[Premium Article] Primer: Confidant Control

[Beralt]

Curious how Fire/Ice took care of shrouded creature - did you mean Hurkyl's?

[theLastGnu]

It's pretty irrelevant since Iona flies.

[Smmenen]

So I played a few games against this deck tonight while playing Iona Reclamation Oath. I won most of them but it was certainly not easy. The deck certainly has some power to it but what I don't understand is why it doesn't play either Null Rod or Time Vault. It felt like it was missing something and I'm almost positive those cards would fill the role nicely.

I ran about a half dozen games of this deck vs Iona oath as well. Iona won every single game.

I kept trying to figure out why that was and the best I can come up with is Iona is just faster.

If Oath won every game that's because of one simple thing: Oath was able to find, resolve and protect Oath.   It doesn't matter to do this deck what the Oath creatures are.  Iona makes *almost* no difference at all.  If the Oath deck Oathed up Hellkite or Akroma, it's just as devastating for this deck.  

This deck has 7 Duress effects.   I've played against Oath many times in testing and in tournament with this deck.  It always comes down to the same thing: can you keep Oath off the table, OR, keep them from Oathing by bouncing the Oath before Oath triggers.   If you lost every single game, I suspect that you are somehow misplaying, and specifically, misusing your Sleights and/or keeping hands with not enough disruption or playing creatures over disruption.  

The new Oath list is really less  disruptiive for this deck.  Spell Pierce is functionally the same thing as Thoughtseize for them.  And the lack of Chalices and Wastelands makes you much stronger overall.  

C/C doesnt have the time to setup Dark Conf and build up the card advantage. Even if C/C opens up with several hand disruption type effects, Iona is so versatile in recovering that they can overcome having an Oath and a tutor yanked from them on T1.

I'm not sure what you mean by Iona Oath being so versatile.  

The printings in Zendikar did not change:

1) the ability of Oath to find Oaths
2) the ability to resolve Oaths
3) the ability to trigger Oath of Druids

Those are the fundamental structural limitatons on Oath, and nothing in Zendikar changed those fundamental limitations.   In fact, nothing has changed this structural limitations since the restriction of Brainstorm, which has made all three of those much more difficult.

Since Brainstorm is restricted, Duress/Thoughtseize are better than ever at stopping Oaths.

The worst however is that when Iona could force an Oath on the table even if C/C could tutor for something to get rid of it, the deck (at least in G1) has nothing.

It must be the case that you aren't drawing/ playing enough Duress effects.   The goal against Oath is not to play Bob and start drawing cards.  It's to deploy all of your disruption ASAP and rely on your virtual card advantage, light mana base to translate into greater disruption.   You want the Oath pilot be relying on Topdecks.  If they beat you off the top, they beat you.  But the math is in your favor.  

Yeah, and, in case you didn't know, Fire/Ice can't target Inkwell.    

Also, and most importantly, I think Oath is a hot fad right now, but, as always happens, the metagame adjusts and Oath goes away.    Tezzeret will continue to be good, and this deck will as well, for its ability to combat Tez decks.   In other words, don't let the current blip of Oath (which will wane in the near future) discourage you from playing this if you are in the right metagame.

[Valorale]

Sorry mixed up the fire//ice with another game, was using that against Dark Depth / Marit Lage.

Yes against inkwell, I flew over it, tried using sphinx in the C/C deck but that didnt produce any better results and had trouble hardcasting it from my hand off a manadrain due to mana req.

Perhaps I wasnt keeping the best hand and I will have to take notes to give a better explanation and maybe you can point out what im doing wrong. I found that Iona had many answers to a T1 Thougtseize/Duress. For example open up a hand with an Oath and a tutor. Two oaths, Oath and Krosan Reclamation, Oath and Reclaim, Oath and Regrowth. Oath didnt always get great hands and some occasions, C/C opened up with a flurry of hand disruption which sent both decks topdecking. In theory C/C shouldve won that one but couldnt pull a beater.

I will try this again, take better notes and see if I can figure out where im going wrong.

[Valorale]

Alrighty ... did some further testing with this deck tonight vs Oath. I played C/C, Nat Moes (Lochinvar81) played Oath

All our games were played unsideboarded. First 3 games I forgot to write down any details, Oath won all three. I discussed the deck with Nat and we made a few changes. I took out the Hurkyl. added 1 Thoughtseize, took out the 4 Sleight of Hand. added 4 Disrupt. In the last game, took out the regrowth, put in Echoing Truth. Played everything else the same

Game 1
C/C on play - Oath on draw

C/C draw Underground Sea, Goyf, Time Walk, Duress, Force of Will, Gush and Imperial Seal. I keep
Lead off with U Sea -> Duress
Oath shows: Regrowth, Oath of Druid, Krosan Grip, Thoughtseize, Underground Sea, Mox Emerald, Sol Ring - I take Mox Emerald and pass the turn

Oath plays U Sea -> Thoughtseize, takes my FoW. passes turn

C/C top deck a Misty Rainforest and fetch a Tropical Island. I was about to make a tactical mistake here and play Tarmogoyf before Nat explained the benefits of timewalk with gush.

C/C play Time Walk and end the turn

Draw Disrupt. Cast Imp Seal to fetch Ancestral Recall -> Use Gush and float a blue. Draw Recall and Dark Confidant. Play recall and draw Flooded Strand, Tropical Island and Dark Confidant, pass the turn

Oath Thoughtseize, I Disrupt. Plays Tolarian Ac. passes the turn

C/C Cast Tarmogofy pass turn

Oath play Sol Ring, plays Thirst for Knowledge. Discards Regrowth and Krosan Grip, passes turn

C/C plays Tropical Island, Atks for 4, (C/C@17, Oath@14). C/C casts Dark Conf. At EoT, Oath gives C/C a 1/1 token and attempts to Mystical, Disrupt, pass turn

Oath casts Thoughtseize, C/C Misdirects pitching Merchant Scroll, Oath Spellprierce, takes Dark Confidant. Oath of Druid resolves into play, passes turn

C/C Confidant shows a Goyf, attacks for 9. Cast Tarm and passes turn

Oath resolves Oath, Iona enters play on Blue, the oath wasnt deep enough to give enough cards for a good Grip.

C/C wins

Games 2
C/C on the draw - Oath on the play

1 mmulligan due to no land: Mana Drain, Dark Confidant, Sensi Top, Mox Jet, Flooded Strand, Underground Sea

Oath plays Forbidden Orchard and Mox Jet, passes the turn

C/C play Mox Jet, Underground Sea, Sensi Top and passes turn

Oath play mana crpyt, casts Sensi Top and TimeWalk

Oath plays Tolarian Acadamy, Ponder uses Top, casts Oath. C/C looks at top3 from Top, Disruptx2. Imperial Seal, scoops

Game 3
C/C on play - Oath on Draw
Both C/C and Oath mulligan twice.
Hand: Sensi Top, Thoughtseize, Disrupt, Goyf, Polluted Delta

C/C plays Delta, fetches U Sea -> Thoughtseize. Oath has Demonic Tutor, Fire//Ice, Volt Key, Lotus Petal, U Sea, take the Demonic Tutor and pass turn

Oath plays U Sea, Lotus Petal, Mox Emerald, plays V Key

C/C plays Sensi Top

Oath .. no notes, prob did nothing

C/C untaps, Oath ices U Sea, responds to float mana and looks at top3. Plays Tropical Island and passes turn.

Oath plays Thoughtseize, takes Timewalk, plays Oath. C/C scoops.

Game 4
C/C on draw - Oath on play
Hand: 2x Mana Drain, Echo Truth, Yawgmoth Will, Dark Conf, Flooded Strand, Mox Saphire

Oath plays Island passes turn

C/C plays Mox + Flooded passes

Oath casts ponder, plays Tropical island

C/C does nothing

Oath gets 2nd topical island, casts Oath of Druid, C/C manadrains, Oath Spellpeirce, Oath of Druid resolves.

C/C plays Thoughtseize, sees Regrowth, Spell Peirce, Force of Will, Thoughseize. passes turn

Oath plays Regrowth on Ponder, casts Ponder

C/C does nothing, passes

Oath does nothing, passes

C/C plays Scalding Tarn, casts Imperial Seal, fetches Force of Will

Oath does nothing, passes

C/C does nothing, passes (I didnt write it down but somewhere around here I drew and cast Sensi Top)

Oath does nothing, passes, C/C looks at top3 with Top at EoT, sees Brainstorm, P Delta, Disrupt

C/C does nothing, passes

Oath does nothing, passes, C/C casts Brainstorm, draws Disruptx2, P Delta, puts back Yawg Will, Dark Conf, breaks fetchland and shuffles, checks top3 again with top, sees Thoughtseize, Trop Island, Tinker

C/C draws and casts Thoughtseize, sees: Thoughtseize x2,Spell Peirce, Vampiric Tutor, Oath of Druid, Force of Will (Oath has no black mana in play), take FoW, pass turn

Oath does nothing, passes

C/C draws Tropical, floats mana off Mox Saph, uses Top and draws Tinker. Tinkers Mox Saph, Oath responds with Mystical Tutor for Ancestral Recall, C/C fetches Inkwell. 2 land untapped, tap both and play Timewalk, Oath casts Spell Peirce, C/C FoW

C/C attacks for 7, Oath drops to 10 life, casts Echoing Truth on Oath of Druid, passes turn

Oath casts Oath of Druid, C/C Mana Drains. Oath casts 2nd Oath of Druid, resolves. (was silly of me to counter the first Oath, I realize that knowing he had an Ancestrall in hand). Oath casts Ancestral finds black mana, casts Thoughtseize with 1 blue open. C/C disrupts, cost is paid for, C/C draws a goyf then discards it.

C/C draws a Force of Will, attacks for 7, Oath is at 3, passes turn

Oath of Druid resolves, Iona enters play, was the topdeck card. Blue named. Oath casts Vampiric, goes to 1, scoops

Conclusion
Hopefully gives a little better insight on what I was refering to. Until i maindecked Echoing Truths, I simply had to scoop to an Oath, I had no answers to it once it hit the table. It became a waiting game of when will Oath get the Orchard to finish this. Granted none of this takes into account post-sideboard games.
While disrupt was nice from time to time, I would probably switch them back to Sleight of Hand or maybe even Spell Peirce. Yawg Will feels questionable in this deck, the 3CC makes it already tough enough to put out there and if the opponent is running wasteland, forget it. Hurkyl in maindeck is another questionable items, perhaps if my meta ran heavy artifacts.

[Scyther]

You swapped all Sleight of Hands for Disrupts? oO


Please at least try to use proper spelling and grammar.

-Klep

[GrandpaBelcher]

u swapped all sleigh of hands to disrupts? oO

This was actually my idea.  It wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible.  The problem we found was that Spell Pierce really hurts Confidant Control.  Not only does it give Oath a similar number of cheap, effective counters, but also CC was rarely able to pay the extra cost, especially in the early game.  I've played against and watched Steve when he was playing CC, so I've seen the deck work, but it's not something either of us really had a lot of play experience with.  On the surface, it appears that Oath really has the advantage.  I look forward to more testing, though.  We'll start with the original decklists again, I think.

Also, wherever Valorale mentions Krosan Grip, he means Krosan Reclamation, of course.

[Valorale]

Also, wherever Valorale mentions Krosan Grip, he means Krosan Reclamation, of course.

It was 1:30am when i was writing this .. the names all muddle together at that point

[Smmenen]

Yes, please please please don't play Disrupt over Sleight of Hand.    Sleight of Hand is what makes the deck work.   If you are replacing the glue of the deck with a highly conditional card, no wonder you are getting bad results. 

Alrighty ... did some further testing with this deck tonight vs Oath. I played C/C, Nat Moes (Lochinvar81) played Oath

All our games were played unsideboarded. First 3 games I forgot to write down any details, Oath won all three. I discussed the deck with Nat and we made a few changes. I took out the Hurkyl. added 1 Thoughtseize, took out the 4 Sleight of Hand. added 4 Disrupt. In the last game, took out the regrowth, put in Echoing Truth. Played everything else the same

Game 1
C/C on play - Oath on draw

C/C draw Underground Sea, Goyf, Time Walk, Duress, Force of Will, Gush and Imperial Seal. I keep

This is a good opening hand for CC.

Lead off with U Sea -> Duress
Oath shows: Regrowth, Oath of Druid, Krosan Grip, Thoughtseize, Underground Sea, Mox Emerald, Sol Ring - I take Mox Emerald and pass the turn

This is wrong.  You should have taken Oath and let him Regrowth it.   You are in for the long game.  You can't win by taking a mana source.  I've learned that the hard way time and time again.    Take Oath of Druids, and let him Regrowth it and or Thoughtseize you on his next turn.

Oath plays U Sea -> Thoughtseize, takes my FoW. passes turn

C/C top deck a Misty Rainforest and fetch a Tropical Island. I was about to make a tactical mistake here and play Tarmogoyf before Nat explained the benefits of timewalk with gush.

C/C play Time Walk and end the turn

Draw Disrupt. Cast Imp Seal to fetch Ancestral Recall -> Use Gush and float a blue. Draw Recall and Dark Confidant. Play recall and draw Flooded Strand, Tropical Island and Dark Confidant, pass the turn

This is a situation where you really need Sleight of Hand. 

It makes absolutely no sense to play Bob or a Goyf when you know your opponent has an Oath in hand.  You can lose the game on the spot.

You need to Sleight into Duresses to try to prevent them from playing Oath.  You've already outdraw them, so Bob is much less important.   Just rely on your ability to make superior topdecks b/c of yoru lighter mana base to stay ahead. 

Oath Thoughtseize, I Disrupt. Plays Tolarian Ac. passes the turn

C/C Cast Tarmogofy pass turn

Oath play Sol Ring, plays Thirst for Knowledge. Discards Regrowth and Krosan Grip, passes turn

C/C plays Tropical Island, Atks for 4, (C/C@17, Oath@14). C/C casts Dark Conf. At EoT, Oath gives C/C a 1/1 token and attempts to Mystical, Disrupt, pass turn

Oath casts Thoughtseize, C/C Misdirects pitching Merchant Scroll, Oath Spellprierce, takes Dark Confidant. Oath of Druid resolves into play, passes turn

I've lost track of the game since you aren't telling me what CC is drawing.

C/C Confidant shows a Goyf, attacks for 9. Cast Tarm and passes turn

Oath resolves Oath, Iona enters play on Blue, the oath wasnt deep enough to give enough cards for a good Grip.

C/C wins

Games 2
C/C on the draw - Oath on the play

1 mmulligan due to no land: Mana Drain, Dark Confidant, Sensi Top, Mox Jet, Flooded Strand, Underground Sea

Oath plays Forbidden Orchard and Mox Jet, passes the turn

C/C play Mox Jet, Underground Sea, Sensi Top and passes turn

Again, I disagree with your play here.

Oath has played Orchard, Mox and passed the turn.  That means they don't have Oath in hand.   They may have a tutor, but they don't have DT or they would have likely played it, unless they are holding up Spell Pierce.  Also, if they have a tutor, they willl likely play it next turn.

I would DEFINITELY play turn one Bob here.   Consider the situation:

1) You mulliganed.  You are already disadvantaged

2) they don't have oath in hand

 you need an advantage immediately, and you need to take a risk.   Turn one Bob, if they don't play turn two Oath, could very well win you the game.  It can fliip you into a Duress which plus Drain will give you two disruption spells and Bob + Top should be enough to win the game.

My plan: Play turn one Bob.  If they don't play turn two Oath, you likely win the game. 

Oath play mana crpyt, casts Sensi Top and TimeWalk

Oath plays Tolarian Acadamy, Ponder uses Top, casts Oath. C/C looks at top3 from Top, Disruptx2. Imperial Seal, scoops

You still would have lost because they play turn two Oath, but I think my line of play was better.   Incidentally, if you have E. Truth main, and I would consider putting one in the main over Hurkyl's if you expect Oath.

Game 3
C/C on play - Oath on Draw
Both C/C and Oath mulligan twice.

What??   I can count on my hand the number of times I've mulilganed twice with CC, because that's once.  Did you actually have no land hands?

Hand: Sensi Top, Thoughtseize, Disrupt, Goyf, Polluted Delta

Agai, this is why you need Sleight.

C/C plays Delta, fetches U Sea -> Thoughtseize. Oath has Demonic Tutor, Fire//Ice, Volt Key, Lotus Petal, U Sea, take the Demonic Tutor and pass turn

Oath plays U Sea, Lotus Petal, Mox Emerald, plays V Key

C/C plays Sensi Top

I would actually play Sleight of Hand here isntead of Top, if you had Sleight over Disrupt.

Oath .. no notes, prob did nothing

C/C untaps, Oath ices U Sea, responds to float mana and looks at top3. Plays Tropical Island and passes turn.

If Disrupt had been Sleight, you could have played it here.   You are just digging for Force or Duresses.

Oath plays Thoughtseize, takes Timewalk, plays Oath. C/C scoops.

Game 4
C/C on draw - Oath on play
Hand: 2x Mana Drain, Echo Truth, Yawgmoth Will, Dark Conf, Flooded Strand, Mox Saphire

Oath plays Island passes turn

C/C plays Mox + Flooded passes

YOu have Echoing Truth in your hand. I would probably play turn one Bob.    Holding up Drain is cute, but wrong here.   Here's why: You have 7 Duress efefct and 5 Force/misd.  Your hand is too slow to win, you need to start manipulating your library immediately. 

Oath casts ponder, plays Tropical island

C/C does nothing

See, this is the problem.  It was perfectly predictable that youd do nothing here, since your hand is Drains and Yawg Will.  You need turn one bob to not be doing nothing. 

What did you draw for the turn?

Oath gets 2nd topical island, casts Oath of Druid, C/C manadrains, Oath Spellpeirce, Oath of Druid resolves.

If you had played turn two Bob you'd have sees at least one more card.  You probably would not have won this counterwar, BUT you would have at leas thave a better shot of removing the Oath the following turn.

[SilverRocket]

I played this in a recent tournament and had trouble with Tezzeret when they had a Confidant and I didn't (or mine was killed with Fire).  What's the proper strategy in this situation?

[Smmenen]

I played this in a recent tournament and had trouble with Tezzeret when they had a Confidant and I didn't (or mine was killed with Fire).  What's the proper strategy in this situation?

Well, that's a pretty bad situation to get yourself into.  Supposing you find yourself in such a situation, let's at least assume that your deck is still firing on all cylanders and you've disrupted them with at least a Duress or two.   You have two options.  The first is to try and find and resolve Ancestral Recall (This is Why Imperial Seal is so important).   With Ancestral, they can draw with Bob for even a few turns and you can keep up.  If you are lucky, you'll Regrowth Ancestral for more card advantage, but what you really want to do is beeline into a Yawg Willl, Tinker or start being aggressive with Goyfs.   

Use all of your Sleight of Hands to find the cards you need ASAP.   Use Ancestral to keep parity, and beeline into Yawg Wil, or, try to drop some creatures on the table of your own.    A Tinker, protected, can probably win the game, even if your opponent has Bob active for a few turns.    They'll have to find their Hurkyl's Recall, and you will likely have dealt some serious damage even if they do bounce it, putting them into dangerous life totals with Bob.   

The key, though, is not getting in that situation by careful manipulation of your deck.   Make sure to Sleight into the disruption, and disrupt the hell out of them.   Your goal should not be to resolve Bob ASAP, which is what I think some people get caught up on.   Your advantage is your virtual card advantage.   If you have a choice between disruption and Bob, often the right play is disruption, then Bob the next turn.  Duress is like super Duress in this deck because you just draw better.