Actually, Aggro is the main issue I've ran into with this deck. I mean, I've managed to beat aggro consistently, but they usually bring me down to the least amount of health.

Generally from my experience witty, that's how it always is since aggro is always swinging more often and with smaller guys. Where as when you lose to control or midrange they swing for MUCH larger numbers so they don't really have the chance to get you to lower life totals because it just kills you outright..

Touche, ser. You make an excellent point.

Also, as far as this deck is concerned I've removed one of the Obelisks for The Butcher. The reasoning is as follows:

Either of the cards can function as a wincon, situationally. As such, after tutoring for the second Demon, I can then tutor for either the Obelisk or The Butcher, depending on which one I need. On the odd chance that I draw into either of the cards before tutoring for them, they're still not bad as they still have a myriad of effects, most of which are positive for me, on the battle.

I'm right, right fellows?

I actually made that very same change last night after playing the deck for a few hours. It runs smoother than ever now that Resounding Thunder is in there along with the additional blue sources.

Right? Plus Kozilek is insane for draw purposes. This build has very few, if any instances where it doesn't have a **** ton of cards in hand. I just remembered the other reason I put him in. To recycle my graveyard. There have been a few instances where my wincons were repeatedly removed, thanks to repeated Cleansing and Elixers. Kozilek solves that problem.

So, your build is basically the same as you originally posted, but with one less Obelisk?

Yeah I got caught up in Obelisk fever. It's still a slow and grindy wincon, so even though it's good in multiples it's bad in multiples if you know what I mean. Kozilek is just a bomb and I find myself with ten or more mana frequently enough to justify it. He is also a key card in the control mirror.

Agreed with all of your points, however I will take credit for this find.

And you definitely did get caught up with the Obelisk. You were like a kid at christmas. (-;

Yeah, he's been throwing it in like every deck! lol

Updated list: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=4944&p=232694#p232694

New to the boards (previously on the Magic forum a while ago) so I'd thought I post my deck that I'm running with good success. It's built around heavy discard and heavy draw with a few win-cons to seal it. It's 61 cards but I don't feel there's anything to drop to make it 60. Maybe Griselbrand due to his demanding cost.

"Cards and Discards"
A deck for Grixis 2015
61 Cards. 38 nonlands (9 creatures, 29 spells). 23 Lands (4 4 4; 11 other).
Open this deck in MisterP's deck planner. (Learn more)
Cost
-- 4x Vapor Snag
Cost
-- 4x Think Twice
-- 4x Voyage's End
Cost
-- 4x Liliana's Specter
-- 2x Anger of the Gods
-- 3x Darksteel Ingot
-- 4x Mind Rot
Cost
-- 2x Graveborn Muse
-- 4x Inspiration
Cost
-- 2x Charmbreaker Devils
Cost
-- 2x Sphinx-Bone Wand
Cost
-- 1x Griselbrand
Cost
-- 2x Banefire
Land
-- 3x Crumbling Necropolis
-- 4x Dimir Guildgate
-- 4x Simic Guildgate
-- 4x Island
-- 4x Mountain
-- 4x Swamp

The deck is based on attacking the root of your opponents threats i.e. their hand by using your Mind Rots and Specters. You can also bounce creatures with Snag and Voyagers End for more discards. All the while giving you more cards with Muses, Charmbreaker Devils, Inspirations and Think Twices. There's Banefire for either major threats or to close the game and finally Anger of the Gods for aggro or tokens.

In essence is about good card trades with your opponent and yourself and how much influence you have over your opponent. The less your opponent casts something, the more likely you'll win.

Updated decklist for my Grixis Control Deck.

I've been testing since last night with Traumatic Visions instead of Ogre Jailbreakers and Arcane Sanctums instead of Dimir Guildgates because of the Obelisk. It has been absolutely fantastic because Visions ensures I don't stumble on early land drops and it gives me an out to certain permanents that this deck used to have real problems with.

I've been thinking about cutting a Tribute to Hunger or the Stormbreath Dragon for a Banefire because it would be nice to have a trump card in control mirrors. Thoughts?

I don't think 23 land is enough for this deck and I would always trim to 60 cards.

I would cut the Griselbrand and the three Darksteel Ingots for another land a two and some hard removal. Otherwise I like the concept, though I would worry about Mind Rot being a pretty bad draw in the lategame. I think the bounce probably lets you get away with it, though.

I think there's enough draw power to get away with 23. I can't say I've been screwed many times mana-wise but getting an Ingot or Think Twice in your opening hand helps.

I'm going to cut the Griselbrand tonight and see how it goes. I typically run Darksteel Ingots if I can't run Cultivate in 3 or more colour decks. I also think there's enough two mana cards (Anger, Specter and Muse) to warrant running something multi-coloured in case.

Even if your opponent is top-decking, the deck has done it's job but yes, the bounce/Mind Rot combo is just as effective. There's a low amount of creatures in the deck so, in most cases, the opponent will be holding some sort of removal.

I think the concept could be refined into a Dimir deck because cutting red makes your mana better and you only lose Banefire, Charmbreaker, and Anger (six cards total).

Losing Anger certainly hurts in key matchups, but I wonder if the increased mana consistency and less reliance on Ingots could make the deck a bit more efficient. I think I'll brew up a Dimir list based on this concept later today, thanks for the inspiration.

Exactly. If board removal for black was not lacking this year, I'd make it Dimir.

I KNEW you would bring in the Visions eventually

It's a tough call on which to drop for banefire. I would hate to see stormbreath leave (I know.. I jock him so hard..), so I think I would have to nominate the hunger.

I built a deck and played it all last night, but I ended up cutting the discard package because it was just too weak overall. I ended up with basically a mono-blue control that splashed black for Dinrova Horrors, Rune-Scarred Demons, and Griselbrand. It was okay but nothing spectacular; if the other guy got out to a lead on board underneath the counterspells it was tough to recover, but that's to be expected.

I will say that Dinrova Horror is actually amazing in a counterspell-heavy deck because it gives you an out to any permanent that slips through the net. I imagine he would be great in your discard shell, as well, have you thought about working him into your deck?

Yeah I knew I was eventually going to try it, but only got around to it last night. The deck is way better than before because I basically never miss land drops now and having access to some late game hard counters covers up a hole in the deck.

I did decide to work in a singleton Banefire and it has been great. I cut the Dragon because I basically never want to tap out for him and by the time I feel comfortable casting him, Banefire would just win the game.

This is a real draw-go control deck now with only eight spells that I have to cast on my turn and the Dragon doesn't really fit the style; all four of my creatures have EtBs so I always get some value even if they're removed.

I will say that I think this deck is potentially better than Monkeem Project v2 now because of the better mana and the Rune-Scarred Demons. Unless I'm under serious pressure, I can consistently cast a Demon, fetch the Obelisk, and cast the Obelisk with two open mana on the next turn and just dominate the game with it. The white mode is great for this deck's recovery, the blue mode lets me filter away excess land, and the black mode extends the reach of all my removal spells (which is huge for this deck). I occasionally use the red and green modes, but it's rare that I need to.

The Obelisk also makes Tribute to Hunger way better because I can remove the annoying weenie creatures and nail the big guns with it (this is another reason to cut Stormbreath).

Final Decklist, take it out for a spin!

You think it is "better" than the Monkeem Project v2?! That's a bold statement. I will be giving this some playtime at some point. Been pretty busy recently.

Sacrilege!!!!!!!!

In all seriousness the mana is better, I think it would be better vs midrange and control but weaker vs aggro.