[Blue] Slaverless Control

[Koby]

Slaverless -- A.K.A -- UB(e)R Tezzerator
Previous incarnation (http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.php?id=8131&iddeck=59290)
Other variations (http://www.thecouncil.es/tcdecks/tipo.php?archetype=Control%20Slaver&format=Vintage)
Brian Demars' version (https://sales.starcitygames.com/deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=45320) and article explaining it (http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/vintage/23861_Vintage_AvantGarde_Answering_Permanents_And_Why_You_Must.html)

The goal of this blue-based Welder deck is to answer a variety of permanent based strategies by out-muscling those decks in resources. Snapcaster Mage allows the deck to get incremental advantage. Forbidden Alchemy is probably the most controversial inclusion in this list, and it has proved to be very powerful with Will, Welder, and Snapcaster Mage. Resolving Gifts with Snapcaster Mage in hand is about three time more unfair than it already is alone.

Tezzeret was a recent addition to increase the threat density and provide additional tutoring for key portions.

In the sideboard, the elements are mainly to have answers against aggro strategies and Dredge. Workshop, while powerful, doesn't see much play in my neighborhood. However, the safe-haven Mountain and Viashino Heretic should turn that around. This deck already has a decent matchup against Shops due to maindeck Gorilla Shaman and Welder.

Dudes
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Goblin Welder
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Myr Battlesphere

Walkers
2 Jace, The Mind Sculptor
1 Tezzeret the Seeker

Counters
4 Force of Will
2 Mana Drain
2 Mental Misstep
1 Izzet Charm
1 Flusterstorm

Advantage
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Thirst for Knowledge
2 Forbidden Alchemy
1 Gifts Ungiven

Broken things
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Tinker

Utility
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Nihil Spellbomb

Mana
5 Moxen
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring

1 Library of Alexandria
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Island
3 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island

Sideboard:
1 Pyroclasm
1 Doom Blade
1 Rack and Ruin
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Flusterstorm
1 Viashino Heretic
2 Ingot Chewer
1 Mountain
3 Grafdigger's Cage
2 Yixlid Jailer


Recent finishes I've managed:
Finals of Knightware Vintage local (4-0-2 total, 3-0-1 Swiss -- 13 players)
Finals of GP Anaheim Vintage side event (5-0 Swiss+1 -- 11 players)
Top 4 of Knightware Vintage local (3-2 total, 3-1 Swiss -- 12 players)
Top 8 at Eudemonida Spring 2013 Vintage (3-2-1 total, 3-1-1 Swiss -- 21 players)

The Crucible of Worlds has been the weakest link in the deck so far, and I almost always board it out against blue decks. Depending on the metagame (proxy / no-proxy) I could replace it with (Duress / Lightning Bolt), respectively. Having another spell to potentially Flashback increases the utility of Snapcaster Mage. Particularly, I enjoy the ability to bounce Mage with Jace to get more value out of the broken spells Vintage has to offer.

Updated - 5/2/2013

[TheElvishPiper]

This deck resembles more of a Slaver style shell (minus the Mindslaver of course) rather than the traditional UBr Tezz shell.

I really like Forbidden Alchemy in the deck because of it's synergy with Welder, Snapcaster Mage, Yawgmoth's Will, and Force of Will. The main deck looks great, but I think that the Crucible/Strip Mine slots could be better used. As far as the sideboard goes, have you thought about using Smelt? It is a really solid 1cc answer to Shops, and it works well with Snapcaster Mage. Thanks for posting the list!

[Koby]

Crucible/Strip was indeed the weakest portion of the deck, and I usually ended up boarding them out. I was looking for some tertiary form of advantage, and specifically a way to break open blue-mirrors. The Strip was fine alone (to answer Library and man-lands mainly). Maybe all my testing against UR Landstill was what pushed me in that direction. :tongue:

[TheElvishPiper]

I dont blame you. I can see how they would be amazing against Landstill. I like the Crucible/Strip, but I would also agree that they are the weakest part of the deck. Great list though!

[RaNDoMxGeSTuReS]

Koby, I remember you playing this on the side at GP Indy. Is two Forbidden Alchemy correct?

[HoneyT]

Forbidden Alchemy into Time Vault, Voltaic Key, Tinker, and Sensei's Divining Top FTW

[Koby]

Koby, I remember you playing this on the side at GP Indy. Is two Forbidden Alchemy correct?

Ya, I'm really happy with 2 copies. Three was too much and they just sat around in my hand doing nothing. One is not enough to keep digging. Two is just the sweet spot.

[FuturePerfect]

Baleful Strix has been tried and recommended in lists similar to this.

Has anyone tested it? Especially in a metagame that heavily features RUG, that would seem like a good speed bump until you can develop your mana and grave.

[aahz]

Baleful Strix has been tried and recommended in lists similar to this.

Has anyone tested it? Especially in a metagame that heavily features RUG, that would seem like a good speed bump until you can develop your mana and grave.
That's the configuration I've got built currently (3 Bob, 3 Welder, 3 Strix). It hasn't seemed that spectacular in testing so far (although playing Strix through Golems is good), but I haven't played enough versus a variety of decks to say for sure. I've been mostly just playing vs B.C.'s MUD deck to help him test for GenCon. My initial impression is that it's a little slow and clunky, though that could be an effect of small sample size (i.e. my bad draws vs. awesome Shops draws).

[Koby]

Some of my friends have tried the Baleful Strix version. It's equally good against the field, but a little more cumbersome in setting up. I'm taking the approach that Snapcaster Mage is the insane nutter-butters in this deck, and adding Welder to shore up the Shop matchups, then adding a few more layers to favorably interact with Welder. Notice that Welder started off as 3 copies, then got cut down to 2. It's more utility rather than main strategy.

Welder in this deck achieves pressure against other blue decks that rely on countering/removing the artifact combo wins.

Against RUG, the plan is to either rush the Vault/Key or drag the game out where Jace can do some real work. The sideboard is built to answer the creature strategies well.

As a side note, this deck is better against Baleful Strix versions. Flashbacking Ancestral usually beats Baleful durdling :P

[aahz]

Some of my friends have tried the Baleful Strix version. It's equally good against the field, but a little more cumbersome in setting up. I'm taking the approach that Snapcaster Mage is the insane nutter-butters in this deck, and adding Welder to shore up the Shop matchups, then adding a few more layers to favorably interact with Welder. Notice that Welder started off as 3 copies, then got cut down to 2. It's more utility rather than main strategy.

Welder in this deck achieves pressure against other blue decks that rely on countering/removing the artifact combo wins.

Against RUG, the plan is to either rush the Vault/Key or drag the game out where Jace can do some real work. The sideboard is built to answer the creature strategies well.
With both Snappy and Welder (not to mention trying to set up Will), it seems that you are maybe a little too graveyard dependent. Does 'yard hate ever come up as an issue (or do I just have a fanciful imagination)?

As a side note, this deck is better against Baleful Strix versions. Flashbacking Ancestral usually beats Baleful durdling :P
But who doesn't like durdling around with cards with better art? :wink:

[Koby]

With both Snappy and Welder (not to mention trying to set up Will), it seems that you are maybe a little too graveyard dependent. Does 'yard hate ever come up as an issue (or do I just have a fanciful imagination)?

But who doesn't like durdling around with cards with better art? :wink:

This deck is definitely heavily invested into the graveyard. But not enough to warrant dedicated GY-hate to be boarded in. I imagine most of the yard hate is going to consist of Nihil Spellbomb and Leyline of the Void. Grafdigger's Cage is easy enough to deal with (between Welders, Mox Monkey, and Mental Misstep). Surgical can be countered or shrugged off. There's also Jace and Tezz that are valid win conditions. Maybe it's the local play group, but I haven't faced much yard hate in sideboard games.

[Jblaze4lif]

Maybe Strix and Snapcaster can get along with some squeeze work. I'm going to try this creature setup soon

4 Dark Confidant
2 Snapcaster
2 Baleful Strix
2 Goblin Welder

The big bad Triskelion is kind of scary though!!!

[Higgs]

What do you guys think about the big Tezzeret and Ral, Zarek in this deck? I'm seeing lists taking this into more of a Tezzerator direction but to fit all that in they are cutting cards like Will and Brainstorm.