Don't Be Cruel
A Beginner's Guide to Manabases and Smashing Faces with 5 Color Control
Five Color Control, Cruel Control, Grixis Control, whatever variant you've seen - it's all about the same thing: complete and utter domination of your opponent's hand and tempo, the playing field, and of the game itself. It's not hard to see how successful Five Color Control has been in achieving this goal; players have landed an incredibly high number of top-4 and top-8 finishes with the deck. Gabe Nassif was piloting the deck in what has proven to be one of the most memorable game wins of all time. It's also not difficult to see that the deck, and its variants, run powerful, game-ending cards, like Broodmate Dragon, Cryptic Command, and Banefire.
It is, however, difficult at first to see how the darn thing works - especially for casual players, newcomers, or those who are coming back to the game after a long absence. And that's exactly why I've been drafted to write this article: I recently came back to the game myself, and subsequently went from asking everyone in the shop why Cryptic Command was so expensive ($25?!), to demolishing FNMs with my own 5CC build. Now, I'll admit that I can be sort of a knucklehead, but I assure you, I am a uniquely qualified knucklehead.
So now that we've gone over how your deck will run and win, it's important to understand the power level of the deck's individual parts. Let's look over some of the more popular 5CC staples, and discuss their role in victory.
Cryptic Command
This is widely known as the best card in Standard, and for good reason. Cryptic does two things for you, both very important: First, it gives you inherent card advantage by allowing you to, with one card, cast two spells. As if this weren't enough, this card allows you to choose which two spells you want from a list of four butt savers. The other thing Cryptic gives you is advantage: tempo advantage, board advantage, life advantage, and card advantage. Think of it this way: you not only can tap all of his creatures to prevent yourself from a fatal beating, you also get to draw a card when you do so. You not only get to counter that pump spell, but you also get to bounce the Figure of Destiny they dumped 11 mana into before it can connect to your frail body. Cryptic also targets permanents for bouncing, so it can even get rid of irritating Planeswalkers.
Broken Ambitions
This surprisingly versatile card, unlike many counterspells (Countersquall or Remove Soul, for example), has no restriction on the type of spell it can counter, making it good in any matchup. Late game, if your opponent taps out for a Cruel Ultimatum or some other big game-ender, you're there with this card. Early game, if your opponent taps out turn two to drop a Wooly Thoctor, you can, with only two mana open, neutralize his threat for another crucial early turn. The possibility of milling him for four cards, and the ability to help set up your next turn is just a double layer of icing.
This little guy never runs out of gas, either, and only grows more powerful with each land drop.
Broodmate Dragon
The thing you have to keep in mind with Broodmate is that you're getting two separate creatures in one card. As we've discussed before, two cards in one is always good - and it's even better when it's delivered in the form of two flying beaters. Other builds run things like Battlegrace Angel, which can be incredible card in a deck like this, but Broodmate Dragon is leagues better than almost any creature because of the spot removal in Standard. For example, one Terror from your opponent will kill your angel, but it can only take your token away if you played Broodmate. Path to Exile is the same way: for one mana your Angel is gone forever, but they can only get one Dragon.
Esper Charm
Another exceptional card in terms of advantage. It gives you three options: accelerate your own card advantage by drawing, ruin your opponent's hand by discarding, or destroy an enchantment. It's at instant speed, too, allowing you to force a discard right after your oppenent draws (a ridiculously good tactic.), or draw cards at the end of their turn, when you can be reasonably sure you won't need your open mana for counterspells. The card is also crucial in matchups with decks whose power cards are enchantments, as it kills a number of nuicance cards: Bitterblossom, Runed Halo (which will stop your Banefire), and Story Circle (which will stop your Broodmates).
Wrath of God
Board sweeping at its finest. It wipes out entire armies, including creatures with protection from white and shroud because it doesn't actually target them. This is your trump card against fast decks like Kithkin or Red Deck Wins, slaughtering everything on their board that can deal damage except for man lands like Mutavault.
Banefire
The beauty behind Banefire is in its simplicity. It is burn - uncounterable, unpreventable, and game-ending.
Cruel Ultimatum
This card does it all- and does it well. Not only does it take out an opponent's creature - they have to sacrifice it, which means even a Progenitus falls to this badboy. Then your opponent has to ditch three cards that they've been hanging on to long enough to assure that one of them is probably that game ending Banefire. Throw in a ten point life difference in your favor, drawing three cards, and getting back a Broodmate Dragon, and you've got yourself one of the most efficient spells of all time.
But, doesn't that casting cost look a little intimidating? Don't worry, friends - I promise you'll be dropping this bomb often with no trouble at all.
It is, however, difficult at first to see how the darn thing works - especially for casual players, newcomers, or those who are coming back to the game after a long absence. And that's exactly why I've been drafted to write this article: I recently came back to the game myself, and subsequently went from asking everyone in the shop why Cryptic Command was so expensive ($25?!), to demolishing FNMs with my own 5CC build. Now, I'll admit that I can be sort of a knucklehead, but I assure you, I am a uniquely qualified knucklehead.
How to Win
Five Color Control is exactly what it sounds like: a deck that uses all five colors in Magic to "control" the game. Put simply, your goal is to stop your opponent from doing what they need to do to win, while you set yourself up for a big, flashy finish. In your arsenal are counterspells, which are spells that stop your opponent's spells from doing anything when they play them. To stop your opponent's ground assault, you'll also have at your disposal a slew of removal removal spells, which is any card that kills your opponent's creatures. You're even using some creatures of your own, specially designed to stop your opponent's attackers and buy you the time you need.
So far, it sounds like all this deck does is keep anyone from doing anything - which, I'll admit, sounds really boring - but the defensive portion of your game is a means to a spectacular end. Your games should happen in two phases:
1) Neutralizing any threat thrown at you, and build up your lands so that you can cast your big, scary spells.
2) Attack without mercy.
You see, you have to control the game for so long because the spells you need to win have high mana costs. Your goal is to counter, remove, defend, stall the game until you're ready to fight, then hit them with Cruel Ultimatums, Banefires, Broodmate Dragons, and everything you can draw that deals damage quickly.
Since 5CC is such a popular deck, you'll likely come up against people who've found ways to keep you from winning like this. Broodmate Dragon is a very popular card in this type of deck, and so a lot of people will sideboard in cards that keep it from being a threat. While not quite as strong as a dragon, your Mulldrifters do attack for two damage each, a crucial amount in long games in which you can't rely on Broodmate or Banefire.
Other games, your opponent may gain so much life that dealing damage is no longer a feasible way to win. At times like these, you can rely on one of the most popular non-damage ways to win a game, called "milling." This is a technique in which you force your opponent draw and discard cards, or to put cards from their library into their graveyard, with the goal of causing them to lose when they no longer have any cards to draw. Jace Beleren's ultimate ability mills for 20 cards, which is usually enough to draw them out first.
So far, it sounds like all this deck does is keep anyone from doing anything - which, I'll admit, sounds really boring - but the defensive portion of your game is a means to a spectacular end. Your games should happen in two phases:
1) Neutralizing any threat thrown at you, and build up your lands so that you can cast your big, scary spells.
2) Attack without mercy.
You see, you have to control the game for so long because the spells you need to win have high mana costs. Your goal is to counter, remove, defend, stall the game until you're ready to fight, then hit them with Cruel Ultimatums, Banefires, Broodmate Dragons, and everything you can draw that deals damage quickly.
Since 5CC is such a popular deck, you'll likely come up against people who've found ways to keep you from winning like this. Broodmate Dragon is a very popular card in this type of deck, and so a lot of people will sideboard in cards that keep it from being a threat. While not quite as strong as a dragon, your Mulldrifters do attack for two damage each, a crucial amount in long games in which you can't rely on Broodmate or Banefire.
Other games, your opponent may gain so much life that dealing damage is no longer a feasible way to win. At times like these, you can rely on one of the most popular non-damage ways to win a game, called "milling." This is a technique in which you force your opponent draw and discard cards, or to put cards from their library into their graveyard, with the goal of causing them to lose when they no longer have any cards to draw. Jace Beleren's ultimate ability mills for 20 cards, which is usually enough to draw them out first.
The Cards
So now that we've gone over how your deck will run and win, it's important to understand the power level of the deck's individual parts. Let's look over some of the more popular 5CC staples, and discuss their role in victory.
Cryptic CommandThis is widely known as the best card in Standard, and for good reason. Cryptic does two things for you, both very important: First, it gives you inherent card advantage by allowing you to, with one card, cast two spells. As if this weren't enough, this card allows you to choose which two spells you want from a list of four butt savers. The other thing Cryptic gives you is advantage: tempo advantage, board advantage, life advantage, and card advantage. Think of it this way: you not only can tap all of his creatures to prevent yourself from a fatal beating, you also get to draw a card when you do so. You not only get to counter that pump spell, but you also get to bounce the Figure of Destiny they dumped 11 mana into before it can connect to your frail body. Cryptic also targets permanents for bouncing, so it can even get rid of irritating Planeswalkers.
Broken Ambitions
This surprisingly versatile card, unlike many counterspells (Countersquall or Remove Soul, for example), has no restriction on the type of spell it can counter, making it good in any matchup. Late game, if your opponent taps out for a Cruel Ultimatum or some other big game-ender, you're there with this card. Early game, if your opponent taps out turn two to drop a Wooly Thoctor, you can, with only two mana open, neutralize his threat for another crucial early turn. The possibility of milling him for four cards, and the ability to help set up your next turn is just a double layer of icing.
This little guy never runs out of gas, either, and only grows more powerful with each land drop.
Broodmate Dragon
The thing you have to keep in mind with Broodmate is that you're getting two separate creatures in one card. As we've discussed before, two cards in one is always good - and it's even better when it's delivered in the form of two flying beaters. Other builds run things like Battlegrace Angel, which can be incredible card in a deck like this, but Broodmate Dragon is leagues better than almost any creature because of the spot removal in Standard. For example, one Terror from your opponent will kill your angel, but it can only take your token away if you played Broodmate. Path to Exile is the same way: for one mana your Angel is gone forever, but they can only get one Dragon.
Esper Charm
Another exceptional card in terms of advantage. It gives you three options: accelerate your own card advantage by drawing, ruin your opponent's hand by discarding, or destroy an enchantment. It's at instant speed, too, allowing you to force a discard right after your oppenent draws (a ridiculously good tactic.), or draw cards at the end of their turn, when you can be reasonably sure you won't need your open mana for counterspells. The card is also crucial in matchups with decks whose power cards are enchantments, as it kills a number of nuicance cards: Bitterblossom, Runed Halo (which will stop your Banefire), and Story Circle (which will stop your Broodmates).
Wrath of God
Board sweeping at its finest. It wipes out entire armies, including creatures with protection from white and shroud because it doesn't actually target them. This is your trump card against fast decks like Kithkin or Red Deck Wins, slaughtering everything on their board that can deal damage except for man lands like Mutavault.
Banefire
The beauty behind Banefire is in its simplicity. It is burn - uncounterable, unpreventable, and game-ending.
Cruel Ultimatum
This card does it all- and does it well. Not only does it take out an opponent's creature - they have to sacrifice it, which means even a Progenitus falls to this badboy. Then your opponent has to ditch three cards that they've been hanging on to long enough to assure that one of them is probably that game ending Banefire. Throw in a ten point life difference in your favor, drawing three cards, and getting back a Broodmate Dragon, and you've got yourself one of the most efficient spells of all time.
But, doesn't that casting cost look a little intimidating? Don't worry, friends - I promise you'll be dropping this bomb often with no trouble at all.
The Resources
So now that we've seen the weapons of 5 Color Control, you might be asking yourself how you can possibly pay for all of that. Certainly, you won't be able to with basic lands, and even the tri-lands from recent sets couldn't do it alone. What we have to do to get all these colors, is look back a little further...
Vivid Lands
There are five vivid lands all together, one for each color of mana. They all come into play tapped, and can produce any color of mana twice in a game. Mystic Creek is the most important, as you'll be using far more blue mana than any other color, so four of these is the norm, backed up by two each of Vivid Marsh, Vivid Crag, and Vivid meadow. This, of course, all depends on how your mana requirements are in the unique deck you build.
Filter Lands
The next step on our road to ultimate mana flexibility are filter lands. These guys allow you to take mana of one color, and turn it into any combination you need of two colors. There are ten different filter lands, one for each possible two-color combination. Just remember, they need colored mana to activate, and so they're worthless on the first turn.
Reflecting Pool
This is the card that makes it all work.
A Reflecting Pool with a Vivid land in play can produce any color of mana - with no drawbacks. It doesn't even come into play tapped. With just a filter land, it can produce either color the filter could, allowing you to then activate your filter land and get any two-color combination that it allows. This is the synergy that will drive your deck over the top, allowing you to cast any spell you want, including turn two Terror and Broken Ambitions.
Vivid Lands
There are five vivid lands all together, one for each color of mana. They all come into play tapped, and can produce any color of mana twice in a game. Mystic Creek is the most important, as you'll be using far more blue mana than any other color, so four of these is the norm, backed up by two each of Vivid Marsh, Vivid Crag, and Vivid meadow. This, of course, all depends on how your mana requirements are in the unique deck you build.
Filter Lands
The next step on our road to ultimate mana flexibility are filter lands. These guys allow you to take mana of one color, and turn it into any combination you need of two colors. There are ten different filter lands, one for each possible two-color combination. Just remember, they need colored mana to activate, and so they're worthless on the first turn.
Reflecting Pool
This is the card that makes it all work.
A Reflecting Pool with a Vivid land in play can produce any color of mana - with no drawbacks. It doesn't even come into play tapped. With just a filter land, it can produce either color the filter could, allowing you to then activate your filter land and get any two-color combination that it allows. This is the synergy that will drive your deck over the top, allowing you to cast any spell you want, including turn two Terror and Broken Ambitions.
The Rest
Five Color Control is a great deck, and while it might be more difficult to play with than other decks, it can also be more rewarding. To round this article out, I'd like to present to you four decks, all first-place finishers, that show the current spectrum of 5CC and its variants. Good luck out there!
1 Pithing Needle
3 Broodmate Dragon
4 Mulldrifter
3 Plumeveil
3 Wall Of Reverence
4 Broken Ambitions
1 Celestial Purge
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
1 Terror
4 Volcanic Fallout
2 Cruel Ultimatum
3 Island
2 Cascade Bluffs
2 Exotic Orchard
1 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Sunken Ruins
2 Vivid Crag
4 Vivid Creek
3 Vivid Marsh
2 Vivid Meadow
Sideboard:
4 Scepter Of Fugue
1 Wispmare
1 Celestial Purge
2 Negate
1 Remove Soul
2 Wydwen, The Biting Gale
2 Infest
2 Wrath Of God
Five Color Control is a great deck, and while it might be more difficult to play with than other decks, it can also be more rewarding. To round this article out, I'd like to present to you four decks, all first-place finishers, that show the current spectrum of 5CC and its variants. Good luck out there!
Nassif's 1st Place Deck from Pro Tour in Kyoto - 5 Color Control
Maindeck:1 Pithing Needle
3 Broodmate Dragon
4 Mulldrifter
3 Plumeveil
3 Wall Of Reverence
4 Broken Ambitions
1 Celestial Purge
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
1 Terror
4 Volcanic Fallout
2 Cruel Ultimatum
3 Island
2 Cascade Bluffs
2 Exotic Orchard
1 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Sunken Ruins
2 Vivid Crag
4 Vivid Creek
3 Vivid Marsh
2 Vivid Meadow
Sideboard:
4 Scepter Of Fugue
1 Wispmare
1 Celestial Purge
2 Negate
1 Remove Soul
2 Wydwen, The Biting Gale
2 Infest
2 Wrath Of God
Nathaniel Chafe's 1st Place Deck from States - 5 Color Control
Maindeck:
2 Cloudthresher
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
1 Nucklavee
3 Bant Charm
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
3 Remove Soul
2 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Mind Shatter
2 Pyroclasm
4 Wrath Of God
2 Cascade Bluffs
2 Flooded Grove
2 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
2 Sunken Ruins
4 Vivid Creek
3 Vivid Grove
2 Vivid Marsh
3 Vivid Meadow
Sideboard:
2 Relic Of Progenitus
2 Cloudthresher
2 Runed Halo
3 Condemn
3 Resounding Thunder
2 Vendilion Clique
1 Mind Shatter
2 Cloudthresher
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
1 Nucklavee
3 Bant Charm
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
3 Remove Soul
2 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Mind Shatter
2 Pyroclasm
4 Wrath Of God
2 Cascade Bluffs
2 Flooded Grove
2 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
2 Sunken Ruins
4 Vivid Creek
3 Vivid Grove
2 Vivid Marsh
3 Vivid Meadow
Sideboard:
2 Relic Of Progenitus
2 Cloudthresher
2 Runed Halo
3 Condemn
3 Resounding Thunder
2 Vendilion Clique
1 Mind Shatter
Steven Grueshaber's 1st Place Deck from States- Cruel Control
Maindeck:
2 Broodmate Dragon
4 Mulldrifter
1 Nucklavee
4 Condemn
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
2 Negate
2 Remove Soul
2 Resounding Thunder
2 Jace Beleren
3 Cruel Ultimatum
2 Pyroclasm
2 Wrath Of God
1 Island
1 Adarkar Wastes
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Cascade Bluffs
2 Flooded Grove
2 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
2 Sunken Ruins
4 Vivid Creek
2 Vivid Grove
3 Vivid Marsh
3 Vivid Meadow
Sideboard:
1 Relic Of Progenitus
4 Cloudthresher
1 Plumeveil
2 Runed Halo
1 Counterbore
1 Negate
2 Resounding Wave
1 Firespout
2 Wrath Of God
2 Broodmate Dragon
4 Mulldrifter
1 Nucklavee
4 Condemn
4 Cryptic Command
4 Esper Charm
2 Negate
2 Remove Soul
2 Resounding Thunder
2 Jace Beleren
3 Cruel Ultimatum
2 Pyroclasm
2 Wrath Of God
1 Island
1 Adarkar Wastes
1 Battlefield Forge
1 Cascade Bluffs
2 Flooded Grove
2 Mystic Gate
4 Reflecting Pool
2 Sunken Ruins
4 Vivid Creek
2 Vivid Grove
3 Vivid Marsh
3 Vivid Meadow
Sideboard:
1 Relic Of Progenitus
4 Cloudthresher
1 Plumeveil
2 Runed Halo
1 Counterbore
1 Negate
2 Resounding Wave
1 Firespout
2 Wrath Of God
Matt Owens's First Place Deck - Grixis Control
Maindeck:
4 Demigod Of Revenge
4 Mulldrifter
3 Plumeveil
2 Shriekmaw
3 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Makeshift Mannequin
4 Volcanic Fallout
2 Jace Beleren
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Banefire
2 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Profane Command
Lands
2 Island
3 Swamp
1 Cascade Bluffs
4 Crumbling Necropolis
3 Graven Cairns
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Secluded Glen
4 Sunken Ruins
Sideboard:
2 Relic Of Progenitus
1 Puppeteer Clique
2 Sower Of Temptation
2 Spitebellows
3 Guerrilla Tactics
1 Ascendant Evincar
3 Infest
1 Syphon Life
4 Demigod Of Revenge
4 Mulldrifter
3 Plumeveil
2 Shriekmaw
3 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command
4 Makeshift Mannequin
4 Volcanic Fallout
2 Jace Beleren
1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker
1 Banefire
2 Cruel Ultimatum
1 Profane Command
Lands
2 Island
3 Swamp
1 Cascade Bluffs
4 Crumbling Necropolis
3 Graven Cairns
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Secluded Glen
4 Sunken Ruins
Sideboard:
2 Relic Of Progenitus
1 Puppeteer Clique
2 Sower Of Temptation
2 Spitebellows
3 Guerrilla Tactics
1 Ascendant Evincar
3 Infest
1 Syphon Life
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