Woo! Made it to platinum in BO1 with a Naya Fling deck. I haven't been in platinum since I cheesed my way into it a long time ago with a red aggro deck.
If anyone is interested in help making budget decks, I'd be more than happy to make suggestions. Getting to platinum should just be a matter of playing games out, as you're getting 2 ticks per win and minus one tick per loss.
I usually don't play ladder that much. When I do, I feel like I have to play against the opponents that play whatever tedious decks are popular. In the play queue I can just quit against those. Naya Fling was enjoyable because it actually had a decent chance against most decks and it was fun to play.
Still hanging around in Silver, but I did manage to get 15 Wins this week.
Last time that happened was when Jumpstart was around.
I miss Jumpstart.
Jumpstart was so much fun, I wish they would bring it back, even with the decks they had before. I played a TON of jumpstart. I’d even like to buy a box for home play.
If anyone is interested in help making budget decks, I'd be more than happy to make suggestions. Getting to platinum should just be a matter of playing games out, as you're getting 2 ticks per win and minus one tick per loss.
I THINK I could grind my way there in this cycling deck, but I legitimately don't enjoy it. My Rakdos sac deck doesn't seem to be able to stand up to the current meta, so that's out. I also have a stompy green deck, and as far as I can tell stompy green basically never stands up to the meta.
So I'd take a deck suggestion.
The last year or two, the FEELING I have, right or not, is the only way to be competitive is blue control. And I just don't enjoy playing as or against control. Which tends to lead me every few months to go, "Maybe I don't like Magic" and quit for awhile.
If anyone is interested in help making budget decks, I'd be more than happy to make suggestions. Getting to platinum should just be a matter of playing games out, as you're getting 2 ticks per win and minus one tick per loss.
I THINK I could grind my way there in this cycling deck, but I legitimately don't enjoy it. My Rakdos sac deck doesn't seem to be able to stand up to the current meta, so that's out. I also have a stompy green deck, and as far as I can tell stompy green basically never stands up to the meta.
So I'd take a deck suggestion.
The last year or two, the FEELING I have, right or not, is the only way to be competitive is blue control. And I just don't enjoy playing as or against control. Which tends to lead me every few months to go, "Maybe I don't like Magic" and quit for awhile.
I think the issue is that nothing is as reliable as blue control. There's no other strategy as consistantly effective as "prevent my opponent from using their strategy and kill them with some nonsense down the line"
Even when counters are weak blue control works, but in the current game they are pretty strong. This doesn't mean blue control is always strong in every pairing, there are many things it loses to, but even in its losing matchups its not a disaster and the things it loses to aren't any good against other things (or are themselves control based)
So blue control is reliable for winning, and thus lots of people play it who care about winning a lot. Many people hate it and find it unfun, so you can't just play a control killing deck because there are enough people not playing control to make that not work well.
If anyone is interested in help making budget decks, I'd be more than happy to make suggestions. Getting to platinum should just be a matter of playing games out, as you're getting 2 ticks per win and minus one tick per loss.
I THINK I could grind my way there in this cycling deck, but I legitimately don't enjoy it. My Rakdos sac deck doesn't seem to be able to stand up to the current meta, so that's out. I also have a stompy green deck, and as far as I can tell stompy green basically never stands up to the meta.
So I'd take a deck suggestion.
The last year or two, the FEELING I have, right or not, is the only way to be competitive is blue control. And I just don't enjoy playing as or against control. Which tends to lead me every few months to go, "Maybe I don't like Magic" and quit for awhile.
I'd suggest a blue-based tempo deck of some kind, with just enough aggro elements to make it more fun to pilot than pure control...but then it means you're playing Rogues, if you're trying to stay meta.
Maybe a variant like U/Simic/Dimir Flash, Izzet Giants, or Grixis/Sultai control?
If anyone is interested in help making budget decks, I'd be more than happy to make suggestions. Getting to platinum should just be a matter of playing games out, as you're getting 2 ticks per win and minus one tick per loss.
I THINK I could grind my way there in this cycling deck, but I legitimately don't enjoy it. My Rakdos sac deck doesn't seem to be able to stand up to the current meta, so that's out. I also have a stompy green deck, and as far as I can tell stompy green basically never stands up to the meta.
So I'd take a deck suggestion.
The last year or two, the FEELING I have, right or not, is the only way to be competitive is blue control. And I just don't enjoy playing as or against control. Which tends to lead me every few months to go, "Maybe I don't like Magic" and quit for awhile.
What have you got for wildcards? Any particularly good mythics/rares? I personally wouldn't put blue control as that strong, mostly as it gets run over as soon as someone gets a decent threat on the board.
Monogreen is good, just a matter of dialing in how much fight effects vs raw creatures, whether or not to run 4x gemrazers, and if you're doing low to the ground or controlly/midrangey food lists.
Snakdos has the issue of just folding against Yorion lists, which ~30% of the meta. I personally prefer the non-treason builds.
If you guys are routinely dropping games to blue control lists, you really need to tighten up your aggro. Counterspells are pretty trash with all these escape cards, Henges, equipments, and land creatures.
DemonStaceyTTODewback's DaughterIn love with the TaySwayRegistered Userregular
edited March 2021
Alright I just want to share a very comical series of errors in a game I just had.
I'm just playing a random golgari deck.
Opponent in gruul.
After I play my scavenging ooze turn 3 they play an akroan war to take it.
I play polukronos to set up for a henge.
Then they attack at me with my ooze, I no block because why would I and then they embercleave onto my ooze.. hmm.. suspect.
So that goes through. I drop my henge, attack because of akroan war and pass on back to see what their plan is there. Just drop another creature and swap off maybe?
Nope it just comes back to me with the cleave. And then a moment of thinking and hovering... and then scorching dragon fire the ooze... but there was already a creature in the graveyard to eat... and now they no longer have enough mana to move it over even if they play a creature... and the concession.
Not sure which interaction they were unaware of and I kinda felt bad but it was a normal game and damn funny.
Alright I just want to share a very comical series of errors in a game I just had.
I'm just playing a random golgari deck.
Opponent in gruul.
After I play my scavenging ooze turn 3 they play an akroan war to take it.
I play polakronus to set up for a henge.
Then they attack at me with my ooze, I no block because why would I and then they embercleave my onto my ooze.. hmm.. suspect.
So that goes through. I drop my henge, attack because of akroan war and pass on back to see what their plan is there. Just drop another creature and swap off maybe?
Nope it just comes back to me with the cleave. And then a moment of thinking and and hovering... and then scorching dragon fire the ooze... but there was already a creature in the graveyard to eat... and now they no longer have enough mana to move it over even if they play a creature... and the concession.
Not sure which interaction they were unaware of and I kinda felt bad but it was a normal game and damn funny.
Even as someone who plays it a lot I'll be happy to see embercleave rotate out, but I'm disappointed that there's no other good trample weapon that'll be sticking around, since shadowspear is leaving at the same time.
I doubt Strixhaven will have one, so hopefully there'll be one in D&D.
Even as someone who plays it a lot I'll be happy to see embercleave rotate out, but I'm disappointed that there's no other good trample weapon that'll be sticking around, since shadowspear is leaving at the same time.
I doubt Strixhaven will have one, so hopefully there'll be one in D&D.
With Rune of Might, any equipment is a trampling weapon!
Even as someone who plays it a lot I'll be happy to see embercleave rotate out, but I'm disappointed that there's no other good trample weapon that'll be sticking around, since shadowspear is leaving at the same time.
I doubt Strixhaven will have one, so hopefully there'll be one in D&D.
D&D will almost certainly be equipment heavy. I would bet in fact theres like a series of 'enchantments' which are quests where you have to do a specific series of things and then they flip and give you some sweet equipment.
So I've been playing around in that Kaldheim event and is it just me or is that WU Fliers deck just the best deck available over there? None of the other precon decks seem really capable of dealing with a deck that just rapidly drops flying creatures all over the place.
Even as someone who plays it a lot I'll be happy to see embercleave rotate out, but I'm disappointed that there's no other good trample weapon that'll be sticking around, since shadowspear is leaving at the same time.
I doubt Strixhaven will have one, so hopefully there'll be one in D&D.
With Rune of Might, any equipment is a trampling weapon!
Oh wait you said "good"...
Rune of might is a solid card. Draws a card, and is durable if you stick it on an equipment. I've gotten some solid use out of it.
Currently climbing platinum again with Knights, since I couldn't get poison counters working (no QBs), went through G counters Vorinclex and simple double spell decks without much success, and now just want quick games:
I had a cycling player play around my drown in the loch last night. He played one zenith flare at the end of my turn (which I countered) and then another at the start of his.
Is that allowed? Doesn't seem fair.
chamberlain on
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SurfpossumA nonentitytrying to preserve the anonymity he so richly deserves.Registered Userregular
I was one win from finally* breaking out of tier 4 and then went on a five loss streak of just the silliest games.
As an example, in the middle of it there's a game where I go first. Opponent starts with a plains, I go hrm, probably nothing I need to Negate on t2, I'll play a tapped land so I can Visionary t3.
t2 they play Colossal Plow. Well, at least I don't have to worry about that for a few turns, I think as I play my Visionary.
t3 they play Ox, swing with the Plow, play some equipment lord.
Tier 3 platinum.
Knights vs Sanctums
T7, they play All (fruitful and clear mind in play), then I get my third land and kill them after the wipe.
They probably should have dropped their adventuring wipe-giant.
Currently climbing platinum again with Knights, since I couldn't get poison counters working (no QBs), went through G counters Vorinclex and simple double spell decks without much success, and now just want quick games:
Also learned from RGB haste poison counters, that sometimes just playing a pair of Fervent Champion T1/2 without anything else wins games.
Popping someone with Stormfist crusader is also super satisfying.
Fervent champion is an incredibly solid card because first strike is such a great ability and its so cheap. R for a godd creature means that if your opponent does anything to kill it, other than you messing up blocks and attacks or them having a pinger, they have at very least spent more mana than you and it's equip cost decrease means you can slap equipment on it and then have it die and STILL be ahead on mana. 2 is of course, even better because they can buff each other.
"That is cool" - Abraham Lincoln
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BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
Jesus, just ran into "every black destroy creature effect in standard" where the only option for them for damage is murderous rider, what a fucking slog of a deck.
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
It's always funny when you go up against someone who very clearly netdecked their shit and are not comfortable with piloting it.
Like dude, you had a Genesis Ultimatum! I've seen you do this combo before! Just do it again!
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
Snow-Black with Barrens and Haven is hardcore AF. Especially if you dip green for Binding of the Old Gods. The only real problem is you have a hand full of dead cards against control, and you don't have a great game against rogues. It's also not great for climbing because it's sloooooow.
Snow-Black with Barrens and Haven is hardcore AF. Especially if you dip green for Binding of the Old Gods. The only real problem is you have a hand full of dead cards against control, and you don't have a great game against rogues. It's also not great for climbing because it's sloooooow.
playing against that with Tergrid control is ezpz.
Like just drop a lantern and it's (eventual) game over.
Snow-Black with Barrens and Haven is hardcore AF. Especially if you dip green for Binding of the Old Gods. The only real problem is you have a hand full of dead cards against control, and you don't have a great game against rogues. It's also not great for climbing because it's sloooooow.
playing against that with Tergrid control is ezpz.
Like just drop a lantern and it's (eventual) game over.
God though
Tier 1 platinum vs snow
Start the game with a steelclaw, Fervent Champion and two reanimate spells.
Finish the game with five lands, six reanimate spells and an ascendant spirit flying over my sad Knight.
Snow-Black with Barrens and Haven is hardcore AF. Especially if you dip green for Binding of the Old Gods. The only real problem is you have a hand full of dead cards against control, and you don't have a great game against rogues. It's also not great for climbing because it's sloooooow.
playing against that with Tergrid control is ezpz.
Like just drop a lantern and it's (eventual) game over.
God though
Tier 1 platinum vs snow
Start the game with a steelclaw, Fervent Champion and two reanimate spells.
Finish the game with five lands, six reanimate spells and an ascendant spirit flying over my sad Knight.
I actually took your knights list out for a spin. It was fun, but I can't stand running more than one or two copies of Call; even then I only run it if I'm packing Village Rites and/or other sac outlets. I ended up dropping one Call, all the Draugrs, and replaced them with 3 Village Rites and two Demonic Embrace, which made draws seems a bit smoother.
If anyone is interested in help making budget decks, I'd be more than happy to make suggestions. Getting to platinum should just be a matter of playing games out, as you're getting 2 ticks per win and minus one tick per loss.
I THINK I could grind my way there in this cycling deck, but I legitimately don't enjoy it. My Rakdos sac deck doesn't seem to be able to stand up to the current meta, so that's out. I also have a stompy green deck, and as far as I can tell stompy green basically never stands up to the meta.
So I'd take a deck suggestion.
The last year or two, the FEELING I have, right or not, is the only way to be competitive is blue control. And I just don't enjoy playing as or against control. Which tends to lead me every few months to go, "Maybe I don't like Magic" and quit for awhile.
I think the issue is that nothing is as reliable as blue control. There's no other strategy as consistantly effective as "prevent my opponent from using their strategy and kill them with some nonsense down the line"
Even when counters are weak blue control works, but in the current game they are pretty strong. This doesn't mean blue control is always strong in every pairing, there are many things it loses to, but even in its losing matchups its not a disaster and the things it loses to aren't any good against other things (or are themselves control based)
So blue control is reliable for winning, and thus lots of people play it who care about winning a lot. Many people hate it and find it unfun, so you can't just play a control killing deck because there are enough people not playing control to make that not work well.
Make all counters interact with permanent spell type like removal has to.
Reconsidered, it probably already is?
Make the standard for removal 1BG - destroy target permanent to match 1UU - cancel
MTG needs good counterspells and the decks that want to run them in order to keep combo decks, one-turn-kills, and removal-heavy control (eg, black) from dominating. If the only way to stop an opponent's threats is to wait until they're on the board, then I'm incentivized to play decks that don't put threats on the board until I'm ready to win.
Traditionally, going waaay back down the history of Magic, counterspell-heavy decks usually have to leave mana open to actually play their counterspells, and counterspells themselves don't generate card advantage, which means you need to also spend your mana on stuff that draws cards. Against a deck that's relying too heavily on counterspells, you can eventually stick a threat on the board that they can't really deal with.
Arena has some solid counterspells right now but what's giving them a boost are instant/flash cards like Omen of the Sea and Behold the Multiverse and instant/flash threats like rogues. These allow the blue player to keep mana open in case they need to cast a counterspell, or to use that mana to generate card advantage or stick a threat on the board in case they don't,
Having a midrange creature or two with the text "this spell can't be countered" every standard cycle wouldn't hurt. Yes, I know we have them now, but they cost 7 mana and one of them is in blue. I'm talking more like Loxodon Smiter or Shifting Ceratops, something in that 3-5 mana and 3-5 power range that can put some pressure on the control player.
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
What was the green hexproof, "this spell can't be countered" creature that was basically universal a couple years ago because of the dominance of blue counter?
What was the green hexproof, "this spell can't be countered" creature that was basically universal a couple years ago because of the dominance of blue counter?
Carnage Tyrant?
Yeah he was a must back when Teferi control dominated.
edit: I don't think a cheap collection of removal and counter spells is the answer fixing anything. Cheap sweepers and removal/counter spells is what enables combo decks to begin with. Just stay alive long enough to get the mana for a winning combo and keep a mana or two open for counter spells just in case your opponent tries to disrupt you.
The best strategy is to just cool it on the power creep, but we're so deep in to this rotation that not much can be added to course correct apart from a rotating out powerful blocks like Eldraine.
What was the green hexproof, "this spell can't be countered" creature that was basically universal a couple years ago because of the dominance of blue counter?
Carnage Tyrant?
Yeah he was a must back when Teferi control dominated.
Yeah. In historic if I get frustrated by counterspell heavy decks, I switch to a green aggro deck using Carnage Tyrant and Prowling Serpopard.
Carnage Tyrant is along the right lines. I wonder if it might have been a little too good for the Ixalan standard cycle. The combination of "can't be countered" and hexproof on the same creature feels a little noninteractive to me, though it can work if the creature isn't otherwise heavily pushed (like Thrun, the Last Troll). It was the top-end threat in a lot of control decks because it's exactly what control wants in Standard: a 6CMC threat that's hard for the opponent to deal with and can win the game by itself.
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
What was the green hexproof, "this spell can't be countered" creature that was basically universal a couple years ago because of the dominance of blue counter?
Carnage Tyrant?
Yeah he was a must back when Teferi control dominated.
edit: I don't think a cheap collection of removal and counter spells is the answer fixing anything. Cheap sweepers and removal/counter spells is what enables combo decks to begin with. Just stay alive long enough to get the mana for a winning combo and keep a mana or two open for counter spells just in case your opponent tries to disrupt you.
The best strategy is to just cool it on the power creep, but we're so deep in to this rotation that not much can be added to course correct apart from a rotating out powerful blocks like Eldraine.
I was talking historically, across different formats and rotations, about the niche that counter can play in a healthy meta. The most problematic combo decks in the history of MTG haven't run a ton of sweepers, removal, or counterspells. If they run counterspells, it's usually stuff like Dispel or Remand that, like you say, is only there in case the opponent tries to disrupt you.
every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.
Posts
Last time that happened was when Jumpstart was around.
I miss Jumpstart.
Jumpstart was so much fun, I wish they would bring it back, even with the decks they had before. I played a TON of jumpstart. I’d even like to buy a box for home play.
I THINK I could grind my way there in this cycling deck, but I legitimately don't enjoy it. My Rakdos sac deck doesn't seem to be able to stand up to the current meta, so that's out. I also have a stompy green deck, and as far as I can tell stompy green basically never stands up to the meta.
So I'd take a deck suggestion.
The last year or two, the FEELING I have, right or not, is the only way to be competitive is blue control. And I just don't enjoy playing as or against control. Which tends to lead me every few months to go, "Maybe I don't like Magic" and quit for awhile.
I think the issue is that nothing is as reliable as blue control. There's no other strategy as consistantly effective as "prevent my opponent from using their strategy and kill them with some nonsense down the line"
Even when counters are weak blue control works, but in the current game they are pretty strong. This doesn't mean blue control is always strong in every pairing, there are many things it loses to, but even in its losing matchups its not a disaster and the things it loses to aren't any good against other things (or are themselves control based)
So blue control is reliable for winning, and thus lots of people play it who care about winning a lot. Many people hate it and find it unfun, so you can't just play a control killing deck because there are enough people not playing control to make that not work well.
It's an odd and hard to fix situation.
Reconsidered, it probably already is?
Make the standard for removal 1BG - destroy target permanent to match 1UU - cancel
I'd suggest a blue-based tempo deck of some kind, with just enough aggro elements to make it more fun to pilot than pure control...but then it means you're playing Rogues, if you're trying to stay meta.
Maybe a variant like U/Simic/Dimir Flash, Izzet Giants, or Grixis/Sultai control?
What have you got for wildcards? Any particularly good mythics/rares? I personally wouldn't put blue control as that strong, mostly as it gets run over as soon as someone gets a decent threat on the board.
Monogreen is good, just a matter of dialing in how much fight effects vs raw creatures, whether or not to run 4x gemrazers, and if you're doing low to the ground or controlly/midrangey food lists.
Snakdos has the issue of just folding against Yorion lists, which ~30% of the meta. I personally prefer the non-treason builds.
If you guys are routinely dropping games to blue control lists, you really need to tighten up your aggro. Counterspells are pretty trash with all these escape cards, Henges, equipments, and land creatures.
I'm just playing a random golgari deck.
Opponent in gruul.
After I play my scavenging ooze turn 3 they play an akroan war to take it.
I play polukronos to set up for a henge.
Then they attack at me with my ooze, I no block because why would I and then they embercleave onto my ooze.. hmm.. suspect.
So that goes through. I drop my henge, attack because of akroan war and pass on back to see what their plan is there. Just drop another creature and swap off maybe?
Nope it just comes back to me with the cleave. And then a moment of thinking and hovering... and then scorching dragon fire the ooze... but there was already a creature in the graveyard to eat... and now they no longer have enough mana to move it over even if they play a creature... and the concession.
Not sure which interaction they were unaware of and I kinda felt bad but it was a normal game and damn funny.
Embercleave players deserve no sympathy.
I doubt Strixhaven will have one, so hopefully there'll be one in D&D.
With Rune of Might, any equipment is a trampling weapon!
Oh wait you said "good"...
D&D will almost certainly be equipment heavy. I would bet in fact theres like a series of 'enchantments' which are quests where you have to do a specific series of things and then they flip and give you some sweet equipment.
I'm really hoping that Forgotten Realms brings stuff that makes Party playable.
Rune of might is a solid card. Draws a card, and is durable if you stick it on an equipment. I've gotten some solid use out of it.
4 Smitten Swordmaster (ELD) 105
8 Swamp (ANB) 116
4 Fervent Champion (ELD) 124
7 Mountain (ANB) 114
4 Weaselback Redcap (ELD) 148
3 Steelclaw Lance (ELD) 202
4 Rimrock Knight (ELD) 137
4 Foulmire Knight (ELD) 90
3 Stormfist Crusader (ELD) 203
3 Murderous Rider (ELD) 97
4 Call of the Death-Dweller (IKO) 78
4 Raise the Draugr (KHM) 105
4 Tournament Grounds (ELD) 248
1 Temple of Malice (THB) 247
3 Castle Locthwain (ELD) 241
Popping someone with Stormfist crusader is also super satisfying.
Is that allowed? Doesn't seem fair.
As an example, in the middle of it there's a game where I go first. Opponent starts with a plains, I go hrm, probably nothing I need to Negate on t2, I'll play a tapped land so I can Visionary t3.
t2 they play Colossal Plow. Well, at least I don't have to worry about that for a few turns, I think as I play my Visionary.
t3 they play Ox, swing with the Plow, play some equipment lord.
Then t5 I was dead.
* after two sessions
Knights vs Sanctums
T7, they play All (fruitful and clear mind in play), then I get my third land and kill them after the wipe.
They probably should have dropped their adventuring wipe-giant.
Fervent champion is an incredibly solid card because first strike is such a great ability and its so cheap. R for a godd creature means that if your opponent does anything to kill it, other than you messing up blocks and attacks or them having a pinger, they have at very least spent more mana than you and it's equip cost decrease means you can slap equipment on it and then have it die and STILL be ahead on mana. 2 is of course, even better because they can buff each other.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
It's obnoxious so I only do it for play black spells /+ destroy creature quests, particularly if I don't have a lot of time.
It's also exceptionally frustrating to me how often it wins, because I don't want dumb stuff like that to work >:|
Like dude, you had a Genesis Ultimatum! I've seen you do this combo before! Just do it again!
playing against that with Tergrid control is ezpz.
Like just drop a lantern and it's (eventual) game over.
Well... not vs the ones splashing green.
God though
Tier 1 platinum vs snow
Start the game with a steelclaw, Fervent Champion and two reanimate spells.
Finish the game with five lands, six reanimate spells and an ascendant spirit flying over my sad Knight.
You can play around binding of the old gods
I actually took your knights list out for a spin. It was fun, but I can't stand running more than one or two copies of Call; even then I only run it if I'm packing Village Rites and/or other sac outlets. I ended up dropping one Call, all the Draugrs, and replaced them with 3 Village Rites and two Demonic Embrace, which made draws seems a bit smoother.
MTG needs good counterspells and the decks that want to run them in order to keep combo decks, one-turn-kills, and removal-heavy control (eg, black) from dominating. If the only way to stop an opponent's threats is to wait until they're on the board, then I'm incentivized to play decks that don't put threats on the board until I'm ready to win.
Traditionally, going waaay back down the history of Magic, counterspell-heavy decks usually have to leave mana open to actually play their counterspells, and counterspells themselves don't generate card advantage, which means you need to also spend your mana on stuff that draws cards. Against a deck that's relying too heavily on counterspells, you can eventually stick a threat on the board that they can't really deal with.
Arena has some solid counterspells right now but what's giving them a boost are instant/flash cards like Omen of the Sea and Behold the Multiverse and instant/flash threats like rogues. These allow the blue player to keep mana open in case they need to cast a counterspell, or to use that mana to generate card advantage or stick a threat on the board in case they don't,
Having a midrange creature or two with the text "this spell can't be countered" every standard cycle wouldn't hurt. Yes, I know we have them now, but they cost 7 mana and one of them is in blue. I'm talking more like Loxodon Smiter or Shifting Ceratops, something in that 3-5 mana and 3-5 power range that can put some pressure on the control player.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
Carnage Tyrant?
Yeah he was a must back when Teferi control dominated.
edit: I don't think a cheap collection of removal and counter spells is the answer fixing anything. Cheap sweepers and removal/counter spells is what enables combo decks to begin with. Just stay alive long enough to get the mana for a winning combo and keep a mana or two open for counter spells just in case your opponent tries to disrupt you.
The best strategy is to just cool it on the power creep, but we're so deep in to this rotation that not much can be added to course correct apart from a rotating out powerful blocks like Eldraine.
Yeah. In historic if I get frustrated by counterspell heavy decks, I switch to a green aggro deck using Carnage Tyrant and Prowling Serpopard.
Carnage Tyrant is along the right lines. I wonder if it might have been a little too good for the Ixalan standard cycle. The combination of "can't be countered" and hexproof on the same creature feels a little noninteractive to me, though it can work if the creature isn't otherwise heavily pushed (like Thrun, the Last Troll). It was the top-end threat in a lot of control decks because it's exactly what control wants in Standard: a 6CMC threat that's hard for the opponent to deal with and can win the game by itself.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I was talking historically, across different formats and rotations, about the niche that counter can play in a healthy meta. The most problematic combo decks in the history of MTG haven't run a ton of sweepers, removal, or counterspells. If they run counterspells, it's usually stuff like Dispel or Remand that, like you say, is only there in case the opponent tries to disrupt you.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.