Mtg Deck Tech: B/R Control in Aether Revolt Standard!

[@SBMTG]

I wish Liliana was $2 lol. Try more like $30-$35

[@steven.youngson]

Strictly Better MtG I was just about to ask you where you shop for cards with prices like that 😂

[@blazenjestergames4025]

Ah we all make mistakes here and there good video though!

[@johntodd7495]

Strictly Better MtG I stopped your video and shot to star city when I seen the $2.00 price tag in super speed... that's so standard that a card would Flux like overnight great deck Dev thanks for sharing

[@mouse2588]

Strictly Better MtG yes do jund and/or abzan every season if you can!

[@Chris-Collectible]

are you going ever make a Aetherborn tribal deck soon or later

[@JeremyDeere]

Decks on decks on decks lately! Thanks!!! You are a Star!

[@BergeMusic1]

Love B/R. Love your videos, Dev! Mostly because you keep it about MTG and not the "community drama" or any of that other bull. Keep it up, bud

[@BergeMusic1]

Also, ran this deck last night to a 1-2 finish. Despite the losses, I loved the deck. I had the opponents on the fence the whole time (4-5 life) and then just drew poorly. Good against B/G, good against energy except Hydra like you said, and I lost round 3 to a ridiculous Paradox Engine/Reservoir deck that I had zero answers to. Overall a fun deck!

[@AshBMX2011]

now this looks like a deck I could get behind. awesome work Dev

[@sepeterson86]

Dev, you should look into Grixis tower control. I've been watching streamers play with it and it's actually very good. Another deck that's GAS is UR Emerge. It shouldn't be TOO MUCH to build. One last thing to consider looking at is Saheeli with Elder deep fiend. Rumors are flying around that it's BACKBREAKING.

[@dannystacey3456]

I've been running a deck like this but more spell and walker based and got some good results so far! Keep up the good work Dev :)

[@Zed-Corps]

you are an amazing deck builder, I say that you are the most important KZbinr for us casual players. Keep on deck teching!

[@chrislace212]

Just want to let you know dev I Took B/R control to my fnm and dominated the deck is nasty it had a answer for everything I'm taking U/R zombie thank you for all the info and bad ass deck techs keep it up bro

[@Hoxtem]

got out of bed today and picked this all up from my local store! this is the deck ive been waiting for

[@themuffindragon]

This seems awesome! I think because the meta is so heavily defined by two specific decks right now there should be room for a deck to come out at the PT which is strong against both of them.

[@pietrociompi5883]

I played BR control from Eldritch Moon because I'm in love with Kalitas and Dark Dwellers together. In Kaladesh we were destructed by vehicles but now it seems to be very solid with expertise afterboard, and harvester is niiice :)

[@alxdegroot]

another very nice deck tech! thanks for all your great work Dev. Have you ever considered doing a video to show the match up between two of your decks?

[@chuckmanders3635]

Hey Dev. After 30 rounds of play testing with this deck. Here are the changes I've made that have worked for me. I removed all 4 scrap heap scrounger in exchange for a play set of glint sleeve siphoner. Don't let this lil guy fool you, he ain't no "bob" but in most matches, he will draw you a good amount of cards. I also removed both yahenni, Undying Partisan, and substituted with 2 copies of yahenni's expertise. Yep, I put it in the mainboard, because there are tons of decks in standard trying to go wide. BW servo's, and gw humans and gw tokens are especially popular matchups i faced.

[@YearOfTheSwagon]

I was just brewing this in my head. You're the man!

[@domramon7797]

Kefka's theme on the intro made the video better than it already is. Gratz dude

[@ong5589]

The rap is so nice, Dev. Never missed those opening once.

[@mr.spiceguy4655]

I've pretty much been taking a back seat in the Kaladesh block, but I really like this deck. I can't wait for Amonkhet! I will probably be sinking my money into new decks when it comes out.

[@Grimm_HD]

This looks super sweet, if I wasn't locked into my deck for the PPTQ I'm going to this Saturday I would play this, I still might. I honestly would love to see something other than Saheeli or counters win protour but we shall see, there are quite a few control lists running around but none like this.As always great job Dev, this is probably going to be the next deck I play after Saturday if I don't play it then.

[@ThunderBirdJack]

Can I have a play set of those $2 Liliana?

[@MTGMindGames]

Wild.. This is so close to the same list I play at my local meta. I was planning on doing a video on my deck, but it's slightly different. I'll still post my video, but it's insane how close these decks are/how they play vs the meta. I guess it's not a complete surprise though, considering they answer the same types of decks in the meta.. and those answers are cohesive across these colors. I love this deck.

[@ryancolburn8426]

I built the Jund version and I think it works very very well. takes down combo, takes down counters, and most Rouge brews. u should make a video with a Jund build to compare

[@MovedAsMountains]

My first deck 😂 all the feels 🙌 thanks for this one SBMTG.

[@Dan_D380]

Hey Des, at 7:45 you go: "everything she does..." I was SO hoping you would end this with: "is magic" Get it? Like the song? Because you're making a MAGIC the Gathering video :) Thank you, i'll be here all week *gracefully bows"

[@christopherstorey1125]

I was working on something the last couple days, B/R removal/control with elements of theft interlaced. I was using Vamps (for some madness elements) and Dark Dwellers as the creatures and not happy with the Vamps. I mishmashed the two decks together real quick (mana base the same) and this is what it looks like: 4 Altar's Reap 4 Grasp of Darkness 4 Scrapheap Scrounger 4 Wrangle 2 Aethersphere Harvester 2 Kari Zev's Expertise 1 Ruinous Path 3 Unlicensed Disintegration 2 Yahenni, Undying Partisan 2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet 3 Goblin Dark-Dwellers 2 Chandra, Flamecaller 2 Noxious Gearhulk Kari Zev's expertise lets you cast Altar's Reap on their creature for free, or Wrangle another, or cast Scrounger/Aethersphere. It basically comes at the price of additional removal/planeswalkers, but is more budget and Altar's reap after a Kari's Expertise or Wrangle is removal/draw/annoy your opponent. Not a better build at all, but cheap and fun

[@vexxbane6172]

How do you feel about grixis Dev? I feel not adding blue just makes the deck not as good as it could be. I would love to see a grixis list from you.

[@nightmaresand808s]

Can you record videos of you testing all these decks you make?

[@TheGameOver222]

Thanks for an awesome video. I actually have a more control version of this before Aether Revolt that worked well. I shall try a few suggestions of this list to make it faster. How come no Transgress the Mind though?

[@MrGorillafist]

Crap I completely forgot the pro tour was on in Dublin this week. I live in Ireland and this is probably the closest I'll be to a pro tour. Dang it.

[@drummerjosh901]

Had been exclusively playing GB counters until you put this up. Love playing this deck, just wish I had the money to put it together IRL!

[@plexuskin]

after the pt Dublin...what jund versions or adjustments would you make...looking to shock my local shops after gameday. any ideas would be welcome.

[@maxmetzger1261]

man that song! nice work Dev!

[@grahamastor4194]

Nice! A control deck (or is that a Removal deck) with a reasonable complement of creatures/vehicles. Could I suggest that you swap out a copy of Liliana for Sorin, Grim Nemesis? His +1 is additional damage t the face; -X damage to creature/planeswalker; -9 tokens to sac to Kalitas/Yahenni. Great bonuses to Planeswalker removal and ultimate works with both Legendary Vampires. You get the W from either Aether Hub or by subbing a Needle Spires and a Shambling Vent in place of 2 of the lands. Your thoughts? Thanks for another interesting build.

[@kenthershberger6158]

I was trying to brew a jund deck because I love Goblin Dark Dwellers and unlicensed disentagration so I was basically adding those to BG. Just going BR might be more streamlined though.

[@keenanmccracken6758]

Glint Sleeve Siphoner didnt make the cut? Does it just get in the way of scrapheap scrounger?

[@jorgenieves236]

So, I have been having trouble with Scrapheap Scrounger, mainly because it can't block. I have more than once run into a situation where I didn't have any removal and I can't do anything against an attacker with Scrapheap Scrounger on the board. Do you think replacing it with Relentless Dead in the 2 mana slot would be a bad idea to make up for this?

[@tylerdunson7009]

Your videos are pretty helpful. Thank you.

[@jortikkaa568]

So if token creatures go to the GY when they die, before being exiled, can they be used to bring back Scrounger?

[@SmugLookingBarrel]

I think you should go Grixis with this. If nothing else, adding a third colour allows for Painful Truths and Radiant Flames, but it also gives you an amazing draw spell in Glimmer of Genius, another bomb creature in Torrential Gearhulk (which can also act as removal), and of course blue gives you access to counterspells.

[@lasrean]

I've been working on a similar brew, but I didn't think of Dark Dwellers...everyone goes on about the blue gearhulks and how awesome they are, how did I forget about the gearhulks smaller and slightly more versatile goblin cousin? Question for you though, Dev: Yahenni and Kalitas are an awesome match up, given Yahenni (and also Gifted Aetherborn, for that matter) is also a vampire, would Stensia Masquerade be a viable option?

[@call2theender]

i should have posted this sooner but i ran this deck on game day for aether revolt and went 4-0 with it. i am really interested in what ur going to brew with the new set coming out

[@ironocy496]

You are on to something here. I think it would totally be worth splashing a third color, possibly blue, so you can play Painful Truths and Radiant Flames. Seems really good.

[@TheWholeBoxandDice]

Really like this, I built something similar with a more intense energy theme and 4 copies of DVT, shock, incendiary flow etc to keep the face damage high. I really want to see tribal mimic have a go, obviously, Naya humans is strong but I think U/W Horror is really interesting as well with Brisela shutting down most decks.

[@joejaboy]

I've been working on a grixis control build. It's tough because it's hard to find the right balance of counters, draw and removal.

[@dylanmukhar3927]

I like this deck idea. I believe your more consistent going just B/R. But I have a suggested deck I've been playing different variants of it for quite some time and it's good against most of the format. It's weak against saheeli game 1. But there are still some pretty cool ways to stop the combo! BUG PIGGY Creatures 4 haunted dead 4 prized amalgam 4 grim flayer 4 scrap heap scrounger 3 elder Deep fiend 1 ishkana 1 decimator of the providences Planeswalkers 2 Kiora master of the depths Spells 4 vessel of nascency 3 traverse the uvenwald 3 grapple with the past 2 kozileks return 2 grapple with the past 1 to the slaughter Lands 22 4 blooming marsh 2 botanical sanctum 2 hissing quagmire 2 lumbering falls 1 gier reach sanitarium 2 sanctum of ugin 3 evolving wilds 2 forest 2 swamp 2 island - 22 lands may seem low but from experience you dig so much that 22 lands is all you need! The most mana you need is 6 and there is rarely a time where you don't have two of a color. The deck runs smooth. Still not too sure on all the sideboard, but I'm running: 2 Kalitas 2 negate 2 distended mindbender 2 transgress the mind 2 list legacy 2 ruinous path 1 appetite for the unnatural 1 mountain 1 kozileks return Hope you enjoy it! (Yes I know It has 0 cards from wether revolt I just feel it didn't need anything from the set) Cool B/R control deck dev i really like it!!

[@marknichols2413]

I know this is going a while back, but did you ever do a Docent of perfection/wizards deck? That seems fun. Love your vids BTW, keep em coming!

[@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299]

Finally a Rakdos deck:) So many cool aggro Black/Red cards this block

[@boxhead3505]

The red expertise spell would go good with this since if you have yahenni out you can gain control of the opponents creature, attack with it, then sac it so it dies. So much value and you still get to play a free 2 mana cost spell

[@plexuskin]

after a few gp's how would you adjust this deck...i am going to play this deck this week in a tournament...my local meta is spread out with the big 3 plus g/w humans...any ideas? and i will let you know hiw it goes...

[@dforestation2064]

This deck is very similar to the Mardu control deck I've been running since Kaladesh was released. I include white for Stasis Snare and Fragmentise and the w/r and w/b creature lands. Also, instead of Live Fast I use Morbid Curiosity.

[@Johnykiller23]

How do you feel about combustible gearhulk instead of noxious.

[@ianm5448]

I've been working on a Jund counters deck since aether revolt dropped! Could I send it to you for review?

[@calebmoberg192]

I'm experimenting with a Mardu Humans deck right now. If you did a deck tech on something like this that would be awesome.

[@HunterWilliamCooper]

Is there some program you use to grade the decks, or just your own concoction?

[@derekroberts5931]

Also green black. Gearhulk, beast caller, catacomb, winding, etc.

[@dungeonmizer7394]

what do you think of the deck after Mardu vehicles won? Any changes you would make to the deck?

[@mtgdove400]

for the control match up how come there is no transgress the mind is lost legacy enough ?.

[@terrymccorry8849]

Dude rakdos control, strokin at my heart strangs!

[@about99ninjas56]

i just want my black blue improvise deck to work. hope of ghirapur plus a turn 3 tezzerets touch for a turn 3 5/5 flyer with a counter ability is so fun to get on the table.

[@afterburn819]

i like the deck but its weird to have scrapheap scrounger if youre a control deck. It's more aggressive and it has to rely on aethersphere harvester for it to be good to protect you. Im really interested to try this deck though.

[@TomsThoughtsonThings]

I haven't checked in a while, but I don't think Liliana has reached $2...

[@pietrociompi5883]

It was for Ob :)

[@cicjose6016]

cant wait for the next standard tournament!

[@kevinmann1886]

Did you play this deck recently on MTGO? I played against this exact deck the other day.

[@ryansmith-gv7li]

deck is great went 3-1 at fnm lost to saheeli combo it dismantled anything g/b tried to do delirium or counters

[@skynexus9933]

have have you thought about bant pan of scions combo deck

[@Venthryx]

LOVE YOUR T-SHIRTS!

[@outcomeagent]

what about 1 black 1 red gearhulk? damage to the face or some extra card draw. also do you think bomat has a place in here or is it to risky?

[@outcomeagent]

relentless dead instead of scrounge?

[@MetallerAaron]

hey Dev, just out of interest, what's your favourite card from each set in standard atm?

[@josephcarlyle8258]

would Heart of Kiran work in this deck?

[@edgypancreas1839]

Joseph Carlyle yes, i like more than aethersphere havester.

[@garethm9523]

Great deck Dev! I have a lot of this but no planeswalkers, does anyone have any budget/easier to grt alternatives? as it means my B/R land base is now no longer redundant.

[@BennyBartez]

Gareth M Ob nixilis is quite cheap. ☺

[@garethm9523]

Benny Bartez so 5 Ob Nix? 😉 I know he is pretty cheap

[@iSpitboxer]

Gareth M the 6 drop Chandra!

[@BennyBartez]

Just a few different options to consider... not sure if they fit into this deck, but if you want budget powerful alternate win conditions then here's a few: Skysovereign flagship $5, combustible gearhulk $4, Demon of dark schemes $1.49, Dragonmaster outcast $3, Gonti, Lord $0.59, Sin prodder $1.49, Noosegraf mob $0.49, Skyship stalker $0.49, Freejam regent $0.49, :)

[@mattchiarizia9647]

I love the Jund build diea!!!

[@shaggyrogers7453]

could ya remake the death and taxes deck from kaladash when ya get a chance BC black white is my favorite color combo and the deck that u showed from kdh I played that in the standard showdown and I won almost all of them and keep up the good work ur one of a hella good MTG YT

[@Caspian4494]

I hope the colorless eldrazzi agro deck shows up and dominates. i put it together again and its working so well. im using 4 mimic, 4 reshaper, 4 seer, 4 smasher, 2 endbringer, 4 walker of the wastes and 4 endless one. 4 titans presence and 4 wail and 4 spacial contortion for removal and then ulamog and kozilek. easy to put together and easy to run. and it wins.

[@scholtzspider]

Bj Bram But then you have to play Eldrazi, which means you always loose :P

[@brucewinchell11]

Is transgress the mind worth running against the combo? I was thinking it works pretty well as proactive removal for both pieces of the combo and in a control mirror but I haven't seen many black control decks using it

[@hatcherp1393]

Main board lost legacy

[@brucewinchell11]

Jay Hatcher see that's where I'm a little confused. When shota yasooka won pro tour kaladesh with grixis control he was using transgress the mind instead. Was it because he felt there would be a lot of control decks using torrential gearhulk which lost legacy can't target?

[@brucewinchell11]

Jay Hatcher true. And maybe for pt kal control was the deck to beat but now it's saheeli combo and bg counters and lost legacy works fine on those. So given how the format has changed I think you're right that LL is the way to go

[@Tasluder6]

What about Sin Prodder in this deck?

[@treyphilly000]

grixis with tor gearhulk instead of noxious? with dark dwellers the reoccurance would be insanity! (plus you get man lands)

[@IndividuumNot]

what is this deck going to do against saheeli combo? id take out the scrapheaps and swap them for a playset of ballistas. good manasink in lategame, can recure them with lili, can shoot saheeli or small creatures or burn for the win.

[@SBMTG]

Well we do have 12 ways of disrupting Saheeli combo at instant speed

[@Cordjacke]

hey, why not playing "fatal push" over "shock" in mainboard? Are Saheeli decks more common than GB Counters and Mardu Vehicles?

[@Cordjacke]

ok I see, thx for answer!

[@Luiszasa]

Succumb to temptetion aren't better than live fast?

[@daltonpage240]

Why don't you use lightning bolt instead or shock?

[@zlfromhell]

Okay so I know this is a little bit unrelated, though not totally (great video by the way) but Idk where else to turn to other than the internet. I usually don't post or comment (I'm more of a scroller) The question for anyone reading this is. How do you feel about the community of MTG? Because I really like the game. I like building decks, thinking up strategys, coming here to watch videos on the latest on everything, It's a lot of fun. The community really tweaks me out though. Everytime I go to my local store I end up feeling like "What the fuck I am doing here?" I feel as though people aren't just enjoying the game, they aren't just into it or like being competitive, no no no. They are like Smeagle and the fucking ring. They see nothing outside of this and I'm trying to get some opinions on this. Is it the same everywhere? Is it just me? Any other suggestion or ideas would be cool, thanks.

[@k2thayle]

jimi hendrix some players are strange. where do you live?

[@zlfromhell]

Kyle smith, If I had a buddy I think it would be a bit less weird. I mean, I'm not one to judge at all. I try to talk, get along, have a good time, but yeah. It seems like some are, it's very do or die. I always see the same people in there, like they live there. Anyone you try to talk shop with, especially the workers, are super know it alls and accept no means of creativity. Nothing different only what is and what is currently going. I'm always trying to find an edge. Come in from a totally different angle. I'm from PA.

[@k2thayle]

The "meta" as it is referred to is a very real thing. Just depends on the competition level at your LGS. If you are into more casual and creative play I would suggest getting into commander/EDH!

[@zlfromhell]

Kyle Smith Yeah I know about meta. The only way there is a meta is because people create strategies. So who's to say someone can't create something that isn't thought of. I feel it happens more often then what is said.

[@k2thayle]

Definitely keep brewing! Make something unique and beat all their butts!

[@linksmysteries3050]

So you think this is better than the blue black control deck you did a few weeks ago

[@lewisawatson3958]

is dev's music on soundcloud?

[@Metawrecker]

How do you feel about the matchup against green white tokens after board? (Percentage wise?)

[@pietrociompi5883]

I think you are 40/60 under afret board. In my experience at least. But if you don't see any expertises you lose mostly all the times. I won a game 3 with the golden play: Expertise into to the slaughter, wiped al tokens and got gideon down.

[@JMSginoclave]

What about that 1bb instant from Eldritch Moon with sexy art instead of Live Fast? I think the energy isn't that relevant, but the instant speed probably is.

[@BasketballLover312]

This was my first thought. holding onto removal or keeping the opponent thinking you have removal is more important than 2 energy that isn't that impactful.

[@pacree1015]

dev can you make a combo deck with secret salvage and hedron alignment

[@commander_k7748]

Playing black/red and it's not aggro.... i'm not sure how to feel about this :/

[@crashtestcowboy1]

Great build, after watching the SCG tourney though I'm not sure it has the legs once the copy cat decks get to 4 mana. They just sit back, counter till they can drop gear hulk & glimmer...they present zero targets to remove, and once you have the mana to get threats online, they also have the counter mana...Lilli might be the only doable win con....very few rounds were won by turn four combo considering how many were running a build of it.....it seemed like they used the constant bluff of the combo to keep opponents (except b/r zombies) from doing anything in order to keep removal up. Just my opinion though....

[@mouse2588]

ever season you should do a non-budget Jund and/or Abzan in standard. I think that would be really cool.

[@artart-my2dv]

Please give us more of that lyrical fire.

[@sandwich117FTW]

is orzhov any good right now?

[@ernestocruz8793]

Man do you think is worth it going Jund in order to add Season Past? The card is legit specially against other grind control Matches, also adds manlands and sylvan advocate to the equation along with pulse of murasa

[@dullestpenguin4151]

I ilke it. If you wanted to you would only need to splash green so the mana base wouldn't be hurt too bad. You have Aether Hub and Evolving Wilds, through in a one of forest and maybe a Hiissing Quagmire or two..

[@nthnppps]

standard tribal constructs ?

[@davispruisman2516]

Where's the RW Siege Modification deck tech??

[@Zed-Corps]

Will Chandra father will ever be printed and what set?

[@FiiSKiiS]

He was, in Origins. Now he ded.

[@rafael_sekia]

I know it doesn't sinergize very well with unlicensed disintegration, but to me eternal scourge seems like a better idea than scrapheap scrounger, since the deck is so light on creatures

[@MrToadpond]

+Strictly Better MtG What do you think of a GW servos go wide deck?

[@600pers]

I feel like Lost Legacy is sort of overlooked as a way to shut down the Saheeli combo. If you go first you can exile every copy of Felidar Guardian by turn three before your opponent can even cast him.

[@erniebreiner4971]

Dev, would you be willing to share what editing software you use?

[@SBMTG]

Wondershare. It's free

[@erniebreiner4971]

Strictly Better MtG thanks!

[@stefanhuemer3770]

Hey Dev! This has probably been answered before but I would like to know with which software/site you build your decks or if you are more like a pen and paper kind of guy? If anyone else could suggest me a good deck builder i would be very happy too :)

[@ProfesserTNT]

Prereleased Chocolate Bar when he brews he uses pen and paper. But playtesting, he uses xmage

[@lazyloonie123]

Pretty sure he said he is old fashion and uses pen and paper.

[@kaylalosch7272]

When did mid-range become "control"? I've noticed this transition over the past few years.

[@SBMTG]

Depends on the removal package. Decks that prioritize removal (like ours or Abzan Control from Dragons) = control. Decks that prioritize threats (like GB Counters or RG Monsters from Theros) = midrange

[@kaylalosch7272]

Ok, I think I'm still stuck in the mindset of "control" having very few if any creatures. Example would be AEtherling Esper. Thank you for the clarification. Love the videos and thank you for being so good about responding to questions.