Shroud Control
Creatures
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
4 Wall of Denial
4 Deft Duelist
Planeswalkers
3 Jace Beleren
Enchantments
4 Luminarch Ascension
3 Oblivion RIng
2 Journey to Nowhere
Sorcerys
2 Mind Spring
Instants
4 Arrow Volley Trap
3 Hindering Light
4 Harm's Way
Lands
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Sejiri Refuge
8 Island
8 Plains
Sideboard:
4 Celestial Purge
4 Flashfreeze
2 Devout Lightcaster
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Into the Roil
1 Telemin Performance
The only two changes that I've recently made is adding Arrow Volley Trap and Journey to Nowhere in place of Day of Judgment and Path to Exile. Arrow Volley Trap is a very experimental spell that may or may not work. The problem with Day of Judgment is that there were games that I had a couple of Wall of Denials and a Deft Duelist on the board and my opponent had 6 creatures looking to attack on his turn. Sure Day of Judgment took out all of his stuff but it also took out my Shrouded protectors as well. Most of the fast aggro decks can reload pretty quickly which put me at a significant disadvantage. Hopefully Arrow Volley Trap will solve the problem of swarming creatures while still keeping my creatures alive on the board. Path to Exile is great when you have the abiltity to use it on your own creatures if needed to mana ramp. Since all of my creatures have Shroud that becomes impossible and there were too many times where I gave an opponent the extra land that he need to play a finisher of some sort. Sure, I lose some speed with Journey to Nowhere but it's a safer spell with the type of deck that I'm playing.
The overall theme of the deck is to control the board until you can unleash either of your two finishers, Sphinx of Jwar Isle and Luminarch Ascension. The Ascension is my favorite card in the Zendikar block as it fits my style of play perfectly. I've always been a Blue/White type of player and the Ascension can end the game very quickly once it goes online. The Sphinx is the best Blue creature in the game right now. Jund has absolutley no answer for him.
I'm not claiming that this deck will take the field by storm or anything but I do think it has as good a shot as anything else out there short of Jund. It also has one big advantage in its corner... In 8 matches it's only lost to Jund once and I would like to think it was a fluke. If you do decide to play this deck let me know what kind of results you get. Thanks for reading and good luck on your next coin flip!
You know what kills me about these posts....every single time you post a new build, I think, "Yeah...I like that. I'm going to completely rip this one off". So I start to buy the cards, and then another awesome build comes out.
ReplyDeleteThis is a way cool deck with some cards I've never played with before. I have to say the Chandra Control still sits at the top for me, but the Shroud Mechanic seems so powerful.
Anything, ANYTHING that can beat a Jund is golden to me. Very cool build man, I like this a lot.
-Ryan
I built a similar deck to this on my own and I like the build very much. I find that the path is very nessisary even though you hate to give your opponent more lands. If Your opponent drops down a turn one threat such as a steppe linx in boros, you have to have an answer for the four that turn and possible damage the next. They might be able to be sideboarded out when you are on the play but on the draw the extra damage is killer. I have also found that 4 luminarchs is to much and cutting it down to three would prevent double ups. I have found that running arcane sanctums and 1 obilisk of alara can help keep weenie creatures down late game while giving you extra life. Septer of dominances realy help lock down a creaure that can change by the need and even deprive them of mana. I have found that malaker bllod-witch is tough to deal with so sideoardind mind control or essence shatter might be helpful. here is my decklist
ReplyDelete4 Shinx of Jwar Isle
4 Deft Duelist
4 Wall of denial
(12 Creatures)
4 Oblivion Ring
4 Journey to nowhere
4 Path to exile
3 Scepter of Dominance
3 Luminarch Ascension
1 Obelisk of Alara
1 Day of Judgment
2 Jace Belerin
(22 other spells)
4 Seriji refuge
3 arcane sanctum
1 Jwar Island Refuge
10 plains
8 islands
(I have no glacial fortresses)
I like the idea and it makes at least half of junds cascades useless
I like your build a lot and you're probably right about Path to Exile. It's a two edged sword but it's probably a necessary one. I would try to make room for Harm's Way though if you can. That card has saved me so many times against Boros and other speedy decks. Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I have been having troble against boros. Have you tested against vampires, I find it is just a race to see who can get out the big flyer first (sphinx vs. Bloodwitch). Have any ideas on the matchup
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of side boarding Mind Control is actually the best option. It's a big surprise to the Vampire player when you steal his biggest weapon. It's also really strong coming in on game 2 against any deck with Baneslayer Angel. Most of the time they will side out most of their removal because you don't have any targets. If you steal a Baneslayer it virtually becomes game over.
ReplyDeleteYa I like that
ReplyDelete"I drop my lifelink, flying, firststrike, super awesome $60 wallet slayer"
" Guess what, I drop my 50 cent mind control and guess who has wallet-slayer now?"
How to beat boros? I really have play tested and play tested but I find no way to beat there card advantage with rangers and fast damage?
ReplyDeleteI actually recently added Red to my list because I needed an answer to those pesky fast decks like Boros. Here's what I came up with...
ReplyDeleteAjani Vengeant x4
Sphinx of Jwar Isle x3
Wall of Denial x4
Obelisk of Alara x1
Lightning Bolt x3
Path to Exile x2
Earthquake x3
Divination x3
Mind Spring x2
Swerve x1
Flashfreeze x2
Double Negative x2
Spreading Seas x4
Lands:
Island x4
Mountain x3
Plains x4
Scalding Tarn x4
Arid Mesa x4
Glacial Fortress x4
Sejiri Refuge x3
Sideboard:
Mind Control x2
Jace Beleren x1
Lightning Bolt x1
Celestial Purge x2
Essence Scatter x2
Negate x2
Baneslayer Angel x3
Day of Judgment x2
So far this deck has tested out pretty well against speedy decks. Earthquake is the MVP because it allows me to wipe the board of ground creatures while keeping my Walls in place unlike DoJ. I'll be writing a blog about this new build this week so I don't want to give too much away right now.
Have you guys tried up the mindflare trap builds? I would be curious to see your take on those.
ReplyDelete-RR
We haven't tried the trap build. I feel that it is probably Janky at best. It may work, but I feel that other decks are probably more solid performers. But again...we haven't tried it so it may be better that what we think.
ReplyDeleteSo I have two ruling questions for you guys, and I just don't know who else I would ask. I've always gotten solid answers and once again am calling on your brains.
ReplyDeleteScenario #1
I have a Stuffy Doll in play. My opponent attacks me with a 5/5 creature. I declare Stuffy Doll as my blocker. Prior to combat damage being assigned, my opponent casts a Voidslime on my Stuffy Doll.
The question is: Does Voidslime cancel out Stuffy Doll's damage dealing ability?
Scenario #2
I'm playing a Kithkin Deck vs. Angels deck. Early in the game, I play Windbrusk Heights burying an Oblivion Ring. Many rounds later, my opponent plays Iona and calls White. The next round, I attack with enough creatures to play Windbrusk Heights ability to play the Oblivion Ring on Iona. Does this work, or would I be unable to play the Oblivion Ring?
Thanks as always guys. I'm afraid I may be losing both of these arguments.
-RR
Oh, additionally on the trap build. I figure the same thing unfortunetely. It would be a fun deck to play with, but against some of the other top tier just doesn't cut it. It feels like the deck toes a fine line between solid/competitive and very powerful casual deck.
You do lose both arguments. :(
ReplyDeleteStuffy Doll: Whenever a card has the word "when" in it, it means that the card has an activated ability. Voidslime counters Stuffy Doll's activated ability. Stuffy Doll is still indestructible but he does not deal the damage back to the opponent.
Windbrisk Heights: The land allows you to play the card without paying its mana cost (you are still casting the card with the land but you are not paying mana for it.) Iona keeps you from playing the White...so sadly you are out of luck.
Well then...guess you can't win 'em all right :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback, my girlfriend will be very happy she was right. now I have to live with hearing her gloat for a month
Thanks