mono-blue still alive?

[Budango]

I've been casualy playing mtg since about 96. I have pretty much been playing type one or type two. Legacy just seemed bunk because of the bannings. I'm starting to see that legacy is where the real competition is. My question is; are there any close to tier one 1.5 mono-blue decks that still stand strong?

[4eak]

Yes, there is a fantastic mono blue deck here in the DTBForum -- It is called Merfolk. Dedicated MUC (which is what many people mean by "mono blue") is a failing archetype. If you want a very competitive deck that plays blue (almost) exclusively, Merfolk is your best bet.

Arguably less competitive, there are other monocolored blue decks which are playable in Legacy:
Faerie Stompy
Solidarity/High Tide combo
Don't forget Vial Wizards either!




peace,
4eak

[sourcefire]

MUC just top 16ed the SCG Orlando Legacy Event. Not that a single result means much for the archetype, but still nice to see someone do well with it. The list was:

Artifacts
4 Powder Keg
3 Vedalken Shackles

Creatures
2 Morphling
1 Rainbow Efreet

Enchantments
4 Back To Basics
4 Propaganda

Instants
4 Counterspell
4 Fact Or Fiction
4 Force Of Will
4 Impulse
4 Spell Snare

Basic Lands
21 Island

Legendary Lands
1 Academy Ruins

Sideboard:
4 Chalice Of The Void
3 Pithing Needle
3 Tormod's Crypt
3 Hydroblast
2 Jace, The Mind Sculptor

[Budango]

Thanks dude, I've always been a fan of blue but I was thinking UB to make the 1.5 switch. I'm probably going to mess around with "mono-blue" until I get the dual lands together. I don't like proxies, they feel cheap. Besides that's what the workstation is for. I run a stroke deck right now with isochron's for quick lock down, its pretty dry but winning is fun in any case. What about a land tax sacred mesa deck? Should I splash or keep it just white?

[majikal]

What about a land tax sacred mesa deck?

Land Tax is still banned.

[jakolhops]

Thanks dude, I've always been a fan of blue but I was thinking UB to make the 1.5 switch. I'm probably going to mess around with "mono-blue" until I get the dual lands together. I don't like proxies, they feel cheap. Besides that's what the workstation is for. I run a stroke deck right now with isochron's for quick lock down, its pretty dry but winning is fun in any case. What about a land tax sacred mesa deck? Should I splash or keep it just white?

If you want to run blue because you dont have duals, i would strongly consider Merlfolk(as 4eak stated above) Theres lists that use white, and lists that use green. But many place just fine with mono blue.
And just to tell you, MWS is pretty terrible for testing. I have played with the worst deck ever and still won many games on that thing. If you really want to test you should proxy/sleve up real decks and play with other people.

[(nameless one)]

I was gonna post a new thread when I saw this.

Since I believe my question is on the same topic, why not post it here. Anyways, the question is: Would a Mono-Blue CounterTop deck be viable?

Run the following:

X Counterbalance
X Sensei's Divining Top

X Brainstorm
X Force of Will
X Spell Pierce
X Counterspell

X Echoing Truth
X Into the Roil
X Standstill

X Polymorph
2 Emrakul, Aeons Torn

4 Mishra's Factory
2 Faerie Conclave
Xx Appropriate Lands

I already have a playset the cards (except for Emrakul and Mishra's Factory - I have Mutavaults). My playset of Counterbalance is yet to see tournament play.

It would be nice to have a spreaded out curve (I have no 3CC for CounterTop :( )

Any suggestions outside Jace, the Mind Sculptor?

EDIT: I was just reading the thread on top.... Back to Basics and Propaganda would be nice. I have 2 B2Bs and 3 Propagandas!

[Nihil Credo]

Any suggestions outside Jace, the Mind Sculptor?

Jace Beleren. He's totally fine as a super-Renewed Faith, too.

More importantly, bounce isn't creature control. Shackles are a good start; they still won't be enough against Wild Nacatl or Goblin Lackey, but they'll put up some resistance versus aggro-control. Further defence can be provided by Threads of Disloyalty or perhaps Maze of Ith.

More changes:

- Proteus Staff over Polymorph
- Spell Snare over Spell Pierce
- Mutavault over Faerie Conclave
- A Nev's Disk or two as an emergency button

[deadlock]

As we are already talking about Emrakul + Staff, i am noticing a slight synergy between this combo and the Thopter / Sword combo, which doesnt involve any creatures. Also its always good to not rely on one win-con only. Problem is to find the combo pieces, maybe Gifts?

Sample list:

// Lands
2 [MOR] Mutavault
4 [ON] Flooded Strand
1 [ZEN] Plains (4)
2 [ON] Polluted Delta
4 [AQ] Mishra's Factory (2)
1 [B] Underground Sea
4 [UNH] Island
3 [B] Tundra
2 [TSP] Academy Ruins (maybe just one, but the deck relys on it quite a bit)

// Answers
3 [FD] Engineered Explosives
4 [IA] Swords to Plowshares

// Permission
4 [AL] Force of Will
3 [CS] Counterbalance
3 [DIS] Spell Snare

// Draw / Search
4 [IA] Brainstorm
3 [CHK] Gifts Ungiven
3 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top
3 [OD] Standstill

// Gifts Package
1 [WL] Argivian Find
1 [AQ] Reconstruction

// Win
1 [ARB] Thopter Foundry
1 [FUT] Sword of the Meek
1 [MR] Proteus Staff
2 Emrakul

The two "return-artifact" spells are needed i think, because using Academy Ruins can be too slow in some cases.
It would be nice to not rely on Gifts that heavily to find the win conditions, which could be done by simply increasing the amount of them (with the risk of drawing dead chaff). Also there is always the option to squeeze a couple of Goyfs in there, lol


May fall victim to the danger of cool things syndrome and its not (but almost) mono blue.

[Oiolosse]

Deadlock -- nice idea. I would nix the countertop sub theme. I think with thoptor combo and proteus the countertop control aspect would be too demanding on mana. Spot removal? Draw?