I built this deck for a friend who was getting into Magic some time ago, in order to get him out of the casual range. With the rotation of Innistrad and the coming of Theros, the deck gained a reasonable amount of new toys. It's a UWR control that aims to ride a single threat to victory and defeat the opponent by controlling the board with counterspells and removal, using sweepers against agro and some burn that serves both for removal and added reach.
Opportunity
is the budget substitute for the almighty
Sphinx's Revelation
, and
Planar Cleansing
is a wallet-friendly sweeper that also hits Planeswalkers.
Prognostic Sphinx
is our AEtherling substitute, and
Spellheart Chimera
has great evasion and has a virtual Runechanter's Pike and 3 toughness.
Lyev Skyknight
is there for budget reasons, but he is an evasive beater that gains us some tempo, which is needed since our sweeper costs 6. It has had great results for being on such a low budget.
KEY CARDS AND INTERACTIONS:
Azorius Charm + Essence Scatter: This can be a backbreaking play for the opponent, since it negates their draw and can send back a problematic creature that we couldn't counter before, so we can do it the second time it drops.
Planar Cleansing
: It's our boardwipe. Costs 2 more but can hit planeswalkers and enchantments as well.
Opportunity
: Instant matters. Refills our hand EOT t6 to cast Cleansing just after that and establish our control from there.
Omenspeaker and other scry cards: These help us filter our draws early in the game and ensure we do Land drops, get our answers, and draw a Cleansing / Opportunity in time. Omenspeaker also walls aggro.
Prognostic Sphinx
/
Spellheart Chimera
: Our finishers. Chimera comes down really quick and grows from there, just watch out because it's vulnerable to all forms of removal. Sphinx starts smoothing our draws since it starts connecting, has a big butt so dodges damage based removal, and we can discard a card to protect it from Dreadbore, Doom Blade and Putrefy.
Non-budget options: AEtherling instead of Prognostic Sphinx and Supreme Verdict instead of Planar Cleansing. Anger of the Gods instead of
Ratchet Bomb
s in the side for added sweepers and dealing with tokens. Young Pyromancer and Guttersnipe deserve a special mention. Steam Augury is a great CA engine that help us dig deeper. And of course,
Boros Reckoner
,
Sphinx's Revelation
and all the rare duals if you have the full budget.
