I have been in a deck building FRENZY lately.
I have hundreds of ideas swimming around in my head. So many that I can barely build a deck right now, since a lot of the decks share cards, and I don't like to switch them around. (Mainly, my 4 Jaces and 3 Baneslayers)
So, since I have W/G Landfall built right now, I figured the best thing to do would be to build Grixis Control.
After decimating my "Naughturnus" list (monoblack Vamps with NO Nocturnus. I don't care for the card for the same reason why I cut Captured Sunlight from my W/G deck. The one time I cast it I cascaded into Brave the Elements. The ONE CARD I didn't want to cascade into! I feel like if you need a black card on top of your deck to win that top card is going to be a Swamp. So I figured out a list without the Lord and am quite into it. Maybe I'll blog about that deck sometime later this week or next.)
OK, that was a pretty long parenthetical. Let me try again...
After decimating my "Naughturnus" list, I put together the following Grixis Control list that I am calling TURTLE POWER! I haven't really playtested it yet, but it's basically Mike Flores' Grixis Burn list with a few updates. It seems really good. Also, in my opinion, I think it is better than the Chapin W/U control list. I hate Cancel. I don't want to play with Cancel. Also, after watching the Channel Fireball 5K Top 8, and watching W/U get SMASHED twice by Jund, I wanted to go in a different direction. So here it is:
http://mtgurl.com/sclj
Compare this list, first, to Mike Flores' original build of Grixis Burn:
http://mtgurl.com/LlCC
Second, compare the deck to Thomas Dodd's build of Grixis Burn:
http://mtgurl.com/d1hQ
OK, have you looked at all 3 lists?
Now I am going to ATTEMPT to do a comparison of these 2 lists to my own, both for your enlightenment and my own. I don't have the fancy technology that BDM utilized to make his Venn Diagram comparisons, nor do I have the patience to figure out how to do it. I am just going to list the similarities and differences.
Similarities between my list and Mike's:
Main:
2 Sorin Markov
4 Blightning
2 Cruel Ultimatum
4 Sedraxis Specter
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Drowned Catacombs
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Island
2 Mountain
4 Swamp
Board:
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
SB Cards from Mike's deck that I put in
the Main:
1 Earthquake
3 Countersquall
Total # of cards in both of our 75: 41
Differences should be obvious, since both decks were posted Pre-WWK. I'm sure an updated list from either player would be closer to what mine is now.
Similarities between my list and Thomas':
Main:
4 Sedraxis Specter
2 Sorin Markov
4 Blightning
3 Countersquall
2 Cruel Ultimatum
2 Terminate
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Drowned Catacomb
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Island
2 Mountain
4 Swamp
Sideboard:
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
SB Cards from Thomas' deck that I put in
the Main:
1 Earthquake
Total intersection between the 75: 43
So you now have a decent idea of the base that I started with. It seems that my maindeck more closely resembles Thomas Dodd's list. I guess this is just a natural progression of the build.
Since those two have surely talked at length about their respective decks HERE and HERE, let me instead talk about the new cards in the deck and why I chose those cards, and then talk about the possible pitfalls of this deck and sideboard.
Once again, let me point you to Mike's "latest" blog entry, posted 4 weeks ago (get on that, Mike!), for a great write-up on the Convertible Turtle. Not like all of you haven't read it 100 times already clicking on Mike's blog hoping to find something new. Here is Mike's blog entry in action. Please believe in Turtle Power. It's the nuts.
Essence Scatter is great against, umm... creatures. When a bastard creature comes down that is too big for your bolts, too shroudy for your terminates, or too annoying to send to the graveyard from the battlefield (here's looking at you, Sprouting Thrinax), this card does the trick.
Hello, my name is Jace, the Mind Sculptor. I cost a ton of real life dollars. I belong in every single deck that shares my colors. Holler.
The Tar Pit is an obvious choice in a "burn" deck, since it always goes to the head. The Reaches is an X spell on a land after you gain board advantage from the Jace and the removal. Both are pretty awesome.
These are all main because there is nothing wrong with a sweep (just ask that doucheface from Karate Kid 3!), or a burn spell when you are ahead in life totals. Alternate win condition if they are low enough, and if you are doing your job, they should be.
Here's a fun fact: this is the first time I have ever looked at this card art. I am really weird with cards. I look at them as a whole, and never focus on the minute details of the art. When I do I am often VERY surprised by what is actually in the card art.I thought Graypelt Hunter was some weird wolf looking creature until I realized, like 3 days ago, that it is a dude. Show me any recent card for a split second though and I can tell you exactly what card it is.
Anyway, I use these to stop evil shit like Mind Sludge, Eldrazi Monument, and removal spells that target my Sedraxis Specters or Planeswalkers. Also do well in any sort of control mirror. No problem with 3 of these in the main.
Sideboard cards:
Sign the petition to Ban Bloodbraid Elf HERE.
Not too sure about this one honestly. Might actually wind up cutting these for Deathmark or something similar, maybe another Cruel, or another Chain Reaction and something else. Mostly in here to deal with WW, Eldrazi Green Pre-Monument, and other stuff.
GREAT against Eldrazi green, White Weenie, and a popped Sprouting Thrinax. I think this card is going to be an MVP out of the board.
I hate Eldrazi Monument. So much. I also hate my opponents' win conditions. Enter Thought Hemorrhage.
I know the big ol' Blue Guy has fallen out of favor lately, and Mike Flores thinks the card sucks ass, but nothing spells trouble for Jund like a big fat shroud flyer that can block it's Broodmates and come back at them the next turn. I like it in the board.
So that's the deck so far. Like I said, I haven't really tested much outside of some goldfishing, but I plan to play it this Friday at FNM and I will give some updates then. (I know I said I was going to give some updates about the monogreen stompy deck last time and never did. So here's the update: I went 2-2. It plays like a big fat monogreen deck. I lost to another monogreen deck that got it's monument out before I could. Stupid Eldrazi Monument. It was fun and could be fairly competitive with some tweaks. However, like I said before, I am on a deckbuilding FRENZY right now and can't be bothered with it.)
Here are the potential pitfalls I see with this deck:
- Not too much help in the board against control.
- Might need more Cruel Ultimatum (1 more).
- Infest might be a useless board slot.
- I haven't tested the deck enough.
- I'm tired of writing this blog entry.
- Goodbye.
Bigheadjoe
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