Battle of Wits!

[Jak]

From the Battle of Wits draft thread, it got me interested in putting one together to see how it looks and plays (MWS for me since the deck would be ridiculously expensive). I figured a community deck building thread built around the card would be fun to put together. I know Fakespam put one together a while back and played it in some tournaments so hopefully he can come in a help the deck out.

Rules for posting

1) Please, when recommending a card, include how many.

2) When recommending a card, include a reason for its inclusion. I will ignore all posts of just a card suggestion.

3) No lists. The purpose of this thread is to build the deck as a community. I am sure all of us could throw together a list of legacy staples.


I will update the opening post and keep the updated list on each page.

So....

4 Battle of Wits

Decklist (so far)
UWgb Battle of Wits

Lands
4 City of Brass
4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah
4 Underground Sea
4 Bayou
4 Scrubland
4 Flooded Strand
4 Windswept Heath
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Academy Ruins
1 Volrath's Stronghold
1 Dust Bowl
1 Lonely Sandbar
1 Secluded Steppe
1 Barren Moor

Acceleration / Mana Fixing
4 Pentad Prism
4 Coalition Relic

Draw
4 Ancestral Visions
4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Brainstorm
4 Jace
4 Fact or Fiction
3 Deep Anal

Tutors
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Mystical Tutor
4 Wordly Tutor
4 Sterling Grove
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Idyllic Tutor
4 Trinket Mage
4 Intuition
4 Gifts Ungiven

Counters
4 Force of Will
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Counterspell
4 Forbid
4 Spell Snare

Discard
4 Cabal Therapy

Removal / Creature Control
4 Engineered Explosives
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Path to Exile
4 Condemn
4 Vedalken Shackles
4 Pernicious Deed
4 Krosan Grip
4 Humility
4 Moat
4 Wrath of God
1 Exile into Darkness

GY Hate
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Relic of Progenitus

Recursion
4 Life from the Loam
4 Crucible of Worlds
3 Replenish
1 Regrowth
1 Reclaim

Multi-purpose
4 Bant Charm

Creatures
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Eternal Witness
4 Trinket Mage
4 Vendilion Clique
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Sower of Temptation
4 Academy Rector
1 Etched Oracle
1 Gigapede
1 Shriekmaw
1 Genesis
1 Squee
1 Wonder

Other Win Cons
4 Decree of Justice
4 Elspeth
1 Mirari's Wake
1 Mindslaver

Win
4 Battle of the Wits

[rockout]

4x enlightened tutor

Fetches battle of witts and is in a nice color of white being a good compliment and control color for battle of witts.

[MULocke]

4 Force of Will - Otherwise, you lose to Belcher.

[MMogg]

How about 4 Academy Rector (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=15138): splashable and able to get the BoW into play.

[Jak]

4 Counterspell

Helps Force of Will in the counter department.

[MMogg]

4 Battle of Wits

Come to think of it, how about 3 Battle of Wits and 4 Golden Wish instead? :laugh:

[Valtrix]

4x Sensei's diving top.

I mean, with the amount of tutoring/draw/fetch effects in the deck I can see it helping out a lot. We run 4 because we're not worried about multiples :P (Wow, this deck is looking like thresh already...OH NO)

EDIT: Golden wish is too much fail D: I wish it cost three, because then it'd be playable. More than burning/living because of the increased target count, but still reasonable to use.

[MMogg]

4x Sensei's diving top.

I mean, with the amount of tutoring/draw/fetch effects in the deck I can see it helping out a lot. We run 4 because we're not worried about multiples :P (Wow, this deck is looking like thresh already...OH NO)

EDIT: Golden wish is too much fail D: I wish it cost three, because then it'd be playable. More than burning/living because of the increased target count, but still reasonable to use.

I agree Golden Wish sucks, but I mean, we're talking about Battle of Wits here! :laugh: I don't think it's that viable. It would be so slow to start with, I don't think the :3::w::w: would take so long to get. You could run City of Traitors or something. :wink:

[puppektion]

I've always used 4x brainspoil. Transmutes for battle, and doubles as removal (albeit a little slow for that purpose)

[sunshine]

4x Idyllic Tutor. Since we play 230+ cards.

[AngryTroll]

4x Spoils of the Vault

But really,

4 x Life from the Loam

[radioactive yak]

4 brainstorm - the deck is blue.

[heroicraptor]

4 Ponder
4 Portent

[Jak]

4 Fact or Fiction

More draw is good.

I'll update the opening post with the cards added.

[MTG-Fan]

4 Yoked Plowbeast

[Valtrix]

How color intensive do we want to be? I think that if we're going to bother putting a list together we need to decide how many colors it should be. So far we need :w::u::u::b::b::g:, which seems too intensive with over 200 cards, even with good fixing.

[cdr]

140x Relentless Rats.

(Someone actually played Battle of Wits in a Big Arse tournament back in the day.)

[Jak]

4 Yoked Plowbeast

...

I agree with Valtrix and I think limiting it to UWx would be a good idea. Now the question is to go with black or green or red.

[B0W53R]

Mystical Tutor. You are running blue and it can fetch Idyllic/Enlightened Tutor. It could also get Replenish which would be hot with dredging Loam or Attunement. Sterling Grove could also get BoW or protect it and looks like its in color if you are gonna run Loam.

[Valtrix]

I think it should probably be straight UW. They're going to give the best tutoring/control, and I guess I don't see another color adding enough to compensate the possible inconsistency, but maybe I'm wrong. (Green gives us goyf/sterling grove/grip/other/Knight of the Reliquary/loam)

Also:
4x Tundra (Obligatory)

[Jak]

I think green could definitely be a worthwhile splash. It also gives some recursion.

So...

4 Intuition

[Valtrix]

Then we have got to go for the...
4x Gifts Ungiven (Stupid recursion)

Funny story, I had a game back in the day when I was playing Niv-Mizzet combo (Yeah, long time ago). We were in round 3 of the tournament, and match 3 of our game. We get to time, and I have a Niv-Mizzet on the board but no curiosity. It's Turn 2 (mine) and he gifts EOT. He gets a pile of swords/battle/something/something. Anyway, I get rid of the removal and let him have battle, so he plays it. On my turn I use the top that I have in play to get curiosity 3rd from the top. That was a pretty epic game. I really wanted to win, so I didn't let him remove my dragon. I figured it was probably right, since I also had a condescend to dig 2 further if I needed to.

[Elfrago]

4 Force of Will - Otherwise, you lose to Belcher.

And with 4 FoW in a 240+ card deck things change drastically...:laugh:

4 Misdirection - Force 5-8 to protect Battle of Wits

[THEchubbymuffin]

At least 1 Replenish for Intuition and Gift stacks probably.

[MMogg]

I think it should probably be straight UW. They're going to give the best tutoring/control, and I guess I don't see another color adding enough to compensate the possible inconsistency, but maybe I'm wrong. (Green gives us goyf/sterling grove/grip/other/Knight of the Reliquary/loam)

Also:
4x Tundra (Obligatory)

and 4 Flooded Strand, equally obligatory, especially if this deck does splash a third colour.

[Windux]

Last month a friend of mine played BoW at a tournament.
He didn't went that good, but also because he made some bad play errors
(Wtf? SB 4 Plagues against Goblins, but he didn't boarded it and instead searching Plagues, he searched Moat with his Rector and loose to SGC)

Pre M10

// Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
7 [ALA] Plains (1)
2 [8E] Salt Marsh
4 [U] Tundra
4 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [FUT] River of Tears
4 [8E] City of Brass
4 [IA] Adarkar Wastes
4 [ALA] Swamp (1)
10 [ALA] Island (1)
4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
4 [DIS] Hallowed Fountain
1 [TSP] Academy Ruins
4 [FUT] Tolaria West
2 [IA] Underground River
4 [ON] Flooded Strand
4 [ON] Bloodstained Mire
1 [DK] Maze of Ith
4 [ON] Lonely Sandbar
4 [SHM] Mystic Gate
4 [TE] Reflecting Pool
2 [GP] Godless Shrine
4 [RAV] Watery Grave
4 [U] Underground Sea
2 [FUT] Nimbus Maze
4 [U] Scrubland
1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 [MM] Dust Bowl

// Creatures
3 [LRW] Liliana Vess
3 [LRW] Jace Beleren
4 [FD] Trinket Mage
3 [ALA] Elspeth, Knight-Errant
4 [UD] Academy Rector

// Spells
4 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
4 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus
4 [FD] Engineered Explosives
3 [DIS] Azorius Signet
4 [WL] Mind Stone
3 [FD] Vedalken Shackles
4 [MR] Talisman of Dominance
4 [RAV] Dimir Signet
2 [PLC] Damnation
2 [ON] Smother
1 [FUT] Slaughter Pact
4 [BD] Diabolic Edict
4 [AP] Vindicate
1 [MM] Trade Routes
3 [IN] Fact or Fiction
4 [DIS] Spell Snare
3 [LRW] Cryptic Command
1 [FUT] Pact of Negation
4 [CST] Brainstorm
4 [LRW] Ponder
4 [7E] Counterspell
4 [JU] Cunning Wish
4 [7E] Force Spike
4 [9E] Mana Leak
4 [GP] Repeal
1 [CHK] Gifts Ungiven
4 [FNM] Impulse
4 [AL] Force of Will
3 [TE] Intuition
4 [9E] Battle of Wits
4 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge
3 [CNF] Path to Exile
4 [IA] Swords to Plowshares
4 [6E] Enlightened Tutor
4 [LG] Moat
4 [10E] Wrath of God
1 [TE] Humility
4 [10E] Condemn
4 [ALA] Esper Charm
3 [PS] Dromar's Charm
2 [GP] Mortify

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [FUT] Slaughter Pact
SB: 1 [IN] Fact or Fiction
SB: 1 [LRW] Cryptic Command
SB: 1 [TE] Intuition
SB: 1 [CNF] Path to Exile
SB: 1 [DS] Echoing Truth
SB: 1 [IN] Dismantling Blow
SB: 1 [US] Stroke of Genius
SB: 1 [7E] Evacuation
SB: 1 [DS] Pulse of the Fields
SB: 1 [AQ] Hurkyl's Recall


SB was more done at the tournament, so we putted in 4 Plagues.

[MartijnTiny]

You really need: Traumatize + Worm harvest.

[AngryTroll]

+4 Crucible of Worlds

Crucible and Life from the Loam = lots of land drops. When you start to run out of slots, you can probably cut a LftL, but not until then.

[rufus]

Kaho, Minamo Historian

[rockout]

At least 1 Replenish for Intuition and Gift stacks probably.

Might as well call for a 4 of since we are running 250ish cards.

[Anusien]

An important part of Battle decklists is always that they have the best threats and win with Battle only about half the time or so.

4 Force of Will
4 Counterbalance
4 Counterspell
4 Spell Snare

4 Tarmogoyf
4 Sower of Temptation
4 Vedalken Shackles
4 Trinket Mage
4 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

4 Nevinyrral's Disk
4 Wrath of God
4 Moat
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Path to Exile

4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
4 Fact or Fiction
4 Jace Beleren
4 Impulse

There are the first 80 cards...

[Windux]

Counterbalance just sucks 90% of the time you reveal a card (+manipultion).

You also need so much spotremoval.
So combine it in multiple choice cards (Esper Charm, Dromars Charm etc).
Also, green is such a bad color in this deck.

Goyf....wow Goyf..he sucks in 240 card-decks because green sucks in 240 card decks ;)

[mossivo1986]

If it were me I'd splash green for Life from the loam, krosan grip

Also playable in this should be AK, Intuition, then you could hard lock with Forbid.

Forbid+ LFTL seems teh nuts.

I think crucible needs to find its way as a one of as well.

E tutor obviously

[Wrath_Of_Houlding]

Green could also be used to land-thin...surely desirable in a 240 card deck.

[electrolyze]

How about survival+ the whole cool creature package? I think it would be a good addition to the deck.

[Wrath_Of_Houlding]

Lets just put Thresh, Merfolk, Survival together, add some tutors and BoWs.

[Jak]

I really didn't want this to turn into people just posting long lists of cards that should go in...

4 Wrath of God

The deck needs to be able to play the control role.

Edit - To make things easier, I am posting the list at least every page.

Decklist (so far)
UWg Battle of the Wits

Lands
4 Tundra
4 Flooded Strand

Draw
4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Brainstorm
4 Fact or Fiction

Tutors
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Mystical Tutor
4 Idyllic Tutor
4 Intuition
4 Gifts Ungiven

Counters
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
4 Forbid

Removal
4 Wrath of God

Recursion
4 Life from the Loam
4 Crucible of Worlds
4 Replenish

Creatures
4 Academy Rector

Win
4 Battle of the Wits

[jimirynk]

If your running intuition+gifts+ replenish Id go with
+ 1 Academy ruins Lock
+4 Threads of Disloyalty good with gift/intuition/replenish
+4 E.E Lock
+1 Dustbowl Lock
+1 regrowth NEEDED FOR GIFT PILES!
+1 tormonds crypt vs. dredge, and Loam decks.
Makes for the dumb nut intuition/ gift piles.

Also 2-3 replenish is the right number.
Your only ever going to want to see it when you gifts for like battle, regrowth, replenish, fow?

I know that stupid possibility with it but This deck is slow and if you have a replenish in your opening 7 it REALLY hurts this deck.

Just saying.

Also you need 4 moat AND 4 humility to even dream about beating Agg./dredge.

[bruno_tiete]

4 Pentad Prism

It fixes mana and accelarates whatever business you have to play.


Jak, I believe several cards, mainly on color duals and fetchs are given. Could we just consider 16 fetchs and 12 duals are in?

[TheBirdMan]

I have played battle for a while and this list can drop battle/Exalted Angel turn 2.


// Lands
4 [ON] Flooded Strand
4 [ON] Bloodstained Mire
4 [ON] Windswept Heath
4 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [AN] City of Brass
7 [MR] Plains (4)
11 [U] Swamp (1)
4 [10E] Adarkar Wastes
4 [IA] Underground River
4 [EVE] Fetid Heath
10 [5E] Island (3)
4 [R] Tundra
4 [SHM] Mystic Gate
4 [SHM] Sunken Ruins
4 [RAV] Watery Grave
4 [A] Underground Sea
4 [A] Scrubland
4 [GP] Godless Shrine
4 [DIS] Hallowed Fountain

// Creatures
4 [UD] Academy Rector
4 [ON] Exalted Angel
4 [FUT] Tombstalker

// Spells
4 [AL] Lim-Dul's Vault
2 [U] Wrath of God
1 [PLC] Damnation
3 [FD] Engineered Explosives
4 [8E] Merchant Scroll
3 [UD] Replenish
4 [FNM] Duress
1 [WL] Argivian Find
1 [CH] Feldon's Cane

4 [OD] Diabolic Tutor
4 [PS] Diabolic Intent
4 [RAV] Brainspoil
4 [WL] Abeyance
4 [PS] Orim's Chant
4 [MOR] Idyllic Tutor
4 [MI] Enlightened Tutor
1 [LG] Moat
4 [IN] Fact or Fiction
4 [TO] Cabal Ritual
4 [5E] Dark Ritual
4 [DIS] Infernal Tutor
4 [PY] Rhystic Tutor
4 [ST] Grim Tutor
4 [AL] Force of Will
4 [MM] Brainstorm
4 [FNM] Impulse
4 [PT] Personal Tutor
4 [MI] Mystical Tutor
4 [CHK] Gifts Ungiven
4 [TE] Intuition
4 [LRW] Ponder
4 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
4 [OD] Battle of Wits
4 [AL] Force of Will

4 [TE] Lotus Petal
4 [MI] Lion's Eye Diamond
4 [SH] Mox Diamond
4 [MR] Chrome Mox

[mossivo1986]

Notes for the Battle of Wits deck
cards 250

lands 99
Slots to work with151

rough breakdown
draw 40
removal 40
permission 40
win 15
utility 15

Lands
Fetches:
4 Flooded
4 Polluted
4 Windswept Heath
3 Wooded Foothills

Duals:
4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Breeding Pool
2 Temple Garden

Basics:
10 Island
10 Plains
5 Forest

Utility (Safely run 26)
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Wasteland
3 Tolaria West
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Tabernacle at pendral Vale
2 Maze of ith
1 Urza's Factory
1 Mikokoro, Center of the Sea
2 Academy Ruins

6 slots left

Draw: 40
4 SDT
4 FOF
4 Intuition
4 Jace
4 Thirst for knowledge
4 Accmulative knowledge
4 Anscestral Visions
4 Sylvan Library
4 Gifts Ungiven
4 brainstorm

Removal:44
4 STP
4 Path
4 Condemn
4 EE
4 Wrath
4 Disk
4 Humility
4 Moat
4 Route
4 Vedalken Shackles
4 Oblivian Ring
4 runed
Permission: 28
4 Force
4 Counterspell
4 Counterbalance
4 Mana Leak
3 Forbid

Utility Creatures:
4 Weathered Wayferor
4 Trinket Mage
4 Vendillion Clique

Utility: 14
4 Life From The Loam
4 Cunning Wish
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Crucible of worlds
4 Eternal Witness

Win:
4 Battle of Wits
4 Elspeth Knight Errant
1 Mind Slaver
4 Decree of Justice
4 Academy Rector

-Want to find space for the following combos/ synergys

E Tutor
Mana Severance/ Charbelcher
Painter/ Grindstone
Sceptor/chant?
Tezzeret?
Replenish?
Salvagers combo?

[Jak]

4 Pentad Prism

It fixes mana and accelarates whatever business you have to play.


Jak, I believe several cards, mainly on color duals and fetchs are given. Could we just consider 16 fetchs and 12 duals are in?

Yeah, I can get with that.

4 Windswept Heath
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah

I'll go ahead and add 4 Vedalken Shackles since the deck will most likely be heavy blue and this will help against aggro.

Decklist (so far 120 cards)
UWg Battle of Wits

Lands
4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah
4 Flooded Strand
4 Windswept Heath
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wooded Foothills
1 Academy Ruins
1 Dust Bowl

Acceleration / Mana Fixing
4 Pentad Prism

Draw
4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Brainstorm
4 Fact or Fiction

Tutors
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Mystical Tutor
4 Idyllic Tutor
4 Intuition
4 Gifts Ungiven

Counters
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
4 Forbid

Removal / Creature Control
4 Vedalken Shackles
4 Humility
4 Moat
4 Wrath of God
4 Engineered Explosives

Recursion
4 Life from the Loam
4 Crucible of Worlds
3 Replenish
1 Regrowth

Creatures
4 Academy Rector

Win
4 Battle of the Wits

[Valtrix]

4 Elspeth, Knight Errant

She's too good to not include. I love things that are both win and creature control.

[AngryTroll]

Don't forget the cycling lands. Unless you need the removal or counterspell right now, your Gifts pile should almost always be Life from the Loam and three cycling lands.

[Jak]

Don't forget the cycling lands. Unless you need the removal or counterspell right now, your Gifts pile should almost always be Life from the Loam and three cycling lands.

How many? 1 of each enough?

I'll go ahead and add 4 Spell Snare since it rocks Legacy

Decklist (so far)
UWg Battle of Wits

Lands
4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah
4 Flooded Strand
4 Windswept Heath
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wooded Foothills
1 Academy Ruins
1 Dust Bowl
1 Lonely Sandbar
1 Tranquil Thicket
1 Secluded Steppe

Acceleration / Mana Fixing
4 Pentad Prism

Draw
4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Brainstorm
4 Fact or Fiction

Tutors
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Mystical Tutor
4 Idyllic Tutor
4 Intuition
4 Gifts Ungiven

Counters
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
4 Forbid
4 Spell Snare

Removal / Creature Control
4 Vedalken Shackles
4 Humility
4 Moat
4 Wrath of God
4 Engineered Explosives

Recursion
4 Life from the Loam
4 Crucible of Worlds
3 Replenish
1 Regrowth

Planeswalkers
4 Elspeth

Creatures
4 Academy Rector

Win
4 Battle of the Wits

[electrolyze]

Why not add Jace to the draw section? I think its a really good draw engine for a control deck.

[Jason]

4 Trinket Mage to find Sensei's Divining Top and...

1 Tormod's Crypt in the main
1 Relic of Progenitus in the main
Both of these are tutorable by Trinket Mage and Enlightened Tutor and keep you from scooping to Ichorid/Loam decks

[Malchar]

land thinning: scouting trek + traumatize

[ThatGuyThere]

Isocron Scepter

More of what's working is probably going to help.

Also, with that many fetches, low-commitment splashes are very manageable, and if you agree - Vindicate, and Deed.

Also, a guy to follow you around and shuffle that mother for you.

PS -

land thinning: scouting trek + traumatize

No Traumatize, we have Jace. Also, if ~this~, then Worm Harvest.

[AngryTroll]

Nah, not one of each cycling land. You're a blue based control deck, right? You don't want a green one, because you'll already be casting LftL. White looks like your most dominant splash color, so either three Lonely Sandbar, or Two Sandbar, one Secluded Steppe.

Also, 4 Decree of Justice.

[TheCramp]

Eternal Dragon seems good.

[Jak]

4 Swords to Plowshares because cheap removal is good.

I'll go ahead and also go for 4 Path to Exile and 4 Condemn.

Edit-

If we go by most control decks (ie Landstill), the numbers for a random list are...

Draw (10) = 17% (so around 41 card drawers for us)
Counters (10) = 17% (again, around 41)
Lands (24) = 40% (so 100 for us)
Removal (14) = 23% (so about 58 for us)
Win (3, not including manlands) = 5% (so between 12 and 13 for us)

Now, the deck doesn't need to follow exactly like this, but it is a good structure.

[rockout]

What about 4x mystical tutor? Goes and gets any of our other tutors/replenish/removal and so on.

Mana severance might be an interesting play with goblin charbelcher as an alternate win condition.

[Jak]

What about 4x mystical tutor? Goes and gets any of our other tutors/replenish/removal and so on.

Mana severance might be an interesting play with goblin charbelcher as an alternate win condition.

Already in.

I think trying to run a two card combo is weak when you might as well get Battle. I'd rather see the slots go to something like removal or counters, etc.

[MMogg]

I think it was mentioned, but it doesn't seem to have made it into the deck: Sterling Grove (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=23181). Protect BoW or search for it.

[CallMeLiam]

Feldon's Cane or Gaea's Blessing might be an idea, so you can still win if someone mills you down to >200

[Valtrix]

I really feel like Knight of the Reliquary should be in there as a 4 of. He's a great beater/win condition, and with the amount of space we have he can probably go get a lot of very useful lands, as well as accelerating our mana.

[Paradigm Shift]

Nah, not one of each cycling land. You're a blue based control deck, right? You don't want a green one, because you'll already be casting LftL. White looks like your most dominant splash color, so either three Lonely Sandbar, or Two Sandbar, one Secluded Steppe.

Also, 4 Decree of Justice.

Considering the fact that you said every gifts pile should be 3 cycling lands + loam, your logic looks pretty terrible (here is the hint: you can't gifts for 3 sandbars + 1 loam).

It would probably be smart to run 2 of each cycling land, giving you a chance to restart your loam engine if your GY ever gets nailed for some reason.

Another suggestion would be to run a single copy of each of the COPs (or more realistically, COPs green red and black.) Or if you prefer, you could try the Runes of Protection since they cycle, but they also require white mana for each activation, so that doesn't seem great.

Krosan Verge is worth considering if you want more mana consistancy, at the price of speed.

A single copy of Mirari's Wake seems like a useful tutor target for occasions where you want lots of mana (Mindslaver lock, or Loam/Cycling recursion) and as a way to make your Decree's truly game winning.

It's also worth considering Drift of Phantasms, Dizzy Spell, and Muddle the Mixture. Drift finds Idyllic Tutor -> Battle, as well as being a blocker/tutor for other cards. Dizzy finds removal or E. Tutor -> Battle. Muddle finds good ol' Counterspell, Regrowth, and any other 2-drops that get added in the future.

Also, it's strange I haven't seen anyone suggest Bant Charm yet. It's creature removal, artifact removal, and functions as a situational counter. It seems anything that can serve multiple purposes warrants a look.

[elof]

How about Muddle the Mixture? It's a counter that searches for Sterling Grove, Lftl, removal and what not.

[Giles]

1 Exile into Darkness, an amazing recuring thing of removal.

[Jak]

1 Exile into Darkness, an amazing recuring thing of removal.

It's black.

Also, updated the list.

[Malchar]

land thinning: scouting trek + traumatize

I guess you could also use Mana Severence or Endless Horizons to thin out the deck more efficiently.

Crumbling Sanctuary or perhaps Parallel Thoughts, anyone?

[JeroenC]

People. Why on earth would you thin out a deck about Battle of the Wits?

[Giles]

It's black.

Also, updated the list.

Does that really matter?
This is a Intuition Control Deck, running a single black source will not ruin anything.

Also add 2x Underground sea. This thing needs more lands.

[Pulp_Fiction]

Adding in Survival of the Fittest and giving the deck a toolbox seems like a great idea.

Also, Worldly Tutor should be included so it can fetch out Rector.

As far as the SB goes, you really don't need one, adding in 4x of something is not going to have much of an impact ... so I think you should play Living Wish, Cunning Wish, and even Golden Wish and make you entire SB wish targets.

The deck should function like a control deck but have Survival/toolbox and Intuition piles as a backup plan.

Something interesting that no one has suggested, is Enduring Ideal an option? It can fetch the primary win condition or fetch something immediately necessary to not lose.

As far as mana fixing, Coalition Relic is probably the best mana fixer in the game, I would certainly add those in.

[Giles]

I agree of adding 4 some sort of wish board. Also, do the following:

Add 4 Vendilion Clique to this deck, they are insane.
Add 1 Gigapede

[rockout]

Enduring Ideal deserves a slot. You can run 1ofs energy field, confinement, form of the dragon, moat, humility, so on so on.

[chokin]

Drift of Phantasms. Transmutes for Idyllic Tutor, Intuition, Jace, Trinket Mage, Shackles, Crucible. I suppose Tutor is the best one to go for though. If you ran black, Brainspoil is faster, but less flexible.

[AngryTroll]

Considering the fact that you said every gifts pile should be 3 cycling lands + loam, your logic looks pretty terrible (here is the hint: you can't gifts for 3 sandbars + 1 loam).

Huh, look at that. The only time I've ever cast a Gifts is in Highlander.

You're running a 230 card deck. It's ok to be four colors. Black offers some pretty amazing stuff, and your green splash is probably going to be relatively small (unless you start making a Survival toolbox, in which case you definitely want black available for removal).

[Jak]

Huh, look at that. The only time I've ever cast a Gifts is in Highlander.

You're running a 230 card deck. It's ok to be four colors. Black offers some pretty amazing stuff, and your green splash is probably going to be relatively small (unless you start making a Survival toolbox, in which case you definitely want black available for removal).

I am not against adding black, but I just thought people wanted to leave it at three colors to avoid mana screw as much as possible.

Since we are adding black...

4 Pernicious Deed because it is the best Sweeper.

Edit - sorry it took so long to update this, I just got back.

[Jak]

Decklist (so far)
UWgb Battle of Wits

Lands
4 City of Brass
4 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah
4 Underground Sea
4 Bayou
4 Scrubland
4 Flooded Strand
4 Windswept Heath
4 Polluted Delta
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Bloodstained Mire
1 Academy Ruins
1 Dust Bowl
1 Lonely Sandbar
1 Secluded Steppe
1 Barren Moor

Acceleration / Mana Fixing
4 Pentad Prism
4 Coalition Relic

Draw
4 Sensei's Divining Top
4 Brainstorm
4 Jace
4 Fact or Fiction

Tutors
4 Enlightened Tutor
4 Mystical Tutor
4 Wordly Tutor
4 Sterling Grove
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Idyllic Tutor
4 Trinket Mage
4 Intuition
4 Gifts Ungiven

Counters
4 Force of Will
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Counterspell
4 Forbid
4 Spell Snare

Removal / Creature Control
4 Engineered Explosives
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Path to Exile
4 Condemn
4 Vedalken Shackles
4 Pernicious Deed
4 Humility
4 Moat
4 Wrath of God
1 Exile into Darkness

GY Hate
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Relic of Progenitus

Recursion
4 Life from the Loam
4 Crucible of Worlds
3 Replenish
1 Regrowth

Multi-purpose
4 Bant Charm

Creatures
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Vendilion Clique
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Academy Rector
1 Gigapede

Other Win Cons
4 Decree of Justice
4 Elspeth
1 Mirari's Wake

Win
4 Battle of the Wits

[ScatmanX]

With the new rules, your opponent cannot simply cut your deck, he must Shuffle it. Do you think that, in a deck with so many cards, tutors, Survivals, the game can often end in a draw due to time?

[ParkerLewis]

With the new rules, your opponent cannot simply cut your deck, he must Shuffle it. Do you think that, in a deck with so many cards, tutors, Survivals, the game can often end in a draw due to time?

Isn't that the main goal ? I thought this was a kick at the DCI for banning Shahrazad. Hence the full-on 20 fetches. Where are the 4x Traumatize, by the way ? Counting thie whole thing once, then counting another half of it will go a long way.

Also, 4x Gaea's Blessing. You want to do that repeatedly.

Newsflash : Fucker counts 360 cards, puts into graveyard, then shuffles back

[cdr]

With the new rules, your opponent cannot simply cut your deck, he must Shuffle it. Do you think that, in a deck with so many cards, tutors, Survivals, the game can often end in a draw due to time?

Incorrect. The rules have always technically required you to shuffle your opponent's deck.

[Giles]

Add 1x Etched Oracle, 1x Shreikmaw, 1x Volrath's Stronghold

Maybe add: 4x Ancestral Vision, 3x Deep Anal, 2x Sower of Temptation, Some amount of Krosan Grips.

Edit: This thing is 214 cards and 53 lands. Some cuts need to be made.

[Jak]

Add 1x Etched Oracle, 1x Shreikmaw, 1x Volrath's Stronghold

Maybe add: 4x Ancestral Vision, 3x Deep Anal, 2x Sower of Temptation, Some amount of Krosan Grips.

Edit: This thing is 214 cards and 53 lands. Some cuts need to be made.

Yeah, I was just going for a giant list, and then that list would be cut down.

Edit- 4 Cabal Therapy for a sac outlets to Rector.

Gifts---> 1 Therapy, 1 Rector, 1 Reanimate, 1 Necromancy or something

[JeroenC]

Incorrect. The rules have always technically required you to shuffle your opponent's deck.

Wait what? So I can't just give it a tap and say "it's okay" or even just cut it? I have to go through the entire routine of shuffling it? What's the penalty for this.

[Giles]

Wait what? So I can't just give it a tap and say "it's okay" or even just cut it? I have to go through the entire routine of shuffling it? What's the penalty for this.

If it is just FNM, no one should give a shit.
If it is a PTQ or higher, shuffle it.

EDIT:
@Jak.:Alright.

Also, add: a Mindslaver, a Reclaim, and an Eternal Witness.

[Jak]

If it is just FNM, no one should give a shit.
If it is a PTQ or higher, shuffle it.

EDIT:
@Jak.:Alright.

Also, add: a Mindslaver, a Reclaim, and an Eternal Witness.

This is going to be 250 cards or so, so having 4 Eternal Witness shouldn't hurt.

I'll go ahead and add the Survival package, 1 Squee, 1 Genesis, 1 Wonder.

[Mr.C]

Where's pact of negation? I assume it would be decent.

[beastman]

This deck doesn't have nearly enough creatures for survival to be effecient.

[majikal]

OMG this deck. You should add 4x Ponder just for more shuffling.