Maybe you could make a "blacker" version and add some discard spells?

Duress is a nice way of protection against boardsweepers and point removal against Talrand...Maybe better then Negate , because you dont have to play Talrand with 6 Mana to protect him, you can just look at the hand in turn 3, pick the threat to Talrand and play him on Turn 4 when everything looks okay. (if your opponent dont have a lucky draw...)

That's an interesting idea, ghoul. And it actually could be a lot better than negate. I think that I'll have to test it out!

Favorable Winds ?

This deck is gangster.

Appetite for Brains will take out almost every board sweeper minus Slagstorm and Whipflare . Also, it exiles it making their Snapcaster Mage s useless.

True dat, homes.

@Ohthenoises

Ratchet Bomb is the best way to wipe the tokens, and it's only 2 CMC

True , missed that one, Though Whipflare , Slagstorm , AND Ratchet Bomb will all be rotating out soon. (YAY!)

Yeah haha. I think with all the really good token production spells in Innistrad and M13, RtR is bound to have some serious token hate :(

Great deck man, I've been working on something similar for a month or two now. I like your mana base, that might run a little more consistent for me. I have also found that mainboarding a could Ratchet Bomb s to be a big help, that's my meta so take what you will from it. But I have found it helpful in disrupting a Birthing Pod deck by destroying a sacrificial creature in response to my opponent sacrificing it, usually slowing their whole momentum down. Also, maybe two or three Flashfreeze s in the sideboard, seeing as Naya Pod and Wolf Run decks seem to be popular (again, in my meta at least).

Beatmick you can't destroy a creature in response. It's part of the cost of the ability and as we all know all costs are paid before the other player receives priority.

What's on the left of the : is cost what's on the right is effect.

I've actually had a lot of luck siding in Day of Judgment and Timely Reinforcements against pod decks and G/X aggro/mid-range. Especially with a snapcaster in hand, it rapidly brings the situation into my control.

Yea, destroying a birthing pod target is rather pointless.I had Flashfreeze in at one time, but like i said above I just side in day and timely and it works better. 90% Mana Leak does the job just fine.

Negate is only a one-of in this list? Has that seemed to be working well for you? I don't do a ton of standard but in a control deck wouldn't Negate be at Lear a two-of? I'm not certain, just curious

There are a lot of creature heavy decks in my meta, so mainboarding negate as a 1 of has proven to be useful in most game ones.

There are a lot of creature heavy decks in my meta, so mainboarding negate as a 1 of has proven to be useful in most game ones.

i'm sure you've considered it an weighed the options but what about Delver of Secrets  ^Flip ?

He has been recommended a lot. But in play testing for whatever reason he hasn't worked out well. And also, he'd only really be a good draw early game. And lastly i kind of personally despise the card, for no reason that I know.

No Oblivion Ring even in the side? any reason for this? or just no reason because the other cards already provide answers to the decks?

This deck is in constant flux, at one point i had 4x Oblivion Ring . 90% of the time my deck covers all threats and o-ring kind of slows me down, I will most likely be adding two to the sideboard however.

I'm almost inclined to say add Favorable Winds . For the simple fact that having both that and Virtue in play has Talrand making Serra Angel s.

You should also consider cutting Forbidden Alchemy , the main deck Negate and at least one Dismember to go up to four Ponder and four Vapor Snag , you'll be better off playing a tempo game.

I used to play Vapor Snag but i switched to Forbidden Alchemy for card advantage, because I had late game problems where i was top decking garbage. Forbidden Alchemy allowed me to filter the crap (and maybe early game through out a lingering souls :D) and has proven very useful. I have considered putting vapor snag back in, however.

I'll try fiddling with my deck some more.