A Black and White control style deck, with utter annihilation in mind. This deck is an answer to the heavy agro play currently in use in my Meta, and should serve anyone else with a similar play environment. With many options to rid the board of cards, the object here is to keep the board free of creatures and then slide into the win using Batterskull and your planeswalkers.
This deck runs absolutely no creatures within it, and is dependent on the production of tokens, or the use of Gideon Jura to deal out damage to pull out your win. However, this deck functions well without the addition of creatures, as you are not allowing anything to stay on the board long enough to cause problems.
So, win-con: Batterskull achieves the win much faster, but he is not 100% guaranteed to show- nothing is, truly. However, regardless if he shows or not, you can use Elspeth Tirel to produce you soldiers, or have Gideon come out and act as the muscle. Assuming you get a Batterskull on to the field, attaching him to Gideon is just a cruel way to finish your opponent off. During play-tests, I have come back from the brink of loss to wins with 50+ life.
You just have to appreciate lifelink.
Strategy: Keeping the field as clear as possible is number one priority. However, there are numerous ways to pave your path to your victory:
Creature Hate: Go for the Throat, Doom Blade, and Dismember clean up individuals and tend to make up the early game, picking off little annoyances or mana ramping creatures (Birds of Paradise, Elves, Myrs, Avacyn's Pilgrim, etc). Tribute to Hunger is there for two purposes- to get around protection from black, and if played correctly, to gain some life off a bigger creature- life you may need after having taken a few hits, or if someone is nailing you with burn spells. Also of note- the setup is an even split between Go for the Throat and Doom Blade, as you never know for sure what deck you will go up against. If you take on a fellow black- switch out Doom Blade. If a Tempered Steel deck, switch out Go for the Throat.
Board Wipes: This is your mid game, when others are more likely to have mana to drop more creatures, or have the mana to start fielding token spells. Black Sun's Zenith drops counters on everything, sometimes getting the field cleared off for 3-4 mana, and bypassing protections, hexproof, and regeneration (0 toughness is a graveyard trip due to state based action, not Destroyed or Damage). Day of Judgment is a four mana drop board clear that can get used sooner. Life's Finale is a fun card, whose six mana cost is worth more than first appears. Not only can you rid the field of creatures, you can dig out those who are going to be your worst nightmare once let loose. Say goodbye to Thrun, the Last Troll, Wurmcoil Engine, Geist of Saint Traft, Geralf's Messenger, etc. Also- this loads up the graveyard fast. I have used it during play-testing even when the field is clear- knocking back three creatures decreases the likelihood they will draw any. If they are creature light, or you have already plowed through many with other cards, what better way to ensure you have easy seas to sail?
The Mavericks: Some things are not quite a fit in the mold. A planeswalker, troublesome artifact, or a Mirran Crusader might be a cause for alarm. Oblivion Ring is there to provide some help, and there is additional support in the sideboard as well.
Insurance: We put things in the graveyard, and for some decks, this is exactly where they want some of their cards. In order to see to it that these cards do not come back, or in order to ensure we are not getting picked off by a card that nearly tossed the game for us (Burns, control, a fricken Liliana of the Veil), Surgical Extraction is added to the mix. I have found the utility for this card to be so incredibly useful. :)
Planeswalkers: Gideon Jura and Elspeth Tirel- a wonderful duo who just smooth things over, especially Elspeth. Gideon distracts creatures who have managed to avoid your devastating defenses, and can become a hard knocker as needed. Elespeth just does all kinds of good for you. She produces three creature tokens, which come in handy for blocking, doing tidbits of damage, or bearing a Batterskull. With those creatures, she can quickly replenish your life, getting you back onto stable ground. And, if things become too rocky, she can blast the field away for you, for absolutely no mana.
Sideboard: The sideboard is to deal with other control decks (or those who splash it with their agro) and decks laden with Planeswalkers. Hex Parasite removes counters- which serves well in either destroying a planeswalker, or taking care of a shrine before it gets to worrisome. Celestial Purge takes care of the planeswalkers who most often give me fits in tourney play- Liliana of the Veil, Sorin Markov, and Chandra, the Firebrand. Go for the throat and doom blade are also here, for the switch as necessary mentioned earlier. Last- Wurmcoil Engine, useful as backup muscle for a deck that may require getting things done faster with some heavy hitters. .
So, let me know what you think, and give that +1 button some love. :D
