It seems like this standard has some really powerful PWs and several decks aren't well-poised to handle them, especially in a control shell. I've never built a control deck before so I thought this would be a great place to start talking about it. While there are good PWs all over, I feel like the best colors for density are U/B/G, maybe with a splash of R for Chandra because she's just that good. Four colors seems more than reasonable with the current mana base. So let's start talking what this might look like and how it might win.
The Superfriends - these are your bread and butter, the thing that wins games. The biggest question, after "can this deck work?" is "how many of each do I play?" More below.
Jace, Cunning Castaway - I think there's value in this Jace, in the right deck. I don't necessarily think he should come down on curve. A three drop PW that has to go to 1 loyalty to protect themselves just doesn't work on curve, especially in a deck that's focusing on control rather than creatures. Ideally, we have spells to protect him as well, but playing into something on board is just asking for bad news. His ultimate is accessible and can make for some interesting decisions as the game progresses.
Nissa, Steward of Elements - I really like this Nissa. She can come in at cost of 3 with 3 loyalty (after the +2) and help find more answers. Her 0 helps us hit land drops (could allow us to cheat on some lands maybe?) and the occasional creature in our deck (few of them), and her ult can close the game in a hurry. I really like the ult when paired with Vraska's ult...
Nissa, Vital Force - this seems like a really strong sideboard option against another control deck. It provides a lava axe every turn, can get back planeswalkers we've lost, and turns into pretty nice card advantage with a super-cheap ultimate.
Vraska, Relic Seeker - I love this card. Everyone knows why it's good (self protection, fantastic ultimate, game-ending ult), we all suspect why it's mediocre (6cmc). I think, in a host of other PWs, she can really shine and force a bad decision from our opponent. Being able to ultimate Vraska and Steward Nissa, into a flyerless board, in the same turn, is living the dream.
The Second Team/Optional Starters Chandra, Torch of Defiance - she's just that good. If you're playing something that can pay red and includes PWs, Chandra should be a serious consideration. Her first +1 is either card advantage or just burn to the face. Her second +1 accelerates other walkers out (consider playing Chandra on T5, and, in T6 you float two red, play Vraska, still have mana up for Negate). The -3 is more removal (this thing is lousy with removal) and her ult is just busted. This is another PW that, in a field of them, can just win the game because the opponent makes a bad decision about where to spend their resources. "Do I send my creatures at Vraska or Chandra?!"
Gideon of the Trials - I like what this guy offers our gameplan, especially if we tend to take a while to get rolling. My main concern is the WW in his cost, especially if this deck ends up five colors, he may be one of the few white cards used and you definitely want him on curve if you can.
Liliana, Death's Majesty - I like the zombie she gives, I don't know that I see a strong use for discarding into the GY. Not playing a heavy creature strategy also works against her -3 strategy, though her ult is useful in its own way. Overall, this one doesn't mesh with a control plan.
Tezzeret the Schemer - he's here primarily because his colors match up to the others, but I can see him working. Creating "treasures" can accelerate Vraska out on turn five or even be an alternate wincon if this deck used a couple of Marionette Masters. His minus two could be decent removal but, overall, I don't think the deck will run enough artifacts to be worth the effort. He's bottom of the list.
The Shell
There's some obvious must-haves but also some considerations. One thing I haven't researched well is the possible validity of AHK split cards, that may be useful if this deck ends up playing Liliana.
The Creatures Champion of Wits - really strong initial blocker, comes back at huge value, gets answers whenever it enters the battlefield.
Torrential Gearhulk - ridiculous beater, gets answers, hard to respond to.
The Scarab God - while the best card in standard seems like an auto-include, I think the lack of a major creature package in this deck may mean he's relegated to the sideboard unless needed. I could see a one-of to hedge our bets. Then again maybe 2-3 is just always right in a meta that's 50% Energy Midrange or Aggression.
The Lands
This will come later once we verify a deck to test.
So that's my initial brain dump. Is four PWrs in the main sufficient to be called Superfriends? Is this viable or a dumpster fire?
I think the deck would be bad against RDW and temur. Maybe if you went temur yourself with an energy shell for whirler virtuoso you can block glory bringers and all reds little guys and just stay out or lighting strike range so they at least need to burn 2 spells on a walker.
Temur give you
Jace
Chandra
Nissa
Ug nissa
Energy shell of
Attune
Harness
Glimmer
Whirler
And i would try the blue pirate from kld or aer that adds counters when it attacks. Would let you ultimate chandra and jace the turn after playing them
So having watched Seth's build, I wasn't a huge fan. It seemed to be pushing a midrange agenda but with 'walkers instead of creatures. He was often left susceptible to counters, which it seems like every deck these days has in their sideboard, and even some in the main like with energy decks. Some of the 'walkers did cute things, like an Ajani ult, but not a ton of impact. I think I'd like to pursue this more focused build that employs the control shell with powerful 'walkers on the top end.
Have you considered Naya Engery Super Friends? GWR
I was playing Naya Superfriends before rotation, and it was a beast. In my local meta, it was a dreaded match up; a solid Tier 1.5 deck at the time and just off kilter enough to not have as many answers available for (and still have answers for everything else).
After rotation, I did briefly toy with a Naya Superfriends build; but I was short a Hualti, and overall I didn't really feel like I had the power to run it like I used to (The Naya Oaths were VERY powerful, and now we're just down to Oath of Ajani ). Maybe an energy package would help out; I think I was trying to push a dinosaur package instead but it didn't really work.
IIRC, it was a deck I basically tossed together, with 2 Gideons, 2 Chandra, 2 Nissas, 2 Ajani, 2 Samut, and 1 Huatli; along with cards to support them/help ramp/get them out faster. With as strong as Control is at the moment, I found I just didn't have enough to pull it off. (Not to mention lacking the room for critters to support Samut and Huatli)
I'm running/tuning an Esper tokens deck now, but maybe after the next set I'll toy with another Superfriends build. I've been steadily building up my friends collection to make sure I have those options when I want to shake things up again. I love the Superfriends style and may try a combo other than Naya when I go again.
So I've come up with a rough list. Ignore the sideboard for now, it's nothing to write home about. The main deck is the topic of consideration. It's a UB Control shell populated with 'walkers. My pressing concern is the viability of lands. Enemy pairings only existing in fast lands drive any wedge-based builds toward aggro/midrange since it turns a lot of draws into taplands. Still, this looks like fun. I wonder if it's not worth trimming for Attunes and a small energy package, like Glimmer.
The Superfriends - these are your bread and butter, the thing that wins games. The biggest question, after "can this deck work?" is "how many of each do I play?" More below.
Jace, Cunning Castaway - I think there's value in this Jace, in the right deck. I don't necessarily think he should come down on curve. A three drop PW that has to go to 1 loyalty to protect themselves just doesn't work on curve, especially in a deck that's focusing on control rather than creatures. Ideally, we have spells to protect him as well, but playing into something on board is just asking for bad news. His ultimate is accessible and can make for some interesting decisions as the game progresses.
Nissa, Steward of Elements - I really like this Nissa. She can come in at cost of 3 with 3 loyalty (after the +2) and help find more answers. Her 0 helps us hit land drops (could allow us to cheat on some lands maybe?) and the occasional creature in our deck (few of them), and her ult can close the game in a hurry. I really like the ult when paired with Vraska's ult...
Nissa, Vital Force - this seems like a really strong sideboard option against another control deck. It provides a lava axe every turn, can get back planeswalkers we've lost, and turns into pretty nice card advantage with a super-cheap ultimate.
Vraska, Relic Seeker - I love this card. Everyone knows why it's good (self protection, fantastic ultimate, game-ending ult), we all suspect why it's mediocre (6cmc). I think, in a host of other PWs, she can really shine and force a bad decision from our opponent. Being able to ultimate Vraska and Steward Nissa, into a flyerless board, in the same turn, is living the dream.
The Second Team/Optional Starters
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - she's just that good. If you're playing something that can pay red and includes PWs, Chandra should be a serious consideration. Her first +1 is either card advantage or just burn to the face. Her second +1 accelerates other walkers out (consider playing Chandra on T5, and, in T6 you float two red, play Vraska, still have mana up for Negate). The -3 is more removal (this thing is lousy with removal) and her ult is just busted. This is another PW that, in a field of them, can just win the game because the opponent makes a bad decision about where to spend their resources. "Do I send my creatures at Vraska or Chandra?!"
Gideon of the Trials - I like what this guy offers our gameplan, especially if we tend to take a while to get rolling. My main concern is the WW in his cost, especially if this deck ends up five colors, he may be one of the few white cards used and you definitely want him on curve if you can.
Liliana, Death's Majesty - I like the zombie she gives, I don't know that I see a strong use for discarding into the GY. Not playing a heavy creature strategy also works against her -3 strategy, though her ult is useful in its own way. Overall, this one doesn't mesh with a control plan.
Tezzeret the Schemer - he's here primarily because his colors match up to the others, but I can see him working. Creating "treasures" can accelerate Vraska out on turn five or even be an alternate wincon if this deck used a couple of Marionette Masters. His minus two could be decent removal but, overall, I don't think the deck will run enough artifacts to be worth the effort. He's bottom of the list.
The Shell
There's some obvious must-haves but also some considerations. One thing I haven't researched well is the possible validity of AHK split cards, that may be useful if this deck ends up playing Liliana.
Fatal Push
Opt
Censor
Negate
Disallow
Supreme Will
Vraska's Contempt
Search for Azcanta
Essence Scatter
Abrade
Vraska's Contempt
[cardBontu's Reckoning[/card]
Harnessed Lightning (not much energy support)
The Creatures
Champion of Wits - really strong initial blocker, comes back at huge value, gets answers whenever it enters the battlefield.
Torrential Gearhulk - ridiculous beater, gets answers, hard to respond to.
The Scarab God - while the best card in standard seems like an auto-include, I think the lack of a major creature package in this deck may mean he's relegated to the sideboard unless needed. I could see a one-of to hedge our bets. Then again maybe 2-3 is just always right in a meta that's 50% Energy Midrange or Aggression.
The Lands
This will come later once we verify a deck to test.
So that's my initial brain dump. Is four PWrs in the main sufficient to be called Superfriends? Is this viable or a dumpster fire?
Temur give you
Jace
Chandra
Nissa
Ug nissa
Energy shell of
Attune
Harness
Glimmer
Whirler
And i would try the blue pirate from kld or aer that adds counters when it attacks. Would let you ultimate chandra and jace the turn after playing them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsupNQ6G2ZU&t=127s
Oh snap. Nice.
C Long Live Eldrazi C
I was playing Naya Superfriends before rotation, and it was a beast. In my local meta, it was a dreaded match up; a solid Tier 1.5 deck at the time and just off kilter enough to not have as many answers available for (and still have answers for everything else).
After rotation, I did briefly toy with a Naya Superfriends build; but I was short a Hualti, and overall I didn't really feel like I had the power to run it like I used to (The Naya Oaths were VERY powerful, and now we're just down to Oath of Ajani ). Maybe an energy package would help out; I think I was trying to push a dinosaur package instead but it didn't really work.
IIRC, it was a deck I basically tossed together, with 2 Gideons, 2 Chandra, 2 Nissas, 2 Ajani, 2 Samut, and 1 Huatli; along with cards to support them/help ramp/get them out faster. With as strong as Control is at the moment, I found I just didn't have enough to pull it off. (Not to mention lacking the room for critters to support Samut and Huatli)
I'm running/tuning an Esper tokens deck now, but maybe after the next set I'll toy with another Superfriends build. I've been steadily building up my friends collection to make sure I have those options when I want to shake things up again. I love the Superfriends style and may try a combo other than Naya when I go again.
3 Blooming Marsh
4 Botanical Sanctum
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Evolving Wilds
4 Fetid Pools
1 Forest
5 Island
3 Swamp
Spells
4 Censor
4 Disallow
2 Essence Scatter
4 Fatal Push
1 Hieroglyphic Illumination
2 Search for Azcanta
3 Spell Pierce
2 Supreme Will
2 Vraska, Relic Seeker
3 Jace, Cunning Castaway
3 Nissa, Steward of Elements
2 Nissa, Vital Force
Creatures
2 Torrential Gearhulk
1 Entrancing Melody
3 Essence Extraction
2 Heart of Kiran
3 Negate
2 The Scarab God
So I've come up with a rough list. Ignore the sideboard for now, it's nothing to write home about. The main deck is the topic of consideration. It's a UB Control shell populated with 'walkers. My pressing concern is the viability of lands. Enemy pairings only existing in fast lands drive any wedge-based builds toward aggro/midrange since it turns a lot of draws into taplands. Still, this looks like fun. I wonder if it's not worth trimming for Attunes and a small energy package, like Glimmer.
Any thoughts on the build?