https://www.reddit.com/r/spikes/comments/g1uzpq/standard_uwx_control_in_ikoria_standard/
created by iunoionnis on 15/04/2020 at 16:12 UTC*
163 upvotes, 20 top-level comments (showing 20)
[[Shark Typhoon]] is an amazing card. It cycles to kill Teferi, and it cycles to block and kill Dream Trawler. Yet the most surprising part of this card is how often you want to play the enchantment portion as a finisher/value engine. You can play this on turn six or on turn eight with a Veto in hand, and you suddenly add a huge threat on the table to solidify your win. Also, the enchantment portion of this card is super helpful against the Adventure deck, which was our worst matchup last season. If you can put yourself into a position where you can resolve and protect it, the enchantment portion provides us with a value engine of our own. They are forced to go to the sideboard with Fae of Wishes for Enchantment removal and we just sit back and counter everything they play while making sharks.
[[Neutralize]] is not worth it. Back in the day, control decks used to be fine going down to, like, eight life before wiping the board and pumping out answers. We can't afford to do this anymore, and Neutralize isn't going to be the right meta call unless things drastically change.
[[Soul's Guide Lantern]] needs to be on our radar as a sideboard piece because many cards (such as the companions or Fiend Artisan, as well as existing escape cards) threaten us from the graveyard, and we might even be maindecking a copy depending on how the meta turns out.
[[Grafdigger's Cage]] is another card that we might consider for sideboarding as well in the future, since this has the bonus of also answering [Gyruda, Doom of Depths] and [Winota, Joiner of Forces].
I play UW Control in Standard whenever the deck is viable in Tier 1 or 1.5. I also casually play the deck in other formats and watch many videos of pros playing the deck. I also enjoy playing this deck competitively, and so I'd like to say a few things about what it gets from Ikoria standard going into tomorrow. While I'll mainly be focusing on the UW version of the build, much of this also applies to the Esper and Bant builds, as well as to the likely upcoming Jeskai version.
While UW Control managed to win first place at Worlds, the Temur adventure deck quickly pushed it out of Tier 1 into Tier 2, bringing Bant control to the top tier in its stead. With Adventure decks on the decline, however, UW Control has recently been able to make a comeback, meaning that experienced pilots of the deck can navigate it to first place.
The deck still puts up results and can be competitive in the hands of a skilled control player, and we have definitely seen some first and second place finishes in recent MTGO qualifiers and mythic point challenges.
UW Control by LSV#13201 Magic Fest Online 2nd Qualifier
UW Control by SunofNothing MTGO Preliminary
My List at the End of Theros Beyond Standard
So what does UWx Control get from Ikoria? I am going to list good cards, maybe cards, and bad cards for each of the UWx decks (I won't address four-color variants here, as I have zero experience playing these kinds of decks).
(1) [[Essence Scatter]]: UW Control is already very strong against aggro with [[Birth of Meletis]] and [[Shatter the Sky]]. Essence Scatter makes this match-up even easier. Depending on the meta, we're going to be balancing the ratio of Essence Scatter and Dovin's Veto in our mainboard in proportion to the amount of aggro in the meta. In the sideboard, we'll run these when we need to supplement our 2-mana hatespells [[Aether Gust]] and [[Devout Decree]] and often will be tossing out Dovin's Veto for these on game two against aggro.
(2) [[Neutralize]]: When this card was first revealed, many commented that [[Absorb]] is obviously better. This isn't quite accurate. If you look at recent Pioneer UW Control Decklists[1], you'll notice most players are currently running [[Sinister Sabotage]] over Absorb. This shift has happened ever since Dimir Inverter drove aggro decks out of the meta. It's true: Absorb makes life miserable for RDW and the faster Radkos decks, but when you're up against the mirror match, a slow grindy deck, or certain combo decks, gaining three life will rarely win you the game. Here's where Neutralize comes in: The biggest threat to our deck is a resolved [[Teferi, Time Raveler]], and if you are in a mirror match where both players have resolved a Teferi, the winner of the match is the person who has less dead counterspells in their hands. The ability to pitch counterspells at the end of your opponent's turn is huge, and it often makes Neutralize the preferred option over Absorb in a grindy, control-based meta. This not a maybecard. It's a maybe*board* staple, because it will definitely be good in some metas.
1: https://www.mtgtop8.com/archetype?a=877
(3) [[Shark Typhoon]]: I was super skeptical about this card until someone used it against me in a playtesting match. The cycling ability on this card is real. Not only can you play the cycling ability around Teferi, it provides an uncounterable effective answer to Teferi on the end of your opponent's turn. If you're both untapped on turn three and they resolve Teferi on the play, if they draw a card off Teferi, you can simply respond by cycling Shark Typhoon for x=1 at the end of your turn and then immediately swing in for the kill on your combat step. Not only does it answer Teferi, the cycle ability can't be countered and can be played through Teferi at instant speed. I expect that we'll almost always want to have a couple copies in the sideboard. It is worth mentioning, however, that the main text of this card is almost always not worth it for us. It's a win-more card that we might maybe cast if we have just more mana than we know what to do with, but playing it during our main phase leaves our shields open, so we're almost always going to be using the cycle part of this card and ignoring the rest of the text. For now, this card basically replaces [[Commence the Endgame]] in our sideboard. As far as the *mainboard* goes, I think this card is still a maybe.
(1) [[Keep Safe]]: Super interesting cantrip and likely worth it in many other decks, but we can already protect our [[Dream Trawler]], making this card redundant for our purposes.
(2) [[Ominous Seas]]: A limited playable that looks like a card for control decks to people who don't play control decks. If you wanted to build a deck to make this card work, it would probably be a control deck, but it wouldn't be a good one.
(3) [[Convolute]]: Obviously bad. Also, it's already in standard via Core 2020 and no one plays it because it's bad.
There are three versions of this deck: the UWB Control deck that uses [[Thought Erasure]] to prey upon Azorius control, Esper Doom Foretold (which got basically nothing from the set unless I missed something), and Esper Hero. Hero gets the biggest boost from this set. While Esper doesn't get trilands, it does get two quality removal spells and some honorable mentions on the maybe list.
(1) [[Dire Tactics]] Solid unconditional, instant speed, *exile* in BW, although it comes at the cost of some loss of life. Thankfully, the general amount of life lost decreases in proportion to the curve of your opponent's deck, but it still might cause us to consider this as a staple in the 75, but not always in the 60. The added bonus is that the Esper Hero variant not only gets to create a token off this card, we also don't lose the life because we often have a human in play.
(2) [[Heartless Act]]: As if one great instant speed removal spell weren't enough, Ikoria also gives us the best [[Doom Blade]] spell in magic's history. The only downside is that it doesn't kill planeswalkers. Does Esper play Heartless Act or Dire Tactics against Mono Red Aggro? Dire Tactics costs you life, but it can exile an [[Anax, Hardened in the Forge]]. Heartless Act doesn't cost you life, but it doesn't exile. Honestly, you probably run some combination of both of these cards against RDW.
(1) [[General Kudro of Drannith]]: Okay, so not a control card, I know, but hear me out: Esper hero is very well positioned in the new standard, and the midrange variants are definitely going to be running the General. We should be at least aware of this card as a maybeboard option, especially if we want to run a transformational sideboard in our Esper Hero decks. It produces a token off [[Hero of Precinct One]], pumps all of our tokens +1/1, and lets us exile cards from our opponent's graveyard every time we make a token. Definitely a maybeboard card for the 75.
(2) [[Extinction Event]]: Was about to put this on the "bad cards" list until I noticed that it says "exile," rather than "destroy." It's situational mass removal with exile. Possibly good in some board states, possibly bad in others. Not an obviously good card or a staple, but it's worth remembering that this card exists in case the meta calls for it because it can sometimes be a 2-for-1 that exiles.
(1) [[Sleeper Dart]] looks like it goes in the [[Doom Foretold]] deck, but if you have been following these lists lately, you'll notice that they no longer include the two mana cantrip artifacts because they would rather play Birth of Meletis and [[Omen of the Sea]] anyways.
Here, I am referring to a UWr control deck, not to Jeskai Fires and other "control style" decks that we've seen in the recent metas. I have been playtesting around with these decks, and while I'm not sure if adding red is currently worth it, it definitely gives us access to some early removal options (although conditional, and not as many as esper).
(1) [[Raugrin Triome]]: Obvious enough. Cycling is an added bonus.
(2) [[Narset of the Ancient Way]]: When I first saw this card, I was stoked about the flavor of the card, but disappointed after reading the ability, which seemed weak to me. Then, I went up against this card when play testing. At first, I had read this -2 ability as a looting effect with a bonus. In reality, it lets you turn any non-land card in your hand into a shock, lightning bolt, or better, *and then you get to draw a card.* Narset also effectively answers Teferi after the fact (much like Vraska was played on turn four to "answer" Oko), letting you turn a dead counterspell into an immediate answer on turn four ... and then you get to draw a card, which is huge in terms of card advantage. Plus, it works great against aggro, since it gives you both +2 life *and* the effective lifegain of dropping a planeswalker that needs to be answered. We will have to see how the meta develops, but this should be a solid 1-2 of in the upcoming weeks.
(3) [[Inspired Ultimatum]]: I still have my doubts about this card, but the consensus seems to be that [[Sphinx's Revelation]] was good, so this must also be good. I'm not sure if you want this over [[Dream Trawler]], but it seems to be one of the main reasons to go Jeskai, so I will (somewhat hesitantly) put it onto the good cards list.
(1) [[Vadrok, Apex of Thunder]]: At face-value, this is a three mana 3/3 flyer with first strike, which is formidable enough on its own. It is a [[Mantis Rider]], but without the haste or human tag, and Mantis Rider is a good card. Yet Vadrok can also be an insane value engine for a control deck when played together with [[Sea-Dasher Octopus]]. ""Sea-Dasher Octopus? you might say, "I thought that was a way for the flash deck to draw cards?" The best thing about this card, however, **isn't** the ability to flash in card draw (although this is certainly nice), but the ability to *flash mutate*. If you can play Sea-Dasher Octopus on Vadrok, Sea-Dasher suddenly becomes any counterspell in your graveyard. The dream, basically, is to resolve Vadrok and survive the turn, and then start swinging while defending Vadrok with counterspells and then flashing back your counterspells with Octopus while also drawing cards. If you can resolve a Vadrok on top of your Vadrok, you are suddenly hurling copies of [[Scorching Dragonfire]] from your discard pile **twice**. I have been playtesting Vadrok in this deck for a while, and when you can hit the dream, the deck is insanely overpowered. Unfortunately, the Vradok deck is very delicate and janky in its present form, meaning that you are usually able to play a far more consistent control strategy without it. We will have to see if a more consistent list emerges over the next few weeks.
(2) [[Sea-Dasher Octopus]]: (see above).
(3) [[Yidaro, Wandering Monster]]: The best thing about this card is that, when it cycles for the first three times, it goes back into your deck, meaning that your odds of drawing this card will only increase throughout the game and after you cycle it subsequent times. Add to that the Pheonix-like ability of coming into play from the graveyard uncounterable and haste, as well as the ability to cycle this into play at instant speed and then hit your opponent for eight. Super solid card, will definitely see some play, and might even make Jeskai control lists, especially if Jeskai takes a more burn/control style approach.
(4) [[Fire Prophecy]]: A conditional removal spell that gives us the option of card selection, which could be nice (especially if we need to add consistency to the Vradok deck), but usually isn't played over [[Scorching Dragonfire]] or [[Lava Coil]]. Worth remembering as an option.
(1) [[Unpredictable Cyclone]]: After being really excited about this at first, I quickly discovered during playtesting that this is not, and will never be, [[Fires of Invention]]. Yeah, sure, you get to [[Mind's Desire]] something into play, but unlike Fires, you cannot immediately follow this card up with a threat unless you hold up mana and wait until turn seven, which is unacceptable. After spending some time playtesting several different versions of the cycling deck, I firmly believe that this card is a dud.
(2) [[Whirlwind of Thought]]: A four mana investment at sorcery speed that doesn't affect the board, but draws you cards if you invest cards into it. It's a win-more card and is not good.
(3) [[Channeled Force]]: Four mana for the ability to throw away cards and draw cards to replace them. The upside to this card is that if you run two copies, you will have another card to throw away when you play it because the card is total garbage.
I don't think Bant gets much this set, since most of the Green, Simic, and Selesnya cards deal with creatures. So I'll just list one good card and a few maybe cards. I have not played this deck heavily on Arena (although I have definitely taken it for a spin a few times), so please let me know if I am missing something.
(1) [[Wilt]]: Instant speed removal of artifacts and enchantments with cycling. A great sideboard choice for these decks.
(1) [[Kinnan, Border Prodigy]]: The card is really solid and could be played in Bant if the deck goes into more of a ramp direction. Right now, however, most Bant Control decks ramp using [[Growth Spiral]] and [[Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath]]. Also, the mana sink doesn't work well with current builds because although it can fetch a [[Dream Trawler]], it can't pull out a [[Hydroid Krasis]]. Still, the card looks broke, but it will only fit into a completely different build.
(2) [[Parcelbeast]]: If this card ends up being a solid choice for simic ramp strategies, it might also make it into a more creature-heavy Bant list as well. At that point, however, we're not really running [Shatter the Sky]] or other control cards, so the deck is more like Bant ramp than Bant control.
Comment by [deleted] at 15/04/2020 at 16:56 UTC*
118 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by imagaryiguess at 15/04/2020 at 17:01 UTC
16 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Good post, but I’m going to wait and see how the meta shakes out. I don’t see many big main board and over the top improvements to UW in particular like there were in THB. I love UW, but with an improved flash and maybe a good cycling deck, it doesn’t seem like it will get to tier 1 in my eyes.
Comment by MTGCardFetcher at 15/04/2020 at 16:13 UTC
11 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Essence Scatter[1] - (G)[2] (SF)[3] (txt)[4]
Birth of Meletis[5] - (G)[6] (SF)[7] (txt)[8]
Shatter the Sky[9] - (G)[10] (SF)[11] (txt)[12]
Aether Gust[13] - (G)[14] (SF)[15] (txt)[16]
Devout Decree[17] - (G)[18] (SF)[19] (txt)[20]
Neutralize[21] - (G)[22] (SF)[23] (txt)[24]
Absorb[25] - (G)[26] (SF)[27] (txt)[28]
Sinister Sabotage[29] - (G)[30] (SF)[31] (txt)[32]
Teferi, Time Raveler[33] - (G)[34] (SF)[35] (txt)[36]
Shark Typhoon[37] - (G)[38] (SF)[39] (txt)[40]
Keep Safe[41] - (G)[42] (SF)[43] (txt)[44]
Dream Trawler[45] - (G)[46] (SF)[47] (txt)[48]
Ominous Seas[49] - (G)[50] (SF)[51] (txt)[52]
Convolute[53] - (G)[54] (SF)[55] (txt)[56]
Thought Erasure[57] - (G)[58] (SF)[59] (txt)[60]
Dire Tactics[61] - (G)[62] (SF)[63] (txt)[64]
Heartless Act[65] - (G)[66] (SF)[67] (txt)[68]
Doom Blade[69] - (G)[70] (SF)[71] (txt)[72]
Anax, Hardened in the Forge[73] - (G)[74] (SF)[75] (txt)[76]
General Kudro of Drannith[77] - (G)[78] (SF)[79] (txt)[80]
^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
2: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Essence%20Scatter
3: https://scryfall.com/card/m19/54/essence-scatter?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
6: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=The%20Birth%20of%20Meletis
7: https://scryfall.com/card/thb/5/the-birth-of-meletis?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
10: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shatter%20the%20Sky
11: https://scryfall.com/card/thb/37/shatter-the-sky?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
14: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Aether%20Gust
15: https://scryfall.com/card/m20/42/aether-gust?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
18: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Devout%20Decree
19: https://scryfall.com/card/m20/13/devout-decree?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
22: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Neutralize
23: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/59/neutralize?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
26: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Absorb
27: https://scryfall.com/card/rna/151/absorb?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
30: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Sinister%20Sabotage
31: https://scryfall.com/card/grn/54/sinister-sabotage?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
34: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Teferi%2C%20Time%20Raveler
35: https://scryfall.com/card/war/221/teferi-time-raveler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
38: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Shark%20Typhoon
39: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/67/shark-typhoon?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
42: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Keep%20Safe
43: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/56/keep-safe?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
46: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dream%20Trawler
47: https://scryfall.com/card/thb/214/dream-trawler?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
50: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Ominous%20Seas
51: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/61/ominous-seas?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
54: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Convolute
55: https://scryfall.com/card/m20/55/convolute?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
58: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thought%20Erasure
59: https://scryfall.com/card/grn/206/thought-erasure?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
62: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Dire%20Tactics
63: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/183/dire-tactics?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
66: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Heartless%20Act
67: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/91/heartless-act?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
70: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Doom%20Blade
71: https://scryfall.com/card/ima/87/doom-blade?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
74: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Anax%2C%20Hardened%20in%20the%20Forge
75: https://scryfall.com/card/thb/125/anax-hardened-in-the-forge?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
78: http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=General%20Kudro%20of%20Drannith
79: https://scryfall.com/card/iko/187/general-kudro-of-drannith?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher
Comment by N0_B1g_De4l at 15/04/2020 at 18:33 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Can I ask how you feel about Yorion? It seems like there's some definite synergy there, resetting Sagas and walkers (though coming back EOT is bad for the latter), or reusing Omen. But I can also see the clear downside of a 80-card deck.
Comment by Jurkboy at 15/04/2020 at 21:14 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Thank you for your post. I am currently stoked to play Jeskai Control with the new Narset, but I will wait to see the results of the first Standard Challenges in MTGO. I hope Narset does well.
Comment by Lone_Wolf201 at 17/04/2020 at 05:21 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I've spent the first day on Arena playing a Jeskai control deck I made. From my experiences new Narset has overperformed, I was initially very skeptical of her but her -2 is legit and her + is deceptively useful. I've always felt good playing her in multiple different matchups. Same goes for Shark Tornado. That card has felt great as a one or two of in the main deck. Ultimatum has been okay but not as great as the other two. Still a solid card though.
Comment by JoyAnonymousTV at 15/04/2020 at 20:26 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I think a deck like UW Control or Esper should be very good in Ikoria standard as they can naturally pray on greedy ramp decks. Hopefully they are able to balance out the meta a bit.
Comment by Josphitia at 15/04/2020 at 21:50 UTC
2 upvotes, 3 direct replies
I'm personally really looking forward to Jeskai Cycling as a control deck. [[Zenith Flare]] looks like absolute value to me. [[Shark Cyclone]] and [[Yidaro]] being nigh-uncounterable threats with "flash" is also great for threats, as well as being able to play a turn three boardwipe ([[Deafening Clarion]]).
Comment by DGzCarbon at 17/04/2020 at 17:47 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
99% of the time Shark gets cycled. I'm pretty sure the cycle is the primary ability and the enchantment part is the bonus lol
Comment by Maxo996 at 15/04/2020 at 17:01 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I hope control is poised to push the green ramp color variant decks down even slightly. So bored of seeing those
Comment by Aunvilgod at 15/04/2020 at 22:30 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This shift has happened ever since Dimir Inverter drove aggro decks out of the meta. It's true: Absorb makes life miserable for RDW and the faster Radkos decks, but when you're up against the mirror match, a slow grindy deck, or certain combo decks, gaining three life will rarely win you the game.
are we going to ignore this?
Comment by PeritusEngineer at 15/04/2020 at 17:12 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I definitely think [[Skycat Soveirgn]] is worth looking at and even replacing Archon of Sun's Grace with.
Comment by Wadester0001 at 15/04/2020 at 21:01 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Felt like this switched between standard and pioneer a lot
Comment by Bish0p87 at 16/04/2020 at 01:14 UTC
1 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Great write-up! That being said, what are your thoughts on [[Gyruda, Doom of Depths]] (not as a companion)? I'm having a difficult time evaluating it
Comment by Hellion3601 at 16/04/2020 at 02:24 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The only thing I disagree with you is that [[Whirlwind of Thought]] is just a win more card. One if the main reasons straight UW control has kinda disappeared in today's standard is because it can't keep up with the crazy value engines now in standard. Whirlwind, while it does compete with Narset in mana cost, let's you turn all your counters, removal and PWs into cantrips and makes all your draw spells considerably better. I would keep it as a one or two of in a Jeskai list and probably sideboard more against Bant Control and Sultai, as they kinda have to remove it or get buried in card advantage very fast if it stays on board for multiple turns. I saw Nassif streaming a jeskai control list with it today and it did a lot of work against greedy decks, the list even had Jace as an alternate win con in case games go too long.
Comment by Diet_Goomy at 16/04/2020 at 03:48 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[[inspired ultimatum]]
Comment by Mestewart3 at 16/04/2020 at 04:17 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Honestly, every single time I have seen Narset in play she has been an absolute monster so far. I haven't seen a "bad" Narset yet.
Comment by [deleted] at 15/04/2020 at 20:15 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Nah man. Gotta play Dimir Control 😉. Discard spells & Erebos’ intervention is too good
Comment by Diet_Goomy at 16/04/2020 at 03:53 UTC
0 upvotes, 0 direct replies
ominous seas is honestly going to be good for simic flash decks. or maybe even monoblue control.
Comment by Enutter at 16/04/2020 at 13:46 UTC
0 upvotes, 1 direct replies
What about [[Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor]] ? Seems like it could slot in somewhere.
