ohhh damn completely misread it hahaha!

I could take out the Dismal Backwater for sure. So you guys think it would be better to put 3 radiant fountains and not add some islands or swamps?

gumbogogo HipsterPumpkin

Personally I would opt for more swamps and islands instead for consistency and earlier casting potential, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Before I really look at it, I am going to +1 this just for the flavor. Baelish is so great.

I'm not sure splashing just for a singleton Sultai Ascendancy is worth it. I'd either drop it, or make better use of it by adding Sylvan Caryatid/Elvish Mystic, and Courser of Kruphix, the usual green package. I think the ramp potential would be good in that it would allow you to use less lands, and add some lifegain via Courser of Kruphix to help against the Thoughtseize and fetchland life loss.

I think you just really want to be able to cast things like Dissolve and Bile Blight/Drown in Sorrow by turn three and that's not going to happen a lot of the time with all of those temples. I don't think that 12 temples is very necessary, but if you aren't running painlands then I don't really think that you need too many Radiant Fountains. You may consider adding Yavimaya Coast and Llanowar Wastes over some of those temples and then add in like 2-3 fountains. You have enough scry/draw power in the deck without the temples so I don't actually think you'll be needing all of them. You may find that running the pain/fetch/thoughtseize may be a little hard on your lifetotal, though. A serious suggestion for combating that is Jorubai Murk Lurker, perhaps the only thing that you have access to besides Whip of Erebos to gain you some life back. It's surely not the best creature in the format, but you may find that it helps your deck.

I'm going to be blunt: Splashing green for one copy of a card selection spell is just bad. If you're not going to get rid of your one green card, as you should, then at least take advantage of your 8 green sources. I suspect Sagu Mauler is better than prognostic sphinx. But really just get rid of green and play lands that don't slow you down.

Haha thanks! Yeah Baelish is my favorite character hands down. Some people say he's an asshole, they don't realize that GOT would be nothing without Baelish; he's the one who makes the story so plot twisted and entertaining!

I want the deck to stay purely control so adding the green meta package is out of the question. + I would have to commit even more to green in my mana base. You need to look at it this way, I did not put the green temples for Sultai Ascendancy, I put Sultai Ascendancy because I had green temples. Do you get the subtle difference? If I would take out Ascendancy the mana base would stay the same. I do plan on siding it out on certain occasions though.

I think I'll just switch Thoughtseize for Despise just like you concluded in your deck too. But still... Ivan Floch freakin made it top 8 with no lifegain except 4 Dismal Backwater, though that was before the meta started taking advantage of the slow midrange decks... I sense a huge heroic hype these days. o_0

You really think scry 1 is worth losing 1 mana? Against aggressive decks your unnecessary taplands can cause you to lose games you shouldn't have lost.

Sagu Mauler can't block Mantis Rider, Stormbreath Dragon, Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker, Wingmate Roc, Necropolis Fiend, Sorin's vampire tokens... 6 CMC and 5 CMC might not seem like a huge difference but it really does, especially in a no ramp deck like mine. The only thing he's got more for him is a permanent hexproof and a 3 turn faster grindclock (which could only 2 turn faster if chump blocked). The sphinx's scry 3 beats that in my opinion, but I guess that's pretty much personal. Thanks for the comment metalevolence !

How much tapped lands would you suggest using metalevolence ?

I wouldn't want more than 6-7 lands that etb tapped if I could avoid it, which you can. Also note that you want to cast your thoughtseize and/or despise turn 1.

Ivan Floch also said there was no way he would win with that deck.

I think running Dismal Backwater and Radiant Fountain would be better.

Thanks for the comments guys! I'm kinda stubborn and I wanna see how the deck plays out in real life before dropping the ETBT lands and Sultai Ascendancy. I should receive the cards I'm missing this week and go to FNM friday if I find some time. I'll update to comfirm or infirm your opinions. Thanks a lot again!

ps: TheHroth when and where did Ivan Floch say that?

I read it in an article somewhere, on SCG maybe, that interviewed the top8 and asked them about their chances and such. I'll need to look and see if I can find it again!

I would suggest a main and sideboard switch. 2x AEtherspouts for Psychic Intrusion and Pearl Lake Ancient. AEther should come in against Temur Aggro, Red Deck Wins, and Mardu Tokens. Psychic plays more on your deck theme and Pearl gives you 1 more creature who is hard to remove from the game. You don't really lose curve either. I love the deck though.

How have you fared at FNM? Can you post results? Check out my Mardu Build also please.

The Way of Mardu

So you have the lands to splash green in a control deck but youre not running any artifact/enchantment removal sideboard that beats whip reanimator or courser of kruphix or that beats red deck wins with all its enchantments or beats suicide black? why not run Back to Nature as a one or two of in at least the sideboard

Also idk your meta but in mine i know preventing damage from a source every turn would be extremely helpful so that brings me to my second question why are you not running Kiora, the Crashing Wave

last option that isnt as strong as the first two but i believe would be very helpful is Extinguish All Hope this card is a straight up board wipe that helps any deck that is not running white to control the board state

Thanks for the comments guys. I took some but not all of your advice! Really helpful!

Sultai Ascendancy is completely hit-or-miss. I run it as a two, and sometimes it wins the game for me. Other times, it's completely worthless. That being said, I'll probably end up moving it to the sideboard at some point for slower, grindy matches. Your mana base looks fine to me. My only other suggestion (although it goes against the theme) is putting a Sagu Mauler or two as additional win-cons. He's definitely a MVP.

What would you take out for Sagu Mauler bathsheba? Personally I think 4 win cons is enough for a control deck but I'd love to hear your insight.

I can't tell if the whole "Petyr Baelish style control" thing is meant to be sarcastic or meant to be serious? but neat deck.

Thanks for the compliment komp! Haha well the Baelish part is mostly for flavor :P . Some decks use tempo, some use ramp, this deck tries to use knowledge - which is often an underestimated ressource in MTG. Knowing your opponents hand, knowing what cards you're gonna draw helps you make better decisions (less gambling). Knowledge as a ressource also extends to things ''out of deck'', such as knowing the meta game, reading your opponent's body language, knowing mana requirements for spells, etc. I tried creating a competitive deck that would still have some originality to it and I think I have succeeded. FNM will prove me good or wrong!

Interesting deck EssTea. Haven't seen anything quite like it. +1. Looking forward to your FNM tales!

gumbogogo, Redhorn, Loco-Motive, Comfordor, TheHroth, I would like to have your opinions on what the deck has become.

Consider these certain points

• Went up to 2 Sultai Ascendancy. Looking at top 2 is way better than Thassa, God of the Sea

• Added Bow of Nylea today (did not playtest it yet). I think the endgame potential of the card is very good in my deck (look at description). And... I'm splashing green, might as well use it!

• What do you think of my sideboard? It separates into three categories : against control (Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver, Sagu Mauler, Pearl Lake Ancient Mistcutter Hydra, Negate), against aggro Bile Blight, Drown in Sorrow, Pharika's Cure, against specific ( Sultai Charm for enchantments or artifacts)

• The weakness of the deck : no wrath/mass clear. Perilous Vault interferes with my permanents...

Thanks a lot for your insight guys!

I definitely don't think that Bow of Nylea is good here. The deathtouch is almost entirely redundant, and while its ability does provide quite a bit of utility, I don't think it's what you want to be doing.

Considering you're only running 6 permanents in your maindeck (Sphinx and Ascendancy), I think you'd be fine running Perilous Vault. I'd add it over the Bow.

I like Sultai Ascendancy, you get to peak at the top 2 cards, and it helps to fuel delve costs!

I am unsure of Bow of Nylea, in theory its sounds great, but will it play well? I don't know lol. I reckon you should keep it in and play around with it and make a decision. I do like the idea of returning 4 cards to your library. It can return more removal & counter spells to your deck. And gaining life would be good too.

I would add a Pearl Lake Ancient to your main board trade for 1 Sphinx. And I am sure Perilous Vault wouldn't be too harmful to this deck, considering there aren't too many permanents, and I guess you wouldn't be playing all your permanents at once

Maybe consider Murderous Cut?