This looks similar to how my Grixis looked when I first started playing it. I later went full on control. For this deck I would say the Consuming Aberration is unfocused. It's the only source of mill and it works better the more you mill. With so many creatures you are probably going to want to beat down to win so maybe you could add Weapon Surge . The first strike would really help you in heavy combat situations, allowing your little guys to power up and win against any x/3 creatures and your Spellheart Chimera to survive any blockers as well. It might also be helpful to add some draw spells to help keep you from running out of gas.

-2 Consuming Aberration too unfocused. -2 Mizzium Mortars You have other single target kill spells so you don't need to draw this until later in the game when you can overload it. -1 Cyclonic Rift same thing.

+3 Weapon Surge +2 Divination

I guess what I'm worried about is that I won't have a main source of damage without the aberration. For the playtesting that I have done so far, as this is a new build, the aberration usually will not come into play on turn 5, because I want to be on the defensive or just don't have him. There after, it becomes extremely easy to play him then mill with an instant, say Doom Blade or Blustersquall on my opponents turn, mill for one, and by that time probably have a 4/4 at least. I know he's clunky but he can get there. Would you just take him out or would you replace him with a creature?

Do I really need Divination ? Izzet Charm can do that - with a discard though.

I like Weapon Surge but would it really do enough for me to run three and cut Cyclonic Rift and Mizzium Mortars which are both good cards when regularly cast.

Thanks for the suggestions! Do you have your Grixis deck up here?

Except for the fact that Izzet Charm is your only counterspell, I would say replace all 4 with Magma Jet . It does the damage better and still has the ability to smooth out your draws. And drawing two off of Divination is much more powerful than looting. I still run the charms up until Theros releases but I rarely use the loot function.

Weapon Surge is great because it means you can block. Against an Aggro deck (for example) you are facing down an army of 2/2s or 3/3s whose sole purpose is to ram their face into you until they die or you die. Your defense is a bunch of 2/2s who you want to stay alive (Cyclops helps but he can't kill on his own, either) So Weapon Surge helps you be able to actually kill all their dude and keep your dudes. It basically reads "win combat" in that situation (even making your cyclops a 5/4). It can then help you go on the offensive to get those last 3-5 points of damage in killing your opponent (not including the guttersnipe or cyclops triggers and the chimera +1 when it resolves). In those cases killing or bouncing 1 creature isn't enough to keep them from killing you and you won't live long enough to overload.

That isn't to say ditch all the Mizzium Mortars or Cyclonic Rift , just tone down the numbers to open up your early game.

And yes my deck is on here. It also has a link to another deck building site that I was using before with more notes on the deck that tell the evolution story it went through this summer. Sith Control (Grixis).

Okay, so you've convinced me on weapons surge and three have gone in while taking some mizzium mortars and rifts out. I'll play test the different numbers of magma jet and divination, but the counterspell part of izzet charm has been very helpful.

That sounds good. Izzet Charm is your only counter spell in the main 60 so I understand leaving that in.

thoughts on switching Consuming Aberration for Master of Cruelties ?

Since this is control, I would suggest including 3x Syncopate , 2x Dissolve :)

instead of?

Blustersquall and Weaponsurge? lol

Or Counterflux instead of Dissolve

No to Counterflux because I'll rarely need to cast such a stack intense counter. I could try it out with more counterspells like the others you suggested though!

It seems like we're running into a problem that I have experienced before in that, we want to be playing our support creatures but ALSO keeping mana up for spells on their turn (mainly the counter spells). Either we need less action on our turn or less on their turn. A good compromise is just using cheaper situational counters like Negate , Swan Song , or Essence Scatter . Typically control decks do favor the "i'll just play my spells on your turn because i can" route, but that doesn't mean you have to. Just remember that it is better to go one way or the other because splitting down the middle just means you usually end up not playing anything.

I think you need more lands if your going to be a control deck. At least 26 lands in new standard for control list

Okay, that's fair to say. I haven't played enough counter spells in my magic career so this might be the deck for it.

Here's the changes I've done so far:

-2x Weapon Surge -3x Nivix Cyclops -3x Guttersnipe -1x Cyclonic Rift

+4x Dissipate +2x Syncopate +2x islands

Now there's three open spots, suggestions? I'm thinking creatures and probably the cyclops still should be kept in for blocking

I was watching JeffHoogland stream yesterday and he was going over his u/b brew. And he was bringing up Returned Phalanx if anything it might be worth investigating to see how it hold up.

hmm, it seems like a good card and is pretty cheap. Because it's so cheap, it lets me cast counter spells later while still having a defender. Actually, this might just go in.

I'm also playing Grixis control at FNMs right now, and I think there are a few ways you can go with this. For one, you've kind of got a non-bo going with Spellheart Chimera and Anger of the Gods . You're correct in your assumption that aggro is a huge problem (at least in the current meta), and I have yet to be disappointed with my three main decked Angers. You can probably do away with the Chimeras and bring in more removal (most likely more Doom Blade s and Hero's Downfall s). Also, if Master of Cruelties connects, how do you plan on finishing off your opponent? Without more reliable burn available to you, you're banking on having another threat (any creature or Ral) on the board at the same time, and that threat should be able to take over the game at that point. I don't know about your budget, but if you can get them, Jace, Architect of Thought has been doing work for me recently.

Taking it all in, I think I'd recommend these changes:

-1 Master of Cruelties -2 Divination -3 Spellheart Chimera -4 Izzet Charm

+3 Jace, Architect of Thought +3 Read the Bones +1 Doom Blade +1 Hero's Downfall +2 Magma Jet

Hope that helps!

First off, thanks for the suggestions! However, it's a no go on the AoT because I probably won't be pulling any of them and won't drop that much money on them. As of right now, I don't have the Anger of the Gods to even use so the chimera will be in the deck till then. I don't necessarily like Read the Bones because of the damage it does to me - unplayable in an aggro match up and difficult to work around if I'm having to shock myself for land, but I can play with it and see. Izzet Charm can be a Read the Bones , Magma Jet and then even a counterspell so preferably I'll keep those.

How about:-3 Spellheart Chimera -2 Divination

+3 Read the Bones perhaps adding 4x Frostburn Weird ?

With 5 shock lands in the deck, don't overestimate the amount of damage you will take from those in most cases. Worst possible case you deal 10 damage to yourself. Most likely worst case you deal 6. Most games you probably actually won't need to shock yourself more than once if at all. Izzet Charm is actually a very sad card to draw after turn 5ish. It struggles to actually counter anything, your hand probably doesn't have enough cards to want to discard (unless you are hold a ton of lands which mean you would rather top deck anything more powerful than the charm) and the 2 damage stop being enough at some point. I prefer Magma Jet in that slot and feel it is much more consistent.

A more reasonable alternative to AoT is Ral Zarek . I'm considering putting a second in my Main Board. I imagine (untested) that he would be nice in multiples because then you can use his lightning bolt ability more freely knowing he can be replaced. Even if you spend 4 mana to get one bolt off and he dies to the next swing, that means he is a removal + safe passage type of effect. And that's not even touching on his other abilities.

Ratchet Bomb and Pithing Needle are essential at this time especially for grixis. I would say 2 of each at least in side board. Each are about $1 - $1.50 a piece, which isn't bad.

-4 Izzet Charm +2 Ratchet Bomb +2 Magma Jet

Those would be my actual suggestions, aside from other musings and discussion. Happy gathering!

Ugh, you two are killing me with the charm. But I will playtest alternatives. Pithing needles are actually already bought and on their way, just haven't gotten around to it. Definitely like ratchet bomb, so yes. What would you take out for another Ral?

Okay, so I've been considering purchasing a planeswalker or two. Particularly, Jace, Memory Adept , better in mirror match ups and/or another Ral Zarek . Both are around 7 dollars. Worth getting over something like Rakdos's Return , or other cards?Ideally, I would like to sink another $25 to $30 into this deck and call it good.As of now, I'm most concerned with Esper Control, and GW/GR aggro. Thoughts? As always, I really appreciate the comments.

I'm a pretty big fan of Izzet Charm . Against aggro the 2 damage stays pretty relevant with anger of the gods and frostburn weird and against control it turns removal into (hopefully) a Rakdos's Return , a counter or a finisher. 2/3 of seems like the right amount. just don't loot unless you're sure it's worth it. the early game flexibility is worth the late game durdling imo. I saw a list that used charm/ Thoughtflare and Steam Augury to kill with a Psychic Spiral . a little cute, but i tend to enjoy playing draw-go anyway.

also, budget notwithstanding, it looks like 4x Anger of the Gods in the 75 is optimal.

To be honest, I don't even have the first two, let alone 4, so we'll have to see. I will drop the charm down one, maybe two for an empty space for now I guess.