As a control deck wit haccess to blue, what are your feelings on things like Mana Leak and Remand? or is the discard that much more powerful?

On the whole though, love the deck. +1 from me.

enpc: In general, this deck wants to remove threats, not play a tempo game. To that end, Remand isn't all that useful here. Mana Leak however, does have it's place.

I'm currently experimenting with trying to fit in 2x Mana Leak in the mainboard, and will update my list when I've come to my conclusions. :3

On the whole, though, the deck isn't crippled without it.

Good to know. I can't say I'm super famliar with playing discard based control, so things like Mana Leak are my safety blanket :P

One other question - with Unburial Rites being as pivotal as it is, do you find that a one off is usually enough?

enpc: If you're more familiar with permission control, may I suggest Esper Gifts? It's a little more combo oriented, but it's much better at the counter war game.

Unburial Rites is very often not as pivotal as you'd think. More importantly than that though, it's a dead card for 90% of the game, and it's never, ever something you want to draw into. For that reason, I tend to only play with a single copy, as I don't ever want to see it until I need it. (and then I can just fetch it out of my library :p)

Ironically, Rites isn't really the way I win most games. Most games that I've won in a tournament setting have come from equipping Batterskull to a spirit token (making a 5/5 vigi-lifelink) and just beating down my opponent.

That's not to say that I -haven't- won games by wombo-comboing. It's just that I have other options. 4cGifts is not a combo deck, despite what a lot of people think.

Now, many lists run 2x Rites for Esper, which is something I'm more understanding of. In Esper, you don't get access to a lot of the tools that 4 color Gifts does, so there could be wisdom in making the wombo combo a little more central to the game plan.

Seeing as you are the residential Gifts Ungiven expert was wondering if you could take a look my gifts deck and see if its ready for the SCG open in columbus in a few weeks. Its very similar to yours in the maindeck aside from 6 cards.
+1 Murderous Cut
+1 Grave Titan
+1 Lingering Souls
+1 Thoughtseize
+1 Sultai Charm
+1 Snow-Covered Swamp
-1 Dismember
-1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
-3 Sylvan Caryatid
-1 Fetchland
Which is basically I don't have caryatids and instead have a 3rd lingering souls, a 2nd thoughtseize, and a sultai charm. Do you think the deck is able to operate with out the mana guys. I'm in the camp of only 3 is not enough to always have them the same with some lists running a 2 of mana leak. Our sideboards are similar as well, we both have cards for similar roles like additional discard and removal, and a lifegain creature. As well as more sweepers and timely reinforcements. Do you see any necessary or beneficial swaps like sultai charm for anything else or what I can do to help the burn match-up? Its the only match I've lost 0-2 since I started keeping track of my matches which isnt that much since the record is 6-3 between states and a fnm.

I like Titan and Cut, but I think you need Caryatids to be as quick as possible in stabilizing. I like the Charm, but it's likely a bit too slow.

In addition to what GlistenerAgent mentioned, Blood Moon is running rampant atm. You would benefit greatly from mana dorks, as they provide a 'soft answer' to the damned thing. Without them, you threaten to get blown out by any deck running them.

I would focus your main/SB on countering:

Jund

G/W Company/Elves

Grixis Delver

Bloom Titan

as those will likely be the most popular lists, based on the current meta.

Yea one fnm was horrible, rnd 1 faced a ur delver with a main deck blood moon, and round 2 paired against blue moon. Thats why I added in nature's claim and celestial purge as answers in addition to decay.

Merchant Scroll?

Novel idea: play red over white so you can have Terminate, Bolt, Kolaghan's Command. Your fatty package might have to change too.

I just want to let you know that I've used this list as a base line for 4C gifts, which I finished building a couple days ago with a few minute changes for my local meta (Leyline of the Voids for Grishoalbrand because there is just no interacting when it goes off save a path in hand) and this deck is PHENOMENALLY fun to play. I want to thank you for the testing you've obviously put into this for those of us who don't have the time to dedicate to starting a list from scratch, I'll certainly be testing and tweaking as I go though, keep up the good work!

Needs 4 Tarmogoyf.

iLikeDirt: Thanks, dude! It means a lot to me that this list helped someone find the joys of 4c Gifts. It really is a fun deck to play, and challenging, too! =)

I must confess that it's been a little bit since I've tweaked this deck for the current meta. I've just been really busy with other things >.<

Be sure to do your own testing, and find out what works for you!

So, how excited are you for the new duals with basic types? I can't wait to run a couple of the UB ones (and am really hoping that they finish the cycle in Oath so I can use BG instead).

Fetchable lands that come in untapped with no drawback... Ah, its good to play control. Or Legacy. But that's beside the point

Does it work?

Unforgivn_II: Honestly? At the moment, I'm really dismissive of what they're calling 'Tango' lands. I feel that they have enough of a drawback that they're just strictly worse than shocks, buddy lands, etc.

I don't like the fact that it can minimally come into play untapped on T3. This makes any tango lands in your opening hand awful. Seems good for EDH tho.

I would only run 2. The thing is, you fetch for them on turn 3 or after. There's very little chance they start in your hand with only 2 in the deck, and even in they do, we usually A) don't have a T1 play, or B) have other lands we can play for turns 1 and 2. It will require testing of course, but I think they'll be my favorite fetch target.

Although now that I look at your list, it doesn't seem like there's much room. I only run 8 fetches, so I have a couple flex shocks I can take out.

The list only runs 4 basics. For them to come in untapped you'd need 2/4 basics. Those lands really only have a place in variations of Blood Moon control lists.

I agree that they don't make the cut in most modern shells, especially not gifts. Though without getting too off topic they could be really good in Twin (UR one when it's printed) and Scapeshift. Maybe some variations of control as well for late game counter wars.

Oh wow, I did not see that it has to be with basic lands. Yeah, those are trash. Damn you wizards, we could have had enemy fetches or man lands

I think they're pretty solid in 2 color lists (U/W Control and Maverick come to mind). But: definitely they do not belong in 4-Color Gifts! XD

Ye, they are fine in most two color decks. I meant the only 4 color decks they could work in were ones built with blood moon in them (or in mind at least). Most manabases are too greedy.

Even 3 colors would require building with basics in mind.

What do you think about Jace, Vryn's Prodigy  ^Flip in this list? I added it to mine and it has provided huge advantage early game, a must respond to threat that provides incremental card advantage if left unchecked. My deck is below,

Ho Ho No - You Aint Getting Those

+1 Because gifts is just awesome!

BoardFire: Hey, dude! Just letting you know that I didn't ignore your comment- I've just had a lot of life stuff to deal with lately.

In all honesty, I have not updated the deck for the most recent meta shift. I could very easily see Jace being an allstar in the more combo-oriented version of the deck; perhaps replacing Snapcaster Mage as he fulfills a similar role, and is more impactful as a 2-of.

I'd have to test it out, but it sounds like a great way to ensure you get the cards you need!

I need some help here. I understand the idea of gifts, but there are a few matchups and card choices I need explained.

Why Sylvan Caryatid over Birds of Paradise? Is the 1 extra mana worth it.

How well does burn go? With a painful mana base and a lot of expensive cards, how is game 1? Is timely reinforcements enough to make post-board good enough?

Sweet deck, I love the name.