So, I finally dusted off Photoshop and made a banner for my articles. Everyone take a moment to bask in it's sexiness.... Okay moving on.

Due to both a balanced price point (mostly) and a very interesting variety of cards, Extended is quickly becoming my favorite mainstream format. My biggest gripe with it is it's seasonal nature, often leaving me with very limited matches this time of year. Never the less, I think it's a great format and will continue to play it... even when no one else is!

Control As I Knew It

Back when I first started playing Magic, my concept of a "good" control deck was very different than what it is today. My control decks of yesteryear mostly consisted of 20-23 Islands, full sets of Counterspell, Repulse, Boomerang, Exclude, Rewind, Accumulated Knowledge, Force of Will, Brainstorm, Gush and the sole win condition of a set of Morphlings. Ah, those were the days! Back then I didn't even know what card advantage meant, I just knew I didn't want my opponent doing anything. As it stands now, Draw-Go, Permission Control, and to a lesser extent MUC all seem to be dying breeds of control. I'm sure this is known and deliberate, and I recall WotC stating at some point that this archetype is simply not "fun".

All that being said, I would have to agree, to a point. The only reason I'd ever build that deck again would be for nostalgia's sake, because quite frankly, it's boring. There's very little thought involved, no variety, and all it does is cause boredom for the winner and frustration for the loser. Despite being an avid control player, it is my honest opinion that the aforementioned style of decks were not fun for anyone involved.

Control In Standard

Control has always existed in every format to some extent. I would argue that our current iteration is not "true" control, but more of a mid-range aggro variety. Jace 2.0 has proven to be a staple in any kind of deck that can provide blue mana, and generates a very strong board presence, assuming he stays on the board. Jace, however, requires some support to be as good as he needs to be, and that support "usually" comes from existing in an aggressive deck, usually with creature protection. I would say the closest thing we have to traditional control is Grixis, sans specters. Esper is a close second, but current incarnations classify it as more of a combo deck than a control deck, at least in my book.

UWR Planeswalker Control, proud owner of some of the stupidest pet names for a deck in this Standard, is a point of interest. This deck, for me, redefines how I look at aggro decks. The deck is definitely control, partially, with Path to Exile, Oblivion Ring and a few Negates, but then it isn't at the same time. In this deck you play Planeswalkers instead of creatures, and every one of them acts to very aggressively attack you, be it through mana denial, card advantage, board position or life points. Today's control is extremely proactive, and I think this particular deck sets a great example of that.

Extended Teachings - My Happy Home

I feel like I've stumbled on to some sort of hidden, secret treasure in this deck. A treasure that was crafted and tucked away just for me. It's reactive control elements are very reminiscent of my control decks of old, and it is very much permissive. I used to joke with my friends. They would announce, "I am playing this spell" and I would correct them, "No, you say 'May I play this spell?'". This deck makes me feel like I have that level of control again. The mana base is complex, thoughtful, and malleable, which appeals to me very much. Most of all, this deck is hard... Enunciate if you say that out loud.

The challenge of the deck is what's really drawn me in. One cannot just pickup and play it. I've been practicing several games and am still making play mistakes, and not obvious ones. I've never had so many things to factor before, and piloting this complicated concoction of cards has been an absolute joy. Teachings is very compelling to me for a number of reasons:

• Every game starts with you as the default winner, losses only occur through play errors... mostly
• To elaborate, the deck greatly rewards good play skill, but brutally punishes mistakes
• The deck is challenging, both to learn and to pilot. Challenging is fun
• You have an answer for everything. This deck packs more silver bullets than Kate Beckinsale... Or Corey Haim depending on your generation
• The toolbox nature of the deck makes it adaptable to any meta
• If the mainboard can't handle something, the sideboard can
• The deck does not require any copies of Jace, The Wallet F***er

Only As Good As Your Tools

The "Real" Super Friends

Like I said, this deck is ready for anything. Mystical Teachings finds both answers and win conditions, and can chain itself into more answers and win conditions via Flashback. Because of the teachings engine, many cards are safe at one or two copies, leaving space for a wide variety of options. The namesake also finds our best card, Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. Teferi is often overlooked and under read. With him in play Cascade no longer works, shutting off both Living End and Hypergenesis. In control matches your opponent is no long able to counter your spells. Zoo and Fae no longer have combat tricks with him on the board. Of course, Teferi himself is a combat trick, allowing for instant speed blocking with a 3/4 body to boot. In addition, if he's not enough of a threat, his friends are. An active Teferi makes for a tutorable and instant speed Crovax, Ascendant Hero and Dralnu, Lich Lord. Dralnu is almost a game ender by himself, and his drawback is negligible. Remember all those Cryptic Commands, Path to Exiles and Rune Snags I ruined your game with? Well they're back! Crovax is slightly more situational, but when he's good he's DAMN good. Able to single-handedly shut down Thopter Foundry, Vampire Hexmage, Dark Confidant and several other cards, and sometimes entire decks, he's a welcome Teachings target with Teferi in play. On top of that he's a 4/4 beater with a great activated ability that holds some great synergy with another card I'll get to later.

Counter Magic

Teachings is a permission deck, you almost never act on your own turn. Your arsenal of counterspells includes but is not limited to Rune Snag, Mana Leak, Spell Snare, Cryptic Command and Spell Burst. I don't include Condescend in my list, as it's fairly awkward in relation to my other counters. Cheap spells are easily handled with Spell Burst and often times Spell Snare, and more expensive spells fall victim to Rune Snag and Mana Leak. The middle ground is covered by Cryptic Command, which a mandatory 4-of in this deck. Cryptic Command is simply amazing. It's all too often passed off as another counterspell, but it's so much more than that. Having Forbid, Counterspell, Ensnare, and Into the Roil all essentially folded into one card can make for some amazing plays.

Congratulations On Resolving Your Graveyard Fodder

It's a sad truth that you wont be able to counter everything that attempts to leave your opponent's hand. Luckily, you have a nice removal suite to choose from. Beyond the required playset of Path to Exile, the deck has access to Repeal, Doom Blade, Smother, Disenchant and in some situations Esper Charm. In the board you have Deathmark and Celestial Purge, along with anything else you might need. I keep Doom Blade in the board and Smother in the main, to help me with game one against Zoo and DD/Thopter.

Everything Else That Would Fit In Your Batman Utility Belt

 I mentioned before that one of the highlights of this deck is its adaptability to different metagames. Worried about graveyard enabled decks? Between Extirpate and Ravenous Trap you'll be fine. Combo? Ethersworn Canonist and Aven Mindcensor can put a crimp in many a plan. Fast aggro beating you down? Side in some more removal and turn your dwindling life points into a 7/7 Death's Shadow!

This is the first deck I've ever had the pleasure of playing Extirpate in. Words cannot describe my feelings toward this card, but I'm going to try anyway. For starters, this card can shut down combo decks all on its own, well, mostly on it's own. Getting any combo piece into their graveyard through counterspells or discard will put you in a very good position. It cannot be countered, your target will be removed. Against control it functionally acts as a counterspell if you can hit one of their defensive cards. Even in aggro matches, ensuring you'll never see another Wild Nacatl, Lightning Bolt or Tarmogoyf again can definitely give you an edge. It acts as disruption in the right situations. AIR plays turn 1 Mountain into Rite of Flame. After it resolves you extirpate it and OH LOOK there's a second one in their hand that'll never see play, and unless they draw lucky, they've been shut down. Granted, that's a very narrow example, but I've done it!

I also wanted to talk about Death's Shadow, a 4-of in my sideboard. This deck has trouble against fast aggro decks like Zoo. Bring in Death's Shadow, and you suddenly have a one mana threat that's bigger than anything they have. When I mentioned Crovax had synergy with another card in the deck, this was the guy. With Death's Shadow in play, Crovax's ability not only saves himself, but pumps your shadows as well! Fetchlands become potential (Giant Growths), and with Teferi in play I can think of no better surprise blocker. These guys give the deck the speed it needs to compete in faster meta games, and if your meta is flooded with Zoo, I'd probably mainboard them.

My Seventy-Five

Extended Teachings

At least as it stands today

Creatures 1 Crovax, Ascendant Hero 1 Dralnu, Lich Lord 2 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir 4 cards Other Spells 1 Smother 1 Remand 4 Cryptic Command 4 Esper Charm 1 Extirpate 2 Mana Leak 3 Mystical Teachings 1 Negate 4 Path to Exile 1 Repeal 4 Rune Snag 1 Spell Burst 4 Spell Snare 31 cards

Lands 3 Creeping Tar Pit 2 Dimir Aqueduct 1 Drowned Catacomb 3 Glacial Fortress 2 Hallowed Fountain 2 Island 2 Snow-Covered Island 2 Marsh Flats 1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge 2 Misty Rainforest 1 Plains 2 Scalding Tarn 2 Watery Grave 25 cards Sideboard 2 Aven Mindcensor 4 Death's Shadow 1 Celestial Purge 3 Deathmark 1 Doom Blade 1 Negate 1 Quash 1 Ravenous Trap 1 Spell Burst 15 cards

Testing Results

Living End

To be fair, the Living End deck was a little underdeveloped, but all the parts were still there to make it functional. This was an earlier version of the deck where I was testing (and hating) storage lands. Early counters are key to winning most games, and a couple naturally drawn Extirpates doesn't hurt this match up either. I've since replaced both Careful Consideration and Compulsive Research, the first for being sub par, and the second for being a sorcery.

Zoo

Game one against zoo is always unfavorable. He had more threats than I had answers, and the heavy emphasis on burn was not helping my case. Games 2 and 3 are all about having early answers. I'm finding that a hand without a turn 1-2 counterspell or removal option is almost never worth keeping. As predicted, Death's Shadow was my MVP in both post-board games.

Faeries

No video recording, as outside of actual events MTGO tends to fail me with capturing replays. The above is my opening seven, and with no knowledge of my opponent's deck and early counters I decided to keep on the play.I start with the island and pass. My opponent reveals himself as Fae with an untapped Secluded Glen into a Thoughtseize, taking my Spell Snare. I top deck a replacement and put it to use on his next turn Bitterblossom. He passes and I draw a lucky Marsh Flats. He plays a land and passes, allowing me to a fetch a tapped Hallowed Fountain.

I see more land drops, and am soon able to find a Teferi to deal with his Jace. He drops a Glen Elendra Archmage, which I attempt to Path. As expected, the path is countered, allowing for a Crovax to hit the field making his counter faerie a 0/0. Swing in for 7 and proceed to win.

All In Red

I'm on the play again, and the hand looks very solid. I happily drop an island and pass. My currently unknown opponent draws his cards and proceeds to play: Mountain > Chrome Mox > Simian Spirit Guide > Seething Song > Deus of Calamity... pass. I draw a Rune Snag, play my Glacial Fortress and pass, with a sad face. He swings in, destroying my island and dropping Blood Moon for the game.

Hey, it happens, and that draw was just ridiculous!

So Yeah, About The Deck...

Extended season is over for now, which may just make this the best time to start thinking about next season. Prices are dropping, several decks are surviving the rotation and damnit all it's a fun format. M11 looks interesting, though I don't know it'll change the format so much as supplement some decks. The real kicker is going to be Scars, which I can only imagine will create several new archetypes for the format.

Teachings is an amazing deck to me. I'm very comfortable playing it in any matchup, and it's helping me become a better player. Moreover, it hardly even feels like a deck at all! As I sat thinking about how the deck can adapt with different blocks entering the fray, I realized that beyond the small mandatory core, Teachings was more like a modular blob of "good stuff" rather than a solid deck. If Scars includes some amazing draw spell or counter magic, I can just slap it in, no problem. If Scars turns out to be artifact saturated like its predecessor, more artifact hate!

I honestly believe this to be the most resilient deck in the format. It can evolve, it can adapt, and it truly represents everything a pure control is to me. I'm excited to see what changes future sets will allow for Teachings, and I find myself still tweaking it every day or two. I'm also excited to see what long term impact piloting a deck like this will have on my abilities as a player. I've been inspired, and plan on pursuing decks like this in the future. This is my comfort zone, and in it I not only advance in ratings, but myself as a player.

Truly, Teachings is a learning experience!

Until next week.

-Jeff Torres

Important Update!

Let me start by saying that this article was written whilst under the
misinformation I gained from reading this release from Wizards of the Coast

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/dl27

It was not until shortly after submitting the article I was presented with
the more recent information about Extended rotation, found here

http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg%2Fdaily%2Ffeature%2F95b

HOWEVER. I invested a great deal of time, testing and money into this
article to simply pull it, and I stand by everything I said in it. The deck
has taught me a great deal, and while it will no longer exist in it current
form, I feel there value to be gained from it.

The deck will not exist come October of this year, but the knowledge and
skill I've acquired from it will persist, so I'm inclined to stand by the
article, and let you take from it what you will. I won't defend myself
further than this, and I can only hope that despite this mishap you will
continue to support me and my writings.

Thank you.

PS - While I'm trying very hard to fall gracefully, yes, I am quite bitter XD