Casual UBW Color Control

[cjtnegrete]

Hi everybody. This a deck I have been working with for a while and it seems to be a pretty good match up against other casual decks I have encountered. The purpose of this post is to improve the deck with constructive criticism. Any recommendations will be looked at with an unbiased eye. So here it is off the top of my head.

Creatures - 6
4 Serra Avenger
2 Tomb Stalker

Threat Removal - 10
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Condemn
3 Wrath of God


Counter - 8
4 Counterspell
4 Negate

Card Advantage - 9
2 Jace Beleren
3 Ancestral Visions
4 Esper Charm

Discard - 3
3 Hymn To Tourach

Tutors - 2
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation

Land - 21
4 Adarkar Wastes
4 Underground River
4 Arcane Sanctum
2 Gemstone Mine
3 Vivid Creek
2 Vivid Meadow
2 Vivid Marsh

 What I like about this deck is that the mana curve is really low and often times I can drop a threat and still have enough mana to protect it or take out an opposing threat.

2 slots open...

[bosoxdave]

I would cut green and red altogether.  You really are just splashing them and would be better off with Esper colors. 

I would run Path to Exile's instead of Condemn's and Day of Judgment instead of Firespout's.

I would cut the Hymn to Tourach's for another few cheap and powerful creatures.  Or don't, but decide if you want mostly control or enough control with cheap and strong creatures.  This deck seems like it has too many identities.  You may like Tidehollow Strix's in this deck because of the death touch. 

I would sideboard Negate because it is too specific and go with Spell Pierce/Spell Snare or Cancel's if you feel like you have the mana base for a 3 cost counter spell. 

If this deck were mine, I would focus on cheap creatures with abilities and make it three color and run the Swords to Plowshares, Path to Exile's, Wrath of God's, Counterspell's, Spell Pierce's, Jace's, Esper Charm's, 1 Demonic tutor and the appropriate mana base.

I hope this is helpful

[cjtnegrete]

Helpful so far.

I feel the Hymn to Tourachs are powerful and the only reason why you feel this deck has several identities. The reason why I added them was there potential for card advantage.

After playing the deck many times Im confidant that 6 efficient creatures are effective at winning a game as one resolved Serra Avenger usually will win a game.

I'm kind of curious why you would choose Path to Exile over Condemn?

Good idea with Firespout. Ill cut it, the reason why it was in is that my creatures could survive it and usually clear the board but its kind of pointless anyways considering the avenger has vigilance and can take out threats and attack at the same time.

Negate I feel is a good choice in here.  your games are going to be long and drawn out with spell pierce/snare they will have mana to cast bigger spells. Negate is cheap, fills the purpose. I have enough targeted threat removal in form of condemn and swords.

thanks for responding I appreciate it. firespouts gone

[bosoxdave]

I feel the Hymn to Tourachs are powerful and the only reason why you feel this deck has several identities. The reason why I added them was there potential for card advantage.

After playing the deck many times Im confidant that 6 efficient creatures are effective at winning a game as one resolved Serra Avenger usually will win a game.

I'm kind of curious why you would choose Path to Exile over Condemn?

Negate I feel is a good choice in here.  your games are going to be long and drawn out with spell pierce/snare they will have mana to cast bigger spells. Negate is cheap, fills the purpose. I have enough targeted threat removal in form of condemn and swords.

There are two reasons that I don't like Hymn to Tourach in this deck.  First is that you have so much control already in on-field removal and counterspells.  Why splash a bit of discard in there?  Which brings up my second point, if you are truly that concerned about what they have in hand then Duress' or Cabal Therapy's would be a cheaper and more effective alternative...why leave something to chance when you could choose instead.  Honestly I would cut black altogether and go blue and white with Meddling Mages.  To answer your concerns you are establishing a potential for card advantage with Jace, Ancestral Visions, and Esper Charm's, you really don't need Hymn to Tourach, again I suggest cutting it, or if you are in love with what it does then replace it with Duress' or Cabal Therapy.

If you are happy with your 6 creatures then that is fine.  I won't tell you otherwise.  I will warn you that your only real wincon is killing via creature damage, if the other player has enough removal or counters, then you are in trouble with only 6 creatures in your deck. 

Path to Exile over Condemn is simple. 
1.  You are removing the creature from the game, not putting it where it can be found again (via shuffle or search) - that is HUGE.
2.  You are giving a land to them instead of life; with all of the control you have life is more dangerous than additional lands.

The problem with Negate is that it is limited.  I play a lot of casual race decks like Elves and Goblins and Zombies.  You would be in trouble with a Negate in hand against any of those decks. 

Again it is a casual deck and with that in mind it looks pretty good, but it can be a lot better with spending very little money.  Maybe a simple addition for some of your removal would be a few life gain cards to offset some of your shock lands.

[cjtnegrete]

yeah. the shock lands have lost a game or two. theres that one card that gains 7life and 2 cards i think its kiss of amasha. maybe two of those would be good

[cjtnegrete]

This is the revision thus far. The Meddling Mages would make an excellent addition, although they are steep in price and conflict with Wrath of God. As it stands I have
five slots open. Another Path to Exile could not hurt. I like the idea of Counterbalance with Brainstorm. Give me a little bit of deck manipulation with some solid control. Idk what do you guys think?

Creatures - 6
4 Serra Avenger
2 Tomb Stalker

Threat Removal - 10
4 Swords to Plowshares
3 Path to Exile
3 Wrath of God


Counter - 8
4 Counterspell
4 Negate

Card Advantage - 8
2 Jace Beleren
4 Ancestral Visions
4 Esper Charm

Tutors - 2
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Demonic Consultation

Land - 21
3 Adarkar Wastes
4 Underground River
4 Arcane Sanctum
2 Gemstone Mine
3 Vivid Creek
2 Vivid Meadow
2 Vivid Marsh