Subject: Re: Is there any hope for Control? Date: Thu, 25 Dec 1997 12:35:34 -0800 From: Chuckie Sarsparilla Newsgroups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy Control decks are still around, you just have to think differently. Blue bouncy is still strong, I've been playtesting my version, and it is doing pretty good, even against burn. Play a LOT of critter control main deck, and try to stall them until you can get an ophidian lock down. Well, may as well give a deck list. It's really tilted to a creature environment right now, but that's what everyone seems to be playing, so why not? 4 Man-o'-War 4 Ophidian 4 Suq'ata Firewalker 3 Tradewind Rider 4 Impulse 4 Counterspell 4 Memory Lapse 4 Boomerang 3 Capsize 4 Time Ebb 4 Sapphire Medallion 2 Winding Canyons 16 Island The sideboard is more counters and anti-red. It's not too difficult to figure out. Notes: Low land count. Even in a capsize deck, you need to draw a LOT of business cards to win. More than 3 islands in the opening hand is usually death. Low # of counters - it's a critter environment, all you really need to counter is that geddon. This thing can clog up their deck fast enough to not have to worry about the second geddon, they probably won't be able to cast it. Lots o' critters - esp. Tradewinds and Ophidians, they shut down weenies effectively. Not many can get past a 1/4. And quickly enough, you bounce the critter, and draw a card from the 'phid. That's pretty key to the deck - get the ophidians attacking at a clear path every turn, to draw enough cards to clog their library. Boomerangs and Time Ebbs - These let the deck beat out speed, in short. If you go first, the game goes something like this - Me - Island Them - Mountain, Jackal Pup Me - Island, Boomerang Pup. Them - Mountain, Ironclaw Orc Me - Island, Sapphire Medalllion Them - Mountain, Sandstalker (memory lapsed), attack for 2. Me - Winding Canyon, Time Ebb the Orc, Ophidian Them - Jackal Pup, Orc. Me - Medallion, Capsize Orc, attack with Ophid, either kills pup or draw card, etc... Or, they could incinerate the ophidian, but then I just start capsizing their creatures more - or land. ;) It works pretty well - biggest problem is critterless decks, but I sideboard against them heavily. If you feel like giving your critique, go right ahead. Chuckie -- An immense river of oblivion is sweeping us away into a nameless abyss. -Ernest Renan