michael yousef  wrote:

Hey I have a mono blue counter deck and I need some help with it. I’m
working on like a 50-80 dollar budget so nothing too expensive. I would like
a rewritten copy of the deck so I can clearly see the changes. Thanks.

Creatures
Kami of the Crescent Moon x1
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant x1
Uyo, Silent Prophet x1
The Unspeakable x1
Ophidian x1
Platinum Angel x1
Air Elemental x1
Clone x1
Scalpelexis x1
Quicksilver Elemental x1

Other Spells
Power Sink x3
Dampen Thought x1
Oppressive Will x1
Shadow of Doubt x1
Hisoka’s Defiance x1
Exclude x2
Discombobulate x1
Thoughtbind x3
Beacon of Tomorrows x1
Minamo’s Meddling x2
Genju of the Falls x1
Vex x1
Condescend x2
Wash Out x1
Pulse of the Grid x1
Sift Through Sands x1
Peer Through Depths x1
Reach Through Mists x1
Convolute x1
Counterspell x1

Artifacts
Oblivion Stone x1
Isochron Scepter x1
Sensei’s Divining Top x1

Lands
Island x20

Okay, let's start with the creatures.  You only have one copy of each creature, so that's a problem.  Legendary creatures, however, can be played as single copies because you don't really want to draw the second if you've got the first.  This is especially true for legendary creatures with expensive casting costs.  So the four legendaries can all stay.  The other six should become three copies each of the two best ones.  Ophidian gives you an early play, and Quicksilver Elemental seems fun, but I think the best of the lot here are Air Elemental and Clone.
 

-1 Ophidian

-1 Quicksilver Elemental

-1 Platinum Angel

-1 Scalpelexis

+2 Air Elemental

+2 Clone
 

Now, for the spells.  First, I think I need to sort these out by what they do.
 

Countermagic:

Power Sink x3
Oppressive Will x1
Shadow of Doubt x1

Hisoka’s Defiance x1
Exclude x2
Discombobulate x1
Thoughtbind x3
Minamo’s Meddling x2
Vex x1
Condescend x2
Convolute x1
Counterspell x1

 

Draw spells:
Shadow of Doubt x1
Pulse of the Grid x1
Sift Through Sands x1
Peer Through Depths x1
Reach Through Mists x1

Sensei's Divining Top x1

 

Other:
Dampen Thought x1
Shadow of Doubt x1
Beacon of Tomorrows x1
Genju of the Falls x1
Wash Out x1
Oblivion Stone x1
Isochron Scepter x1

Alright, you've got 19 counter spells.  I'd say the best ones currently are Counterspell, Power Sink, Vex, and Convolute.  The worst are Thoughtbind, Hisoka's Defiance, and Minamo's Meddling.  Definitely drop those.  I would add in three more Counterspell and another Power Sink, but I'm worried that that might break your budget, so I'll settle for Convolute and Vex.

-1 Hisoka's Defiance

-2 Minamo's Meddling

-3 Thoughtbind

+3 Convolute

+3 Vex

You know my feelings about single copies of cards, but since all of these cards are essentially doing the same thing, I'll let it go.

 

Now for your draw cards.  If you ever hope to use the "through trio" to get The Unspeakable into play, you need four copies of each.  You just won't draw each of them at once otherwise.  And since I can't find 9 cards to drop in favor of three more copies each, I'm just going to cut the "throughs" in favor of three more Sensei's Divining Top.

-1 Peer Through Depths

-1 Reach Through Mists

-1 Sift Through Sands

+3 Sensei's Divining Top

 

Finally, there's everything else.  You'll notice I listed Shadow of Doubt in all three categories because it's sort of a counter spell (it can counter spells that your opponent uses to search her library), it draws a card, and yet it isn't really either.  I don't think there's any place for it here.  Same with Dampen Thought; that card really needs the deck built around it to be good.  Wash Out is alright, but unneccesary.  I'd say drop those two for three more copies of one of the other cards in your "other" section.  Which one?  Isochron Scepter is amazing with a counterspell on it, but not enough of your counterspells cost two or less (and quite a few have X in their mana cost).  Oblivion Stone and Beacon of Tommorows are both really powerful, but also expensive.  Genju of the Falls is probably the most dependable one here, even if it isn't as exciting.

-1 Shadow of Doubt

-1 Dampen Thought

-1 Wash Out

+3 Iso.Scepter/O.Stone/Beacon/Genju (your choice, whatever your budget allows)

 

And finally, with four Legendary creatures in your deck, replace one Island with Minamo, School at Water's Edge.

So, to summarize:

 

Creatures
Kami of the Crescent Moon x1
Erayo, Soratami Ascendant x1
Uyo, Silent Prophet x1
The Unspeakable x1
Air Elemental x3
Clone x3

Other Spells
Power Sink x3
Oppressive Will x1
Exclude x2
Discombobulate x1
Beacon of Tomorrows x1 (+3?)
Genju of the Falls x1  (+3?)
Vex x4
Condescend x2
Pulse of the Grid x1
Convolute x4
Counterspell x1
Oblivion Stone x1  (+3?)
Isochron Scepter x1  (+3?)
Sensei’s Divining Top x4

Lands
Minamo, School at Water' s Edge x1

Island x19
 

Please note that only one of those +3's counts toward your total card count of 60 cards.  If you want to split it up, and get say two Genjus and a Beacon, that's fine too.  I don't usually rewrite the whole decklist out, because I don't want you to think that you have to do it this way.  I want you to keep in mind that the final decision is yours to make, and only lots of practice can show you what's really wrong with your deck.  I've done all I can for you now.  Take it, and go counter that Fireball!