[Deck Discussion] Renovating Blue Bullshit

[Andreas]

From the ICBM Open #6

4.  Tommy Kolowith
Draw-Go

1 Tormod's Crypt
4 Mana Drain
4 Ophidian
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mystical Tutor
2 Fire/Ice
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Wipe Away
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
3 Thirst for Knowledge
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Rune Snag
3 Volcanic Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
6 Island
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
3 Glen Elendra Archmage

SB:
2 Sower of Temptation
1 Tinker
1 Darksteel Colossus
3 Tormod's Crypt
2 Rack and Ruin
3 Blood Moon
1 Ingot Chewer
1 Pyroclasm
1 Trinisphere

Seems the best win condition is one that can counter stuff - twice. One of the cards I do not understand, though, is the single Tormod's Crypt in the maindeck, with no way to tutor for it. It would be great if Tommy could comment on his list.

[wette]

I've been testing today, I leave some impressions from the 3 pairings i've played:

1- Ill'gotten gains: I know, this is not a tier 1 but... I won 5-2 just losing to nuts like: swamp ritual necro or swamp duress lotus ritual ritual tutor etc... first turn. I cannot take conclusions but the combo pairing seems to be quite favorable.


2- Dragon: U/B version with deeps this creature with evoke and no squee's... i've gone like 5-4 or 6-4, this match is less favorable than storm cause he canjust discard a dragonand seat until he cango necromancy EOT, animate+animate+FoW. as he is not playing squees I started winning more matches when I target his black mana instead of his bazaars with wastelands...

3- Drain tendrils: provably the most interesting one. We finally went 6-3 or 6-4, the match is even to slightly favorable. The matches I lost went allways the same (excep for one that involved land mox mox lotus repeal on mox mox ETW):

1- I take the control of the match with counters, rod and some strips... but i cannot find the angel so the game goes sooooooooooo long.... that he has time to draw to many lands and play all his bombs in one or two turns until one them resolves. I wouldn't have lost the major part of this games if I'd played B2B or crucible... This deck really needs to reuse strip effects for the control match if we are not playing B2B so i'll make room for one CoW.


No sideboard tested yet.

cheers,

Wettee

[islanderboi10]

Why does Tommy run Rune Snag over Negate?

I would like to hear Tommy's thoughts on the list...

Thanks!

[LordHomerCat]

Why does Tommy run Rune Snag over Negate?

I would like to hear Tommy's thoughts on the list...

Thanks!

I would guess it has something to do with the fact that he has to counter everything or pretty much any creature is likely to kill him outright, particularly something like a tarmogoyf.

[islanderboi10]

What about a deck like platinum control as a blue deck?
I really like that. Why hasn't that been so popular?

[Implacable]

What about a deck like platinum control as a blue deck?
I really like that. Why hasn't that been so popular?

The restriction of Brainstorm, and in particular Merchant Scroll, hit that deck very hard.

[moses]

The Draw go deck that TK plays is really similar to deck that my friends used to play back when onslaught first came out, this one is just updated from then...

 I know the discussion has moved from bringing this from u/b to u/r draw go but , I have also been fooling around with a mono blue control deck here is what I have come up with...

4 Ophidian
2 Morphling
1 Darksteel Colossus 7

4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Mana Leak
3 chalice of the void
3 Back to Basics
2 Powder Keg
1 Echoing Truth  21

4 Impulse
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker  8

6 islands
4 wasteland
1 Strip mine
1 Library of Alexandria
2 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
5 Moxen
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring

my board:

3 Leyline of the Void
2 Tormad's Crypt
2 Control Magic
3  Energy Flux
3 Arcane Lab
2 Propaganda

Match that really haven't given me a problem:

Stax: with Back to Basics and the ability to counter on turn one with Mana Leak I think gives you a good advantage game 2 becomes even better with energy flux on the board

TPS: I haven't played in post brainstorm restriction but pre brainstorm restriction I never had a problem beating TPS, chalice of the void really helps in the match up.

The decks I think that could really cause a problem:

Oath: This is the reason why deck died the first time

Ichorid: Ichorid I gets around control well I think but I don't know for sure, that's what the leylines and the crypt's are for.
Decks That I stop know about because I haven't played in the post restricted era yet:

Control Slaver
Strategic Slaver
Draw Go
or any other deck that has come out since then.

This what I have come up with I hope it helps a little... I think the real key to keeping the deck Mono Blue is the addition of Chalice of the Void.

[islanderboi10]

I'm starting to really like TK's Mono U list.
But I wish he ran 3 maindeck Fire/Ice, what should be cut?

Thanks!

[Andreas]

But I wish he ran 3 maindeck Fire/Ice, what should be cut?

Maybe the lone non-tutorable Tormod's Crypt?

[bluemage55]

But I wish he ran 3 maindeck Fire/Ice, what should be cut?

Maybe the lone non-tutorable Tormod's Crypt?

A 3rd F/I is probably not necessary.  If you really feel then need for removal that much (possibly due to metagame concerns), Cunning Wish with a small toolbox in the SB would probably serve better while minimizing drawing excess removal and no business.

As for what to replace with this slot, losing T. Crypt is probably not a good idea.  Despite the fact that you can't tutor for it, it is not excessively difficult to find due to the large amount of card drawing the list does.  It further serves a purpose by pitching to TfK.  Dropping one of the archmages or a rune snag would probably be better.

[Ufactor]

There is good reason to reanimate this thread, specifically because some crucial people have not chimed in.  Kowal, Smmenen, Dan Carp, TK,  and Soly (?) have all piloted this deck with some level of tournament success.  It is important that their input is added here.

Given that they've had almost a year to contribute their input and haven't done so, I think the odds aren't great that it will happen now.  Closed.  -DA