Basically, a control deck is a deck that, well, "controls" the game. It can be any color, really. Control decks just play removal/permission to slow down the game until they can drop a finisher and win the game. Pretty much any reactive deck is a control deck, whereas proactive decks are not contol decks. There is a lot more to be said about control, but I don't really feel like saying it. There are tons of articles out there about what makes a control deck a control deck, probably. Google is your friend in this respect.
Rhox War Monk is amazing in testing against Aggro. And mine really IS a 'blow stuff up' control deck. There is only one control deck besides mine at my FNM, the other decks are Aggro, Rock, and one Ob Nixilis Warp World deck. So my main deck fits my meta.
I feel like cascade in and of itself gives you overwhelming card advantage anyway. The discard spells just increase that card advantage. I think that is the way to go as far as this version is control is concerned.
I run Blightning in the board for control mirrors, but my version is just extremely powerful against aggro in testing, so I decided not to put the Blightning, which is sometimes useless against aggro, in the main board.
My advice to new players: Buy singles rather than packs, unless you are drafting, and draft as much as you can. Draft builds up your card pool and helps you learn all the basics of the game (deck building skills AND play skills).
This is how I kept the amount of money I spent on my Zoo deck low. 12 Fetches, 4 Wooded, 4 Windswept, 4 Bloodstained, and 2 Taiga, 2 Plateau, 1 Savannah. To capitalize on all the fetches in the yard, I play Grim Lavamancer, which is a house against tribal aggro. You only NEED one of each dual. And instead of buying 4 Stomping Ground (~$30) get 1 Taiga (~$24). You have 8 fetches, it should be plenty.
Edit: And yes, just go straight to Zoo. I've only played legacy for a couple weeks, but the only tournaments I've been in I've placed 2nd (FNM) and 1st (A larger tournament, I won 4 FoW :D)
I did the same thing you are going to do about a month ago. Build Zoo. I've played in two tournies with it, and got second and first(it's paid for itself already with $30 store credit and a playset of FoW). I did that with a manabase of 4 Wooded Foothills 2 Windswept Heath 1 Flooded Strand 1 Bloodstained Mire 1 Taiga 1 Plateau and 1 Savannah. Of you were to get one of each dual and 4 Wooded and 4 Windswept, it would cost around $170-180 on eBay. The Goyfs would cost around $100 or so. Then the rest of the deck is cheap, since you already own Chain Lightning
My guess for Niv Mizzet, Planeswalker: Niv-Mizzet, Planeswalker2UURR
Planeswalker - Niv-Mizzet
+2: Niv-Mizzet, Planeswalker deals 1 damage to target creature or player. Draw a card.
-X: Search your library for a sorcery or instant with converted mana cost X or less. You may play it without paying it's mana cost.
-8: For the rest of the game, sorcery and instant spells you cast have Replicate 1.
5
Ultimate too powerful?
Each ability has a specific flavor:
+2: A throwback to his original card
-X: Since Niv Mizzet is such a genius, he knows every spell
-8: Since Niv Mizzet is such a genius, he can copy every spell at a low cost
I think that the +2 may have to become a +1. Using his ultimate three turns later, and having him survive? Seems good. However, you could also just make his ultimate -9, or have him start at 4 loyatly counters. All of those fix the problem I mentioned.
Long Answer: No, because I enjoy lots of diversity, so I enjoy playing multiple formats. For this I play Draft, Legacy, EDH, and Standard.
4 Kitchen Finks
3 Lightning Angel
3 Sunforger
3 Rune Snag
3 Spell Snare
3 Path to Exile
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Ponder
1 Double Negative
1 Hindering Light
1 Bant Charm
1 Esper Charm
1 Naya Charm
1 Jund Charm
1 Sudden Shock
1 Angel's Grace
1 Swerve
4 Arid Mesa
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Misty Rainforest
1 Breeding Pool
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Stomping Ground
1 Temple Garden
1 Watery Grave
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Island
3 Firespout (Aggro)
3 Ethersworn Canonist (Storm/Hypergenesis)
3 Pithing Needle (Depths/Thopter foundry combo)
3 Krosan Grip/Ancient Grudge (Pithing Needle)
3 Relic of Progenitus
This deck seems really slow. I have yet to test it, but it seems fun if not good.
Possible MB/SB Singletons
Electrolyze
Intimidation Bolt
Mortify
Research//Development
Wild Ricochet
I run Blightning in the board for control mirrors, but my version is just extremely powerful against aggro in testing, so I decided not to put the Blightning, which is sometimes useless against aggro, in the main board.
3 Seaside Citadel
3 Arcane Sanctum
2 Savage Lands
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Jungle Shrine
1 Magosi, the Water Veil
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Swamp4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Kathari Remnant
3 Wall of Denial
3 Rhox War Monk
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Pyroclasm
4 Esper Charm
4 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Path to Exile
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Ajani Vengeant
Thats my list. Mine focuses more on cascade for card advantage rather than Cascade to hit discard spells.
3 Seaside Citadel
3 Arcane Sanctum
2 Savage Lands
1 Crumbling Necropolis
1 Jungle Shrine
1 Magosi, the Water Veil
1 Marsh Flats
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
2 Plains
1 Island
1 Mountain
1 Forest
1 Swamp
3 Kathari Remnant
3 Wall of Denial
3 Rhox War Monk
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Day of Judgement
3 Pyroclasm
4 Esper Charm
4 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Path to Exile
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Ajani Vengeant
My sideboard is kind of all over the place right now, and I don't really know what to do with it at this point, so I'm not posting it.
As for peculiar card choices, I like the lifegain from Rhox War Monk and you can regenerate Kathari Remant through Day of Judgement.
But seriously, good job.
Edit: And yes, just go straight to Zoo. I've only played legacy for a couple weeks, but the only tournaments I've been in I've placed 2nd (FNM) and 1st (A larger tournament, I won 4 FoW :D)
3x Sulfurous Springs
3x Overgrown Tomb
4x Stomping Ground
2x Swamp
4x Blood Crypt
4x Gemstone Mine
4x Putrid Leech
4x Tarmogoyf
4x Dark Confidant
4x Kird Ape
4x Bloodbraid Elf
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Duress
3x Umezawa's Jitte
4x Terminate
3x Blightning
2x Jund Charm
Is what I would play. (I didn't touch the land base due to lazyness)
I think that the +2 may have to become a +1. Using his ultimate three turns later, and having him survive? Seems good. However, you could also just make his ultimate -9, or have him start at 4 loyatly counters. All of those fix the problem I mentioned.
Sorry, I forgot to mention I already have that :xd: