[Modern] Ebony Owl Netsuke (UR)

[Federico Rosano]

DRAW CONTROL DECK IN MODERN
This deck continues the series of decks based on "crappy cards that no one wants to play with" and brings it to the next level. It also covers the two main holes of my deckbuilding adventure: Izzet and Control decks.
This one focuses on cards in opponents hands and makes tons of damages even before the drawing phase. This cards combo proved to be very fun to play and still devastating against different type of decks.

OFFENSIVE STRATEGY
The more cards our opponents draw, the better it is for us. As permanents like Ebony Owl Netsuke and Fevered Visions deals tons of damages each turn, even if the latter is way more consistent as it force to draw and requires only 4 cards in hand to kick in.
When you have multiple of them in play, the game is pretty much done.
But mostly of decks have no problem whatsoever to play multiple cards at once, so that in many cases our base strategy can't work. That's why we use other tricks to keep our opponents with 7 cards in hand everytime.
Howling Mine proved to be an absolute blast in that aspect, forcing to draw 2 cards at every draw phase, and again: having multiple of them in play is a huge bonus to our offensive strategy. Temple Bell, even if it's less powerful, is great to make each player draw as we wish. Usually at this point each player is drawing a bunch of cards every turn, so Cerebral Vortex and the Runeflare Trap can finish them off easly. Molten Psyche is simply devastating in four-player games.
- Example?
Beginning of the opponent's unkeep, 7 cards in hand: 4 damages from the Ebony Owl Netsuke. I own the Howling Mine and I tap the Temple Bell, he/she draws 3 total cards. Then, using 2 mana: dropping two Runeflare Trap = 22 damages. Slick play.

DEFENSIVE STRATEGY
The worst thing is when your opponent play good cards that you made him/her draw. I tried to fill the defensive strategy with counters, like Dream Fracture or Remand, that are good even for the offensive side, but it slows down the game too much and it end up being a bad deck. I'm still working on it tho, considering Outwit, as at this point the deck is armless against spells like Shock.
It's better to slow down opponent's play instead using Call to Heel and Whelming Wave that fill our opponents hands and triggers our offensive cards like Molten Psyche and Ebony Owl Netsuke.
Swans of Bryn Argoll is great against creatures, as it can't be damaged and makes our opponent draw a bunch of cards. It proved to be exceptionally good during actual play.

That's it! Have fun with this new Izzet control deck. Enjoy it.

https://deckstats.net/decks/88072/1015186-netsuke

[Federico Rosano]

Added some new cards to the maybeboard.

[CleanBelwas]

Not sure how cheap is super cheap, but lands like Geier Reach Sanctum and Mikokoro, Center of the Sea might help. Having the ability on lands seems decent seeing as you're playing them anyway, and you get the cards too.

[Federico Rosano]

I did a couple of matches yesterday.
Molten Psyche and the Runeflare Trap are an absolute blast. I managed 18 damages in one single turn paying 4 mana.

On the defensive side I'm a bite weak against decks with removal (Terminate, Mortify, Oblivion Ring), but adding Dream Fracture seems like it slows down the play.

[Federico Rosano]

Not sure how cheap is super cheap, but lands like Geier Reach Sanctum and Mikokoro, Center of the Sea might help. Having the ability on lands seems decent seeing as you're playing them anyway, and you get the cards too.

Mikokoro is way to expensive here. I prefer spending that money on the Howling Mine. It's great.
At the moment the deck lacks against fast aggro decks: Whelming Wave saves a bit of the day.

[Federico Rosano]

At this point is clear that this deck lacks in defense. The bird is awesome, but I got so many damages from 1/1 creatures! Plus I'm completely harmless against burn cards.
Any help?

[Federico Rosano]

Updated the deck and added a full description to the first post. Enjoy.

[MonteTribal]

I think 4 Cerebral Vortex and 4 Molten Psyche and 4 Whelming Wave are too much. You need some protection. Something like Lightning Bolt to take out early aggression, Remand for more threatening spells. Remand actually works great in your game plan.
Old variants of this deck used Boomerang and Eye of Nowhere to bounce opposing lands to make playing cards more difficult.

[MonteTribal]

Also, Mikokoro, Center of the Sea is now a $2 card after the release of Masters 25

[Federico Rosano]

Also, Mikokoro, Center of the Sea is now a $2 card after the release of Masters 25

Thank you for the tip! I tried Mikokoro as proxy, but the deck is already super fun without it.

[Federico Rosano]

I tried to fill the defensive strategy with counters, like Dream Fracture or Remand, that are good even for the offensive side, but it slows down the game too much and it end up being a bad deck. I'm still working on it tho, considering Outwit, as at this point the deck is armless against spells like Shock.
Actually it's better to slow down opponent's play instead using Call to Heel and Whelming Wave that fill our opponents hands and triggers our offensive cards like Molten Psyche and Ebony Owl Netsuke.
Swans of Bryn Argoll is great against creatures, as it can't be damaged and makes our opponent draw a bunch of cards. It proved to be exceptionally good during actual play.

[Rooker]

Is there any way to fit a card like Rule of Law into this and make it into a Jeskai deck that just counters and fills your opponent's hand?

If you added White, I'd definitely at least add Silence, since the card disadvantage would definitely not be a problem.