UW Control – UW Planeswalker Control
Stanislav Cifka
Grand Prix Vienna – Top 8
Lands (27)
Creatures (0)
Other Spells (26)
Planeswalkers (7)
Sideboard
I have to admire this very traditional feeling UW Control deck. While technically creature-less it does use Elspeth as a primary win condition with Mutavault as backup. The permission comes in the form of Dissolve, which works with the Temples to provide some dig with Scry, and Essence Scatter to fight off troublesome creatures. The deck then boasts a rather robust amount of removal starting with Supreme Verdict to sweep away aggro swarms, Detention Sphere is very versatile in controlling all other threats, and Last Breath is the spot removal that can handle most of the threats in standard currently. Azorius Charm is a useful with all it different modes either as another spot removal, to cycle for another draw or as a way to gain some quick life. The deck is topped off with Sphinx’s Revelation which is without a doubt one of the keys to the success of the UWx Control strategies. This list of Cifkas also included a very interesting sideboarding plan with Archangel and Fiendslayer capitalizing on a lifegain theme to build on a heavy creature package that’s brought in to combat the red decks.
Creatures (28)
Other Spells (5)
Planeswalkers (2)
Sideboard
Continuing on it’s path of dominance the Mono Blue Devotion deck has continued to show why it is one of the premier prevalant decks in the current standard metagame. Built on a solid curve from one through to four the goal of the deck is to drop a Master of Waves bringing with it seven elemental friends. The deck is built for aggression and that can been seen with the lack of permission despite being blue. What this deck really capitalizes on from the blue mana is the power of card draw from the Bident and Jace. Cyclonic Rift to clear away blockers allows you to build to a lethal alpha strike and power through for the kill.
Creatures (13)
Sideboard
Here we have an interesting control deck with lots of hand disruption, seven in the main with Sin Collector and possibly three more post Sideboard. Giving you plenty of useful information on your opponents, allowing you to plan out your winning strategy as you chip away his hand. This deck has a very strong removal suite with twelve total in the main, most of the time you already know what your opponents will be summoning so your answers are in hand. Orzhov Control is mostly black with a splash of white for Blood Baron of Vizkopa and Sin Collector less aggressive than its cousin Mono-Black Devotion. Blood Baron seems to be largely a meta call against a field of White weenie (Boros) and Mono-Black Devotion, while Sin Collector is another Duress on a stick. The Pack Rat has turned out to be quite a bomb in this season, otherwise it was just bane in Return To Ravnica Limited. The rats allow you to build an army very quickly with the help of Mutavault to pump them even more. Overall this looks like a solid deck that I’d Like to sleeve up and test it out versus Mono-Blue Devotion. Anyone had a running or tried out this deck please leave us some comments.
