Jeskai control on a budget
Modern Deck Help forum
Posted on May 16, 2017, 12:35 a.m. by Username
Hello, clearly if you followed the link you know what this is about but I'll restate it anyway. I am a budget player who wants to build jeskai control. Leave any card suggestions below and any helpful decklists. Thanks
Jeskai, huh? Just have to squeeze that last color in there? Can't make do with 2 colors?
If your budget doesn't permit for fetch and shock lands, forget about it. Your deck will then always just be a bad version of some other decks. Trying to make a game happen by throwing Mana Leak and Lightning Bolt of basic lands, is just not the same as doing it of fetched shocklands, and recurring them with Snapcaster Mage.
But you could make a UW-emeria control deck: Emeria, The Sky Ruin, Sun Titan, and a pile of things you can dig out from GY with those 2 - like Court Hussar, Pilgrim's Eye, spellbombs. You can get pretty creative with that part of the deck.
May 16, 2017 7:31 a.m.
landofMordor says... #4
Hm. Are you wanting to build a casual deck, or competitive?
If you're wanting casual, I've got a deck called Sapient Séance that would be super easy to make Jeskai. It's a creature-focused Human tribal control build...if that makes any sense.
Alternately, if you're just wanting Jeskai goodstuff/prowess control, obviously anything with prowess is great, much of the Jeskai cards from the Khans block are good (Flying Crane Technique or Jeskai Ascendancy or Mantis Rider).
I could probably refine my advice if I knew what kind of deck you were gunning for. Do you have a preliminary list or a strategy you're looking to build around?
Like previous posters have said, 3 color competitive Modern probably won't happen without dumping $100 into the mana base, but you can certainly make a fun and effective deck on a budget if you're just wanting to have fun (which is, after all, the entire point of Magic).
May 16, 2017 7:52 a.m.
I would argue against trying to build Jeskai Control, to be honest. is cheaper because it requires less mana fixing, and it's better because it gets to play a land hate plan alongside the control package.
May 16, 2017 9:39 a.m.
landofMordor I am trying to build a jeskai deck that revolves around thing in the ice as a win con I am pretty much only in red for bolt helix and electrolyze plus my incidental one copy of nahiri the harbinger w/ my one copy of ulamog, the ceaseless Hunger.
May 16, 2017 10:32 a.m.
Snapdisastermage says... #7
Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger Won't do anything with Nahiri, the Harbinger
May 16, 2017 11:42 a.m.
This is a lot easier if Username writes an outline of a decklist.
also: You are just in red for... 12 cards (or maybe only 10)... details-schmetails.
May 16, 2017 11:46 a.m.
Snapdisastermage says... #9
If you can't play Emrakul, the Aeons Torn I would just drop Nahiri, the Harbinger entirely. Say you ultimate her, You go search for ulamog, you DON'T exile 2 permanents (cast trigger) You attack they block with a 1/1 and lose 20 cards from their library. Ulamog goes to your hand and you basically either lose the game or draw
May 16, 2017 11:54 a.m.
SoggyGecko says... #10
To be honest, Jeskai control isn't even that great right now. Lightning Bolt isn't great, especially not with control.
However, if you want to use Thing in the Ice Flip, check out UR Kiln Fiend. It's not control, but still fun. It isn't as good in straight control.
If you want to stick with control, go for UW. It has Path to Exile and Condemn, both which are awesome right now. Only issue with it, full UW control is not budget, but you can make it budget, but again will lose points in the manabase side.
Delver is an archetype that uses many control elements, and can be built cheap. If you are interested, I have several lists.
Long story short, control is not a cheap archetype, and making shortcuts will be worse for you.
May 16, 2017 12:38 p.m.
landofMordor says... #11
Okay! Thing in the Ice Flip we can work with. With Thing, you'll want a lot of cheap instants (and sorceries, if you must) to achieve a flip as fast as possible, then smash face for the win.
First, I'd suggest Spell Pierce, Dispel, Ephemeral Shields, and/or Turn Aside, all of which will be vital for protecting Thing from opposing removal. Then, I'd use Temur Battle Rage or Assault Strobe as a win condition (after Thing is flipped), since your opponent will likely already be within killing range from their shocks and fetches. Cantrips like Niveous Wisps, Ponder, etc will be pretty good to you, as will multiple-use spells like Faithless Looting, Think Twice, and so forth. If I were you, I actually might be tempted to take out all W except just a splash, if Thing is your main win con. Although I guess at this point, your deck becomes aggro...
If you care about the control part of things, I'd trade your Ulamog for Emrakul, the Promised End (she's better with Nahiri) and dial up the W element of the deck, leaving R just as a splash for Nahiri and Helix. Azorius Charm, Failure / Comply, Hindering Light, Silence, Angelsong, Censor, will all be crucial in extending the game long enough to swing in multiple times with Thing and maybe even get Nahiri to ult.
Either way, I suggest only splashing your third color -- 4-6 spells of that color max. Then, I suggest you build your land base with all basics except for 4 Evolving Wilds and 4 of the tapland of your 2 primary colors (for RU, Izzet Guildgate or the like). Split the basics evenly between all remaining colors.
Hope that helps! Despite what some other posters seem to think, I strongly believe you'll be able to build a fun and effective 3-color deck on a budget, especially if your goal is casual fun. However, I do think that you might be frustrated if you have a mana-intensive deck on a shoestring budget, which is why I so strongly recommend just splashing one of your 3 colors. Mention me on your decklist once you get some cards smashed together -- even if it's not pretty, I'll do my best to help you out! Best of luck.
May 16, 2017 6:11 p.m.
Jeskai Thing in the ice (Budget control)I published a decklist
WizardOfTheNorthernCoast says... #2
'Budget' and '3-color modern deck' don't really go together sadly...
Maybe consider going UW, you might have more chance! ;)
May 16, 2017 6:51 a.m.