Grixis tempo control build I'm working on for standard. Trying to figure out the best balance of spells, maybe some better creatures. I haven't run it at an event yet, so I'm not sure how well the deck plays out yet. Here's what my thoughts are on cards:
Creatures:
Monastery Swiftpear - an early, aggressive play. Can work well with the number of instants/sorceries in the deck, especially if I'm in a position to be more proactive with anticipates and the like
Elusive Spellfist - useful as a blocker in the early game if needed. Pseudo Prowess/unblockable can also be quite useful, making it easier to get damage through when the field gets clogged up.
Stratus Dancer - a great value/tempo play. Played face up it's an ok flyer. Megamorphing it, though, is a fantastic way to beat out counterpells and removal, since the counter effect can't be countered, and can't be stopped by removal once it's been triggered.
Tasigur - a house. It's a solid body, potentially very cheap with the delve cost. Later in the game, his activated ability can be a decent way to keep up card advantage, so long as the graveyard doesn't become too clogged with less useful spells.
Removal:
Ultimate Price - hard removal against a number of common targets. Not quite as versatile as Ruinous Path or Murderous Cut, but a bit easier to cast and still hits a good number of the threats we care about.
Wild Slash - decent burn spell for the price. Hits tokens and most of the good early threats in the format, and can double as a little bit of extra reach if needed.
Fiery Impulse - another decent burn spell. This deck should hit spell mastery pretty readily, so getting 3 points of damage on creatures should happen pretty consistently. Hits all of the same early threats as Wild Slash, while also being able to hit the 3 toughness creatures the other two can't, like Mantis Rider.
Counters:
Clash of Wills - Should be a decent counter when the opponent is on curve. Will become less effective later on in the game, but earlier on should stop most threats for only 2-3 mana.
Calculated Dismissal - the permission cost should make this a solid response early on before hitting spell mastery, and since spell mastery should be easy to hit in this deck, will continue to be a solid answer later into the game. The scry effect can be especially relevant since we're a bit light on threats
Scatter to the Winds - hard counter agains any target, and late game can produce an extra body. A 3/3 isn't necessarily fantastic, but should still be large enough to be relevant.
Brutal Expulsion - more of a tempo play, but the modality can be decent. Bounces a creature if we can't remove it outright and need to deal with it, and the shock can get us a two for one in some situations. When the opponent is on curve, can buy us an extra turn to respond to something we're not yet ready for.
Other Spells:
Anticipate - instant speed card selection. More of a control play, and likely played more on the opponent's turn. Helps dig towards threats and/or answers. Maybe won't always hit exactly what we need, but will always replace itself with the best of 3 random cards.
Dig Through Time - better instant speed card selection. Since we're playing a lot more spells in this deck, plus 9 fetch lands, shouldn't be too hard to cast at least the first one for cheap. Tasigur and Taigam's Scheming can help enable it as well. Synergizes a bit with Tasigur's ability by helping to cull the graveyard of things we don't want back as well.
Kolaghan's Command - solid value card. Buys back creatures lost to combat or removal, or discarded to Tasigur's ability. Gets a card out of the opponent's hand, which can be especially good later in the game. The shock mode can clear out smaller creatures and double as reach. Artifact destruction hits thopters and Hangarback, since we can't exile the walker in Grixis. Also hits any other weird artifacts we don't want to stick around on the board. Gives us a lot of flexibility.
Taigam's Scheming - the scry effect here isn't terrible, though we don't get a lot for it. Mostly here as a delve enabler. A turn 2 Scheming can run into a turn 3 Tasigur. Only running the one, since the longer the game goes, the less I probably want to see this card, especially in multiples. Can help set up cards I need later on, though I have to be able to stall long enough to take advantage.
Sideboard:
Roast - mostly for Rhinos and a couple of other bigger threats. It's cheap, easy removal where I need it, can't use Ultimate Price, and don't want to resort to more expensive options. Sorcery speed hurts a bit, but can't complain too much for the price
Ruinous Path - more removal. Hits larger, tougher to deal with creatures that get around some of the cheaper removal, straight up kills planeswalkers, and late game can put a 4/4 on the board. Sorcery speed is a bit painful, but it's a solid card when we need it.
Murderous Cut - instant speed, unconditional removal. Fights a bit with our other delve spells, but does exactly what you want it to, when you want it to.
Exquisite Firecraft - helpful against control decks where we might need a bit more reach. Spell mastery helps get around their counterspells, and 4 to the face can definitely be relevant in some of the grindier matchups.
Negate/Dispel - a bit more to help with control matchups, though probably useful in some other places as well. Stops counterspells for cheaper than our mainboard counters, and Negate can help stop problematic enchantments/planeswalkers/artifacts.
Dig Through Time - a little bit more to help with control and other grindy matchups. One more helps keep up card advantage when the game starts going long.
Radiant Flames - variable board wipe. Not the best thing available in these colors, but I only have one of these and I don't have access to Languish. Still good against more agressive decks, and converge with access to 3 colors means we have some flexibility based on what we're staring down. Can potentially clear out a field of tokens without taking out our Stratus Dancers, which are by far our most fragile creatures in that scenario.
Smash to Smithereens - a little bonus removal against thopter decks, since we get the extra bolt effect tacked on. We already run Kolaghan's Command in the mainboard, so I don't expect to want more than the one.
