grixis advice
Deck Help forum
Posted on March 29, 2013, 2:47 a.m. by whitechapel3055
I recently built a grixis removal deck and do not know how to fix it, what to take out, how many instants/sorceries to play, or how many creatures. Any advice will help!
I agree about cutting Nicol Bolas. I would run 2 Liliana of the Veil instead. Personally I think Desecration Demon is good enough (unless you're up against tokens) but I don't know if it's ideal for a control deck. Consider Tribute to Hunger over Devour Flesh (or at least 1-2 of Tribute). I like running a Sever the Bloodline for tokens, multiples, undying, regenerate, etc. (and it has flashblack). Underworld Connections is another card draw option.
If the Door to Nothingness is your main wincon, I'd run another of that card or Increasing Ambition .
I haven't played much control, so grain of salt.
March 29, 2013 5:31 a.m.
Don't cut Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker . I use him in Grixis control now and his power level is astronomically high. Against control, I'd prefer nothing else to him.
March 29, 2013 6:10 a.m.
I agree with them. While Nicol Bolas is a Game Changer, 3 is too many. Your gonna have those hands that you wish that Nicol Bolas was a form of removal or counterspell when you only have 5 mana and a board full of dudes.
March 29, 2013 10:02 a.m.
I take it you've never played with Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker in a control deck. 3 is the perfect amount. 4 is obviously overkill, but 2 is too few. By the time you reach 8 mana, you've only drawn about a quarter of your deck or less, and you want to be windmill-slamming Bolas onto the board right when you have the mana (board-state notwithstanding).
March 29, 2013 2:54 p.m.
KrazyCaley says... #7
@zandl - I think 2 Bolas is defensible in a deck that has other win conditions in such great amounts. But 3 is always fun.
March 29, 2013 3:11 p.m.
detentionsphere says... #8
I have personally played Grixis control and have found that 3x Bolas is waaay to much. I ran two and was even considering going down to one; you'll see a lot of your deck with your card draw and stall, and drawing multiples feels miserable. I might include more copies in the sideboard. Sever the Bloodline and Underworld Connections are decent as 1-2 ofs. Devour Flesh is better than Tribute to Hunger , though, as the one-turn earlier thing will save you more life than Tribute gives you. I would also cut the Door and Chromatic Lantern package (too clunky and weak to Detention Sphere ) and run 2-3x Nephalia Drownyard , upping your lands to 26-27. This also serves as a backup in case your Bolases get Slaughter Games ed or Detention Sphere d, but you need shocks in order to be able to support colorless lands. So cut the 1x Door, 4x Lantern, 1x land, and 2x Increasing Ambition for 3x Nephalia Drownyard , 2x Sever the Bloodline , 1x Underworld Connections , and 2x Searing Spear . Cut the Devil's Play s for 1 more Spear and 2x Izzet Charm , and the Bonfires for 2x Devour Flesh
detentionsphere says... #2
First thing to do is, if possible, replace some of those basic lands with shocklands (Steam Vents , Watery Grave , Blood Crypt ). Also, 3x Nicol Bolas is too much. Cut one of them. Also cut the 3x Desecration Demon s (bad card) and add 4x Augur of Bolas (early defense and card draw). Replace the Temporal Mastery s and Devil's Play s (too clunky) with 3x Devour Flesh and 3x Searing Spear (awesome removal). You'll also need some card draw, so replace the Gilded Lotus es and Staff of Nin s with 4x Think Twice and 1x Amass the Components . Hope this helps!
March 29, 2013 5:03 a.m.