So this will be a thinking aloud, chewing the fat, rubber ducking, showing my working out post. Choose your favourite tired cliche from that list. But basically I’m just going to waffle.

For those that have blotted out my post from the weekend (Mana Screwed II) I wrote the following about a mono blue mill deck I played a friendly game against.

“Andy had come across an article about playing mill at FNM, which also happened to be a budget deck, and he had the majority of the cards. So he built the deck. And that’s what I played against here. I recognised the cards that formed the mill engine (Psychic Corrosion and Drowned Secrets) I’d seen them put to good use in a series 5 game of Spellslingers with Day 9 playing the deck. Strictly Better MtG also did a deck tech on it also. But I hadn’t come across the article Andy had mentioned.

…

I have to admit I like the idea of the deck. And I was tempted to build a version of the deck myself when I first saw the episode of Spellslingers. Now I know I am going to create a version too. I’ll use the same core engine. But I’d love to know why no millstone.“

So here we are with me looking at building my take on this blue mill deck. I’ve deliberately not looked at the sources mentioned whilst putting this deck together. I want this to be my deck. Afterwards I will compare “notes” and see where we differ out of interest. But I won’t share that with you. I’d have bored you enough by then.

I suppose I should put my usual disclaimer here (slightly edited for Standard).

“I’m not claiming these are the best decks in the world, they certainly are not top competitive decks. They are hopefully fun, affordable (subjective I know) decks. I don’t try and keep to a target price point. I try and use as many cards in my collection as possible to keep my costs down. I’m certainly not a master deck builder claiming this deck will win tournaments, if it is fun to play and does it thing then I’ll be happy.“

The core of this deck is Drowned Secrets and Psychic Corrosion.

So there will be a playset of both in the deck. Ideally multiple copies of both will be out. But one of each will be enough. So the deck needs to be playing blue spells and drawing cards.

The thing I noticed about the deck Andy played was the lack of creatures. I think the only one he said he had was Fleet Swallower. So I’ve gone with 16 creatures that can act as blockers but also give me a secondary benefit that fits in with the game plan. It’s why I went Surge Mare over Wall of Mist for example.

But you will notice that there are 2 colourless creatures that won’t trigger Drowned Secrets. However Diamond Mare doubles up on the Drowned Secrets and gives what could be valuable life gain when blue spells are cast. Howling Golem will give card draw, although sadly my opponent also benefits from that. For the record there will be one Fleet Swallower in the main deck, and a second copy in the sideboard.

I know I will be playing playsets of both Opt, and Blink of an Eye.

The benefit of Blink of an Eye, it’s bouncing a creature back to hand, but kicked gives card draw. I don’t think Opt needs much explaining if any.

After the above cards I’m undecided how the remaining slots will be taken up in the main deck. Cards I’ve been looking at including are:

Fountain of Renewal, Disdainful Stroke, Essence Scatter, Expel from Orazca, Millstone, Radical Idea, Unexplained Disappearance, Befuddle, Cancel, Divination, Secrets of the Golden City, Sinister Sabotage, Unwind, Wizard’s Retort, Bone to Ash, Capture Sphere, Chemister’s Insight, Kumena’s Awakening, Sleep, Patient Rebuilding, The Mirari Conjecture and Weight of Memory

For the sideboard I’ve been considering the following cards:
Muse Drake, Fleet Swallower, Windreader Sphinx, Fountain of Renewal, Selective Snare, Time of Ice, Patient Rebuilding, Weight of Memory, and River’s Rebuke

What I have to balance with the remaining slots is card draw, removal and possibly a counter spell or two.

I’m going to play 22 lands, 20 will be basics, and 2 copies of Memorial to Genius.

With Vodalian Arcanist I also have a little ramp for casting instants and sorceries. So I’m boarder line on the land front.

So that’s my thinking so far on this mono blue mill deck. The clock is ticking because I’m considering giving it an airing at this weekends Standard Showdown. Which means the extra copies of some cards I need had better show up quickly.