morphling he's pretty much an auto-include... manlands aren't too expensive and they don't take up non-land slots. Shackles are absolutely brutal and they can win games single-handedly if you just use your countermagic to protect them. Efreet is a cheap alternative to Morphling that can avoid pretty much anything except for split second cards.
Tefiri would be good in the mirror/counter control matches but Morphling is still one of the best for muc in my book, if the build is right, really just about anything competent will work. Even though Mishra's Factory is not needed I can't not play my four seasons.
How again is four times Fact or fiction supported by four mana drains, Force of Will not good? I'm just not seeing it.
Just because its casual doesn't meen great gards can't be played, just limited or reserved for the times when someone is being a total tool.
If you can afford the FoWs and Drains then I wouldn't see a problem playing them. In our casual group we have leeway in playing old/expensive cards... if you have them, play them. However we seem to have unspoken rules that we don't play cards 4x of like Yawg's Will and make broken turn 1 kill decks ala Academy-style. It's all a matter of preference in your group.
Personally I like Legacy's Allure for two reasons, if you drop this early then it will stop your opponent from playing any creatures they really like for fear of losing it and secondly you can steal a creature (obviously).
My personal favorite is Kira, great glass-spinner with Sower of temptation. When paired together they can be a potent combination as well as backing them up with loads of countermagic.
Hey guys, I know that it's casual, but what's about Spell Snare?
I mean, it isn't a bad card even in casual... It's good when the opponent begins, It can be good in the lategame (Force Spike not), and if all fails, you can throw it in Forbid or FoW...
another question, what is better overall Disk or Stone???
I think Stone is much better in the lategame, but I don't know, Cuz Disk costs only 1 to use, but that cip tapped sucks so much
@felixthecat: I've used draining whelk in my MUC as a temp finisher before I can go pick up a Meloku. I didn't like it too much, but that might be because of my meta. In my meta, a lot of the decks people play have low mana curves. I do agree though. Having Guile out when you play this guy is just brutal.
There is a card that I've had success with as a finisher for this deck: Call the Skybreaker. Who wouldn't love a Big fattie flyer made out of a dead late game land draw? It also works well with Meloku. You bounce a land to your hand then use it to make another powerhouse flyer. Good times.:cool:
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-Squee (my friend's nickname, not the goblin.)
@felix: well, Im not entirely sure of our meta yet, but Im sure of a mono black and mono red deck. and the deserts/quicksands aren't exactly the best against those. Force Spike is something I'm lookin to get for the deck, I just can't find them (not too many legacy players around here). I use Cursecatcher because it stops the ever popular Dark Rit. The plumeveil's also seem like a good idea.
"Eh...What's up doc'" note taken. Thats hilarious
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"Have you ever tried running with a grape suit on? Then you haven't lived!"
-Squee (my friend's nickname, not the goblin.)
I'm chiming in on this. You may not like Fact or Fiction, but it's been one of the most powerful staple draw cards in MUC (and other permission strategies in general).
It belongs in the primer. At least, if you want to be honest with the archtype.
Great job on the primer. I use, or have used, all of those at one time or another. Personally, I run Guile as a finisher, but I also run Kira, Great Glass-Spinner along with it, and sometimes Oona, Queen of the Fae. Kira along with either of these two is ridiculous.
This thread will be about the discussion and improvement of MUC in casual, emphasis on “mono”, “blue” and “control”.
Nomen est omen, the deck controls the game and at some point where control is established starts to win the game. The prime way for MUC to control the game are counters (Counterspell etc.). They are known to be able to handle about anything played and earned the deck the reputation to be boring and unfun to play against, as the the opponent can’t enjoy what his deck does. The matches will be skill intensive, no matter on what level you play and people enjoying this will enjoy MUC - on both sides of the table.
The game plan is against any type of deck as simple as complicate: Counter anything dangerous - if possible. Within this sentence lie the biggest weaknesses of the archetype: [spoiler=Weaknesses] - A counter is usually 1 : 1 and always handles only one card, the one it counters. - You need the mana to cast counters. This both applies for the first few turns as to the late game when you need to cast more than one counter. - You need to hold a counter to play it. This seems banal but it’s essential, as your deck is not and can not only be counters and land you need to draw into the counters. Summing the three up: - The deck needs CA and counters can’t provide it. - You need to know what is dangerous. This is more a matter of experience than anything else. - Spells slipping past the wall of counterspells. A good pilot usually will have a less tight clock, as he counters the right things, but still will have one.
[spoiler=Usual card choices] Due to the enormous flexibility and a generally efficiency, counters are the core and backbone of MUC. A deck should at least contain 10 counters and at most about 25, the majority should be among 2 or 3 mana and as definite as possible.
Notable Counters Pact of Negation - 'Free' the turn you play it. Mostly known in MUC thanks to Wafo Tapa' Sonic Boom (for the thread scroll down) and only to second for that deck. Daze - A free counter to surprise an incautious opponent who taps out once you are. Force of Will - The free counterspell, if you can afford them they are worth the investment. Free counters fill the gap when you’re tapped out or have to counter something early. You should use them only when you really have to. Force Spike - This little gem is another punishment for people tapping out. Once the opponent knows you play one of the two Spikes, he’ll play different, leaving the one crucial mana open, that’s a tempo advantage one should not underestimate. You can even take them out from time to time. Counterspell - The mother of all counters: Cheap, unconditional and definite. If you can use them! Mana Drain - This is Counterspell on steroids. It’s a really pricy card though and as the mana is not optional you’d better have something to do with it on your turn. That said it has an influence on what non-counters you should play. Mana Leak - This is most of the time a hard counter, if they have the mana open and you need to play this you’re in a bad position anyways. That’s a different story if you want them to tap out, for whatever reason. Rune Snag - The first one is worse than Leak, the rest is better, early two mana are hard to leave open and later you’ll have drawn into more. You should have atleast 8 counters with a converted manacost of 2. Dissipate - A strictly better Cancel, if you would want to run Cancel, run these. Faerie Trickery - The new Dissipate, unless you face Fae, Changelings or ‘Goyf they’re equal, as this is casual Fae and ‘Goyf will not be that much of a problem. There is no situation playing MUC where you’d be happy if your opponent has a countered card in his grave rather then rfg. Most often it’s actually an advantage. Forbid - Another card strictly superior to Cancel. Depending on the build, it can be an advantage to Buyback this. Hinder - You should chose bottom as you want to get rid of the card. Very similar to Dissipate, the bottom of the library is even with shuffle effects about as good as removed from the game. Dismiss - A self replacing counterspell. Cryptic Command - Counterspell, Fog, Boomerang, self replacing. The high cost is justied by the sheer flexibility. If it’s in your budget it’s strictly superior to Dismiss. Rewind - This is free once you have four lands, it allows you to play stuff eot. 4cc counters are only recommended if your meta allows it, if you face a lot of combo and fast beatdown decks, you’d be better off with sweeping the board with the mana. Draining Whelk - Listed on audience wish, not listed under wincondition and speedbump because it's to easy to get rid off respective to expensive, thus listed here under it's main application. Compare it to Dismiss, that can also beat face.
MUC needs card advantage, blue’s the king of drawing cards, but the nature of the deck limits the spells. Instants are preferred, so you can play them eot if you happen to have some mana open, it is also good if they are cheap. It’s important to always leave open mana for counters and only play drawspells when you need to or can.
Notable draw Ancestral Vision - An awesome game opener. The drawback of resolving after four turns is negligible even in mid to late game, as the deck kills very slow. Being a sorcery is at one mana also rather irrelevant. Brainstorm - “Find a FoW.” As YuanTi said. Even if you have no FoW it will draw you into a counter that you should be able to play after just spending a meager u. Ponder - Bad sub for Brainstorm. Compared to Brainstorm and even deemed worthy a restriction in Vintage, but unlike Brainstorm it's not an instant and it's crucial for the effect to be instant, atleast in MUC. Note: The problem is not that you have to tap a land during your turn but that the effect is not reactive. Do yourself the favour and play Brainstorm if you can. Preordain - Controverly discussed new version of Ponder. If you don't have effects that shuffle your library, it gives you marginaly higher chances that you see a card you're looking for. Whispers of the Muse - Early on a fast dig, late game repeatable card draw at instant speed, but the 6 mana are a problem. Treasure Hunt - This one really depends on what you play along it. Ponder, Brainstorm, Jace2 and SDT can turn this into a 2cmc draw 3 spell, even a higher than usual land count, based on manlands f.e. can lift this above gambling. Accumulated Knowledge - The Rune Snag of draw spells, the longer the game the better they become. Think Twice - A solid card, not much to say. Standstill - Needs a bit of building around, should only be played when the board position is in your favour, atleast empty. Frantic Search - It’s card disadvantage but free, needs also a bit of building. Becomes better if you play non-basics that have tap effects. Scroll Thief/Thieving Magpie - The improved versions of the old school card advantage engine Ophidian, once online works it’s hard to lose backed by their CA. Thirst for Knowledge - Another card that needs some building or that is chosen because of how the deck is built. Fact or Fiction - Instant speed, diggs five cards deep into your library and nets usualy two or three cards; sometimes just 'that one' spell or even four cards. Jace, the Mind Sculptor - Too powerfull to not be listed, too expensive to be included in most builds. Jace's Ingenuity - No Fact or Fiction, but it does the same job, and that rather well for a modern blue card. If you want FoF in your list, but can't get any, try these.
Each MUC needs ways to handle permanents. You should dedicate about 10 slots to this. It is recommended to have at least 3 board sweepers that destroy, so you draw one in each game.
Notable board control Nevinyrral's Disk - The classic: Cheap, unconditional and definite. A bit pricy, but a playset always will find a home in a deck. Oblivion Stone - Cheaper to get, but needs more mana. Powder Keg/Ratchet Bomb - In competitive once it was the choice #1. For casual not of big use, for obvious reasons. If you need it, you know it. Echoing Truth - Boomerang can bounce lands for a tempo swing, as MUC does not need such a thing this is the targeted bounce spell of choice. It can handle tokens and multiples of the same creature, as weenie agro decks play them. This gets you the second chance to counter and buys you up to two turns to draw into or play permanent solutions. Into the Roil - Rather than dealing with multiple permanents, this can cantrip. Better than ET agianst anything that isn't agro or token based. Wash Out - This can be a huge tempo swing, self explaining. Propaganda - To give the opponent a choice is usually a bad thing to do, but you can live with either option: Either they play cards you can counter and don’t attack that hard or attack and play less spells. It does slow down, even if only getting destroyed, what you can prevent with a counter. Web of Inertia – Another option to prevent the opponents from attacking, opposed to Propaganda this card uses the resource it’s based on up and you can even thin the resource out. Gomozoa - Blue removal that can also block smaller creatures in a pinch, very cost efficent.
This form of board control might not be enough, not your style or in your meta simply inefficent (hardly, but possible). MUC has a history of playing 'cheap' solid creatures mostly to keep opposing creatures off its lifetotal and killing them in the process. Sometimes you can hit back with them and get closer to winning, somthing that most other spells in your deck won't do for you. A creature light deck like MUC leads to the op. holding his mostly useless removal (next to) all game long. If now a creature of ours enters the field, it'll be gone fast. Despite their solid bodies MUC's midrange creatures tend to end up as speedbumps. This 'problem' is also a problem of red burn decks as you might know. Now MUC has an advantage over Burn in that it can run finishers and then each spell of removal less in the op.'s hand is welcome. Of course you can protect the creature with your counterspells, but then it'd be better to counter spells that hurt you. You can look at them as Psionic Blast variants that draw removal and thus generate passive CA. Mind that this CA is 'only' tempo, because an unplayable spell is also a dead draw. It's just an exchange of mana that's in your favour that buys you time and the deck might or might not need that. Gist: Creatures are to consider over Propaganda if you run creatures as finishers. If not try to stay away from them.
Notable speedbumps Wall of Tears - Nightmare to agro. Buying time and giving new chances to counter nasty creatures. Spire Golem - ~3 mana 2/4 flyer, later on even cheaper, is a bit in a conflict with non-basics. Steal Golem - A classic, you’ll hardly ever need more than one on the board, so his drawback is next to non-existent. Phyrexian Ironfoot - A new variant on Steely, he needs a snow land base and is tied to 1S per attack, but you get pseudo-vigilance for the investment and the ability to play more than one. Phyrexian Warbeast - Oldschool option. The explanation before this section explains why this is a sub-par choice; the drawback is likely to be activated and losing a land is no light drawback for a control deck. Plumeveil - Brutal and efficent. Flashy 4 damage in the air. Apart from two things I can only praise the card. The first is that it has defender; the second is what I explained above, being a problem of each creature here. Crag Puca - Saccing solidness for flexibility. If you run a more agro approach this is worth a try. Calcite Snapper - Shroud is an allmost-solution to the speedbumps' problem and to top that, you can switch it's power. Mishra's Factory - The eldest manland, a blocking 3/3. Better in multiples. Very solid card. Stalking Stones - Uncounterable, instant speed Hill Giant that produces mana until you use him. Faerie Conclave - Evasive beater, cipt and tied to 1U, nonetheless capable of winning a game. It survives board sweepers and sorcery speed removal.
You should at least fill two slots with good unconditional non-land wincons; agressive speedbumps can be added. You should not have, or need for that matter, more than eight creatures. The lands can be played along them, recommended is one of them, the number depends on your deck.
Notable Wincons Vedalken Shackles – What’s nastier than beating up people with their own creep? This card speaks for itself. Rainbow Efreet - A budget Morphling. It’s always flying and the ability to phase out can be superior to shroud, for example it can survive a board sweeper, it can chump block
deal 3and survive no matter what, the same trick with Morphling is tied to more mana. Morphling - The classic, both good on the offense and defence. Built in evasion and shroud, what this creep can’t handle you have counters for. Meloku the Clouded Mirror - Also good on both sides of combat, lacks self protection, but can end games faster than the other options. Oona, Queen of the Fae - She is impressive on her own, avoids most removal, nullifies a lot of tutors late game (tutors that put the card on the top of the library), creates a win condition (milling) against lifegain decks. On the other side, the token ability is not really reliable. (quoting Memna) Guile - Selfrecursive, evasive, fat, spelljacking and this for only 6 mana, sweet overkill. For the Timmys that play MUC surely one of the better options. Sphinx of Jwar Isle - Currently one of the best wincons for MUC, efficent body + shroud, peaking is icing on the cake. Poor Zephid. Steel Hellkite - No selfprotection, but a built in 'Vindicate'. It's hard to lose when you can keep this puppy on the table. Wurmcoil Engine - Neither true self-protection nor evasion, yet still a force to be reckoned with. Lifelink on a 6/6 is a serious obstacle to many decks. The partial resilency towards removal, including MUC's own, plus its recurrsion potential (that also applies to the above) make this a mean choice.Notable tech Isochron Scepter - Turns a solid 2cc counter into a nightmare for the opponent and a card advantage engine for you. Trinket Mage - Based on him one can set up a nice toolbox. He would replace the speedbumps, playing him it’s recommended to play 1 or 2 artifact lands. Sensei’s Divining Top - Affordable quality and draw in a pinch. (toolbox) Counterbalance - SDT’s best friend, only recommended if your meta has sort of a manacurve and you can adjust your deck to it without crippling it. Scrabbling Claws / Phyrexian Furnace - Nice against graveyard based decks, great synergy with Net of Inertia. (toolbox) Synod Sanctum - This (is a pet card of mine, sorry and) is good at ducking spotremoval and awesome with Shackles. (toolbox) Academy Ruins - If you have artifacts you want to recycle. Winding Canyons - This was played to give Steel Golem flash and get multiples of them into play. Riptide Laboratory - If you have a wizard sub-theme, this will give the deck a big boost. Tolaria West - To get the land (or 0cc spells) you want. Halimar Depths - If you have space and don't need a high Island quote, try 'em, they are good.
This lists are the basis of the archetype, you won’t get around some of the cards if you want to play MUC. You can’t play all of them usually and they’re not the only options. You can adjust the whole thing to your budget, type, meta (kitchen table) and personal preferences. Those restrictions and the sheer size of the current list are the reason for it not being bigger. Some cards lead you to a certain way of building the deck, sort of a subtheme, artifcats for example, and some cards are really hard to play in the same deck.
[spoiler=Threads and lists concerning MUC] The following threads and lists are representative and by no means optimal:
casual the first
GMAD
random1
random2
anti agro
Highlander
Peasant
More are in this thread.
Looking at a competive decklist one should allways rember that the meta has a heavy influence on decks, this leads to cards being chosen in competive play not always be good in casual.
Ext. MUC is currently not existant, due to the overhauling of the whole format.
Legacy Official MUC
Vintage Adds nothing afordable.
T2 The most current MUC thread for T2/Standart is here.
Thanks & credits for crafting the great banner go to spiderboy4 from High~Light Studios.
I don't see why one should play AD, there are enough better options. Enlighten me please ^^ Impulse and Ponder are not on the list because they're not CA. FoF is in my book too expensive, as is Oona
If the community wants to have them in the list Lotus may put them in.
Vedalken Shackles is actually in there... under wincons
Brainstorm is cheaper than Impulse, that's the crucial point, you'll find yourself more often able to get U than 1U and it gives you up to three new cards when you need them.
Ponder is a sorcery and sort of a replacemant for Brainstorm, and if you can't afford a playset of that, uhm well... you're probably building the wrong deck. besides Bs is a card as Disk, allways finding a home.
I'd wish I had your op.s... what does the fact you have 4 mana free eot say? either you had nothing to cast, in which case a cheaper spell would have drawn you into something, maybe; or you did not need to cast something in which case you're fine anyways.
draw spells are the second priority and none should limit you in playing counters and other buisness spells.
ok, you got me with Oona... It has to be me, she's such an inelegant timmy creep *shudder*... I'll edit here in.
I know I sound harsh, variety is good and needed, but unless it's a theme deck, but no excuse for a bad card choice as long as it's not a matter of budget.
Also, your list seems like on theft effects, something I prefer to a hand full of counterspells. Sower of Temptation, Control Magic and Confiscate are all good choices.
-this signature is courtesy of HotPizza at Ye Old Sig and Avatar Shoppe
Real men wear pink.
(Here is my Have/Want list: http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=112800 )
Maybe I should metion that this is actually a primer for a "Draw Go" build looking at the non-counters... *shrug* one could certanly divide this up.
I take it as my fault not to PM Lotus the OP first (it was to big so I posted it, instead of two PMs) but I have the feeling that it's better to have the masses take my OP apart then only Lotus ^^
You do realize you're in a casual forum? You know, the format where I put whatever the hell I want in my deck, and so does everybody else in the group except for the lonely spike in the corner wondering why nobody will play against his two out of two legacy tournament deck...
At least, IMO.
As far as wincons go, I think Memnarch is a worthy addition to the list, as well. It can be recurred via Academy Ruins and can steal anything that slips through a grip of Counters.
For another category, what about lands MUC should play? Academy Ruins, Tolarian Academy, Miren, The Moaning Well, Oboro, Palace in the Clouds, ect.
Good job on making this, Blutsau. All it needs now is that all-important Sticky.
*exited* edited the first post ^^
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Curse PremiumEdit: I forgot that is also a cantrip. Aside from being situational this comes through with everything a Blue mage generally wants.
Unfortunately, I've only gotten this one and the elf primer, so I may need to end up working on some of the other ones myself.
also i like deep-sea kraken for win condition
Deck Building Primer - Casual
Sliver Primer - Casual
Want To Buy List
Now Playing:
Excaliboros R(R/W)W / Maverick G(G/W)W
Bant Pro Excalibur (G/U)W(G/U) / Merfolk (W/U)U(U/B)
Seconded on both of these. Palinchron is a huge beater that leaves mana open for a counter or several. Additionally, he can dodge removal when you have no counter.
Also, Keiga, the Tide Star is a good win con as well.
Cheers,
rant
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Superman
Manlands
Creature theft
Rainbow Efreet
If you can afford Morphling he's pretty much an auto-include... manlands aren't too expensive and they don't take up non-land slots. Shackles are absolutely brutal and they can win games single-handedly if you just use your countermagic to protect them. Efreet is a cheap alternative to Morphling that can avoid pretty much anything except for split second cards.
Good primer in the OP also
To add something:
One card that i really miss on this is BOOMERANG, top bouncer, couldn't believe it's missing.
Other card being abused is Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir, nice card for MUC.
That's what i can remember now.
Congratz Blutsau, very good MUC premier.
How again is four times Fact or fiction supported by four mana drains, Force of Will not good? I'm just not seeing it.
Just because its casual doesn't meen great gards can't be played, just limited or reserved for the times when someone is being a total tool.
keep cool
Dr.KnowMaD
For draw power Ancestral Vision, Fact or fiction and even Jace Beleren are all good choices for drawing cards in my opinion.
I mean, it isn't a bad card even in casual... It's good when the opponent begins, It can be good in the lategame (Force Spike not), and if all fails, you can throw it in Forbid or FoW...
another question, what is better overall Disk or Stone???
I think Stone is much better in the lategame, but I don't know, Cuz Disk costs only 1 to use, but that cip tapped sucks so much
There is a card that I've had success with as a finisher for this deck: Call the Skybreaker. Who wouldn't love a Big fattie flyer made out of a dead late game land draw? It also works well with Meloku. You bounce a land to your hand then use it to make another powerhouse flyer. Good times.:cool:
-Squee (my friend's nickname, not the goblin.)
Favorite EDH Decks:
RBG Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund
W Kemba, Kha Regent
R Kiki-Jiki, Mirror-Breaker
"Eh...What's up doc'" note taken. Thats hilarious
-Squee (my friend's nickname, not the goblin.)
Favorite EDH Decks:
RBG Karrthus, Tyrant of Jund
W Kemba, Kha Regent
R Kiki-Jiki, Mirror-Breaker
It belongs in the primer. At least, if you want to be honest with the archtype.
Does anybody have deck lists?
4x Guile
//Counters//
4x Counterspell
4x Force of Will
4x Daze
4x Dismiss
4x Hinder
4x Ancestral Vision
4x Fact or Fiction
//Board Control//
4x Nevindryyl's Disk
2x Evacuation
//Bounce//
4x Echoing Truth
2x Boomerang
4x Urza's Factory
4x Quicksand
4x Faerie Conclave
14x Island
22x Island
2x Academy Ruins
1x Urza's Factory
Creatures: 3
2x Morphling
1x Meloku the Clouded Mirror
Spells: 32
4x Force of Will
4x Counterspell
4x Mana Leak
4x Sensei's Divining Top
4x Brainstorm
4x Fact or Fiction
4x Back to Basics
4x Propaganda
4x Echoing Truth
3x Energy Flux
I'm only have two questions floating in my head at this point...
1) Whether I should be playing Nevinyrral's Disk instead of Powder Keg or a combination of both and/or if I should main deck Echoing Truth...
2) Whether Ancestral Vision should have a place in the deck or maybe even Impulse. But I'm pretty sure I am satisfied with Fact or Fiction, Brainstorm, and Sensei's Divining Top as my draw engines.
What do you think?