How to Control Anti-Control
Standard Deck Help forum
Posted on July 29, 2015, 11:40 a.m. by RedDiomedes
I play a lot of Temur Decks. When I come across a blue control deck and to a lesser degree even against white and black I throw in some Surrak Dragonclaw, Sagu Mauler and Gaea's Revenge.
The first is uncounterable and makes other creatures uncounterable, the second has hexproof and the last has uncounterable and hexproof light.
These three cards give my opponents in my casual game night fits. It really weakens their decks.
However, I am dipping my toe into the control deck side of things and now I am thinking how do I beat cards like these? How do you get rid of hexproof creatures that are 6/6. What do you do with all your counter spells when every creature your opponent has is now immune? Whats the smart play?
TheNinjaJesus says... #3
Anything that's a sac effect is a safe bet. If you run Celestial Flare, and Foul-Tongue Invocation you can control the board state against anti-control pretty well.
July 29, 2015 12:10 p.m.
checkmaster says... #4
Uncounterable is easy enough - spells like Send to Sleep or Anchor to the Aether stop them. A hexproof creature that is not uncounterable should be able to be countered if I am not mistaken, since the counter targets the summoning spell, not the creature it summons. Once a hexproof creature is on the board, any deathtouch creature like Fetid Imp can keep it from attacking. Cards like Mage-Ring Responder can also take them such creatures off the board, as well as sac effects and board wipes as others have mentioned. I've got a discard-themed control deck I'm working on (Discard Control) which will probably not need to worry about these most of the time because I can simply remove the threat before it leaves their hand - by the time they manage to top-deck it or revive it, I've probably already got one of my win conditions out. Those are all the ways I can think of - I hope that helps.
July 29, 2015 12:58 p.m.
Rasta_Viking29 says... #5
"While there are wrong answers, there are no wrong threats." -Dave Price
Control's answers are limited and in many cases narrow. If a beatdown player wants to hedge his deck to beat control he will be successful. He'd most likely have to give up percentage points against aggro and midrange decks to do so but it's an option he has. What's the control player to do? Play a better positioned deck or just accept that not all match ups are winnable.
ducttapedeckbox says... #2
What kind of control are we talking? UB and Esper Dragons have access to board wipes (Crux of Fate). I play UR Counterburn and my only options are Perilous Vault and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon. You could also run a Pearl Lake Ancient which can block all of the cards you've mentioned (need prowess for Revenge).
July 29, 2015 11:48 a.m.