Mono U Prison

[Blovdek]

Ive seen a decklist a couple of weeks ago and it seemed really interesting to me, so i decided i try to build a deck similar to it. Here is my try, please try to discuss changes and improovements as i think the deck has a lot of potential:

4 Esperzoa
4 Master Transmuter
2 Karn-Silver Golem
3 Triskelion

1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault

4 Tangle Wire
4 Challice of the Void
1 Memory Jar
1 Trinisphere
3 Smokestack

4 Force of Will
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker

1 Tolarian Academy
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
4 Mishras Workshop
4 Seat of Synod
2 Island
1 Snow-Covered Island


Blovdek

[Blovdek]

Seems like nobody likes the list or havent actually played it, because it has been nuts for me..... I suggest testing it as its a powerhouse

[Random Noob]

It looks very strong. I stopped builing on builds like this, because i stuck there when Master Transmuter came out. This list uses its Synergies with Smokstack, Tangle Wire and Triskelion. And it doesn't make the mistake that i did playing 9 Spheres with an Esperzoa on board. I will soon give it a try, cause its the best U one i've seen yet.

[FlyFlySideOfFry]

You have to do more than just post a list and say "play this, its good" to create discussion...

[Blovdek]

The deck uses esperzoa and master transmuter to creater an advantage of replaying tangle wire, challice and smokestack to lock an opponent out. The syneryg with triskelion will solve agrro problems for the most part and the help of force of will will help in all the matchups. The only thing i am sceptical about this list is the ammount of U sources it uses main deck, because 8 blue lands, sapphire, lotus and petal might just not be enough. I also dont know if including memory jar is right and if the absence of Cruicable of Worlds is justyfied. The reason i dont use cruicible is because i want to run 4 seat of synod and there is no space for fetch lands, to make cruiciable even more powerfull and i also think smokestack has a preaty simmilar if not a better role in this deck.

When it comes down to creature im preatty sure i want to run 2 Karns, as they eat opposing moxes and fit into denial plan quite well and being able to make smokestacks or challices creatures is a big deal. Im not 100% sure about master transmuter, as deck already has some stuff that u can hardly play on turn 1 (esperzoa is the other one). Maybe 2 is the best number but dunno (thats the reason i oppened the topic). This deck has 15 blue cards, is this enough to constantly support force of will if not, what blue cards do you guys suggest adding, this come to my mind:

Brainstorm
Timetwister

But if im honest i dont really like thoose 2 for this deck....

[neotrophy]

Usually, I would say that a blue deck without brainstorm was misbuilt.  But in this case, there are zero shuffle effects, and very little space to shoehorn any in.  I think that Timetwister has some definite potential, though.  The deck functions by restricting for your opponents mana, the chances are that you will be able to make far better use of the extra cards than your opponent.  Also, the graveyard clearing effect could be very valuable for a deck that doesn't interact with its own graveyard in any way.

My major issue with this deck is that against a Null Rod, you either lean on Esperzoa or you basically enter the scoop phase.  Only Karn can handle a Tarmogoyf if a rod is on the table.  Null Rod decks are particularly popular at the moment, this deck seems far too vulnerable to them.

[Miaou]

If you really want to lock out the opponent from the game, wouldn't Mindlock Orb be a good candidate?
Blue so pitches to FoW, castable via a Workshop and you are unaffected by it except for the lone Tinker.
I would try and squeeze 3 in. Maybe going:
-1 Jar
-1 Trike?

ok, so fitting three is tough

[Purple Hat]

meditate has been used to good effect in stax in the past.  It's blue, draws cards, and in certain circumstances giving away a turn might actually be beneficial.

[Random Noob]

I'm going to test it with 4 Thoughtcast on board as additional carddraw, that isn't effected by Chalice. Mindlock Orb (at last in SB) and Master of Etherium would be good choices too, but i guess there are not enough slots.

My Sb is something like:

4 Pithing Needle (resetable goodie)
3 Propaganda (against Dredge)
3 Hurkyl's Recall (Shop.dec)
3 Arcane Lab (combo)
2 Mindlock Orb

It will definatly have it weaknesses against Null Rod and an unhandeled Welder (but with the Trikes Welder should not be a to big deal). Master of Etherium could be good against Fish, as a Wall for their Tamo and the useless Artifacts would at last pump him. I'm not sure what to cut.

[jaeppel]

Four transmuters need something worth transmuting in, just popping out tanglewires you could have just hardcast seems against the point.  Where are the sundering titans, sharuum, slaver, <insert uncastable busted artifact here>.  Without such cards transmuter is really boring.  Using a 4cc artifact with summoning sickness to cheat 4cc artifacts into play isnt really cheating, and playing by the rules just doesnt win in vintage. 

trike/transmuter is going to very soon be not as good, thanks to the year 2010.

I would also add welders, bazaars, and lightning greaves.  but thats just me, and thats another deck.

[Blovdek]

Yeah i totally agree that master transmuter is not top notch in this deck, but still i think that somewhere arround 2 are still needed, as they work fine with smokestack and other stuff, might be wrong though. You said stuff about adding Red, but that just completelly changes the deck, as its no longer able to support force of will. Im not sure if i like the idea of thoughtcast, because maybe than i would rather run thirst for knowledge or meditate. This deck is the lock or a beatdown deck, it depends if u have esperzoa or not and when. This deck is just a normal prison, it just uses force of will and other good blue stuff to support it instead of red.

I also dont think this version is optimized by any means, i just think that blue artifact deck has a place in vintage magic, because of its potentiall power...