The core idea for this deck was taken from Magic Aids on YouTube. While the core philosophy of the deck remains intact, I have simply tweaked this to make it...well...better. I've taken this deck to some LGS tournaments and it seems to hold up well against the much more expensive meta decks.
Without further adieu, General strategy is as follows.
Hedron Crab
Pretty self explanatory. Fetch lands are Field of Ruin are used for additional landfall triggers.
Thought Scour
Has two primary uses. It allows us to feed Logic Knot early in the game by milling ourselves so we can use it's delve function more efficiently. Secondly, it can let us draw into a miracle Devastation Tide to board wipe on opponents turn. As an auxiliary use it can obviously help mill an opponent and give Mission Briefing additional targets.
Visions of Beyond
The deck's primary cantrip, it allows us to gain card advantage and possibly miracle DT on an opponents turn. Solid card.
Logic Knot
In a mill deck Logic Knot basically becomes a solid hard counter. Obviously has some limitations but control magic in this deck keeps our opponents off balance.
Mission Briefing
One of the rising stars in mill, Mission Briefing is exceptionally better than Snapcaster Mage in a mill deck as long as you're using Archive Trap. The reason for this, is that unlike Snapcaster; MB allows us to recur Archive Trap for two mana and cast it for zero! Something snap couldn't do because of the flashback rules printed on snap. MB also doubles as a pseudo cantrip since getting rid of un-needed cards statistically helps you get to cards you need faster as well as re-arranging the top 2 cards (Devastation Tide set-up comes to mind). It obviously also lets you pull spells you need; given the current board state.
Trapmaker's Snare
Basically just an extension of Archive Trap. As long as you have 2 mana open, you can still trap your opponent for 13 cards by using this card in response if they searched that turn. You generally don't want to play this card unless you plan on trapping them that turn anyhow.
Sanity Grinding
The heavy hitter and only sorcery speed spell in the deck. SG hits exceptionally hard since the entire deck is constructed of spells that primarily cost double and triple blue in their mana cost. A perfect hit will mill for 27 and average hit about 14-18 cards.
Cryptic Command
So unless you archive trap someone out immediately with this deck; its likely this deck will see past turn 4. At that point its important we stall our opponents while keeping CA. CC is that card that gets us there until we can finish milling them out.
Archive Trap
The crown jewel of any reputable mill deck; its almost possible to win on turn zero if you start off with 4 archive traps and your opponent fetches (although I'd seriously have to question your card shuffling skills) but given that fetches are a common theme in competitive modern; you can usually get one or 2 off before you should have any caution about them getting countered. Having an opponent milled for 13-26 on turns 1 and 2 is pretty devastating for non-recursion decks. Whats even better is that it an instant speed card. Very hard to get around, especially if you're running it in a control shell and paying zero for it.
Devastation Tide
This is the get out of jail free card for the deck. If we're being bombarded with agro from ANY permanent, this card can possibly wipe it away for 2 mana. It can be cantripped into on an opponent's turn and the best part about its miracle cost is that although we're not permanently getting rid of the card we're bouncing, we're buying valuable time to finish milling an opponent as well as having enough mana left over to load up a counter spell to counter anything they might try to bring back into the battlefield. Since Hedron Crab is the only permament we run in this deck, its effects on us are minimal and negligible.
Evolving Wilds Terramorphic Expanse
I know, basically the same card right? Maybe I'm just unnecessarily careful. Wouldn't want anyone to surgical or pithing needle my fetch lands right?! (joke) These lands let us get additional triggers on Hedron Crab as well as thin out the deck. Because a mono colored deck doesn't need to fix its mana base, there is no reason to run the more expensive fetches and lose life points.
Field of Ruin
A must have for mill, it will force our opponent to search their library if they're not fetching, which lets us cast Archive Trap for zero. As a bonus it will also trigger Hedron Crab as well as thin out the deck.
Ipnu Rivulet
At some point we get more lands then we need if the game goes too long, this essentially lets us utilize our lands to execute our win con. Sometimes its just the extra push you need to make that Visons of Beyond draw you three cards.
Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
Basically lets you keep activating land triggers for the Hedron Crab and it taps for blue. Makes the deck slightly better.
Shelldock Isle
Lets you load up a finisher or a "save your ass" counter spell. This card won't be of benefit till late game usually.
SIDEBOARD:
Delver of Secrets
/ Jace's Phantasm
When going against decks that heavily resist mill or matchups where cards like Devastation Tide become useless, side in the appropriate number of agro creatures. I've found usually Devastation Tide and Thought Scour are the first to go in place of these. Not only that, but DT will knock your creatures away.
Dispel / Negate
Particularly useful when going against a control deck. Generally take out the more expensive Cryptic Command in exchange for cheaper counters. Or maybe your opponent has graveyard hate where your Logic Knots aren't as useful? These are solid replacements.
Ravenous Trap
We always have to be prepared for graveyard decks like Storm, especially since our win strategy strengthens them faster. RT is easy to cast, can be pulled out of the library with snare.
Surgical Extraction
Lets us take care of the occasional jank combo deck with less of a headache.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
For being such a budget deck this mill decks seems to do the job. The devotion to blue is so high that Sanity Grinding hits hard almost every time. The fact 97% of the deck is instants coupled with counter magic makes it easy to throw your opponent off and bait them; where as traditional mill is mostly sorcery and much more difficult to mill opponents. This deck has been extremely satisfying to play.
