U/B OSE

[Cavalry19D]

Hello. Here is my U/B OSE:
Yes, it's 61 cards. I couldn't resist.

Creatures (4):
2x Morphling
2x Masticore

Search/Draw (8):
1x Fact or Fiction
1x Demonic Tutor
1x Mystical Tutor
1x Vampiric Tutor
1x Ancestral Recall
1x Stroke of Genius
1x Merchant Scroll
1x Braingeyser

Counter Magic (11):
4x Mana Drain
4x Force of Will
1x Misdirection
2x Teferi’s Response

Utility (5):
1x Yawgmoth’s Will
1x Mind Twist
1x Diabolic Edict
1x Time Walk
1x The Abyss

Artifact (5):
2x Powder Keg
2x Nevinyrral’s Disk
1x Zuran Orb

Land (9):
4x Mishra’s Factory
3x Wasteland
1x Strip Mine
1x Library of Alexandria

Mana Production (19):
4x Underground Sea
4x Underground River
1x Undiscovered Paradise
6x Island
1x Sol Ring
1x Mox Jet
1x Mox Sapphire
1x Black Lotus

SB:
2x Wash Out
1x Scrying Glass
3x Rootwater Thief
1x Capsize
1x Tormod’s Crypt
1x Timetwister
3x Blue Elemental Blast
1x Diabolic Edict
1x Misdirection
1x Powder Keg

So here's the deal. I've been playing this version for about 8 months or so, but mainly for casual play. Normally, tourneys in my area are on Sat, which aren't so go for me, so I've only only played in 1 tourney in the past 2 years. Fortunately, They've decided to sanction tourneys on Monday Nights which is just perfect.

First, I'll describe my local metagame and what I can expect when I play this upcoming Monday. 60% aggro. 15% Combo. 15% Aggro-Control. 10% Control. There aren't many power cards floating around.

For SURE I'll see (in no particular order):
Type 1 Counter-Rebels
Turbo-Dreams
The Funker (My least favorite match-up)
Sligh
Janky Keeper
White Weenie
Turbo-Land
Possible Grow and Enchantress
Random Aggro

Now onto notes about my MD:
1) I know I run two Teferi's Response, and I absolutely LOVE it that way. It's great.
2) I really don't like Vamp. T. along with everyone else, but I do think it's stronger than a second Merchant Scroll or Lim-Dul's Vault. I even thought of throwing in a 3rd Morphling in it's place, but I know it'll mess with the M-Curve... or even throw in another Wasteland <--- which would weaken me against sligh/WW/ or any other mono-colored deck.
3) 2 N. Disks. Why ? Disk + factory or Core = very good. I also think N. Disk strengthens my matchup against The Funker and Counter-Rebels (which IMHO are my worst matchups).

SB Notes:
1) Thought about swaping R. Theives for Negators vs. Control
2) Capsize is something I've been toying with. I don't feel it's that impressive though. It's more of a filler slot than anything.

I'm willing to accept any suggestions on MD or SB. Thanx.

[MarkPharaoh]

You giving up card advantage when you run Vamp and Myst Tutor, I do think you need 2-3 Misdirections and I think one Response is enough but that's me.

[Zherbus]

I really think your deck looks solid for the U/B variety, though I think the weakest link here is Disk #2.

Quote For SURE I'll see (in no particular order):
Type 1 Counter-Rebels
Turbo-Dreams
The Funker (My least favorite match-up)
Sligh
Janky Keeper
White Weenie
Turbo-Land
Possible Grow and Enchantress
Random Aggro

Counter Rebels, you'll destroy.
Turbo-dreams, you'll destroy.
The Funker...This'll be hard as you know. Use those kegs wisely.
Sligh correctly played can be hard. Kegs are key again.
Janky Keeper? If it sucks, I guess you'll win. (There was a guy I played a few months back who ran keeper with RAKAVOLVER and Maze of Ith, because he thought the maze could target Phling:/)
White Weenie wont be a problem.
Turbo Land wont be a pushover.
Grow might give you fits, but enchantress's maindeck hate shouldnt be too much for you.
Random aggro, as long as it doesnt include noble panther...youll be fine

[Cavalry19D]

MarkPharaoh

I realize that I'm giving up Card Advantage with Vamp and Mystical, but I need at least of the two for tutoring effects. Mystical for Mind Twist after a Drain is just too beautiful to pass up. And although Vamp can search for anything, I need that extra blue card for pitch just in case...

Although, I'm not always thrilled to draw Vamp, I can't say that it isn't entirely useless... but even with it's powerful effect, like many others, I'm searching for something to replace it.  BUT I'm not sure I NEED that extra tutoring effect (Demonic, M. Scroll, and Mystical should be enough). I'm racking my brain on what I should include in it's place... I'm leaning towards another Morphling. Your suggestion on another Misdirection also might be something to look into for a replacement.

Regarding the 2nd Response, now that I play two, I don't see how I ever just ran 1 ! I've only been running two for about 2 months (at first I played only one, but was so frustrated everytime my LOA was waste a turn or two turns before Response turned up. I ended up throwing Response in the SB for about a week, then decided to try 2 to increase the odds of drawing one BEFORE an enemy strip showed up - and I haven't looked back since), and I can say that in 75 percent of the games I play, both Responses are cast sometime during a game (I ened up tutoring for it quite often, ESPECIALLY after I've already topdecked and used Ancestral).  And in the other 25 percent of games, Response resolves at LEAST once.  The odds of having that fickle card in your hand when the sh*t hits the fan and a crucial land gets Wasted are SO much better. Twice as good in fact.  

Zherbus

You mentioned my weak link being Disk #2. Any suggestions on a replacement I can play around with.

BTW, the dude who plays counter-rebels around here does quite well against most of the decks played around here.

*** Anybody have any suggestions on the SB ?

[Zherbus]

Well I was initially thinking of cutting the disk and leaving the deck at 60 cards. If I had to replace it, I would with another keg since its key in so many of your matchups.

[Cavalry19D]

I REALLY hesitate to take out disk #2. It's useful in any match up I face and it seriously saves my butt on a regular occasion. If I were to take out a card, I would probably drop Zuran Orb to the SB and bump out Capsize. I think I've only drawn my Zuran Orb maybe once in the past month or so. I doubt I'd miss it unless against the Sligh matchup.

And for those who care, I'm officially taking out the R. Theives in my Sideboard for Negators.

[MarkPharaoh]

I guess Disk is alright because your a bit lighter then most decks in concern of artifacts.

[Zherbus]

First off, he runs 3 more artifacts than Keeper.

Secondly, why would he need a high artifact count with no academy?

[kl0wn]

I have to suggest that in addition to adding the Negators to your SB in place of the Theives, you should also add Duress.

Reason being that if you plan on winning your first few matches, you'll start getting paired up against the 40% of the feild that is Combo, Aggro-Control and Control (if you haven't already). Against these decks, Duress really works wonders, and cannot be REBed. It's an additional source of pressure and a good way to get the few things that can stop your Negators into the graveyard.

Before I added red to my OSE, I ran 4 Negators and 3 Duresses. After games 2 and/or 3 after the dust cleared, my counter-weilding opponents couldn't figure out what happened.

[Cavalry19D]

Klown:

Thanx for the tip about Duress. Long ago, I once maindecked Duress, but later dumped them into the SB. I always thought it might be a good idea, but was a little skeptical that I could support a 1st turn Duress with so few Black Sources so I later pulled it again.

But you are 100 percent correct. I'm really not too worried about the aggro decks I'll face (except The Funker, but Duress would still do well against that deck). Even though I'm still skeptical about being able to support 1st turn discard, Duress can still be strong mid to late game.

This is the modified SB:

1x Wash Out
3x Phyrexian Negator
3x Duress
1x Tormod’s Crypt
1x Timetwister
3x Blue Elemental Blast
1x Diabolic Edict
1x Misdirection
1x Powder Keg

Look a bit better ?

[kl0wn]

Your SB looks a whole heck of a lot better, although I have to make a couple of other suggestions:

Run 3 Kegs main, and move a Disk to the Sideboard. Against aggro, you don't want to have to kill your Abyss, The if you get yourself into a sticky situation. Keg ownz most aggro decks, whereas by the time you would be able to cast Disk, you're dead.

I would also consider running a Cunning Wish main, and moving a Response to the sideboard. I also have played 2 Teferi's Responses  for a long time, and after adding Cunning Wish, have decided that the 2nd Response NEEDS to be in the SB to Wish for. Cunning Wish is just amazing to have handy when you have Mis-D and Response in your SB. It's a lowdown, dirty trick that just wins games.

Also, if you decide to play Cunning Wish, I'd add the Capsize back into the 'board, since if you can get to 12 mana, any deck without counters just scoops.

The Wish strategy may be a bit too radical, but it has worked wonders for me so far. I would at least switch the Keg with a Disk. Maybe add a 4th Negator too.

You don't have to worry about being able to support a 1st turn Duress, it's nearly as effective on any other turn.