) but Fact or Fiction has been restricted. Look for a deck called "brown paper bag" By Semenen (I butchered your name Sss, sorry!) it is the goods, use the search feature on this web site to find it. Good luck,
Z
I'm thinking of getting in to T1, not only with slivers, but with my favourite deck of all time *drum roll* Mono Blue! I've played casual mono blue but I want to learn how to play and build MB in T1. As for a meta-game I'm not really sure yet. Sorry gotta go finish this later
Hey, not to sound sarcastic, but there are these amazing things called "primers" that tell you how to play certain archtypes. Iirc, the mono-blue one is pretty good (but it may be a little dated)
Try reading that, and then make a decklist and post it, and we can offer comments and suggestions.
Yes I've read the primer, and am most of the way through Rakso's "Mindless spells v.s. Mono Blue" article.
Now to finish my first post. I know the lack of knowledge for the metagame (i.e. I haven't played against T1 type players) will limit the amount of help for a decklist I can get, so info on how to play against different archetypes would be helpful. As for a quick decklist:
Creatures
4 Morphling
2 Masticore
Counters
4 Mana Drain
4 Counter Spell
4 Force of Will
3 Counterspell
4 Misdirection
Drawing
4 Fact or Fiction
1 Ancestral Recall
Other
3 Powder Keg
1 Time Walk
1 Black Lotus
5 Moxen
1 Sol Ring
1 Strip Mine
2 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandra
15 Island
I would need your help with a sideboard, but jump off from here (I don't have any of the expensive cards yet)
I have to run (it's almost 5 o'clock @ work) but Fact or Fiction has been restricted. Look for a deck called "brown paper bag" By Semenen (I butchered your name Sss, sorry!) it is the goods, use the search feature on this web site to find it.
Good luck,
Z
Thanks for the heads up on FoF. So is Forbiddian more viable now, If so:
Creatures
3 Morphling
4 Ophidian
Counters
4 Mana Drain
4 Counter Spell
4 Force of Will
3 Forbid
2 Misdirection
Drawing
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Ancestral Recall
Other
4 Powder Keg
1 Time Walk
1 Black Lotus
5 Moxen
1 Sol Ring
1 Strip Mine
2 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandra
15 Island
The decklist looks good, but you could drop the janky Forbids for Mana Leaks, especially since you play the Moxen. Mana Leaks are great. Also consider running a third Misdirection if your metagame dictates it.
-3 Forbid
+3 Mana Leak
-1 Counterspell
+1 Misdirection
I'd also try working in a third Wasteland, unless it's really unnecessary in your area.
I noticed your decklist only has 58 cards...
You should also have a Merchant Scroll, and maybe add the 4th Strip.
+1 Merchant Scroll
+1 Wasteland
Lastly, I think that any good mono-U deck runs 3-4 copies of Impulse, a card I think was designed with mono-U control in mind. It helps smooth your draws and makes the deck more consistent. That would mean you'd have to drop some counters, and I'll leave it up to you to decide. Hope this helps a bit.
I'm not sold on Impulse at all. While it might be a good card to fill those last few slots that you don't know what to do with, it's not something that you want to try and fit in the deck at all costs. The deck is just too monotonous for Impulse to be really effective.
I'd also run 4-5 strips and 3 Misdirections. I wouldn't use Tolarian Academy since it's too often useless in your oppening hand and you don't run Stroke or Geyser. Lastly, take out the Forbids like Superman said in place of a Merchant Scroll and the cards I mentioned above.
Impulse is necessary. Play with it and then try to take it out.
Steve
Alright for another update
Creatures
3 Morphling
4 Ophidian
Counters
4 Mana Drain
4 Counter Spell
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Leak
3 Misdirection
Drawing
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Ancestral Recall
Other
4 Powder Keg
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Black Lotus
5 Moxen
1 Sol Ring
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
1 Library of Alexandra
15 Island
SB ?
4 Masticore
4 Back to Basics
3 Nevinyrall's Disk
?
?
?
Could use some help on how to play against certain deck types (esp. 5c control)
What would you suggest taking out for impulses
What I'm running right now. I don't have a full set of Moxes, so I just went with more Islands, the only real beneficial side effect of which is that the ability to run Counterspell over Mana Leak, which helps in control matchups.
Blue:
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Capsize
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Time Walk
2 Misdirection
3 Morphling
4 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
4 Impulse
4 Mana Drain
4 Ophidian
Artifacts:
4 Powder Keg
Mana Sources:
1 Black Lotus
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Strip Mine
3 Wasteland
17 Island
First of all, B2Bs belong maindeck. Second of all, regardless of the number of moxen, 16 islands is correct - not 17, 18, or 19 - and only with impulses just in case. I'm also a big fan of Capsize in Conjunction with Kegs. If your running Moxen, run four leaks - no less. Stroke of Genuis can be really good against alot of decks, but it shouldn't be necessary. Part of mono blue is about keeping the mana light. Keeper has nearly 50% mana so it's strokes are bombs. In comparison, when we drain, we drain for one or two cc spells which we sink into b2bs or Ophies, the one-eyed-card-drawing-snake.
Coleman, you should already beat 5c control by getting a phid in play and keeping it there for more than a turn. But if you really want to seal the deal - play back to basics maindeck. Every mono blue deck should run at least two maindeck -- there is NO excuse not to -- even in the scrubbiest of the scrubs.
Steve
1 Mox Version
=============
4 Mana Drain
4 Force of Will
4 Counterspell
2 Misdirection
4 Ophidian
4 Impulse
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll
4 Powder Keg
1 Nevinyrral's Disk
3 Morphling
2 Back to Basics
17 Island
2 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
The only change I would make, if you are trying to beat 5c control, Coleman, change the Nev's Disk into a Capsize. It performs many of the same functions as Disk - PLUS it is pitchable to FOW and MIS-d -- and you don't have to blow up your own stuff to kill an impratant enchantment like Moat or Oath.
Steve
Smmenen, how many counters are you running these days, 20? Are you still playing the same version of BPB or what?
How many lands should mono-blue run if I don't have any moxen/lotus?
It's not that I'm trying to beat 5c control specifically, I just havent played against it. Any other playing tips (esp. to T1 specific decks.)
Dystopian: The first question that needs to be answered is whether mono blue is viable without moxen or lotus. I think the answer is yes - but only in certain fields. If you are playing in a control heavy field, than your deck should definately be viable becuase each of the other decks will be concerned with the long game. And no deck wins the long game like mono blue.
If you are playing in a field of aggro or decks that do lots of insane stuff within the first or second turn than you could have trouble. You deck will be too slow to create a counterwall becuase you will be spending your mainphase tapping out to deal with the threats leaving your answers exposed as well. Mana Drain will help - but many good first and second turn decks run duress and aren't stupid players. If you don't have power and are in an aggro field, you are probably playing the wrong deck. But if you really like mono blue than I say try out some new strategies - becuase keep in mind every field has its own weaknesses that may create winning possibilities that don't exist in what I or others may perceive of as 'normal' t1 environments.
Once you have answer those questions than you need to figure out what configuration of lands to use in addition to your islands. I think that 17 is really the minimum number of islands you can use with no moxen or lotus. I wouldn't adivse going higher than 22 or 23 mana sources with Sol Ring either. So you need to factor in things like Wasteland, LOA (which is a must), and Strip Mine.
The deck will play alot differently and cannot rely on being able to cast spells like Ophidian and B2B as frequently. Additionally, Impulse becomes much less useful without power as it will eat into your countering mana.
Feverdog: I don't know which version you last saw, but here is what I am currently playing - and it is powerfully shaped by what I expect to be the best decks against me: Mask, Grow, and Oath.
//NAME: BPB
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Emerald
1 Library of Alexandria
16 Island
// Countermagic
4 Mana Leak
2 Prohibit
4 Counterspell
4 Mana Drain
2 Misdirection
4 Force of Will
// Drawing
1 Time Walk
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Impulse
// Other
3 Powder Keg
3 Back to Basics
2 Morphling
1 Capsize
3 Ophidian
// SB
SB: 1 Powder Keg
SB: 2 Misdirection
SB: 1 Thwart
SB: 4 Control Magic
SB: 3 Blue Elemental Blast
SB: 1 Ophidian
SB: 3 Annul
I have a couple of thoughts on mono blue. First, I think it is a good deck design, but using Ophidian as your card drawing engine is risky. If you use Ophidian to draw cards, you have to be prepared to throw all of your counters at your opponents Lightning Bolts, Chain Lightnings, Swords to Plowshares and Diabolic Edicts. Also, most Keeper players run 4 Red Blasts sideboard, so they can use the Red Blasts to kill Ophidian once it is in play, and the Red Blast can't be Misdirected. But, if Keeper player Plows your Phid, do you spend a counter to save it? Burning counters against Keeper allows Keeper to bait you out with a Plow or Edict and then Ancestral or Mind Twist and "go off". So, Keeper really has no dead cards against you (except the players that run multiple Fire/Ice). You have to figure out how to keep your Ophidians alive and kicking based on your play style and comfort level. But, it is the most frusterating part of playing with Ophidians.
Also, there is no reason why you don't include at least one Masticore. Masticore and Ophidian have such incredible synergy together.
And, yes, Impulse is pretty important. Imagine your opponent, playing Sligh, dropping a first turn Cursed Scroll, then casting burn spell after burn spell, all the while scrolling you and beating you down with Gorilla Shaman and Pups. You need an answer to that Scroll and you just can't draw that Keg. Impulse allows you to dig your way to an answer.
And, if you are really interested in Type I, I would start by playing against your weaknesses. Try playing against the agro decks that can have "I win" kind of opening hands. Try playing aginst the first turn Duress, second turn Hymn, third turn Mishra's, Ritual, Nether Void. The first turn Cursed Scroll, second turn Pup, third turn Gorilla Shaman, Pup, Bolt type of decks. People on this mill tend to think that anything but OSE, Keeper and Mono-blue are all tier 10 decks, but, in the hands of a skilled player, a very well tuned agro deck is a threat to any deck and any player.
Good luck.
I would like to point out that REBs can be misdirected to the misdirection.
Additionally, Milton's points are why I think moxen are so important. You have to be able to deal with duress and unmask and still be able to counter. This is also one of the reasons I'm an advocate of such a high counter-count AND low mana count - it allows you to constantly peel answers not just by having phids acting like Jayomdae Tomes but by having a tighter deck. build.
I think Milton makes a very good point-- it is important to keep in mind that while decks like Sligh and Stompy will *tend* not to win T1 tournaments, they can VERY easily knock off people who would have otherwise done well, simply by virtue of explosive draws. I have a Stompy deck, for example, that can win on the third turn almost every time I get Black Lotus in my opening hand, and very often by the fourth turn otherwise. While a bad matchup here or there (read as: anything with fat or blockers that isn't Sligh) will ruin its chances of winning a tournament, I can 2-x a Keeper deck out of contention very easily. Sligh and Suicide are in much the same boat-- they can tear through an unlucky Keeper deck, but will stall out often enough in a control field to fall short of the finals. "Spoiler" type decks are not resiliant like Keeper, so they tend not to win whole tournaments, but they are fast enough to be a real threat. If you spend too much time thinking about the semi-finals and upward, you'll get rolled over in the first two rounds and won't make it to the end.
REB targeting a permanent cannot be Misdirected to Misdirection. REB is a modal spell, and can either target a permanent or a spell being cast, but not both in the same batch.
Right. Which is a good reason for Keeper players or sligh players for that matter to try and use REB as a board removal spell as often as possible.
Steve
Does the one mana cost difference on control magic compared to treachery make it that much better?
Yes, hands down. It is a whole turn faster, and that turn can be crucial. And, although it is only a minor point, it does not collide with Morphling in terms of timing.
Dozer
Legalize it!