[Deck Discussion] Mono-Blue Landstill

[serracollector]

For the last 3 months, ever since I got my butt kicked my Smemmen's slaver deck in Columbus, I have been trying to come up with a deck that is not just competitive for slaver, but also for the current 5-axis that Smemmen wrote on in another article.  After much talking with friends and much testing, I believe this deck, which has no name, just simple Mono-Blue Landstill, may be a new (not completely new) defining deck for the t1 meta.  I will try my best to give reasons for my choices and cards I did not choose, with a play style and how it has done in certain matchups.

Mono-Blue Landstill

Draw (9)
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Standstill
4 Brainstorm

Counters (17)
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
3 Mana Leak
3 Prohibit
1 Misdirection
2 Teferi's Response

Utility (3)
1 Time Walk
1 Capsize
1 Control Magic

Mana (32)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
4 Mishra's factory
3 Fairie Concalve
9 Island
3 Flooded Strand
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Library of Alexandria

Side Board (15)
2 Control Magic
3 Dampning Matrix
4 Annul
3 Energy Flux
3 Stupifying Touch

This deck plays almost exactly like UR landstill, except where it had Nev's Disk/Burn, I play more counters, Control Magic (as in most decks you only need to steal one creature to swing the game entirely) and 1 capsize, for "in case".   Yes, I know that this deck should be considered sub par simply due to the fact that a first turn chalice for 2 easily spells game.  But, just as this deck can't guarantee a first turn FoW or Standstill, players with chalices/workshops are not guaranteed that first turn either.  
Now card choices:

Ancestral- duh.

Standstill-name of the deck.

Brainstorm- My friend and I were talking and he said something that now seems extremely obv, but was enlightening for me at the time.  He simply stated "Any deck with 4 standstills I would play 4 brainstorms, so after I draw 3 cards, I can now look at my next top 3, so if a counter is in my top 6 I will get it".  Sounds obv, but amazingly a lot of ppl don't play it.  Not to mention of course their awesome synergy with Fetchlands, hiding cards, or getting answers now etc.

Force of Will-that loss of one life is it really worth it? (sarcasm)

Mana Drain-and wizards will never reprint this for a reason.

Mana Leak- at first I was playing 4 of these, as many times that land/mox first turn just stops so many decks in their tracks.  Sometimes, I would rather have a first turn mana leak, stopping a key spell such as Chalice/Welder/Trinisphere, and the second turn Standstill.  After playing though, I found prohibit being better for the late game as well as the early game, so I opted for the 3/3.

Prohibit- Good for the early game.  Stops Welders/Shaman/Drains/Meddling Mages and believe it or not, I have countered Mana Crypt/Lotus and certain moxes, just so my opponent couldn't explode on turn 1-3.  Late game, it stops everything other than FoW, Karn, Memnarch, Platinum Angel, Exalted Angel and Pentavus.  Some good.

Misdirection-Currently testing 1, and so far not impressed, but not unhappy with it either.  That once in a while MisD'd Ancestral, or Bolt, or Swords has made this card more than worth its weight at times.  I will admit it is one of the firs to get sided out though.

Teferi's Response-Ppl play wasteland.  I draw cards.  Seems good to me.

Time Walk- Duh.

Control Magic/Capsize-Read the paragraph above.

Lotus/Moxen-Getting that first turn landstill or having that mana for the first turn Mana Leak/Prohibit is key.  About the best possible play you can have it land, mox, time walk, land, 2nd Mox, standstill with Mana Leak/Prohibit/FoW back up.  

Mishra's Factory-he slices he dices, he makes julienne fries, and he’s all that and a bag of chips.  Main kill card and he’s just plain out cool.

Fairie Conclaves-It flies.

Island-Best card in magic.

5 Strips-obv imho.

LoA-Library of I win.  Especially good with 9 Draw 3's.  

Fetchlands-Why 3?  I was running 4 due to their great synergy with Brainstorm, but then I started testing LoA, and found it to be much better.  Even using a LoA 3 times >>>>> Brainstorm/Fetchland.

Sideboard Choices

Control Magic- An oldie but a goodie.  Stealing a Welder is made tech.  Stealing almost anything is mad tech.  Stealing a Pentavus when your opponent has open mana, not mad tech.  There are times it is not the best card in the world, but many a time this card has been a wrecking ball.  

Annul- Ppl like artifacts in magic for some reason.  1 mana, no artifact, some good.

Energy Flux-Stax?  Welder Mud?  TnT? (well not so much TnT, but you get the idea)

Dampning Matrix-if you have to ask, you have been out of the t1 loop for some time now.

Stupifying Touch-Mad tech stolen (I mean borrowed) from the Madness decks I have seen of late.  


So, on to the matches I have played against, and what to do vs. them, siding, playing etc.

Stax- If manage to counter Trinisphere, you should be golden the rest of the game.  Even if they get the first turn trini, continue playing, as you can still easily take over the game.

Side-Out 2 Teferi’s Response, 1 MisD, 3 Prohibit, 3 Mana Leak, 1 Capsize
         In 3 Control Magic, 3 Energy Flux, 4 Annul
Slaver- This is still a very hard match up.  It is almost based on the coin flip.  I have played 2 matches vs Slaver in my online testing, and won both games 2-1, but just barely.  I even managed to beat a first turn chalice for 2, but by pure luck mind you.  He went, Mox, Lotus, Workshop, Sac for RRR, chalice for 2 and welder.  I almost scooped.  But, I top deck lotus, drop land, lotus, sac, and control Magic his welder.  Next turn weld Chalice for Lotus and drop a standstill.  Commenced to win.  I was honestly surprised at how well the deck did vs Slaver, but 14 counters vs 4 and we both play 9 draw 3’s.  And probably 60% when he cast a draw 7 (not including Jar) it helped me more than it helped him.  Key spells to counter, Guilded Lotus, Chalice, and Welder.

Side Out 2 Response, 1 MisD, 3 Prohibit, 3 Mana Leak, 1 Capsize
         In 4 Annul, 3 Control Magic, 3 Dampning Matrix (it may seem kinda redundant to want to steal welders when you have a matrix out, but remember they also play angel/Memnarch/Pentavus for the beats role of slaver)

Fish- a very good match up here.  It’s all about who gets the first landstill, or who gets the first 5 strips ASAP.  Bolts and Fire/Ice are nice, but don’t much vs 17 counters.  This is where brainstorm really shines.  Them siding in 4 REB hurts A LOT though.

Side Nothing.

Zoo-honestly, out of all the matchups, this was my hardest.  Blurred Mongoose is a bitch.  First turn Serendibs and Kid apes are still some good also.  Not to mention bolts/chain lightnings etc.  I have only play 2 zoo deck, both built about the same in a urg, with skyshroud elites/apes/mongeese/serendibs/bolt/chains/draw 7’s and FoW.  And I lost to one of them.  Fast aggro is hard to beat with this deck, maybe I should sideboard propaganda.

Side out 1 Capsize, 1 Teferi’s response,
         In 2 Control Magic

Combo- Any combo in general (I have played draw 7, Belcher and Dragon) I have beaten all rather consistently.  After sideboard, its usually even easier due to good old annul, and that fact that artifacts and enchantments are what get these combos to go off.

Side out 2 Response, 1 Capsize, 1 Misdirection,
         In 4 Annul

Now, mind you, this deck still needs some testing vs other decks of this meta such as EBA, GFC, and Tog/Grow.  EBA I imagine I could do well against, depending on what they name if they get a successful mage.  Stealing Angels is some good.  GFC, honestly, should just wreck me.  I ain’t gonna lie.  Once again, decks like that make Propaganda sound like a viable SB card.  And Tog/Grow, well there both pretty damn good.  I have no clue how it would turn out until I play a game or 10.  Any who, this is my deck, how it works (should work) and a card by card analysis.  Is it good for the environment?  Just it standup to UR landstill or is sub par to it?  And lastly, any suggestions on making it better?  Please, only constructive criticism, do not just tell me the deck is absurd and a piece of trash until you at least try it. And I have tested this deck, and posted a good writing on it, please do not just throw it into the newbie forum, I want some sound advice.  Thank you.

Serracollector

[Klep]

I'm going to be brutally honest.  You should never claim that a deck may be  a new defining deck until you have tested it against all of the top decks in the format.  You haven't even played one game against Tog, and your other testing says you have trouble with slaver and fish.  This is not indicative of a defining deck and I encourage you to comprehensively test something or at least write up an analysis before you make any such claims.

[Clown of Tresserhorn]

I really think landstill needs disks to survive this format...The decklist you provided may as well use counterspell over drain, as you really don't have anything significant to drain into. The red splash is also amazing, as it shortens the clock, and also you get removal. Fire/ice is simply amazing, and bolt is some good as well.

As for your stax SB analysis, I disagree with taking out 2 teferi's response. stax usually runs a full 5 strips, so a response isn't bad, especially if it saves one of your manlands.

My main concern with landstill has always been that it's too freakin' slow. In many games I've played, I've dominated the board and hand, only to see me lose. When most of the top decks only have to resolve one spell to win (Tog, Animate, Draw7, Slaver, Will), taking like 6+ turns to win is really risky.

[Fuzzedball]

What I dont understand is your lack of Chain of Vapor. It is as close to efficient spot removal this deck will get and I assure you, you will need it. Looking at your testing claims, it would appear you aren't strong versus anything in particular. IMO 17 counters is 3 more than the absolute maximum you should be running.

Why did you choose to go mono-U as opposed to splashing? Quoting someone (Dr. Sylvan, I think) very few decks exist in T1 that can't be improved by adding a color. Also, this version was discounted in the Landstill primer and you bring nothing groundbreaking to the table.

[Shock Wave]

You will die a horrible death to anything with creatures. You will die a horrible death to anything explosive. I promise that Mono-U Landstill has been explored in almost every possible facet, and that this build is definitely not a new approach. Trading 1 for 1 with a bunch of counter-magic has never been a good idea and never will be. This is the exact reason why Disk is the gear that makes Landstill move. Without it, you have a very weak control strategy.

[Nantuko Rice]

with manaldns your only win condition. why not run 4 and 4 instead of 4 and 3.

also, why did you drop white and red? they are arguably two of the best support colors.

what you have looks basically like draw-go. just with the landstill engine.

disk is way to good, and on the spot one-for-one removal can't be passed up either. swords, fire/ice, bolts.

red splash has the burn to kill faster and white has the decree. what does mono-blue have? not much.

[Machinus]

Why do you want to weaken Landstill even further by taking out red?

[Andreas]

I am probably just stating the obvious here, but I just have to say it:

Brainstorm is NOT a Draw 3, it is library manipulation that gives you NO card advantage and in the absence of shuffle effects (of which this deck only runs 3) does not even give you lasting card quality advantage.

I also fully agree with the posters here that said that either splash (white or red) improves the deck drastically.

[xzero]

I also fully agree with the posters here that said that either splash (white or red) improves the deck drastically.

Isn't this true for any monocolored deck?

[DesertFoX]

I also fully agree with the posters here that said that either splash (white or red) improves the deck drastically.

Isn't this true for any monocolored deck?

no

If you have nothing more interesting to say, then refrain yourself from posting.
Take this as an oral warning.
-- Toad

[bebe]

The first Landstill decks that we built up here were mono blue. We tried counters and draw first. We found that we needed Disks, Kegs and Psionic Blasts to keep it somewhat competitive. It was Richard that finally added red to the mix and tweaked the build. Yoiur list is quite reminiscent of those early builds we posted on B Dominia. The deck wasn't bad but counters were just not enough to deal with creatures ( sligh and aggro are still around). Standstill can become a liability without removal. As youn mentioned aggro can be tough and control magic doesn't cut it. I weould think JPs Madness deck would be a bitch as well as O Stompy.
We did start with the Leaks, FoWs and Drains. I think I also used Dazes - not sure. Razor then helped me tweak it and the Psionic Blasts ( two), Kegs (two), and Disks (three) went in. Capsize was inj all our early builds as a catch-all though i think I would use Wishes today. Teferi's rarely came into play but seemed good on paper. We tried them as well.
Anyway, I won't ramble on. If you test it against more aggro and aggro control builds I would be curious to see your results.