Standard UWR Control

Creatures:
1 AEtherling

Planeswalkers:
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion

Enchantments:
4 Detention Sphere
1 Assemble the Legion

Sorceries:
3 Divination
4 Supreme Verdict

Instants:
3 Turn // Burn
2 Azorius Charm
3 Counterflux
3 Warleader's Helix
4 Sphinx's Revelation

Lands:
4 Temple of Triumph
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Steam Vents
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Azorius Guildgate
1 Izzet Guildgate
6 Island
3 Plains


Sideboard:
4 Gainsay
2 Negate
1 AEtherling
2 Last Breath
1 Warleader's Helix
1 Trading Post
2 Mizzium Mortars
1 Counterflux
1 Wear // Tear


Finally in a position where I feel this is pretty much the deck I'll be playing until Born of the Gods, except when I feel like playing White Weenie, especially now with 2 of the Counterfluxes, my third foil DKA Divination and a bunch of full art Zendikar lands in the post.

There are multiple reasons I prefer this deck to Esper and U/W right now. The deck has more basics over Esper, simply enough, as its spells are easier to cast, with no double red spells in the 75, this helps the deck both casts spells on curve less painfully and allows for the deck to better combat Burning Earth (as does Wear // Tear out of the board). When it comes to trumping both of them there's the be-all-end-all counterspell in Counterflux. Counterflus makes control mirrors so, so much easier since there's only one relevant spell ever being cast in AEtherling. If they can't resolve it then they can't win, and since they can't counter your counter they can never resolve it. Assemble the Legion (considering running a second in the side) is also the best spell any deck has to offer vs Mono Black. Simply resolving it wins you the game immediately against them since they need a lot (and I mean a lot) to go right to beat it. Finally, the last important reason to be UWR is Warleader's Helix. It seems relatively innocuous; "Well, Esper has Hero's Downfall. UW still has all the Counters and Detention Spheres." Which is true... partially. The life gain and cheap yet versatile removal UWR has puts it in a fantastic place against aggressive decks, with Warleader's Helix being able to generate massive amounts of tempo and even kill a lot of Planeswalkers. Every Planeswalker in the format except Ajani, Elspeth and Garruk all die immediately to a Helix (Jace is only ever going -2 against me). The removal is rounded out with Turn // Burn, which is what I believe to be just the flat out best removal spell in the format, it literally kills everything efficiently. It even wipes away a Master of Waves' token army.


The sideboard was slightly modeled off of Cifka's top 8'ing list from Vienna, with the 4 Gainsays. Our sideboard basically wins us the control matchup allowing us to go up to 10 counterspells and a second AEtherling. However, the sideboard will definitely need refining with testing. It seems like a good enough base for now.


Any suggestions, questions or comments, I encourage you to fire away. The more I'm forced to justify card choices and numbers, the better I feel I will be able to perfect the deck.

It feels really awkward to see Divination played in a competitive Standard deck... I like the Trading Post on the sideboard.

Divination is the best draw spell there is in Standard for what it costs, so it only seems fitting to be placed where it is needed.

What is the matchup like for Esper Control, UW Control, and Mono U? I could use a good basis to understanding Standard a little more.

Mirai wrote:It feels really awkward to see Divination played in a competitive Standard deck... I like the Trading Post on the sideboard.

Divination is being played as a 2 or 3 of in just about every topping control list. A draw engine of only Jace and Rev isn't enough either, especially since I've gone down to 2 Azorius Charms seeing as they're pretty poor. The Trading Post is actually just awesome. Locks down a Desecration Demon indefinitely and it's basically a Planeswalker vs mono red that can't be attacked and gains 4 life each turn.

Dae of Judgment wrote:Divination is the best draw spell there is in Standard for what it costs, so it only seems fitting to be placed where it is needed.

What is the matchup like for Esper Control, UW Control, and Mono U? I could use a good basis to understanding Standard a little more.

Esper is kinda rough due to Thoughtseize just being so, so good in the control mirror. Otherwise they have slightly more efficient removal in the matchup but no burn at all. They do, however, play Blood Barons which force me to hold Turn // Burn virtually indefinitely or to not discard all my Verdicts to hand size. Against UW we're basically the strictly better deck. They have a lot of dead removal with no secondary function. I have a bunch of dead removal with a secondary function being burning them and their Planeswalkers out. The matchups still come down to resolving AEtherling, but Counterflux gives a big edge. Should be noted it is harder for UWR to kill a +'ing Jace, however. Mono-U just has bad control matchups no matter what it is. 4 Verdict, 4 D-Sphere, 4 Jace is pretty much the best arsenal possible against them in general. The 4 Gainsays in the side just make it unwinnable for them, from my experience.