Phyrexian Processor in Deck Parfait

[K-Run]

Recent playtest suggests that the Keeper matchup is becoming more and more difficult with the advent of Cunning Wish, allowing sideboard cards Allay and Shattering Pulse during game 1.

To beat Keeper then, one has to look for the buyback spells' weak spot : they only destroy one type of permanents. Keeper actually loses Dismanting Blow in exchange of better dedicated spells. It becomes clear that Parfait needs to get advantage of that subtle difference.

Currently, Keeper only has to fetch an Allay in the sideboard to keep Parfait in check. Of course, the white mage might be able to get rid of the buyback spell by making it fizzle, but this is not an interesting scenario for the future months.

What Parfait needs is a strong artifact threat. Adding that artifact to the annoying enchantments diversify the threats, making the game less easy for the Keeper player who will have to decide on a single buyback spell when he gets the Wish.

Right now, Phyrexian Processor seems the logical choice. A resolved Processor should kill the blue player in the following 2-3 turns at most, giving him little to no time to find a solution.

Other suggestions against buyback spells include Claws of Gix and Oblation. Please consider that I haven't tried those cards yet. This article is only the result of my reasoning, not of actual playtest.

[ZoneSeek]

Certainly an interesting idea. Let's look over some good and bad points of using the Processor:

Good:

1. Certainly a quick win. 10/10 (or larger, depending on how low Keeper's life total is) dorks will win the game very, very quickly if unanswered. For me, for a 4 CC card to be used in a deck, it better win the game.

2. Processor may be useful in other matchups as well; vs. BBS, Urphid, etc.

Bad:

1. It will be hard for you to reliably find the Processor given Parfait's extremely limited tutoring capability and (sometimes) unstable draw engine. This requires more spots in the board devoted, which may or may not be a good thing. Furthermore, if your board in multiples, the extras are near-dead barring life gain (or if you didn't invest much in the first)

2. If the processor gets removed before it can be used and abused, it is, of course, a big loss for you.

3. Keep in mind the mana cost here is 4 - alot mana to be drained.

4. There is obvious lack of synergy here, with Moat / Humility; though the card may be boarded out, it prevents you from really boarding Processor in other matchups that you may need Humility or Moat for as well.

I agree with you that it may be a good idea to come up with a solid Artifact threat vs. Keeper but I'm not sure if Processor may be it.

Claws of Gix is interesting but I think is a little less "generally useful and powerful" than the processor.

Oblation is just too inflexible in my opinion. You can't save your own land (in a pinch). I wouldn't dare ever use it on an opponent's permanents. I just don't think with its CC that it will pull it's weight.

If you are looking for an Artifact threat, have you considered Jester's Cap? For the same investment, you will still likely win the game, but you also have the benefit of being able to side it in vs. more decks, AND it is more synergistic with Finds.

vs. Keeper:

2x Morphling, 1x Cunning Wish (maybe) or in the case of Combo Keeper
2x Morphling, 1x Grim Monolith or Power Artifact

vs. BBS

3x Morphling

vs. OSE

(OSE has a variety of threats, so it would be more dependant on the situation and may not be an auto-win)

vs. Dragon

Umm ... Dragons

vs. Enchantress

2x Sacred Mesa, 1x Pursuit of Knowledge

vs. the mirror

2x Sacred Mesa, 1x Soldevi Digger (or other anti-decking tech)

etc.

I would still give Processor, Claws, and Oblation a try, but I would have to recommend Jester's Cap as well.

[dandan]

The old school answer to control was Disrupting Sceptre. It is still slow but it doesn't worry about your Moat/Humility, etc.

Another old school answer to control is Black Vise. It also has the above advanatages and requires no mana to use.

Finally, however counter-intuitive it may sound, Ankh of Mishra is extremely hurtful to control, especially control with fetchlands. It also helps against Dragon (do you need any help though?), turboland and surprisingly most aggro decks that (over)use fetchlands.

[Radjammin]

I would have to put in a vote for no Proccessor.  Not that I have allways though lifegaining was wasted on control decks,  It would be such a dead sideboard card vs. other decks, and kina feels like a "I'm Scared of you so I gota win fast" card.  I would have to say that Cap is the way to go.  

I am Parfait and I will win when I damn well fell like it!!!

Just put a cap in their ass.

[Project5]

I've been playing with 2x Claws of Gix main instead of 2x Zuran Orb, and having some success against control decks with the buyback spells. They get rid of my lands just the same.

My version still has two Ivory Towers, and I've always used them more than the Orbs to gain life. There are definitely some times where I was staring down some Suidice or Sligh player, and wishing that the Claws was an Orb though. It also makes the blow-up-everything Balance move a bit harder, but I've never relied on that to win. Most of the time Balance is a 1W Wrath of God.

It doesn't seem like Parfait loses too much against Aggro with the switch, but I'll keep testing.

As to the Phyrexian Processor against control, if the Keeper player instead wishes for a Shattering Pulse, there's still the same problem. Also, I'd be a little iffy on boarding out Humility for a Processor when I know that my opponent was playing Morphling. During the course of a game, assuming there was all ready a Morphling on the board, I'd want to topdeck the 4cc Spell that worked right away.

--Ben

[FeverDog]

I think Project's idea of Claws over Zorb is worth a look, depending on how much control you face. Parfait should still rape aggro anyway, so i dont see to much of a down side. Just my thoughts.

[Os-Vegeta]

Quote As to the Phyrexian Processor against control, if the Keeper player instead wishes for a Shattering Pulse, there's still the same problem.

From what I can gather from what K-Run wrote, this is what he wants the Keeper player to think about- Shattering Pulse or Allay?  Increasing the number of artifact threats against Keeper while keeping the same amount of enchantment threats makes the Keeper player think a little (or a lot) when he uses Cunning Wish.  By getting Processor to resolve, this can make the Keeper player scramble for that silver bullet, and being able to get out at least one 10+/10+ before the silver bullet hits seems pretty good to me.  On top of that, let's say the Keeper player gets the Shattering pulse and either pulses before you drop the 10/10 or also deals with the 10/10 somehow, and then you drop Humility the next turn - now the Keeper player has something else to deal with.

Quote I would have to recommend Jester's Cap as well.

Jester's Cap seems like it could do a lot of damage against Keeper and UR Phidian if it resolves.  I'd give it a try.

Quote Another old school answer to control is Black Vise. It also has the above advanatages and requires no mana to use.

Black Vice seems great, but won't it have the problem of being effective only if it's cast early in the game?

Quote Finally, however counter-intuitive it may sound, Ankh of Mishra is extremely hurtful to control, especially control with fetchlands. It also helps against Dragon (do you need any help though?), turboland and surprisingly most aggro decks that (over)use fetchlands.

Just like Black Vice, isn't it imperitive that you get it out in the first couple turns?


This really has me interested, and right now I'm practicing with Parfait against URPhid and soon against Keeper, so I definitely want to test with Processor, Claws, Cap, Vice, and Ankh.  As for Oblation, I'm not so sure about it, so I'll test the others first.

[Radagast]

How about Null Brooch? Unless they decide to sideboard Interdict or something, it means they cannot resolve a spell without baiting you with another first, which seeing as the only things you have to worry about once it's out are artifact destruction and win conditions, isn't too easy. I'd personally run it MD because I can never feel truly "in control" when my opponent has counterspells and Yawgmoth's Will while I don't, but that could be just a personal thing.

EDIT: I was rather dazed and rather forgot that Brooch's "non-creature" clause applies to Morphling. Forget I said anything =\

[K-Run]

Quote It will be hard for you to reliably find the Processor given Parfait's extremely limited tutoring capability and (sometimes) unstable draw engine. This requires more spots in the board devoted, which may or may not be a good thing. Furthermore, if your board in multiples, the extras are near-dead barring life gain (or if you didn't invest much in the first)

You don't intend to win with Processor only. You add it to the rest of the threats so you draw more of them and they're more diversified.

Quote  If the processor gets removed before it can be used and abused, it is, of course, a big loss for you.

Agreed, but vs control the life loss shouldn't matter that much. While this can be brutal in the early game, it is much more a late game card, when both players must rely on topdecking mode after you played your big turn (casting a plethora of must-counter stuff).

Quote Keep in mind the mana cost here is 4 - alot mana to be drained.

I know, and that's the highest mana cost I'll allow myself to use.

Quote There is obvious lack of synergy here, with Moat / Humility; though the card may be boarded out, it prevents you from really boarding Processor in other matchups that you may need Humility or Moat for as well.

I guess you don't have to put Processor into play if you have Humility out. Even then, it could act as a Kjeldoran Outpost.

Quote If you are looking for an Artifact threat, have you considered Jester's Cap? For the same investment, you will still likely win the game, but you also have the benefit of being able to side it in vs. more decks, AND it is more synergistic with Finds.

I'm not playing Processor over Cap, I'm playing it in addition to it. Cap is indeed very hot in Parfait and would be in the maindeck if I had a slot open.\n\n

[Razor]

K-Run, I've enjoyed our discussion on this very topic the past couple of days.

I am also pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming interest in tuning Deck Parfait to better survive the Control matchup.

Proven Sideboard Help in the Control Matchup

Jester's Cap is definitely useful in both the Control and Combo matchups.

Soldevi Digger is da bomb.

Karmic Justice is also useful against decks employing global removal cards such as: Nev's Disk, Powder Keg, and Pernicious Deeds.

Siding in a third (or even fourth) Replenish is not a bad idea either.

Is Cunning Wish that scary?

To successfully address the Cunning Wish > Buyback-Spell problem, which is a darned big-one in my opinion, I believe that Deck Parfait must find and run a Maindeck Solution.  Siding the solution does not help prevent the loss of game one to any of these 'wishable' sideboard spells: Capsize, Allay and Shattering Pulse.

K-Run also suggested another proactive solution which may work well in conjunction with such a Maindeck Solution, namely to use an Alternate Threat Type (ie.not an enchantment like Sacred Mesa) such as Phyrexian Processor.  By running two (or more)varied threats of different card-types the only one of these three Buyback Instants that can deal with all of our threats is Capsize.

Maindeck Solutions to the Cunning Wish Problem

For a maindeck solution, I am considering trying one Claws of Gix in lieu of my second Zuran Orb.  Claws are easily cast behind a Chant, too and require that less mana be held back in order to threaten the fizzling of any of these Buyback Spells or even Dismantling Blow.

Oblation may work, but since it has no synergy with either Argivian Find or Replenish I am reluctant to try it.  Additionally, Oblation requires that we keep 3 mana untapped in order to use it.  So casting out 4cc enchantments or making as many pegasi as we should during our opponent's end of turn step becomes worrisome.

Oblation is also much more easily countered than is Claws since Claws is easily protected behind one of the Chants it is necessary to cast during our main phase, anyways.  Like Digger, Claws stays to cause ongoing problems for our opponents, whereas Oblation is a one-shot hero.

It is perhaps worthwhile reminding players that Aura of Silence or Seal of Cleansing may be used to fizzle opposing targetted removal spells, too.

Cons Towards Alternate Threat Types

My main reserve to trying Alternate Threat Type such as Creatures and Artifacts is that they are much harder to recurse.

Non-artifact-Creatures are exclusively recursable via 1 Soldevi Digger and are not accessible via Enlightened Tutor.

Artifact creatures are only recursable via: 1 Digger or 4 Finds.  They are at least accessible via Enlightened Tutor.

Enchantment threats are by far the most-easily recursed by: 1 Digger, 4 Finds and 2-4 Replenish.  They are at least accessible via Enlightened Tutor.

Additionally, Digger's innate ability to recurse both Finds and Replenish make enchantments infinitely more recursable than either of the other two threat-types.

Alternate Threats: Phyrexian Processor

As for choosing a maindeck Alternative Threat Type, I think that Phyrexian Processor is a good idea and haven't thought of anything better.  Deck Parfait is capable of creating a lot of life, on demand and recursing it with 5 cards: 1 Digger and 4 Finds.

Alternate Threats: Black Vise

As for Black Vise, I keep coming back to it myself.  My problem is that I prevent my opponents from taking damage because I force them to empty their hand by casting so many must-counter threats/disruption that their hand is too small.

But, I generally play very aggressively.  So much so, that I rarely draw more than a card or two from my active Library before I begin dropping my hand behind a Chant.

Anyways, I'll ask the rest of you Parfait-players whether or not your Control opponents generally sit for very long with fat-hands.  As, in my experience, my opponents haven't enjoyed that luxury.

Alternate Threats: Masticore

K-Run has been running Masticore in the Sideboard for some time, mainly [I believe] to help win under pressing time constraints which commonly arise after losing game 1 in a 50 minute match.

Masticore has great synergy with Land Tax.  But, Masticore is really meant to shine in decks which are having trouble with the Aggro matchup.  Deck Parfait is certainly not having trouble with the Aggro matchup so perhaps Masticore's drawback is not worth it.

Alternate Threats: Other Ideas?

Cursed Scrolls are possibly a little too slow and also interact negatively with the Land Tax/Scroll Rack engine.

Leon, the owner of our local game-store Hairy Tarantula in Toronto, suggested that I try Goblin Trenches.  My first thought was that it has good synergy with our Tax/Rack engine.  My second thought was that it is easily recursable with Finds and Replenish.  It could conceivably replace the second Zuran Orb.

I also think that both man-lands (eg.Mishra's Factories) and Chimeric Spheres are pretty nifty since they can evade our own and their Creature-Control spells such as: Wrath of God, Abyss, Balance, avoid Misdirected Plows, etc.\n\n

[Ryan]

I know that this thread is about increasing the number of artifacts in Parfait, but this card is flexible enough to fill that role, at least in part.



Against Shattering Pulse, you will have a field day and against Allay you are much better off as Parfait recurs enchantments easily with 4 Tax 4 Find and 2-3 Replenish.

[ZoneSeek]

Very well stated, Razor.

Actually, the more thought I put into it, I guess Phyrexian Processor is more appealing, especially side-to-side with Cap as serious threats vs. control. I understand there are timing issues with Humility / Moat when you are using Processor. I am almost certain it would be worth it to squeeze 1 Cap and possibly 1 Processor maindeck. But what to take out? I would probably say to eliminate some creature control. Parfait seems to roll aggro almost flawlessly; so sweetening the control matchup by dropping a tiny amount of your already deadly arsenal of creature control should be okay. It may raise the mana curve a bit if you drop a swords for a 4cc threat but that can be tweaked accordingly.

You're right, the life investment vs. control really doesn't matter, but it would be kinda humiliating for it to happen. I don't know what I was thinking. I quite regularly Sylvan life away while playing Enchantress. Life is a resource, and when that resource provides 10/10 beats every turn ...
 

[Os-Vegeta]

Quote Anyways, I'll ask the rest of you Parfait-players whether or not your Control opponents generally sit for very long with fat-hands.  As, in my experience, my opponents haven't enjoyed that luxury.

I've been playing Parfait against UR Phidian, and I've noticed that UR Phidian tries its best to keep a fat hand, even when emptying its hand against must-counters.  UR Phidian does everything in its power to get that one 'Phid through and keep it on the field, so it is quite difficult to get rid of them since a counter will be waiting for Humility, StoP, Story Circle, or Wrath.   Therefore, Black Vise can be effective against at least UR Phidian. However, I don't have too much experience vs. Keeper with Parfiat, so I'm not really sure there.  I'll be testing against Keeper soon enough, so I'll have to get back to you on that.

[Saucemaster]

Quote Anyways, I'll ask the rest of you Parfait-players whether or not your Control opponents generally sit for very long with fat-hands.  As, in my experience, my opponents haven't enjoyed that luxury.

Well, I've been playing against Keeper w/ Parfait weekly for a while now, so re: the hand-size issue, I'll say that in my experience, it's very, very hard to *keep* the Keeper player from having a full hand.  With UrPhidian, I'm assuming you're Plowing their Phids, etc., so they may not be drawing as many cards as they're used to.  With the exception of LoA, however, you basically *can't* disrupt Keeper's card-drawing engine.  It's actually been my biggest problem in the Keeper v. Parfait matchup.  They Tutor, they Ancestral, they Force a Chant, then Mana Drain your attempt to force something through before things get too out of hand, then Stroke... etc.  If I get a good opening hand, it sometimes comes down to topdecking, after we've each exhausted each other's threats/counters, but all the Keeper player really has to do is keep you disrupted early, then Mind Twist you.  Mind Twist is the killer here.

As this relates to Black Vise: Yes, they do keep a sizeable hand; but frankly, the Vise seems too slow to do any real damage.  The problem is that Vise more or less has to go all the way in order to do any good.  It won't do any real good to do just 10 Vise damage to the Keeper player, as their life is just as much a resource as yours is in this matchup.  The only time 10 life will make a difference is when you resolve Mesa (or Processor), in which case, you're probably winning.  Basically, I just don't see Vise going all the way.

As for Processor, I actually really like that suggestion.  It's expensive, but it's another win condition against Keeper, and I for one feel like Parfait is the aggro deck in the Keeper matchup.  Another threat sounds just right, especially something that's untouched by both Allay and (the bane of my existence) Aura Fracture.  As a side note (for anyone reading who didn't notice), even Shattering Pulse won't help that much unless it's already operational before you get the Processor--the Processor tokens are black creatures, but are not artifact creatures.  This unfortunately makes them Abyss-susceptible, but Abyss isn't exactly Keeper's first priority vs. Parfait.

[Os-Vegeta]

Here's something interesting that Raven wrote in the Type 1 Forum:  

Quote Lately I have been testing 2 Kegs in place of 2 Ivory Towers and I gotta say, I like it. Kegs are awsome vs aggro decks that like to run alot of 1-2 cc curve spells, and can act as morphling killers vs controll or simple moxen popers. And the best part is that your Arkivakian Finds gain a new card to "regrowth". Lately I had been decideing wether or not to even keep the finds in the deck since I use them so little, but with the addition of kegs and removal of towers, I'm actually happy to topdeck a find now.

And to be honest I really dont have problems killing my own permenants. Since I dont run towers, and i useually pop it for 1. And if you wanna use it to kill moxen, you can always hold that Zuran Orb / Tormods Crypt in your hand till after you play the keg since they are free to cast anyways. And If I pop it for 2 and lose a Scroll rack, its no chip off my shoulder since I run 3 racks, and useually I get multiples, and I can always use the Find to get it back.

This really is interesting.  Powder Keg could be a viable threat vs. Keeper.  Think about it - if a Keg resolves early, it can
1) take care of the Moxen for a while
2) just wait on the field and become a Morphling muncher.

Therefore, Keg could be an option.  This could serve as an extra artifact threat against Keeper that is also low cc and will work against aggro.  I'd love to hear what you guys think about this.

[K-Run]

Quote This really is interesting.  Powder Keg could be a viable threat vs. Keeper.  Think about it - if a Keg resolves early, it can
1) take care of the Moxen for a while

To kill Moxen is useless, as the Keeper player will have the time to play Yawgmoth's Will.

Quote 2) just wait on the field and become a Morphling muncher.

I think we run enough Morphling hate.  

Powder Keg is not what I would consider a threat. It's additionnal removal at best.

[Brislove]

keg is sided out vs keeper ussally because it doesn't do enough in most other matches. BBS does keep 2-3 in because keg+BtoB=keeper loses. if what your worried about is keepers mana then bring in your 3-4 blood moon and use your auras to destroy sapphires and lotus. then they can really only cast FoW so it's a mute point in that 4 counters won't beat deck parfait. I play in a pretty aggro heavy enviroment and still run 3 main deck replenish. mainly because i still lose nothing in the aggro matchup. and the control matchup is helped greratly by having 3 replenish and 4 post SB.  

As For processor it should stay in extended. where it can be overly abused by tinker . if you can resolve a processor your probably already winning. If you were winning and they drain a processor you might not be winning much longer   .

If allay is causing problems then use the Ring of Gix over the ZOrbs. if you have one mana open they will be holding back on casting the allay probably long enough for you to gain control. or make enough Peggy tokens.

[Os-Vegeta]

Quote To kill Moxen is useless, as the Keeper player will have the time to play Yawgmoth's Will.

I was thinking about Yawgmoth's Will too (note how I said "for a while") and how that would just bring back the moxen like you said.  

Quote I think we run enough Morphling hate.  

Powder Keg is not what I would consider a threat. It's additionnal removal at best.

Yeah, you're right.  Still, this is all speculation on my part (and this also shows my lack of experience against Keeper with Parfait - I need to get started on playtesting vs. Keeper soon), but it seemed like an idea to bring up when I read what Raven wrote.  

I see now that Keg wouldn't be a good choice after all since what Parfait needs is more artifact threats for Keeper to deal with, like Jester's Cap and Phyrexian Processor and not more removal that will just sit there like Keg.  Now that I think about it more, all Keeper has to do is wish for a Capsize or Shattering Pulse and play it at the end of Parfait's turn, then drop Morphling to just win, making Keg simply useless.  

As soon as I test vs. Keeper with Rogue, I'll get back to you with the results.  As of right now, I'm trying to think of what to take out MD for the Cap and the Processor (I'm using your build, K-Run), and I've taken out 1 ZOrb for 1 Claws of Gix.  I'm thinking of removing Karmic Justice for Jester's Cap, and I'm at a loss of what to take out for Processor.

[Project5]

Under the assumption that Parfait could deal with Keeper before it started playing a lot of buyback spells, if buyback is being dealt with by the addition of Claws of Gix (as well as Seal and Aura), are any more win conditions needed?

--Ben

[dandan]

I mentioned Vise because it is cheap enough to come out early and does enough damage to change the way you play a game. Without a threat out vs Keeper you have to try to overwhelm Keeper with a stream of 'must counters' in order to stop them drawing cards and finding that Mind Twist/YawgWill that means game over. This means that Mana Drains are very dangerous, turning your attempts to cast things into fat card drawing, Morphling or fat Mind Twist.

With an early Vise, Keeper will probably be taking significant damage every round (3 or even 4 if they have a Library) so they have to do something. This improves your window of opportunity to drop something dangerous as well as denying them free use of CoB, fetchlands and/or Sylvan as the damage from a Vise adds up very quickly. Even late game Vise is still good vs Keeper.

If you are somehow managing to keep Control's hand size low then you are in good shape anyway. Sooner or later that Replenish will hit and it's game over. However in my experience (more with Keeper than against it to be fair), most close games against other control decks involve large hands most of the time.

While I agree that a 4cc Processor is much more dangerous IF it resolves, you are far more likely to be able to resolve a 1cc Vise, either early or after a 'bait' spell.

In addition, as has been mentioned above, it can also be effective against non-Keeper control. Processor doesn't work as well vs Urphidian.

[Razor]

Interesting thoughts on Vise versus Processor.

Vise is capable of just winning versus blue-based control decks.  And, if their hands are under 4 cards, we're in good shape anyways.  Colourless damage is good, too.

Processor is slower and interacts poorly with Humility.  I wonder if Processor should go in maindeck in place of our second Humility?  {gulps}  But, Humility is so good.

Hmmm.

Since, pre-Processor and pre-Claws of Gix, Parfait is utterly capable of winning I am going to focus on interfering with the Wish-Buyback-problem rather than seeking alternative win-conditions.

BTW, I still feel that the worst of the big three Buyback spells is Capsize because it can hit any permanent (ie.it's more versatile, targetting more than just one type) and because it doesn't trigger our ace-in-the-hole Karmic Justice, either.

Here's a card I've been considering for awhile in lieu of the second Blood Moon in the SB:

Quote Scorched Earth:
  Info: Color=Red       Type=Sorcery               Cost=XR               TE®
  Text(TE+errata): As an additional cost to play ~this~, discard X land cards
    from your hand. ; Destroy X target lands. [Oracle 1999/05/01]
  You discard as part of the cost paid when announcing the spell.
    [D'Angelo 1998/11/02]

It should help keep our muli-coloured opponents mana-screwed even when they are fetching their basic lands.\n\n

[Cuandoman]

Let me additionally add that Black Vise kicks control in the nuts. Control decks are designed to dig, search, and draw their way into answers. With a vise on the table the clock speeds up. Sligh has been playing one over the 4th fireblast for quite some time now and I must say that it is VERY annoying to have Vise and Cursed Scroll on the board (thank god for shattering pulse!)

[Os-Vegeta]

Quote I mentioned Vise because it is cheap enough to come out early and does enough damage to change the way you play a game. Without a threat out vs Keeper you have to try to overwhelm Keeper with a stream of 'must counters' in order to stop them drawing cards and finding that Mind Twist/YawgWill that means game over. This means that Mana Drains are very dangerous, turning your attempts to cast things into fat card drawing, Morphling or fat Mind Twist.

Maybe Vise is the better way to go, as it has a lower cc, isn't a big target for Mana Drain (which is one of the biggest concerns with Processor), and can accumulate damage against control rather quickly and gives control a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" paradigm as far as keeping a fat hand goes.  

Also, how many Phyrexian Processors would be run MD anyway?  The way it seems, only one would be run MD with Jester's Cap anyway.  So, against control, especially in an environment where Keeper will be around, it might be better to have 1 Claws of Gix MD (or 2 in the SB... I'm not sold on the idea of completely replacing the ZOrbs MD to go into game 1 against aggro with 2 Claws...) to deal with the buyback spells, and then have Jester's Cap and Black Vise to keep the pressure on.

Quote Here's a card I've been considering for awhile in lieu of the second Blood Moon in the SB:
Quote  
Scorched Earth:
 Info: Color=Red       Type=Sorcery               Cost=XR               TE®
 Text(TE+errata): As an additional cost to play ~this~, discard X land cards
   from your hand. ; Destroy X target lands. [Oracle 1999/05/01]
 You discard as part of the cost paid when announcing the spell.
   [D'Angelo 1998/11/02]

It should help keep our muli-coloured opponents mana-screwed even when they are fetching their basic lands.

Looks interesting.  Still, if it gets Mana Drained (however most of the time this would just be played this behind a Chant, if one is in hand...) that could spell bad news as no matter what you're left with a smaller hand with little or no land in that hand (Tax can fix this though... so not a big problem...) and/or the Keeper player suddenly gets the mana he needs for Morph, Twist, or Stroke.

(Edit: I originally also had written that it could be Msi-D'd but I was wrong on that so I edited it out.  Thanks for pointing out that mistake, Big Chuck.   )

[BigChuck]

Well, it couldn't be misdirected, because it has multiple targets, but at any rate, it just isn't that good. For (Technically) the same price, you could blood moon, and just win. There is a possibility of recovery from this. Blood moon just wins,

[Rebel428]

Sorry if this is off-topic, but would Meekstone fit somewhere, if even just in the sideboard?  It stops all of the TnT creatures and Morphling.  

As far as Black Vise and Processor, I think Vise would be better than Processor for reasons stated earlier.  I don't think it's going to be very good against control in practice.  As Vegeta said, it's a big Mana Drain target along with having bad synergy with several cards in the deck.

[Saucemaster]

Quote Sorry if this is off-topic, but would Meekstone fit somewhere, if even just in the sideboard?  It stops all of the TnT creatures and Morphling.

Well, you're already running Humility, Story Circle, Swords, Wraths, Balance, and Aura of Silence/Seal of Cleansing.  TnT is not a problem.  Morphling himself isn't a problem either, really.  It's Morphling's buddies that he brings along with him, like Mind Twist, etc.  At any rate, all it takes is one colorless mana to keep Meekstone from affecting Morphling (Superman becomes a 2/4 at will).

I find it very interesting that we all seem to be agreed that Parfait needs to take the aggro role in the Keeper matchup (and I completely agree, of course).  I'm still not sold on Vise.  dandan gave some great arguments for it, but I'm just not sure it's going to be effective enough in actual play.  However, better players than me seem to be finding it interesting, so I'll definitely test it.  How many Vises are we thinking of here?  Just throwing in one doesn't seem right--after all, if I think I'm going to resolve something and am E. Tutoring against Keeper, I'm going for Blood Moon every time (well, at least in most circumstances).  How many slots can we afford to devote to Vise?

[theorigamist]

What people are forgetting here is that as long as Processor is in the board and not the MD (and why would you put it MD?) then it's no threat to Keeper anyway.  Post sideboarding, the Keeper player will have their enchantment removal boarded in anyway, and then Wish can go for artifact removal.  So the Keeper player still can removal all forms of threats.  

Diversifying threats will not phase the control deck, as they will already have their enchantment removal in anyway, and will then only need Wish for a new type of removal.  Regardless, since they'll have what they need each game, you're still screwed.  Jester's Cap is amazingly helpful.  If you really want to improve the control matchups, then sideboard those.  

@ZoneSeek:

Quote vs. Dragon

Umm ... Dragons

You're going to use a 4CC card to stop the Dragon combo on turn 1 or 2?

[Crawley]

Quote
How many Vises are we thinking of here?  Just throwing in one doesn't seem right--after all, if I think I'm going to resolve something and am E. Tutoring against Keeper, I'm going for Blood Moon every time (well, at least in most circumstances).  How many slots can we afford to devote to Vise?

I would say one, since Black Vise is restricted.

[Razor]

I am really enjoying this discussion.

Equal Damage and I were discussing the difference between Disruption and Control and the benefits of differentiation [which I think are scarce].  Duress was brought up and suddenly we were discussing if Black were a better colour to splash in Parfait than Red.

I vaguely remembered an older thread which took a minute or two to resurrect:
http://www.themanadrain.com/cgi-bin....parfait

Would a more disruptive/pre-emptive (ie.Black) approach be a better way to go versus Control than adding less-synergistic-than-Mesa cards like Vise or Processor?

Would splashing Black diminish Parfait's stranglehold on Aggro?

What would its impact be on the Combo matchup?

Perhaps splashing both Black and Red is the answer.  Sure, Parfait's reknowned and Bomb-Proof mana base would be a little attenuated.  But, it should remain incredibly resilient despite the addition of a few swamps.\n\n

[specialk]

My thoughts on Parfait

Duress is Ass since you need to go early in order to have a game long impact and you can't add too many swamps or else wrath and humilities are hard to cast.

Add black vise over the processor since it is 1 cc and that means they gotta force of will or play lots of cards and tap out.  The processor is just begging for Mana drain.

Why not try adding Disrupting scepter or scrying Glass to combat control since for 3 mana you take a chance to get a 1 card advantage or you get the advantage for sure.