HL V GP - 16th place (out of 88) Uw-Aggro-Control aka "White clouded Skies"

[Vazdru]

// Lands (26)
    1 [IA] Adarkar Wastes
    1 [AN] City of Brass
    1 [ON] Flooded Strand
    1 [DIS] Hallowed Fountain
    12 [ST] Island (1)
    6 [ST] Plains (2)
    1 [ON] Polluted Delta
    1 [A] Tundra
    1 [TE] Wasteland
    1 [ON] Windswept Heath

// Creatures (26)
    1 [FUT] Aven Mindcensor
    1 [PLC] Aven Riftwatcher
    1 [DIS] Azorius Guildmage
    1 [DIS] Azorius Herald
    1 [UL] Cloud of Faeries
    1 [10E] Cloud Sprite
    1 [ON] Exalted Angel
    1 [TSP] Fathom Seer
    1 [AN] Flying Men
    1 [VI] Freewind Falcon
    1 [US] Gilded Drake
    1 [CS] Jotun Grunt
    1 [CHK] Lantern Kami
    1 [TSP] Looter il-Kor
    1 [PT] Man-o'-War
    1 [UL] Mother of Runes
    1 [LRW] Pestermite
    1 [5E] Sea Sprite
    1 [AN] Serendib Efreet
    1 [TSP] Serra Avenger
    1 [TE] Soltari Foot Soldier
    1 [TE] Soltari Priest
    1 [LRW] Spellstutter Sprite
    1 [PY] Spiketail Hatchling
    1 [PLC] Stonecloaker
    1 [JU] Suntail Hawk
    1 [RAV] Surveilling Sprite
    1 [MOR] Vendilion Clique

// Spells (48)
    1 [MR] Annul
    1 [US] Back to Basics
    1 [UL] Black Vise
    1 [MR] Bonesplitter
    1 [MI] Boomerang
    1 [5E] Brainstorm
    1 [MR] Chrome Mox
    1 [DIS] Condemn
    1 [LRW] Crib Swap
    1 [EX] Curiosity
    1 [NE] Daze
    1 [MM] Disenchant
    1 [DS] Echoing Truth
    1 [MR] Empyrial Plate
    1 [MI] Enlightened Tutor
    1 [RAV] Faith's Fetters
    1 [AL] Force of Will
    1 [LG] Force Spike
    1 [FD] Grafted Wargear
    1 [MM] Gush
    1 [VI] Impulse
    1 [TE] Interdict
    1 [LG] Land Tax
    1 [MR] Lightning Greaves
    1 [LG] Mana Drain
    1 [SH] Mana Leak
    1 [PLC] Mana Tithe
    1 [MR] Mask of Memory
    1 [UL] Miscalculation
    1 [MM] Misdirection
    1 [SH] Mox Diamond
    1 [BE] Psionic Blast
    1 [PLC] Rebuff the Wicked
    1 [RAV] Remand
    1 [PS] Rushing River
    1 [NE] Seal of Cleansing
    1 [BOK] Shuko
    1 [DIS] Spell Snare
    1 [OD] Standstill
    1 [SC] Stifle
    1 [DS] Sword of Fire and Ice
    1 [BE] Swords to Plowshares
    1 [VI] Tithe
    1 [TSP] Trickbind
    1 [AN] Unstable Mutation
    1 [UL] Winter Orb

[Custer]

Congratulations to your 16th place at the recent Grand Prix! I like the deck idea of cloudy skies. You play several 0- or 1-mana-artifacts. Didn't you want to include Trinket Mage?

[Vazdru]

Thank you!

Yes, Trinket Mage has been in the closer circle to be added to the deck.

In the end i've had the Choice between Azorius First-Wing, Trinket Mage and Aven Riftwatcher.

I've chosen Riftwatcher because of my bad Match-Up vs R/G (Lifegain + Evasion).

Trinket Mage -> Black Vise / Shuko / Bonesplitter / Moxes doesn't look that strong in the end.

[Custer]

Yeah, I see the point. Thanks. Two more questions:

1. In view of the fact that white is your secondary colour, how reliable could you cast Serra Avenger and especially Soltari Priest in the early game?

2. I used to play a mono-blue variant of this deck about two years ago, which didn't perform too bad. However, I played a significantly higher number of creatures (about 35). Seeing that both you and Sturmgott have a relatively low creature count, how did that work out for you? 

[Mythrandir]

congrats vazdru not bad, 16th place. i know that deck a little bit to well (damn BTB )

[Vazdru]

Yeah, I see the point. Thanks. Two more questions:

1. In view of the fact that white is your secondary colour, how reliable could you cast Serra Avenger and especially Soltari Priest in the early game?

2. I used to play a mono-blue variant of this deck about two years ago, which didn't perform too bad. However, I played a significantly higher number of creatures (about 35). Seeing that both you and Sturmgott have a relatively low creature count, how did that work out for you? 

ad 1) in deed i've been in fear that casting cost WW wouldn't work in early game with only a white splash but in fact i've never had any bigger problems during testing or in the GP / the reasons are definitely land tax, tithe, moxes and lots of duals (3 fetch, 3 duals, city) and of course the new mulligan - during the seven rounds in the gp i've had to wait only once for my second white mana for flipping exalted

ad 2) i've been thinking about adding a higher number of creas but it's hard to find any really good u/w evasion creas, especially if you don't want to add lots of WW - i've played isamaru, savannah lions a while as well but wasn't satisfied with the card choices - which changes you suggest?

[Georg B]

Hey, a nice anecdote to this deck:
Last friday I was in Mannheim to draft at the FNM.
There I met some guys from Heidelberg I havent seen for a long time. We traded a bit and I played a round with my 5c Control against one of them (with his UR Hardcounter.deck) and they asked me what I think about a mono U Highlander.
I said that I think Skies would be the only really good mono U Highlander.
And the first guy (not the one I was playing with) said thet he would like the UW Skies he found at the internet.   
I smiled, because I know the deck verry well, and I know (well, i believe to know) that Gerry has posted the list only in this forum.

[MErcator]

I think a must add ist kitchen finks. Mystic gate good,too. (which provides ww on it#s own)
I think u could add terramorphic expanse as well, as u have no "comes into play tapped" lands yet. Minstral charger would be no WW and evasion. I have just cut stonecloaker, because he is to reactive for my deck (WWu).
I play Memory laps and Delay.

[Weller]

Months later ...

Out of curiosity - How does this deck compare to a White Weenie+U deck? (Bigger creatures, Countermagic and Armageddon/Ravages/Cataclysm)
Would you say the additional speed is worth it?