MTG Salvation

@kPal - I do a lot of my testing on xMage, was really glad to see it get updated yesterday with the new stuff.

I am all over the place right now with my list but here are my thoughts so far:
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria - Super strong card. Does not win the game but will keep you from losing it (hope that makes sense). All 3 modes are very relevant. The combination of him and Gideon makes a very nice pair. Right now running 2-3 main.
Seal Away - the 2 mana spot removal we have been missing. This with Settle means your opponent does not have a good move to make if you have 4 mana open. Pretty much an automatic 4 set.
Syncopate - This has replaced Censor in my deck. I do miss the cycling ability but the Exile effect is worth it. 3-4 in main, 1-2 in the sideboard.
Unwind - Cost one more than Negate but if it resolves it is free. Currently trying 2 main and 2 Sideboard. Also, have 2-3 negates in the side.
Oath of Teferi - This card makes Teferi stupid. No, really it is stupid. Draw 2, untap 4 lands each turn. If you have a flipped Search, now draw a 4th card for your turn. Then untapped them and do it again on their turn. Plus Gideon twice each turn? Ok, maybe I am getting a little to excited but so far it has been very strong. 2 main board.

Let me know what you guys think, I will post my updated list later this weekend. I can already see my deck making players rage quit.

@kpal, let me know how the testing goes with that. It looks really interesting. Currently still testing Esper and been pretty happy with it.

The Dominaria Control Top 10! a SSG article talking about the top 10 control cards in Dom. Not sure I agree with him but still a good read.

@kpal - Not sure about Skywhaler, afraid it will miss a lot of stuff but the Scry is very nice. I will try it out.

Overall, I think UW Approach is in good shape. Every matchup I felt like I could win. Most of the games that I did lose were because of bad draws or mulligans or me being tried and stupid (can't forget those). Going to add Opt main to see if that helps smooth some of that. Looking at the list of top 32 decks, none of those look unwinnable or we just fold too.

As far as splashing a 3rd color, I think it comes down to personal preference. A 3 color mana base is going to be a little clucky, at best. And after this weekend, feel like it would lead to more games that the deck just folds to itself. But the extra spot removal and more sideboard options may help win games that straight UW would drop when it does not draw the right answer. Short version, not sure if going to a 3rd color is worth the issues that the mana base may bring. 2 or 3 color Approach is really strong right now.

@Hobbits73 - Profane Procession is crazy good. A little slow but very good. It wrecks UB or Grixis. They can't interact with it except with Commit. But see what I wrote above about 3 colors.

GP Memphis was great. My first day 2 at a GP. Overall the deck ran very smoothly. All day Friday played the 5-0 list posted above only change was adding one Spell Swindle main. As a one of, with 2 Gearhulks, that did so much work all weekend. Came very close to going 4-0 and getting 2 byes. Made a few small changes Friday night. Every game 2, I brought in Gideon of the Trials so decided to add one main. Dropped the one of Hier to make room. Still ended up running 61 cards because I could not come up with anything to cut to make room. Only other change was dropping one Essence Scatter for the 3rd Disallow because Friday all we saw was UB Control all day. Those few changes really helped the deck. The guys with me talked me into playing a Gideon's Intervention instead of an Ixalan's Binding. Still on the fence about this one. Was not amazing but did work both days.

I will post a full write of the event in the next day or two, here is the short version. Day 1, Mono Red 3-1, R\G Monsters 2-0, UB Control 1-0, Grixis Entergy 0-1. Day 2, Mono Red 2-1, B\G Constrictor 0-1, U\B Control 0-1. Dropped after hitting x-5. Was really tried and making a lot of mental mistakes. 3 solid days of grinding a control deck, not sleeping much on Saturday because of excited about making day two and just the stress of day 2 caught up to me. The next GP I will be better prepared. Overall, all the matchups I felt like were winnable and I felt favored. My losses were to me not drawing the cards I needed or me playing dumb.

Only changes I am thinking about making is dropping Censor for Opt. I tried that the last week or two and it helped so much. I think all 3 days, I only used Censor as a counter 3-4 times. Going to play with the list some and see what I can come up with.

All stars
Gideon - love this card. Every time he hit the board it started a fight to kill him. While we are going back and forth over him, I am getting closer to 7 mana and not taking damage. And a surprising number of games were won with a Gideon or Gearhulk beatdown that I just protected.

Spell Swindle - I have played with this before and since going back to 2 gearhulks main, it just makes sense to run 1. Countering something big and adding 4-6 treasures just feels amazing. Even better is having it in the graveyard with 6 mana open. They are now afraid to cast anything. It really changes how they have to play. On day 1, against UB control, countered their gearhulk 2 turns in a row with it, then cast double Approach next turn while still holding up counter mana just made me giggle a little inside.

Farm // Market- was surprised at how good this card felt. Turn 4, when they are playing around Settle and swing in with just one big dude. Use Farm. Then watch them the following turn while they figure out what to do. They fill like there is not a right play. Several times I had opponents just pass the turn without swinging if I had 4+ mana up.

I just finished 6-2 to make it to day two at the GP Memphis. The deck ran very smoothly all day. Beat 3 Mono Red decks, 2 GR Monsters, and a UB control list. Lost to mono red and Grixis Entergy. The mono red lose, the deck beat itself more than anything. The Grixis Entergy was close but just could not draw the right answers.

Hopefully, I will do good tomorrow also. 7 more rounds, need to go x-4 to make it to top 8. I just really want to see my name on the SCG site.

I ran a list very close to the 5-0 draw-go style one listed above except with a Spell Swindle and a Gideon main. I will post my full list and how I sideboarded Monday when I get back home.

Quote from MMadMox »

Sorry for having to ask here, but is there anywhere that the Esper builds are discussed here? I have really loved playing the deck, but am pretty committed to the black cards in it. Thanks in advance!

Since it we can't talk about Esper or Jeskai Approach list here, which still seems funny to me, I will start a new thread when I get back from the GP in Memphis. The Esper lists right now are still 5-0'ing and are very solid. Even though Jeskai has fallen out of favor, I feel there are some very competitive lists out there.

Quote from kpal »

There is also Impeccable Timing. While it costs 1W, it does get Winding Constrictor, Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, and Whirler Virtuoso. Perhaps there is room the deck for both Baffling end and Slash of Talons or Impeccable Timing.

the problem that I have been having with Grixis at my LGS is that they are keen to my sideboard plan of trading out Approach for Gearhulk and Nezahal. They bring in their Duress, Negate, and Disallow. While still leaving in an Abrade and multiples of Vraska's Contempt. All while landing a turn 2 Glint-sleeve Siphoner which is nightmare if Baffling end is not available right away.

Questioning whether Glyph Keeper would be useful with its recursion and semi-hexproof.

W/U APPROACH by Gerald_of_Riviera

This is a 5-0 list that has Glyph Keeper and Slash of Talons in the side. I am liking Baffling End more and more. Being playing around with the 4 color list I posted a few days ago, but the straight UW version is just so smooth right now. But is it good enough for Approach not to need to splash a 3rd color? Not sure. For me, what it really just comes down to is, do you want to splash a 3rd color for the instant speed early spot removal and some sideboard cards? And I am not sure how to answer that. UW or Esper/Jeskai (I consider the Bant version a very different deck than those 3) are pretty much the same except the 1/2 mana spot removal. Can UW stand on it on without them? I am leaning towards yes. But still playing with the new cards and waiting to see how the new meta plays out.

Gideon has won me a lot of games all by himself. And has kept me from losing even more. Seems like there are going to be more aggro decks, this must be how Wizards is trying to deal with Temur. So the control decks are going to have to get better at dealing with faster threats. Personnel, I don't feel like UW is going to be enough, you will have to splash Red or Black for the instant spot removal. The mana base is a little rough, but not to bad. Not sure which is the best way to go, Red Or Black, both will work, just depends on what you want from your sideboard.

I am off work this week for vacation, so I am finally having some time to sit down and look at my notes of the last few months. I ran Jeskai Approach with 2 Gideons MB at the GP in Atlanta 2 months ago, finished 5-3-1 to miss making it to day 2 because of one draw. Ran Esper Approach with 2 Gearhulks MB at a local PPTQ to make top 8. Not trying to brag, just letting everyone know that I have played in some bigger events.

<Rant>
1. There is not one way to build Approach. It is basically a one card combo deck that tries to stay alive until it can cast a 7 mana sorcery speed spell twice. Some build a control deck around it, others build creature deck. Do what floats your boat. If someone here offers advice and you don't agree, try to explain why and give suggestions that will help. Just my 2 cents.

2. I feel like 2 creatures mainboard makes a big difference in the deck. For me, those are Gideon of the Trials and Torrential Gearhulk. I run one or the other depending on the rest of the deck. A bunch of games have come down to turn 7-9 I have the board clear and counters/spot removal in my hand but have not draw Approach. So the beatdown plan starts. Or even when I do draw Approach but don't want to tap out to cast it, putting them on a 4-5 turn clock forces them to do something.

3. The spot removal you get from running the 3rd color is worth the issues with running a 3 color mana base. Being able to interact with a creature on turns 1-3 is major. U/W is a very smooth running deck and the mana base is very sweet, but Fatal Push or Harnessed Lightning just wins games. And the added versatility in your sideboard is nice.

4. With all the different versions I have run, if I get mana screwed, I lose. Sitting on 2-3 mana with a hand full of answers that I can't cast is very frustrating. I have tried moving up to 26 lands, that seemed to help. But recently I have started running 4 Opt MB and very pleased with how it has helped. Being able to dig for a land or bury one if I already have plenty in my hand is sweet. The filter effect is very strong. When they first came out, I didn't like them because I thought having 4 more cards that would 'do something' instead would be much better. But since trying to again I have changed my mind.

5. The All Stars of the deck are Search for Azcanta and The Scarab God.
5a. Search just does so much work in a control deck. Before it flips, the scry before each turn lets you filter your hand and after it flips, the draw ability each turn can quickly bury your opponent in card advantage. So far 2 seems the right number main with possible 1 in the side. I have started running 2 Field of Ruin just to kill their flipped searches.
5b. I run Esper mainly for The Scarab God. Game 2, most players will board out their creature hate against us and if they can't deal with him, he will end the game in 2-3 turns. Bring back Gearhulks, Regals and/or Sun champs sometimes just feels dirty.

</Rant>

I have FNM tonight then the LGS store championship tomorrow. Here is the deck list I am planning on running. I have 2 slots in my sideboard that I am not certain what to run yet. Right now, 2 Jace's Defeat are filling those slots. But I am looking at Hostage Taker, Duress, Gonti, Lord of Luxury or Lost Legacy. By adding in some Aether Hubs to my mana base, I could easily run Nicol Bolas, God-Pharaoh or Vraska, Relic Seeker. Still up in the air. Let me know what you guys think.

Merry Christmas everyone, hope you get to spend it with your family.