Despite most of the major players having been figured out by this point, Standard continues to change and evolve. One trend I’ve noticed lately is an increase in the number of removal spells played by the various midrange decks in the format. With fewer threatening creatures to deal with and more removal to make useless, it seems that creatureless control decks may be better now than they have been in some time. This week, I decided to try out a budget deck that’s a bit unorthodox.

Mill Control ? Khans of Tarkir Standard | Mike Cannon

• Creatures (4)
• 4 Dakra Mystic

• Planeswalkers (4)
• 4 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

• Spells (28)
• 3 Dig Through Time
• 3 Hero's Downfall
• 4 Disdainful Stroke
• 4 Dissolve
• 4 Murderous Cut
• 2 Drown in Sorrow
• 4 Dictate of Kruphix
• 4 Grindclock

• Lands (24)
• 7 Swamp
• 9 Island
• 4 Dismal Backwater
• 4 Temple of Deceit

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The Mill

Grindclock can also tear through your opponent’s library rather quickly. It does take a few turns to charge up, but it’s also much harder to get rid of than Ashiok. It’s usually best to put 3 to 4 charge counters on Grindclock before you start using it, depending on how many cards are left in your opponent’s library.

Dakra Mystic technically makes the deck not creatureless, but it certainly won’t be doing much attacking or blocking. As a 1-drop, it can find you a few cards before your opponent even has a chance to use a removal spell on it. The Mystic gives you a choice. If the top card of your library is better than the top card of your opponent’s, you can choose the card-draw. If your opponent has the better card, you can put both cards in the graveyard instead. Either way, you’re taking a card out of your opponent’s library each time. If your opponent has Courser of Kruphix, you can even use Dakra Mystic to veto some of his best draws.

Dictate of Kruphix doesn’t give you the control that Dakra Mystic does, but it also doesn’t require any mana after the initial 3, and it isn’t vulnerable to most removal. It makes your opponent draw through his library twice as quickly. While it does increase the number of threats you have to deal with, it also gives you more answers. With your opponent’s draws clogged up by useless removal spells, it should be more of a help than a hindrance. Since Dictate of Kruphix has flash, you can leave mana available to see what your opponent does before casting it during his end step. You don’t have to leave yourself vulnerable while you’re setting up the extra draw power.

The Control

Although Murderous Cut didn’t quite replace Hero's Downfall as many thought it would, it remains a stellar removal spell, killing creatures for as little as 1 mana. In this deck, you’ll often be casting it for 2 or 3 since the seven delve cards in the deck require you to bit a bit more prudent with the use of your graveyard. However, the ability to leave just 1 mana available and have that removal available in case of emergency is great for a deck like this.

Drown in Sorrow effectively deals with the creatures Murderous Cut doesn’t—namely Goblin Rabblemaster and Hornet Queen. Although your own Dakra Mystic will occasionally be caught in the crossfire, it’s usually more than worth it to take those threats off the board.

Dissolve is your basic catch-all counterspell, while Disdainful Stroke allows you to deal with the bigger threats without spending as much mana. Together, they allow you to stop anything that you can’t or don’t want to use removal on. Planeswalkers are prime targets, as are creatures like Wingmate Roc that give extra value upon entering the battlefield.

Dig Through Time keeps your hand full of removal and counterspells. Cast it at the end of your opponent’s turn to restock your hand, and prepare to stop the next few threats—or dig for Ashiok and Grindclock to get your win condition running.

Playtesting

Abzan Midrange — Game 1

I passed the turn with no play, and he cast Abzan Charm to draw two cards. Since the Courser revealed the Siege Rhino he drew, I knew he was looking for a land, and I countered the Charm with Dissolve to slow him down. He attacked for 2 with his Courser and passed the turn.

I played a land and passed, and then I killed the Courser with Murderous Cut during his draw step, before he could play the land on top of his library. He cast Abzan Charm to draw two cards and then played his land and passed the turn.

I played a land and passed, and he cast a Siege Rhino, which I immediately killed with Hero's Downfall. My opponent cast Thoughtseize, taking Dig Through Time. He cast Siege Rhino and ended his turn. During his end step, I cast Dictate of Kruphix.

I passed the turn with no play, and my opponent dropped me to 11 with the Rhino. He cast Elspeth, Sun's Champion, but I countered it with Disdainful Stroke.

I cast Dakra Mystic and ended my turn. My opponent cast Sorin, Solemn Visitor, which I stopped with another Disdainful Stroke. He attacked with the Rhino again and passed the turn.

I played a land and passed back. He attacked with the Rhino again, and I cast Murderous Cut to kill it. He cast Abzan Charm to draw two cards, and I activated Dakra Mystic in response. With a Hero's Downfall for me and a land for him, I chose the draw option. My opponent cast Courser of Kruphix and passed the turn.

I activated Dakra Mystic, choosing to draw. Drown in Sorrow took care of Elspeth’s tokens, and I cast a new Dakra Mystic along with Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver. I used Ashiok’s +2 and passed the turn. My opponent cast another Elspeth and made three tokens.

He passed the turn, and I used Ashiok to put his Siege Rhino onto the battlefield. Elspeth’s -3 killed the Rhino, and the three tokens killed Ashiok. He cast Read the Bones, and I activated Dakra Mystic in response, putting the cards in the graveyard. He lost another 2 life drawing with Abzan Charm and another 2 casting Thoughtseize, which revealed only lands.

I played a land and passed the turn. My opponent attacked with his three tokens and then made three more. I activated Dakra Mystic, choosing to draw. My opponent cast Siege Rhino and passed the turn.

I activated my Mystic again and cast Drown in Sorrow. I passed the turn. My opponent tried for another Planeswalker, but I had Dissolve ready. He attacked with the Siege Rhino, and I cast Dig Through Time. Failing to find a removal spell, I conceded.

Game 2

He cast a Siege Rhino, and I exiled another three cards with Ashiok before passing the turn.

He attacked Ashiok with the Rhino and then cast two more Caryatids and passed the turn. I cast Dictate of Kruphix during his end step.

I used Ashiok’s +2 and passed the turn. Siege Rhino dropped Ashiok to 1, and my opponent cast Elspeth, Sun's Champion. I countered it with Dissolve, and he ended his turn.

I used Ashiok’s +2 again, and my opponent tried to kill my Planeswalker with the Rhino. I cast Hero's Downfall to kill it, and he cast two copies of Courser of Kruphix before ending his turn.

Ashiok exiled three cards, and I cast Grindclock. I charged it up and passed the turn. My opponent cast Hero's Downfall on Ashiok, but I countered it with Dissolve. He attacked Ashiok with both Coursers, and I killed one with Murderous Cut. Ashiok fell to 3 counters, and my opponent cast Abzan Charm to draw two cards.

I cast Hero's Downfall to kill Elspeth and then cast Drown in Sorrow to get rid of the tokens. Ashiok exiled three cards, and I passed the turn. My opponent cast Sorin, and I countered it with Disdainful Stroke. My opponent got rid of my Dig Through Time with Thoughtseize and then hit Ashiok with his Courser. I charged my Grindclock during his end step.

I exiled three cards with Ashiok and then cast another Ashiok. I ditched the first and exiled another three cards. I activated Grindclock to mill two more and passed the turn. My opponent drew the last two cards in his library and conceded.

Game 3

My opponent cast Courser of Kruphix on turn three and a second on turn four. He attacked for 2, and I cast Dictate of Kruphix. I activated my Mystic, keeping the cards, and I then cast a second Mystic.

My opponent cast a third Courser and hit me for 4. I passed the turn, and my opponent cast Sorin, Solemn Visitor. I countered it with Disdainful Stroke, and he attacked for 6. One Courser fell to Hero's Downfall, and I fell to 11 life. I cast Ashiok and used the +2 ability.

My opponent attacked with both Coursers, and I killed one with Murderous Cut. He cast Siege Rhino and passed the turn. I exiled three cards with Ashiok and passed the turn.

My opponent cast Hero's Downfall on Ashiok, and I activated Dakra Mystic, choosing to draw before letting the Downfall resolve. He attacked with both creatures, and I blocked the Courser with a Mystic before activating it. I put both cards in the graveyard and killed the Rhino with Murderous Cut. I cast Dig Through Time, cast Ashiok, using the +2, and passed the turn.

My opponent cast Thoughtseize to get rid of my Drown in Sorrow, and then he cast Elspeth, Sun's Champion and made three tokens. Courser of Kruphix dropped me to 5, and my opponent passed the turn. I milled a card with the Mystic during his end step. I cast Dig Through Time and killed Elspeth with Hero's Downfall. I exiled three cards with Ashiok and passed the turn.

My opponent exiled Dakra Mystic with Utter End and attacked with everything to kill me.

Wrap-Up

Well, this might not be the best control deck in the format, but it does work to some extent. Elspeth, Sun's Champion is certainly a pain to deal with, and 3-mana creatures that can’t be hit with Disdainful Stroke can make the early game a lot harder. In the end, I think going for the mill strategy may not be worth it, although Ashiok definitely is. Even if you’re not going for the mill win, threatening to steal your opponent’s Siege Rhinos is quite powerful, and that will often cause multiple attacks to go toward Ashiok instead of you. So if you’re looking for a control deck that’s a bit different than the standard fare, play around with this a bit. Who knows? It could be that swapping around a few cards will give you something even better.