Exospaciac
10-14-2009, 05:58 PM
I've been getting back into magic after about a 2 year hiatus, partially because a friend of mine wanted to learn how to play. After teaching him the game, the colors, and the different deck archetypes, he decided he wanted UB control. This is what I came up with, mostly with stuff I already had, but with a few things we got from a local shop:
// Lands
7 [10E] Swamp
10 [MI] Island
3 [RAV] Dimir Aqueduct
// Creatures
4 [MR] Steel Wall
4 [RAV] Drift of Phantasms
3 [LRW] Guile
3 [TSP] Deep-Sea Kraken
2 [U] Air Elemental
// Spells
3 [FNM] Terror
4 [CS] Rune Snag
3 [RAV] Dimir Signet
4 [RAV] Perplex
1 [IN] Recoil
3 [10E] Cancel
2 [9E] Dark Banishing
4 [RAV] Compulsive Research
He really liked the idea of transmute, especially the Drifts, so I put 8 transmute spells in and a variety of 3cc spells for him to tutor for. Unfortunately, the deck is pretty slow, and dies a horrible death to creature swarms, even with the walls.
I guess I should be explaining some choices.
The Steel Walls are his choice, not mine. He says he wants them in, but if I can find something that destroys creatures so he doesn't have to run them, I can prolly convince him to take them out.
Perplex is alright early game, but pretty dead late game. The transmute is what really makes it good, but I still dunno if it'd be worth keeping just for the late game transmute.
Rune Snag and Cancel are solid counters, and Cancel can be tutored for. Terrors should probably be Doom Blades. Dark Banishing isn't very good, but I don't know what better tutorable kill spells there are for this deck. One copy of Recoil for just-in-case bouncing seems to work pretty well.
Compulsive Research is an awesome draw spell, especially with the karoos. Sorcery speed kinda sucks, but I can't think of anything better that's not expensive. It seems like the deck needs a little more draw, but I have no idea what to add. Maybe something along the lines of Serum Visions/Ponder?
The finishers are something that could definitely use some work. Guile is meh against aggro/swarm decks, but great against control and aggro-control... if it resolves. Deep-Sea Kraken is excellent when suspended turn 3-5, but after that it doesn't come online fast enough, and it's nearly impossible to hardcast. Air Elemental is in because of a lack of anything between 3cc and 6cc, and because I dunno what else to add.
What's the best way to speed this deck up? I'm open to any and all (inexpensive) suggestions.
Thanks!
// Lands
7 [10E] Swamp
10 [MI] Island
3 [RAV] Dimir Aqueduct
// Creatures
4 [MR] Steel Wall
4 [RAV] Drift of Phantasms
3 [LRW] Guile
3 [TSP] Deep-Sea Kraken
2 [U] Air Elemental
// Spells
3 [FNM] Terror
4 [CS] Rune Snag
3 [RAV] Dimir Signet
4 [RAV] Perplex
1 [IN] Recoil
3 [10E] Cancel
2 [9E] Dark Banishing
4 [RAV] Compulsive Research
He really liked the idea of transmute, especially the Drifts, so I put 8 transmute spells in and a variety of 3cc spells for him to tutor for. Unfortunately, the deck is pretty slow, and dies a horrible death to creature swarms, even with the walls.
I guess I should be explaining some choices.
The Steel Walls are his choice, not mine. He says he wants them in, but if I can find something that destroys creatures so he doesn't have to run them, I can prolly convince him to take them out.
Perplex is alright early game, but pretty dead late game. The transmute is what really makes it good, but I still dunno if it'd be worth keeping just for the late game transmute.
Rune Snag and Cancel are solid counters, and Cancel can be tutored for. Terrors should probably be Doom Blades. Dark Banishing isn't very good, but I don't know what better tutorable kill spells there are for this deck. One copy of Recoil for just-in-case bouncing seems to work pretty well.
Compulsive Research is an awesome draw spell, especially with the karoos. Sorcery speed kinda sucks, but I can't think of anything better that's not expensive. It seems like the deck needs a little more draw, but I have no idea what to add. Maybe something along the lines of Serum Visions/Ponder?
The finishers are something that could definitely use some work. Guile is meh against aggro/swarm decks, but great against control and aggro-control... if it resolves. Deep-Sea Kraken is excellent when suspended turn 3-5, but after that it doesn't come online fast enough, and it's nearly impossible to hardcast. Air Elemental is in because of a lack of anything between 3cc and 6cc, and because I dunno what else to add.
What's the best way to speed this deck up? I'm open to any and all (inexpensive) suggestions.
Thanks!