• Scattered Groves replaces Temple Garden
• Ash Barrens replaces Safewright Quest
• Jade Mage replaces Selesnya Guildmage
The +1/+1 mode just isn't as good when the core creatures are growing to be more spread out. Repeatable 1/1 chump blockers is the most appealing part of this and doubling at 6 and 9 being achievable makes this a good swap.
• Gnarlwood Dryad replaces Death-Hood Cobra
With multiplayer, this is attacking less, so having to hold up mana for deathtouch makes the snake pretty bad, even if it can block fliers. This one turns into a threat when drawn late to help end games.
• Deathcap Cultivator replaces Avacyn's Pilgrim
This solves the problem of bad mana dorks. In smaller settings, 1/1 bodies can be made relevant fairly easily. This setting needs more longevity when flooding out late. Deathtouch is natural even if this change prevents the deck from moonlighting as a commander deck.
• Clear Shot replaces Dromoka's Command
This is a questionable change, but it makes it harder for this to 2-for-1 combat tricks, allows it to BE a combat trick, and allows deathtouch creatures to damage big creatures without dying. The blow out scenario is also lessened with awkward interactions with removing aura-based removal in combat.
• Choking Restraints replaces Contagion Glasp
This interacts with a slightly different set of threats. Instead of being expensive and targeting utility creatures, it's cheap, and stops big creatures before being a mana sink to deal with creatures with abilities late.
• Provoke replaces Detainment Spell
Doesn't answer threats as easily, but allows social play and deals with utility creatures with no card cost.
• Blessed Alliance replaces Martial Law
This interacts with a slightly different set of threats but does untap creatures tapped down by tappers. Detain is awkward and was ultimately just a 1 for 1.
• Faith Unbroken replaces Vow of Duty
This has better gameplay as the vow typically clogged the board and didn't answer utility creatures. This cleans up utility creatures decently, especially those that accrue value over time.
• Elder of Laurels replaces Seedcradle Witch
This is less-dependent on the ability to ward off early plays and is less of an oppressive ability.
• Unstable Obelisk replaces Selesnya Keyrune
This is more tension and ramp-desiring / pay off. This may be less useful midgame though. This is one of the few remaining ways of getting an aura off your big threat.
• Become Immense replaces Beast Within
This targets combat rather than being efficient, flexible removal. This slot no longer destroys auras and doesn't leave behind a 3/3 token to be dealt with.
• Prepare // Fight replaces Test of Faith
Untap combat trick has more play to it than a flash aura that eats deathtouchers.
• Ainok Bond-Kin replaces Phyrexian Revoker
Early game 2/1s are just bad now and utility creatures are less important than in 1v1
• Heliod's Emissary replaces Wiltleaf Cavaliers
Aggro needs a bit more assist than beefy vigilance. This is now a mana sink and adds to delirium
• Benevolent Offering replaces Briarhorn
Testing out flying tokens and life gain. Might be too much of a liability, but Briarhorn was always too much of a blow out.
• Dragonscale General replaces Auriok Bladewarden
Trying something new.
• Sentinel of the Eternal Watch replaces Coalition Honor Guard
Flagbearers are significantly more awkward in multiplayer where they prevent opponents from killing each other's creatures.
• Conifer Strider replaces Acidic Slime
• Domesticated Hydra replaces Kavu Primarch
Golgari Decoy is now on the watch list because there are very few things it can actually interact against in a satisfying way compared to before. I think there are fewer permanent buffs it can acquire but it still may have enough buffs for it to be usable.
What kind of environment could exist for blue to still be a viable color for the majority of a deck, but not have access to counters?
My guess would be in addition to playable steally spells, a good portion of the playable fatties are susceptable to bounce, a la Greater Gargadon.
Again, this is merely a speculative exercise.
What kinds of tools would a Mono-Blue deck need to exist competitively without counterspells?
If you wish, limit your responses to the kinds of effects that could feasibly be printed in blue.
If I were to make a guess I would have to say something along the lines of Vedalken Shackles, but that's kinda boring after a while...
If that was indeed the case, that's not a direct parallel.
These are two decks I'm running in the MTGO III Beta in the constructed area. Basically, I have a full 9th edition and whatever I've been able to draft from Rav-Gpt-Dis drafts. The decks are semi competitive, so I figured I'd post them here to get some feedback.
First and foremost, the majority of opponents I play are not exactly there to win, playing all sorts of wierd decks.
First deck is Vore, or whatever I've been able to build from it. The beta is the first time I've played anything like it, so I'm surprised at it's potency.
9 Mountain
4 Shivan Reef
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Compulsive Research
3 Tidings
3 Stone Rain
3 Annex
4 Pyroclasm
4 Volcanic Hammer
4 Izzet Signet
3 Wildfire
Deck two is a Zur's Wierding lock. The only way I could figure would actually give me a lock with the cards available (I could not reliably find rares outside of 9th) was by using Orzhov Guildmage, finally giving it a purpose. The only thing is that it costs a hefty WW4 to maintain a steady life total, regardless of an opponent's actions. So here's what I ended up building.
1 Azourius Chancery
1 Selesnya Sanctuary
1 Prahv, Spires of Order
2 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
1 Quicksand
7 Plains
9 Island
2 Selesnya Signet
3 Weathered Wayfarer
3 Orzhov Guildmage
4 Sleight of Hand
2 Train of Thought
1 Councel of the Soratami
1 Court Hussar
3 Mana Leak
3 Muddle the Mixture
3 Zur's Weirding
4 Faith's Fetters
3 Wrath of God
1 Story Circle
1 Pride of the Clouds
Muddle the Mixture will find an Orzhov Guildmage or a Pride of the Clouds if it's not needed otherwise.
The end game is very uncertain and depends largely upon what I ended up drawing and what my opponent has in play and in hand. Hopefully, a token generator can produce enough 1/1s to end the game. I've once had to activate Prahv and Vitu-Ghazi together to stop two creatures my opponent had played from damaging me while I attacked back for 2 damage each turn with other tokens.
Edit2: In a very recent game, I had to activate Prahv, Vitu-Ghazi, Pride of the Clouds and Story Circle each turn to prevent taking damage from Living Inferno and Verdant Force. I ended up winning by dealing 2 damage each turn with flying tokens
Ultimately, this has given me a great insight to how control decks function. I don't know if I can accurately describe what that is, I know seem to understand why they work.
Edit 3: The Soul Wardens didn't work, but I got passed an Umezawa's Jitte in draft and that singleton combined with Muddled tutorage makes it the crowned jewel of the deck, both providing life to keep up the lock and providing removal for troublesome creatures. MOST EXCELLENT.
I'm probably wrong.
Bibi//Sleur was a joke. There exists no information indicating what the invitational card is nor any confirming that is actually a creature.
Substance (This ability does nothing.)
Oh yeah, that's really great.