Can I say that the reason that control is dead is because I haven't seen a control build with optimal cards in it. All I have seen are bungled messes like the list that won the SCG open when HoD released and ridiculous 10+ counterspell 24 land jokes that get steamrolled whenever an opponent resolves a one or two drop. Granted UR control may not be the best control build, but I haven't seen a constant skeleton of a control deck base other than Step One: Torrential Gearhulk, Step two Try to fit Nicol Bolas or Scarab God in some how for no reason. Control decks could be great in a mono red meta if players could build it properly.
Control is dead because you would require a red centric Manabase to run the available 3 drop sweepers that work. Also, removal is powerful enough to necessitate blue for a hexproof finisher. Unless y ou can work a non-creature finisher into a UR control deck, the problem of BW Zombies having Anguished Unmaking and Declaration in stone is not one control can solve.
Manabase problems aside, control has no "closer". I think some sort of control using Solemnity/Thing in Ice... Or similar combo has to emerge, and if it can, the deck is RWU with a transformative sideboard.
Control isn't really dead at all. The problem with control decks is they take a lot of time to build and tweak for the meta. Aggro and rush decks don't care at all about the meta and their natural enemy is mid-range, so they always show up in force at the first pro-tour. That and the pro-tour meta is not the FNM / local meta, so things get kind of muddied up really fast.
I'm still curious what kind of calamity will befall the standard environment when basically four sets rotate out at once. That and I'd love to see a return of smuggler's copter to standard now that they printed a universal red hate for it.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Control is dead because you would require a red centric Manabase to run the available 3 drop sweepers that work. Also, removal is powerful enough to necessitate blue for a hexproof finisher. Unless y ou can work a non-creature finisher into a UR control deck, the problem of BW Zombies having Anguished Unmaking and Declaration in stone is not one control can solve.
Manabase problems aside, control has no "closer". I think some sort of control using Solemnity/Thing in Ice... Or similar combo has to emerge, and if it can, the deck is RWU with a transformative sideboard.
Torrential gearhulk is still a very powerful card in a world full of abrade, and spell queller is still running around out there.
I'm still curious what kind of calamity will befall the standard environment when basically four sets rotate out at once. That and I'd love to see a return of smuggler's copter to standard now that they printed a universal red hate for it.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Everything except Ramunap red takes a hit. Red/x strategies show promise post rotation. Not much else does.
RNA Standard: Grixis Midrange, Jund Deathwhirler, Sultai Vannifar
GRN Standard: Red Midrange, Mono-Blue Tempo, Wr Aggro, Gruul Experimental Dinosaurs, Sultai Midrange, Jeskai Midrange
Modern: Bant Spirits
Forcing a single archetype in all formats: too many colors, bad mana.