Abzan Control and Fate Reforged
Standard forum
Posted on Jan. 12, 2015, 4:01 p.m. by He_Who_Seizes_Thoughtseize
Since everyone is posting in regards to improving their decks with Fate Reforged being released and brainstorming with others to bounce ideas back and forth, I figured we could possibly get a thread started on a personal favorite of mine: The Abzan Control list that has been going around since Shaun Mclaren played it at Worlds. (The decklist is available on MTGTop8.com for anyone who wants to take a gander at the urtext. I also have a list with slight alterations on my page on here.)
A lot of people got excited when Ugin, the Spirit Dragon got spoiled, but then realized that he just doesn't do anything relevant in most decks, since the game should've already been decided by the time that a player gets to eight mana. However, I feel like the Abzan Control list is a perfect deck for him, since the deck wants to play longer than the Abzan Midrange list and perhaps even grindier than the Dimir Control lists. Additionally, I've been wanting to play around with Crux of Fate since I feel like it's strictly better than End Hostilities in this deck.
I'm horrible with making substitutions, but I was thinking of cutting some number of either Nissa, Worldwaker, Sorin, Solemn Visitor or Duneblast from the Mainboard for Ugin and swapping the five mana Wraths in the Sideboard, but I'm looking for others' opinions. So, TappedOut, what do you think would be the best way of improving this deck with Fate Reforged?
The only plus side Crux of Fate has over End Hostilities in a abzan control list is the fact that it's black. Most likely you'll have Bile Blight and Hero's Downfall in the main board and will want to hit double black early on anyways. It'll just help make it easier on your mana base to cast all your spells when you want to cast them more reliably.
Of course the argument to that with dual's and fetches you should be able to hit double black early and still hit double white by turn 5. Especially since you'll most likely be running elspeth as well so your mana base should be set up to allow you to easily hit those colors.
January 12, 2015 6:56 p.m.
omnipotato says... #4
If you're running Sylvan Caryatid, Courser of Kruphix and a decent mana base, there's a very low chance you don't have 2 white mana by turn 5.
January 12, 2015 7:19 p.m.
Nobody said you will be running caryatids and courses as well. If you want to be able to consistently wipe the board by turn 5 on a regular basis when needed the last thing your gonna wanna do is flood board with things. Even Crux of Fate would be blowing them up on a regular basis your better off with early hand disruption and removal so you can rely on your board wipes for decks that can still flood the board like ramp and token strategies. The only reason to be playing green right now with controk that I see is maybe the addition of abzan charm and garruk as an additional finisher to elspeth. Courses and caryatid are not reasons to play abzan control.
January 12, 2015 8:04 p.m.
omnipotato says... #6
The deck OP referred to has both. Generally Abzan control (see here, here, etc.) are playing both those cards, along with End Hostilities as a one of or in the SB.
January 12, 2015 8:12 p.m.
omnipotato says... #7
Also, having a single Sylvan Caryatid in play is not "flooding the board with things." I can imagine a lot of situations where you'd want to cast End Hostilities on turn 4 or 5 with a Caryatid in play.
omnipotato says... #2
How is Crux of Fate better than End Hostilities? Ex. Opponent has Stormbreath Dragon and Goblin Rabblemaster and you have a Sylvan Caryatid. Only way Crux of Fate would be better is if you were running strictly dragons. Even then the situation that the opponent has 1 dragon and 1 non-dragon would be problematic.
January 12, 2015 5:20 p.m.