Oloro White Blue Black Creatureless Control

Commander / EDH hootsnag

SCORE: 85 | 83 COMMENTS | 13677 VIEWS | IN 19 FOLDERS


hootsnag says... #1

Lotus Petal stays in. If only Bootlegger's Stash wasn't green.....

June 6, 2022 12:35 a.m.

Ender666666 says... #2

That's fair. I understand it for the quick mana aspect. My question was more a musing on how it might be better to run something that does something AND makes a treasure token at the same time, effectively doubling up your fun.

June 7, 2022 1:17 p.m.

hootsnag says... #3

I've checked all treasure token cards in magic. None of them fit with this deck really. It's unfortunate :(

June 7, 2022 1:22 p.m.

Ender666666 says... #4

What about the upcoming Black Market Connections?

June 7, 2022 1:57 p.m.

hootsnag says... #5

I'm not so sure about this one. Essentially it's 3 mana for one mana next turn. It's also worse than Phyrexian Arena for card draw. I would run Mana Vault (which I do), Grim Monolith, and others over Black Market Connections personally. If I needed creatures as well, then I would consider running it. Just my thoughts.

June 7, 2022 7:28 p.m.

Ender666666 says... #6

I just like that it can get you all those things, each turn if necessary, at a cost that hurts us a lot less than other players.

Time will tell through playtesting it in my own deck.

June 7, 2022 10:29 p.m.

hootsnag says... #7

I totally agree that the flexibility it offers is definitely of value to certain decks. It's going to be interesting to see. Let me know how your testing goes with it.

June 7, 2022 11:36 p.m.

SufferFromEDHD says... #8

Oloro "oh bore oh" Creatureless Control

Tear your inspiration a new one. Gonna test it out this weekend.

June 8, 2022 1:53 p.m.

hootsnag says... #9

Awesome!

June 8, 2022 2:46 p.m.

sixtysixstyx says... #10

Dovins veto?

June 15, 2022 8:04 a.m.

hootsnag says... #11

Nah. I'm only using single colored counterspells. Thanks for the feedback!

June 16, 2022 12:42 a.m.

chivalruse says... #12

Secure the Scene and Reduce to Memory are really bad cards. I know you intentionally didn't put planeswalkers in the deck, but Kaya the Inexorable is just a better Secure the Scene. I'd replace Reduce to Memory with Vanishing Verse. If you are curious about the rest of the removal suite that I use in my Esper Control deck, here's the link: Value / Grindy - Nevinyrral Esper Control

August 25, 2022 1:39 p.m.

hootsnag says... #13

I appreciate the feedback. I know that Secure the Scene and Reduce to Memory aren't that great. However, I am sticking to a theme in this deck. Only exile removal and no Planeswalkers. I could add several other cards if I wanted to be even more efficient but it's just not what I want for this deck. I'll check out your deck. Thanks!

August 25, 2022 2:15 p.m.

jamezbl0nde says... #14

No creatures? add Humility

August 29, 2022 12:16 p.m.

hootsnag says... #15

I want to add Humility. However, my play groups always argue about rulings with Humility so I just leave it out. It's better this way, trust me.

August 29, 2022 12:33 p.m.

unwucht says... #16

Imperial Seal sounds like a decent upgrade compared to Mastermind's Accquisition.

Would you mind to explain your wincon?

September 4, 2022 9:27 a.m.

hootsnag says... #17

Sure, I have 4-5 different win conditions in this deck. First is Mechanized Production. Pretty self explanatory. Second win condition is Approach of the Second Sun. I have lots of tutors and fast mana to find this card and cast it twice very fast. Third win condition is infinite turns and milling opponents with Temporal Manipulation, Duskmantle, House of Shadow, Soldevi Digger, and Planar Portal. You take an extra turn, use Soldevi Digger to put Temporal Manipulation on the bottom of your library, Planar Portal for the Temporal Manipulation back to your hand, and activate the mill from Duskmanle, House of Shadow. If you have enough mana, this is infinite turns and milling of all opponents. The fourth win condition is just using Jester's Cap to remove all cards from opponents libraries that would stop you from winning. You can Soldevi Digger or Academy Ruins the Jester's Cap back to your library and Planar Portal it back to your hand to repeat this process. I've made many players scoop their cards when I exiled all their removal from their libraries. The fifth and final win condition is just simply never running out of cards. You have Soldevi Digger to constantly put cards from your graveyard back into your library. It's not the prettiest or fastest win condition, but a valid one. I can normally win on turn 8 or 9 without too much trouble because I have so many tutors and fast mana in this deck. I hope that answers your question.

September 4, 2022 2:59 p.m.

unwucht says... #18

Thanks for explaining!

September 6, 2022 2:02 p.m.

bkcrosson says... #19

Esper has tons of win cons that are exceptional. Mechanized production is soooo slow that anyone not able to stop this combo should quit magic.

Exquisite Blood + Sanguine Bond. (Really slow but faster than Mechanized production.

Aetherflux Reservoir + Bolas citadel + sensei's top or...

Doomsday + Commander's Sphere + Bolas's Citadel + Aetherflux Reservoir + Black Sun's Zenith

Stasis + Tmoothering Tithe or + Isochron Septer/ Dramatic Reversal

As far as creature hate; Humility is tops; your friends should learn how it works (etbs don't work) Propaganda, Ghostly Prison, and No Mercy are reasonable pillow fort.

But, Rest in Peace + Web of Inertia or + Energy Field

Rest in Peace + Helm of obedience is a win con

Toxic Deluge and Damn are the only real creature board wipes. Toxic will get indestructible and damn is versatile.

Path to Exile, Sword to Plowshares, Imprisoned in the Moon

For targeted removal

Play all tutors that cost less than 3. Play counter spells.

And that should be a deck

October 22, 2022 5:30 p.m.

hootsnag says... #21

Great suggestions! I have looked at all of the mentioned cards and MANY others not listed before I settled on my final build for this deck. I will never run Doomsday in any deck...ever. It's a bad card. I chose not to run cards like Stasis, Aetherflux Reservoir, Humility, No Mercy, Rest in Peace and most board wipes or targeted creature removal for a good reason. Are those cards good in other Stax or Control decks? Yes, absolutely. Are they good for the deck I chose to make? No. My win conditions are very slow or very fast depending on which you use. Also, I made this deck specifically to make any permanents that other players put on the battlefield pretty much useless. Who needs to add in Humility when I have cards like Moat, Torpor Orb, and Cursed Totem? I neutralize creatures plenty well without having to add even more creature hate. Farewell is a card I can rely on also if things get out of hand on the board state. I have plenty of tutors and counterspells as well. Also, I need to manipulate my graveyard so I will not use Rest in Peace. I'm sure this deck isn't perfect but it does exactly what it's designed to do and quite well. To be fair, Web of Inertia, Tainted Aether, Spreading Plague, and Overburden, Toxic Deluge, Wrath of God, and Damnation were just some of the cards that I wound up cutting because I already had enough ways to deal with creatures or I needed room for other things. I appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback and card suggestions. Good luck to you in your games!

October 22, 2022 8:29 p.m.

hootsnag says... #22

Changed my mind eventually about adding Humility. It's such a great card. We'll see how it goes!

November 16, 2022 3:47 p.m.

Profet93 says... #23

hootsnag +1, nice deck, always a pleasure to see the decks you make.

Expedition Map - Find urborg for mana fixing, tabernacle against token/creature decks, academy for combo, less likely to miss landrop, etc....

Mindslaver - Combo/synergy with academy ruins to effectively lock out one player out of the game given enough mana. While I understand your goal is to stop all opponents, usually in my experience, one opponent has a better position than another. Utilizing mindslaver with the mentioned combo is great, but its on it's own regard should not be discounted. Being able to effectively not only skip their turn at worst, but being able to make their commander unnaccessible, tutor for their necro for suicide, etc.... highly versatile card.

Lethal Vapors - While this does not stop ETB's, it can be a very useful tool. At worst, it eat removal. Normally, 1 of 3 opponents will skip their own turn. At upper ground, in conjunction with mindslaver 1 of 2 things will happen with vapors on board and mindslaver on cast..... 1) They will sac their turn in response to cast so they lose on turn, then you can activate mindslaver to take their next, effectively denying them of two turns 2) They don't respond and you activate mindslaver, take their turn, then on their turn activate the effect of vapors and hold priority to do so X amount of times to lock them out of their turns indefinitely.

Static Orb/Winter Orb - Not an entirely serious suggestion, but am curious why are these not included? Do you feel you can't break parity?

Yawgmoth's Will - While I understand your potential concern of GY exile, I feel the ceiling of this card is high enough to warrant that risk. Thoughts?

Ward of Bones - I initially misread this card when I attempted to add it to my creatureless deck, I want to ensure you don't make the same mistake as me. So if you have no creatures in play, your opponents can still play a creature. I recognized that when most people realize this, they usually cut it, especially if they don't ramp into it. Were you aware of this and also, what are your thoughts on the card itself, how has it played for you?

Portcullis - I don't understand how this works, but its potential in creatureless decks is good. Can you explain it to me simply? Moreover, what symergies if any do you have with this card, or do you utilize it simply for value? I really want to add this card to my deck but don't understand it.

Energy Field - I know this synergizes with auto GY exiling, what synergy with other cards, if any, is there in this deck? Or do you use it simply as a one of use?

Null Brooch - How has this played for you?

Witchbane Orb - Meta call? How often do you need hexproof?

Norn's Annex - Given you already removed various propoganda effects, why does this one stay, especially given you have no walkers? Won't most opponents pay the life, what way do you have to take advantage of their life loss if any?

Mox Tantalite/Lotus Bloom - How have the suspense cards worked for you, the suspense is killing me!

Please be sure to let me know what you think of each idea, looking forward to your response.

December 9, 2022 4:49 p.m.

hootsnag says... #24

Glad you enjoy seeing the decks I make. I will answer your questions and give some insight into my decision making. First, I considered Expedition Map a long time ago and decided to go with more normal tutor cards such as Demonic Tutor etc. The map only grabs a land so it is limited in use. Mindslaver is one of those cards that can definitely cause all kinds of chaos but I chose to go for a faster win condition and less of cards like this. It takes too long to set up and get going. Lethal Vapors isn't a card I would run honestly. I would prefer a card like Spreading Plague or The Abyss instead. I chose exile as my main removal in this deck. Doing so counters graveyard strategies somewhat and indestructible. As for Static Orb and Winter Orb, these also interfere with my own win conditions. I'm trying to cast Approach of the Second Sun as fast as possible. This deck is very much control based and not really built to be a stax deck. Lastly, I've been asked before about why I don't run Yawgmoth's Will. I just don't think this particular deck is built to get value from it. It's an amazing card but I just didn't build this deck to support using such a card. Honestly, it would be more of a filler card for me.

Now, for the next set of questions. You are correct when you say that someone can still play one creature with Ward of Bones in play. The idea is to stop people from flooding the board with more than one. It is just a card to stall my opponents until I can draw or tutor my win conditions. This is the same reason why I use Portcullis. It keeps more than two creatures from being on the battlefield. Any creatures played on the battlefield beyond two get exiled until Portcullis leaves the battlefield. Again, I'm just slowing down and stalling my opponents so I can tutor or draw my win conditions. I feel that any creatureless deck should always run Portcullis. The value is just too insane. Energy Field is a card that I use to stall as well. It may last a couple of turns and that may be just enough to survive and tutor/cast my win condition. Null Brooch is such a fantastic card. A colorless artifact ability that just counters a non-creature spell is insane. It also combos crazy good with Ensnaring Bridge so that no creatures can attack because you have zero cards in hand. Witchbane Orb is just nice to have. It prevents a lot of bad things targeting you. It comes in handy more than you realize. You can't die to Grapeshot or other things with it in play. Norn's Annex forces people into a bad decision. They either pay white mana, lose life, or they can't attack you at all. Also, because of the Phyrexian Mana cost, you can play this fast to get value out of it quicker. Remember, if you make someone lose at least 8-10 life just to attack you, they are more vulnerable to other players killing them. The only other card I would put in place of this is No Mercy. Lastly, Mox Tantalite and Lotus Bloom are great for this deck. If I play them early enough, they allow me to cast Approach of the Second Sun very fast. Also, both suspend cards synergize with Tolaria West. Since the cards have a mana value of zero, you can use transmute from Tolaria West to search for them. I hope that shows you some of my reasoning and decision making. If you need to know anything further, feel free to ask.

December 10, 2022 8:18 a.m. Edited.

Profet93 says... #25

Thank you for taking the time to write your detailed response. More specifically, can you tell me how Portcullis has been instrumental in your build? Can you tell me of a time or 2 it really helped you? Another time it backfired (such as ETB effects).

I really want to add it to my build

December 10, 2022 3:22 p.m.

Please login to comment