EastsideRock No worries. The best way to make things work and improve on them is by having cold hard facts about the object under study to begin with. I didn't do hot that day, could have done a lot better.

I took the deck for another spin today, it's still a Grixis Control Deck, but I have a little more in the deck than just dragon's now.

It was a standard Tournament. 4 Rounds.I went 2-2, did win one more game than my previous test run on Tuesday, but the entire feel of the deck was very, very pleasing.

Taking my earlier comment into consideration, I ran the deck with 2 copies of Scab-Clan Berserker and let me tell you, that card does a lot of work.

Round 1 - Against the same creature-less Esper Control deck I faced last week. It was very amusing to see my opponent startle a bit when they saw me play the same Grixis from last tournament, but turn three play a haste creature and smack them. The round ended up being in my favour as Game 1 I kept all my counters up for every single card he could cast to try and get rid of my resolved Scab-Clan Berserker.A couple times, I saw him be very, very hesitant to try and cast anything when he became close to 10 life. I played an Icefall Regent (Another addition to the deck in place of a Kolaghan) forcing my opponent to either go on a two turn clock, or to tap out and try to remove the icefall, but still taking the burn. The burn killed them as they cast Ojutai's command thinking they could gain health, but I explained that the burn from scab-clan happens when he casts the card, and he only gains life on the resolution of his.

Game 2 was very similar but instead of an Icefall Regent, I dashed in Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury and hit my opponent for 8 damage, 2 turns later he scooped when I kept countering his spells, he kept taking burn, and kolaghan came down again for some fun beats.

Round 2 was against an Abzan/Blue deck and I lost this one in 3 games. Game 1 he managed to beat me with some well placed Abzan charms on my Kolaghan's and some early pressure with his Den Protectors and a Gideon.Game 2 I was able to steal the game with 2 Scab-Clan Berserker out by turn 5 and he was stuck trying to find a good way to play his Gideon's without taking 4 damage and then possibly Losing him the turn after.

Game 3 was his win, he curved out amazingly, and had sided in counter spells. A well placed Dispel on my Silumgar's Scorn was enough to let him stick something on board, and it was a Gideon, the worst thing that he could have resolved against me. I didn't draw into any boardwipes that game, even after having sided in another languish.

Round 3 was against a player I hadn't seen in a while. He was playing a Mardu Midrange deck and I managed to beat him pretty quickly. I added in Hangarback Walker to my mainboard, since I did have them laying around, and I have put some Kolaghan's Command into the deck as well, that do very nice things to my Hangarback whenever someone tries to exile it or what have you. I won Game 1 easily enough. Countering his Crackling Doom and making sure that his creatures had no reason to attack with Silumgar out was enough to win the game with a bunch of 1/1 flying artifacts. Game 2 and 3 were heavily in his favour as he managed to play an anafenza early on and countered two Foul-Tongue Invocation so that he wouldn't have to discard.

Round 4 was a write off as my opponent was playing a deck that focused on enchantments and mill, MTGGolfish's Marshmallow Tutelage is what I think it is called. But anyays, the deck runs no creatures.I managed to deal 12 damage to my opponent with the first Scab-Clan Berserker. Kolaghan's command was completely useless so I just used it to burn and discard, which, ultimately ended up winning me the game.

Gane 2 went pretty much the same as game 1. A resolved Berserker will deal a lot of damage to players that don't focus on creatures.

That's how my most recent tournament with this control deck went.Hopefully, as I playtest some more, I'll be able see and understand what can and can't be changed and if it can be changed, figure out how it can be changed without hurting us over.

Anyway! Good luck to anything who's going to be piloting this deck in the near future, but there is obviously very much to be brought to this deck to help fine tune both the cards and the manabase!

There's an error in my earlier post.

Round 3 was against a player I hadn't seen in a while. He was playing a Mardu Midrange deck and I managed to beat him pretty quickly. I added in Hangarback Walker to my mainboard, since I did have them laying around, and I have put some Kolaghan's Command into the deck as well, that do very nice things to my Hangarback whenever someone tries to exile it or what have you. I won Game 1 easily enough. Countering his Crackling Doom and making sure that his creatures had no reason to attack with Silumgar out was enough to win the game with a bunch of 1/1 flying artifacts. Game 2 was heavily in his favour as he managed to play an anafenza early on and countered two Foul-Tongue Invocation so that he wouldn't have to discard.

Edit: Game 3 was in my favour as I was able to counter his early creatures with scorn and Awry and managed to stick a Scab-Clan berserker that let me burn him down quite a bit. he didn't think exiling it with Abzan charm was worth it and made the mistake of casting it in draw mode, taking 4 damage for the 2 cards. That first time he did it was enough for me to dash in a kolaghan the turn after and swing in for game.

Wow. Nice deck think I might try it out. But if I don't have an ugin what should I replace it with?

CattCaller I might just have to actually really do some serious testing with the Berserker!! Thx for your post!!

DarkAngel367 Pretty much anything! He's there as a curve topper as he can steal games by himself. However you could very well use this vacant spot to reinforce any part of the curve, perhaps extra removal, adding more removal rarely hurts! Or just go ahead and give the Berserker a try!

CattCaller Y u no put up your decklist with Berserkers?

Sorry bout that, I'll get to it soon, been busy with work lol

I'll put my list up and link it once I get home, the latest one anyway, Scab-Clan berserker is a monster. It forces removal, and does damage while it's making your opponent waste resources. I am more than happy to pull that utter end/crackling doom/ruinous path/whatever out of my opponents hand, it's burn + one less card I need to worry about on my other threats.

Will have the deck posted once I get home, in about an hour or so.

I have realized i don't have dig through times( must have traded them off). So im replacing them with 2 Anticipate and 2 dragonlords preorgative, im hoping that'll work since i also have 2 jace, vryn's prodigy.

also, LONG LIVE GRIXIS!!!!!!!!!!!

EastsideRock Here is the deck that I've been piloting currently.

Grixis Control - BFZ Edition

There have been some changes, some additions, some take outs, but this is the most updated list of the deck I'm playing.

Now if only they'd reprint Nicol Bolas in Oath of the Gatewatch.Oh My God would I pick that card up as a Foil Playset instantly.I have the previous one from M-13 and I just love it. I played a Grixis Control deck back then, using Door to Nothingness as a win-Con and Bolas as another, with Stuffy doll as my blocking B***h. They were fun times. Would love to see something like that again.

So i played a slightly modified version of this at WNM.(Modified because i am missing some cards).Game 1: 1-2 I went against a B/W Rally deck, I totaled him in the first game with silumgar/kolaghan combo. The other two games i lost, though it wasn't because mana, lack of removal, lack of counters, he just had slightly better hands both games.

Game 2: 2-0 I went up against a jeskai burn deck. first game i barely survived as he got me down to three, and i had to anticipate into a foul-tongue invocation to survive his jeskai charm, then i slowly bashed him to death with drifting death. game two i sided in orbs of warding and both rending volley, as soon as i landed the orbs on turn five he conceded.

Game 3: 2-0 Another jeskai deck but this time it was jeskai dragons. I won first game by silumgar/kolaghan combo. Game two i sided in both rending volleys and both dispels. I murderer two of his three ojutai's he has with volley, then i stole the third one with dragonlord silumgar. I have 2 scab-clan berserker mainboard since im missing ugin and the second ob nixilis, so those wittle him down while i beat him with his own ojutai.

Game 4: 2-0 I went against a U/W control deck. First game kolaghans dash is the only thing that won me the game as he couldn't board wipe it. The second game was interesting, he ended up ultimating a Jace, so my response to that was "here eat the scab-clan berserkers." he burnt himself out before he could mill me.

This deck is incredible, even when not even completed. HAIL GRIXIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the link to the deck i used.

http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/05-11-15-grixis-dragon-control/

CattCaller Thx for the list, looks pretty solid! The 4 commands + tutor surprised me! How have they been doing for you?

DarkAngel367 Awesome!! Seems like you did great even without the full list. Your list looks very good too, Anticipate is so useful! Looks like you also had use for the Berserker, I want to test him out in the SB.

The Scab-Clan Berserker is fantastic!! I usually shoot it at them after i do a sweeper so the board is empty, and they just cause so many problems because they have to take damage to remove it which just puts them closer to kolaghans kill range. Also the Orbs of Warding is so awesome when your opponent realizes they can't target your planeswalkers anymore.(To target planeswalker you have to target the player then redirect damage).

@EastsideRock

I'm using the Silumgar's command as a catch all when I need it. It's served many purposes for both getting rid of a mantis rider late game, counter planeswalker + destroy planeswalker, counter + clear field, clear field + bounce your own thing if you need to, so versatile that I just had to run it.

The Dark Petition does what it does. you get it, you search out your choice answer card and cast it hopefully. Tutor and cast a board wipe, a Foul-Tongue Invocation, a Kolaghan's Command an Icefall Regent, a Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury if you can swing for game, so many things you can pull out and you're more or less going to have spell mastery up for the bonus 3, which makes it a really good card for answers to a variety of threats.

It's the card I use as my ' Get out of Jail Free ' card in a sense and it hasn't put me behind yet. I don't mind seeing it in the early game, because I know if needed, I'll be able to at the very least pull out an answer that I might be able to cast later on, and I most definitely don't mind seeing it later on in the game as the spell mastery makes so many things possible.

@Darkangle367

I'm glad you're liking the deck! Also very happy to see Scab-Clan Berserker helping you out so much. It's an incredibly underrated card and the power it has is phenomenal. You are never going to go negative if you even get a single attack in with the berserker, it's just that great. I'm proud to say I have replaced my normal ones with a playset of Foil ones. They look so much better when I play them, and the victory they bring just makes it so much sweeter. They only cost me a Dollar each too!

Anyways!

I took the deck to another Evening Standard Tournament today, went 3-1, taking out G/R Eldrazi Ramp round 1 with a 2-0.

Game 1 he didn't resolve anything and I beat him with Kolaghan. Game 2 I burnt him out real hard after siding in the 2 Scab-Clan Berserker from the side. The combination of the burn from them plus Kolaghan's Command forcing him to discard was what won me the round.

Round 2 was against an Abzan player.Game 1 He won with an unanswered Warden of the First TreeGame 2 I out aggro'd him with Scab-Clan Berserker and Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury dashing in for 9 damage a swing with the Berserker.Game 3 was similar to game two, he was stuck deciding to either use the Abzan Charm on my Scab-Clan Berserker or to save it and use it on my Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury after I revealed it to him through Foul-Tongue Invocation. I made the decision easier for him by playing a second Scab-Clan Berserker and smashing him for 5 that turn, and then 6 the following turn followed by a Kolaghan's Command in response to his Abzan Charm on my Scab-Clan Berserker

Round 3 was against a Black/White Ally deckThis was a player who I had known and helped out with his ally deck so I knew what I was dealing with and the knowledge was enough to secure me the round Victory. Game 1 kept his board clear and beat him with the dragon combo.Game 2 I out paced him again by resolving 2 berserkers that he let through to save his allies. It was enough for me to start hitting him with pretty big numbers and then a finish with Kolaghan was all that I needed.

Round 4 was against a Jeskai Dark deck.This guy managed to counter everything I did. It was suspicious how he was running main deck negates, but I didn't really think to much of it because game 1 I didn't get a chance to resolve anything and he pelted me down with Mantis Riders.Game 2 I managed to stick a berserker and burn him out with countering everything he tried to resolve. Game 3 he won again with the same strategy he won with game 1, counter, counter, mantis, counter, counter.

It was a positive night. I don't like jeskai dark, that's for sure. But I can manage well enough now that I know this players playstyle. He's the only one at this LGS who plays Jeskair Dark and since I've faced him 2 times now, I'm pretty confident it'll be different the next time.

That's my tournament report!

CattCaller Thx again for tourney report!! 3-1 is certainly not too shabby!!! GRIX!

Quick question what is your guys opinion of the best colors to draft?I wanna do Grixis, because there is good amounts of removal and some decent creatures, but I keep having second thoughts on it as I look through all the archetypes, getting someone else's opinion would probably help me decide. Thanks.

DarkAngel367 When I played at the BFZ release, basically everyone I played used Izzet or Dimir colourless. Maybe a mix of the 2 could work? There was one person who was playing Grixis, but idk how they did. All i know is that they beat me with my wimpy RW Allies :3

Took the deck to another 3-1 finish this passing Tuesday.

Round 1 was against an Abzan aggro deck, I didn't do so hot against that. I was stuck on lands for both games that we played and he resolved 3 Siege Rhino both game before I had any counters in my hand. it was a rough matchup.

Round 2 was against bant tokens. A deck that was running Retreat to Emeria and Gideon, Ally of Zendikar. Game one - He was able to get ahead on board and I didn't draw any board wipes.Game two - I managed to counter 2 of his early cards and on turn 5 tutor out Virulent Plague with Dark Petition and he scooped after that. Game 3 - It went very similar to game 2, he did manage to emblem with a Gideon before I managed to get virulent plague but I did manage to counter his following Gideon, Ally of Zendikar and again resolve a Virulent Plague and it was game over from there.

Round 3 was against Jund Dragons. It was a fun matchupGame 1 - Both of us going back and forth with his creature to my counter spells, and then I managed to land Silumgar, the Drifting Death and he didn't have a way to answer it outside of Foul-Tongue Invocation which I never let him resolve.Game 2 - Was another blow out for me because he hard cast Kolaghan, the Storm's Fury and I followed up on my tur with a Dragonlord Silumgar and it was game over from there.

Round 4 was against a Esper Awaken Control Deck.Game 1 - was a long affair with both of us drawing, playing land and passing the turn. I took the first initiative by trying to resolve a Silumgar, the Drifting Death around turn 10 and he tried to counter it with Scatter to the Winds on awaken, I was able to win the counter war for that and from there it was smooth sailing to victory as he wasn't able to resolve any cards that would have had a chance to clear my board.Game 2 - It was a lot faster than the first one with me having drawn into a pair of Dispel, Silumgar's Scorn, and Silumgar, the Drifting Death. Just coasting through and not missing a land drop was enough for me to have him tap out for a Planar Outburst on awaken to try and clock me down but a Scorn stopped that. The following turn I resolved a Silumgar, the Drifting Death and he scooped after that, claiming he had no way of removing it outside of expensive spells that he knew I was going to counter.

Good turn out this week. I was able to play against a fair bit of different builds, some new, some old, but I have a good idea of how the deck is supposed to be played now and I'm loving it!

I have posted my FNM results for this week here.

http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/05-11-15-grixis-dragon-control/#c2401450

CattCaller, DarkAngel367 Great results!! Thx for the report!

Took this to FNM last night, however, I made a few changes.

-1 Silumgar, The Drifting Death

-1 Island

-2 Anticipate

+2 Kollaghans Command

+2 Jace, Vryns Prodigy

In the side

-1 Orbs of Warding

+1 Ugin

Round 1 vs Boros Allies

This deck was pretty neat but Jace letting me back to back radiant flames and languish just ran him down.Brought in the extra radiant flames here, taking out the ob's.

Win (2-0)

Round 2 vs G/W Megamorph

Played against the list that autumn Burchett ran at the pro tour.Game 1, the foul-tongues were fantastic. Kolaghans also made for a great Gideon killer.Can't remember what I boarded in but it was more of the same

Win (2-0)

Round 3 vs Abzan Midrange

I took down game 1, grinding them out with ob, Jace and the drifting death.Games 2 and 3 I drew nothing but basic islands for land. It was really weird considering the deck hadn't had mana problems to that point. I just straight lost to mana.

Loss (1-2)

In closing, this deck feels fantastic. Jace and Ob together feels really busted. Kolaghan is also some fantastic anti Gideon tech.

Scuttles Thx for the report! I like your modifications, running 4 Jaces has been in the back of my mind, do you feel the playset is a must? How about the mainboard K-commands?

Ok so check out this spicy tech. Drop a couple lil sil for swift warkite. T6 bring back your jace w haste and flip him when he comes down. No one sees it coming I run it in my list. So fun lol.

Haha nat7636 I like it!! Could also be good for others that like to run the Berserker (CattCaller)