Sideboard


Maybeboard

Artifact (1)


Starve your opponents by denying them spells and resources.

This deck has not been updated in nearly a year - I will update the description as I update the list

This is an Izzet () control deck that stalls games through control mechanisms and land denial. For those who aren't familiar with the Blue Moon archetype, it is a Tier 1.5-2 control (blue) build that revolves around Blood Moon (red, hence Blue Moon). With so many complicated land bases in the format, we're well-positioned to stall out games with the Moon long enough to land a threat and win.

This deck is designed to be competitive, but please note that I currently play this build exclusively online via Cockatrice and therefore do not built to beat a particular meta. The card choices in this deck are made to combat the top decks in Modern, and I make adjustments based on the current meta. I am about to begin assembly in paper.

The following is a work in progress, and I will update it as I become more experienced with the deck and find more to say. Please bring any errors, whether grammatical or content-related, to my attention so that they can be fixed!

As the name of the deck suggests, this is a control shell with added denial to stall games until we are safe to drop a threat to win. When designing a Blue Moon deck, it is obvious that blue and red are the colors of choice. But why is that the case? Red is here, obviously, for Blood Moon. Red also gives us access to powerful removal and burn spells such as Lightning Bolt and Electrolyze, as well as sideboard tech including Shattering Spree . Alone, red decks should be fast and not need to stall games like the Moon does, so we clearly need another color. However, the Moon also affects our own land base, so ideally we need to limit ourselves to one other color.If there's a color that excels at denial and stalling games, it's blue. From blue, we also get draw power to sift through our library for the answers we need. Between these two colors, we can get the necessary components for a control deck: control options, resource denial, and resilient win conditions.
Blue Moon excels against decks that utilize complicated mana bases. In the current meta, that includes Eldrazi variants, Tron variants, BG/x variants, Zoo, 3-color Delver builds, and some 3- or 4-color Burn decks. While the meta currently lacks a deck that instantly scoops to Blood Moon (looking back at Bloom Titan), many decks are severely weakened when it hits.

Highly aggressive decks are our weakness. Affinity and Eldrazi are currently the top decks in the meta. Affinity is going to be a miserable match, hence a third of the sideboard dedicated to them. Eldrazi decks are also a nuisance, even if we land an early Moon against their Temples and Eyes. Merfolk, Elves, Zoo, and Hatebears all come to mind as well. Another weakness is Choke , which is as deadly to us as Blood Moon was to Bloom Titan.

The goal of Blue Moon is much like any other control deck - stall your opponent until you are safe dropping a threat with the mana open for counter magic. We run a myriad of cheap counter spells in addition to red removal to keep the board clear of threats. Unlike other control decks, we have another weapon in our mainboard: Blood Moon. With decks that heavily rely on mana fixing and complicated land bases dominating the format (BG/x variants, for example), we are well positioned to lock them out of the game for a few turns once we drop the Moon. Post-board games get tricky though, as your opponents know to fetch their basic lands and sideboard in enchantment removal, should they be running any. However, we are a control deck, and can also side in counters specifically in anticipation of this removal. Abrupt Decay is a problem, but we run enough card draw to hopefully stall the game and/or find another Moon. Early turns (1-3) are spent denying our opponents their spells through cheap counter magic and removal. We can also dig through our library for more answers with cantrips and draw filters. Very rarely will we have a Snapcaster or Clique on the field at this point, as we want to slow down our opponent before swinging in for damage. Our moves on the mid-game turns (say, turns 4-6) vary depending on the match. Against some decks, we want to get a Blood Moon out as early as possible to prevent them from casting anything. For example, Eldrazi variants can be dropping 4-drops on turn two. The earlier the Moon the better. Other decks like Abzan and Zoo can be drastically impacted by this, especially if they haven't found their basics yet. Otherwise, sit back and counter your opponent's threats until they're low on resources.Once we hit the late game (turn 5-6+) is when we start looking to win. When we're safe to drop a Pia and Kiran Nalaar or Batterskull with counter magic support, we are in the home stretch. Depending on the match, Snapcasters damage can even win the game.It is important for the Blue Moon pilot to realize that they can't rely heavily on Blood Moon itself. While it can certainly turn a match around, you need to play with the expectation that, despite running the full playset, you may not draw one throughout the entire game. This can make many matches more difficult, but it doesn't mean we have lost. At its core, this is a control deck meant to stall games until we can land a threat. That threat does not have to be Blood Moon.

Update in progress!

Update in progress!

I welcome and encourage all suggestions, comments, and upvotes! Thanks for looking!

Suggestions

Updates Add

Thanks to everyone who has helped me shape this deck! Keep the thoughts coming! Below I'll detail the changes made to this deck and reasons behind the changes:

2-19-16

2-12-16 || Post PT OGW

  • The meta has significantly changed, so the 75 is about to go through an overhaul. I am going to attempt to preserve the original list here in order to maintain a trail of changes.
  • Removed one Cryptic Command (down to two) for a third Spell Snare. Snare is very good against our worst matches in Eldrazi, Affinity, and Burn
  • Removed 3 Telling Time for 3 Electrolyze. The ping was less relevant a year ago, but is more versatile in the current meta.
  • Removed 1 Vedalken Shackles for a mainboard Batterskull. With the decrease in Grixis variants, BSkull is less likely to see resistance mainboard. The Shackles is too slow to warrant a pair, especially against the current aggro-centered meta.
  • Removed two Stormbreath Dragons and Keranos, God of Storms for three Pia and Kiran Nalaar. The Nalaars are more relevant against the aggressive meta.
  • Removed Spell Pierce for a fourth Spell Snare. Two-drops are very good right now.
  • Removed Desolate Lighthouse for another Serum Visions. Twenty four lands was too many.
  • Changed around land base to reflect what I have and plan to use- if the consistency from non-Tarn fetches presents a significant issue, I will invest in Tarns. I will pick them up eventually regardless.
  • Removed 2 Combust (Twin banning) from the sideboard for two Anger of the Gods (Aggro: the format). Removed two Relic of Progenitus (not as relevant right now) and three Pyroclasm (Anger is better right now) from the sideboard for a Keranos, God of Storms, a Spellskite, and three Spreading Seas.

4-30-15

  • Removed Anticipate for Telling Time - Often times you want two of the cards rather than one, so this change is somewhat given. If the deck changes, they could swap back
  • Removed Spreading Seas for two Vedalken Shackles and a Spell Pierce - Seas' can be a nuisance but Shackles can win games. And who doesn't love more counter magic?

4-20-15 - Thanks, Chiefbell!

  • Removed Batterskull for Keranos, God of Storms - Batterskull lacks the power to take down Rhinos and Tasigurs, so I'll be trying out this change.
  • Removed Electrolyze for Anticpate - Electrolyze is generally a dead draw in this meta, being able to kill very little. The instant speed scrying power will ensure we have what we need to secure a win.
  • Removed Squelch in the sideboard for two Shattering Sprees and Shatterstorm - Squelch was a weak link in the SB, and with Bloom Titan and Affinity being major threats, we need ways to deal with them.

Comments View Archive

Attention! Complete Comment Tutorial! This annoying message will go away once you do!

Hi! Please consider becoming a supporter of TappedOut for $3/mo. Thanks!


Important! Formatting tipsComment Tutorialmarkdown syntax

Please login to comment

Revision 23 See all

(8 years ago)

Date added 9 years
Last updated 7 years
Legality

This deck is Modern legal.

Rarity (main - side)

4 - 2 Mythic Rares

27 - 3 Rares

12 - 4 Uncommons

7 - 6 Commons

Cards 60
Avg. CMC 2.27
Tokens Phyrexian Germ 0/0 B, Thopter 1/1 C
Folders 5. Inspirations, Amazing decks to beat, Modern, Decks to look at, Blue Moon, Interesting Decks, Tibalt Stuff
Votes
Ignored suggestions
Shared with
Views