Sonic Boom....Netdecked but needs update and tips/pointers

Revik · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 135

// Lands
4 [TSB] Desert
4 [TSP] Dreadship Reef
1 [CS] Mouth of Ronom
2 [CS] Scrying Sheets
13 [CS] Snow-Covered Island
1 [FUT] Tolaria West
1 [TSP] Urza's Factory

// Creatures
2 [LRW] Guile
3 [CS] Phyrexian Ironfoot
3 [TSP] Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
3 [FUT] Venser, Shaper Savant

// Spells
4 [LRW] Cryptic Command
2 [LRW] Faerie Trickery
2 [FUT] Pact of Negation
4 [10E] Remove Soul
4 [CS] Rune Snag
3 [TSP] Think Twice
4 [TSP] Ancestral Vision

// Sideboard
SB: 2 [CS] Phyrexian Ironfoot
SB: 2 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer
SB: 2 [FUT] Take Possession
SB: 3 [10E] Razormane Masticore
SB: 2 [LRW] Jace Beleren
SB: 4 [MOR] Negate

A friend of mine recommended this as a control deck because I was trying to find a good consistent counter-based control deck. I like the deck, but any good pointers and updates on cards to use and what I should do would be much appreciated.

Daveslusher · Joined: 05 Nov 2006 Posts: 202

play a good deck

bl0t · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 36

5 total ironfoots?

Sower in SB is nice.

Splash for Damnation/Wrath,or Faeries will completely roll you.

Maltabus · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 53

// Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
4 [AN] Desert
2 [TSP] Calciform Pools
2 [TSP] Dreadship Reef
18 [CS] Snow-Covered Island
1 [TSP] Urza's Factory
1 [TSP] Academy Ruins

// Creatures
3 [TSP] Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
3 [FUT] Venser, Shaper Savant
2 [10E] Razormane Masticore
3 [CS] Phyrexian Ironfoot

// Spells
4 [ST] Remove Soul
4 [LRW] Cryptic Command
4 [TSP] Ancestral Vision
4 [CS] Rune Snag
4 [LRW] Faerie Trickery
1 [FUT] Logic Knot

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [DK] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 3 [LRW] Sower of Temptation
SB: 4 [9E] Bottle Gnomes
SB: 3 [10E] Pithing Needle
SB: 1 [TSP] Draining Whelk

This is my version of MUC in the current metagame. A couple notes about card choice, first.

Razormane Masticore has proven to be better than Guile as a finisher, for two reasons. He is obviously infinitely better against aggro, which is one of your tougher MUs, and against control there will not be many situations where Guile's Evasion is relevant. The "when you counter a spell" ability is just cheese, and while I love slinging an Eyeblight's Ending back at it's caster's creatures, the first strike and cannon attached to Razormane is superior in aggro MUs. In control MUs, he's not quite as strong, but does give you a way to get aggressive with your opponent. He's also very strong in that he always swings through Tarmogoyf, and gives your opponents chances to punt matches via first strike.

Think Twice is good Card Advantage, but i've found it to be too slow in the current metagame.

Faerie Trickery is really only subpar against Faeries, but even then it has targets (Cryptic Command, Rune Snag) which you need to counter.

By playing Desert, you make Bitterblossom subpar against you. In testing, a Sower of Temptation + Desert shut down Bitterblossom for good, and you often win off the life loss they take from it, as they assume a t2 enchantment wins them the game.

Pact of negation is dangerous in a bounce/blink heavy format, and the free counterspell has been totally unnecessary in my list (although with Guile there is that nice combo turn 6, so its understandable in that list.)

Sideboard notes:
Take possession is terrible against everything except mana ramp, and as such I think the singleton Draining Whelk does a better job in that slot. Warhammer is weak, Bottle Gnomes is just better (also note recurring Bottle Gnomes via Academy Ruins). Jace is the same way, as most control decks have evasive attackers (riftwings or faeries) to get over your blockers and hit him, making him weak. Sower of Temptation is a must in your board. Good against Mannequin, Faeries, Big mana, and the mirror..you could almost Maindeck him. I obviously like the masticores Smile

. Negate is subpar, as the decks you bring it in against it doesn't do enough to be worth the board slot. It's worse than Gainsay, so I doubt it gets more slots than Gainsay did.

Scrying sheets was too much a liability, but you'll need more U sources to cast Cryptic Command effectively. Good luck with your list!

boeda · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 25

Hey,

To start with I'm a blue player myself, i totally understand your need to take up a pile of counters and annoy your opponent for the next 45 minutes...

But, the current Standard just isnt the format for that pile. With the manlands in 10th, aggro-tribals as a theme for the last 2 sets and most of all no good early counters you should forget about blue control if you want to win some.

My advise to you is: Play Faeries or Reveillark, that way you can play control-style and still be competitive (You could even think of mannequin or merfolk but these deck s really dont need counters).

grz boeda

Btw. Wouldn't it be great if a card like counterspell just returned? lol

gypsy · Joined: 15 Jun 2007 Posts: 903

if spell snare and/or force spike was in the format then blue control decks would be good but now the formats too fast and has lots of manlands so blue control isnt very good

Maltabus · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 53

boeda · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 25

You ve got a point, there are cards wich can 'counter' the threats.. But the threats are to diverse, and my point is: in this current standard counter decks (or blue control decks) are not as good as they once were.
that is because of the different aggro decks(rdw, merfolk, kithkin, elf, etc) and because of the lack of anti aggro counters, like spell snare, counterspell, remand etc.

You'll need rune snag and remove soul in your opening hand or a well timed WoG backed up by counters, anti creature or a big'un. I have tried WU, U Boom, BU teachings and even UG and none of those were consistent enough to beat a random aggro deck. Maybe you play it different/ better and then my challenge to you would be: win with the deck!

I dont mean to flame and if there is a good counterdeck I'm the first to netdeck it but I think there will not be one before the next set enters Standard.

Vedrfolner · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 1399

Sonic Boom does fine until the opponent plays 2 or more threats per turn. Then lack of good counters will ensure that they are empty of answers by the time they play their big win condition. At that point, they may be able to pull of a win, but sadly, most decks - even the most aggro ones - run maindeck removal. They will be happy to get to use it on Guile/whatever.

Eldar · Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 356 Location: Rochester

just make sure you run cancel over trickery now as you will find trickery to be a dead card an awful lot.

Maltabus · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 53

Vedrfolner · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 1399

Maltabus, you forget that control decks always needs one specific answer in order to survive. The chance of you drawing your answer is less than they drawing one of their numerous threats.

The fact is that except for Command, your counters and answers are all 1-1. They got more threats than you got answers. Moreover, they got more answers to your threats than you got threats...

If you don't see why this is bad, then I can't help you.

Maltabus · Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 53

Vedrfolner · Joined: 04 Apr 2006 Posts: 1399

Acid_Christ · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 515

If you know how to play counterspells, Sonic Boom is very good. If you think "counter everything", well then, your gonna probrably lose. I don't counter every creature my opponent throws down. If Teferi can't block it, then I will counter it. Not to mention when you get Guile on the board, that game is pretty much over. Ive watched a friend drop a Guile, and just go beatdown with Sonic Boom. No Teferi in play or Negation in hand. Just an elegant 6 evasive damage.

And you really can't say-

"You got 3 Ironfoots. They got 20+ chances of getting their threats."
-And you have 20+ chances (not to mention the more cards you are going to draw) to deal with the threat.

You got 3 Teferis, which are played after you have gained control over the board - in turn 5 the earliest.
-Why would Teferi only be played after you gained board control? I drop Teferi all the time to block. Its funny to watch aggro tap sideways then drop a Teferi and turn the game around.

You got 3 Venser, which is a 2/2 for 4 mana. The bounce is hardly more than a hickup for any aggro deck.
-Sure, the bounce isn't as effective as vs. Control, but a 2/2 blocker that also returns an attacker at instant speed is good. And in some games its like a Orim's Chant. Sure your opponet still gets to play spell, and they can still attack, but when you block the attacker, and bounce the spell, it smells like a Chant to me.

You got 2 Masticores, and they enter play after you have gained control over the board - in turn 5 the earliest. As for Teferi, turn 5 is way too late to stop aggro.
-Again, why "after you gained control over the board"? Masticore GIVES YOU CONTROL OF THE BOARD!

Deserts are good against faeries, certain goblin decks and rogues. Against Elves, Warriors, Elementals, Kithkin and Doran.deck they are not very useful.
- I would like you to go into further detail on that. Not to mention Kithkin, Elemental, Elves and Warriors are all crap anyway. Except a few lists from the latter two.

Urza's Factory is good in the later stages of the game, at the time any control deck should have better things to do than tapping out making a 2/2 creature.
-Ok, so lets say you both go into top deck mode. Would you rather A) Hope you don't draw your lands while your opponent is drawing creatures. Or B) Hold what you draw until you need it and EOT pop out a 2/2 attacker/blocker. Not to mention if a Teferi is in play, tapping out eot doesn't matter. Or the fact that you can do it EVERY TURN with ONE CARD.

Ancestral Vision is good in opening hand. After that it is sub-par."
-Card Advantage wins games. Early or late. Well, sometimes there are points when it is TOO late, but with MUC, your pushing for late anyway.