Premodern Stasis Deck Guide (2026)
Premodern Stasis is a creatureless blue prison deck: Stasis stops every untap step, Forsaken City and free spells pay its upkeep, and Black Vise wins. It holds 3.04 percent of the MTGDecks metagame over the last 60 days, about 3 percent on MTGTop8 as well, and won 56 percent of 880 recorded matches between March 18 and September 14, 2026. The reference list is the blue-red build with Fire // Ice and Shivan Reef that Thursdayisgod2 played to first place at the 50-player Midwest Championship Open @ CubeCon on August 30, 2026; the mono-blue Powder Keg build is the main alternative. This guide covers the lock step by step, the rules that decide it, mulligans, every major matchup with match data, sideboard plans and a budget path from about $155.
How the deck wins
- Survive and set up. Counterspell, Daze, Thwart and Fire // Ice handle the first threats while Impulse, Portent and Gush find the pieces. An early Black Vise punishes an opponent who keeps a full hand.
- Cast Stasis on your turn after the opponent tapped out on theirs, and their permanents stay tapped from then on. Pay the {U} upkeep with Forsaken City, which untaps in your upkeep when you exile a card from your hand, or with a replayed Island. Gush, Thwart and Daze cost only tapped Islands, while the opponent gets one fresh land per turn.
- Let Black Vise do the damage: with seven cards in hand at their upkeep, each Vise deals three. When your hand runs low, return your own Stasis with Chain of Vapor at the end of the opponent's turn, untap everything in your untap step and cast Stasis again before they ever untap.
Core cards
- 4 Stasis
- 4 Forsaken City
- 4 Gush
- 4 Chain of Vapor
- 4 Black Vise
- 4 Counterspell
- 4 Impulse
- 3 Thwart
- 3 Fire // Ice
- 3 Portent
- 2 Daze
- 16 Island
Key cards
- Stasis: Two mana: players skip their untap steps, and in your upkeep you sacrifice it unless you pay {U}. It is symmetrical, it does not stop untap effects such as Frantic Search, Quirion Ranger or Forsaken City's own trigger, and new permanents enter untapped. Cast on your turn, the first payment is due in your next upkeep.
- Forsaken City: A land that taps for any color but doesn't untap in your untap step. In your upkeep you may exile a card from your hand to untap it, so under Stasis it pays the upkeep every turn for one card. Put Stasis's trigger on the stack first, so the City untaps before you pay. It is also the deck's red and green source, and the land opponents most want to Wasteland.
- Gush: Return two Islands, tapped or untapped, instead of paying {4}{U}, and draw two cards. Under Stasis that is two cards for two lands you could not use anyway, an Island to replay untapped, and more cards to exile to Forsaken City.
- Chain of Vapor: Returns a nonland permanent to its owner's hand. Return your own Stasis at the end of the opponent's turn to untap and recast it, or in response to Naturalize or Disenchant. The controller of the returned permanent may sacrifice a land to copy it, so bouncing an opponent's permanent lets them return your Stasis.
- Black Vise: The win condition. Choose an opponent as it enters; in each of their upkeeps it deals damage equal to the cards in their hand minus four. Under Stasis a hand of seven means three damage per Vise, and several Vises stack. Weak against Sligh, Goblins and Elves until the lock is in place.
- Thwart: Counters a spell for three Islands returned to your hand. Under Stasis those Islands are tapped and useless anyway, so it is free; before Stasis it is a real tempo cost.
- Daze: Return one Island to counter a spell unless its controller pays one. Under Stasis the opponent rarely has that spare mana.
- Fire // Ice: Fire kills Goblin Lackey, mana elves, Mother of Runes and Meddling Mage and adds two points of reach. Ice taps a permanent and draws a card, and under Stasis that permanent stays tapped. Fire // Ice and Shivan Reef are the best-converting flexible main-deck cards in the archetype on MTGDecks.
- Root Maze: Artifacts and lands enter tapped, so under Stasis the opponent's land drop, a new Mox Diamond or a Lotus Petal produces nothing. It affects your replayed Islands too, so pay Stasis with Forsaken City while it is out.
Mulligan guide
Keep
- Two to four lands with at least two Islands, plus counters, card selection and one lock piece: Stasis, Forsaken City or Black Vise.
- Island, Island, Forsaken City, Stasis, Gush, Daze, Impulse: the lock, the payment and the free spells.
- Island, Forsaken City, Black Vise, Chain of Vapor, Gush, Counterspell, Fire // Ice.
Ship
- Fewer than two lands: Gush, Thwart and Daze need Islands on the battlefield.
- Only counterspells, with no card selection and no lock piece.
- Six lands and one spell.
Against aggressive decks, prefer cheap interaction and Fire // Ice over a slow Stasis; against control and combo, a hand with Stasis, Forsaken City and counters is ideal. Twenty-three lands are not too many here: Gush, Thwart and Daze return Islands to your hand, and under Stasis the land drop is your main source of fresh mana.
Play tips and sequencing
- Deploy Black Vise before Stasis. It does the most damage while their hand is full, and it is harder to resolve once they have seen the lock.
- Don't cast Stasis into untapped mana. Every untapped land gets one more use. Wait for a tapped-out opponent, tap their last land with Ice, or use Mana Short in their upkeep in lists that play it.
- Plan the next upkeep before every tap: a Forsaken City with a card to exile, or an untapped Island. Keep the replayed Island untapped as backup.
- Order the upkeep triggers. Stasis and Forsaken City trigger at the same time and you choose the order: Stasis's trigger goes on the stack first, so the City untaps before you have to pay.
- Free counters under Stasis, hard counters before. Under the lock Daze and Thwart cost tapped Islands; before it, returning untapped Islands costs real mana.
- Gush at the end of the opponent's turn. It refills your hand, feeds Forsaken City and gives you an Island for your land drop.
- Count their mana every turn. Under Stasis it is their land drop plus whatever doesn't need to untap: Dark Ritual, Lotus Petal, a new Mox Diamond, Priest of Gix, Eladamri's Vineyard, Wall of Roots, and free spells such as Fireblast, Gush and Daze.
- Reset before you run dry. Chain of Vapor on your own Stasis at the end of their turn costs three mana per cycle, which is better than losing Stasis to an upkeep you can't pay. Watch your library too: Gush and Impulse draw fast, and Gaea's Blessing from the sideboard protects long games.
Matchups
- Stiflenought (even): The most played matchup and a real fight. Stiflenought casts the same Gush, Daze and Foil under your lock, Stifle counters Forsaken City's untap trigger, and Phyrexian Dreadnought costs one mana. Land Stasis at the end of a counter war, not into it, and keep an untapped Island for the upkeep. Annul answers Dreadnought, and Gaea's Blessing protects you against Brain Freeze and Vision Charm's mill. MTGDecks: 48 percent over 98 matches.
- Goblins (slightly favorable): Goblins has to win before the lock: Goblin Lackey, Goblin Warchief and Goblin Piledriver are fast, Mogg Fanatic deals damage without tapping, and Rishadan Port taps your land in your upkeep. Kill Lackey with Fire and counter Warchief and Goblin Ringleader. After boarding Chill and Cursed Totem are excellent; Hydroblast can't target Piledriver, which has protection from blue, and they bring Pyroblast and Red Elemental Blast. MTGDecks: 56 percent over 81 matches.
- Mono Black (even): Duress and Cabal Therapy take Stasis and Black Vise, Hypnotic Specter makes you discard, and Dark Ritual on a fresh Swamp makes three mana even under Stasis. Wasteland hits Forsaken City. Phyrexian Arena and Graveborn Muse fill their hand for Black Vise, Root Maze stops the Ritual on a new land, and Fire kills Specter and Withered Wretch. Bring Annul for Arena and Cursed Scroll. MTGDecks: 53 percent over 57 matches.
- Sligh (even to slightly unfavorable): Burn needs little untapped mana: a one-mana spell with each land drop, Fireblast for free, Price of Progress against Forsaken City and Shivan Reef, and Sulfuric Vortex or Pyrostatic Pillar after boarding, which punishes Daze and Chain of Vapor. Lead with Islands, counter Vortex and Cursed Scroll, and bring Chill, Hydroblast and Blue Elemental Blast: with Chill out, Fireblast costs two mana. MTGDecks (Burn): 46 percent over 56 matches.
- Enchantress (even): Their best cards are answers to your lock: Seal of Cleansing in the main deck, Aura of Silence after boarding, and Solitary Confinement, which prevents Black Vise damage. Serra's Sanctum makes a lot of mana from one land, and Opalescence turns Stasis into a 2/2 for Swords to Plowshares. Counter Confinement and Seal, Ice the Sanctum, and bring all three Annul. Argothian Enchantress has shroud against Fire. MTGDecks: 48 percent over 56 matches.
- Landstill (favorable): Counterspells and Disenchant are Landstill's only ways to fight Stasis, and Standstill backfires under the lock: the three cards it gives them only feed Black Vise. Mishra's Factory needs untapped mana to animate. Annul counters Standstill and Powder Keg, and Brain Freeze and Gaea's Blessing decide the long games. MTGDecks: 67 percent over 49 matches.
- Terrageddon (slightly favorable): Their main-deck answers are Wasteland on Forsaken City and Rishadan Port; after boarding they add Red Elemental Blast, Pyroblast and Aura of Silence against Stasis, and a freshly cast Mox Diamond gives them one more mana. Counter Aura of Silence, keep Hydroblast for the Blasts, and Root Maze makes Mox Diamond enter tapped. MTGDecks: 58 percent over 45 matches.
- Replenish (favorable): Replenish needs four mana and a stocked graveyard. Seal of Cleansing and Abeyance are its interaction, Frantic Search untaps lands under Stasis, and Defense Grid and Meddling Mage come in against counter decks. Annul counters Seal, Opalescence, Parallax Wave and Defense Grid. MTGDecks: 68 percent over 38 matches, limited data.
- The Rock (favorable): Pernicious Deed needs mana to activate and Recurring Nightmare is an enchantment you can Annul. Duress and Cabal Therapy are the real problem, and Naturalize and Tranquil Domain come in after boarding. Root Maze keeps their new lands tapped. MTGDecks: 65 percent over 26 matches, limited data.
- Psychatog (unfavorable): Psychatog runs the same free-spell engine with Gush, Foil and Accumulated Knowledge, adds Duress, and its creature grows without mana: one untapped Psychatog attacks once and can deal a lot of damage. Cursed Totem stops its pumps and is the main sideboard plan. Win the counter war over Psychatog itself, not over their card draw. MTGDecks: 31 percent over 26 matches, limited data.
- Oath of Druids (favorable): Oath of Druids never triggers for them against a creatureless deck, and their land destruction is slow against a deck that returns its own lands to hand. Respect Wasteland, Rishadan Port, Sphere of Resistance, which makes Stasis cost three, and Mox Diamond, and expect Aura of Silence and Naturalize after boarding. MTGDecks (Oath Ponza): 79 percent over 24 matches, limited data.
- Elves (unfavorable): Elves is fast, wide and hard to lock: Quirion Ranger and Wirewood Symbiote untap creatures, Priest of Titania and Gaea's Cradle make a lot of mana from one untap, and Deranged Hermit and Natural Order end games quickly. They bring Xantid Swarm, Tangle Wire and Null Rod against blue decks. Cursed Totem is essential. MTGDecks: 29 percent over 21 matches, limited data.
- Full English Breakfast (unfavorable): Wall of Roots and Eladamri's Vineyard make mana without untapping, and one activation of Survival of the Fittest or Hermit Druid can be enough. After boarding they bring Duress, Naturalize, Uktabi Orangutan and Ray of Revelation. Cursed Totem stops Hermit Druid and Wall of Roots, and Annul counters Survival, Vineyard and Animate Dead. MTGDecks: 33 percent over 21 matches, limited data.
- UG Madness (slightly favorable): Basking Rootwalla is free with madness, Wild Mongrel and Aquamoeba are free discard outlets, and Frantic Search untaps lands under Stasis. Circular Logic and Daze can counter your Stasis. Cursed Totem shuts off Mongrel and Aquamoeba. MTGDecks (Madness): 59 percent over 17 matches, limited data.
- Deadguy Ale (favorable): Duress, Vindicate and Hypnotic Specter are the dangerous cards, and Exalted Angel has to be turned face up for four mana, which is hard under Stasis. Expect Disenchant and Seal of Cleansing after boarding, and keep Fire // Ice for Specter. Limited data: MTGDecks' BW Control bucket shows 69 percent over 16 matches.
- Reanimator (unfavorable): Reanimate costs one mana, Lotus Petal and Dark Ritual don't need to untap, and Akroma, Angel of Wrath has vigilance, so it attacks every turn under Stasis. Chain of Vapor on Akroma is excellent, because they can't pay eight mana to cast it again. The reference sideboard has no graveyard hate; add Tormod's Crypt if Reanimator is common. MTGDecks: 20 percent over 10 matches, very limited data.
- MUD (favorable): Thran Dynamo, Mind Stone, Ancient Tomb and City of Traitors stay tapped under Stasis, Goblin Welder has to tap, and Root Maze makes new artifacts enter tapped. Sphere of Resistance makes Stasis cost three and Defense Grid taxes your counters on their turn. Counter Tinker itself, use Annul on Tangle Wire and Sphere, and bring both Blasts for Welder. Very limited data.
- The Solution (slightly favorable): Meddling Mage naming Stasis and Lightning Angel, whose vigilance lets it attack every turn under Stasis, are the problems, and Pyroblast, Red Elemental Blast and Annul come in after boarding. Fire kills Mage and Mother of Runes, and Chill taxes their red spells. Very limited data.
- Aluren (even): Aluren lets both players cast small creatures for free at instant speed, which ignores Stasis once it is out. Counter Aluren with Annul or return it with Chain of Vapor, and Cursed Totem stops Cavern Harpy's return ability, the core of their loop. Aluren plays Chain of Vapor too. No meaningful match data.
- Tron (favorable): The Urza lands stay tapped under Stasis, and Root Maze makes new ones enter tapped. Mana Leak is Tron's main counter to Stasis, and Meddling Mage from their sideboard is the card to kill with Fire. No meaningful match data.
- Zombies (slightly favorable): A black creature deck with Duress, Cabal Therapy and Dark Ritual. Cursed Totem stops Lord of the Undead and Shepherd of Rot, and Root Maze keeps a fresh Swamp from casting Dark Ritual. No meaningful match data.
- Clerics (slightly favorable): Duress, Cabal Therapy and Dark Ritual again, and Priest of Gix adds three black mana as it enters, even under the lock. Cursed Totem stops Dark Supplicant and Cabal Archon. No match data.
- Dromar Control (even): Meddling Mage, Vindicate, Duress and counterspells, plus Lobotomy and Seal of Cleansing after boarding. Fight over Stasis at a moment when Dromar is tapped out, and kill the Mage with Fire. No match data.
Sideboard guide
- vs Stiflenought and the mirror: Annul, Gaea's Blessing. In: three Annul and two Gaea's Blessing. Out: two Fire // Ice, two Portent and Root Maze. Annul answers Dreadnought, Stasis and Black Vise, and Blessing protects against Brain Freeze, Vision Charm's mill and decking in long games. Portent is the first card out in almost every plan; never cut Stasis, Forsaken City, Gush, Chain of Vapor or Islands.
- vs Goblins and Sligh: Chill, Cursed Totem, Hydroblast, Blue Elemental Blast. Against Goblins: three Chill, three Cursed Totem, Hydroblast and Blue Elemental Blast in; three Portent, two Impulse, Flash of Insight, Root Maze and a Thwart out. Against Sligh: three Chill, one Cursed Totem for Grim Lavamancer and Mogg Fanatic, and both Blasts in; three Portent, two Black Vise and Flash of Insight out.
- vs Enchantress, Mono Black, Replenish, Terrageddon, Oath of Druids and The Rock: Annul, Hydroblast, Blue Elemental Blast, Root Maze. Three Annul for three Portent against Enchantress and Mono Black, where Annul also counters Phyrexian Arena and Cursed Scroll. Against Replenish, two Portent and Root Maze go instead. Against Terrageddon add both Blasts and cut Flash of Insight and a Thwart; against Oath of Druids and The Rock add the second Root Maze and cut Flash of Insight.
- vs Landstill and Tron: Annul, Brain Freeze, Gaea's Blessing, Root Maze. Against Landstill: three Annul, Brain Freeze and a Gaea's Blessing in; two Fire // Ice, two Portent and Root Maze out. Against Tron: two Annul, Brain Freeze, Gaea's Blessing and the second Root Maze in; two Daze, two Portent and a Fire // Ice out.
- vs Psychatog, UG Madness, Clerics and Zombies: Cursed Totem, Root Maze. Three Cursed Totem shut off Psychatog's pumps, Wild Mongrel and Aquamoeba, and the Cleric and Zombie abilities. Against Psychatog two Portent and Root Maze go out; against the others add the second Root Maze and cut three Portent and Flash of Insight.
- vs Elves, Full English Breakfast and Aluren: Cursed Totem, Annul, Root Maze. Cursed Totem stops mana elves, Quirion Ranger, Wirewood Symbiote, Hermit Druid, Wall of Roots and Cavern Harpy. Against Elves: three Totem, two Annul for Survival of the Fittest, Null Rod and Tangle Wire, and Root Maze in; three Portent, two Black Vise and Flash of Insight out. Against Full English Breakfast: three Totem and three Annul in; three Portent, two Black Vise and Root Maze out. Against Aluren: three Totem and three Annul in; three Portent, a Fire // Ice, Flash of Insight and Root Maze out.
- vs MUD, The Solution, Deadguy Ale, Dromar Control and Reanimator: Annul, Chill, Hydroblast, Blue Elemental Blast, Root Maze. Against MUD: three Annul, both Blasts for Goblin Welder and Root Maze in; three Portent, two Impulse and Flash of Insight out. Against The Solution: three Chill and both Blasts in; three Portent, Flash of Insight and Root Maze out. Against Deadguy Ale and Dromar Control: three Annul for two Portent and Root Maze, keeping Fire // Ice for Hypnotic Specter, Meddling Mage and Mother of Runes. Against Reanimator only Root Maze for a Portent, so Lotus Petal enters tapped.
Budget and upgrades
Typical cost: $155–$390. The reference 75 costs about **$390** at the Premodern-era printings tracked here. Three **Shivan Reef** from Apocalypse are the most expensive item at about $89, then four **Forsaken City** at about $50, four **Chain of Vapor** at about $45 and four **Stasis** at about $39. Black Vise costs about $5 in Fourth Edition, and every other card costs under $11.
- Stasis, Forsaken City, Gush and Chain of Vapor are the lock, Black Vise is the win condition, and Thwart and Daze keep the lock paid. Don't replace any of them.
- If your events allow tournament-legal reprints, Shivan Reef costs under $1, Forsaken City about $6, Chain of Vapor about $8 and Black Vise under $1, which brings the 75 to about $155. Stasis has no cheaper printing than Fifth Edition.
- Replace the three Shivan Reef with Islands and Fire // Ice with Mana Short to save about $90; that is the mono-blue build without Powder Keg. Powder Keg costs about $73 each and the deck does not need it.
- Upgrade in this order: Islands, Counterspell, Impulse, Portent and Flash of Insight; then Gush, Thwart, Daze and Black Vise; then Stasis; then Chain of Vapor and Forsaken City; then the sideboard, and Shivan Reef last.
