So this is a question that always troubles me when trying to put together a control deck, more specifically, a Counterbalance control deck. Now, say colors don't matter, you are just a heavy blue deck that needs a win condition.
I would list options, but I would rather leave this open since I can't really say them all.
Tarmogoyf.
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Okay, sure. Let's say besides Goyf. IE something with a little more protection built in.
Doesn't Counterbalance provide said protection?
This aside, it completely depends on your build.
Originally Posted by majikal
Yes, which is why I am saying besides Tarmogoyf. Something that can get there when you can't land Counterbalance.
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Probably that new Sphinx, he seems pretty badass.
That or Mongoose.
Elspeth. Not only does she kill, she protects herself from tarmogoyf.
If nothing's a factor besides likeliness to go the distance, I pick Quagnoth for being immune to countermagic/discard/most spot removal.
Elspeth or Garruk are generally my choices though. Plus they actually counter 4-drops with Counterbalance.
Rainbow Efreet seems ok. It allows you to hit CB for 4 as well.
Elspeth seems the best for 4 though.
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I'm a big fan of recurring threats, so I'd have to go with Crucible of Worlds/Nantuko Monastery/Bloodghast. Only really vulnerable to StP/Path to Exile. After that I'd go with Elspeth.
Elspeth. Not only does she kill, she protects herself from tarmogoyf.Elspeth or Garruk are generally my choices though. Plus they actually counter 4-drops with Counterbalance.Elspeth seems the best for 4 though.That.After that I'd go with Elspeth.
I feel that Landstill is the strongest control deck in the format, so my second opinion would be Mishra's Factory.
However, I'm sure your going for a different approach.
I like Gigapede honestly, it self recurs and has Shroud. If you're in green, I'd go with him.
Really it all depends on what kind of control deck your going for. Is it blue based? If so, Intuition/Loam or Standstill are the best engines, and depending on those engines depends on the win condition. Is it black based? If so, Haunting Echoes seems solid, but what are your splash colors? Is it white based? If so, I'd go with Elspeth 100%. (I could keep going on with the color bases but you get the point).
Gigapede is underrated, indeed.
Otherwise, I'm looking at Korlash. Seriously, that dude is so fucking great, I don't get why he sees no play.
He costs 4, grows, regenerates and isn't a dead draw ever!
What's your pick for Red?
He also dies to the most common removal spell in the format, just like almost every other option. The point is finding one that's tricky to Swords. Planeswalkers, Shroud guys, and Sorceries (Echoes) all fill this role nicely.
Banefire if you play enough actual lands (non-fetchlands) to make it lethal.
I don't think there would be a Red Control Deck that could stall long enough to cast a lethal Banefire...
Fucking Mishra's Factory, although Elspeth is taking it's place. Seriously, some of you have some freudian thing with Tarmogoyf. Tarmogoyf can be included in Landstill, but Landstill players have kept on anal-raping me with Mishras and soldier tokens.
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Depends on if it's mono red or if it splashes a color. If it's mono red, the deck is really limited in options. It also depends what kind of mono red control deck it is. Shard Pheonix and Hammer of Bogardan used to be my favorite back in the day, even though they are no longer playable.What's your pick for Red?
Mishra's Factory is an option.
No red creatures have Shroud or I-win to make them truly great in a control shell (at least that I can think of), and there's not many non-creature spells either. Seismic Assault comes to mind, if the deck runs Crucible (not as potent as Loam, but it makes topdecked lands relevant).
In all honesty, I really don't know. Maybe that's why there is no prevalant mono red control deck right now.
Some form of Red Stax maybe? Welder sounds like a great win condition when combined with some great artifact fat.
Rifter ran, well, Lightning Rift... but it wasn't mono red.
Or Natural Order + Progentius. Sure it's one slot dedicated more, and if it gets countered is a 2x1, but is a 2-turn-clock guy. You need to make little changes to the build and get 4 noble hierarch in, but they aren't that bad (they are not just birds).
I tryed Elspeth and now my personal preference is Prog.
You guys are terrible.
Comprehensively:
Gigapede, Grave-Shell Scarab, Eternal Dragon, Decree of Justice, Vitu-Ghazi, Urza's Factory, most Planeswalkers. Haunting Echoes. Burning Wish. Any Wish, for that matter.
Utilibeats, but then you need to run more of them. They're also control/card draw slots though, depending on what creature you put there. Cards like Trinket Mage, Shriekmaw, FtK, Wickerbough, Kitchen Finks, Jens, Bob. You need to be careful though. Presumably you're running some sweepers. I like Venser and Masked Admirers a lot too. Eternal Witness is fantastic. Actually, Eternal Witness is probably the winner in this category.
In green, then, Gigapede and Witness. In white, E. Dragon and Decree. In blue, Urza's Factory and Meloku. In black, Haunting Echoes and Helldozer/Oona/Soren (in order of what's probably the worst to best). In red, Burning Wish and your burn spells generally.
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