Competitive Grixis Control
Deck Help forum
Posted on May 8, 2013, 4:12 p.m. by meecht
I'm trying to be more competitive, and my current stab is at Grixis control.
Ripped From The Æther (Competitive)
A couple Grixis Control decks made Top 8 at a couple recent SCG IQs, but they utilized Duskmantle Seer which I don't like. I think the archetype has potential.
The main idea is similar to other control decks: control the board state. Unlike Esper Control, Grixis doesn't have access to very many effective board wipes, so you have to utilize creatures and spot removal.
For finishers, I have AEtherling and Olivia Voldaren , but I wonder if one of them would be better replaced by Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius .
KrazyCaley says... #3
I personally prefer NO creatures, freeing space for more kill spells to compensate for wrath absence, and rendering irrelevant a large part of many opposing decks.
May 8, 2013 6:49 p.m.
Unfortunately, I don't think that strategy will work in my meta, KrazyCaley.
May 8, 2013 10:03 p.m.
this is a fun fnm deck i made just for playing with friends i hope it helps you,creatures (18)
4 nivmagus elemental 4 augur of bolas 2 talrand sky summoner 4 mercurial chemister 2 niv-mizzet, dracogenius 2 sire of insanityinstants/sorcereys (20)
4 cyclonic rift 4 dreadbore 4 dragon shift 2 counterflux 4 mizzium mortars 2 rakdos return
planeswalkers (1)
1 ral zarek
land (21)
4 steam vents 4 blood crypt 4 watery grave and basics
May 23, 2013 12:37 a.m.
detentionsphere says... #6
This is a very good list, I like it. A few notes:
The Niv Mizzet should probably be another AEtherling ... both require you to untap and AEtherling is so much more powerful if you do.
You definitely want 3-4 Searing Spear in the maindeck. ATM you have 5 counterspells, and I would run about 2. Cyclonic Rift also doesn't seem very good.
Izzet Charm seems much better than Desperate Ravings . Sure the draw is worse, but Charm can kill a creature or counter a Sphinx's Revelation , Rakdos's Return , Farseek , planeswalker, etc. Speaking of which, I might include a single Rakdos's Return in the main.
May 23, 2013 3:29 a.m.
There was a Grixis control deck that made the Top 8 States Championship in Florida that's a fair amount different from most Grixis lists. I plan on trying it out at FNM and Game Day this week.
Grixis Control by Daniel Hayes
Creatures [6]
2 AEtherling
4 Snapcaster Mage
Planeswalkers [1]
1 Jace, Memory Adept
Spells [27]
2 Devour Flesh
4 Dissipate
3 Essence Scatter
3 Far / Away
4 Forbidden Alchemy
2 Magmaquake
2 Syncopate
4 Think Twice
3 Turn / Burn
Lands [26]
3 Blood Crypt
2 Desolate Lighthouse
1 Dragonskull Summit
4 Drowned Catacomb
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Island
1 Mountain
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
1 Swamp
4 Watery Grave
SIDEBOARD
2 Crypt Incursion
2 Duress
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Magmaquake
3 Notion Thief
1 Olivia Voldaren
4 Pillar of Flame
1 Pithing Needle
The creator frequents the MTGSalvation forum and has said that he would probably remove the Crypt Incursion and Jace, Memory Adept /Pithing Needle from the sideboard in place of 3x Izzet Staticaster . Removing graveyard hate in a meta where Reanimator is king seems iffy, but his rational was to have a better matchup against Aristocrats. If your meta doesn't have a lot of Aristocrats decks, I would probably stick with the listed sideboard.
His game plan against Reanimator is to either use Turn / Burn to prevent Angel of Serenity loops or bounce Angel of Serenity to counter it on the way back down. Both strategies seem sound.
May 23, 2013 8:50 a.m.
Here is the creator's own words on what he would change:
If I were to play the deck again, I would cut the one MD memory adept for the 4th Far/Away. Card is so absurd at the moment.
As far as the SB goes, I would cut the two incursion and one needle for three Izzet Staticaster. That is the key to unlocking the Aristocrats matchup. I would test the SB jace as well to see if he pulled his own weight being the only one in the 75, as I think our control matchup is pretty good with 3 thief and the overall structure of the deck as is.
theemptyquiver says... #2
don't lose Olivia.
I play a grixis deck, and struggled for awhile until added her in for a body. she does too much to lose.
May 8, 2013 4:57 p.m.