Validis- You are exactly right again. You really know your stuff. UWR Control is our worst matchup. Every deck has a worst matchup and UWR Control is ours. The combination of early removal and cheap counters are the toughest things to deal with for the deck. We can deal with removal pretty well, but counters are tough for us to deal with. That is why I have the Spell Snare, Spell Pierce, Cavern of Souls, and Remands in the mainboard. As for what I try to do here is a list of things I try for that matchup

• Cavern of souls is in the deck to get around counters, but due to the three colors we can only run one in the mainboard. It is typicall set on Human because a vast majority of our creatures are human, but I have played it on Spirit and Elemental to sneak Geist and Kiln fiend in under control.
  

• The one drops are crucial, especially on the play. I try to mulligan if the had doesn't have an early threat. The best way to get the control deck to run poorly is to keep pressure up early and often.
  

• The Emerge Unscatheds are a crucial card in this matchup. In this matchup more so than any other I typically utilize these spells as protection against paths, bolts, helix, etc.
  

• I also have a Dispel, Counterspell, and Negate in the sideboard (which I need to update) and Spell Snare, Spell Pierce, and Remand in the mainboard to try to win counter wars.

• Side in spellskite for removal as well.

All in all Jeskai Control is a really tough matchup for us, but is definitely winnable.

I would love to hear any of your suggestions after testing the deck. I have been playing if for a couple of weeks, but haven't really had any other players that have tested the deck. I would love to hear from a knowledgeable player like yourself about how the deck tested for you. Because it's my deck I probably play with rose colored glasses on :)

Thanks for all of your help!

Validis- Soul Sisters is another tough matchup that we basically have to sideboard for if we expect to see it. Because it's Tier 2-2.5 and it is a really tough matchup we are probably better just hoping to avoid it all together. Unfortunetly we can't expect to avoid Jeskai Control in any given tournament.

I am honestly not certain what changes could be made to the list in order to improve the jeskai control matchup, hard matchups are just hard sometimes, although some percentage of hands are certainly winnable.

Although, I do feel like you are trying to do too much with your sideboard, and honestly, soul sisters seems like a great matchup for you, since they usually take a 2-3 turns to even get their life total ramping, which gives you plenty of turns to keep it in check. Their Ideal start gives them close to 15-20 life in the first 3 turns of the game? most hands I have seen with this deck can easily keep them under 30 for that time, which essentially makes the deck useless after that point. You then care about Wrath of God, which your Remands, Spell Pierce, and Counterflux can help stop, along with Boros Charm just letting them kill their own board, which can be a blowout. I would love to see a second charm in the list, especially because of how it can cheese with kiln fiend.

Possibly consider sideboarding (or mainboarding if you feel its better) Nivix Cyclops, you can put it in for Kiln Fiend if you think he might get lightning bolted/ulcerated/removed in some other way that nivix could survive, or for Delver of Secrets  ^Flip (personally I think that with this deck, Nivix Cyclops is better for mainboard than Delver of Secrets  ^Flip, gives you another must-kill threat that can't be killed as easily as kiln fiend, rather than a 3/2 flyer that can be taken out by nearly all removal. If you like the flying aspect, Wee Dragonauts is another good option

Stubborn Denial might be a good sideboard I think, for when you come up against control. With a Nivix Cyclops or a Kiln Fiend out, or Geist of Saint Traft's token, its a counterspell for just U.

Also, not sure if one of the things you're hoping to do is speed this deck up, but if you are, feel free to check out my deck Suicide Jeskai (Turn 1 lethal)

[jbrundney]- I'm not sure that Nivix Cyclops and Wee Dragonauts fit into this particular deck, but your suicide deck is a perfect example of what these interactions can do on the extreme end. This deck plays out more as a tempo deck that is made for a larger tournament with multiple opponents. The Suicide Jeskai deck can also compete on the highest level, but is a bit more "all-in". For my preferred play style, I like a bit more of a tempo style rather than full out aggro combo. If the Suicide versions of the deck are running well they can be unbeatable. However, if they are interacted with early they are less resilient. Neither is better or worse, it just depends on your preference and play style.

With that said, I would suggest everyone give the Suicide Jeskai deck a look because if you are an aggressive combo player , that deck would be the deck you would like to play.

As always, I never say no to an idea without testing the idea first. You simply never know how it will play out. I will test Nivix Cyclops and Wee Dragonauts in the deck and report back with the results. Thank you for the ideas and I will definitely test these cards in the deck to see if they work better than other options. Please keep us posted on how the Suicide Jeskai deck is testing. It looks like a ton of fun to play and very competitive (Basically unbeatable on the play).

Only two Geist of Saint Traft! Why not 4 copies? Geist is so good since it can't die two spot removal. I know it's legendary, but that is just why to play 4. So if one dies you just play another one.

3 Serum Visions and 4 Gitaxian Probe. I think 4 visions and 3 probe is better because serum visions makes your draw better.

Have you considered Young Pyromancer and mentor?

Good against all the removal heavy decks like abazan that dosen't run wipes.

I also think that spell snare would be good here. Maybe you could add one over a creature since you already have a big handfull of creatures.

I also think you sould cut Haze of Rage since it donsen't do enough because you don't run pyromancer or mentor.

mtgplayer100....extremely good insights.

I have already upped the Geist to 3 (as you're right, he's just too good...).

I will look into switching the Vision/Probe count...Serum Visions is amazing in this deck; so it may be well worth the switch.

I have tried both Young Pyromancer as well as Monastery Mentor. Both are surprisingly good; but a little "slow" for what the deck wants to do. I did find several match ups where I was happy to have Monastery Mentor on the "top end" of the deck...it outperformed what I expected it to. For this reason, I've kept it in the "testing pool" (I tend to start with a large pool of cards to test with and slowly parse it down to the best of the best...and Mentor simply is too good to be removed at this point). I do think they both show their full potential in more of a "control" build; but Mentor in particular still works here too.

I used to actually run a 1-of Spell Snare. It was a great card. I'm just at a point now where I have too many great cards and not enough "slots"! I do think with the addition of the third Geist that I may have room to switch out one creature for it...it is something I will certainly continue to test.

Haze of Rage is an interesting card...it is the one most people would suggest to cut first; but it is also one of the most powerful "blow out" cards and mana-sink cards in the deck. What I mean is that I've found in longer, grindier matchups that the buyback is a huge advantage, and the Storm ability is outrageous just in general...Being able to go Probe, Bolt, Haze and have to Monastery Mentors become 7/5 is a pretty powerful effect. I've also had several games where I had extra mana and was able to cast Haze 2-3 turns in a row....having said that; you are right that it is the most "cuttable" card in so much as it doesn't have a specific, straightforward use each game (and can sometimes be either stuck in your hand and/or not as explosive as a +1/0 if it is all that you cast....) It is certainly among the "testing" cards (i.e. not a "sure thing" if another card simply pans out better).

Thanks for your thoughts. They are literally spot on! I've already added the Geist and many of the ideas you brought up are the exact same things I am testing now. You know your stuff!

P.S. I will update list post-testing this evening.

The more I play this deck, the better Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest becomes! He's nearly always in for 8-12 damage!

I play a dedicated Kiln Fiend deck, and I find Artful Dodge tends to work better than Distortion Strike. The one greater CMC is offset by the freedom to get a second trigger on the same turn. Maybe worth a playtest?

LocketRauncher- I have thought about a lot. I have not tested Artful Dodge,but I will definitely give it a try. I was hoping someone with experience with it would post because I just couldn't figure out which was a better option. I will be trying one or two artful dodges instead of all distortion strikes. Thank you for the help! Is your decklist on tappedout? I would love to see it.

This deck is very interesting, but I have questions.

Why did you remove [distortion strike]? I feel like it has really goof synergy with your main goal.

Also Sun Yung?? I have yet to play the card so I have no experience, but personally, hands down I would add the 3rd 4th GoST before I touch him... even so, I feel [Monastery Swiftspear] would be another candidate before Sun Yung.

Kiln Fiend ask has really threatening synergy with Distortion Strike, why not go to 4? Not seeing enough spells?

Those are more questions of my own interest so it be cool to understand your decisions. But +1 an keep up the good work Id like to see this become successful.

Artful Dodge is interesting in some ways I think it could be slower than Distortion Strike in the early game. On the other hand later in the game I think casting it twice on the same turn would make dodge more powerful. In the early game with second casting of Distortion Strike being free you can then add additional spells which is sweet for chaining several spells into one turn. For a very highly aggressive (prowess burnish) all or nothing build I'd go for DS. For a deck that isn't looking to tappout every turn and occasionaly hold cards for counters etc Dodge might be better.

zombie_sky_diver- I didn't remove distortion strike, I just changed one to a Artful Dodge to have additional playability in the late game. I removed the reforge the souls because it has just been mediocre and added back in an additional Distortion Strike and Twisted Image do deal with all of the main deck Spellskites that are popping up to deal with affinity.

Also Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest has been very good at finishing out games. He double strike ability is very good. He is probably worse than Geist, but I typically only run 3 to not draw two at a time.

As for Kiln Fiend he has been a really polarizing card in the deck. Some people have said to remove him all together and some have said to add more. If anything, I'm on the add more side like you are. He has been very very good. The thought process behind only two is how fragile he is with no evasion, but the deck offers evasion and protection so I should probably try another. I have been testing with a third copy to see what happens. The tough part about the deck is getting the perfect threat to spell ratio.

We are still definitely in the early stages of this deck so I love to hear all of the suggestions to make the deck better. I have been scouring gatherer for a good draw spell in modern, but there really isn't much anything that adds actual card advantage. They killed our Treasure Cruise :(.

I will make sure to test the deck with 4 distortions strikes, 4 giests, 4 swiftspears, etc to get to the correct numbers. I am doing some extensive testing so I will let everyone know what I find out.

Thank you to everyone who has given suggestions and asked questions to make the deck better. I can't wait to see this deck evolve into a real player in the modern meta with all of your help.

I would like to know how this deck has performed in Modern tournaments or FNMs. Do you have a report or record of this deck's success or something?

Let me see if my deck is on TappedOut. It was more of a "casual" modern deck than anything else, but it definitely had some fun points.

Okay, I did post a copy of it here to goldfish with some. It wasn't supposed to stand to public scrutiny, but here it is: Killin Fiend. It's basically a different version of the deck you have here that is more all-in on the kiln fiend win. It's very consistent because of the draw available from Ideas Unbound, but is very, very vulnerable to any sort of disruption.

On Artful Dodge, there is a slightly increased CMC for the second cast (from 0 to 1), but I've found that on harder match-ups it is very, very useful to be able to decide when that second attack goes through. It also allows you to build a trigger or two in your hand if you want to swing for lethal.

Oh, don't forget that Twisted Image is great tech against an opposing Spellskite that is stealing (or threatening to steal) your instants.

Kage-no-Raito- I have some pretty extensive testing data and FNM results, but I don't travel or play any major tournaments. I will trim down the notes and results into something more concise and post it on here. Bascially the win percentage I have had against different archetypes. My local FNM or Tuesday night modern results are very good, but that doesn't mean much in the scheme of things. We have a testing group that tests each other's decks against what we call "the gauntlet" of the current best decks to get testing notes and experience. I will make sure to get something together for everyone. I am also planning on getting the cards on our MTGO account and playing dailes to get the deck more publicity (if I do well). I haven't really ever played on MTGO, but it's the best way in my opinion to get some attention for the deck.

LocketRauncher- I have been on the fence about testing with Ideas Unbound, but now I have to try it. I also agree with you about Artful Dodge. I have been testing with differing numbers of copies of Artful Dodge and Distortion Strike to see what the perfect number of each will be for the deck. I need to update my sideboard. I will do so shortly, but I have a copy of Twisted Image in my sideboard. I really want to get one in the main board given the increase in main deck Spellskites recently so I will probably find a card to cut to get one in the main and one in the side. Thank you as always for your help and awesome Killin' Fiend deck.

I have another update for the deck as well. I have been working on locating a draw spell that works with the deck and have had a tested Tormenting Voice, Perilous Research, Reforge the Soul and none of them felt right for the deck. However, I have been testing Scarscale Ritual lately and it has been very promising. The prowess trigger basically nullifies the downside and the hexproof ability of Geist of Saint Traft also somewhat nullifies the downside. I will continue to test the card, but it seems like only a matter of time before it finds it's way into the deck. Let me know what you think of the card and if you have any experience playing Scarscale Ritual. Thanks again for looking!

Hey, I combined ideas from both of our decks and I love how it runs now. The most interesting thing that I found is that Remand is pretty bad for my tempo. I run a faster and more consistent combo than you do (but far more all in!), so it may be different for you, but I often find that I would rather have most of the rest of the cards in the deck over a Remand.

You may also want to try on Assault Strobe. It may be too janky for you, but it tends to deal a ton of damage when I bring it out.

LocketRauncher- I can see how Remand would be bad in a more aggressive version of the deck as it really doesn't help finish off the opponent. I did see the Assault Strobe in your list and I will have to try it in my build. Double strike on any of the creatures basically ends the game. Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest has been awesome in any game that lasts past turn 4 because his double strike ability ends games on the spot. I will give Assault Strobe a try.