Control is a relative term. We’re not going full UW No Wincons in the main deck Control here. Just decks that will rarely or ever take the beatdown role in.

Monoblack Devotion

Of course, the scourge of standard for the last year is going to be gone with [scryfall]Pack Rat[/scryfall], [scryfall]Desecration Demon[/scryfall], and [scryfall]Underworld Connections[/scryfall], but enterprising individuals made it work in Theros, so why not in standard, again. At least we’ll have more cards to work with. We’ll just have to figure out which.

We’ll, for one thing, we have [scryfall]Empty the Pits[/scryfall] as the wincon. If we have enough sources for devotion, we don’t need to rely on the delve alone, we can use [scryfall]Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx[/scryfall] to make a few zombies.

[cardlist]
[creatures]
4 Gray Merchant of Asphodel
2 Doomwake Giant
2 Hythonia the Cruel
4 Indulgent Tormentor
2 King Macar, the Gold-Cursed
1 Ob Nixilis, Unshackled
[/creatures]
[spells]
3 Sign in Blood
2 Read the Bones
4 Hero’s Downfall
2 Drown in Sorrow
1 Murderous Cut
2 Silence the Believers
2 Empty the Pits
4 Thoughtseize
[/spells]
[lands]
4 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
4 Temple of Silence
17 Swamp
[/lands]
[/cardlist]

Sultai Control

With all the scrying around, there’s a strong chance that unlike in the previous Standard, the way to go is card selection, not necessarily card draw. Sure, you still need enough lands, but not as many as before. Also, you can put plenty of stuff into your graveyard to pay for other stuff.

We’re pretty much just splashing green here for [scryfall]Sultai Ascendancy[/scryfall] and [scryfall]Kiora, the Crashing Wave[/scryfall], but having access to green also gives us access to plenty of enchantment removal if that comes up, or maybe even some fatty, such as [scryfall]Sagu Mauler[/scryfall], which would be quite a surprise.

[cardlist]
[creatures]
3 Prognostic Sphinx
[/creatures]
[planeswalker]
4 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
3 Jace, the Living Guildpact
2 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
[/planeswalker]
[spells]
3 Sultai Ascendancy
4 Hero’s Downfall
2 Silence the Believers
4 Murderous Cut
4 Thoughtseize
2 Despise
3 Treasure Cruise
2 Aetherspouts
[/spells]
[lands]
4 Opulent Palace
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Temple of Mystery
4 Temple of Malady
4 Island
4 Swamp
[/lands]
[/cardlist]

UW Control

Why not? Its a classic… Its just that now we have to a little more creative with the list then previously.

[cardlist]
[creatures]
3 Prognostic Sphinx
2 Medomai the Ageless
4 Dakra Mystic
[/creatures]
[spells]
3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
4 End Hostilities
4 Banishing Light
4 Dissolve
2 Negate
4 Aetherspouts
4 Divination
[/spells]
[lands]
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Tranquil Cove
4 Flooded Strand
8 Island
6 Plains
[/lands]
[/cardlist]

This deck want be quite as formidable as those of the previous standard, but on the other hand, all decks want be ready for it either.