This deck is all about completely controlling any early threats on the board and playing an extremely powerful end-game. This budgeted deck is equipped with very powerful win conditions that could end a game within 3 - 4 turns of arrival. Other cards offered in this deck are powerful counterspells and board wipes to provide answers to any creatures or spells used by your opponent to wither life. Every card in this deck was chosen to offer the greatest usage throughout all points of the game, for example: Mana Leak is a great counter spell that could provide many answers early game, however; come the late game, Mana Leak offers little to no response to other cards.
Dissolve
is a similar card that could be used at all points of the game to effectively counter enemy advances.
This is a deck I own. One of the funnest to play and performs great in most matchups.
This deck can achieve insane amounts of mana. As long as you hit your first 5 - 6 land drops, this deck will be taking off without brakes. You could maximize your Sphinx's Revelation to gain life and draw into other win conditions like Elspeth, Sun's Champion or Baneslayer Angel. Keep the board clear, control the threats and play the late game.
Anticipate - This card is great for digging up potential answers. Use it in response to a threat to dig up a counterspell, or use it at the end of the opponents turn to draw into board wipes or win cons.
Baneslayer Angel * - An amazing card for so many reasons. Can effectively block with first strike and lifelink for quick healing and damage negation or can swing aggressively to try and finish off an opponent. If unanswered, a very real threat to any opponent.
Blinkmoth Nexus * - Swinging for 1 damage per turn sounds a little weak right? It adds up quickly and pressures your opponent with every passing turn potentially causing them to act quickly and carelessly. Use it to chump block bigger flying creatures or swing for free after board wipes or counters with no hesitation.
Condescend - A great counterspell that allows you to scry 2 cards in order to draw into cards you need for any situation. You could also use it in response to a spell being cast and pay 0 for X, allowing you to scry 2 for 1 mana if you're short on mana and desperate for cards.
Detention Sphere - Pure value. This card is excellent at answering planeswalkers, big creatures, tokens, anything really. A Banishing Light and Bile Blight mix for just 3 mana is incredible.
Dissolve
- This is a great counterspell at all points in the game. Whether it's turn 3 and you're countering an Etched Champion or turn 8 countering a Ugin, the Spirit Dragon, this gem will always be an effective answer to threats. The scry is also great for drawing into what you need.
Elixir of Immortality * - Does your opponent keep destroying your major win conditions? Well, you could always just.. outlast them. Cycle your graveyard into your library as much as you want! Pop this bad boy at instant speed to gain 5 life and to put those board wipes back where they belong!
Elspeth, Sun's Champion * - If unanswered within the first 3 turns of arrival, this will win you the game guaranteed. I have won countless games with Elspeth and she remains one of the greatest win conditions in the deck. She produces her own defenders that are expendable, which means you can board wipe as much as you want but on your turn, 3 tokens will appear as long as Elspeth is on the field.
End Hostilities - A great board wipe that not only clears the board of creatures but also of equipment and enchantments such as Ensoul Artifact, Ethereal Armor and Cranial Plating. Could offer great value against a vast majority of decks for just 5 mana.
Feeling of Dread
- This card can stall the game and prevent damage at alarming rates. You can choose to cast it once to tap 2 creatures and let it resolve in the graveyard to cast its flashback cost at a later time, or you can pay 4 mana upright and tap 4 creatures total. Awesome card, only downside is that it exiles after flashback which means we can't rotate it back into our library with elixir.
Jace, Architect of Thought * - Jace has many purposes in this deck. If you find yourself low on cards in hand, you could cast his -2 to help with card advantage and drawing cards you need. If the board is relatively low on threats and you have a generous amount of cards in hand, cast his +1 and work your way to his -8, once at his -8 feel free to dig through your library, pick up an Elspeth or Baneslayer and plop it onto the field! (Don't forget to do the same for your opponent(s).)
Path to Exile - Simply a quick answer to creatures that your opponent has played, with very little downside. For one mana you could effectively exile any creature your opponent has played. A great card and a staple in the modern format. I suggest running 4 if you can afford it!
Remand - A great card to help stall the game to reach the end game fantasy. Counter a spell and bounce it back to their hand, the best part about this card is that it replaces itself by allowing you to draw a card.
Sphinx's Revelation * - This card is absolutely required in this deck. Sphinx's Rev at certain points of the game could offer you the scariest and the most efficient late game you could possibly imagine. Allowing you to gain unreasonable amounts of life and draw enough cards to filter through any unwanted cards, this card will win you the game guaranteed after you reach a certain point.
Supreme Verdict - A great value board wipe that cant be countered for 4 mana. This is your primary board wipe. Stall as much as possible until your opponent builds up a board then cast this amazing spell for maximum value.
Celestial Purge
- This card is great against quick aggro red decks or midrange black decks. Remove any threat for 2 mana with no downside.
Dispel - I suggest throwing this card in going against BURN DECKS to prevent lethal Lightning Bolts, COMBO DECKS to answer certain combo cards and add to the stack of counter spells, or CONTROL DECKS to counter their counters for less mana.
Echoing Truth - A great card against token decks or any deck that requires stacking the same creatures or enchantments to win the game. Example: 8-rack, relentless rats, etc.
Elixir of Immortality - Generally, I throw in this backup Elixir against mill decks or decks running playsets of Duress or Thoughtseize. Losing your only elixir pressures you to rely solely on your other win conditions to claim victory.
Gideon Jura - I throw Gideon in the deck against control decks or any decks that usually have answers for your win conditions. Gideon is a great win condition that pressures the opponent and can manipulate combat to prevent you from taking unnecessary damage.
Leyline of Singularity
- Similar to Echoing Truth, this card is great against tokens or stacking decks. I recommend replacing Detention Sphere for this as Detention Sphere is a permanent that is effected by this card.
Negate - This card is great against other decks who run little to no creature cards. Examples would be combo or control decks.
Steel Sabotage
- This is a quick replacement to help win against the speed of affinity decks or other control decks running a similar Elixir of Immortality combo.
Have you played mostly aggro decks your entire magic career and this is your first step into the world of control? Let me start by saying that control is a fun and interactive way to view Magic. Instead of using your army of creatures to win the game, you need to use your knowledge and instincts to out-wit your opponent and win the game. If you are considering purchasing this deck, let me help you by giving you a link to a video of one of my favorite players, playing one of my favorite decks!
Note: Although the video's are from an old standard tournament, you can still translate many of the skills and tricks shown in these matches to average modern Magic games.
U/W Control vs Boros Burn: HERE!
U/W Control vs B/W Midrange: HERE!
U/W Control vs Black Devotion: HERE!
U/W Control vs Esper Control: HERE!
U/W Control vs Boros Devotion: HERE!
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Thanks for reading and good luck!
