Type II Millstone

[Captain Caveman]

Someone, possibility FoR, started a thread about
the viability of a Millstone deck in the new T2
environment. I can't seem to find the thread(I may
have overlooked it, if so, I'm sorry for starting
this anew.)so I'm going to repost the deck that I
think FoR already posted. I'd like to get some
feedback on whether the environment is slow enough
for this type of deck to work and I'd also like to
get some feedback on my update of his deck.(FoR, I
think your decks already good, this is just my version.)

FoR's _Millstone Deck_

4 Howling Mine
3 Millstone

4 Counterspell
4 Disrupt
1 Misdirection
3 Prohibit...(-1, + 1 E.Tutor)

4 Disenchant...(-3, + 1 Dismantling Blow & 2 E.Tutor)
3 Fountain Watch
3 Wrath of God...(repalced with Wave of Reckoning)
1 Rout...(replaced with Spiritual Aslyumn)
2 Story Circle

4 Absorb
2 Teferi's Moat
2 Hanna, Ship's Navigator

4 Coastal Tower
4 Adarkar Wastes
6 Island
4 Plains
1 Kor Haven
1 Raths Edge

 

[Mikeymike]

I personally would add Rootwater Theives. He Mills very well and survives the Wave of Reckoning. Also, I think you'd be better off with 3 Misdirections and 1 Prohibit vs. the other way around.

Also, since Wave of Reckoning can't kill everything, Exile would work well in here too.

The deck looks solid, I really like a lot of your choices.

 

[Mars]

DAMMIT, Captain Caveman! You stole my idea! LOL Just kidding.

No really, this deck is not just strong, it has the power to overwhelm Type 2 and Pro Tour Chicago. It may be the best deck in Magic, in fact, if properly played and boarded.

And let's face it...if that's true, we'll all hate it, because nobody likes losing this way. The games are long, slow, and boring, but if it wins...Sigh.

 

[Spiderman]

I asked it before on FoR's thread: Is Flint Golem any good here?

 

[Mars]

Spiderman, take a shot and tune this thing using Flint Golem. Come on, we be designers!!

From Theron Martin's just-published T2 Metagame overview at Mindripper:

The U/W control decks more likely to have a major impact on New Standard are creatureless Millstone versions. Yep, you heard me right: it looks like the old, not-so-dreaded Millstone deck might finally be back and viable. Few other potential archetypes receive as strong a boost from Invasion: you have Rout as well as Wrath of God, Teferi's Moat, the reinvigorating Absorb, sufficient dual land support, even Seashell Cameos if Armageddon is that much of a concern. Kor Haven is also available to this deck as well as new deck-cycling cards like Fact or Fiction.

 

[Spiderman]

that means my suggestion is a bad one, no?

I guess I missed the part that this deck was going to be cutt-throat competitive.

Is there any decks that Flint Golem would be good in?

 

[Baskil]

A sealed one?

 

[Spiderman]

<ahem> Is there any CONSTRUCTED decks that Flint Golem would be good in?

Sounds like a deck-building exercise, I guess. Break the Golem!

 

[FoundationOfRancor]

Caveman's version


4 Howling Mine
3 Millstone

4 Counterspell
4 Disrupt
1 Misdirection
2 Prohibit

1 Disenchant
1 Dismantaling Blow
3 Enlightened Tutor
3 Fountain Watch
3 Wave of Reckoning
1 Spiritual Aslyumn
2 Story Circle

4 Absorb
2 Teferi's Moat
2 Hanna, Ship's Navigator

4 Coastal Tower
4 Adarkar Wastes
6 Island
4 Plains
1 Kor Haven
1 Raths Edge


Now, I like this deck, but theres a couple points I would disagree on.

- 2 Disenchant stuff; I expect there to be alot of this, and I think its just flexible. I would feel alot safer with 3.

-Spiritual Asylum: I dont see the point of it. Sure, your never going to attack, but your creatures dont need protecting and LD shouldnt be that big of a problem, espically not for maindeck. For the sb, maybe two or three of these...

-Wave of Reckoning VS. Wrath (Rout): Wrath is cheaper, and while WOR will save your gaurdian, I think at least 1 or 2 should be wraths for earlier protection. Maybe something like
2 Wrath
2 WOR

or

2 Wrath
1 WOR
1 Rout

Enlightened Tutor: I cant beleive I skipped over this for my first draft. However, with 3 millstone, I dont think its going to be that big of a problem to get them. And theres not *that* many enchantment and artifacts worth searching for, so maybe reduce this to two?

Misdirection/Prohibit: I think at least one more misdirection is needed, and im starting to doubt the help of prohibit.

The new deck:

Mill
(7)
4 Howling Mine
3 Millstone
(12)
4 Counterspell
4 Disrupt
2 Misdirection
2 Prohibit
(12)
2 Disenchant
2 Enlightened Tutor
3 Fountain Watch
2 Wrath of God
1 Wave of Reckoning
2 Story Circle
(8)
4 Absorb
2 Teferi's Moat
2 Hanna, Ship's Navigator
(20)
4 Coastal Tower
4 Adarkar Wastes
6 Island
4 Plains
1 Kor Haven
1 Raths Edge



Thats 61 cards and WAY to little land! Suggestions?

 

[Baskil]

I'm not sure I understand why Howling Mine is in there? Sure it speeds up your kill, but when you have your kill going, why would you need to speed it up?

Remember the tenet of control: It does not matter what your finisher is, it matters if you can get and keep board conrol.

 

[terzarima]

Spidy: Of course there are decks that are good with flint golem, put something that makes all of opponents creatures block him (can't remeber name...) , and put on inviobility there you go, I'm not sure if the opponent has to dicard for every creature that is blocking flinty or just has to discard the once, jeez good deck ideas... tank ya spidy

 

[Zero]

I absolutely LOVE this decktype ya'll! Its fantastic...
Question: Whos FoR?

Here is a terrible deck:

Creatures
4 Rootwater Theif
4 Flint Golem
4 Birds of Paradise
4 That one tree from inv.....?

Spells
4 Howling Mines
4 Stupor
3 Millstone
4 Vampiric Tutor
4 counterspell
2 absorb
4 undermine


Alot of mana acceleration could push millstone into a medium-speed decktype. (With howling mines, millstone {Faster with mana acc}, creatures and such)

I like FoundationOfRancors deck...but I think the land base needs to be disscussed under a much more rigourus examination.

 

[Fire Slinger]

FoR is FountainOfRancor

I've been thinking of trying out a really weird mill idea.

How about a speed green (maybe splash red) deck with Crumbling Sanctuaries and Flint Golems.

I have no idea how it would work, but I'm getting 3 Sanctuaries in a trade.

I'll post a deck list later and let all of you know how it works.

 

[Spiderman]

I see what you're saying... although the Golem's ability MILLS cards in the library, not causes discards from the hand. And the effect only occurs once, when the Golem is blocked, period. It doesn't matter how many are blocking it (like Rampage).

 

[Mars]

I like FoR's deck very much, although 23 lands are practically required, and it's so tight I'm having a hard time thinking of what to take out.

Be advised that Lobotomy can wreck this thing, and you will see Lobotomy, so cast first Millstone on sight. If Lobo player goes first and had two lands/dark rit/Lobo in hand, you are in deep trouble. That's why I like alternate ways to win. Have you considered Chimeric Idol? Fountain of Youth the 0cc life gainer is so bad but again it once found a home in this deck type. Jester's Cap can both help and crush your deck, but I don't want to think about that bad card as it gives me a headache, and trying to know how to fit those cards does as well. This will hurt FoF/AK players for sure. What is your strategy vs mindless SRB?

 

[Mars]

I'm not convinced that the 5 creatures in the deck are all that neccessary. Yes, I love Fountain Watch and Hannas, particularly Hannas, which are supurb against certain decks, so I say don't lose them entirely, as they can go to the sideboard for now. But against Tranquility, Fountain Watch won't help, and Hanna has a popular enemy card, Urza's Rage. You have a proper amout of counters, - use them. Three slots MUST be opened up for more land, and that's my current thinking. 61 cards doesn't bother me at all, I think conventional "wisdom" such as "24 cards for 2 color decks" or "60 cards maximum" can be tweaked a little.

 

[FoundationOfRancor]

I agree with Mars on a couple of important points.

A) Lobotomy WILL break this deck.
Solution: More counters and hope you get lucky.

B) 3 Lands slots MUST be made
Solution: Obviously, cut cards. And 61 or perhaps even 62 count is 'ok'

C) So many creatures are not needed. Im going to agree, hannah is way to killable, and Fountain whatever is still needed, but does not help against tranqulity (I really dont expect to see much of this though...)

So, I think im going to cut hanna and fountain some.

The new deck list? Here!

Mill
(7)
4 Howling Mine
3 Millstone
(13)
4 Counterspell
4 Disrupt
1 Exclude
2 Misdirection
2 Prohibit
(9)
3 Disenchant
1 Fountain Watch
2 Wrath of God
1 Wave of Reckoning
2 Story Circle
(7)
4 Absorb
2 Teferi's Moat
1 Hanna, Ship's Navigator
(24)
4 Coastal Tower
4 Adarkar Wastes
8 Island
6 Plains
1 Kor Haven
1 Raths Edge


Now, please note that the howling mines will let you cycle through this deck VERY fast.
So...what do you guys think?

 

[Mars]

I like it. Sideboard thoughts?

Unfortunately for my personal happiness, I'm never happy about a particular deck or board. I am constantly tuning, constantly. It stinks.

Part of my reason is the "Anti-deck," a horrible concept which is our worst nightmare, a deck that takes us down early in the first two rounds and then goes on to lose its shirt because it forgot to be good against the rest of the field.

Still the "Anti-Deck" player's Hero is Tom Changpeng, who metagamed excellently to pilot White Weenie to victory in 1996 Necro Black Summer Worlds. That year, the top 3 decks were Necro, which beat everything but White Weenie, ErnhamGeddon, which along with everything else but Necro beat White Weenie, and WW.

I'm not sure the following deck is the Millstone Anti-deck, but it's close. It's also a pile and I wouldn't suggest playing it because it has 12 (ugh) gold cards:

DISCARD/BOUNCE
4 Dark Ritual
4 Stupor
4 Chilling Apparition
4 Air Elemental
4 Counterspell
4 Boomerang
4 Lobotomy
4 Recoil
4 Undermine
24 Land

Ugly, ain't it? Like a bruise.

 

[BurlyBrute]

My Type II mill deck uses Shackles like Icys of old.
Make 'em stick another creature's neck out 'fore I Wrath again.
Also my top secret sideboard tech, especially usefull after they've sideboarded out all creature kill in those important third games; 3 Indentured Djinns (go ahead, draw three).
One other card I don't see is Recall, hum, a use for all this land.

 

[Mars]

I think we have a winner! Try mixing and matching the following cards, and note the synergy as you read....

BLUE
Counterspell
Rising Waters
GOLD
Absorb
Teferi's Moat
ARTIFACT
Marble Diamond
Sky Diamond
Millstone
WHITE
Story Circle
Enlightened Tutor
Wrath of God
Seal of Cleaning
LAND
Kor haven
The usual dual land suspects

And I make no case for or against which are sideboard cards.

MIA: Hanna and Howling Mine

Mix and match on your own and see if we can tool this thing to perfection. Without Timetwister or Gaea's Blessing or Thran Foundry the Millstone might be possible. Saw it work to perfection tonight, let me tell you. ;-)

"The turth? Nobody wants to play Fires of Yavimaya, but everyone wants to beat it. Then again, everyone wants to win."