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So, my RC just posted on facebook a picture of Imperial Seal promo foil. Seems they gave one for each regional coordinator participating in RC conference. Though these are not likely to be included in exemplar mailings, the long awaited promo foil is a real thing now.

The card has been always banned in our format partially for power reasons but mostly for its scarcity. If the supply increases significantly, there is no reason to keep it banned for that reason only. Power level of the card is on par with Mystical, and whether Mystical is too powerful or good/bad for the format is still up to debate.

Thoughts?

If you haven't already read Frank Karsten's original article, go read it first continue here only after that.

Theros gives my R/b aggro deck two more one-drops and a new incinerate. While updating my list, I decided to try Frank's program code and see if I can found new insights for deck construction.

As there is a very limited number of Putrid Leeches or Geist of Saint Trafts for our use, I created a format where one-drops hit for 2, two-drops for 3, three-drops for 4 and bolts cost 2 mana to cast and started running simulations. The optimal goldfish deck for that format would be something like 33 one-drops, 9 bolts and 18 lands. The problem was that there is only about 20 one-drops I could see myself playing in a B/r aggro deck. So, I had to change the code more to simulate HL realities better.

I started by increasing deck size to 100. Trying to teach computer code how to spoils mulligan efficiently was not a realistic option, but adding a free mulligan was much easier. Then I locked one-drop count to 21 (counted Black Vise) and started doing simulations to find the optimal mix for other cards. The optimal deck would now have 21 one-drops, 18 two-drops, 21 bolts and 40 lands. Compared to the first deck, average cmc of spells had risen from 1.2 to 1.65, and land count had increased from 30 % to 40 %.

It seems pretty clear that three-drops that hit for 4 are bad for goldfish, not that I had any of them in my deck to begin with. What I did have was 3cc bolts that deal 4, and spells with comparable effect (e.g. Ball Lightning). In addition, I only had 16 bolts that could be cast for two or less mana. So I replaced three-drop creature with three-mana burn spell, capped two-mana bolts to 16, and ran the simulation. The final optimal deck had 22 one-drops, 11 two-drops, 16 two-mana bolts, 10 three-mana bolts and 41 land. (I had reclassified Reckless Charge as a one-drop, which makes 22 of them).

I built the deck to see how it plays out. I had some cards that did not fit to any criteria (Demonic, Molten Rain, Fire Covenant, moon effects) so I just replaced some a land, all four-drops originally in the deck and some two-drops with them and run some test games. Some findings:

* The deck mulliganed very well. I would always get one-drop, a bolt, some other spells and a right mixture of lands either straight away or after free mulligan.
* I didn't miss mediocre two-drops I cut.
* I drew too much land many times, and could not close games where I had to trade spells to maintain aggression or slow an opponent down. While making constant land drops is preferred for fast goldfish kills, against an actual opponent stumbling sometimes a little is less crucial than drawing too many lands midgame. Thus lowering a land count a little should be worth a gamble.

Some notes from the experiment:

* The last deck had an average goldfish kill turn 4.635.
* Two drops that hit for 3 are actually quite bad.
* Free mulligan didn't seem to have much effect, but I may have programmed it wrong. There might have other errors too that skew the results.
* There are some one or two mana burn spells originally not in the deck that either affect just players or have other drawbacks. I will run more simulations with more cheap bolts allowed and test those decks.

I will continue the experiment and will post more results here.

42 players. Deck lists can be found here. My deck:

Esper Control

Creature: 9

1 Augur of Bolas
1 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Baleful Strix
1 Trinket Mage
1 Restoration Angel

Instant: 23

1 Spell Snare
1 Brainstorm
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Path to Exile
1 Counterspell
1 Mana Drain
1 Mana Leak
1 Azorius Charm
1 Dismember
1 Cryptic Command
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Force of Will
1 Force Spike
1 Spell Pierce
1 Negate
1 Ghastly Demise
1 Condescend
1 Mystical Teachings
1 Mana Tithe
1 Mental Misstep
1 Remand
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Esper Charm

Sorcery: 17

1 Thoughtseize
1 Duress
1 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Ancestral Vision
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Lingering Souls
1 Vindicate
1 Wrath of God
1 Day of Judgment
1 Terminus
1 Entreat the Angels
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Compulsive Research
1 Oust

Artifact: 4

1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Vedalken Shackles

Enchantment: 4

1 Oblivion Ring
1 Moat
1 Humility
1 Detention Sphere

Land: 36

1 Mystic Gate
7 Island
4 Plains
1 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
1 Karakas
1 Flooded Strand
1 Tundra
1 Windswept Heath
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Celestial Colonnade
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Wasteland
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Bloodstained Mire
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Underground Sea
1 Scrubland
1 Swamp
1 Isolated Chapel

Planeswalker: 7

1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
1 Gideon Jura
1 Tamiyo, the Moon Sage
1 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Jace Beleren

The mana base is a compromise between getting all the colors early enough, surviving non-basic hate and maximizing islands for Shackles. You'll want UUUWWB with your first four lands, which doesn't make too many basics possible.

Sphinx: I wanted one finisher and run this. If there were similar card for just five mana, I'd play it instead.

Baneslayer: One less mana than Wurmcoil in matchups where it's really needed, and all white removal handles Wurmcoil as well as this.

Azorius Charm: Pitched it to Force at least once, versatile enough to make up its conditionality as removal.

Timely Reinforcements: Were always timely.

Compulsive Research: Late addition, wanted something to cycle away my soft counters late game.

Oust: Final addition. Wanted a cheap white removal spell, and this did the job mostly. Could run another counter in its place.

Gideon: Used to be cool, maybe his time is over. Never drawn him this tournament, so cannot say for sure.

Sorin: Is really good in this deck.

--

R1 RUG Ramp (my own deck) 2-0

He didn't draw that many relevant threats which I handled easily and rode some Planeswalker into Entreat win both games.

R2 High Tide (my own deck) 1-2

G1 I didn't draw much besides lands, had no pressure and was comboed over easily. G2 I got early Elspeth and enough counters to keep him going off. G3 I got him stuck on two lands after wasting his Sea, but got just Strix for beats and he sneaked in Back to Basics which prevented me playing more stuff as I had to keep counter mana open. He ended up going off on extra turns.

R3 Grixis Delver splash G 1-0

He got in some beats after I stabilized with Humility and Jace, Architect of Thought. He got Liliana to six counter when I removed it, then got Ral Zarek to six counters and threatened to shoot me down with it. Timely Cryptic Command countering another planeswalker bouncing Ral Zarek before he activated it in his turn ensured my survival, and I managed to eventually win the game after 50 minutes at one life on third extra turn.

R4 Monored 2-1

Wasteland srcewed my mana first game, but Sorin took the other two with an ease.

R5 UGr Ramp 2-0

G1 I drew perfectly and got basicly everything. G2 I made a mistake by fetching Mana Drain with Demonic while I could've got Teachings instead, but it didn't matter as my opponent drew his things in wrong order, which happens to ramp decks from time to time.

R6 ID

Top 8 WW (Tiggupiru) 2-0

G1 My opponent mulled to six on play but I went down to five. Once again, I stabilized with Humility and Jace, Architect, but this time he also had Honor of the Pure which made his things considerably bigger. I also made many mistakes that ensured it took forever for me to finally win. G2 I took control early with Shackles and won from there with no difficulties.

Top 4 RUG Midrange 2-0

G1 I just beat him with better and bigger creatures. G2 I had the Humility combo once again, and my opponent decided to lock himself totally out from the game with Blood Moon, which once again postponed my actual winning by half an hour.

Finals Pattern-Hulk 1-2

G1 I lost to Teeg and some timely removal spells from my opponent. G2 I Misstepped his mana dork and he was stuck in two lands long enough for me to take over. Last game he lead with Avacyn's Pilgrim. I had Duress and Spell Snare and decided to Duress his three-drop away. He would have played Lotus Cobra into Sword which I took, but holding into Snare would have enabled me to remove both cards. We both had just lands after that, but he had Stirring Wildwood and bashing for six three times was enough to take the title.

The deck was great but glacially slow. I can't recommend taking it to 50-minute round tournament, unless you can always win the first game, or can go through the moves really quickly every turn throughout the day.

Highlander Sunday 5th of August at Poromagia, results:

Andrei UBr Control 3-1
Mikko UB Control 3-1
Miikka 4c Aggro 3-1
Myself High Tide 3-1
Joni Dredge 3-1
Jori UBRg Control 2-2
Tomi UWB Control 2-2
Tomi UWB Artifact Ramp 1-3
Sami UWB Control 1-3
Kari UW Skies 1-3
Arttu UWB Control 0-2

Look at these decks. Two combo decks, one aggro-control, one ramp, six UBx control decks and only one pure aggro deck. You don't really have to be playing creatures in this format. My list (new cards):

Artifact: 5

Candelabra of Tawnos
Memory Jar
Sapphire Medallion
Sensei's Divining Top
Wayfarer's Bauble

Creature: 10 (with total power of 20)

Augur of Bolas
Cloud of Faeries
Palinchron
Peregrine Drake
Sea Gate Oracle
Snapcaster Mage
Solemn Simulacrum
Trinket Mage
Vendilion Clique
Venser, Shaper Savant

Enchantment: 4

Back to Basics
Propaganda
Spellweaver Volute
Treachery

Instant: 32

Arcane Denial
Blue Sun's Zenith
Brainstorm
Careful Consideration
Condescend
Counterspell
Cryptic Command
Dizzy Spell
Fact or Fiction
Flash of Insight
Forbidden Alchemy
Force Spike
Force of Will
Frantic Search
Gigadrowse
High Tide
Impulse
Intuition
Mana Drain
Mana Leak
Meditate
Memory Lapse
Mystical Teachings
Noxious Revival
Remand
Repulse
Rewind
Snap
Spell Snare
Telling Time
Thirst for Knowledge
Turnabout

Land: 30

Flooded Strand
23 Island
Misty Rainforest
Polluted Delta
Scalding Tarn
Underground Sea
Verdant Catacombs
Watery Grave

Sorcery: 19

Braingeyser
Call to Mind
Compulsive Research
Deep Analysis
Demonic Tutor
Foresee
Gitaxian Probe
Ideas Unbound
Merchant Scroll
Mind's Desire
Personal Tutor
Ponder
Preordain
Retraced Image
Serum Visions
Sleight of Hand
Time Spiral
Timetwister
Yawgmoth's Will

Won against UW Skies, Esper Ramp and Esper Control and lost against UBr Control. The changes were good and the deck is really straightforward now. The only debatable slot is Gigadrowse, but I'll stick to it until they print something better.

Some time ago Wizards announced that card shop owners, even ones with partial ownership, can't participate in their own premier events. For my friend Markus "Vlad" Lehtinen than meant two things. First, he lost all interest on tournament Magic. Second, he put all his energy on Highlander and Cube, and started brewing decks like there's no tomorrow. I joined forces with him and we started testing for HL Nationals. One of our early brews was a ramp deck focused on Primeval Titan.

Lands: 36

Ancient Tomb
Arid Mesa
Bloodstained Mire
Cavern of Souls
Copperline Gorge
Dryad Arbor
Fire-Lit Thicket
Flooded Strand
Kessig Wolf Run
Misty Rainforest
Polluted Delta
Raging Ravine
Rootbound Crag
Scalding Tarn
3 Snow-Covered Forest
Snow-Covered Island
6 Snow-Covered Mountain
Steam Vents
Stomping Ground
Taiga
Treetop Village
Tropical Island
Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
Verdant Catacombs
Vesuva
Volcanic Island
Wasteland
Windswept Heath
Wooded Foothills

Ramp:  18

Search for Tomorrow
Explore
Into the North
Farseek
Grim Monolith
Lotus Cobra
Nature's Lore
Overgrown Battlement
Rampant Growth
Sakura-Tribe Elder
Three Visits
Vine Trellis
Wall of Roots

Coalition Relic
Cultivate
Kodama's Reach
Worn Powerstone

Solemn Simulacrum

Other creatures: 19

Phantasmal Image
Scavenging Ooze
Wall of Blossoms

Eternal Witness
Kitchen Finks

Bloodbraid Elf
Flametongue Kavu
Huntmaster of the Fells
Obstinate Baloth
Oracle of Mul Daya
Phyrexian Metamorph
Thrun, the Last Troll

Acidic Slime
Arc-Slogger
Siege-Gang Commander

Inferno Titan
Primeval Titan
Wurmcoil Engine

Avenger of Zendikar

Other stuff: 27

Brainstorm
Ponder
Preordain
Sensei's Divining Top
Worldly Tutor

Desperate Ravings
Sylvan Library

Beast Within
Compulsive Research
Firespout
Slagstorm

Fact or Fiction
Foresee
Garruk Relentless
Garruk Wildspeaker
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Harmonize
Natural Order
Scapeshift
Summoner's Pact

Batterskull
Garruk, Primal Hunter
Primal Command

Karn Liberated

Earthquake
Green Sun's Zenith
Rolling Earthquake

The list has massive amounts of ramp and enough tutoring power to get that Primeval Titan every game. Blue spells give you just enough filtering to keep drawing business throughout the game. The deck has been well tuned and there are not many spells I would change, but I'd alter the mana base a little. I lent the deck to Pro Tour regular Ilkka-Aleksi "Overrun" Yliajo, who made top eight with it. We could not find Summoner's Pact for the tournament and he wanted to play Plow Under, though that was clearly not optional.

We started testing for the event months before (though we got to play together like only once a week) and tested mainly different UW builds with more or less black added. At some point Vlad got to know he could not attend the tournament himself, but we continued testing, though we were not satisfied with any version of our deck. Vlad had an Rb aggro deck with every possible one mana, two power guy in it, and we switched to it. After hours and hours of durdling, we settled on the following deck for me to play in the tournament:

Lands: 33

Arid Mesa
Badlands
Barbarian Ring
Blackcleave Cliffs
Blood Crypt
Bloodstained Mire
Dragonskull Summit
Graven Cairns
Marsh Flats
Mishra's Factory
11 Mountain
Mutavault
Polluted Delta
Rishadan Port
Scalding Tarn
Shadowblood Ridge
Sulfurous Springs
2 Swamp
Teetering Peaks
Verdant Catacombs
Wasteland
Wooded Foothills

Creatures: 30

Carnophage
Diregraf Ghoul
Figure of Destiny
Frenzied Goblin
Fume Spitter
Goblin Guide
Gravecrawler
Grim Lavamancer
Jackal Pup
Mogg Fanatic
Pulse Tracker
Sarcomancy
Stromkirk Noble
Tattermunge Maniac
Vampire Lacerator

Dark Confidant
Dauthi Horror
Ember Hauler
Goblin Deathraiders
Kargan Dragonlord
Keldon Marauders
Porcelain Legionnaire
Stormblood Berserker

Magus of the Moon
Dauthi Marauder

Blistering Firecat
Falkenrath Aristocrat
Flametongue Kavu
Hellrider
Hero of Oxid Ridge

Burn 'n stuff: 37

Black Vise
Burst Lightning
Chain Lightning
Dismember
Lightning Bolt
Reckless Abandon
Reckless Charge
Rift Bolt
Thunderous Wrath

Ankh of Mishra
Arc Trail
Demonic Tutor
Fire Ambush
Incinerate
Magma Jet
Price of Progress
Searing Blaze
Shrine of Burning Rage
Smash to Smithereens
Terminate
Volcanic Hammer

Blood Moon
Brimstone Volley
Char
Dark Tutelage
Fire Covenant
Flame Javelin
Hit // Run
Mark of Mutiny
Molten Rain
Perish
Staggershock
Sulfuric Vortex
Tangle Wire
Traitorous Blood

Koth of the Hammer

Fireblast

Here are some cards that we tested but didn't make cut this time:

Anathemancer
Ashenmoor Gouger
Auntie's Hovel
Ball Lightning
Blightning
Boggart Ram-Gang
Bump in the Night
Cryoclasm
Duress
Flame Rift
Flames of the Blood Hand
Hellspark Elemental
Hell's Thunder
Inquisition of Kozilek
Keldon Champion
Lava Spike
Plated Geopede
Pulse of the Forge
Reckless Waif
Shambling Remains
Shard Volley
Thoughtseize
Vexing Devil
Winter Orb

We cut all direct damage spells that can't hit creatures relatively early. We even added removal that can't damage an opponent, though we could have went slightly overboard with it. We removed then all RRR casters to make the mana base more reliable. Note that there are no BB casters either. The plan was to maximize damage from one drops and then burn the rest.

On individual cards:

Fume Spitter was added when we realized that killing mana dudes is the key in some matches. Frostling is also an option if you want to go real deep.

First turn Pulse Tracker (followed by Vampire Lacerator) caused some confusion among my opponents. Clearly they were not expecting me to play Vampire Tribal Aggro.

Dauthi guys were great repeatable sources of damage, though I never drew Marauder during the tournament.

Porcelain Legionnaire was MVP, often holding an opponent's whole board if I had mana up.

There even are some humans for Falkenrath Aristocrat in the deck. Mutavault counts too, if you missed it. Definitely better than Giant Solifuge.

During the tournament, I drew Thunderous Wrath two times when spoiling, and once as my first card when on the draw. I cast it total zero times with miracle or otherwise.

Dark Tutelage was eventually too slow. Someone suggested Skeletal Scrying, but I'm not sure if card drawing is even what this deck wants, unless it's attached to a cheap body or a burn spell.

Fire Covenant was insanely good. At quarterfinals I was playing against a midrange Naya deck which had had mana problems but then found Noble Hierarch. I let him untap with it, and he played Huntmaster of the Fells, Gaea's Cradle and Tarmogoyf. End Step I paid 10 and wiped his board. Perish would have resulted the same here, but it's more a metagame card and was a dead draw more than once. Perish was also multiple times good but never great, while Covenant was always great. I have to reconsider Perish, but Covenant has earned its spot.

Two threatens were something we added to deal with situations where an opponent plays Wurmcoil/Baneslayer/Titan and tries to stabilize with it. I never got into a situation they were good, and this experiment didn't yield any positive results. I have to figure out another plan for Wurmcoils and such.

In the tournament I won against UW aggro control, Naya aggro, Rg burn and Bant tapout control, split matches against Naya midrange and Monored (as I played against them in both Swiss and elimination rounds) and lost against Grixis control to some really bad draws. The deck was not really suited for this particular metagame, but I made it up by making fewer mistakes than my opponents. The most difficult decisions were how to mulligan and how to use Demonic in early turns, and I can't say I made the right decisions here. Other than that, I think I played pretty well considering I'm not used to aggro decks – they are oftentimes more difficult to play optimally than control decks.

One card I should have played is Torch Fiend. It's both two drop and instant speed artifact removal, both of which are needed. Pillage is also an option. Sorcery speed makes it less good, but Stone Rain half is the one you'll be using more anyways. I'm also testing Forked Bolt (those Legacy players got to be up for something, right?) and along with M13 comes another incinerate.

More questions and suggestions are welcome as usual.

The new Planechase set has 21 new cards that will be legal in eternal formats. SPOILER

Pick up these ones:

Name:    Sakashima's Student
Cost:    2UU
Type:    Creature - Human Ninja
Pow/Tgh:    0/0
Rules Text:    Ninjutsu {1}{U}
You may have Sakashima's Student enter the battlefield as a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it's still a Ninja in addition to its other creature types.

Cheap clones are widely played, and even playing full price is a fair bargain, which you'll often be doing. Needs a deck that can use ninjutsu benefically, but potential is obvious.

Name:    Beetleback Chief
Cost:    2RR
Type:    Creature - Goblin Warrior
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    When Beetleback Chief enters the battlefield, put two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens onto the battlefield.

Obvious pickup for obvious deck.

Name:    Baleful Strix
Cost:    UB
Type:    Artifact Creature - Bird
Pow/Tgh:    1/1
Rules Text:    Flying, deathtouch
When Baleful Strix enters the battlefield, draw a card.

Blue Wall of Blossoms, we salute you. Except this blocks and trades with anything and carries gear.

Name:    Shardless Agent
Cost:    1GU
Type:    Artifact Creature - Human Rogue
Pow/Tgh:    2/2
Rules Text:    Cascade

Close to Bloodbraid Elf in power level. Most decks in colour should at least consider running it.

Ashaming 33 players.

Top8:

Joni Niemi (Naya Zoo) - Janne Öhman (Reanimator) 2-1
Ilkka-Aleksi Ylioja (GRu Ramp) - Valentin Soloviev (Bant Tapout Control) 1-2
Andrei Häyrynen (Grixis Control) - Joonas Koskelo (RDW) 1-2
Ossi Liukka (Naya Midrange) - Juha Ihonen (Rb aggro) 0-2

Top4:

Joni Niemi - Valentin Soloviev 2-0
Juha Ihonen - Joonas Koskelo 0-2

Bronze match (last year finalists):

Juha Ihonen - Valentin Soloviev 2-0

Finals:

Joni Niemi - Joonas Koskelo 2-0

Our Highlander is Joni Niemi who had impressive 16-2 game record for the tournament. Deck list will follow, and I will write more about my deck when I find time.

I wanted to create RUG deck that plays some like Pod decks in Standard and some like RUG Delver decks in Legacy. Delver itself ended up never flipping, but the deck itself proved to be quite competent. Mostly it just beats face. More advise is always needed, so here goes:

Lands (34):

9 fetch
3 dual
3 shock
3 filter
3 M10/INN dual
Copperline Gorge
4 Island
2 Forest
Mountain
Raging Ravine
Treetop Village
Dryad Arbor
Wasteland
Tectonic Edge

The deck is very hungry for colored mana, which makes playing around hate somewhat difficult. I take it as a calculated risk.

Creatures (35):

Birds of Paradise
Noble Hierarch
Fyndhorn Elves
Llanowar Elves
Arbor Elf
Orcish Lumberjack
Grim Lavamancer

Sakura-Tribe Elder
Lotus Cobra
Tarmogoyf
Fauna Shaman
Scavenging Ooze
Phantasmal Image
Snapcaster Mage

Edric, Spymaster of Tresh
Vithian Renegades
Kitchen Finks
Eternal Witness
Vendilion Clique
Burning-Tree Shaman
Phyrexian Metamorph

Vengevine
Bloodbraid Elf
Hero of the Oxid Ridge
Venser, Shaper Savant
Thrun, the Last Troll
Glen Elendra Archmage
Flametongue Kavu
Sower of Temptation

Urabrask, the Hidden
Acidic Slime
Arc-Slogger
Precursor Golem

Inferno Titan
Primeval Titan / Progenitus

Notice flat mana curve. I could use more good two-drops, but there are not that many. Haste guys are quite effective, I wonder if there are other worth playing. Guide maybe. Not sure about NO target, Titan is hardcastable but not always game over.

Counters (11):

Stifle
Spell Snare
Spell Pierce
Daze
Counterspell
Mana Drain
Mana Leak
Remand
Memory Lapse
Cryptic Command
Force of Will

Mostly there to generate tempo. Stifle was just thrown there, could be in or out. Other options include Miscalculation, Deprive, Logic Knot.

Burn (6):

Lightning Bolt
Chain Lightning
Magma Jet
Psionic Blast
Char
Brimstone Volley

Searing Blaze was left out due its difficult mana cost. Other options (Fire/Ice, Staggershock, Electrolyze) seem worse to me unless you can prove otherwise.

Stuff (14):

Sensei's Divingin Top
Brainstorm
Preordain
Ponder
Into the Roil
Sword of Fire and Ice
Sword of Feast and Famine
Birthing Pod
Garruk Wildspeaker
Jace, the Mind Scuptor
Natural Order
Treachery
Bribery
Green Sun's Zenith

Don't know about the other sword, but the rest is pretty solid. Other options include Control Magic and more creatures/burn/counters. While cantrips are okay, I don't want to be drawing cards and not advancing board position in any point of a game.

So; bad cards, obvious misses, any suggestions, questions welcome!

As someone might already know, I have an affinity to pure control decks in this format. A month ago I rebuilt my Grixis Control whose game plan was to survive early turns and accelerate with signets until you can slam down a titan and take a control. I took the deck to 20 € tournament and despite going 3-3 (losing to Esper, Goblins and Burn) I felt it had potential. I added Batterskull and Treasure Mage (for Wurmcoil) to shore worst matchups and tested against Goblins until I won over 50 % games. The deck was still a little soft to Stoneforge Mystic, but I could often just kill all sword bearers before it went active, so I liked my chances.

I talked a lot about the deck with Markus "Vlädi" Lehtinen, whose main innovation was to include Mystic Teachings along with tutorable sweeper. Phyrexian Metamorph was also his last-minute suggestion. Here's the list:

Grixis Control

// Lands 34

    9 Fetch

    1 Mountain
    1 Island
    1 Snow-Covered Island
    1 Swamp

    1 Badlands
    1 Underground Sea
    1 Volcanic Island
    1 Steam Vents
    1 Watery Grave

    1 Cascade Bluffs
    1 Graven Cairns
    1 Sunken Ruins

    1 Darkslick Shores
    1 Drowned Catacomb
    1 Reflecting Pool
    1 Crumbling Necropolis
    1 Vivid Creek
    1 Vivid Marsh
    1 Vivid Crag

    1 Tolaria West
    1 Creeping Tar Pit
    1 Volrath's Stronghold
    1 Dust Bowl
    1 Wasteland
    1 Tectonic Edge

// Stones 9

    1 Talisman of Impulse
    1 Talisman of Indulgence
    1 Talisman of Dominance
    1 Dimir Signet
    1 Izzet Signet
    1 Rakdos Signet
    1 Mind Stone
    1 Coalition Relic
    1 Crucible of Worlds

// The beef 19

    1 Vendilion Clique
    1 Trinket Mage
    1 Treasure Mage // just Wurmcoil
    1 Vampire Nighthawk // deathtouch was the most relevant ability
    1 Shadowmage Infiltrator

    1 Phyrexian Metamorph
    1 Skinrender
    1 Flametongue Kavu
    1 Glen Elendra Archmage
    1 Venser, Shaper Savant
    1 Sower of Temptation

    1 Mulldrifter
    1 Shriekmaw
    1 Arc-Slogger
    1 Precursor Golem
    1 Batterskull // technicaly not a creature

    1 Grave Titan
    1 Wurmcoil Engine
    1 Inferno Titan // MVP

// Disruption 9

    1 Thoughtseize
    1 Duress
    1 Inquisition of Kozilek
    1 Spell Pierce

    1 Mana Drain
    1 Counterspell
    1 Mana Leak

    1 Cryptic Command
    1 Force of Will

// Removal 15

    1 Lightning Bolt // ability to hit planeswalkers and players extremely relevant

    1 Terminate
    1 Into the Roil
    1 Go for the Throat // can't tell if this or Doom Blade is better

    1 Crosis's Charm // every mode was used, gives so much utility
    1 Slagstorm
    1 Firespout

    1 Control Magic
    1 Damnation

    1 Treachery

    1 Burning of Xinye // centerpieces of the deck
    1 Wildfire

    1 Cruel Ultimatum
    1 Engineered Explosives
    1 Starstorm

// Digging 14

    1 Sensei's Divining Top
    1 Ancestral Vision
    1 Preordain
    1 Brainstorm
    1 Ponder

    1 Impulse
    1 Tainted Pact
    1 Demonic Tutor

    1 Jace Beleren

    1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
    1 Fact or Fiction
    1 Gifts Ungiven
    1 Mystical Teachings

    1 Liliana Vess

The biggest criticism I got on the deck was its mana base and its vulnerability to hate. I could have included three more basics, but I wanted to be able to cast my spells with heavy color requirements any time, so I just chose to dodge hate. I guess I have to lose a game to hate first before I'd consider altering the base. Onto the tournament.

R1 Kim Valori GRw Jokulhaups

I ripped his hand apart with discard and he never got mana to cast his things. Second game, I had favourable board position when Kim cast Obliterate, but I managed to save two mana permanents with bounce and topdeck Crucible if I recall correctly.

1-0

G2 Tero Aalto Bant Aggro

The match is covered in detail HERE.

2-0

G3 Juha Vepsäläinen UWb Tezzerets

I accidentally revealed Explosives from my hand as I was accelerating with a couple of signets. Juha played both Thopter and Sword, and after I killed them and all our signets with EE, he was able to lock me down with Winter Orb. Second game Juha went aggressive with Batterskull, and I as had to use resources battling it, he was able to slip in the orb again. I had him staring lethal Inferno Titan with no cards in hand, but he proceeded to draw Brainstorm into Demonic into Treachery.

2-1

G4 Janne Öhman (Tiggupiru) BGw Pattern

He played dumb creatures and disrupted me enough for them to take it home. Second game I got Jace to stick, and I managed to cast Treachery on his Grave Titan and follow it up with Inferno one same turn. Third game I Forced his Top only to see it come back with Witness. I took control of his titan once again, but this time he had enchantment removal and my Inferno Titan came down a turn later. After the dust settled, I had Inferno Titan under his Oblivion Ring and eight manas including Creeping Tar Pit, which brought him down to six. Janne had just Llanowar Elf and top but fetched Mystic and Sword of F/I and bashed me down to three.

I drew Teachings. With just one mana more, I could attack with Tar Pit and fetch Lightning Bolt for lethal. My plan was to fetch Charm and kill the sword, then fetch Into the Roil for Oblivion Ring his next turn. After he attacked with sworded elf it hit me: I should have got Cryptic Command to tap his guys before combat and bounce ring to deal three with titan. The plan would've still worked had he not got Acidic Slime to kill my manland. I drew Damnation and the game was left unfinished.

2-1-1

G5 Kari Hänninen Bant Control

Kari got some early pressure with creatures, but I stabilized with Batterskull and stuff and he was forced to clear the table with Akroma's Vengeance. My deck is pretty good in topdeck wars. The highlight of the endgame was him cloning my Inferno Titan twice, making it six damage total on it. I just removed both and played another fatty FTW.

His draw was rather counter-heavy next game, so I just used some spells as fodder and resolved Liliana going +1 against his Sphinx of Jwar Isle. The sphinx took Liliana down by two hits, but I was too much ahead by then and just overwhelmed him with card advantage.

3-1-1

G6 Miikka Niemi 4c Aggro

Miikka had Concordant Crossroads and then Flesh Reaver off Lotus Petal, but didn't draw another land. I managed to ramp into Wildfire manas but didn't want to cast it against just one land, so I wasted it and just kept removing other creatures. With Flesh "Even" Reaver eating both of our lives, just couple of hits from Creeping Tar Pit were enough as he never drew land to cast his bolt.

Mikka swarmed the board fast second game threatening 4th turn kill, but Lightning Bolt gave me just one more turn to slam down Wurmcoil Engine. Explosives took down his team next turn and that was all she wrote. Duressing away his Price of Progress was also critical.

4-1-1

Quarterfinals: Max Sjöblom Jund Ramp

Max started with Lotus Cobra into next turn Spiritmonger, but I just happened to have Mana Drain ready. I had just stones to play with drained mana, and a kill spell to Cobra to prevent more nutsacking. When he played Arc-Slogger couple of turns later, I had Treachery ready for it and enough red mana to make it instantly lethal.

My opening hand was very good, featuring Control Magic, Clique, lands and a signet after Thoughtseize took my Drain. Max had Top, Cobra and Deed but no fourth land, and was left with just Gaea's Revenge in hand after Deed cleaned the board. He recovered quickly with Top giving him lands, Siege-Gang Commander and other meat. I drew Wurmcoil but he had one too, so I needed to draw... Tainted Pact, which I used to dig for Treachery. Max played another creature, but things went not fair for him as I drew Cryptic Command and attacked for lethal.

5-1-1

Semifinals: Juha Vepsäläinen UWb Tezzerets

Juha mulled to four and was never really into first game. He tutored for fast Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas second game and while I could steal his animated Top with Sower his Bribery for my FTK left me few outs. The third game was epic. I suspended Visions but my mana production was painfully slow compared to his explosive one. Juha made attacking difficult with Tabernacle and Dream Tides, concluded then Thopter combo being not his victory condition of choice, and went for Jace, which I removed with Teachings to Lightning Bolt.

His next attempt was once again Tezzeret who animated Sword of the Meek. I stole animated sword and shot Tezz down with Arc-Slogger. Attacking was made even more difficult with Ghostly Prison and Silent Arbiter. At six life, Juha stole Arc-Slogger, threatening to burn me down with mana from Coalition Relic and its copy. Unfortunately for him, I had still Teachings in my grave, a bounce spell left in my library, and enough mana and cards in library to replay Slogger and burn him down next turn.

6-1-1

Finals: Valentin Soloviev (Sephiron) Dark Bant

I managed to snag Stoneforge Mystic with Inquisition of Kozilek. Valentin had some mana elves but just two lands after using Wasteland, so I wiped them off with Starstorm. He Pathed one in response and soon it was me who had mana problems. I played Tainted Pact to dig some, but had to keep Inferno Titan as I was about to remove all my victory conditions, and was forced to find a land with Demonic instead. I knew from Inquisition that he had Treachery, so I waited until he had to pitch it to Force fighting over his Recurring Nightmare before playing it. Unfortunately, he had removal for it, so I had to cast Wildfire without leaving a creature in table. I recovered faster anyway and he scooped when Fact revealed me Jace.

Second game, Valentin passed his fourth turn with four mana up, presenting Gifts. I responded his EOT Gifts with one of my own, but he had Force and fetched Jace, Mystic, Natural Order and Birthing Pod. I put green cards to the bin as I had Creeping Tar Pit for Jace and I thought I could handle Mystic. He played Jace and brainstormed, I killed it with Tar Pit. He played Mystic and Knight of the Reliquary, but this time I had Treachery for the knight before casting Burning of Xinye FTW.

7-1-1

Phew. I was a bit lucky in some games, but in this game, you can't win a tournament without having a bit of luck as it is an integral part of the game. There were 33 players, metagame was diverse with emphasis on control, and top 8 was like two midrange Bant decks, two ramps, three pure control decks and a reanimator. Aggro and combo were represented but didn't survive swiss rounds. There were 3 or 4 Stoneforge Mystics in top 8, and while I didn't lose to it once, the card makes deck constructing and game play so centered around  it that we should discuss whether or not it is good to our format. I don't now ATM, maybe metagame will evolve and can handle it.

I want to thank Vlädi, Joose, my opponents and those who loaned me cards for a great tournament!

22 players participated in this high stakes tournament and so_not went undefeated with his new Esper Control. I went 3-3 with my juicy Grixis pile, losing to his Esper, Louhio's Goblins and Huovinen's Monored and winning GW, UWr Control and Reanimator. Results:

1. Väänänen, Aleksi 5-0-1 (Esper Control)
2. Louhio, Jaakko 5-1 (RB Goblins)
3. Castren, Sakari 4-2 (metagamed Jund)
4. Hyvärinen, Mikko 4-2 (UB Control)
5. Niemi, Joni 4-2 (Ur Fish)
6. Huovinen, Janne (Monored)
7. Niemi, Miikka (UBg Reanimator)

Metagame breakdown:

3 Bant
2 Esper Control
2 MonoR
2 UB control (1 w/ G splash)
1 Dark Bant
1 Goblins
1 GW aggro
1 Crixis Control
1 UG
1 Reanimator
1 UR aggro
1 Jund
1 Ur control
1 UGR Scapeshift
1 BUG goodstuff
1 UWR Control

I'll link to decklists when they come up.

Is there anything that could be done?

I have written longer report in Finnish, but most of it is just about travelling the tournament and inside jokes, so I just translated the game parts.

Before tournament I tested all kinds of juicy piles as Grixis good stuff including all wildfires, Death Cloud, Ultimatum, Nicol Bolas the PW and lots of stones. When playing against myself on a kitchen table and I won no game against my Fishy Monoblue control. I was stunned as I realized that whenever I have borrowed the deck to any person, it has made it into prizes or at least top 8. I replaces some fishes with real cards, but some unorthodox cards were still left. List:

Fishy Mono Blue

//Lands (33)

20 Island FOIL
1 Scalding Tarn FOIL
1 Misty Rainforest FOIL
1 Polluted Delta FOIL
1 Flooded Strand FOIL
1 Wasteland
1 Rishadan Port
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Dust Bowl // Did not use once
1 Karakas// Was relevant in one MU
1 the Riptide Laboratory FOIL// Used maybe once
1 Faerie Conclave FOIL
1 Mutavault
1 Mishra's factory fbb

//Creatures (23)

1 Sygg, Calain Cuningas FOIL // Drew 0 cards, is going to get cut
1 Spiketail Hatchling FOIL
1 Looter il-Kor FOIL
1 Fathom Seer FOIL // Nuts
1 Coralhelm Commander // Nutsi

1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner FOIL
1 Vendilion Clique FOIL
1 Sower of Temptation  fbb
1 Aether Adept FOIL
1 Man-o-War FOIL
1 Cold-Eyed Selkie FOIL
1 Wake Thrasher
1 Calcite Snapper FOIL // Why do people keep dissing this? Awesome creature.
1 Sea Gate Oracle fbb
1 Plumeveil FOIL

1 Venser, Shaper Savant fbb
1 Masticore
1 Glen Elendra Archmage FOIL

1 Riftwing Cloudskate FOIL
1 Mulldrifter FOIL
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Razormane Masticore FOIL
1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror FOIL


//Counters (22)

1 Stifle FOIL
1 Spell Snare
1 Force Spike FOIL
1 Disrupt FOIL
1 Spell Pierce FOIL

1 Remand FOIL
1 Daze FOIL
1 Memory Lapse FOIL
1 Mana Drain
1 Counterspell FOIL
1 Negate FOIL
1 Mana Leak FOIL
1 Miscalculation
1 Deprive
1 Logic Knot // UU counter target spell, not bad

1 Cryptic Command FOIL
1 Thwart fbb
1 Foil FOIL

1 Misdirection
1 Force of Will
1 Commandeer
1 Pact of Negation

//Other (22)

1 Chrome Mox

1 Ancestral Vision
1 Sensei's Divining Top FOIL

1 Mind Stone FOIL
1 Guardian Idol // EBF tapped sometimes heavy
1 Talisman of dominance FOIL
1 Talisman of Progress FOIL
1 Into the Roil FOIL
1 Sapphire Medallion // not convinced me yet

1 Psionic Blast FOIL
1 Sword of Fire and Ice FOIL
1 Vedalken Shackles FOIL
1 Back to Basics
1 Repulse
1 Jace Beleren FOIL
1 Threads of Disloyalty // Was against aggro but did nothing

1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Control Magic fbb
1 Fact or Fiction FOIL
1 Gifts Ungiven FOIL

1 Gush
1 Treachery

The deck wins with a good percentage against everything except fast aggros. You have to rely on single bombs against them, though just racing is an option with so many tempo cards. The counters in the deck cost 0-2 manas, so against anything slower you can play our own game with UU up all the time. Currently I’m looking for more cards to help aggro matchup, have been considering Merchant Scroll, Domestication, Rushing River, Consign to Dream, Phyrexian Ironfoot, Godhead of Awe and Gravitational Shift. Suggestions welcome.


1. Antti Lyytinen Reanimator

In the first game my deck did what it does: I countered some spells, got Sword to stick and swung for the win. Antti claimed that he would have had Akroman animated, but it had been no use because of my Karakas. The second game was Magic at its best. Antti was forced Hermit Druidin into the battlefield, only to see me topdeck Psionic Blast. For this on to the very end of the game I drew nothing but Islands and an occasional counter to keep in game. Antti was forced to Zombizy Druid as he needed an outlet. Immediately after this, he drew his last basic as one particular enchantment had made him fetch them already. Druid turned into beatdown mode making a total at least 12 damage, because I drew no men and my Conclave could not block because of his Darkblast. At three life, Antti finished my struggle by Natural Order with a Force backup.

Time was running out, and I had to mull to six with some fast beaters but no counter. Thrasher was extraordinary fast getting Darkblast immediately, but Snapper hit him down to five before trading with Hermit Druid. I had nothing so I tapped out for Sea Gate Oracle though he’d be able to dredge Darkblast. I had to choose between Mana Leak and Karakas, and I took Karakas after seen that many creatures with shroud. Antti thanked by somehow animating Iona. With few outs left I drew the Sword, which got Force of Will. WTF? The pro I am, my next draw was Razormane which I happily slammed down. He was forced to chump with Iona but got Oath, which gave him enough blockers so neither of us could win.

1-1-1 (0-0-1)

2. Miikka Niemi Stax (paired down)

Miikka is familiar buddy from Helsinki and I had an idea what he might play. I Snared his turn 2 talisman off Workshop, which was then kept in check by Rishadan Port. He ritualed out Nether Void which bite himself back as he didn’t draw that much mana and I kept porting and swinging with Conclave. Finally Miikka got Welder and got to use Mindslaver once by discarding it on cleanup, but it was already too late.

I kept Sygg, Clique, lands for the second game only to see Miikka lay down second turn Humility. It was followed by Intuition to Crucible, Ravages of War, Tabernacle and Propaganda. I countered Crucible though, and was paying 3 manas a turn for the joy of attacking with 1/1. Talismans being his only sources did their part too. Psionic Blast ended his struggle.

2-0 (1-0-1)

3. Aarne Halén UGr Heartbeat Combo

Aarne wasn’t originally going to play in the tournament, but was lend an unpolished deck to boost player count. Fortunately, he had played Heartbeat in Standard before. I had Commandeer in my opening and formed a plan immediately. When Aarne begun with second turn Rampant Growth, I tapped out hoping to lure him play something big for my Commandeer. My dream came true as Aarne had kept just Gifts and filler. I got a couple kilometers lead from his Gifts and won handily.

Second game was more of a battle. At some point I had four lands with two untapped and Deprive, when Aarne tried Heartbeat. I let it resolve opting to bounce it with End Step Cryptic Command instead. Aarne got Careful Consideration in response, but was dazed from my sneaky play and I got a little upper hand. Some turns later I got Turnabout for my lands on my Upkeep, but had just drew Pact and let it resolve, fishing some big spell with the Pact. Facing lethal, Aarne had only three cards, two of which were known, and as I flashed a counter he extended his hand.

2-0 (2-0-1)

4. Antti Kontio BR Goblins (paired down)

Antti has had a little break from the game and needed a deck to go, so he was given Goblins. Would have been nice to win and in this round, but well constructed Goblin deck is among the worst matchups. I won critical roll as we both played two-drops and Swords one after another, but I got mine active first and three swings later he was dead. In the second one we both played some unimpressive creatures, he got something to boost them and had Terminate ready for my Razormane. We both had mediocre draws, which was enough for his deck.

I started with Visions only to see Antti had Vial and to draw Spell Pierce after that. Thoughtseize made sure that Recruiter resolved, which would have been game even though I hadn’t missed an opportunity to bounce his Vial while keeping counter mana up.

1-2 (2-1-1)

5. Miro Ahvenainen UW control (paired down)

The third down pairing meant I had no business for top eight even with otherwise nice 3-1-1 record. It is impossible to lose the matchup, and I won two games triumphant-style. Miro resolved only Elspeth in the first one, who was run over by Glen Elendra and Razormane. In the end my hand consisted of seven cards, all pure gas. In the second game I think my morphed creature got Path in response to equip, revealing to be Fathom Seer. Card Advantage much? Wall of Denial did so little against the Sword.

2-0 (3-1-1)

And in the end, there were like eight players tied in ten points, from 4th to 11th in standings. I was the eleventh and buddies I drove with were 8th and 9th. That didn’t matter in the end, because the trip itself was so awesome. Thanks to my buddies and grats to the new champion.

This is the High Tide deck I played in Ladder Tournament.                       // Lands (29)    1 Polluted Delta    1 Flooded Strand    1 Misty Rainforest    1 Scalding Tarn    1 Tropical Island    24 Snow-Covered Island // Stones (4)    1 Sapphire Medallion    1 Talisman of Impulse    1 Talisman of Unity    1 Simic Signet // Engine (13)    1 High Tide    1 Heartbeat of Spring    1 Cloud of Faeries    1 Snap    1 Frantic Search    1 Turnabout    1 Rewind    1 Treachery    1 Peregrine Drake    1 Spellweaver Volute    1 Time Spiral    1 Mind's Desire    1 Palinchron // Draw/tutor (31)    1 Sensei's Divining Top    1 Ponder    1 Brainstorm    1 Personal Tutor    1 Serum Visions    1 Sleight of Hand    1 Opt    1 Impulse    1 Ideas Unbound    1 Merchant Scroll    1 Telling Time    1 Peer Through Depths    1 Regrowth    1 Dizzy Spell    1 Meditate    1 Drift of Phantasms    1 Compulsive Research    1 Relearn    1 Timetwister    1 Thirst for Knowledge    1 Intuition    1 Deep Analysis    1 Fact or Fiction    1 Concentrate    1 Gifts Ungiven    1 Careful Consideration    1 Foresee    1 Recall    1 Flash of Insight    1 Braingeyser    1 Stroke of Genius // Protection (23)    1 Spell Pierce    1 Spell Snare    1 Force Spike    1 Chain of Vapor    1 Withdraw    1 Counterspell    1 Mana Drain    1 Remand    1 Mana Leak    1 Memory Lapse    1 Delay    1 Miscalculation    1 Propaganda    1 Repulse    1 Plumeveil    1 Man-o'-War    1 Vendilion Clique    1 Venser, Shaper Savant    1 Cryptic Command    1 Force of Will    1 Condescend    1 Repeal    1 Gigadrowse

This is the High Tide deck I have been playing lately. Changes in italics. // Lands (29)    1 Polluted Delta    1 Flooded Strand    1 Misty Rainforest    1 Scalding Tarn    1 Tropical Island    24 Snow-Covered Island // Stones (6)    1 Wayfarer's Bauble    1 Sapphire Medallion    1 Talisman of Impulse    1 Talisman of Unity    1 Simic Signet    1 Solemn Simulacrum // Engine (13)    1 High Tide    1 Heartbeat of Spring    1 Snap    1 Frantic Search    1 Turnabout    1 Rewind    1 Treachery    1 Peregrine Drake    1 Spellweaver Volute    1 Rude Awakening    1 Time Spiral    1 Mind's Desire    1 Palinchron // Draw/tutor (30)    1 Sensei's Divining Top    1 Ponder    1 Brainstorm    1 Personal Tutor    1 Serum Visions    1 Sleight of Hand    1 Impulse    1 Ideas Unbound    1 Merchant Scroll    1 Telling Time    1 Regrowth    1 Dizzy Spell    1 Meditate    1 Drift of Phantasms    1 Compulsive Research    1 Relearn    1 Timetwister    1 Thirst for Knowledge    1 Intuition    1 Sea Gate Oracle    1 Deep Analysis    1 Fact or Fiction    1 Concentrate    1 Gifts Ungiven    1 Careful Consideration    1 Foresee    1 Recall    1 Flash of Insight    1 Braingeyser    1 Stroke of Genius // Protection (22)    1 Spell Pierce    1 Spell Snare    1 Force Spike    1 Chain of Vapor    1 Counterspell    1 Mana Drain    1 Remand    1 Mana Leak    1 Memory Lapse    1 Back to Basics    1 Calcite Snapper    1 Phyrexian Ironfoot    1 Propaganda    1 Repulse    1 Plumeveil    1 Man-o'-War    1 Vendilion Clique    1 Venser, Shaper Savant    1 Cryptic Command    1 Force of Will    1 Condescend    1 Gigadrowse

For deeper analysis on changes and discussion, go to the blog.

Hi, I'm going to Berlin on a vacation from 7th to 13th of June. Anyone happen to live nearby, or otherwise able to provide information on places to play in there or possible tournaments? Vintage or Highlander preferably, but anything goes. Thanks in advance.

[1 Rishadan Port 1 Tolaria West 1 Bojuga Bog 1 Tectonic Edge]

UPDATED LIST! 22.02.2010

This is a cool and rather competitive deck I have been playing for some months. Now with Highlander Nationals gone, I could share it with you for some more thoughts. The deck is a heavy control deck built around incredible synergy between Swans and board sweepers. As a Wildfire deck I had to include many signets, so small splashes are totally painless. The best matchups are obviously swarm decks pure combo being the worst. Here's my latest list:

// Lands (33)

   2 [GUR] Mountain
   6 [GUR] Island
   1 [CS] Snow-Covered Island

   1 Tropical Island
   1 Badlands
   1 Taiga
   1 Volcanic Island
   1 Underground Sea

   1 [ON] Bloodstained Mire
   1 [ON] Flooded Strand
   1 [ON] Wooded Foothills
   1 [ON] Polluted Delta
   1 [ZEN] Verdant Catacombs
   1 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn
   1 [ZEN] Misty Rainforest
   1 [ZEN] Arid Mesa

   1 [EVE] Cascade Bluffs
   1 [MM] Dust Bowl
   1 [AN] Library of Alexandria
   1 [TE] Wasteland
  1 Rishadan Port
   1 Tolaria West
   1 Bojuga Bog
   1 Tectonic Edge

   1 [DIS] Simic Growth Chamber
   1 [GP] Izzet Boilerworks
   1 [RAV] Dimir Aqueduct

// Stones (14)

   1 [MR] Chrome Mox

   1 [MR] Talisman of Impulse
   1 [MR] Talisman of Indulgence
   1 [MR] Talisman of Progress
   1 [MR] Talisman of Dominance
   1 [DIS] Rakdos Signet
   1 [RAV] Dimir Signet
   1 [DIS] Simic Signet
   1 [GP] Izzet Signet
   1 [GP] Gruul Signet
   1 [CS] Coldsteel Heart
   1 [WL] Mind Stone

   1 [FUT] Coalition Relic

   1 [MR] Solemn Simulacrum

// Counters (11)

   1 [AL] Force of Will
   1 [FUT] Pact of Negation

   1 [RAV] Remand
   1 [RAV] Muddle the Mixture â€" Finds Chain of Plasma
   1 [LG] Mana Drain
   1 Counterspell
   1 [ARE] Mana Leak

   1 [LRW] Cryptic Command
   1 [EVE] Glen Elendra Archmage
   1 Venser, Shaper Savant

   1 [FD] Condescend

// Draw/tutor (17)

   1 [TSP] Ancestral Vision
   1 Brainstorm
   1 Ponder
   1 [MI] Worldly Tutor â€" Going for Archmage is often  the play
   1 [CHK] Sensei's Divining Top

   1 Demonic Tutor

   1 [LRW] Jace Beleren
   1 [RAV] Compulsive Research
   1 [FD] Trinket Mage
   1 [MR] Thirst for Knowledge

   1 [IN] Fact or Fiction
   1 [OD] Concentrate
   1 [TSP] Careful Consideration
   1 [CHK] Gifts Ungiven
   1 [TSP] Mystical Teachings â€" Finds whole combo with Wordly

   1 [ST] Tidings
   1 [ON] Future Sight

// Removal (11)

   1 Lightning Bolt

   1 [IA] Pyroclasm
   1 [AP] Fire/Ice

   1 [SHM] Firespout

   1 [PS] Flametongue Kavu

   1 [US] Crater Hellion
   1 [P3] Burning of Xinye
   1 [P2] Wildfire

   1 [ON] Starstorm
   1 [P3] Rolling Earthquake
   1 [FD] Engineered Explosives

// Win (4)

   1 [SHM] Swans of Bryn Argoll
   1 [ON] Chain of Plasma
   1 [TSP] Conflagrate

   1 [EVE] Call the Skybreaker â€" Feel free to include your personal favourite, I have a foil one and want to play it

// Other (10)

   1 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus

   1 Regrowth

   1 [FD] Crucible of Worlds
   1 Vendilion Clique
   1 Vedalken Shackles

   1 Control Magic

   1 [UD] Treachery
   1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir

   1 [GP] Repeal
   1 Mind Twist

Cards that are not there:

Deep Analysis â€" Three life was often too much to pay for cards
Volcanic Fallout â€" Enough sweepers
Foresee, Mind Spring â€" Enough draw
Creatures â€" Are bad

Cards that could be there:

Etched Oracle â€" still debating
More counters
Academy Ruins, Mindslaver â€" Should probably be included, but would make the deck into more generic Gifts control
Tectonic Break â€" Another Wildfire, but only for lands
Into the Roil / Krosan Grip: More answers to Survival/SoFI

Comments welcome, but remember to always suggest what to cut for a certain card.

There have been some intrest and deck list request on my Battle of Wits deck. I decided to share it with you, because it really could use some advice. Here's the list.

Mana Lands (74):     1 Snow-Covered Plains     1 Kor Haven     1 Flagstones of Trokair     1 Orzhov Basilica     1 Azorius Chancery     1 Mishra's Factory     1 Vesuva     1 Vivid Creek     1 Tolaria West     1 Rocky Tar Pit     1 Mountain Valley     1 Vivid Marsh     1 Library of Alexandria     1 Krosan Verge     1 Grasslands     1 Flood Plain     1 Arcane Sanctum     2 Snow-Covered Swamp     5 Snow-Covered Island     1 Terramorphic Expanse     1 Vivid Meadow     1 Dimir Aqueduct     1 Esper Panorama     1 Bayou     1 Scrubland     1 Flooded Strand     1 Fetid Heath     1 Darkwater Catacombs     1 Bloodstained Mire     1 Caves of Koilos     1 Godless Shrine     1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth     1 Tundra     1 Adarkar Wastes     1 Underground Sea     1 Underground River     1 Skycloud Expanse     1 Reflecting Pool     1 Windswept Heath     1 Wooded Foothills     1 Watery Grave     1 Plateau     1 Tropical Island     1 Hallowed Fountain     1 Sunken Ruins     1 River of Tears     1 Polluted Delta     1 Nimbus Maze     1 Mystic Gate     2 Swamp     2 Plains     5 Island     1 Coastal Tower     1 Boreal Shelf     1 Frost Marsh     1 Crumbling Necropolis     1 Seaside Citadel     1 Salt Marsh     1 Wasteland     1 Dust Bowl     1 Seat of the Synod     1 Secluded Glen     1 Wanderwine Hub Win (1):    1 Battle of Wits

Other Mana (26):     1 Mox Diamond     1 Chrome Mox     1 Land Tax     1 Wayfarer's Bauble     1 Mind Stone     1 Dimir Signet     1 Talisman of Unity     1 Talisman of Progress     1 Marble Diamond     1 Sky Diamond     1 Prismatic Lens     1 Talisman of Dominance     1 Orzhov Signet     1 Fellwar Stone     1 Azorius Signet     1 Talisman of Indulgence     1 Coldsteel Heart     1 Charcoal Diamond     1 Eternal Dragon     1 Darksteel Ingot     1 Obelisk of Esper     1 Coalition Relic     1 Fieldmist Borderpost     1 Mistvein Borderpost     1 Spectral Searchlight     1 Solemn Simulacrum

Counters (29):     1 Pact of Negation     1 Force of Will     1 Misdirection     1 Disrupt     1 Spell Snare     1 Negate     1 Evasive Action     1 Mana Leak     1 Memory Lapse     1 Miscalculation     1 Counterspell     1 Countersquall     1 Remand     1 Mana Drain     1 Dromar's Charm     1 Cancel     1 Dream Fracture     1 Faerie Trickery     1 Forbid     1 Hinder     1 Absorb     1 Exclude     1 Dissipate     1 Offering to Asha     1 Glen Elendra Archmage     1 Cryptic Command     1 Condescend     1 Broken Ambitions     1 Power Sink     1 Syncopate

Other Control (45):     1 Maze of Ith     1 Swords to Plowshares     1 Ghastly Demise     1 Duress     1 Thoughtseize     1 Innocent Blood     1 Path to Exile     1 Condemn     1 Castigate     1 Smother     1 Agony Wrap     1 Terror     1 Temple Acolyte     1 Infest     1 Mortify     1 Vindicate     1 Recoil     1 Oblivion Ring     1 Kitchen Finks     1 Plumeveil     1 Vendilion Clique     1 Bane of the Living     1 Silent Arbiter     1 Control Magic     1 Night of Souls' Betrayal     1 The Abyss     1 Faith's Fetters     1 Damnation     1 Persecute     1 Wrath of God     1 Moat     1 Shriekmaw     1 Hallowed Burial     1 Rout     1 Teferi's Moat     1 Treachery     1 Battlegrace Angel     1 Exalted Angel     1 Decree of Silence     1 Invincible Hymn     1 Engineered Explosives     1 Repeal     1 Mind Twist

Tutors (32):     1 Enlightened Tutor     1 Argivian Find     1 Dizzy Spell     1 Personal Tutor     1 Tainted Pact     1 Merchant Scroll     1 Demonic Tutor     1 Lim-Dul's Vault     1 Shred Memory     1 Dimir Infiltrator     1 Muddle the Mixture     1 Dimir House Guard     1 Drift of Phantasms     1 Trinket Mage     1 Relearn     1 Clutch of the Undercity     1 Idyllic Tutor     1 Brainspoil     1 Grim Tutor     1 Perplex     1 Dimir Machinations     1 Intuition     1 Cruel Tutor     1 Rhystic Tutor     1 Beseech the Queen     1 Insidious Dreams     1 Diabolic Tutor     1 Academy Rector     1 Gifts Ungiven     1 Mystical Teachings     1 Demonic Collusion     1 Liliana Vess     1 Enduring Ideal

Cantrips and Draw (37):     1 Ancestral Vision     1 Scrabbling Claws     1 Phyrexian Furnace     1 Relic of Progenitus     1 Serum Visions     1 Sensei's Divining Top     1 Chromatic Sphere     1 Chromatic Star     1 Darkwater Egg     1 Skycloud Egg     1 Clairvoyance     1 Opt     1 Peek     1 Ponder     1 Sleight of Hand     1 Sorcerous Sight     1 Cremate     1 Portent     1 Brainstorm     1 Night's Whisper     1 Impulse     1 Diabolic Vision     1 Scroll Rack     1 Phyrexian Arena     1 Thirst for Knowledge     1 Probe     1 Compulsive Research     1 Esper Charm     1 Court Hussar     1 Shadowmage Infiltrator     1 Jace Beleren     1 Concentrate     1 Deep Analysis     1 Careful Consideration     1 Fact or Fiction     1 Future Sight     1 Tidings     1 Skeletal Scrying

That's 245 cards total, but I wanted to shave it below 240. The mana is awful with too many CIP tapped lands. I wonder if I should play more land cyclers, Traumatic Visions, Twisted Abomination and Noble Templar are not too bad if you had to hard cast one. I'd propably cut some worse counters and Wraths to begin with. I am open to any suggestions, so if you just think my card choises suck or I am missing something essential, please say so. I won't comment on every card choice, but you can ask me if specific cards are run.

[EDIT:] Forgot Tainted Pact, replaced Needle with it.

Many believe Ux Skies to be the best deck in the format right now. Splash colour varies. White gives tutors, some removal and life gain. Black gives tutors and removal. Red gives moons and removal. Green gives Survival. I have not mentioned creatures as I believe splashing just for creatures doesn't pay off. I have decided to keep it monocoloured with following premises:

1. 1/1 dorks are awful. Rishadan Airship hits in two turns same amount of damage they would do in six. No one power creatures, unless they draw cards.

2. Counters are good.

3. As few situational cards as possible. Specially no conditional card draw.

4. Manabase has to support both B2B and Winter Orb. The latter is done by running karoos and talismans which gives the deck enough mana potential to handle its high curve.

5. Try to have at least some game against other creature decks.

// Mana (34+7)

    21 Island
    Wasteland
    Rishadan Port
    Academy Ruins
    Faerie Conclave
    Mutavault
    Mishra's Factory
    Blinkmoth Nexus
    City of Traitors
    Ancient Tomb
    Izzet Boilerworks
    Dimir Aqueduct
    Azorius Chancery
    Simic Growth Chamber

    Mox Diamond
    Chrome Mox

    Talisman of Progress
    Talisman of Dominance
    Mind Stone
    Guardian Idol

    AEther Vial <- set at 3

// Fishes (21)

    Sygg, River Cutthroat <- great blocker
    Inkfathom Infiltrator
    Looter il-Kor
   
    Rishadan Airship
    Sea Drake
    Kira, Great Glass-Spinner <- Why are people not running this but crap like Rebuff the Wicked?
    Cloud Spirit
    Serendib Efreet
    Vendilion Clique
    Pestermite
    Man-o'-War
    Augury Adept
    Wasp Lancer
    Cold-Eyed Selkie <- Always unblockable
    Wake Thrasher <- Is big

    Masticore
    Sower of Temptation
    Venser, Shaper Savant

    Mulldrifter
    Razormane Masticore <- premise 5
    Meloku the Clouded Mirror

// Gear (5)

    Sword of Light and Shadow
    Sword of Fire and Ice
    Grafted Wargear
    Loxodon Warhammer <- pr. 5
    Sigil of Distinction

// Counters (15)

    Daze
    Thwart
    Foil
    Force of Will
    Misdirection
       
    Force Spike
    Spell Snare
   
    Memory Lapse
    Mana Drain
    Remand
    Miscalculation
    Mana Leak
    Counterspell
    Negate
   
    Cryptic Command
       
// Brake pedal (4)

    Winter Orb
    Tangle Wire
    Back to Basics
    Propaganda

// Other forms of control (6)

    Maze of Ith
    Psionic Blast
    Rushing River
    Vedalken Shackles
    Control Magic
    Treachery

// Card draw or similar (5)

    Gush
    Thirst for Knowledge
    Compulsive Research <- new addition, has been great
    Fact or Fiction
    Gifts Ungiven <- not overly broken here, but too good not to run

// Open Slots (3)

    Ancestral Visions <- takes forever to resolve, don't really like it
    Drift of Phantasms <- gets B2B and almost everything, but might be too slow
    Dominus of Fealty <- Used to play Though Devourer in this slot. Practical CC 6, haven't really seen him in action yet

Some other cards I'm considering:

Riftwing Cloudscate - hot or not, don't really know. I just cutter Infiltrator il-Kor.
Trinker Mage - was in the deck once, then I decided that cards he was getting were not too strong. With Sigil now in the deck, I might reconsider him.
Chalice of the Void - no problem setting it at one, but will it do any good? Could help in bad matchups though.
Latchkey Faerie - I have reasonable amount of faeries and rogues, but I cast him with four mana one time too many.
Intuition - in this deck it would be more like card draw that doesn't miss.
Mind Harness - just a thought for a creature-heavy metagame. Then again, this might not the deck to play in such a meta.
Boomerang, Turbulent Dreams - is more bounce needed?

Critics and suggestions welcome as always.

Here's my latest list. It is extended-style BG Death Cloud control with light U and W splashes to gain Gifts Rock style versatility. Please do not suggest cards with UU, WW or UW in their casting costs. This is not an usual "15 utility creatures and survival" BG, this is dedicated board control deck. The list below has cards categorized by their main purpose and sorted by curve.

// Lands (39)

    1 Orzhov Basilica
    1 Polluted Delta
    1 Simic Growth Chamber
    1 Bloodstained Mire
    1 Golgari Rot Farm
    1 Reflecting Pool
    1 Krosan Verge
    1 Mutavault
    1 Mishra's Factory
    1 Rishadan Port
    1 Thawing Glaciers
    1 Boseiju, Who Shelters All
    1 Treetop Village
    1 Underground Sea
    1 Bayou
    1 Dimir Aqueduct
    1 Scrubland
    1 Windswept Heath
    1 Twilight Mire
    1 Tropical Island
    1 Snow-Covered Swamp
    1 Wooded Foothills
    1 Snow-Covered Forest
    1 Snow-Covered Forest
    1 Snow-Covered Swamp
    1 Snow-Covered Plains
    1 Snow-Covered Island
    1 Wasteland
    1 Overgrown Tomb
    1 Savannah
    1 Temple of the False God
    1 Flooded Strand
    1 Volrath's Stronghold
    1 City of Brass
    1 Selesnya Sanctuary
    1 Forest
    1 Swamp
    1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
    1 Llanowar Wastes

// Rampant (12)

    1 Birds of Paradise
    1 Search for Tomorrow

    1 Nature's Lore
    1 Rampant Growth
    1 Farseek
    1 Edge of Autumn
    1 Three Visits
    1 Into the North
    1 Sakura-Tribe Elder

    1 Kodama's Reach

    1 Solemn Simulacrum
    1 Garruk Wildspeaker


// Removal (17)

    1 Maze of Ith

    1 Swords to Plowshares
    1 Ghastly Demise

    1 Terror
    1 Smother
    1 Shriekmaw
    1 Viridian Zealot

    1 Vindicate
    1 Mortify
    1 Putrefy
    1 Pernicious Deed

    1 The Abyss
    1 Damnation
    1 Masticore

    1 Crime/Punishment
    1 Profane Command
    1 Engineered Explosives

// Disruption (7)

    1 Thoughtseize
    1 Duress

    1 Persecute
    1 Nether Void

    1 Plow Under
    1 Primal Command

    1 Death Cloud

// Draw/tutor/other CA (18)

    1 Sensei's Divining Top

    1 Tainted Pact
    1 Demonic Tutor
    1 Regrowth
    1 Sylvan Library
    1 Life from the Loam

    1 Phyrexian Arena
    1 Intuition
    1 Buried Alive
    1 Beseech the Queen
    1 Eternal Witness
    1 Shadowmage Infiltrator
    1 Mulldrifter

    1 Graveborn Muse
    1 Etched Oracle
    1 Gifts Ungiven

    1 Genesis
    1 Liliana Vess

// Great blockers and occasional finishers (7)

    1 Bitterblossom
    1 Tarmogoyf

    1 Kitchen Finks

    1 Loxodon Hierarch
    1 Ravenous Baloth
    1 Chameleon Colossus

    1 Meloku the Clouded Mirror


The cards that might change:

-lands: they might be one too many, but I don't want cut any single source.
-Profane Cmd: haven't really ever drawn into it, so don't know if is any good.
-Crime/Punishment: versatile, but rather expensive on what it does.
-Graveborn Muse: unorthodox, but I like it - maybe too much.
-Shadowmage Infiltrator: great when gets online, but doesn't have instant effect on game. Muse at least blocks every turn.
-Mulldrifter: recurrable card draw - good, but might not be needed.
-Colossus: great blocker and only real offensive threat besides Meloku, but again might not be needed. Evades the Abyss though.
-Bitterblossom: has been working, but can be terrible topdeck (like arena and muse as well). Suffers the "no instant impact" cause.
-Kodama's Reach and Jens: could they be too many? I'll shave lands before.

Things that might get added:

-More grave hate? Alternatives are Crypt, Furnace and Wretch.
-Trinket Mage? Propably only if Crypt or Furnace is been added. Then might consider Executioner's Capsule.
-More mass removal? Have thought of Infest and Decree of Pain, and slover creature versions name Bane of the Living, Thrashing Wumpus, maybe even Kagemaro. 
-More discard? Addle and Raven's Crime were not so hot. I like Cabal Interrogator and Nezumi Shortfang, but they are great in some matchups and suck in others, and eat my own mass removal. Distress, Hymn and Verdict can't be reliably casted on turn 2. Mind Shatter? 
-More draw? Scrying, Night's Whisper, Deep Analysis, Fact, even Promise of Power...
-Dragons? Kokusho and Visara are respectable creatures, but I hate tapping out just for one spell. Are they that great against anything?

I might have forgot something, but tell me if something crossed your mind.

I don't have time to write long stories. I'll just say that this is a really dedicated combo deck where every card is supposed to be a part of the engine. So no removal, "win conditions", cheap cantrips etc.

// Lands (30)

    6 Forest
    6 Island
    1 Snow-Covered Plains
    6 Snow-Covered Island
    5 Snow-Covered Forest
    1 Wooded Foothills
    1 Polluted Delta
    1 Windswept Heath
    1 Flooded Strand
    1 Savannah
    1 Tropical Island

// Mana-ax. (16)

    1 Wild Growth
    1 Utopia Sprawl
    1 Search for Tomorrow

    1 Rampant Growth
    1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
    1 Into the North
    1 Edge of Autumn
    1 Farseek
    1 Nature's Lore
    1 Three Visits
    1 Wall of Roots

    1 Kodama's Reach
    1 Harrow

    1 Sunscape Familiar
    1 Sapphire Medallion
    1 Helm of Awakening

// Heartbeat (3)

    1 Heartbeat of Spring
    1 Mirari's Wake
    1 Mana Reflection

// Untap (7)

    1 Early Harvest
    1 Turnabout
    1 Rude Awakening
    1 Time Warp
    1 Temporal Manipulation
    1 Capture of Jingzhou
    1 Palinchron

// Regrowth (5)

    1 Regrowth
    1 Nostalgic Dreams
    1 Recollect
    1 Relearn
    1 Eternal Witness

// Business (27)

    1 Sensei's Divining Top
    1 Ponder
    1 Brainstorm
    1 Enlightened Tutor

    1 Impulse
    1 Merchant Scroll
    1 Sylvan Library

    1 Drift of Phantasms
    1 Frantic Search
    1 Meditate
    1 Compulsive Research
    1 Intuition
    1 Idyllic Tutor

    1 Deep Analysis
    1 Harmonize
    1 Fact or Fiction
    1 Concentrate
    1 Gifts Ungiven
    1 Foresee
    1 Careful Consideration

    1 Future Sight

    1 Mind's Desire
    1 Time Spiral

    1 Braingeyser
    1 Mind Spring
    1 Stroke of Genius

// Stayin' Alive (13)

    1 Pact of Negation
    1 Delay
    1 Mana Drain
    1 Mana Leak
    1 Memory Lapse
    1 Negate
    1 Remand

    1 Xantid Swarm

    1 Lull
    1 Moment's Peace
    1 Constant Mists
    1 Tangle

    1 Oblivion Ring

Comments welcome.