Topic: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

Greetings all... I am recently back into this wonderful hobby after a 12 year hiatus. Lots has changed and it seems like decks have only gotten faster. Regardless, I've always enjoyed a good control deck and it looks like w/ Gatecrash, that wonderful mechanism has a potentially successful ally... Please take a look at my deck and provide any thoughts...

Theory behind the deck is to be able to generate counters and manipulate them at will to either draw cards, steal creatures from the enemy or overpower them w/ trample ability. My intention is for this to play well against both the Boros speed and the mid range options out there. Taking this deck to the late game seems like a bad idea but... regardless, your thoughts are appreciated:

http://deckbox.org/sets/325827

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

Gyre sage is amazing. Get four if you can. I was really hesitant about this until I play tested a deck using her.

Another suggestion is ooze flux. If you have a raptor and a sage out (with one counter each), you can remove the two counters for 1G and they come right back (and you get a 2/2 chump blocker). Primordial hydra with 18 counters getting killed? remove them and make an 18/18 in its place.

The thing you want to remember about evolve is the P/T synergy as well. It seems like you have that. Just playtest it and get a  feel for which creatures fit, and which need to be sideboarded.

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

Wicked help man... Thanks a ton. Yea, I'm just getting my stocks replenished as being out of the game for so long has made it an expensive venture to get back in... Thanks for the advice on Gyre Sage... I'll see what I can do on getting more... I have ooze flux in my mind and you bring a good point on the Hydra. It seems as though this deck has a chance to be incredibly fun... I think I'm missing some trample pieces in there but at this point, I'm wanting to add more than I can take away... Really need to start focusing down on what I want in here.

Like I said, my main strategy in this deck... especially against boros, is to steal all their little critters w/ my simic manipulator... turning their army into mine... I do need the critters to get counters but i'm startin to think i'm a little critter heavy. If my intent is to steal their army, maybe I should focus in on that.... Thoughts?

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

rancor is great for trample. only costs G and it comes back to your hand, eliminating the 2 for 1 drawback most auras bring.

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

Thanks for the help... I have updated the decklist and am continuing to tinker. Have a friend who is helping me finish the deck... But any other thoughts here would be great.

Considering Zameck Guildmage over Fathom Mage... Even though Fathom Mage has evolve, 3 drop is a bit pricey... I can manipulate counters by Zameck. I'm not really concerned with creating counters to remove for card draw... Is it logical to make this swap?

I'm also contemplating rancor but w/ the card count getting high, I'm having to make some tough decisions. The theory/focus of the deck is to A) steal the opponent critters. B) Kill w/ my unblockable Krasis. C) Create an Ooze that can overrun the opposition.

Champion of Lambholt seems like a natural fit for this deck too... Makes my massive Krasis or Ooze unblockable... Seems pretty mean...

Again, any further feedback is awesome!

Last edited by Krash (2013-02-26 17:19:48)

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

Krash wrote:

...again, my main focus is to steal all the opponents critters...

Would you ever consider tri-color? If so, splash white.  If you Cloudshift a creature you've "borrowed" from your opponent, that creature doesn't return to your opponent's control at the end of the turn (as happen with many spell effects)--it returns to the board as a new instance of that creature, with no memory attached to the other spell or ability.

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Black and Blue--not just for bruises anymore.

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

I would definitely consider tri-color... but my manipulator is the creature control I feel like I need... However... Would be nice to have a way of making their creatures smaller w/o killing them... I mean, theoretically, I could put enough counters on the manipulator to take up to a 5/5 but if i could make the 5/5 a 1/1, would be infinitely easier... but w/ the over-run of Boros, I think this deck would play well against an army of Boros. They'd never get the 3 attack feature they'd want cause their critters would all be in my control... unless of course, they can hexproof everything which would suck.

Re: Simic Manipulation/Control Help

I appreciate all the feedback so far on this deck. It has undergone significant transformation over the last week or so... I am now trying to figure out how to pare it down to the typical 60 cards and I'm having a hard time deciding where to cut... Here is the focus of the deck in my opinion:

A) Create ginormous critters with counters
B) Eliminate the opponents ability to block them (thereby negating need for Sapphire Drake or Rancor or any other special combat trick)
C) Move those counters at will to do what I need to to win (draw cards, get mana, create an ungodly huge ooze or unblockable Krasis or steal their critters)
D) Have at least 4 wincons to give the counter or mill decks a fit.

I think that has been achieved but as always, your experiences would be greatly appreciated. Where do I pare down is my main question now... Thanks!

Forgot the link to the deck: http://deckbox.org/sets/325827

Last edited by Krash (2013-03-05 12:38:51)