Ok so I think this deck deserves it´s own thread, this is UW GO with out the Benalia Saga, the game plan is Draw Go, card advantage value and cast Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage EOT then abuse his hability to cast PWs and Lyra at instant speed.

-Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage-

2 x Blink of an Eye
2 x Negate
4 x Seal Away
2 x Essence Scatter
4 x Merfolk Trickster
Works great with seal away

1 x Gideon of the Trials
3 x Supreme Will
3 x Wizard's Retort

2 x Settle the Wreckage
3 x Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage
2 x Ixalan's Binding
1 x Cast Out

2 x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
3 x Lyra Dawnbringer
2 x Pull from Tomorrow

2 x Arch of Orazca
seal away acceletares the citys blessing
4 x Memorial to Genius
Loving this lands
4 x Meandering River
6 x Plains
8 x Island


what do you guys think of the archetype?

Cool! Thanks for posting... when I get a bit of free time, I’ll see if I can do a bit of additional optimization. I see one thing for sure. Very cool deck idea. How much of the meta is it currently, in your opinion?

As I love playing Azorius I think he may be my next "commander" also. I haven't done a lot of new deck building since Dom. Didn't have any time to do any draft this weekend either so I still have over 5000 gold and some wilds to play with before I start saving my gold for next weekend's draft... if I get time. I just asked for Saturday off work because I have a gig Friday night and Sunday day. I hope I can get to some draft sometime Saturday.
Edit: Why no Glacial Fortress? Don't have it? I crafted a couple after the last wipe for my Jeskai Flyers deck. I like the ability of Memorial but I hate tap lands if there's a choice to be had.

I havent played against it at all. In my meta this archetype does not exist, maybe in the master ranks?


I got just one Fortress and yes tap lands are the second choice for sure, but with the full play set of fortress I guess having 4 tap lands would not hurt.

Oh weird... I watched 1 CGB video, and one of his opponents played it. I figured it was a real deck. Anyway, I think I’m close.

Alright... how about this:

Deck: UW Control 1
Counts : 60 main

White:11
4 x Seal Away
3 x Cast Out
2 x Settle the Wreckage
2 x Lyra Dawnbringer

Blue:18
4 x Opt
4 x Essence Scatter
2 x Search for Azcanta
4 x Supreme Will
4 x Tragic Lesson

Gold:5
3 x Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage
2 x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

Land:26
4 x Field of Ruin
4 x Glacial Fortress
4 x Irrigated Farmland
8 x Island
6 x Plains

I’m not that sold on the threats, but this looks pretty good to me, generally.

Also, is nobody playing Drake Haven anymore? That was a solid UW deck, that got 0 love because Temur Energy was too strong. I’ll post a rough list in a bit.

I don't think the deck is so tight that can afford 4 opt, 4 fields of ruin seems a bit too much also, maybe one of those lands with GY hate, and the alternative win con could be the second sun, it makes sense with azcanta there.
Also, you don't have hard counters for late game and control mirror. Capashen and trickster are wizards so occasionally you can cast wizard retort as an old-fashioned counter.

Deck runs 26 lands, some of them could be utility. Not sure on the best mix of utility lands, but I do like the ability to take out some of my opponent’s utility lands when needed. I’m not sure what you mean regarding opt... could you clarify?

Yeah, I could see the argument for some hard counters, let me chew on that a bit. Although, I’m not running trickster.

Approach might make sense, but that is probably a different deck, imo.

I like a lot of this deck’s package as is. I’ll need to think about possible changes.

I like a lot of YOUR package

Sure, I like opt a lot when they spoiled I thought It was a sweet way to make your deck smaller and more consistent, but every time I try to add it to a deck... It never makes the final cut. I think is a good card but most times I can think of 3-4 cards that would be better.

It probably only makes sense im prowess decks or ones that have triggered abilities from Scry

I was giving thought to a Drake Haven deck as my first Azorius and then Jeskai flyers decks worked so well before during just XLN RIX and I already had 4 Favorable Winds which I think DH would need but didn't get around to it. Talking about it though with GoA got me thinking and that's where the Drake/Fling deck I made came from.
I do love making flying decks.

I posted a build earlier today, FYI.

Although it does depend on deck makeup a bit, I would rather use Censor then Opt. You don't get the scry, but the potential to counter an early play, or even make you opponent wait an extra turn, is worth it imo.

So I built a new version:

Deck: UW Control 1

2 mana:9
4 x Censor
4 x Seal Away
1 x Search for Azcanta

3 mana:10
2 x Kefnet the Mindful
4 x Tragic Lesson
4 x Wizard's Retort

4 mana:11
4 x Cast Out
2 x Commit // Memory
1 x Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage
4 x Settle the Wreckage

5 mana:4
1 x Lyra Dawnbringer
3 x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

Lands:26
1 x Arch of Orazca
3 x Field of Ruin
4 x Glacial Fortress
4 x Irrigated Farmland
8 x Island
6 x Plains

Cards for consideration:7
1 x Opt
1 x Blink of an Eye
1 x Gideon's Reproach
1 x Gideon of the Trials
1 x Gideon's Intervention
1 x Hieroglyphic Illumination
1 x Nezahal, Primal Tide

After some thought, I don’t believe Raff is needed in this deck. Why do we need a card to enable a control finisher to come down sooner? Just wait, and win in your own time, imo. (Also, just Teferi may be all this deck actually needs).

Also, CGB posted a video about an hour ago, with gameplay from something very similar to these three decks, for those who’d like to see them in action.

I was thinking... -I do occasionally- could you flash Shalai, Voice of Plenty in response to removal making the target ilegal?

And you know what?
... I went to build a wizard deck and then it hit me. Wipe.
I don't have those four Favorable Winds nor Stormchasers like I used to.
I had kind of blanked that out. Horrible loss. We are still grieving.

I believe so... But that’s definitely a different deck —-> UW Angels, imo.

Edit: of course you can. Otherwise Blossoming Defense would not work.

You can also flash it in, in response to Settle the Wreckage

I’m gonna try that ASAP! I belive I wet myself a bit...

Lol, well fwiw, I’ve been trying to get people on the Shalai train for the last few days. So, I’m glad you’re on board now. (: