Philosophy Behind #3: Control

For this week, we will be focusing on control. Here is a brief description of control:

“Control is a strategy that attempts to interfere with, prevent, deny, or otherwise cancel the opponent's actions. It attempts to establish a superior board position and then use that position to win.”

Some General Tips when using Control decks:

• Most control decks have few creatures. Some have as few as 8-12 (~5%). In control decks, the creatures usually serve as resilient threats and are well-protected.
• Often include spot removal and/or disruption to get rid of synergistic effects. An example includes how Creeping Corrosion deals with Tempered Steel indirectly.
• Most capitalize on extending the game to take advantage of more powerful late game spells.
• They focus heavily on card draw.
• They often play very defensively. Cards, (especially lands that come in tapped) that have an early disadvantage can allow for very powerful late game finishers (i.e. manlands, like Creeping Tar Pit or Inkmoth Nexus).
• Mass creature/permanent removals are used often as 2- or even 3-for-1s, which provide virtual card advantage.

How the colors generally approach control strategies:

1. White takes advantage of mass destruction (like Wrath of God or Day of Judgment) and uses prevent damage abilities to extend gameplay. Life gain is popular in white. Artifact and enchantment destruction are also big in spot removal. White has been known to use casting restrictions (with cards like Angelic Arbiter and Iona, Shield of Emeria) and other player restrictions. White can be retaliating, like destroying tapped creatures or damaging non-white permanents. White is first about exiling permanents (like Oblivion Ring). White can also perform grand, balancing abilities (Balance).
   
   
2. Blue is the color of control and is probably best known for spell and ability countering. It takes advantage of general card draw.  Blue profits off of using spell and ability redirection and has been known to give permanents shroud. Blue is the first color to take permanent control of permanents (like Mind Control and Keiga, the Tide Star).  Blue uses copy abilities and can also tap permanents. Blue takes advantage of returning to owners hand abilities and can even change land types (like with Spreading Seas). Blue works well with artifacts (like Acquire) and can execute powerful late-game abilities that manipulate the game (like Time Spiral).
   
   
3. Black is known to be the color of destruction, and that is pretty accurate from the array of destroy (usually non black and non artifact creatures) and sacrifice abilities it takes advantage of. Black is the first color with -X/-Y abilities and loves to use discard. Black is the first for tutor abilities (like Diabolic Tutor) and has abilities to exile cards in graveyards (as well as libraries). Black even has some damage spells and life gain. Black can also perform bombastic effects at a large cost.
   
   
4. Red is known best for direct damage spells (like Lightning Bolt!), but also mass damage spells (like Slagstorm).  Red has permanents that do the same, often called "ping"-ers by casual players. Like Blue, Red uses copy and redirection abilities.  Red is known for artifact and land destruction. Red also profits off of "can not block" and must attack abilities. Red also achieves greater gains at random (like Warp World).
   
   
5. Green is weakest control color (since it’s the most proactive color), but does involve some land, artifact, and enchantment destruction (like Acidic Slime). Green usually doesn’t target creatures, but it does dislike fliers and artifact ones. Green can extend the game with life gain and putting non-creatures at the top of owner’s library.  Green also allows for forced combat (like Lure), and manipulate mana for its own gains.

So, that is all for today. I hoped you enjoyed this look at the control strategy and look forward to the follow-up as I conclude with combo.

-Michael Hood-Julien