Mono U Snow Control

[Tao]

1. The List - I should add that this is a real thread and no new boring Thunder Bluff reprint, it is really (!) Monoblue Snow Control and tries to be competetive ; )

// Lands
16 [IA] Snow-Covered Island
4 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [CS] Scrying Sheets

// Creatures
4 [CS] Phyrexian Ironfoot
2 [UD] Masticore

// Spells
4 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
4 [IA] Brainstorm
3 [CS] Counterbalance
4 [AL] Force of Will
3 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
3 [GP] Repeal
4 [U] Counterspell
3 [SC] Stifle
2 [FD] Vedalken Shackles

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [US] Back to Basics
SB: 2 [7E] Arcane Laboratory
SB: 3 [5E] Hydroblast
SB: 4 [U] Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 3 [DIS] Spell Snare


2. What does the deck do?

It tries to outcontrol the opponent with Countermagic and gain massive Card Advantage. It abuses Sensei's Divining Top which is insane with Counterbalance and great with Scrying Sheets. Phyrexian Ironfoot is really great in this deck, it increaes the "Snow Count" for Sheets, it is a great defensive creature and a win condition. Masticore is your other win condition. It completely dominates the board with enough mana and can be kept alive with Sheets, Thirst for Knowledge or the card you draw each turn.

The deck is not completely tested yet, only about 25 games on MWS, but it is quite successful there.



3. Card by card analysis

Mana

16 Snow - Covered Island With Sheets you can draw the Snow lands
4 Polluted Delta -They shuffle for Top and Brainstorm
4 Scrying Sheets - They are really, really strong. With 20 Snow permanents you have 1/3 chance to draw a card and with Divining Top and Brainstorm you are almost always able to draw a card from them.


Countermagic

4 Force of Will - yes
4 Counterspell - they are just good
3 Counterbalance - They will be probably increased to 4, but I tested with 3, so the list includes 3; if you have found your setup with Divining Top and Brainstorm you are often able to counter everything the opponent plays for 1 Mana; for example just don't draw the Thirst and Counterspell on Top of your Library (take the 3rd card) and Deadguy will never again resolve a Spell; this is Chalice on Steroids. Remember to always activate it even without knowing what is on the Top because it can always randomly counter.
3 Stifle - absolutely needed; they protect Sheets against Wastelands, give Tempo against Fetchlands, kills the biggest problem cards like Brain Freeze, Tendrils, Ringleader and Decree of Justice


Carddraw

3 Thirst for Knowledge - you can discard additional Tops, Masticore and Phyrexian Ironfoot to it. Instant speed and good card advantage.
4 Brainstorm - the extra Synergy with Sheets and Counterbalance makes it only more obvious
4 Sensei's Divining Top - the heart of the deck: synergy with Sheets, Thirst for Knowledge and Counterbalance, great against discard, makes sure you hit your landdrops in the Control Mirror


Board Control

3 Repeal - strong Bounce, much better than Chain of Vapor because you draw a card. Especially great against Needle and Vial.
2 Vedalken Shackles - I'd like to play 3, they are great against all decks with creatures. The 3rd Shackles will be in the deck before the 4th Counterbalance.

Creatures

4 Phyrexian Ironfoot - extremely awesome: fair costed, strong in defense, blocks Mongoose and Goblins without dying, has virtual Vigilance and you draw it with Sheets.
2 Masticore - I am extremely satisfied with Masticore, cheap enough to matter against aggro; I never felt that I need a bigger finisher like Meloku or Morphling; if you have control over the game nothing will happen to you. The upkeep was rarely a problem because of Sheets and TfK.

Sideboard

3 Back to Basics: Very important to fight annoying manlands. They harm your Sheets to, but the Landstill / 43! player will suffer much more.
7 Blue Blasts: Absolutely needed against Gobbos, Burn, Rifter and everything else that sides in Red Blasts
3 Spell Snare: counters counterpells, but is especially good against Deadguy
2 Arcane Lab: against Storm Combo.


4. Matchups

As I said I haven't tested that much.

Gobbos: Game 1 is bad. Winning the die roll helps, but fast especially 1st turn Lackey kills you. On the draw you need a Force and on the play a Force or a Repeal to fight it. Repeal is golden against Vial, too. Stifle is good vs. Ringleader. If you survive the first turns with the help of counters and Ironfoot you can win the game with Shackles or Masticore. Postboard it gets much better with 7 Blue Blasts.

Gro: Mongoose is annyoing but can be handled with Ironfoot. In the few games I have played the matchup was about 50/50.

Solidarity: A good matchup. You have tons of counters and if you get the Counterbalance online with Stifle backup they will have real problems. Arcane Lab and Spell Snare from the SB will improve the matchup.

Deadguy: The matchup is not the best, but winnable. You have a good Manabase and Top helps to stop the discard. Side in Spell Snares against Confidant, Hymn, Verdict and Sinkhole.

Rifter: I played only 2 games and I won because I was able to counter everything they do. In the first turns you have to keep Rift from the table and if you get Counterbalance / Top online with a 2 Mana spell (Abeyance, Rift, Disenchant) on top you can save all your counters for Vengeances. It is absolutely important to get and protect 1 Shackles against Dragon and as much Stifles as possible against Decrees. Don't waste your Stifles on cycling Dragons on turn 2, even if your opponent is screwed. Don't waste your counters on Removal. Side in Blue Blasts to fight against Rift, Red Blast and Boil. Side out Thirst for Knowledge and some Repeals.

[Watcher487]

Have you thought about playing any Winter's Chills?

http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?&id=2543#

It's not entirely Wrath of God but it could help especially in your aggro match-up.

[Pinder]

Have you considered splashing white? White gives you Enlightened Tutor for Counterbalance, Shackles, and Top, as well as STP (first turn Lackey answer) and Gelid Shackles (Not sure what these would be great against (Piledriver?), but hell, in a snow deck they're better than Pacifism and Arrest).

[Alfred]

1. The List - I should add that this is a real thread and no new boring Thunder Bluff reprint, it is really (!) Monoblue Snow Control and tries to be competetive ; )

// Lands
16 [IA] Snow-Covered Island
4 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [CS] Scrying Sheets

// Creatures
4 [CS] Phyrexian Ironfoot
2 [UD] Masticore

// Spells
4 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
4 [IA] Brainstorm
3 [CS] Counterbalance
4 [AL] Force of Will
3 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
3 [GP] Repeal
4 [U] Counterspell
3 [SC] Stifle
2 [FD] Vedalken Shackles

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [US] Back to Basics
SB: 2 [7E] Arcane Laboratory
SB: 3 [5E] Hydroblast
SB: 4 [U] Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 3 [DIS] Spell Snare


2. What does the deck do?

It tries to outcontrol the opponent with Countermagic and gain massive Card Advantage. It abuses Sensei's Divining Top which is insane with Counterbalance and great with Scrying Sheets. Phyrexian Ironfoot is really great in this deck, it increaes the "Snow Count" for Sheets, it is a great defensive creature and a win condition. Masticore is your other win condition. It completely dominates the board with enough mana and can be kept alive with Sheets, Thirst for Knowledge or the card you draw each turn.

The deck is not completely tested yet, only about 25 games on MWS, but it is quite successful there.



3. Card by card analysis

Mana

16 Snow - Covered Island With Sheets you can draw the Snow lands
4 Polluted Delta -They shuffle for Top and Brainstorm
4 Scrying Sheets - They are really, really strong. With 20 Snow permanents you have 1/3 chance to draw a card and with Divining Top and Brainstorm you are almost always able to draw a card from them.


Countermagic

4 Force of Will - yes
4 Counterspell - they are just good
3 Counterbalance - They will be probably increased to 4, but I tested with 3, so the list includes 3; if you have found your setup with Divining Top and Brainstorm you are often able to counter everything the opponent plays for 1 Mana; for example just don't draw the Thirst and Counterspell on Top of your Library (take the 3rd card) and Deadguy will never again resolve a Spell; this is Chalice on Steroids. Remember to always activate it even without knowing what is on the Top because it can always randomly counter.
3 Stifle - absolutely needed; they protect Sheets against Wastelands, give Tempo against Fetchlands, kills the biggest problem cards like Brain Freeze, Tendrils, Ringleader and Decree of Justice


Carddraw

3 Thirst for Knowledge - you can discard additional Tops, Masticore and Phyrexian Ironfoot to it. Instant speed and good card advantage.
4 Brainstorm - the extra Synergy with Sheets and Counterbalance makes it only more obvious
4 Sensei's Divining Top - the heart of the deck: synergy with Sheets, Thirst for Knowledge and Counterbalance, great against discard, makes sure you hit your landdrops in the Control Mirror


Board Control

3 Repeal - strong Bounce, much better than Chain of Vapor because you draw a card. Especially great against Needle and Vial.
2 Vedalken Shackles - I'd like to play 3, they are great against all decks with creatures. The 3rd Shackles will be in the deck before the 4th Counterbalance.

Creatures

4 Phyrexian Ironfoot - extremely awesome: fair costed, strong in defense, blocks Mongoose and Goblins without dying, has virtual Vigilance and you draw it with Sheets.
2 Masticore - I am extremely satisfied with Masticore, cheap enough to matter against aggro; I never felt that I need a bigger finisher like Meloku or Morphling; if you have control over the game nothing will happen to you. The upkeep was rarely a problem because of Sheets and TfK.

Sideboard

3 Back to Basics: Very important to fight annoying manlands. They harm your Sheets to, but the Landstill / 43! player will suffer much more.
7 Blue Blasts: Absolutely needed against Gobbos, Burn, Rifter and everything else that sides in Red Blasts
3 Spell Snare: counters counterpells, but is especially good against Deadguy
2 Arcane Lab: against Storm Combo.


4. Matchups

As I said I haven't tested that much.

Gobbos: Game 1 is bad. Winning the die roll helps, but fast especially 1st turn Lackey kills you. On the draw you need a Force and on the play a Force or a Repeal to fight it. Repeal is golden against Vial, too. Stifle is good vs. Ringleader. If you survive the first turns with the help of counters and Ironfoot you can win the game with Shackles or Masticore. Postboard it gets much better with 7 Blue Blasts.

Gro: Mongoose is annyoing but can be handled with Ironfoot. In the few games I have played the matchup was about 50/50.

Solidarity: A good matchup. You have tons of counters and if you get the Counterbalance online with Stifle backup they will have real problems. Arcane Lab and Spell Snare from the SB will improve the matchup.

Deadguy: The matchup is not the best, but winnable. You have a good Manabase and Top helps to stop the discard. Side in Spell Snares against Confidant, Hymn, Verdict and Sinkhole.

Rifter: I played only 2 games and I won because I was able to counter everything they do. In the first turns you have to keep Rift from the table and if you get Counterbalance / Top online with a 2 Mana spell (Abeyance, Rift, Disenchant) on top you can save all your counters for Vengeances. It is absolutely important to get and protect 1 Shackles against Dragon and as much Stifles as possible against Decrees. Don't waste your Stifles on cycling Dragons on turn 2, even if your opponent is screwed. Don't waste your counters on Removal. Side in Blue Blasts to fight against Rift, Red Blast and Boil. Side out Thirst for Knowledge and some Repeals.


Yay! I was working on something quite similar, but for heaven's sakes, add the third Shackles! Also, how does stifle work in this thang?

Perhaps you might consider taking out the Polluted Deltas, though I know they have good interaction with Brainstorm and Sensei's Divining Top, but it does lower the effectiveness of Sheets. I'm not certain this is the correct move, but if you are using Ironfeet over other options, you might want to max the effectiveness of Sheets.

[Cavius The Great]

1. The List - I should add that this is a real thread and no new boring Thunder Bluff reprint, it is really (!) Monoblue Snow Control and tries to be competetive ; )

// Lands
16 [IA] Snow-Covered Island
4 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [CS] Scrying Sheets

// Creatures
4 [CS] Phyrexian Ironfoot
2 [UD] Masticore

// Spells
4 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
4 [IA] Brainstorm
3 [CS] Counterbalance
4 [AL] Force of Will
3 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
3 [GP] Repeal
4 [U] Counterspell
3 [SC] Stifle
2 [FD] Vedalken Shackles

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [US] Back to Basics
SB: 2 [7E] Arcane Laboratory
SB: 3 [5E] Hydroblast
SB: 4 [U] Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 3 [DIS] Spell Snare


2. What does the deck do?

It tries to outcontrol the opponent with Countermagic and gain massive Card Advantage. It abuses Sensei's Divining Top which is insane with Counterbalance and great with Scrying Sheets. Phyrexian Ironfoot is really great in this deck, it increaes the "Snow Count" for Sheets, it is a great defensive creature and a win condition. Masticore is your other win condition. It completely dominates the board with enough mana and can be kept alive with Sheets, Thirst for Knowledge or the card you draw each turn.

The deck is not completely tested yet, only about 25 games on MWS, but it is quite successful there.



3. Card by card analysis

Mana

16 Snow - Covered Island With Sheets you can draw the Snow lands
4 Polluted Delta -They shuffle for Top and Brainstorm
4 Scrying Sheets - They are really, really strong. With 20 Snow permanents you have 1/3 chance to draw a card and with Divining Top and Brainstorm you are almost always able to draw a card from them.


Countermagic

4 Force of Will - yes
4 Counterspell - they are just good
3 Counterbalance - They will be probably increased to 4, but I tested with 3, so the list includes 3; if you have found your setup with Divining Top and Brainstorm you are often able to counter everything the opponent plays for 1 Mana; for example just don't draw the Thirst and Counterspell on Top of your Library (take the 3rd card) and Deadguy will never again resolve a Spell; this is Chalice on Steroids. Remember to always activate it even without knowing what is on the Top because it can always randomly counter.
3 Stifle - absolutely needed; they protect Sheets against Wastelands, give Tempo against Fetchlands, kills the biggest problem cards like Brain Freeze, Tendrils, Ringleader and Decree of Justice


Carddraw

3 Thirst for Knowledge - you can discard additional Tops, Masticore and Phyrexian Ironfoot to it. Instant speed and good card advantage.
4 Brainstorm - the extra Synergy with Sheets and Counterbalance makes it only more obvious
4 Sensei's Divining Top - the heart of the deck: synergy with Sheets, Thirst for Knowledge and Counterbalance, great against discard, makes sure you hit your landdrops in the Control Mirror


Board Control

3 Repeal - strong Bounce, much better than Chain of Vapor because you draw a card. Especially great against Needle and Vial.
2 Vedalken Shackles - I'd like to play 3, they are great against all decks with creatures. The 3rd Shackles will be in the deck before the 4th Counterbalance.

Creatures

4 Phyrexian Ironfoot - extremely awesome: fair costed, strong in defense, blocks Mongoose and Goblins without dying, has virtual Vigilance and you draw it with Sheets.
2 Masticore - I am extremely satisfied with Masticore, cheap enough to matter against aggro; I never felt that I need a bigger finisher like Meloku or Morphling; if you have control over the game nothing will happen to you. The upkeep was rarely a problem because of Sheets and TfK.

Sideboard

3 Back to Basics: Very important to fight annoying manlands. They harm your Sheets to, but the Landstill / 43! player will suffer much more.
7 Blue Blasts: Absolutely needed against Gobbos, Burn, Rifter and everything else that sides in Red Blasts
3 Spell Snare: counters counterpells, but is especially good against Deadguy
2 Arcane Lab: against Storm Combo.


4. Matchups

As I said I haven't tested that much.

Gobbos: Game 1 is bad. Winning the die roll helps, but fast especially 1st turn Lackey kills you. On the draw you need a Force and on the play a Force or a Repeal to fight it. Repeal is golden against Vial, too. Stifle is good vs. Ringleader. If you survive the first turns with the help of counters and Ironfoot you can win the game with Shackles or Masticore. Postboard it gets much better with 7 Blue Blasts.

Gro: Mongoose is annyoing but can be handled with Ironfoot. In the few games I have played the matchup was about 50/50.

Solidarity: A good matchup. You have tons of counters and if you get the Counterbalance online with Stifle backup they will have real problems. Arcane Lab and Spell Snare from the SB will improve the matchup.

Deadguy: The matchup is not the best, but winnable. You have a good Manabase and Top helps to stop the discard. Side in Spell Snares against Confidant, Hymn, Verdict and Sinkhole.

Rifter: I played only 2 games and I won because I was able to counter everything they do. In the first turns you have to keep Rift from the table and if you get Counterbalance / Top online with a 2 Mana spell (Abeyance, Rift, Disenchant) on top you can save all your counters for Vengeances. It is absolutely important to get and protect 1 Shackles against Dragon and as much Stifles as possible against Decrees. Don't waste your Stifles on cycling Dragons on turn 2, even if your opponent is screwed. Don't waste your counters on Removal. Side in Blue Blasts to fight against Rift, Red Blast and Boil. Side out Thirst for Knowledge and some Repeals.


Funny, you have the same exact name as the list I'm working on minus the "mono-blue" in the title. I guess great minds think alike, eh?

On another note, have you considered Rimefeather Owl? This little dude gets huge is a 10/10 flyer for seven mana most the time during testing. I know seven mana is steep, but it might find a perfect fit in control where the game lasts long enough for you to cast it effectively.

[Tao]

Have you thought about playing any Winter's Chills?

Wow, that's the longest card text I've ever seen. But it doesn't destroy the creatures and costs lots of mana.


Have you considered splashing white? White gives you Enlightened Tutor for Counterbalance, Shackles, and Top, as well as STP (first turn Lackey answer) and Gelid Shackles

Swords and E-Tutor sound really good. Gelid Shackles is not good, because I have to pay 1 to keep it from attacking. There are too much things you have to do with your Mana. If attacking / blocking would be vice versa it would be a great card. Splashing W would also give access to Decree of Justice to improve the control Mirror.


Yay! I was working on something quite similar, but for heaven's sakes, add the third Shackles! Also, how does stifle work in this thang?

Perhaps you might consider taking out the Polluted Deltas

3rd Shackles will be added, I will take out a random card for it. Stifle is absolutely needed. It gives you something against real problem cards like Decree if Justice and Brain Freeze, which would be Autolosses without it. It is also very strong against Ringleader, Wasteland and can gain Tempo if it is used on Fetchland.

Some Fetchlands or other Shuffle effects are really needed because of the synergy wih Brainstorm. You can play any number frokm 3-8. 4 looks good on the decklist and makes your snow count exact 20.




On another note, have you considered Rimefeather Owl?

I didn't have as problem with finishing the game once I have control so I don't have a big creature in the deck.



What do you think about 2-3 Brain Freezes in the SB to fight slow control decks that try to kill every single creature in the deck? With 2 Tops you can make really high Storm count. As long you don't play against some IBA madness that maindecks Gaea's Blessing this is a good way to win games against Rifter or control Rock.

[Poron]

-3 Repeal
+3 Echoing Truth

-3 Stifle
+3 Something better -.-''.

SB:
7 Blasts? For red? naa. Your problem with red is goblin, so 4 Propaganda by side and if he hasn't a fast answear to that Propaganda will be your best friend (usually a goblin hasn't more than 3-4 lands at 5th turn, so..)

Anyway great idea with Phyrexian Ironfooter and Vedalken Shackles.. I will test both in my U-Counterbalance deck.

[Tao]

Echoing Truth is a strong card and has some synergy with Top, so I will test it. But I think Repeal is better.

So if you play no Stifle, what is your "Something better -.-" plan against Decree of Justice and Brain Freeze?

[Eldariel]

Poron, you do realize how good Stifle is, right? Stifling those Deltas, Brain Freeze-storms and company is incredibly powerful. Then it also stops Vial-activations, Lackey-triggers and company to buy time for Shackles to come online, not to mention it counters Siege-Gang's Gang and Ringleader's Pals. But also, it's great to counter Fetchland-activations to even the playfield a bit. And yea, Decrees, etc.

And Blasts are by far better than Propaganda. Propaganda is like Shackles, except REBable. Elemental Blasts come online turn 1 and allow you to play the control-game early on, which is huge. Gives you the means to buy time until you reach the stages where Shackles win you the game.

[Poron]

I have hard-tested (can i say that? :P) a counterbalance mono U which is very similar to this, really..

And I can say 100% that Solidarity NEVER beat us. They have all 1-2 casting cost and counterbalance + sensei auto-own soldarity.So Brain freeze isn't a problem, and with Decree of Justice you have Echoing Truth to remove from the game all his Soldiers :D (infact i play 4 ET)

Instead of Stifle I would try.. Mystical Tutor. Anyway just test, it's very important to keep testing new ideas

edit: re thought :silly:. In your deck Mystical isn't as effective as in mine, so perhaps Stifle is a better choice.

[Tao]

Echoing Truth is possible and I didn't think about how it kills Decree-Tokens. Truth is also better against fast beatdown like Zilla Stompy.
But on the other side I really love how Repeal works in the Deadguy and Gro matchup where the cantrip is absolutely important. Bouncing a Needle or Vial with Repeal is also extremely fun. So i think both have their advantages.

But Stifle is still needed. It is a flexible card and almost never dead. The fact that Top/Counterbalance can beat Solidarity doesn't make the matchup an Autowin. It is still a 2 card Combo that - if you draw both - needs to get through their Countermagic. It makes the matchup good, but autowin is far from true.

[Poron]

Naa, you're right about Stifle and i appreciate your deck, sure. But solidarity is still a 98% auto win deck. Even without the combo you have 4 Force of Will and 4 Counterspells; you have just to aim to his first Reset.

And by side you play even Arcane Laboratory -_______-

Yes, not to win a solidarity you have to be very very very very unlucky