Grixis Control

I love decks like this. However, I think a few tweaks could be made that would really help things along.

I almost never run 22 lands in a control deck that has 1 and 2 drop control elements as that's all you need to survive the first 3 turns and by then you will be into your third land and won't really need many more.

Cryptic command just isn't viable in a tri-color deck from my experience. that 3 blue cost is a killer until the late game in modern, and having a command in your opening hand is like playing a card down. Even if you have 4 of the lands that allow you to play it early, you can't do it in a turn you would burn something off or counter something else, so its even harder to use. I know its a sick counter with card advantage built in, but if your deck gets behind early the game is over, so I would consider running something that keeps you afloat in the early turns like mana leak or remand, both of which hit turn 2 and stay relevant for most of the game. If you feel like you can't go without command, at least consider dropping it down to 1 copy, as it will almost never hit in your opening hand and sit there until turn 10 before its useful.

I'm not a big fan of thought scour in here, but that's just me. I don't see it giving you enough advantage to justify its spot over a control element, even though it gives you targets for tasigur and snap. Plus it eats a spot of a 1 drop control card that can counter the opponent's turn 1 and 2 action, which is essential. maybe another kozilek, 2 spell snares, and a terminate instead?

This is just my opinion, but I almost never run 4 snaps in favor of only 3. I know they are wondrous cards, but having one in the opening hand is annoying to me as its a dead card until you get at least 3 lands out and even then you need the right target in the grave to be useful. having only 3 ups your chances of pulling it in the middle game but not the opening, which is exactly how the card is designed to work. Plus you can always pull a copy back with kolaghan, so you are conditionally running quite a few more of them anyway.


As an alternate way to win with this deck, I would consider checking out thermo-alchemist, which is a card that I absolutely adore. I'm not quite sure why the magic community hasn't jumped on board that train yet, but that sucker drains life like no other in a deck like this, and can even sub in as a turn 2 blocker against fast agro decks. And, if they want to use a removal spell on it, it costs 2 mana. Let em.

As for the sideboard,

Slaughter games dismantles combo decks like no other and in modern you can almost always make it to 4 mana, especially with the other control elements you have going in here.

Mindbreak trap handles stuff that can't be countered and infinite combos and you can always hard cast it as a counterspell if necessary, making it borderline essential.

Cruel edict handles hexproof/indestructible/shroud stuff like emrakul combos, thrun, etc. and can always be used as an extra kill spell against creature heavy decks anyway.

I like running at least 3 dragon's claws in here as the deck burns itself quite a bit with the lands which just helps burn out like no other. Plus half your deck will trigger the claw anyway, so a turn 2 claw should be enough to win you the game if they can't remove it.

Just some thoughts.