Mono-Blue UrzaTron

[Kazekirimaru]

Mono Blue Tronzorz

-Snazzy photoshop banner pending-

Mono-U Tron is a variation of the popular UrzaTron archetype that uses a combination of Urza's Mine, Urza's Power Plant, and Urza's Tower to produce four extra mana. As you can imagine, this allows you to throw down some awesome blow-outs and insurmountable win conditions rather early in the game. The Mono-U flavor of UrzaTron uses counterspells and card draw to stall out the first few turns until you can assemble the full UrzaTron and control the game with massive advantage and most likely a win-condition. Mono-U allows for a strong, consistent mana base as well as a simple and effective means of keeping a good grip on the early game as well as assembling your tron.

The classic way
of closing out a game with this deck would be the Academy Ruins + Mindslaver combo lock. The possibilities, however are indeed endless.

How the Deck Generally Operates:

Early turns you will want to put down an Expedition Map to find bits of Tron you're lacking, whilest disrupting the opponent's plan with counterspells like Remand and Condescend and refilling your hand with draw spells such as Thirst for Knowledge. Assemble your Tron. Get ready to drop your win-con. If you don't have one, Treasure Mage to the rescue.

Around turn four you'll want to start shaking things up. Put down your win-condition. Usually it's best to tutor for the win-condition depending on the situation with Treasure Mage and play accordingly. Wurmcoil Engine for
aggro decks, Sundering Titan for shockland-heavy opponents, Academy Ruins/Mindslaver to laugh maniacally as your opponent weeps. Platinum Angel is your "Oh Shit" card. Throw it down in times of turmoil. They can't win if you can't lose. If all else fails, beat down with a creature and keep up the counterspells. You'll win a surprising amount of games that way.

Weaknesses:

Blood Moon, basically. And anything faster than you.

Sample Decklist:

[deck]
//Creatures
4 Treasure Mage
3 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Platinum Angel
1 Sundering Titan

//Instants & Sorceries
4 Condescend
4 Remand
3 Repeal
1 Spell Burst
4 Thirst for Knowledge

//Other Artifacts
4 Expedition Map
2 Mindslaver
3 Talisman of Progress
1 Oblivion Stone

//Lands
8 Island
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4
Urza's Tower
1 Oboro, Palace in the Clouds
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Academy Ruins
[/deck]

Some Card Options:

Counters/Bounce Effects/Draw Effects -

Remand, Condescend, and Spell Burst - Essential counter suite. Remand is a fantastic tempo card, and Condescend shines early game. Spell Burst can become a soft-lock of sorts with excess mana.

Mana Leak - Dat Leak, though. Pretty soild all-around counter. Doesn't give you the benefit of tempo advantage, but catches a lot of things.

Repeal - Permanent bounce with tempo to boot. Solid card.

Thirst for Knowledge - Dig three whenever you please. Can help find Tron, win-conditions, counters, whatever else.

Lands -

Academy Ruins - Essential component of the hard-lock with Mindslaver. Brings back an artifact over and over ad
nauseum.

Tectonic Edge/Ghost Quarter - Land-be-gone. What mirror match?

Oboro, Palace in the Clouds - Sundering Titan? Come out ahead. Useful anytime you need to save a blue card.

Halimar Depths - Recommended by Aesnath - A blue source that allows you to fix your draws when it comes into play. Fantastic card so long as it's not ran alongside other "comes into play tapped" lands. Certainly worth considering.

Win Conditions -

Mindslaver - Ever see a game where two people switched sides on a table? This was likely the reason. Control your opponent's turn. Works nicely with Academy Ruins. LP, of the Fires notes that you can look at the sideboard of the opponent while this is in effect, as well. Awesome stuff.

Wurmcoil Engine - Solid card against anything creature-centered.

[c:
161vikpa]Sundering Titan[/c] - Swoop in, destroy lands, wreck face with a 7/10. Remove it if you dare.

Steel Hellkite - More of a sideboard card, but, meh. Destroys creatures and has pseudo-Firebreathing. Solid flying body.

Platinum Angel - While not a win-con in and of itself, can help you stick around long enough to find one.

Sideboard Options:

Spellskite Lightning rod. Catches a huge chunk of burn out there and stops many decks in their tracks. An easy four-of on the side, in my opinion.

Shadow of Doubt - Tutor stopper with a cantrip. Good stuff.

Ratchet Bomb/Engineered Explosives - Let's clean out come creatures!

Torpor Orb - Shuts down a lot of combos.

Trickbind - More combo hate.

Relic of Progenitus[/c:
161vikpa] - Graveyard hate.

[c]Etched Champion - I've seen this played in side or in place of Sad Robot in order to cover bases in the event you can't make a large win-condition stick around. Beating with these a few turns with counterspell backup is a way to win games, though not nearly as flashy.

[LP, of the Fires]

As a footnote, it should be added that the rules allow you to look at your opponents sideboard when you mindslaver them for perfect information. Learned that one from GerryT.

I'd also add for people interested in this deck that it's not a control deck, it's more of a tempo combo deck. Don't die. Dig. Don't die. Dig. Oh shit, I assambled volTRON. How's this mindslaver taste.

[Kazekirimaru]

As a footnote, it should be added that the rules allow you to look at your opponents sideboard when you mindslaver them for perfect information. Learned that one from GerryT.

I'd also add for people interested in this deck that it's not a control deck, it's more of a tempo combo deck. Don't die. Dig. Don't die. Dig. Oh shit, I assambled volTRON. How's this mindslaver taste.

I actually was not aware you could do that! Most appreciated.

[Aesnath]

I've got a very similar list to yours--I may post it later. I think the biggest difference is that I skip out on Remand for 4 repeal and 2 into the roil.

Also, I've been experimenting with Halimar Depths--I've liked it so far.

[Kazekirimaru]

I like the idea of Into the Roil, but since so many cards in modern blow shit up when they enter the battlefield, I like being able to prevent it before it hits with Remand. Plus, the cantrip only works if kicked, and I dislike having UU in cards in this deck since it wants to play everything quite early. But if it works, it works. That's just how I see it.

Halimar Depths looks pretty good, though.

[Aesnath]

I understand why you would want remand, I just always find myself wanting more bounce. I will admit that the UU is occasionally a problem though.

I have liked depths though--you run enough tutors to shuffle away unwanted cards and getting access to the missing land a couple of turns earlier at no cost is often a lifesaver. CIPT ain't great, but, because the rest of the manabase does not, unless you draw a bunch in your opener, it usually isn't an issue.

[Kazekirimaru]

I have liked depths though--you run enough tutors to shuffle away unwanted cards and getting access to the missing land a couple of turns earlier at no cost is often a lifesaver. CIPT ain't great, but, because the rest of the manabase does not, unless you draw a bunch in your opener, it usually isn't an issue.

I think I'll throw some in my modern deck, and in the primer itself. Considering this deck only works when you get what you need when you need it, anything that helps your draw is a welcome addition. Most appreciated!

[Alex]

I've been playing this deck on and off for a few weeks now, it's one of the decks in our gauntlet of Modern test decks.

We're playing Karn Liberated instead of Sundering Titan because, well, because Karn, but yeah, the deck is neat in the respect that it just does really silly things all of the time. I don't like the mono U version quite as much as UW because I feel more in "control" while playing UW (due to it being an actual control/combo and less of a tempo/combo deck) but the merits to this deck are fairly obvious: The mana is better, Treasure Mage is awesome, Mindslaver lock is satisfying, and it usually wins tron mirrors due to the better mana and superior countermagic, as well as resilient threats like Wurmcoil Engine that laugh in the face of [card:
288073lx]Supreme Verdict[/card].

[Mcdonalds]

@Alex, Karn seems miserable in this deck, and sundering titan is real good at making the midrange decks sad..IE half the format.

[Alex]

@Alex, Karn seems miserable in this deck, and sundering titan is real good at making the midrange decks sad..IE half the format.

Karn breaks open control matchups, Sundering Titan isn't as impressive when it is good. You board it out in almost every scenario that isn't vs. midrange, where you can play Karn mainboard comfortably in everything other than aggro matchups.

[Mcdonalds]

@Alex, Karn seems miserable in this deck, and sundering titan is real good at making the midrange decks sad..IE half the format.

Karn breaks open control matchups, Sundering Titan isn't as impressive when it is good. You board it out in almost every scenario that isn't vs. midrange, where you can play Karn mainboard comfortably in everything other than aggro matchups.

Even vs control, Sundering Titan can easily blow up 1-2 lands, and their are few ways for them to profitably deal with it, it can also end the game in 3 turns and block, while Karn can
end the game in 3 turns (kinda), against some of the more aggressive midrange decks, 7 mana 'walkers that can't block isn't were you want to be. You also can't tutor it up with treasure mage.

I also don't feel the deck is really good at playing karn either, in U/W, you have sweepers and removal to protect Karn and it acts as a source of card advantage, here, you don't, you have repeal, and sometimes wurmcoil or platinum angel, but why weren't you just playing another wurmcoil, or protecting platinum angel, we have thirst for knowledge which may as well read draw 3 when you have academy ruins on the field, and we aren't G/R and thus terrible (I hate that deck with a passion)

[Alex]

Blowing up lands is like one of the least impactful things you can be doing against control, though. They don't care about lands after the 4th or 5th, so if you're playing Sundering Titan off of your tron you're not really doing anything but getting a vanilla 8/8, which any control list with Lingering Souls in it will be chumping for turn after turn.

I won't comment on midrange because that's a hella wide gap in Modern with so many decks falling under that umbrella.

[Mcdonalds]

Blowing up lands is like one of the least impactful things you can be doing against control, though. They don't care about lands after the 4th or 5th, so if you're playing Sundering Titan off of your tron you're not really doing anything but getting a vanilla 7/10, which any control list with Lingering Souls in it will be chumping for turn after turn.

I won't comment on midrange because that's a hella wide gap in Modern with so many decks falling under that umbrella.

I disagree, against control, putting them behind on lands is huge, it makes it tougher for them to play through condescend/remand (especially g2 when they are trying to push a sowing salts through), especially when the game goes long and we start having multiple tron pieces
in field at once (or begin spell burst-ing them out of the game)

The line between control/midrange/aggro is really blurry unfortunately, there is definite control (whatever pile Wafo-Tapa is playing) and definite aggro (Zoo) but everything in between is hard to catagorize (the UWR decks for example)

[Alex]

Blowing up lands is like one of the least impactful things you can be doing against control, though. They don't care about lands after the 4th or 5th, so if you're playing Sundering Titan off of your tron you're not really doing anything but getting a vanilla 7/10, which any control list with Lingering Souls in it will be chumping for turn after turn.

I won't comment on midrange because that's a hella wide gap in Modern with so many decks falling under that umbrella.

I disagree, against control, putting them behind on lands is huge, it makes it tougher for them to
play through condescend/remand (especially g2 when they are trying to push a sowing salts through), especially when the game goes long and we start having multiple tron pieces in field at once (or begin spell burst-ing them out of the game)

That assumes your list plays soft counters instead of hard counters. I'm playing Dissipates and Negates over soft counters because losing to Snapcaster Mage and the associated spells is really irritating.

[Mcdonalds]

Well that's different.

How is it compared to remand/condescend?

Damn you and your ninja edits

Either way, I think the points stands, being ahead on lands enables us to win counter wars, things like snapcaster are inherently mana intensive (countering something using snapcaster requires at least 4 mana, unless it's pierce, which is fairly abysmal against us given we simply play around it), and putting them back and us ahead gives an edge in that respect.

(also, why is this deck in developing, or do you need an admin to put it there, this deck has posted results online alot, dunno about in paper)

[Kazekirimaru]

Well, I didn't really know if it deserved Tier 1 status or not.

[Mcdonalds]

It's definitely competitive (in the sense that it places), although not t1.

Not sure, would ask yannus what he thinks though.

[Alex]

Well, I didn't really know if it deserved Tier 1 status or not.

The deck performs about as well as any Modern deck, it's pretty hard to split up tiers considering how many viable decks are out there.

I mean I like the Gifts Ungiven version the most and think it is more competitive, but the whole archetype as a whole is pretty good regardless.

[Kazekirimaru]

Well, I'm not picky as long as the info is out there. It can be here or there, I just want people to know of my favorite modern deck.

[Aesnath]

The biggest issue I have with Karn in mono-blue is that you'll have to draw him to get him. At least the titan is searchable.

[Alex]

While that's true, I can't think of many times where I thought searching for Wurmcoil or Angel was the wrong answer anyway.

[Aesnath]

OK, new question--has anyone tried a mana rock other than talisman of dominance?

I'm not entirely convinced that it shouldn't be mind stone, everflowing chalice, or even dimir signet. Each one has some color difficulties compared to the talisman, but offers a relevant upside.

[Alex]

...I didn't even notice that, but yes, Mind Stone is great. That's what I've been playing since always.

[Mcdonalds]

Mind stone/Everflowing chalice do not make colored mana, which is a problem.

Dimir Signet seems like an alternative, in aggro metas the damage on talisman adds up quick, and you can cast dismember without taking tons of damage (or killing yourself).

[Aesnath]

Mind stone/Everflowing chalice do not make colored mana, which is a problem.

Dimir Signet seems like an alternative, in aggro metas the damage on talisman adds up quick, and you can cast dismember without taking tons of damage (or killing yourself).

See, but does the potential card draw/extra mana/painlessness outweigh the no-muss, no-fuss nature of the talisman. I'm genuinely unsure, I'm just wondering if anyone has tried them.

[Kazekirimaru]

Mind stone/Everflowing chalice do not make colored mana, which is a problem.

Dimir Signet seems like an alternative, in aggro metas the damage on talisman adds up quick, and you can cast dismember without taking tons of damage (or killing yourself).

See, but does the potential card draw/extra mana/painlessness outweigh the no-muss, no-fuss nature of the talisman. I'm genuinely unsure, I'm just wondering if anyone has tried them.

I've stuck Everflowing Chalice in place of talismans before. The mana ramp can get out of hand in a
serious hurry, but the lack of colored mana does make problems arise in any game you don't get an early blue source out, obviously. But, since I tend to run this without any cards, I think it's totally possible to run Chalice or the like with little problem. I'd probably just stick Tectonic Edge in the SB and stick in another blue source or something.

[Mcdonalds]

Any of the cluestones seem worthwhile (for those who haven't seen them they are

3: Z Cluestone

Tap: Add X or Y
XYTap, Sac x Cluestone: Draw A Card.)

Z- Guild
X/Y- Appropriate Colors.

[Kazekirimaru]

It's basically a painless talisman than can sac for a cantrip. I don't really like that it comes out a turn later. Modern is a speedy format.

[Mcdonalds]

streaming this deck if anyone wants to watch (least for now)

http://www.twitch.tv/lord_mcdonalds

[Jack]

I've been toying around with this deck a bit on Cockatrice and contemplating building it in paper, and was wondering if anyone else here still played the deck. It's really fun, and I think if we messed around with the numbers a bit we could make it a lot better. One of the first cards that I'd consider would be Cyclonic Rift, possibly in place of one of the Simulacrums. Also, everyone knows about that one black devotion deck that at least one person from every shop seems to have built out of old Standard goodstuff. Yeah, this deck completely wipes the floor with it.

[Kazekirimaru]

Cyclonic rift is actually a pretty viable card choice since it's not blue-mana intensive. Not sure if I'd take out a Sad Robot for it, though.

[Mcdonalds]

I'd probably cut a repeal for cyclonic rift

[Mcdonalds]

Maybe a condescend

[Kazekirimaru]

Maybe. Cyclonic Rift doesn't draw a card or help sift through the deck, though.

[Jack]

So, I went ahead and bought the necessary cards for this deck, and this is what I came up with:
[deck]
Land
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower
8 Island
1 Academy Ruins
1 Halimar Depths
1 Tectonic Edge

Creatures
4 Treasure Mage
3 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Platinum Angel
1 Steel Hellkite

Ramp
4 Expedition Map
3 Talisman of Dominance

Control
2 Mindslaver
1 Oblivion Stone
4 Condescend
3 Remand
4 Thirst for Knowledge
3 Repeal
1 Spell Burst
1 Mana Leak
SB:
2 Squelch
2 Spellskite
4 Dismember
2 Spell Pierce
1 Spreading Seas
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Chalice of the Void
[/deck]
Thoughts? Any cards that I really need to try out, or should just sleeve up this 75 and see how it goes? One thing I noticed in testing was that I often wanted Squelch to be Trickbind, both because of the Split Second and because it hits triggered abilities. A cantrip is nice, but the
upside to Trickbind may be more powerful.

[Khaospawn]

More Oblivion Stone?

[Jack]

I've never seen a list with more than 1, but a second copy might not be bad. I'd also like to find space for a second Platinum Angel.

[hamfactorial]

Oblivion Stone is a good solution to getting rid of a Blood Moon in RG Tron, but U Tron can usually hold up Remand mana or Repeal it later since it runs enough basic Islands and the Talismans.

[Jack]

Why would R/G tron bring in Blood Moon against Blue Tron?

[hamfactorial]

They wouldn't bring in Blood Moon. RG Tron runs more Oblivion Stones since it has less bounce. I'm just explaining why OStone isn't as prevalent in U Tron, perhaps not very well though.