Prison deck in standard?
Standard forum
Posted on March 27, 2013, 12:52 p.m. by Apoptosis
Any thoughts on whether we'll see a prison deck in standard any time soon? I feel like Blind Obedience might be a step to get there if there were a way to to keep creatures tapped (hello Meekstone in M14?)
I think the idea is cool, but what would your win condition be? Also, Martial Law would be in that mix, but it's just as expensive to play as any other enchantment, which is why I think enchantments like that don't see much play
March 27, 2013 2:18 p.m.
One possibility would be to go U/W and mill or Invisible Stalker . I feel like blue is important in any prison deck to get the required combos in place and counter magic to keep it there. Perhaps combine with turbo fog and Azor's Elocutors ? Another idea would be Obzedat, Ghost Council ? Anything that puts them on a clock. I don't know... I guess that's the point of this thread, to brainstorm and explore ideas.
March 27, 2013 2:48 p.m.
Using blue would give you Inaction Injunction , which fits the "prison" theme and gives you card draw.
U/W also has Feeling of Dread and Azorius Charm that fit the theme.
March 27, 2013 4:03 p.m.
I think something like my Esper deck Enchanted manipulation is as close as it currently comes to being viable... though it's still a little slow for the current Standard Meta.
If there were a creature similar in interaction with Enchantments as Delver of Secrets Flip is with spells, or Cloudfin Raptor is with other creatures, then it could probably really boost this deck. - For now, Invisible Stalker with Ethereal Armor is the best I can see for this deck.
March 27, 2013 4:08 p.m.
Also, I would like to say I would LOVE to see Meekstone reprinted in M14.
With the current Standard meta being so creature heavy, it would single handedly make make the format friendly to many other types of decks.
Some deck types, such as RDW may not be as effected, but Thragtusk , Boros Reckoner , Falkenrath Aristocrat , and other such power creatures, would be not nearly as powerful, making non-craeture heavy decks a little more viable.
March 27, 2013 4:25 p.m.
It would Kill evolve and make naya blitz almost impossible to stop. That's why they won't reprint Meekstone . But... (just to argue with myself)... They should reprint it and Winter Orb and other nasty artifacts. Right now artifacts get so little thought and are not really considered a threat.
March 27, 2013 4:36 p.m.
I agree. With a few exceptions (Runechanter's Pike - situational, and mana fixing), artifacts have become defensive fall-backs for sideboards.
Pithing Needle - Grafdigger's Cage - Tormod's Crypt - Elixir of Immortality - Glaring Spotlight - Witchbane Orb
The rest of the artifacts with decent/interesting abilities are expensive or unwieldy.
Akroma's Memorial - Chalice of Life Flip - Clock of Omens - Door to Nothingness - Elbrus, the Binding Blade Flip - Staff of Nin
March 28, 2013 9:04 a.m.
I agree that the majority of artifacts with good payoffs are too expensive. I love what Staff of Nin does, but I'll be damned if I'm paying 6 to do it. I think that really nasty artifacts should come back, though. A reprint of Winter Orb would slow down a lot fo the decks that are ruling the meta right now from doing what they do, and give a little chance to some others who can find ways of playing around that. There is so much artifact hate right now that it wouldn't really ruin the meta at all but make it a little more interesting. Also, Meekstone would do the same, and maybe make some more interesting builds a little more competitive for standard at least.
March 28, 2013 9:44 a.m.
blackdragonetm says... #13
I was on the youtube last night and watching one of my favorite people playing mtgo and he was up against an azorius control using a blind ob and Tamiyo, the Moon Sage pretty slow but can shut down any mid range style deck. Of course he was using other spells helping to lock the opponent down.
March 28, 2013 11:55 a.m.
A Good prison deck. Right now would be something similar to a pillow fort deck using Sphere of Safety and enchantments like Assemble the Legion and Descent into Madness to fit the prison theme. Ramp could be accomplished by Mana Bloom and a Touch of the Eternal would all but ensure you don't lose the late game against things like reanimatoor. You have spot removal in the form of Oblivion Ring and Detention Sphere to slow down aggressive starts. We could even go as far as Sensory Deprivation .
March 28, 2013 12:46 p.m.
I built this deck ----> Zandl's Enchantmill ... right when RtR hit and had some moderate success at FNM with it. Main-boarding Rest in Peace not only hosed Reanimator decks getting milled out (the equivalent of them jacking it), but it made my Sphere of Safety better.
And main-boarding Rest in Peace is originally what got me into playing Misthollow Griffin , as seen here ----> Zandl's Misthollow Control
March 29, 2013 5:54 a.m.
@capriom85: If you're playing control, Staff of Nin , against anything but aggro right now in Standard, is one of the fastest ways to take over a game and shut out your opponent.
March 29, 2013 5:56 a.m.
yay for zandl Staff of Nin after redoing my deck i put it back in few days ago. hope it wroks :)
March 29, 2013 1:22 p.m.
I know this is old, but I feel like with some of the new enchantment love in Core 2014, a prison deck has become even more viable. I just finished up Sanguine Angels, and am looking for feedback/improvements.
In my testing so far it can out-control Esper/control (usually by shutting down critical lands, it probably wouldn't do well against mono-blue control), and stomps midrange, but struggles against aggro unless you can get to Sphere of Safety or lifegain fast enough. You usually can, if you hit enough Pacifism or similar cards early, but when you don't it gets crushed.
Suggestions are appreciated, I think this style actually has some potential currently.
Epochalyptik says... #2
It would need to be enchantment-heavy with Blind Obedience , Sphere of Safety , and Oblivion Ring . Those are all fairly expensive, though, and I think you'll have a hard time against tempo and reanimator, both of which are currently prevalent.
March 27, 2013 1:03 p.m.