Mastering Stiflenought in Premodern: deck guide, strategy, sideboard plans

Hello, I am PieGonti and like many of you I love PreModern. My love started with this deck, and I never stopped playing it, earning various good results, so I am happy to share my knowledge on the topic.

NOTE: I will use DN or Shrimp to not repeat too much “Phyrexian Dreadnought”. 
This article will only cover the “mono blue” version of the deck. But who knows, maybe I can write about more variants in the future!

Why I like Stiflenought

Let’s start with the elephant in the room: the deck is about slamming a one-mana 12/12 trample threat as soon as possible, hoping to connect twice to win the game, while you counter everything that’s being put on the stack.
If you’ve never played the deck, this may seem like extremely boring gameplay.
Well, I will try to prove that it is not.
Phyrexian Dreadnought is probably the strongest creature in PreModern. Its stats are simply absurd, and it’s almost impossible to win a race against it. That said, the card itself is quite fragile.
First, it requires a specific set of cards, Dreadnought plus Stifle or Vision Charm, meaning it’s always a one-for-two - otherwise, Dreadnought is just a dead card in hand. Second, it’s very important to understand the flow of the game before committing, because if you make the wrong decision, you often lose on the spot.

Every deck has maindeck answers to Phyrexian Dreadnought:
 

• White has Swords to Plowshares, and often Disenchant
• Green has Naturalize, and Survival decks also have Nantuko Vigilante and Uktabi Orangutan
• Black has Smother, edicts, and Snuff Out
• Red often has nothing in the main, even though I once played against Overlord, but the sideboard is usually full of Mogg Salvage and other shatter effects
• Blue has Chain of Vapor, as well as countermagic, or simply their own turn-two Dreadnought

This often means you need to ask yourself, “What things can I beat? How will the situation evolve from this point? And most importantly, am I dead if they have it?”
For example, your opponent plays Windswept Heath on turn one, on the draw, and says, "Go". You have Phyrexian Dreadnought, Island, and Vision Charm in hand. Is it correct to play Island, Dreadnought, Vision Charm, and just lose to Swords to Plowshares, or is it better to play Island and pass, potentially exposing yourself to a turn-two threat?
The answer is, of course, it depends. But the constant train of thought you must engage in for every play you make is what I love about the deck. It’s not a busted deck by itself. It’s busted only if you play perfectly, understanding the role of each card in every spot and every matchup.
You probably know that Stifle can stop fetchlands, but have you ever thought about Vision Charming a Winter Orb? Or changing Plains into Swamps to prevent a Kor Haven activation?
And yes, sometimes you just play Dreadnought and Stifle it, winning in two turns. That’s Magic, after all.

My Current Build

My build is based on what I expect to face in paper events. On Magic Online, the metagame is slightly different, and especially in Challenges, there are fewer possible decks. This is a natural consequence of putting the format online, where people play Burn in Pauper and Premodern, Oops All Spells in Legacy, and Bazaar or Initiative in Vintage, so they can play four matches at the same time to maximize time and money. That said, I can assure you that Premodern is much deeper in paper.
Here’s the 75 I submitted at Italian Nationals:

The Parallax Tide ban gave the format a substantial shake. Black decks and control decks, which used to be dogs to Replenish and Parallax strategies in general, are now on the rise. This means it’s much more likely to face discard spells, Swords to Plowshares, and countermagic. On the other hand, a new “best deck” has emerged: Enchantress.

Traditional Stiflenought feels weak in this expected metagame, where jamming often means gambling your A plus B, without a real way to rebuild if you get disrupted.
That’s why I started playing Accumulated Knowledge. The card allows you to play grindy games without diluting your plan of jamming a threat too much. Usually, the first AK is terrible, but the second one is already powerful enough to justify its inclusion. Plus, you can always discard the first one with Foil or Gerrard’s Verdict.

Postboard, the card is often how you win games, allowing you to cut two or three Shrimps and go all in with Brain Freeze. If your plan is to aggro with Dreadnought, you can just cut them all to make space for proper interaction, like against Sligh, where you want Hydroblast.

Another great card I play two copies of in the main deck is Flash of Insight. I will write about this card in more depth later, since it’s a very tricky one to play, but as you can imagine, it’s a powerful way to two-for-one your opponents. Yes, it’s slow, but it’s often worth it, especially because it allows you to use all your mana each turn.

As you can see, my countermagic and cantrip split is quite unorthodox. I’m playing zero Daze, as the card kept underperforming and was mostly a game-one card that’s very situational. Thwart is just insane with Foil, making it a strong pairing to look for before slamming Dreadnought. Eventually, it’s a four-mana counterspell, and you often get to that point in postboard games against black or green-based decks.
I play three Opt and three Impulse, mostly because I want to be extremely consistent at finding Dreadnoughts when I side out the Accumulated Knowledge package.

I’ve heard some doubts about Chain of Vapor, since the card used to be a “combo piece” with Parallax, but I still feel it’s mandatory to play some form of permanent interaction. Otherwise, you’re forced to concede to a Meddling Mage, and Chain of Vapor is simply the best option in terms of mana cost and effect. I’ve seen some players try Boomerang, but it’s yet another two-drop in a deck already full of two-drops, and it doesn’t help against problematic turn-one plays. Land, Ritual, Hypnotic Specter, anyone?

I’m not playing Mishra’s Factory, which I always considered a “necessary evil” when Parallax was legal. Back then, you often sided out all the Dreadnoughts and planned to win with free 2/2s while keeping your opponent in check with your lands. Nowadays, I think Mishra’s Factory is much more of a liability. You really don’t want your land to be a Wasteland target, or to get blown up by anything else if you animate it to block, and it’s awkward with Gush, Foil, and Thwart. On top of that, I’m very high on the Tsabo’s Web plan, and Mishra’s Factory can be problematic in certain spots.

Sideboard Deckbuilding

My sideboard is fairly stock, with a few cards I am still testing. Even though the card pool is limited, the metagame is still evolving with new decks and ideas. The Italian Nationals final was a battle between two brews, and I would be very surprised if you played a paper tournament and faced the same deck three times in a row.

Dominate might sound perplexing, but I can assure you it’s good. It mainly solves three problems:

1. Reducing pressure against green decks. I stole a ton of Elephants for three mana, sometimes even winning races with them.
2. Stealing an opposing Dreadnought for four mana after losing a counter war.
3. Stealing manlands against UW Standstill, although I don’t mind taking a Treetop Village.

Regarding the Dominate discussion, I understand it might seem a bit redundant alongside Tsabo’s Web, but it’s often good to have more action, especially when you side out some Dreadnoughts.

Tsabo’s Web is a new inclusion after the ban, and it performed extremely well. It’s insane against Armageddon, and very strong against UW. I also like it against Moneyball and other Rishadan Port, Wasteland, Mishra decks in general. The great part about the card is that it replaces itself, so it already forces a two-for-one if your opponent wants to get rid of it. Also, remember that it’s an artifact, so you can phase it out with Vision Charm.

Hibernation started as an anti-Enchantress card, but it really shone against Terrageddon, Hermit FEB, and especially Elves. A one-sided Upheaval is an enormous tempo swing, and it often gives you one or two turns to execute your plan.
Of course, you need to understand your position in the game before casting this card. Elves can dump their hand again in a single turn, while Survival decks can simply replay their permanents and generate value all over again. Always have a plan.

Essence Flare is no longer a secret, since the card started seeing play last year after the Lobstercon event. Its main purpose is to kill anything with one toughness, most notably Xantid Swarm, Mother of Runes, and basically every Elf. Of course, it’s also a powerhouse against red decks like Goblins or Sligh, because you can instantly kill Goblin Lackey or Jackal Pup, allowing you to save your Hydroblasts for more relevant spells.

Brain Freeze is my last addition to the deck, mostly to defeat Enchantress or control decks that bring even more removals for Dreadnought postboard, making the A plan of the deck really weak. Freeze combines perfectly with Accumulated Knowledge and Gush; make sure to have 1-2 Stifles to play around Gaea’s Blessing, though.

Other ideas for the deck

Stiflenought can be played in many ways, and on Magic Online, where the format is notoriously faster and “less explored”, some players play with zero AK, maximizing on Opts, Sleight of Hand, Dazes and Impulses. I also saw someone cutting Gush down to one. 
This deckbuilding approach might make sense if you expect a lot of red decks, but it can be a serious liability against anyone who respects Daze and is eager to play a longer game. As I already mentioned, Parallax Tide ban was really good for black-based strategies, as well as Enchantress, and playing no card advantage in Stiflenought means you’re about to gamble a lot more. Plus, the Brain Freeze postboard plan is way less reliable, since those decks can either kill you faster (and with faster means t8+), or you can just not draw the cards you need in time, meaning you’re forced to keep 4 Dreadnought postboard. 
If maxing cantrips is your plan, I suggest you play 2-3 Brain Freeze, so you can still sideboard properly.

To be honest, I think Gush (aka zero mana draw four) is busted, and I'd have to be forced to play fewer than a playset of a legacy-banned card. When people ask me, I always say I’d rather play 61 than cut a Gush; but I can see the deck can be played different ways, and sometimes I even trim one copy against aggressive decks. 

Tips and tricks

Stifle is a really tricky card. Always understand if it’s worth using it on something your opponent does, or if it’s better to just play it on your Dreadnought. If you have two, or you plan to grind (let’s say your hand is AK+AK+2 Island + Stifle), you can consider Stifling t1 fetch. But if you have an Impulse, I’d keep it for the Dreadnought.

When in doubt between Stifle and Vision Charm, always remember Vision Charm is a protection spell, but you don’t get to connect. This means that if you plan to play against a Powder Keg or a Goblin Tinkerer, it is much better to play Vision first and stifle the ability. Otherwise (I’d say 70% of the cases), you should do Stifle and then Vision.

Vision Charm is sometimes a way to mill four cards, hoping to spike an Accumulated Knowledge or a Flash of Insight. Also, remember you can phase out annoying cards, such as Winter Orb or Sphere of Resistance, as well as protecting your own Tsabo’s Web and Powder Kegs. Switching the color of the basics is not often a thing, but it might come up, as I already mentioned against Kor Haven, or if you fear a contamination is coming.

Flash of Insight is the most difficult card to play in Stiflenought, mostly because it requires you to stack the deck in a deterministic way. Unless you used all the AKs, remember not to exile those, as you will have a 2 mana draw 4 spell. Then, I usually put 2 Gushs on top, meaning that for 2 mana, I draw 8 cards, having UU floating. You can then make a land drop. The rest is up to you… often DN + Stifle/vision + 2 Foil + whatever is what you want in the pile. 
Moreover, keep in mind that you can Vision Charm milling yourself to make the graveyard big enough to turn Flash of Insight into a Demonic Tutor that stacks your deck. Just make sure not to mill all the dreadnoughts/brain freeze, otherwise you insta-die. But you can learn this part with practice. 

I haven’t played a ton of Accumulated Knowledge mirrors, but they’re a ton of fun. I usually try to never cast the first one, even if this means I have to go to discard. I will win the resource war anyway… or at least this has been my experience. I tend to let the 1x2 resolve, countering all the other ones. If you have already resolved two or three, and your opponent is playing one, you can respond by exiling yours in response with the Flash of Insight flashback cost, giving your opponent just one card. 
Postboard, I never cut AKs, as I really have fun playing those. I know someone who sides a couple of them out, but it won’t be me, and I don’t recommend this if you’re good at resource mirrors and you like to draw cards and play complicated games. Again, the deck can be played in multiple ways; I choose this path! 

If your opponent has Humility, you can play Phyrexian Dreadnought for one mana. Then hopefully Chain of Vapor the Humility, otherwise it will remain a small shrimp. If your opponent plays Tempting Wurm, you can slam two Dreadnoughts and stack the trigger in a way that one survives. In race situations, you can attack with a DN and play another one post-combat, sacrificing the tapped one. 

Remember, you can Chain of Vapor one of your permanents (often happens with Tsabo’s Web) in response to a removal, copying the spell to bounce something from your opponent. 
Furthermore, never Chain of Vapor when you already have a Dreadnought in play - otherwise, your opponent can copy the spell, bouncing it. The best way to use leftover chains is before you deploy DN, or when the shrimp is phased out due to Vision Charm. 

Islands are resources! If you have Foil, remember not to play the land drop for the turn unless you have a plan (often called Gush). This is the most difficult point of the deck for me, as I have muscular memory of play lands for the turn. The deck is often really mana intensive, so I suggest you always play lands outside of Foil situations; this might change if you’re playing against a discard-based strategy such as Pit Rack.

Try to plan your turns slightly ahead in terms of mana and cantrips development. Sometimes you T1 portent, and you know the top 2. Is it better to play Impulse or AK for one? 
Sometimes it is fine not to cast the cantrip, in order to either bluff (often happens with t1 pass holding up Annul) or because you don’t know what you need in that spot. Cantripping for lands is the worst, but don’t be too greedy. 
Try avoiding going to discard, so don’t play hasty gushes. Also, remember that Portent is a good way to go from 8 to 7 cards in hand. 

Sideboard Guide

I will cover the top matchups I expect to find. 
Some suggestions:
vs aggro deck with no hand disruption, is fine to cut all the AKs to play more removals. The plan is always to propose a fast shrimp, while not being dead to the board. 
You cut shrimps when you expect 10+ removals postboard, pivoting on Brain Freeze plan. Make sure not to cut Vision Charm, as it’s a mill of 7 cards combined with Freeze.

Blue Dreadnought Mirror:
+2 Dominate
+3 Annul
+1 Powder Keg
-3 Opt
-1 Thwart
-1 Foil
-1 Impulse

GWx Terrageddon:
+2 Tsabo’s Web
+3 Annul
+1 Powder Keg
+1 Hibernation
-1 Phyrexian Dreadnought 
-2 Stifle
-2 Flash of Insight
-2 Opt

RG TerraPonza: 
+2 Tsabo’s Web
+3 Annul
+1 Powder Keg
+1 Hibernation
-4 Accumulated Knowledge
-2 Flash of Insight
-1 Thwart

Sligh: 
+3 Hydroblast
+1 Powder Keg
+2 Essence Flare
-4 Accumuated Knowledge
-2 Flash of Insight

Goblin: 
+3 Hydroblast
+2 Essence Flare
-2 Flash of Insight
-1 Opt
-1 Thwart
-1 Gush

Dead Guy’s Ale: 
OTP: 
+2 Dominate
+1 Powder Keg
-1 Phyrexian Dreadnought
-1 Stifle
-1 Foil
OTD: 
+2 Dominate
+1 Powder Keg
+2 Essence Flare
-1 Phyrexian Dreadnought
-1 Stifle
-1 Foil
-2 OPT

Enchantress: 
+3 Annul
+1 Hybernation
+1 Powder Keg
+1 Brain Freeze
+2 Essence Flare
-4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
-4 Vision Charm

Stasis:
+1 Brain Freeze 
+1 Powder Keg
+3 Annul
-4 Accumulated Knowledge
-1 Opt

UW Standstill:
+2 Annul
+1 Powder Keg
+2 Dominate
+1 Brain Freeze
+2 Tsabo’s Web
-3 Phyrexian Dreadnought
-4 Vision Charm 
-1 Opt

Elf:
+1 Hibernation
+1 Powder Keg
+2 Essence Flare
-4 Accumulated Knowledge