One might think that the absence of blue-based control in either of the Top 32 of last weekend’s double StarCityGames Opens does not bode well for control
going forward. Well, as it turns out, blue might not be what you’re looking for. I showcased a R/W Control deck that made it as far as the elimination
rounds on Monday, but today’s build fell just short. In a 430 person tournament, that’s still pretty good.
Planeswalkers are the win condition of choice, so it’s hard to argue with cutting counterspells for things that are more conducive to your overall
strategy, such as Thoughtseize. This deck boasts sixteen removal spells maindeck, including four copies of the Wrath of Khan, End Hostilities.
Unsurprisingly, there is even more removal in the sideboard.
Elspeth is probably the queen of the top end right now, so it’s not surprising to see four copies doing the heavy lifting. Dan has Hero’s Downfall, Utter
End, Banishing Light, and Thoughtseize to take care of opposing planeswalkers, so it’s not like he’s as helpless as a blue deck would be to a resolved
threat.
Being two colors allows you to play things like Radiant Fountain, which offset the life loss from Sign in Blood, but again, is that better than adding a
third color for more power? Time will tell if these two color control decks will end up being the norm.
Planeswalkers (9)
Lands (22)
Spells (29)
