Solar Flare Control vs. Control and Wolf Run
Deck Help forum
Posted on May 2, 2012, 12:18 a.m. by DarasuumKote28
Hey, so I recently developed a Solar Flare variant with a bit more than the average amount of control. It still has the basics Flare-wise: 3x Sun Titan, 3x Phantasmal Image, 1x Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, 2x Unburial Rites, 2x Liliana of the Veil, 4x Forbidden Alchemy, 1x Batterskull. (Complete decklist: Snapping Flare (Esper Flare/Control).) As usual, there's the inevitable land base being a bit shaky, but my problem seems to be with artifact-based builds and my friend's Wolf Run Ramp. Playing against a Tezzeret build sucks because of the invariably mainboarded Nihil Spellbomb, Mimic Vat, and Ratchet Bomb, and the version of ramp my friend runs has 4x Dungrove Elder and 3x Thrun, the Last Troll .
So my point is, what responses should I be running? I feel like I have plenty of control options, along with 3x Snapcaster Mage for the reuse of said options. I can shut down aggro decently enough, but midrange builds seem to make life suck. Does the sideboard need help? Less point removal main? 4x Day of Judgment, Black Sun's Zenith, and Ratchet Bomb each??? How do I control a deck with a steady mid to late game?
After playing control for a good bit, I realized that Black Sun's Zenith and Day of Judgment are a lifesaver. I would run a playset of days between the main and side board. Also, Curse of Death's Hold, while costly, shuts down inkmoth so easily, along with decks like delver blade. Though Gut Shot is a good idea as well. I never really liked Ratchet Bomb all that much, it just was too slow I thought.
Pack Tribute to Hunger or Liliana of the Veil vd Dungrove Elder or Geist of Saint Traft. It's hard having a deck that can deal with any matchup, but espet control has great sideboard optioning that really helps out to turn the tide game two.
May 2, 2012 2:07 a.m.
DarasuumKote28 says... #4
Thanks for the detailed replies! I actually have 2 Curse of Death's Hold in my possession, and I've already got 2 Dissipate in the side, along with 2 DoJ (With 2 main, of course). What would you suggest out of the side for the Curses? 2 Celestial Purge? Should I go with additional Dissipates in the side somehow? Not sure how to make it happen, but it could probably be worked in.
sharkhunter66 says... #2
more Day of Judgment
s really help. especially since you can reuse them with Snapcaster Mage
. you could try sideboarding Gut Shot
against Inkmoth Nexus
and your phantasmal images should do fine against Thrun, the Last Troll 
if you save them. Oblivion Ring
s also do A LOT of work because they can hit nearly everything. perhaps some more bombs? i prefer Wurmcoil Engine
because it is not color intensive, it leaves something behind when it leaves the battle field, it gains you life, and it is a great target for Phantasmal Image
because it leaves tokens behind. it also might be a good idea to mix up your counter spells because mid-late games against wolf run, mana leaks do nothing. main board some Dissipate
s and Negate
s so your always prepared and can snap caster which ever one fits the current scenario.
May 2, 2012 12:44 a.m.