In KHANtrol

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Rotation is merely a week away. I gotta tell you I’m pretty excited. I’ve been doing a bit of brewing these last couple of weeks and I’d like to share with you some ideas for upcoming control decks in Post Khans Standard.

Sultai Control

(60) 4 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver 1 Garruk, Apex Predator 2 Nissa, Worldwaker 2 Kiora, The Crashing Wave 4 Dissolve 2 Hero’s Downfall 2 Sultai Charm 2 Clever Impersonator 4 Courser of Kruphix 2 Sylvan Caryatid 3 Thoughtseize 2 Prognostic Sphinx 2 Bile Blight 2 Drown in Sorrow 4 Polluted Delta 3 Island 3 Swamp 4 Temple of Mystery 3 Temple of Deceit 2 Temple of Malady 5 Forest 2 Llanwar Waste

Sultai Control uses Planeswalkers like Kiora, the Crashing Wave and Nissa, Worldwaker to stablize the board and ramp into Garruk, Apex Predator. Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver serves as an alternate win condition and a way to “gain” a few life of the course of the game. If left unchecked any of these Planeswalkers can take over the game. The deck will have some seriously problems with multiple large creatures, but the early meta its likely going to see a lot of swarm decks like Rabble Red and some versions of Mono Black beats. This should match up well against those and have a serious long game against other control decks.

Jeskai Control

(60) 2 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion 3 Sarkhan, The Dragonspeaker 4 Jace, The Living Guildpact 2 Chandra, Pyromaster 4 Dissolve 4 End Hostilities 4 Banishing Light 2  Jeskai Charm 2 Prognostic Sphinx 3 Anger of the Gods 2 Divination 1 Jace’s Ingenuity 1 Keranos, God of Storms 4 Flooded Strand 4 Plains 3 Island 4 Temple of Triumph 4 Temple of Enlightenment 2 Temple of Epiphany 2 Shivan Reef 2 Mountain 1  Battlefield Forge

Jeskai Control will lean heavily on its Wraths. Anger of the Gods and End Hostilities offer a good amount of board clearing, while Banishing Light deals with enemy Planeswalkers. Keranos, God of Storms offers constant card advantage or alternate wins. Elspeth, Sun’s Champion and Sarkhan, Dragon Speaker deal with opposing creatures. I really like Sarkhan because he out right kills Nissa, Worldwaker even if she comes out a turn before, We’ll likely never want his ultimate, unless its very late in the game. Jace helps with card selection and his bounce ability shouldn’t be scoffed at. Chandra, Pyromaster will net an extra “draw” each turn and that mean you’re more likely to hit land drops and be able to cast several cards a turn. I can see a turn 3 Anger into Jace or Chandra really putting and aggro deck on it’s heels. The question is whether or not this deck is fast enough in the early game to last until turn 4. Magma Jet and Spray might be main deck worthy and Lightning Strike might be an option that we need to make this deck work.

Esper Control

(60) 2 Sorin, Solemn Vistor 4 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver 2 Jace, The Living Guildpact 2 Elspeth Sun’s Champion 3 Banish the Light 3 Hero’s Downfall 4 End Hostilities 2 Drown in Sorrow 4 Dissolve 3 Divination 1 Jace’s Ingenuity 3 Thoughtseize 2 Pharika’s Cure 3 Flooded Strand 3 Polluted Delta 4 Plains 4 Swamp 4 Island 2 Temple of Deceit 3 Temple of Enlightenment 2 Temple of Silence

Esper gets the best mana for sure. Able to use 2 Fetchlands we can max out on basics and not run into being back a turn on mana for our wraths. That said the mana is really tough here, so many UU WW and BB spells. Elspeth and Sorin, Solemn Vistor make a really cute couple. Jace is still here for card selection which I think this deck sorely needs. Removal gets interesting… Banishing Light and Hero’s Downfall both can deal with Planeswalkers and creature threats. Pharika’s Cure helps us in the early game and Thoughtseize is a classic catch all. I’m not sold on Sphinx in this deck, but I’d likely run him in the board. Fetches also work with Jace here (and above) as you could see two cards you don’t like bin one and keep the other then shuffle for a chance at something new.

That’s  a starting point at least. Three Control decks. I’m excited for new standard, I think it’s gonna be really insane those first couple of weeks, and I know how much everyone leans on aggro to punish the folks trying to get fancy, but I think there’s nothing really fancy going on here. Clear the board, play a planeswalker, take over the board. What do you think? Are you playing a control deck in a different shard or wedge?

Zac Clark, Durdle Magus