Control vs. Beatdown

Hello, class. It's time for a theory/strategy lesson from Professor Ted. No, don't get out your paper and pencils, no notes are required. But an open mind is (this means you, Rubberneck- the next time you're thinking of replying to my article, don't). I told you from the beginning that Tedman's Tales would be a mix of several different things, to please everyone. Here is how I believe Control and Beatdown function against each other.

The old classification of decks used to be this: Control, Beatdown, and Combo. It was kinda like the age-old paper-rock-scissors game. Combo beats Beatdown, Beatdown beats Control, and Control beats Combo. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, like some aggro- control decks can apply beatdown faster than a beatdown deck itself (Counter Sliver in Extended).

First off, I'll explain the basics. Control decks wait and build up mana sources, and then uses reactive cards to deal with threats put out by the opponent. Ponza in Type 2 not only deals with threats with cards like Shock, Seal of Fire, Hammer of Bogardan, Powder Keg and Pillage, but it also destroys their lands so they can't play the threats. Control decks usually have one or two creatures used as finishers. Those cards include Morphling, Masticore and Palinchron in Type 2 Acclereated Blue, Masticore or Flowstone Overseer in Type 2 Ponza, Morphling in Maher-Oath in Extended, and Child of Gaea or Blastoderm in Type 2 Control Green. Notice that all those creatures have fairly high power/toughness, except for Morphling, which can pump accordingly.

Beatdown decks have a completely different purpose. They put out a quick swarm of creatures and try to kill the opponent as quickly as possible. Stompy in both Extended and Type 2, Rebels in Type 2, White Weenie in any format and Sligh are all Beatdown decks. Notice that none of them usually have any creatures with power/toughness higher than 2/2 or 3/3.

Now a year or so ago, people would have said that Beatdown will almost always beat Control. Recently, people are questioning that. Let's say that Stompy is facing Accelerated Blue in a Type 2 match. Stompy gets out a few quick critters. Blue counters a few, but has to let most of them through. Stompy gets a few quick beats until Blue Kegs them away. Now, Stompy is left with very few creatures, and the ball is in Blue's court. Blue Treacheries a few of them, and uses those creatures to kill off the remaining ones. Blue takes control. Counter, counter, counter. Grim, Grim, Morphling, Palinchron, win. Of course, there is the odd occurrence where Stompy just gets a lightning-fast draw and completely overwhelms their opponent, but it doesn't happen often.

Control decks always have a way to deal with threats, or else they wouldn't be Control. Sometimes, they just don't draw their control cards. Ponza's got the cards mentioned above. Accelerated Blue's got Counterspell, Miscalculation, Rewind, Thwart, Daze, Thwart, Treachery, Powder Keg, Rath's Edge. Black Control's got Duress, Stupor, Unmask, Ravenous Rats, Snuff Out, Vendetta, Powder Keg, Persecute, Forced March, and even Thrashing Wumpus and Ascendant Evincar. Heck, even Masticore can be considered control.

When control decks don't draw their control cards, they resort to beat-receiving mode. Sometimes, aggro-control decks forget the control part and just put out their critters and hope for the best. Accelerated Blue's got an edge in that part because the Grim Monolith's lend to both countering purposes and creature-producing purposes. Accelerated Blue quite often gets a third- turn Morphling with protection available.

So Control and Beatdown today really have equal chances of winning against each other. It's also really important who plays which deck. Patient players seem to do better with Control decks, while the impatient and aggressive players tend to play Beatdown more.

So the next time you see two good players playing Stompy vs. Accelerated Blue, stop and look. You just might see something interesting. Until then, Tedman signs off.

__________________
Shrooms: You fool! Shrooms can't talk!
Me: But you're talking to me now!
Shrooms: No we aren't.

__________________
Shrooms: You fool! Shrooms can't talk!
Me: But you're talking to me now!
Shrooms: No we aren't.

1. Sabre Bargain
2. Replenish
3. White Weenie
4. Mindless Oath

I'd say Bargain first because it literally makes your opponent play around the chance of next turn bargain (gotta have an answer or i lose). Also the ability to consistantly kill turn 3-4 is pretty scary in the hands of a good Bargain Player.

Replenish 2nd because it's definately got more versatility than Bargain but just not quite as fast a kill.

White Weenie's 3rd because of a man named David Leader who has single handedly won a lot of money with his White Weenie deck sweeping deck after deck (even in finals). White also has an alternative way to win incase it stalls out in the late game.

Mindless Oath is 4th because of it's amazing versatility. It's my little pet for now and i'm still working on the decklist and on minimizing mistakes. It only has minor problems with Replenish and basically decimates any creature based deck.

Well, I guess i'm just a combo player oh well. BTW I posted a little article on Mindless Oath if anyone's interested in this revived Deck Archtype.

[This message has been edited by Paranoid (edited 05-26-2000).]