Any advice is very welcome!
This is a black/white (Orzhov) enchantment control deck that I'm working on. It started out as a removal/angels deck, but I realized that by throwing in
Sigil of the Empty Throne
in I could get a 4/4 angel every time I remove an opponents creature. I really like that value. The deck also produces a healthy amount of tokens, making
Westvale Abbey
a common method of victory.
Mainboard Review:
LAND
Westvale Abbey
: The deck has several methods of producing tokens. I always feel like it's kind of risky, because I feel like I'm going to flip him and someone is just going to stasis snare him, but flipping Westvale Abbey has actually won the game for me quite a few times.
Shambling Vents: It comes in tapped, but it can lifelink. I have had it removed when I make it into a creature, so if I'm waiting on 1 land to drop something good, I don't risk it. But if they're tapped out, might as well hit them and gain 2 life.
Caves of Koilos
: Obviously a really important card in a black/white deck. It also taps for waste mana, helping get out that thought-knot.
Choked Estuary
,
Prairie Stream
,
Meandering River
: All put in to splash blue. They give me a little over a 60% chance of getting the mana to put
Invocation of Saint Traft
out by turn 3.
ENCHANTMENTS
Invocation of Saint Traft
: As with all enchantments, there's double value in this deck. If
Sigil of the Empty Throne
is out, playing Invocation will put out a 4/4 angel permanent on the board. In addition, the creature it is put on will produce a 4/4 angel tapped and attacking whenever it attacks.
Sigil of the Empty Throne
: There are a lot of enchantments in this deck. How nice is it to get the benefit of your enchantment AND a 4/4 angel that your opponent now has to worry about?
Silkwrap
: Essential for holding off early threats.
INSTANTS
Stasis Snare
: The ability to flash in an enchantment to exile a threat is invaluable. It also hits planeswalkers that become creatures. Cough, cough Gideon.
Anguished Unmaking
: I found myself in early playtesting without answer to planeswalkers. Hence,
Anguished Unmaking
came in.
Secure the Wastes
: Aside from being a great way to remove an opponents creatures (by casting on their turn and using your tokens as blockers), this is very useful for flipping
Westvale Abbey
. Either function is great.
CREATURES
Archangel Avacyn
: This was the card I started with. I opened her up in pre-release and immediately fell in love. This deck is control and her ability to flash in and give your creatures indestructible is simply fantastic. And when she flips, the 3 damage? Mmmm.
Thought-Knot Seer
: I have a really tough time deciding between him and
Hangarback Walker
, but I've found him to be invaluable. It's really nice to pick apart the opponent's hand and see what's coming. And it's synergistic with the theme of the deck: control by any means necessary!
Ayli, Eternal Pilgrim
: A 2/3 deathtouch for 2 cmc is great value. I'm all about value. It acts as early aggresion and as potential removal. If you throw
Invocation of Saint Traft
onto it, you are potentially swining in for 6 damage flying/deathtouch. It's nasty. And it just begs for your opponent to waste removal on a 2 cmc card or risk losing quickly.
SORCERY
Ruinous Path
: This is another answer to planeswalkers. Or other creatures.
PLANESWALKERS
Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
: Gideon is very synergistic with the deck. He throws out tokens, getting you a step closer to flipping
Westvale Abbey
. And he turns into a 5/5 creature with indestructible. In a deck with only 6 creatures, it's nice to have something that can do damage.
Sorin, Grim Nemesis
: Originally there were 2 and 2
Ob Nixilis Reignited
, but Sorin's abilities seem so much more valuable. You can destroy, like Ob, BUT also lifelink with that ability. You can draw a card like Ob, BUT you do damage to your opponent instead of yourself. It just didn't seem to make sense to risk not drawing him for a sub-par planeswalker.
SIDEBOARD
After round 1 some people might sideboard in enchantment removal. If they do, how nice is it to simply switch all your enchantments out for sorcery/instant removal? That's what the sideboard is for.