[Q&A] U/B Control

[ADarkConfidant]

This archetype has top 8'd the last Pro Tour, and was the best performing deck of that tournament. It also got first place in the hands of Adrian Sullivan at a recently Grand Prix Super Sunday Series, so I figured it qualified as not developing.

Here's his list:

[deck]BU Chevy Control - Sullivan

2 Despise
1 Liliana Vess
4 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
4 Dissolve
2 Divination
1 Jace's Ingenuity
1 Interpret the Signs
3 Dig Through Time
1 Aetherspouts
1 Silence the Believers
2 Drown in Sorrow
4 Bile Blight
4 Hero's Downfall
4 Perilous Vault

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
3 Radiant Fountain
4 Dismall Backwater
4 Temple of Deceit
1 Temple of Mystery
1 Temple of Malady
4 Swamp
4 Island
4 Polluted Delta

SIDE:
1 Pharika's Cure
3 Negate
1 Thoughtseize
2 Disdainful Stroke
1 Drown in Sorrow
1 Cranial Archive
1 Aetherspouts
2 Prognostic Sphinx
1 Pearl Lake Ancient
1 Silence the Believers
1 Jace's Ingenuity[/deck]


Just got 1st at my FNM.

Round 1: 2-0 vs B/W Warrior aggro

Round 2: 2-0 vs Esper Control (elspeths, ashioks, prog sphinx)

Round 3: 2-0 vs Mardu Midrange

Round 4: 2-0 vs Sultai Dredge (nemesis, nighthowler, sidisi, hornet q, soul of Innistrad)


I was running Adrian's chevy list. Before the tournament started, I was able to test out the build that got top 16 at SCG last weekend (4 treasuire cruise, 4 thoughtseize, 4 despise, 3 ashiok, 1 prog sphinx, etc). I didn't like it as much as Adrian's "Chevy" build....but I really liked playing Thoughtseize again.

Really missed it after using all last rotation (, because I played Black devotion).
Here's my list:

[deck]Land
4x Dismal Backwater
4x Island
4x Polluted Delta
3x Radiant Fountain
4x Swamp
4x Temple of Deceit
2x Temple of Malady
1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Planeswalker
4x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
1x Liliana Vess

Instant
4x Bile Blight
3x Dig Through Time
4x Dissolve
4x Hero's Downfall
1x Jace's Ingenuity
1x Silence the Believers

Sorcery
2x Despise
2x Divination
4x Thoughtseize

Artifact
4x Perilous Vault

Sideboard
1x Cranial Archive
2x Disdainful Stroke
3x Drown in Sorrow
1x Jace's Ingenuity
3x Negate
1x Pearl Lake Ancient
1x Pharika's Cure
2x Prognostic Sphinx
1x Silence the Believers
[/deck]


Feel free to ask me about the tournament, or the deck, if you have questions.

[RedNihilist]

I played Adrian's list for 74/75 cards at a recent small event but just couldn't figure out the meaning of Cranial Archive end put in a third Thoughtseize, care to explain me what purpose should it have?

[Whole]

It is tech against decks with Thoughtseize & super grindy decks (mirror) to prevent decking, but more importantly, to shuffle back in win conditions in the event you need to kill your PLA (better than bouncing 6 lands) or they get Thoughtseized. It is also useful against Whip decks because you can shuffle their graveyard in response to things like Soul of Innistrad. Because Whip decks might become more popular, I'm considering adding another.

[ADarkConfidant]

I played Adrian's list for 74/75 cards at a recent small event but just couldn't figure out the meaning of Cranial Archive end put in a third Thoughtseize, care to explain me what purpose should it have?

You play it against decks that run Thoughtseize and/or Hero's Downfall. Mainly black midrange, and other control decks.
Since we only have 4 win cons by default, it works great to be able to recycle them and keep the game going, thus trumping their removal.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you don't delve away Ashiok's, Dissolves, and any cards you want to recycle back into your deck.
Your library post-Cranial Archive will be all great draws if you do this.

You can also play it against graveyard decks, if Ashiok isn't already destroying them.

[ADarkConfidant]

Round 1 vs Mardu Midrange: 2-0

Round 2 vs Abzan Midrange: 2-0

Round 3 vs Temur Tempo: 0-2 (got 3 lands the first game, after taking a 3 scry land hand...so I did nothing game 1. I scryed 3 times and drew 4 cards, but still couldn't hit my 4th land drop.
Game 2 was a good game that I legit lost. milled my opponent to their last card. they drew it and it was a lethal Crater's Claw. It was a great game.)

Round 4 vs Sultai Dredge (aka Sidisi Whip): 1-0-1 (I milled him out game 1, but game one took all 45 minutes of the round because I never drew an Ashiok until about 40 minutes in. We sideboarded and went to shuffle and time was called.)

Got 2nd place. A lot of Sultai decks were there, making everybody go til time and causing tons of game 1 draws. Really glad I played this deck.
Moving forward, I'm going to cut down to just 2 thoughtseize, rather than 4, and put it another Dig Through Time and 1 more land.