THANKS TO ALL FOR 10K VIEWS
Name of the deck is inspired by the fact that I haven't lost to any control decks in several weeks, and then I heard a song that had the lyrics, "I am control, no way you can chain me."
DECK BREAKDOWN
Goal of the Deck
Control the early game with quick 1-for-1 removal with spells like Shock and Izzet Charm while getting up mana for better removal such as Far / Away, Hero's Downfall and counterspells. Take your time locking down your opponent and turn the tables by playing threat after threat to put them on the defensive.
Removal
Far / Away - Best creature removal in the deck, does one of three things --- Far - slows down your opponent. === Away - Removes ANY creature, assuming you've killed all their other threats... === Far + Away - slows down your opponent AND you kill their largest creature threat.
Hero's Downfall - 1-for-1 removal at its best. Kills almost any threat in the format. (A bit hard on the mana though, which is why we have 14 black sources.)
Izzet Charm - Either you counter a non-creature bomb on turns 3-5 or you kill an early game threat. If you don't get a chance for either, you can just fix your hand later in the game.
Lightning Strike - I chose lightning strike over Magma Jet because some creatures I often have trouble dealing with have 3 toughness such as fleecemane lion and nightveil specter. Besides, with shock and izzet charm, we already have 5x 'deals 2 damage to target creature' (replaced ratchet bomb when Ral Zarek was removed because we need to keep some burn in the deck to finish for master of cruelties)
Shock - Our 1-drop removal spell, takes out mana-dorks and ash zealots turn 1, even if we are on the draw.
Counter-magic
Counterflux - While I do like scry 1 from dissolve, I would much rather have the ENORMOUS mirror advantage that counterflux provides. Playing against UW control? Sit there with counterflux until they play aetherling or elspeth and counter it.
Izzet Charm - Same as above, good against aggro, like a mini-syncopate in the early-mid game as well.
Syncopate - Still a great spell.
Planeswalkers
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver - While I STILL believe ashiok isn't a very good planeswalker, it psyches out most opponents into THINKING it's a threat. Normally they go all out to get rid of it, even when it exiles dead cards, which blows my mind. But hey, I won't complain about free life in a deck without life gain...
Jace, Architect of Thought - Good against aggro, good against control. (I do tend to take it out against midrange though, -1 power on 6/6 creatures isn't that exciting...)
Creatures
AEtherling - We're playing control, duh...
Frostburn Weird
- Great against aggro and can work well against control as well.
Master of Cruelties - Another curve-ball in the deck that works VERY well against midrange decks with huge creatures. (which I find tends to be this deck's weakness)
Prognostic Sphinx
- Fat body that can stop most aggro and midrange threats while giving us incredible card-fixing. It's also very hard to kill...
Other
Inspiration
- Card advantage, plain and simple. Replaced Ral Zarek after less-than-satisfactory performance.
Rakdos's Return - A great one-of in any RB deck, Mid-game it gives you complete control of the game, and late-game it can kill your opponent on its own.
Sideboard
Dimir Charm - Specifically against Mono-Blue. Because that build is very hard to keep under control, dimir charm kills EVERY creature in their deck with the exception of Thassa. (unless they pump
Frostburn Weird
in response???) Hits Judge's Familiar, Cloudfin Raptor, Tidebinder Mage,
Frostburn Weird
,
Omenspeaker
, Nightveil Specter, Master of Waves and Mutavault.
Doom Blade - Add against mono-blue and, well, anything that isn't black. (mainly against midrange)
Izzet Charm - Add against gruul and mono-black to counter planeswalkers, underworld connections, and whip of erebos.
Negate - Add against RDW and control mirrors. (yes, naya control is a control mirror)
Pack Rat - Replaces frostburn weird after game 1. (against everything except RDW) Mono-black will likely keep doomblade in for frostburn weird and RBW will take out their anger of the gods. What does that mean? RATS EVERYWHERE!!!
Pithing Needle - Planeswalkers and whip, the usuals...
Shock - Against aggro...
Slaughter Games - Against control. For Green, you take mistcutter hydra, against UW control, you take detention sphere. Against Orzhov you take Obzedat, and against mono-black you take Gray Merchant and Desecration Demon.
Stormbreath Dragon - Against UW control, replaces master of cruelties. (We'll be removing most, if not all, of our burn spells vs control, so master will be a dead win-con)
November 8th - 12th place, 3:2, lost to Mono-blue and Azorius control
November 1st - 5th place, 4:1 lost to RBW Midrange-Control
October 11th - 6th place of 28 participants, went 3:2, only lost to 1st place and 5th place.
October 4th - 8th place of 30 participants, went 3:2.
July 26th - 2nd place of 40 participants in FNM, went 4:1, undefeated until last round...
Placed 8th out of 30 participants in FNM, went 3-2 --- Before switching to all-out control...
