MTG Salvation

You can become anything if I just put my mind to it.
From the first time I opened her, Jalira interested me. Mono blue big creatures? I had never tried this archetype before. I love blue. The flavor text was great. I just like the card. But I digress; you came here for a decklist. Here you go:

Cards By Effect

Cards by Card Type


FAQ
Q: Why don't you run any mana rocks or tutors?

This deck was built under a challenge between me and my friends; we all had to build competitive decks without tutors or rocks. Out of all of my friends, I am the only one who kept my deck together, and I haven't yet had any significant issues with it yet. I may madd these cards later, but as for now, I haven't gotten to it. What rocks should I run, besides Sol Ring?

Q: Why do you run Prognostic Sphinx/ The Empire Cards?

These cards, while they may not be the most competitive, both have helped me in the long run, and have had great synergy with the deck.

Please, any advice is welcome, and I look forward to making this deck more competitive with you guys!

Upcoming changes: (list of changes for cards i don't have yet)
-1 Island
+Myriad Landscape
-Weave Fate
+Fact or Fiction
-Levitation
-Pearl Lake Ancient
+Clever Impersonator
+Master of Waves
-Stormbound Geist
+Reef Worm
-3 Islands
+Mutavault
+Mishra's Factory
+Soldevi Excavations
-Cancel
+Hinder
-1 Last Thoughts
-1 Tidal Bore
+1 Thousand-Year Elixir
+1 Rings of Brighthearth
-1 Artisan of Kozilek
+1 It That Betrays
-Skittering Invasion
+Myr Turbine
-Epochrasite
+Wurmcoil Engine
-Prognostic Sphinx
+Colossal Whale
-Soul Seizer
+Sower of Temptation
-Curse of Inertia
+Thornbite Staff

Changelog
-3 Empire Cycle
+3 Islands

I am of the opinion that (whether you run mana rocks or not) a mono blue control deck that runs 35 lands is not enough. My Riku deck that runs a ton of ramp spells and some mana rocks has 36 lands. You should run at least 38 lands, but closer to 40 the better. I know you mention that you like the Empire cards, but it seems unreliable for you get all three of them out at once since you do not use any tutors. I would cut all three of them for either 3 islands, or Myriad Landscape, Terrain Generator, Arcane Lighthouse.

I would replace Weave Fate with Fact or Fiction, Levitation doesn't seem all that great since most of your bombs don't really need that kind of evasion or already have it (if you have the Artisan of Kozilek or Pathrazer of Ulamog in play, flying seems very win more). I would replace it with Rhystic Study or Mystic Remora.

Maybe also consider cards like Deceiver Exarch or Pestermite. Instant speed creatures that can block, untap Jalira and be sacrificed before combat to Jalira seems pretty sweet.

Thanks for the comment!
I do agree that the empire cards are rather unreliable, and they honestly were just placeholders until I found a better way to get a bunch of sac targets/ kill planeswalkers. Also, I have had mana problems, so I do think I will replace them with lands.
Sadly, I don't have a fact or fiction, or any easy way to obtain one, but it will surely be added to my wishlist! If I am paying 4 mana for a draw spell, I do think it should be a bit more than just two cards.
Good point about levitation. I didn't think of that. I will be adding Mystic Remora/ Rhystic Study soon.
While untapping Jaliva is very, very good, I do think that I already run a rather high count of small creatures that I don't want to flip with Jaliva.

I would consider adding more cards that act as sacrificial fodder for Jalira that she can't hit with her polymorph ability, like Mishra's Factory, Mutavault, or Trading Post. You said you weren't looking to add mana rocks, but I highly recommend that you add Guardian Idol at least. By itself it lets you cast jalira on turn 3 and activate her on turn 4, which is great. Ideally, your actual creatures should all either be legendary (so they don't get in Jalira's way when you're trying to flip a huge fatty) or just huge lategame fatties, so I would also look to cut cards like Oculus and Stormbound Geist that are just really awful to flip off of Jalira's ability. Replace them with sweet bombs like Stormtide Leviathan and Darksteel Colossus.

This deck seems like it needs more ways to make tokens. Rite of Replication, Chasm Skulker, Followed Footsteps, Master of Waves, Reef Worm, Wurmcoil Engine, Notorious Throng and Wall of Kelp seem like good options, though you wouldn't want to run all of them. You might also want Thopter Assembly, Myr Turbine, Snake Basket or Monkey Cage.

I'd also recommend cutting an untap instant for Thousand-Year Elixir, maybe cutting another for Magewright's Stone. I'm not sure how Jalira's ability works with Thornbite Staff.

Cut Cancel for Hinder or Spell Crumple. Also, you should probably cut a bounce spell or something for Quicksilver Amulet to help out if you end up drawing an unplayable fatty.

Other creatures to consider:

Mulldrifter
Benthicore
Gilded Drake
Sower of Temptation
Grozoth
Jace's Mindseeker
Palinchron
Scourge of Fleets
Trench Gorger
Wormfang Manta
Trinket Mage
Treasure Mage
Tidespout Tyrant
Chancellor of the Spires
Colossal Whale
Quicksilver Gargantuan
Consecrated Sphinx

Soldevi Excavations would be a useful utility land for you: it lets you throw cards from the top of your library to the bottom should you not need them.

EDIT: Submerge also is an interesting way to reuse your ETB effects with Jalira's effect.

Sorry for my inactivitiy!
Before I react to the posts, I'd like to say a change I made independently.
-1 Pearl Lake Ancient
-1 Leviatation
+1 Clever Impersonator
+1 Master of Waves
Both are crazy cards. I don't think I need to explain my choices.
Cause I can't quote on mobile, I'll just put a number, 1 being the first post, yatta yatta.
1) I agree with the mutavault and Mishra's Factory. But to me, I don't really understand adding trading posts. They seem slow. Also, my deck typically tends to use them as my sac fodder, athough I have flipped them before. I'll take that into mind when editing. Do you think it is worth adding the empire cards back in?
EDIT: Also, to clarify, this deck was originally made without rocks. That doesn't mean I don't want any; I just need help finding room.
2) I absolutely love this comment! I will definetly be taking out cancel for one of the other two, I just don't have either. So many execlent suggestions!
Also, which instant untap do you see that you would take out?
3) I like it..although the other suggestion seems a little too cute.
So, with your comments, I think..
-3 Island
+Soldevi Excavations
+Mutavault
+Mishra's Factory
-Stormbound Geist
+Reef Worm
-Cancel
+Hinder

There were other suggestions for cards, although as of now I don't know how to move them in.

Why not run Domineering Will it allows you to grab peoples creatures either blocking for you or taking possible blockers plus if a creature lives you can sac it to jalira.I also recommend Wurmcoil Engine. Thornbite does work with her because the her ability resolves triggering thornbite

Considering I am thinking of cutting ray, I don't think I'll run the card. 7 mana to polymorph? I might as well csst the creatures.
Also, about wurmcoil, I have none, and I need some for my tron deck. And honestly, he isn't that crazy; ya, he puts out more tokens for you to sack, but he kinda is in between a fatty and a sac target. :/

Wurmcoil is generally a good beater he can be sacked at instant speed to avoid removal netting you 2 3/3s and a new creature compleatly avoiding any single target removal. i think that hes a worthwhile addition to the deck due to his beating capabilities and his resilience. On that note Nim Deathmantle is another value colorless card for this deck. I agree with you on ray for the purpose of stealing a creature; honestly i would run domineering will over it because it's much more flexible and preforms another purpose as well.

Interesting point you bring up, I'll consider it.

Bump.
Also, I have been thinking, what should I cut for cyclonic rift, along with the other suggestions I haven't made changes for? What cards in my deck are suboptimal?

my first 2 picks would be oculus and last thoughts i get that oculus is a target for your general but what happens when you polymorph into him he does not immidiatly draw you a card so you have to activate Jalira a second time which is 6 mana to draw a card and get a dude vs 3 mana to get dude and 3 mana to respond to any sort of situation that could arise on your off turn. as for last thoughts Blue Sun's Zenith or any other draw spell would be better since it's unlikely to net you more than 3 cards. i feel like Tidal Bore is rather weak i would run other untap effects that are repeatable. Thalakos Seer feels rather weak here since he has to leave play to draw you a card. i honestly cant help but feeling Diluvian Primordial is kinda lackluster unless your group is heavy on instants and sorceries.

possible additions to my already suggested things
steel hellkite available enchant and artifact destruction.
frost titan is a decent beater with an etb effect that can keep some one from using maze of ith etc. plus any spell costs 2 more to remove him and you can just polymorph him away.
Thousand-Year Elixir alows jalira to go online apon entering and allows you to poly morph 2 times in a cycle.
Fatestitcher and tideforce elemental both cards that can replace an instant untap effect tideforce is repeatable with landfall which can be triggered by fetch lands etc. keep in mind with lighting greaves or elixer you can untap and polymorph them away in a desperate situation.(for 4cmc you can unearth fatestitcher untap jalira and sack fatestitcher for a dude)
rings of brighthearth this is a big one can duplicate untap effects and you generals polymorph effect
lightning greaves is strictly better than swiftfoot boots here.
Sensei's Divining Top repeatable organization
Illusionist's Bracers might be interesting
Mind Over Matter if you can obtain it would be a Huge addition to your deck discard any fatty u cant cast to polymorph into one for 3 mana
Perplexing Chimera + Homeward Path also works well with Djinn of Infinite Deceits
blightsteel colossus not a ledgend!!!
This deck is starting to look really fun I might have to build it!!!

honestly i would really like to give you some sort of reanimation effect but i cant think of any for mono blue does any one have any ideas?

oops i forgot about body double

I think the bracers and thousand year elixir will come in. Too bad that I can't find room for alot of these cards.
-1 Last Thoughts
-1 Tidal Bore
+1 Thousand-Year Elixir
+1 Rings of Brighthearth
And ya, it is really fun!
Also, to answer groovelord, since you have to pay to activate the ability of Jaliva, I would assume thornbite staff would work with her.

keep in mind that artisian of kosilek has to be cast not obtained from you general

scroll rack allows you to put fatty from your hand on top of your library should you draw into them. it also lets you find a counter spell with in the top x cards of ur library if you really need it

I wish I had a scroll rack. Also, that makes Artisan really weak. I'll cut it for It That Betrays.
-1 Artisan of Kosilek
+1 It That Betrays

maby replace Dream's Grip with a reusable tap/untap like the ones i listed earlier. if you want it for the instant speed in response to something try deceiver exarch.
in my experience using deluvian primordial its never worked out the way i want it; i would replace it with another fatty.

Bump.
Also, with some more playtesting on my part, I have found more improvements for the deck.
-Curse of Inertia
+Thornbite Staff
-Soul Seizer
+Sower of Temptation
-Prognostic Sphinx
+Tidespout Tyrant
-Epochrasite
+Wurmcoil Engine
-Skittering Invasion
+Myr Turbine

Also, I like alot of the bigger whales and fish, but I can't find a good cut for them.
Any ideas?

Just curious what is your current win rate?
>1/4?
<1/4?

As I don't play with a super competitive crowd, I would say I win 80% of my games that I am not just ganged up on. The thing is, I find it really easy to make allies with this deck, and my friend's Oloro control deck normally attracts more attention, which mine has trouble with anyway. So, 80% in which someone kills Oloro for me, or in which Oloro is a friend.

Bump. Also, switched Tidespout Tyrant for a Colossal Whale.

Sad that this died, this is still a deck I play religiously.
One last bump.

idk it felt like there was a lack of interest in this tread

BTW body double would do wonders here.