Three Steps Ahead: Cryptic Command Reborn

Modern Attrition Competitive Control Counterspell Flash Spellslinger UBR (Grixis)

BelerenBoi

Land (22)

• 4x Island
• 1x Mountain
• 4x Polluted Delta
• 1x Prismatic Vista
• 4x Scalding Tarn
• 2x Steam Vents
• 1x Swamp
• 1x Thundering Falls
• 1x Undercity Sewers
• 2x Watery Grave
• 1x Xander's Lounge

Instant (25)

• 4x Counterspell
• 3x Fatal Push
• 1x Flame of Anor
• 2x Force of Negation
• 2x Invert Polarity
• 1x Kolaghan's Command
• 4x Lightning Bolt
• 2x Sink into Stupor  ^Flip
• 1x Spell Snare
• 1x Terminate
• 4x Three Steps Ahead

Creature (13)

• 4x Orcish Bowmasters
• 4x Snapcaster Mage
• 3x Subtlety
• 2x Tishana's Tidebinder

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Sideboard

Instant (7)

• 2x Consign to Memory
• 1x Hibernation
• 2x Stern Scolding
• 2x Surgical Extraction

Artifact (1)

• 1x Stone of Erech

Creature (3)

• 2x Harbinger of the Seas
• 1x Tishana's Tidebinder

Enchantment (2)

• 2x Spreading Seas

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Brotherhood's End
• 1x Toxic Deluge

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One of my favorite Modern deck lists of all time is Corey Burkhart's Grixis Control list from GP Dallas-Fort Worth. This deck relies heavily on instant-speed interaction through a Draw-Go playstyle, employing one-for-one removal and countermagic to address threats while developing card advantage through more powerful 2-for-1 effects like Kolaghan's Command and Cryptic Command.

Today's Modern landscape is vastly different from that which the Burkhart Control list was introduced to. The One Ring, Nadu, Winged Wisdom, and Necrodominance abound, all but eliminating the traditional control deck. Yet the recently printed Three Steps Ahead from Outlaws of Thunder Junction may provide Grixis players with their desired salvation.

Three Steps Ahead is capable of functioning as card draw, countermagic, or a clone effect on any of the high-value ETB creatures in this list. While not identical to the staying power of Cryptic Command, Three Steps Ahead is flexible in the midgame and potentially backbreaking in the lategame. The ability to serve as a flexible Sublime Epiphany makes Three Steps Ahead the perfect tool for Grixis mages seeking victory in the Modern meta.

This deck list is primarily experimental, and based on Okawa Kohei's list found on mtgdecks.net. As I continue to fine-tune the list, new updates may be added or removed. Suggestions and recommendations are welcome!

Date added	3 months
Last updated	3 months
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 0 Mythic Rares 35 - 7 Rares 10 - 6 Uncommons 5 - 2 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	2.11
Tokens	Copy Clone, Orc Army