Creature (4)
Land (17)
Artifact (25)
- 4x Codex Shredder
- 4x Ensnaring Bridge
- 4x Ghoulcaller's Bell
- 4x Lantern of Insight
- 4x Mox Opal
- 4x Pithing Needle
-
1x
Pyrite Spellbomb
Instant (4)
Sideboard
Creature (2)
Enchantment (1)
Artifact (6)
Instant (6)
People, for some reason, keep telling me this is why I don't have any friends :c
And this, this is Lantern Control.
"What do these bulk cards do exactly?" - The Primer
When most people look at Lantern, many have the common first reaction of confusion and understandably so. Many the cards in the deck are basically next to unplayable even in a draft format, so what makes this deck even remotely playable? Well, Lantern Control fits into an established archetype that most Magic players refer to as "Prison Strategies".
A Prison strategy is basically, as the name implies, a deck that aims to keep the opponent locked down and unable to really do much until the prison deck can pull off it's win condition. In this case, our lock revolves around the use of Lantern of Insight to see our opponent's next card, Ghoulcaller's Bell /Codex Shredder as a way to manipulate our opponent's draws as well as our own, and lastly Ensnaring Bridge as a way to keep most opponents from just killing us while we do our thing. This essentially allows us to see, and control, what our opponent is drawing and keep them from answering the lock/killing us. This is further aided by the use of Pithing Needles and Surgical Extractions to keep our opponents off of problematic permanents and spells that can answer the lock.
That's all good and fine, but the question remains: "How does Lantern actually close the game?" Well lucky for us, the lock that Lantern abuses also translates into a win condition, which is mill our opponent out. We eventually hit a point in the game where we can keep our opponent off their answers with their draw step, and then at the end of turn aggressively activate our mill artifacts and use Academy Ruins to get back more of them to increase the clock. That kids is how this deck, in a very basic nutshell, works and tries to win.
!["Same."](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uTOF8TYIscg/UUnjl6CG7OI/AAAAAAAABGM/Xj1UoOMm4dc/s1600/i+dont+like+you.jpg""Same."")
"The Core 60" - The Maindeck
Now that we've covered what cards are used in the lock, we can discuss the cards in the lock more specifically as well as the other utility spells that help hold the deck together.
Mox Opal: Lantern runs a grand total of 17 lands, and part of the reason we can is the inclusion of the Opal. The sheer number of cheap artifacts in the deck turn this into a rainbow land that doesn't get turned off by Blood Moon s and we're happy with that.
Pithing Needle: Lantern is a deck that requires the pilot to know the opponent's deck and what it does just as much, if not more than, their own. Needle is one the big reasons for that. If you have knowledge of what decks your opponent is on based on land drops and possibly their hand via hand disruption, a well placed needle can shut off certain avenues for you opponent to win entirely.
Lantern of Insight: The namesake spell of the entire deck. Lantern allows the deck to function and do what it is built to do: provide perfect information to operate with and manipulate the top deck of the opponent. While you don't really want to crack lanterns to shuffle too often, it is an option.
Codex Shredder: This is the first piece we have that can manipulate the top of the library. At CMC it comes down early and allows us to not only control ours and our opponent's top deck, it also can buy back pieces for the lock for the cost of .
Ghoulcaller's Bell : The second way we can manipulate the top of the library. Often times, milling ourselves really isn't a big issue with Adademy Ruins and Codex Shredder being able to get back key cards when we mill them.
Pyrite Spellbomb : A one-of in the main that we can use as a reusable removal spell against aggressive decks via Academy Ruins that we can just cycle in other matchups.
Duress: Another one-of spell in the main that can take away anything from burn spells to combo pieces to removal for our artifacts with little to no issue.
Inquisition of Kozilek: Another amazing hand disruption spell. Lantern operates on having perfect information, which includes knowing the opponent's hand so we can know what is and isn't safe to give to them. Plus taking an answer never hurts.
Thoughtseize: This is our catch-all disruption spell that literally can only whiff on lands. Sometimes against certain cards, that two life is so worth it.
Surgical Extraction: Yet another way to change the top card of our opponent's deck. This also allows us to take away an out that our opponent is playing to and hoping they get lucky and find to break the lock and kill us.
Ancient Stirrings: Our version/imitation of a smaller Dig Through Time. While there are cards it can still whiff on in the main, it grabs any land or artifact in the deck which is well over 50% of what the deck is comprised of and the lock is based around.
Pyroclasm: Another nod to the fact that Aggro decks hurt us badly. Against some decks like infect and affinity this is basically a wrath for .
Infernal Tutor: Basically a Demonic Tutor in this deck. This usually just grabs anything in the deck we need.
Abrupt Decay: This does a good job at staving off most of the problematic permanents in the format aside from the new menace that is the Eldrazi decks.
Ensnaring Bridge: This is the nail in the coffin that holds the prison lock in place. No matter how many good cards you deny your opponent, those first couples can, and will, beat you to death. This stops them from being able to do so.
"This Mana Base looks Wonky..." - The Lands
Now that we know what cards are in the main, and why they're there, let's talk about this very, VERY odd looking mana base and the reasons for the choices.
Llanowar Wastes : Green and black sources are incredibly important in the early game with the inclusion of our hand disruption spells and Ancient Stirrings. The it produces is also worthy of mentioning.
Blackcleave Cliffs : An untapped source for to cast hand disruption off of or for our Pyroclasms.
Grove of the Burnwillows : A one-of untapped / dual that doesn't hurt us to cast colored spells. Again, the is also worthy of mention.
Ghost Quarter: Another way to produce while also allowing us to take out problem lands. It also gives us another way to potentially shuffle our opponent's library.
Glimmervoid : A rainbow land with little to no drawback for a deck that runs 25 artifacts in the main. It can add blue mana, which is incredibly important for this deck.
Sea Gate Wreckage : This is the reason we care so much about lands that make . Being able to cantrip at end step to possibly hit multiple lock pieces a turn is amazing for this deck and can help keep it going from going to time.
Academy Ruins: This is why we care about being able to produce mana. Being able to get back key lock pieces we've either milled or had blown up is huge. Ruins even allows us to keep from milling out by being able to keep putting artifacts back on top of our library, giving us more cards to mill/draw than the opponent.
"How to NOT Die Games 2 and 3" - The Sideboard
Assuming you've read the sections above, you should have a grasp of what the deck does now. If not, or f you haven't read them yet, you should just give them a quick browse so you understand what the deck does, and therefore what kinds of things we're weak to so you better understand this section.
Leyline of Sanctity: This is here to shut off certain combo decks (Scapeshift, Grishoalbrand etc.) as well as Burn decks to shut off their targeted burn spells.
Kozilek's Return: Instant speed Pyroclasm lets us make opponents think we just don't have the wrath and then punish them for extending board. Being devoid also means it can be grabbed off Ancient Stirrings where the match up demands the 'clasm effect.
Spellskite: A 0/4 blocker is sometimes all we need this to be, but it also can save an Ensnaring Bridge or a Lantern of Insight from an Ancient Grudge or similar hate.
Sun Droplet: For aggressive matches. It allows us to get a little bit of lost life back over time, and multiples can actually net life gain (especially in conjunction with llanwar wastes ).
Ancient Grudge: For Affinity and similarly artifact based decks.
Nature's Claim: We don't care about the opponent's life total, and sometimes we just need an Oblivion Stone or a Cranial Plating to go away.
Surgical Extraction: We keep an extra two copies in the board for against combo decks and decks that have important cards to be rid of such as Kolaghan's Command.
Grafdigger's Cage: Shuts off a lot of yard based strategies and Collected Companys/Chord of Callings.
Welding Jar : Saves key lock pieces from spot removal.
As always guys, if you like the deck, think it's just funny as hell, or you really hate me and anyone who plays this deck don't forget to clickity-clack that +1 button for me! :D
Also, if you like this deck you can check out the other silly things I play below!
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(Ezuri, Claw of Progress, The title comes out weird.)
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| Top Ranked |
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| Date added | 8 years |
| Last updated | 2 years |
| Legality | This deck is not Modern legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 5 - 1 Mythic Rares 28 - 6 Rares 16 - 3 Uncommons 10 - 5 Commons |
| Cards | 60 |
| Avg. CMC | 1.21 |
| Folders | Favorites, Reading List, Playtest, $$$, Other People's Decks, Test |
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