[Deck] U/R/w Control (Scepter Dragonauts)

[Hanni]

I've been toying with U, R, W Scepter builds off an on for a while trying to find something viable, since the deck is a blast to play. I looked at the most recent decklist I had today and decided to change it up. Before getting into details, let me post the list I came up with:

U/R/w Control (Scepter Dragonauts)

Lands (18)
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
4 Volcanic Island
3 Tundra
2 Island
2 Academy Ruins

Creatures (4)
4 Wee Dragonauts

Spells (38)
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions
4 Magma Jet
3 Fire//Ice
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Swords to Plowshares
2 Engineered Explosives
4 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
4 Isochron Scepter

Sideboard (15)
3 Stifle
4 Meddling Mage
4 Pyroclasm
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Engineered Explosives
2 Orim's Chant

I'd like to begin by saying that this deck differs greatly from most control decks... it runs cantrip, a low land count, and no mass removal maindeck aside from Engineered Explosives. Instead of using mass removal to gain card advantage, the deck hangs on with 1 for 1 trades until it can establish Isochron Scepter to create virtual card advantage, with cantrip to keep the deck fluid. Isochron Scepter, in itself, shapes the rest of the entire deck... the majority of the deck is 1cc and 2cc instants. The cc's, along with the cantrip, allow the deck to run a low land base and extra business spells. Most of the removal is burn, which can be aimed to the dome against combo. This makes very little of the deck actually dead against the combo matchup. As an alternate, and very strong win condition, I added Wee Dragonauts... the deck is already made up of mostly instants (and sorceries), and he is amazing in the deck. 3cc for a 1/3 flyer isn't too bad, since it pitches to FoW, but it can also swing for pretty big chunks (remember that an activated Scepter gives the Dragonauts +2/+0 since it puts the imprinted spell on the stack).

Now, most people argue that Scepter decks blow chunks in Legacy. I'm not really convinced that they do... the deck isn't format breaking by any means, but it holds its own against the top tier and other randomness. The deck does not auto-lose to Needle (which many seem to think) but it does hurt though... which is why I run 2 maindeck Engineered Explosives with 1 sideboard along with countermagic and the Dragonauts if necessary. The Academy Ruins does a nice job of recurring both Scepter and EE to keep things going. The deck is not slow either... it wants to achieve higher land counts but the deck can function throughout the early game on just 2 lands, with the Scepter making the demand on colored mana sources a lesser concern.

I wanted to fit in a basic Mountain into the maindeck but I didn't find it feasible so I left it out. I may try to rework the manabase to fit it if I find it necessary, though I doubt it because I have Stifles in the sideboard to handle Wasteland (and Ports don't really hurt this deck too bad).

I'm not really sure about %'s or favorabilities/unfavorabilites with this current version, but my sideboarding strategy for the Big 3 is thus:

Threshold
-3 Fire//Ice
-4 Lightning Bolt
+4 Meddling Mage
+2 Orim's Chant
+1 Engineered Explosives

Meddling Mage naming StP is pretty savage but it's also nice to stop Needle, Enforcer, etc. If Orim's Chant on a stick resolves (supposing they don't board in Naturalize or Disenchant), it's usually gg. On it's own, Orim's Chant is nice for helping me resolve spells vs Threshold and it can also steal tempo for them in certain situations. The Engineered Explosives handles Mongoose and Needle and can be recurred via Acadamy Ruins if possible/necessary. Wee Dragonauts is pretty good here since it can trade with all of their guys depending on how large I can pump it and the evasion is nice.

Goblins
-4 Counterspell
-1 StP
-2 Engineered Explosives
+4 Pyroclasm
+3 Stifle

Basically, I just play survival mode with 1-for-1'ing (or 2-for-1 with Fire//Ice sometimes) until I can get ahold of a Pyroclasm. Stifle protects my manabase, protects my Dragonauts from Incinerator, and stops the Goblin player from overwhelming me in card advantage (Matron/Ringleader). As long as they don't explode too much early on, I can handle their early assault. Pyroclasm is huge here, since once they are off aggro, I can usually keep them off aggro. Academy Ruins is great vs Tinkerer/Hooligan if Wasteland doesn't eat it and Isochron Scepter is extremely strong against Goblins (especially with Helix). Wee Dragonauts evades, which is amazing. It's 3-in-the-butt also lets me block anything besides Piledriver, which is pretty nice defensively.

Combo (Solidarity)
-2 StP
-2 Engineered Explosives
-3 Fire//Ice
+4 Meddling Mage
+3 Stifle

Basically, I just try to slow them down with my countermagic package (FoW/Counterspell/Stifle), Meddling Mage slows them down and beats, Wee Dragonauts beats pretty hard, and the burn goes straight to their face. My clock isn't very bad and my control package is pretty solid. I might actually drop 3 Scepters instead of 3 Fire//Ice... but I'm not completely sure.

Against TES or other Tendrils-based, Orim's Chant out of the board is pretty strong (especially if I can get it on a stick... then it's GG).

Overall, I think this deck is a blast to play and I think this current version is very solid. If anyone wants a more in-depth explanation of card choices, the quantity of those card choices, or gameplay/strategy, let me know and I'll be happy to explain.

[Taurelin]

Serum Visions is useful of course. Sadly it can't be imprinted. What about another instant solution, either Opt (if you want to stick to 1cc) or better Impulse (strong when imprinted, still strong if not).

Just speaking from my casual experience :smile: , sticking to the Izzet theme I would like to recommend Gelectrode. Looks expensive for what it does, but with all the instant madness you unleash it's really worth the fun. Just a win-more strategy, of course, but maybe rather win-more-beautifully.

[Aggro_zombies]

I think this deck looks interesting, but the number of lands bothers me. It seems like the best thing for the deck would be to keep four mana open as much as possible, two to use Scepter on your turn and pump the Dragonauts, and two for responses. With 18 lands...eh, it's possible, eventually. But I don't like "eventually." Furthermore, Dragonauts is worse than Lightning Angel unless you can give it at least +4/+0 per turn, which requires two spells to be played (translating into at least three mana, though with your curve it'll usually require four). Lightning Angel also has the ability to dodge a popped Explosives at three, should you need to resort to that, but that's neither here nor there. I guess you could also go for the "burn to their face" victory route with Dragonauts against non-combo decks, in which case you just need the three mana to play your guy and use Scepter on your turn thereafter.

So, I guess I actually have two beefs here: low land count, and Wee Dragonauts. The deck is a lot more proactive if you use Dragonauts as a win, don't get me wrong there...but Dragonauts also sucks hardcore if you're trying to keep the mana open to play a control-ish game too. In that respect, Lightning Angel requires less maintenance, but the downside is it also can't attack for as much as the Dragonauts can, provided you play enough spells. I suppose in the end it's up to your playstyle, so that if you want to be more proactive (and it seems that you do), the Dragonauts are probably better, and vice versa if you want to play the deck in a more controlling style.

EDIT: Gelectrode is beyond horrible in a competitive deck. It dies to absolutely EVERYTHING, it goes belly-up to Needle, and it doesn't have haste. It's fun for casual, though.

[aisman132000]

why don't you play lightning angel instead of Dragonauts? Dragonauts seems really janky and pretty awful. I mean at least lightning angel doesn't die to bolt and plays offense and defense equally well.

[Maverick676]

Only 18 land in a scepter control deck? Seems bad, you might want to rethink that. You might just want to run an already proven list for scepter control since it is already a well developed archetype. As far as wee dragonaughts, why run these over exalted angels?

[Hanni]

Lightning Angel is 4cc and requires that I have all 3 color sources available... of which, I tend to only fetch 1 Tundra and sometimes it gets popped (5 maindeck white spells that can be played aternatively with Scepter). The difference between 4cc and 3cc is pretty big actually, although I can see why Lightning Angel would be a bit better (bigger butt, haste + vigilance). I'll consider it, though I've been pretty pleased with the Dragonauts so far (turn 3 Dragonauts turn 4 Brainstorm, Visions, Lightning Bolt, Lightning Bolt = 15 damage, and I had that happen to me in a game earlier today).

I really don't like Gelectrode. 0/1 for 3cc is bad and the fact that it pings for 1 and untaps really doesn't seem that good... especially when Dragonauts deals 2 extra damage rather than 1 per spell played.

Serum Visions doesn't degrade the strategy of the deck because it's a sorcery... I have yet to find myself wanting to put a cantrip on a stick, aside from Magma Jet (which isn't really a cantrip but the scry effect in addition to 2 damage is wonderful). The cantrip is their to fuel me into other instants, primarily burn... and I'd rather have burn on a stick instead. Additionally, Visions still pumps Dragonauts.

Why would 18 land be too little? This deck has 8 cantrip + 4 Magma Jet if you're using Fire and not Ice. In addition to that, the deck doesn't need more than 2 lands to function unless you have an active Scepter or want to cast Dragonauts, in which case I've yet to have serious mana issues in the 15 or so games I've playtested this deck on MWS so far (although triple Wasteland did screw me pretty bad one game). I do agree that more lands in play are better; 4+ in play is great. I hate drawing into too many lands though and the fact that I get more business spells than lands helps me play the 1-for-1 game when I don't have Dragonauts or Scepter active.

Aside from that, I don't run Exalted Angel because of the mana cost. 3+4=7, and this deck doesn't support that (18 lands, no Tombs/Moxes/City's). Lightning Angel is about as high cc wise that I'd like to go with this deck, although I'm not even sure I'd rather run them over Wee Dragonauts (I need to test them though).

Maverick, what do you mean an already proven list? You mean and Extended port? I'd much rather create my own variant of what I feel works well in URw Control and slowly shape it and mold it after playtesting and player input rather than start with a netdeck Extended shell. Honestly, I'm pretty content with the current itteration with the deck... I'll try out Lightning Angel, but I'm far from wanting to rework the deck. The deck works pretty well, I've won quite a few games on MWS with a deck most people consider garbage in Legacy. Regardless, I'm not presenting this as a deck that's going to warp the meta... I'm presenting it as a deck that's fun as hell to play and is actually a pretty good deck.

[Aggro_zombies]

Lightning Angel is 4cc and requires that I have all 3 color sources available... of which, I tend to only fetch 1 Tundra and sometimes it gets popped (5 maindeck white spells that can be played aternatively with Scepter). The difference between 4cc and 3cc is pretty big actually, although I can see why Lightning Angel would be a bit better (bigger butt, haste + vigilance). I'll consider it, though I've been pretty pleased with the Dragonauts so far (Brainstorm, Visions, Lightning Bolt = 10 damage).
Yeah, but what do you do if they aim an StP at it? You have to have a Force of Will or your wee little beaters are toast, because you won't have any mana left. You're only put in that position for one turn with Lightning Angel.

If you're going to add more lands to help support L.A., Barbarian Ring seems like a good start. With all the cheap spell shenanigans, you should get thresh pretty fast, in which case it's another way to nuke Silver Knight and other Pro: Red guys, or more burn to da face. Cephalid Coliseum could be interesting too, but that might be too much pain.

[Hanni]

Well, I've always been a fan of Vigilance (hence Avenger in my UWb Fish list rather than Serendib), so I will try it out. I'm still skeptical on the 4cc of all 3 colors though (going to be a huge pain vs Goblins)... However, Fledgling Dragon seems like it could be pretty good too (and take down Mystic Enforcers if need be). Maybe a 3/1 split or something, I dunno. I'll fool around on MWS and test a few different creature configs and see if I like them better than 4 Dragonauts.

The main thing that allured me to Dragonauts though was that it seemed like a UR Tog, 3cc multicolor and combo-esque in nature. The ability to be able to pump it 3-4 times in a turn to swing for a huge chunk was what initially attracted me to it... since the deck is completely built around instants (and sorceries). I liked how strong it was, in theory, against combo... putting the combo player on a 5 turn clock seemed pretty impressive for a control deck. Maybe a 3/1 split of Angel/Dragonauts would be good, I dunno. What I do know is that 2 Dragonauts gets pretty sick if I play a couple spells before I attack... but that may be a danger of cool plays.

For now, I'll test as thus:

-4 Wee Dragonauts
+3 Lightning Angel
+1 Polluted Delta

[gustoh]

Since the deck looks like it just wants to find Isochron Scepter, have you attempted to test Enlightened Tutor...?

LT...

[Aggro_zombies]

Since the deck looks like it just wants to find Isochron Scepter, have you attempted to test Enlightened Tutor...?

LT...
Enlightened Tutor isn't good here. All it gets are Scepters and Explosives, and having six maindeck targets for a tutor that results in an immediate card disadvantage isn't so...great. Also, his deck is perfectly capable of functioning without a Scepter in play - in fact, Scepter is more of an accessory to the deck (albeit an important one) rather than an all-important win card. In other words, having a Scepter in play is nice but not necessary to win. Maybe if he had some sort of artifact/enchantment toolbox, I could see the tutor being useful, but then that would then detract from the effectiveness of Scepter.

[Meekrab]

What are your preferred Imprints against Thresh Gobs and combo?

What is your current plan against a Survival deck? They're not Tier 1, but someone always wants to play it. Imprint Swords seems good against fatty a turn.dec, but then you'll never win the game?

Have you tested a U/R/b version? Was it demonstrably worse than the white splash? I would think Edict, Duress and Dark Confidant would be naturals in this deck, with sideboard Engineered Plagues to stab Goblins dead. Of course at that point I'd have to ask why you weren't playing Tog. :P

Lastly, I agree you're mis-sideboarding against Solidarity/Combo. Fire/Ice can buy you a turn by tapping a land, while none of your non-blue cards slow them down. You're (inarguably) the control deck in this matchup, so sideboarding out control cards when you have irrelevant ones still in the deck doesn't make sense to me.

[Hanni]

Against Goblins, I like to imprint a Lightning Helix or Fire//Ice. The 3 life gain in addition to removal is huge against Goblins and the 1/1 damage split is also very nifty. Any of the burn spells on a stick are nice though so I gladly take what I can get.

Against Threshold, I like to imprint Magma Jet or Lightning Helix. The scry on Magma Jet helps me win the attrition war (digging for counterspells, etc). Lightning Helix helps buy me time with the lifegain until I can topdeck into enough burn to actually win first (if I can't removal their guys). Post board, Orim's Chant on a stick pretty much ends the game outright.

Against combo, I don't really get to play Scepter often because I'm aiming the burn I do have in hand to their face (and with Dragonauts, trying to kill them asap). However, occasionally I will play a Scepter and have it turn out well. Against an Aluren deck I played earlier, Magma Jet on a stick helped me continually dig for Counterspells to keep him off of a resolved Aluren or Cavern Harpy. Against Tendrils based, Lightning Helix is pretty awesome... and Fire//Ice is pretty good against Empty the Warrens.

Overall, my favorite imprint has been Magma Jet on a stick, although Lightning Helix makes a pretty close second. Out of the board, Orim's Chant on a stick is also pretty nasty to some decks.

I have not tested URb, though I'm not sure exactly what it would offer (especially compared to white). Duress doesn't really seem needed, since I'm already boarding in 7 cards for combo... and I think Meddling Mage > Duress. Edict is good against untargetables, but I already have Engineered Explosives, and StP handles whatever else the burn can't. Dark Confidant seems some good but I'm not quite sure how long he'd actually survive in this deck, where at least Dragonauts or Lightning Angel have a slightly better survival chance with their larger toughnesses.

Fire//Ice may be the incorrect card to board out against combo, although it seems like spending 2 mana to simply tap a land doesn't really steal enough tempo to actually help me win anything (although I could be completely wrong and this does need tested).

As always, I'm still torn between whether or not I should run Wee Dragonauts. Maybe if I fit in a few more cantrips? I really like the ability to swing with a 7/3 or 9/3 in a turn... the large chunks of damage severly increase my clock.

[Radley]

If you don't want to use lightning angel, maybe use goblin trenches?

If you already locked the game with orim's chant then whatever finisher you are using is ok, I don't know why use wee dragonauts really. There's alot more creature with better evasion than it.

[Hanni]

Better Evasion than flying? Like what?

I don't lock with Scepter Chant... the Chant's only come in against decks with countermagic like Threshold and Fish or against sorcery speed combo like IGGy Pop. Otherwise, Chant sucks without a Scepter to stick it on.

I liked Wee Dragonauts because the ability to do upwards of 15+ damage in a single turn seemed like a really strong win condition for a deck like this... since the deck is a little slow and has burn for reach once the opponent's life total gets low enough.

However, I'm also testing Lightning Angel and Fledgling Dragon as well. Once I've figured out what I prefer better, I'll let everyone know.

[Radley]

I'll make a version of this deck with goblin trenches and lightning angel ^_^. I just want to use those 2 cards, they look cool on foil. At last, I think I can use lightning angel in a good purpose.

[The Lotus Eater]

I think one of the biggest reasons to run Dragonuts is that they get really interesting in multiples, though I don't think they would be better than Lightning Angel/Fledgling Dragon.

I would think about doing a 2/2 split between the Angel and the Dragon. Fledgling Dragon only requires one color and will almost always be a Shivan Dragon for four mana. Lightning Angel is nice for both attacking and blocking, but the color requirement might be a little much with your manabase. Which brings up the question: Can you part with Academy Ruins? Seems the deck can work pretty well without a scepter and the need for recurring Engineered Explosives doesn't seem like it'd come up all that often. The deck looks like it would run a lot smoother with +1 Tundra +1 Island (Plateau?)

[gustoh]

Enlightened Tutor isn't good here. All it gets are Scepters and Explosives, and having six maindeck targets for a tutor that results in an immediate card disadvantage isn't so...great. Also, his deck is perfectly capable of functioning without a Scepter in play - in fact, Scepter is more of an accessory to the deck (albeit an important one) rather than an all-important win card. In other words, having a Scepter in play is nice but not necessary to win. Maybe if he had some sort of artifact/enchantment toolbox, I could see the tutor being useful, but then that would then detract from the effectiveness of Scepter.

If that's the case then why is he running Academy Ruins? He did theme the deck "Scepter Dragonauts" right... and it even though the deck does not rely on winning with the Scepter it sure seems like you cannot win without one either...

LT...

[Aggro_zombies]

If that's the case then why is he running Academy Ruins? He did theme the deck "Scepter Dragonauts" right... and it even though the deck does not rely on winning with the Scepter it sure seems like you cannot win without one either...

LT...
Engineered Explosives recursion is strong, I hear.

[Radley]

I don't think Lightning angel or wee dragonauts are playable in this format. If you got a deck where lightning angel works really good, then tell me, I'm dying to know XD. Maybe find a creature like morphling ^_^ then this deck will suddenly turn to a deck like the primer :laugh:

[gustoh]

Engineered Explosives recursion is strong, I hear.

So it being able to Tutor for one...

LT...

[Hanni]

I tested Lightning Angel and was unimpressed... hitting 4 lands with W in the manacost was really a pain in the ass. When I needed it in play, I couldn't put it into play, or I couldn't back it up with Counterspell later on in the game when I did play it (stuck on 5 lands usually). Haste/Vigilance with an extra 1 toughness is really nice... but the fact that I often swing with Wee Dragonauts for like 5-7 damage a turn makes the clock difference much bigger and it gives my opponent much less time to deal with the Dragonauts before their life total gets too low for it to matter (don't forget, I am running burn to finish the opponent off). To make a long story short, I retested Wee Dragonauts after testing Lightning Angel and I am convinced that Wee Dragonauts owns.

As an aside, I found Fire//Ice to be rather weak. I pretty much never used Ice, which is extremely weak anyway, and Fire is only good against 2 x/1 creatures. It's a great card, I love Fire//Ice, but I found it lacking in this deck.

I decided to do this:

-1 Wee Dragonauts
-3 Fire//Ice
+4 Meddling Mage

With Meddling Mage maindeck, I have the ability to better protect my win conditions (Dragonauts and Scepter), as well as answer any bombs my opponent might drop (like Cataclysm). It makes my Combo and Threshold matchup much much better g1 and sacrifices a little in my Goblins matchup. So far, I haven't found Goblins to be too threatening, honestly. I have enough removal to stop Piledriver from ever connecting and beyond that I'm dealing with a bunch of 1/1 and 2/2 men. EE often deals with Vial and I pack enough removal to slow Goblins down enough until I can finish them off quickly with Dragonauts or slowly with Scepter. Meddling Mage can chump 1/1's and names off threats when Vial isn't around, like Tin Street Hooligan. Game 2 vs Goblins, I drop 4 Meddling Mage for 4 Pyroclasm (and I also board in 3 Stifle).

Whether or not this decision is good or not... I don't know. What I do know is that I really enjoying playing this deck and I will continue to change the deck around until I find something that I think is very solid.

URw Isonauts

Lands (18)
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
3 Volcanic Island
3 Tundra
2 Island
2 Academy Ruins

Creatures (7)
4 Meddling Mage
3 Wee Dragonauts

Spells (35)
4 Brainstorm
4 Serum Visions
4 Magma Jet
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Swords to Plowshares
4 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
2 Engineered Explosives
4 Isochron Scepter

This list is still untested and so I will do so and then let everyone know how it works out.

[Nydaeli]

Have you thought about cutting white and splashing green for Quirion Dryad? It gives you basically a better version of the Dragonauts. In addition, I think that Scepter copies pump the Dryad. The main downside is that you have to cut Lightning Helix. Just a random suggestion, which probably isn't any good.