Blue-Black Two-Fold Control Deck Guide

So this deck is probably the meanest one I’ve cooked up yet and one of the last I will share amongst you all. The main purpose of this deck is not to bully, or win through force, or drown them in tokens. In fact, this deck, if played well, will carry you right to the brink of defeat and then throw it back in their faces. The main gimmick of this deck is card theft by the only two ways available to us; mill and mind control. This is a Blue-Black deck that has only mill cards and mind control cards, so that you can prepare and counter any combination. The mill prevents the opponent from early game building, and will be majority of your lower cost cards.

The mind control is to shore up mill deck’s greatest weakness; “what do I do now that he or she has what they need to win already?” At that point, it becomes a race to get them to cut their entire deck, but now you don’t need to worry about that outcome, in fact you will welcome it. The perfect analogy for this deck is like a mousetrap, but one that you want the mouse to avoid for as long as possible because the longer it takes for them to enter the trap the more cards you can mill. Eventually, they will put their foot down and place a card that either does damage or prevent milling in some fashion. That’s when you will cast your mind control cards. Eventually, I’ll talk of the most needed cards but not yet. Now some people will say, “Oh but there is only one blue card that allows you to kidnap another card.” And that’s true, but with Glasspool Mimic, Reflections of Litajara, and Mystic Reflections you are able to produce as many copies as you need. Another great card is Trickster’s Trinket which allows you to sacrifice it to create a copy of the card it’s attached too.

The Specs

Followed are the most important cards in this deck: Ruin Crab, Glasspool Mimic, Mind-Flayer, Mystic Reflections, Soaring thought-thief, Merfolk Windrobber, Holographic Double, Replication Specialist, Screaming Swarm, Maddening Cacophany These cards all work towards three things: mill, duplicate, and card-theft. With this being a blue-black deck, you can also pad the deck with numerous counter or kill cards to keep the board as clean as you need it until you have the mana to spend towards the card theft cards. Like all decks I make, I like to give you the core components so you can determine how you want to support them. You have the space to add those instants and sorceries, or you can pad your deck with deathtouch minions so you can keep board control through more basic means.

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Ways to Win

I don’t need to spend too much time explaining just how this deck succeeds, but I will spend time talking about how that win will come about because it might be a different pace and play-style that you’re accustomed too. Playing this deck correctly will mean you are in for a long game. You have to accept that because milling takes a while to get dangerous, and it takes even more time for them to build when you’re sending all their cards to the graveyard. Not to mention, the control cards are only there to prevent them from pushing through your milling practice and keep their strong cards out of play.

To that end, don’t be impatient while playing this deck. Be as annoying as possible, because this deck will often win by the other conceding. The truth is, nobody likes a mill deck. They’re annoying to play against and they will like it even less when you spend all your mana each turn preventing them from casting anything. So, however long it takes to get them to quit out of frustration the better. I’ve played this deck in ranked and the most dangerous part of the game is early game. You must control the board for the entirety of the game or your defenses will fall apart. Which brings us to the next topic.

The Weaknesses

So as I’ve just said, this decks worst weakness is the beginning. That’s why I pad my deck with rune wall and other one cost throw-aways. Keep in mind nearly all of your mill creature cards are two cost and under so that works well to your own favor. You will know by turn four-six if you are in control of the board. And if the outcome is shaky then by then you will already have the mana necessary for a board wipe spell. After all, your entire deck save for your duplicate and steal cards are all very low cost, so starting over is no big thing on your end. Also, don’t look at a boardwipe as frustrating or a massive set back, because the longer it takes for them to build, the more chances you have to mill their deck down to zero.

Rarely will you win via milling, for whenever the opponent feels like it’s coming, they naturally forfeit; but it’s a good way to keep their hands small, their options limited, and further corner them into an unwinnable situation. Not to mention, while many will speak of how ill of a mind-set this is, don’t dismiss the power of frustration. I usually sit just under mythic in all my seasons, and even as a diamond player, I will forfeit if I feel like a game will only raise my blood pressure. Frustration is one of the best things you can play for because you know it is constantly building. Which is why packing counter spells is so critical, beyond just controlling the board.

Final Note

Don’t expect a good win ratio with this deck unless you do some fine-tuning. Its weakness is glaring and a red deck is a natural counter to this build. And try it out for a short time. If it’s not your play-style or pace I understand and there’s no big deal, and if this is a dream deck for you, well then you’re probably a sadist and a troll. Not an online troll but an actual, living under a bridge, pay-my-toll, troll. Which makes me an even bigger troll for making it at 3am but at 3am I either wish to see the world burn or see it pay in some small fashion. So enjoy this deck that’s main goal is to piss people off and winning being a second, much lower, by-product of the first.