From: shdwpnthr@aol.com (ShdwPnthr)
Newsgroups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy
Subject: Try my R/W Control MiViWl deck.
Date: 5 Sep 1997 20:46:24 GMT

I will not be able to make it to any more PTQs (only one was held in my
area) but I offer this deck for anyone who wishes to play a R/W Control
deck at their PTQ.

With this deck you have 4 main avenues to victory: Wildfire Emissary,
Hammer of Bogarden, 2 Torches and 2 Snake Baskets.  You are able to present
a variety of weapons while being able to defend your deck against almost
all types of attack.  The strength of this deck lies in its multiple
weapons that can be used to take out creatures as well as your opponent.  I
will break the deck down into its separate components to explain how the
deck works:

R/W Control  "HammerBasket"
        4 Incinerate
        4 Thunderbolt
        4 Hammer of Bogardan
        4 Afterlife
--Early creature removal.  The Bolts and Hammers also serve as excellent
firepower that can be used against your opponent.  The Afterlifes should be
saved for especially troublesome creatures such as Necratogs, Hazerider
Drakes, or any other creatures with a 4+ toughness.
        3 Cinder Cloud
--Extra Necratog removal.  Very important metagame card as Necratog decks
seem to be running rampant.  
        3 Cone of Flame
--Multiple creature removal, akin to Fireball.  People laugh at this card,
but don't knock it until you've tried it.  Don't be worried about the lack
of targets.  The Afterlifes should provide you with at least one target,
and your opponent is always a valid target.  You can even do a minimal
amount of damage to your Emissary and/or yourself, in order to finish off
your opponent with 3 final points of damage.
        2 Kaervek's Torch
--No-Brainer.  Game-finisher or additional creature removal.
        4 Wildfire Emissary
--Arguably the best creature in the game.
        2 Disenchant
-- Vs. Tombstone Stairwells, Empyrial Armor, Sands of Time, etc.
        1 Divine Offering
--Excellent surprise card.  Many games have been won by the surprise value
of this card.  Respond to a potentially game-finishing Torch by Divine
Offering an opponent's artifact or even your own Bosium Strip.  Keep 2 mana
untapped when casting a Basket, so that you can get at least some
instant-speed value out of the Basket if someone attempts to destroy it.
        1 Gerrard's Wisdom
        1 Righteous Aura
--Another possibly laughable card, but you will be laughing at your
opponent when you reduce their Torches, Drain Lifes and Necratogs to 2
point nuisances.  The best alternative to Circles of Protection in this
environment.
        1 Bosium Strip
        2 Snake Basket
After sifting through dozens of decks on the Internet, I noticed a
distinct lack of Artifact Removal in most decks.  You can take advantage of
this trend by using Snake Baskets.  The Snake Baskets also provides an
additional color-source of damage.
        4 Quicksand
        2 Undiscovered Paradise
--Work well with Gerrard's Wisdom.
        6 Plains
        13 Mountain
--Plenty of mana to run the higher casting cost spells efficiently.

Sideboard
SB:  2 Disenchant
SB:  1 Cinder Cloud
SB:  1 Cone of Flame
SB:  1 Serenity
Vs. Tombstone Stairwell, Empyrial Armor, Sands of Time, etc.
SB:  2 Reign of Chaos
SB:  2 Serrated Biskelion
Vs. Hazerider Drakes and Freewind Falcons.
SB:  2 Shadowbane
SB:  4 Honorable Passage

The deck can handle most threats in its main form, and is strengthened
after the addition of the sideboard cards.  Other possible cards that could
benefit this deck would be Torrent of Lava, Aether Flash, Reflect Damage,
and Thran Tome.  

If you decide that you would like to run the deck in Aether Flash Control
Mode, I would recommend dropping the Emissaries and Snake Baskets for
Aether Flashes and Enlightened Tutors.  An added benefit of using Aether
Flashes is that your opponent will not gain a 1/1 flyer from the Afterlifes.

Enjoy!

ShdwPnthr