Standstill
1U, Enchantment, Odyssey Uncommon
When a player plays a spell, sacrifice Standstill. If you do, then each of that player's opponents draws three cards.
Take your time.
Illus. Heather HudsonIt is important to remember that it triggers on the announcement of a spell so you
draw the cards and then counter.
Standstill is already proving to be a very strong choice for card drawing in a deck 
that can quickly lay out a few threats and protect its position. This translates into card advantage
with the proper cards.
I have been experimenting with a Standard version: 
4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Blurred Mongoose
4 Wild Mongrel
4 Gaeas Skyfolk
4 Mystic Snake
4 Aether Burst
4 Standstill
3 Memory Lapse
3 Syncopate
2 Rushing River
10 Islands
10 Forests
4 Yavimaya Coast
The sideboard 
3 Gainsay 
3 Divert. 
3 Leaf Dancers, 
3 Dodecapod 
2 Jungle Barriers
1 Rushing River 
I am able to gain enormous card advantage against most decks with this build. 
In Type 1 but the rebel engine has potential when coupled with Standstill. WW can race with 
almost any aggro deck. It can race Sligh, Black and Stompy in Type 1 with the addition of 
Standstill and it finds an answer to control in order to be consistent. Standstillis p[erfect for the rebel engine.
A budget version would be playable but a good Type 1 deck is helped by some P9. 
This deck has solutions.  
4 Savannah Lions 
4 Ramosian Sergeant 
4 Steadfast Guard 
4 Fresh Volunteer 
4 Meddling Mage 
4 Standstill
4 Land Tax 
2 Seal of Cleansing
2 Crusade
2 Null Rod 
2 Swords to Plowshares 
1 Balance
1 Ancestral Recall 
1 Time Walk 
  
8 Plains 
4 Tundra 
4 Adarkar
2 Wasteland
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Saphire
1 Black Lotus 
1 Strip Mine
SB
4 Extract 
3 Psi Blasts 
3 Sanctimony
2 Lingering Mirage
2 Seal of Cleansing 
1 Tornod’s Crypt
The sideboard is built to have a few more answers. Extract is no Cap
but in a tempo deck it can remove enough problems that the Mages will 
lock the game down. 
The Psi Blasts are finishers that can be sided in if you need to race. 
Sanctimony will ensure that you out race Sligh. 
Lingering Mirage is just tech against Academy and a few other nasty lands. 
Seals and Crypt are more solutions for Oath and Keeper.
I also like its application to a solid B/u build. This deck can play a threat and 
Standstill very early. It then has the utility to disrupt or counter a few spells long 
enough for the win. I had thought about incorporating a few Shadowmage Infiltrators for
an even more control but it is still in its infancy and needs more testing. 
Creatures: 12
4 x Phyrexian Scuta 
4 x Serendib Efreet 
4 x Hypnotic Specter 
Card Drawers: 6
4 x Standstill 
1 x Necropotence 
1 x Ancestral Recall
Utility: 16
4 x  Mana Drain
4 x  Duress 
4 x  Hymn to Tourach 
1x   Time Walk
1 x  Demonic Tutor 
1 x  Demonic Consultation 
1 x  Yawgmoth´s Will 
Mana: 
4 x Dark Ritual 
1 x Sol Ring 
5 x Swamp
4 x Underground Sea 
4 x Underground River 
3 x Mishra´s Factory 
2 x City of Pain 
2 x Island 
1 x Strip Mine
SB: 
4 x Phyrexian Negator 
3 x Powder Keg 
2 x Perish 
2 x Teferi's Response 
2 x Dystopia 
2 x Diabolic Edict
The other deck that can benefit from Standstill is an Extended or Type 1 Oath. I also like 
Pedantic Learning in the deck. 
 
Pedantic Learning
UU, Enchantment, Odyssey Rare
Whenever a land card is put into your graveyard from your library, you may pay 1. If you do, draw a card.
Even the trivial can inspire.
Illus. Heather Hudson 
Between these two cards you can generate enormous card advantage with
Oath in play. 
So that’s it for now and remember:
Magic is after all a game. Have fun. 
[Edited 1 times, lastly by felixcat on October 11, 2001]