Mono-Blue Control + Token Spam. Competition focused. Other players have to ask permission to play their cards.
The deck is focused on dropping Talrand, Sky Summoner on about the 6th turn to have enough mana to Counterspell if needed. Then just mediate the game until you have enough tokens to start slaying. Since Talrand is crucial to the deck, make sure to always have at least one bounce or Counterspell available incase he gets targeted or needs to avoid a board wipe.
Ramp:
-Mitotic Manipulation- with Talrand on the field it is usually a Pilgrim's Eye that avoids Proteus Staff.-Trinket Mage- Searches up Seat of the Synod, Sol Ring, and Explorer's Scope if played early in the game otherwise is essentially an artifact toolbox.-Sol Ring- Its sol ring. Need I say more?-Explorer's Scope- Since I am attacking as much as a red mage I may as well get some mana out of it. Also cleans out lands from my draws.
Artifacts:
-Elixir of Immortality- resets the occasional mill deck with a little life gain to boot. Mostly used to recover spells and creatures in the mid to late game.-Glaring Spotlight- It's tough to bounce something if I can not target it. The unblock-ability is nice if I need to finish some one with reachers or flyers.-Isolation Cell- Makes bounced creatures stay off the field longer. Unfortunately it is not fetchable with Trinket Mage and is really more of a pet card than anything else.
-Brittle Effigy- Blue has a hard time destroying enchantments, artifacts, and really anything that actually makes it on the board.
-Explorer's Scope- See above-Psychosis Crawler- I draw a lot. At its worst it is an underworld dreams. At its best, it turns Mind Spring into an amped up Fireball.-Proteus Staff- see below-Runechanter's Pike Throw it on a drake to close out the game if enough spells are in the yard.-Urza's Glasses- Gaining inforation is crucial to operating this deck + its an odd card that I am suprised doesn't see more use.
Draw Power:
Small time draw power in the form of Impulse, Preordain, and cantrips. Used to dig for land in the early game and protection in the mid game. Enclave Cryptologist to clean land out of hand incase it starts to flood. Keeps the opponents always on edge about what is cottoned in your hand.Large draw power in the form of Windreader Sphinx, Distant Melody, and Mind Spring. A little more dependent on having drakes on the field than I prefer but in intended to reload the hand during the late game when I can expect to have a couple of drakes on the field.
Proteus Staff:
One of the funnest toys in the deck. I usually use it pre-combat on a drake to have it hit either a creature buff from Grand Architect or Sprite Noble or to hit a board bounce with Scourge of Fleets. If it hits Trinket Mage then I get to go a'tinkerin' for what ever tool is needed. Really it is just one of my favorite cards of the deck.
Wincons:
-Overflowing enemies with buffed drakes-Runchanter's Pike-Psychosis Crawler-enemy frustration from being unable to play their cards
Advice is welcome especially for multiplayer since I have only been able to test the deck in 1v1 matches.
A quick note: DO NOT suggest Capsize. Though this deck does focus on control, I find that Capsize is too unfun. it sucked to fight against to i refuse to use it on others.
