The Apprentice's Workshop

So this deck looks a lot like Esper Control, only we have lost our black stuff and our Nephalia Drownyards, and we've added in some more spicy win conditions and control tools, including some burn spells and President Niv there.

The deck is already in very nice shape; clearly bigdamnhero is above the level of a mere Apprentice. It would be a waste of time, I think, to go step by step through this deck, most of the pieces of which are proven. Let's instead consider if we're MISSING any oft-used or otherwise useful-to-this-deck cards.

Possibilities?

Counterflux may merit inclusion, especially as this deck is weaker than usual against other control decks (with the benefit of being stronger against aggro and mid-range decks than usual). Counterflux does not quite give us the anti-recursion power that Dissipate does, but just having Dissipates won't save you against, for example, a reanimator deck, while having the uncounterable Counterflux is VERY useful against other control decks. Look down at your keyboard and back to me: all the Dissipates are now Counterfluxes.
I know it's a three-color deck, but Syncopate is a really weak counterspell (again, especially against other control players), and should only be run by three-color decks that have blue as a serious minority color, at least in my opinion. All the Syncopates are now Dissipates.
Azorius Charm is a fine card, but we're in good enough shape against creatures with this build to merit erring on the side of card advantage by having only 2x Azorius Charm and going up to 3x of the all-important Sphinx's Revelation.
I'm really not sure about Runechanter's Pike in this deck. It definitely has some utility, but I'm not sure it's enough. Why not a powerful midrange creature that a control opponent would really have to sweat and burn a control tool on that would also help us by being a good meaty blocker against creature-heavy decks? Boros Reckoner is always nice, but he's really cash-expensive, and also not particularly useful against control decks other than just being a 3/3 (though of course, extra-useful against aggro). Firewing Phoenix is annoyingly recurring. Geist of Saint Traft is a heck of a creature against other control decks, and if he doesn't fit in this slot, certainly merits consideration for the sideboard. I am always a huge fan of Lone Revenant in a control deck, although there might be too many other creatures around for him. Malignus is just a crazy enough choice to work; he's going to come in as a 10/10 a lot of the time against our opponents. Restoration Angel is a sensible choice that functions great against control decks, aggro decks, AND protects our later-game stuff. Talrand, Sky Summoner would be an interesting and hilarious choice. All of the above merit consideration, but because I like to make insane deckbuilding choices, my version is going to run 2x Malignus.
The sideboard is, I feel, not quite what we'd want for the current standard environment. I'm not sure that 6x burn spells is a good idea. 2x is fine and will protect us very nicely against RDW, but 6x is trying to kill the other player with 'em, which you're not likely to do. Let's cut the Searing Spears and Devil's Plays out of the sideboard. Same goes for Elixir of Immortality, which is completely redundant with Psychic Spiral. With these five spots, let's put in 2x Cyclonic Rift, which will help us nicely against tokens ( Blasphemous Act would also be a good choice), and 3x Grafdigger's Cage to really shut down those pesky reanimator decks. Our sideboard is already in good shape against other control decks.

KrazyCaley's Recommended Build (60)

Land (26)

4x Clifftop Retreat

1x Desolate Lighthouse

1x Island

4x Steam Vents

Sorcery (7)

1x Entreat the Angels

2x Pillar of Flame

1x Supreme Verdict

3x Terminus

Enchantment (2)

2x Detention Sphere

Instant (14)

2x Azorius Charm

3x Counterflux

2x Searing Spear

3x Sphinx's Revelation

2x Dissipate

2x Think Twice

Creature (8)

2x Malignus

3x Augur of Bolas

1x Drogskol Reaver

1x Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius

1x Snapcaster Mage

Planeswalker (4)

2x Jace, Architect of Thought

2x Tamiyo, the Moon Sage

Sideboard (15)

2x Blind Obedience

2x Jace, Memory Adept

That's what I think. How about you?

Also, to everyone waiting on me to do your deck in the Workshop, please be patient! I'm getting to you!

This article is a follow-up to The Apprentice's Workshop - Episode 10 The next article in this series is The Apprentice's Workshop - Episode 12

JaredMatthewsArtwork says... #1

I think control would like something that can kill someone on its own because it wouldn't want to waste its hand, so a single threat that can keep going and if unchecked could just straight-up beatdown for the win is much better than something that starts big but then just durdles. Malignus looses power over time and can't do a finishing blow. Malignus is a strictly casual card imo. I hate to say it(cuz I like doing off-the-wall things), but I think either GoST or Resto Angel is the right choice here, and I'm leaning toward Resto. It's very good against the aggro decks and can flicker your augurs and snaps, making you better against control.

March 7, 2013 1:41 a.m.

JaredMatthewsArtwork says... #2

You could also do Misthollow Griffin if you put some Moorland Haunt, because that's a more fun choice and still very good, but I still think Resto is the best here.

March 7, 2013 1:45 a.m.

KrazyCaley says... #3

One thing in defense of Malignus is that it's a little better even though it wears down over time because this deck has the burn spells to finish off an opponent that's low on life.

March 7, 2013 1:53 a.m.

dcarpntr says... #4

Consider going down to 1 Terminus. Then you have room to play a second Supreme Verdict plus a bonus card slot. Then use that extra slot and the two Pillar of Flame and replace those 3 slots with Boros Charm.

Boros Charm provides your creatures protection from wrath affects and targeted removal, and gives you that extra reach with burn. The double strike would also pair very well with Malignus (take the opponent from 20 life to 5 with one swing) or Niv Mizzet (deal 10 damage, draw two cards, and still have mana open to ping).

March 7, 2013 9:20 a.m.

Behgz says... #5

A turn four malignus paired with a lightning mauler would be cool, make that happen.

March 7, 2013 2:42 p.m.

bigdamnhero says... #6

The reason I had the Devil's Play in the side board is for planeswalkers. If i can't counter the walker it can be very difficult to deal with. Siding in the devil's play lets me nuke the walker pretty much out of nowhere. However the other burn cards are going to be replaced, most likely with the Grafdigger's Cage. Cyclonic Rift is also a really good idea and I'll work on picking up some of those.

I really like the Runechanter's Pike because it can just be used as a surprise attack even with the just the Augur of Bolas to kill my opponent. It would be nice to have another solid creature so if I can pick up a Restoration Angel or Boros ReckonerI'll be sure and add them in. And thanks KrazyCaley this helps alot.

March 7, 2013 7 p.m.

bigdamnhero says... #7

I played against a mirrorish match thursday night and Assemble the Legion did some serious work. If the opponent doesn't have a Detention Sphere or an o-ring on their next turn they have to two for one to answer that card. Even if they use a Planar Cleansing I would be happy with that since they won't have that around to hit my walkers or creatures later. I might try that in place of one or two cards in the side board to give me an advantage against other control decks.

March 9, 2013 4:38 p.m.

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