“Adding Glittering Wish to this archetype is good deck building, not just doing something because we can do it. It solves some problems UW has.” -Jeff Hoogland

If you’re new to UWish, you may be interested in checking out my original article covering the deck:
Deck Spotlight (Modern): Bant Control

To recap, I designed UWish to help the UW Control archetype mitigate one of its most difficult challenges in the Modern format – variance. By including Glittering Wish in UW Control, the archetype has the ability to adapt to various decks and more consistently turn the corner, while also improving its win percentage vs some of its more problematic matchups, such as Storm, particularly in game 1.

Ali Aintrazi recently convered UWish (including an interview with me).  You can find that here: Glittering Wish in Modern

I recently donated my UWish list to Jeff Hoogland (@JeffHoogland) to run through a competitive league. Following his 4-1 performance against respectfully difficult matchups, I was really interested in his feedback. He didn’t just beat Storm, but he did it twice with one set going 2-0. Overall, he thought the deck was both fun and powerful.

Hoogland Plays UWish

Interview

Francesco Neo Amati: First and foremost, thank you for playing and streaming UWish. You almost 5-0’d on your first run with it against respectfully tough matchups for the archetype, particularly Storm, which was gratifying to see. What did you think of it?

Jeff Hoogland: I think the deck felt fairly reasonable. The UW archetype has been floating around the edges of modern with results here and there for awhile now. This deck takes that core and improves on it.

FNA: As we know, Modern has a lot of variance, so it’s difficult to prepare for a particular meta. Variance is especially Control’s biggest nemesis. I theorized that Glittering Wish would be a suitable card for UW Control to mitigate variance by giving us the ability to adapt to various difficult matchups, such as Storm, and situations. Do you think Glittering Wish accomplishes this task for the archetype?

JH: I do. In this deck it is essentially a split Meddling Mage, Geist of Saint Traft, and Supreme Verdict split card. We have a few other tools it can get – but these are our most important so having access to them when they are good, but never drawing them when they are bad is great.

FNA: Designing a Wishboard requires knowledge of the meta and matchups, but also a lot of experience with UW Control in this format. Most importantly, the deck has to be designed in a versatile way that supports transformational plans via Wish, but also maintain consistency to be fully functional without depending on it.  What do you think of UWish’s design and Wishboard? What would you consider to be Wish staples? Are there any others you’d recommend as viable options? Which non-Wish cards would you mostly consider for this deck?

JH: The three cards I mentioned in the last question are the “untouchables” for the Wish package. Past that, playing another 3-4 cards that you might find useful in different spots is fine. Don’t over do the wish package – remember you need some actual sideboard slots.  Rest in Peace is great right now. Would certainly play a couple.

FNA: Which unfavorable matchups for UW Control do you think UWish improves? Are there any that are still unfavorable? If so, do you think this deck is able to adapt better than traditional UW Control? What are its favorable matchups?

JH: The combo decks that you need to pressure to win get much better with the wish package thanks to Geist of Saint Traft.  Dredge is likely still a terrible match up. The best Wish option is likely Wheel of Sun and Moon, and this is just far too slow.

FNA: Do you have any other thoughts about UWish or advice for those playing it?

JH: Don’t get cute with Wish targets. Playing 2nd and 3rd best things to tutor for is often a trap and just eating into your valuable sideboard slots.

FNA: Thank you for your feedback and time, Jeff. I’m looking forward to your inevitable 5-0!

Moving forward, Jeff suggests playing a full set of Glittering Wish as this maximizes our probability of Wishing for clutch cards for their respective matchups and situations. If you’re inclined to play Search for Azcanta or another source of card advantage, you could shave 1 Glittering Wish. He also likes the idea of having a counter that can be Wished for, with the best one being Render Silent, which has application against Storm and Ad Nauseam. In my testing, though, I found that it was being sided in more so than Wished for, so this could theoretically be a more efficient counter or something else.

Additionally, he thinks Dragonlord Ojutai may be redundant with Sigarda, Host of Herons in the sideboard. As powerful as it is, I’m inclined to agree. I’ve also considered playing Dragonlord Ojutai in the main to complement Sigarda, Host of Herons in the side, similarly to having Supreme Verdict/Detention Sphere in the main and side. It’s essentially a Search for Azcanta attached to a body, that’s also a win condition.

I’ve since replaced it for Dragonlord Dromoka. I had this one in my Wishboard since the deck’s iteration as it proved to be quite a bomb vs Jeskai, Burn (you need a bridge like Rhox), E Tron, and others, that impacted the game differently than Sigarda, Host of Herons against its respective matchups. It also has relevance vs Kiki, Breach, Ad Naus, UW Control, Company, Hatebears, and more.

A common request players have had is for a “bigger and evasive Rhox War Monk” like a Baneslayer Angel that’s Wishable.

There’s nothing quite like Dromoka as it’s a hybrid between Baneslayer Angel and Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir.

We also play Vendilion Clique to pave way for Dragonlord Dromoka by baiting/pushing removal before resolving it.

Sigarda, Heron’s Grace would be another viable option, which was also recommended by Jeff.

As for Search for Azcanta, there’s a possibility that the card could be replaced. As I stated in my original article, my qualm with the card here is that the deck functions similarly through Glittering Wish (which is why we don’t play Sphinx’s Revelation, either), it plays minimal counters for Azcanta to take advantage of, and its tapout design is more proactive than reactive. On the other hand, its floor and ceiling are quite high, even as a one-of.

That being said, the following cards are good main deck options to consider:

Be sure to check out the UWish Primer at the end of this article for more options and information.

UWish

Decklist on MTG Goldfish

Wish Maybeboard

Though, I’m currently happy with my sideboard, here are a few possibilities that may find a home depending on changes to the meta.

Creatures

Key Matchups: Tron, Storm, Ad Nauseam, TitanShift

Key Matchups: Burn, Jeskai, BGx, E Tron

Key Matchups: Burn, Storm, Ad Nauseam, TitanShift

Key Matchups: Various

Spells

Key Matchups: Various

Key Matchups: Various

Key Matchups: Various

Enchantments

Matchups: Dredge, Living End, Jeskai Control, Grixis Death’s Shadow

Key Matchups: Elves, Merfolk, Grixis Death’s Shadow, Dredge

Planeswalkers

Key Matchups: Control, Midrange (14 or less creatures), Lantern

Key Matchups: Control, BGx, Grixis Death’s Shadow

Visit the Deck’s original primer here: MTG Modern: UWish Primer

Thank you for reading!

On behalf of CKL, we ‘Wish’ you happy holidays, successful brewing, and the best of luck in the new year!

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