Well, there are problems, and then there are problems. I can't speak to what works or doesn't work against the field in general, as the competition is different on each platform, but I can state without too much concern of it being untrue, that the answers in U and W are very inefficient compared to what R and B have. And G is often what needs to be answered in the first place, so it's probably fine without having super efficient responses to threats. Without including total card disadvantage cards (or things that really only belong in a side board), what is the U and W answer to a resolved Copter, without expending 2 times the mana copter costs.

Put another way, what are the cards you can run in those 2 colors that don't directly hurt you against the rest of the field?

The biggest problem I see currently with U/W is that their answers are just mismatched for the current meta. Cards like Dec in Stone, Blessed Alliance and Planar Outburst and so on aren't bad answers, or bad cards for that matter, they just either don't line up well with the current meta.

Cast Out will definitely help with dealing with PWs though, which tends to be their biggest issue.

Should we get Cast Out, I could actually see U/W being pretty well positioned to effectively answer Simic Ramp if it takes off.

The two potential new counters could also help, as they are at least cheap responses. Meh, I dunno. Vehicles really screwed everything up. Lol.

I think people underestimate Censor: it's bad late sure, but in a vehicle/aggro dominated meta answers to 2 and 3 drops are crucial. If you aren't in black/red for Push/Lightning then it fills a void and gives U/W etc legs early game. I think it will be more important that Cast Out in certain decks, though as a catch all answer obviously Cast Out is better, especially if white is just a splash (which if exile becomes as important as I think might be, then it is probably a main colour anyway). Being able to cantrip for just is gravy.

I think we'll have to wait for HoD to find whether investments in new mechanics and/or archetypes is truly worth it. I think this is a block that will be defined as exactly that rather than just being ruled by a single set.

Trust me, blue is still extremely powerful right now.

Tite;lage is teh amazeballs best card ever in the world.

I don't trust you though.

Dj, I like you and all - but you hardly even play the game yo

I don't think is bad, just ill positioned. All blue really needs to shine is a shake in the meta. Stuff like Pull and the new Sphinx's if we get them only stand to make better.

If the meta were to slow down a bit (which could happen with all the potential tools that Ramp and Control may be getting) then could make a serious comeback. When it comes to support, is still generally where it is at. It just really wants/needs other colors to fill the gaps in its game.

@ light, I play enough just not as much as I'd like

@ Eon, it's not that blue is bad, it's that it lacks for solid/efficient answers to the meta. I see it the way I see green... both really need to be paired with a color that has efficient removal. They are both excellent support colors.

Back to what I said earlier... white doesn't do enough imo to fix the shortfall of blue (hence why Control is playing esper, or Jeskai - mostly esper).

Also, pending some new cards, blue could get much better next set. And I really hope it does, because I've been wanting to play UW since day one, and it keeps coming up a day late, and a dollar short, imo.

Also, side note: I really hope we get the 2/3 U illusion or phantasm or whatever. That card is so needed for any U deck that isn't just spells.

@DJ: The answer to copter is Gideon's Reproach. I know the card gets a bashing, but the only downside when used on an early copter vs lets say Grasp of Darkness is the looting effect being triggered. The upside is not requiring a double colour if you're on the draw T2 and they swing T3. Its really not that bad of an answer, and I've had it sit in my hand less than Fatal Push most of the time in decks that don't have enough ways to reliably revolt it. I'd rather have Push in hand early, but experience is experience, its pretty hard for me to argue with it. Otherwise I'd pre-emptively be calling Naya humans trash.

Out of the 2 decks, W/U has the slower start and that is down to lacking a 1 mana removal spell and a 5 mana boardwipe. It'll just have to be a meta call, but for me consistency towards the majority of the meta is always key over having an answer to every possible deck in my 60 somewhere that does little to nothing in most games. My W/B list this season worked great against aggro and midrange decks, but lost horribly to an Esper one. Esper took up maybe 6% of the field, so that was just the sacrifice I had to accept.

I'm not talking about control, lol. I'm sure white and blue are adequate in control. I'm talking about offensive decks, not defensive ones. Gideon's reproach is very questionable in an offensive deck, as it forces you to tempo yourself, and attack knowing your creature needs to be blocked. In control it's fine, you wouldn't be attacking at that point, or probably even have a threat on the board.

That's neat, I was talking about Control and you said what my answer to Copter was you silly goose.

I'm never talking about control.

If I say WU needs help, I mean decks that intend to win in less than 10 minutes that have those colors need help.



p.s.: your answer to copter is not an answer to copter outside of defensive decks. Red and Black have proactive responses to copter.

10 minutes? But that's not enough time for me to see (and counter) half of your lovingly crafted deck?

I want Anointed Procession /thread.

Not a good idea to make posts when you've been drinking wine and cider.

You should just play tutelage - jerk.

(Looking forward to this weekend.)

If we got 100% of the cards spoiled, I am pretty positive I know the deck I am taking to the next tourney and it uses like 4 card slots for Amonkhet cards.

(Maindeck slots, I haven't accounted at all for how awk the sideboard implementation will be)