Thirty-Six Stratagems
Chapter 4: Chaos Stratagems
Remove the firewood from under the pot
Take out the leading argument or asset of someone; "steal someone's thunder". This is the very essence of indirect approach: instead of attacking enemy's fighting forces, the attacks are directed against his ability to wage war. Literally, take the fuel out of the fire.
This is the theme of this Red/White Control Deck. The aim is to prevent the foe from waging war against you.
The Red side of the deck is about land destruction.Destroy his land, and he can't do anything. This deck is effective against both decks that use basic and nonbasic lands, but definitely more effective against those that use nonbasic lands.
The White side of the deck is about preventing creatures from attacking. If creatures can't attack you or do damage to you, you can't lose, which more than sets you up for some damaging spells.
Oppressive Rays
and
Temporal Isolation
are really good to have in your back pocket in case your enemy surprises you with a powerful creature card and you need to defend yourself or
Ajani Vengeant
.
One you've destroyed plenty of land, your enemy won't be able to summon creatures or spells. Best case scenario is they have to start discarding because their hand size is too big while you're just racking up loyalty points on Ajani Vengeant Worst case scenario is you're in a Mexican standoff just waiting to draw some damaging spells or creatures.
Opening Hand
You typically want 3 land in your hand at the start. Your most effective cards, and most of your cards cost 3 mana, so it's prudent to get that. 2 land is pushing it but doable if you scry after mulligan. You'll also want at least one threat removal like Lightning Bolt,
Temporal Isolation
, or Lightning Helix. Don't let your enemy get its threats out.Finally, you'll want some sort of land destruction.
Molten Rain
is the most preferred card to have as it's the cheapest, but an Avalanche Riders is good too.
Small strategies
Don't be afraid of Boom/Bust. There's plenty of "safe" land for you to destroy like Ghost Quarter, Arid Mesa, Darksteel Citadel and ideally Flagstones of Trokair.
Let Avalanche Riders and Boom/Bust take out the basic lands.
Molten Rain
can be used for either, but ideally you want to use it on nonbasics.
Creature Removal and/or Player Damage:
Ajani Vengeant
Lightning Bolt
Lightning Helix
Damage Prevention:
Stun Sniper
Temporal Isolation
Creature Control:
Ajani Vengeant
Ghostly Prison
Stun Sniper
Oppressive Rays
Land Control/Destruction:
Ajani Vengeant
Avalanche Riders
Crumble to Dust
Molten Rain
Boom/Bust
Ghost Quarter
Sideboard for flavors:
Silence: Anti-Spell
Grand Abolisher: Anti-Blue
Kataki, War's Wage: Anti-Artifact
Surgical Extraction: Anti-Artifact/Enchantment/Land
True Believer
: Anti-Control/Mill
Wrath of God: Anti-Creature
NOTES
I didn't include Path to Exile because giving the enemy land is highly counter-intuitive to half the deck's purpose.
The main weaknesses with this deck are as follows:
1. Few creature cards.
There are plenty of damaging instants to compensate, but it's still troubling having to wait.
2. Unlikely results until turn 3.
Card costs aren't highly expensive with this deck, but many decks can deal high damage before turn 3.
3. Little defense against passive abilities and activated abilities.
Says it all.
If there are any other suggestions to help, I'm open.
