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!

[@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!

[@AshBMX2011]

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

[@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 :)

[@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!

[@Hoxtem]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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?

[@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.

[@domramon7797]

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

[@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 :)

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@MovedAsMountains]

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

[@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.

[@ThunderBirdJack]

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

[@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.

[@nightmaresand808s]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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?

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@maxmetzger1261]

man that song! nice work Dev!

[@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

[@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

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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"

[@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?

[@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.

[@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, :)

[@mtgdove400]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@keenanmccracken6758]

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

[@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.

[@pacree1015]

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

[@treyphilly000]

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

[@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

[@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

[@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.

[@skynexus9933]

have have you thought about bant pan of scions combo deck

[@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?

[@josephcarlyle8258]

would Heart of Kiran work in this deck?

[@edgypancreas1839]

Joseph Carlyle yes, i like more than aethersphere havester.

[@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...

[@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!!

[@derekroberts5931]

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

[@commander_k7748]

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

[@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.

[@Tasluder6]

What about Sin Prodder in this deck?

[@damiansilipo13]

Could some one explain how you would stop "the combo" with this deck?

[@tylerbfro6778]

Yea I made the deck it's on star city Columbus ivatational last week lost leg and shock I main boarded 2 fire temper then u rely on ur Bomat and scrapheap and hope u get lands while they build up there lands to counter oh and transgress

[@SBMTG]

Literally any card that can destroy Felidar Guardian at instant speed (grasp, disintegration, murder, etc) and Shock, which can kill Saheeli in response to her -2

[@damiansilipo13]

Sorry, relatively new to the game, but doesn't Felidars ability go off as it enters the battlefield, and doesn't it have to be on the field to be a target to the removal? I guess they could still flicker Saheeli and just not have a target? (Love the videos by the way)

[@SBMTG]

If Guardians' ETB trigger is on the stack that means that Guardian has resolved and is a legal target for removal. Forgive me for assuming, but it sounds like you think that creatures with ETB abilities aren't yet on the battlefield when their ETB triggers go off. They are

[@damiansilipo13]

Yup there it is. That is why I was confused. Thank you for the clarification and speedy response!

[@Luiszasa]

Succumb to temptetion aren't better than live fast?

[@TomsThoughtsonThings]

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

[@pietrociompi5883]

It was for Ob :)

[@daltonpage240]

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

[@cicjose6016]

cant wait for the next standard tournament!

[@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?

[@mouse2588]

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

[@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

[@terrymccorry8849]

Dude rakdos control, strokin at my heart strangs!

[@dungeonmizer7394]

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

[@Venthryx]

LOVE YOUR T-SHIRTS!

[@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

[@Roflcopterlsw]

God this deck looks crazy fun and right up my street. anyone have any ideas about making the deck a bit more budget ? Any of those $10+ cards are a bit too brutal on the wallet so any relacement /tweaks anyone would recommend ?

[@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....

[@Johnykiller23]

How do you feel about combustible gearhulk instead of noxious.

[@mattchiarizia9647]

I love the Jund build diea!!!

[@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?

[@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.

[@mtgdove400]

can we get a update for HOD please DEV!!!!!!

[@davispruisman2516]

Where's the RW Siege Modification deck tech??

[@Alexrecordings]

so many planeswalkers you could totally put in heart of kiran somewhere.... i dont really know how i feel about the yahenni yet

[@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!

[@artart-my2dv]

Please give us more of that lyrical fire.

[@ianm5448]

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

[@loganfrazier1187]

jund control sounds real fun now

[@bradenlayne7409]

how much to build?

[@wiblefbody90]

im playing mardu control and every game i play i won or tied. i didnt win every round but finished on top. haven't played against all the standard decks either.

[@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

[@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.

[@EndShift1]

What about playing with red expertise and wrangle? Wrangle/expertise + Yahenne => attack with two creatures, then destroy an opponent creature)

[@josephsanborn5166]

EndShift1 you would be killing those creatures as if they where your own so no counters would go onto yaheni

[@MrBrandonra]

you should do creature steal deck i just made one and its super fun and super budget

[@lewisawatson3958]

is dev's music on soundcloud?

[@nthnppps]

standard tribal constructs ?

[@HunterWilliamCooper]

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

[@lewisawatson3958]

wow where can I get a two dollar lili

[@Midnightv]

I just want your mixtape. Please dev please