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Decks (Magic The Gathering) => Modern => Topic started by: bravado883 on March 03, 2015, 01:25:39 PM

Title: Esper Control
Post by: bravado883 on March 03, 2015, 01:25:39 PM

Esper Control

60 cards, 15 sideboard


4 {Temple of Deceit}
4 {Temple of Enlightenment}
2 {Swamp}
2 {Dismal Backwater}
1 {Caves of Koilos}
1 {Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth}
4 {Polluted Delta}
3 {Island}
4 {Temple of Silence}

25 lands


2 {Silumgar, the Drifting Death}
2 {Dragonlord Ojutai}

4 creatures


4 {Silumgar's Scorn}
3 {Crux of Fate}
1 {Foul-Tongue Invocation}
2 {Narset Transcendent}
4 {Dig Through Time}
1 {Utter End}
4 {Anticipate}
4 {Hero's Downfall}
4 {Dissolve}
3 {Ultimate Price}
1 {Bile Blight}

31 other spells


Sideboard

1 {Ultimate Price}
1 {Dragonlord Silumgar}
1 {Utter End}
1 {Self-Inflicted Wound}
4 {Drown in Sorrow}
1 {Narset Transcendent}
1 {Foul-Tongue Invocation}
1 {Pearl Lake Ancient}
1 {Virulent Plague}
1 {Dragonlord's Prerogative}
2 {Negate}

15 sideboard cards



Notes:

Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 03, 2015, 02:16:46 PM
I like {Jave, Architect of Thought}. He is a fantastic sponge especially vs wide strategies and he can draw cards very nicely if you're stable. His ult is also quite good. {Esper Charm} is some nice utility.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: Prplprince on March 03, 2015, 02:48:50 PM
I think you need at least one more if not two  {Sphinx's Revelation}. Also you need to be careful with  {Go for the Throat} Because affinity is a thing and you would be drawing dead if you got it.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 03, 2015, 04:38:51 PM
{Hero's Downfall} is very under rated in modern IMO. If you want a two CMC spell {Go For the Throat} is the best one. Just have SB slots to swap it out like you've already planned with {Stony Silence}.

If you only hit 6-7 lands with a control deck you might be doing it wrong.

Try him as a one of. He did not disappoint. Worst case scenario {Esper Charm} is instant speed {Divination}. Seems good to me.

The mana base looks like you lose to {Blood Moon} every game. IMO the Modern mana base right now should consist of shocks, fetches, a couple utility lands and basics just due to how prevalent {Blood Moon} is. IMO the Innistrad check lands are better than the Mirridion....what are they called? If I were you my mana base would look more like,

{Polluted Delta}
{Flooded Strand}
As the fetches split by availability and symbols as needed. I picked these two because they can fetch all the shocks you'll be running and they're recently reprinted (Read: easily accessible and cheap) If you have {Marsh Flats} feel free to run it.

I'd probably run 5-8 fetches in any combination of the ones above.

{Watery Grave}
{Hallowed Fountain}
{Godless Shrine}
Split by symbols. I'd be running around 7-9 total.

{Creeping Tar Pit}
Souly because it doubles as a win con. 1-2

{Tectonic Edge}
You have it on your list and you know why. I sometimes prefer {Ghost Quarter} but up to you.

{Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth}
Because it smooths out your mana and it looks like you already have one.

{Island}
{Plains}
{Swamp}
As needed.

Depending on how prevalent {Blood Moon} is {Disenchant} and lean on {Plains}.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 03, 2015, 06:54:37 PM
Quote from: bravado883 on March 03, 2015, 06:46:06 PM
You're right, {Blood Moon} is scary. Luckily not too many people around here play it, but I lose if it resolves. However, adding up your suggested lands, even using the minimum numbers suggested, doesn't really leave me with a functional mana base if {Blood Moon} happens, and it makes the deck slightly more inconsistent in other matchups. If I start seeing {Blood Moon} around that could change, and either way I'll definitely be adding {Disenchant} or {Erase} (I know the one has added utility, but it costs 1 more and gets hit by {Spell Snare}, so I'll have to see).

The reason I've been rocking {Darkslick Shores} is so I can T1 {Inquisition of Kozilek} without shocking myself, but maybe the 2 damage T1 isn't a big deal; I could run more {Watery Graves}, cut the fastlands and put in a couple more checks.

Sounds good to me. If you're not seeing {Blood Moon} I'm jealous.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: fj76ts4 on March 03, 2015, 10:54:11 PM
look dude

you're playing esper, you gotta run {esper charm}s, they do too much to not include

things you do with esper charm:

instant speed discard 2 in their draw phase is hilarious, especially if you're ahead on cards
instant speed draw 2 is never bad
kills blood moon dead
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 03, 2015, 11:44:06 PM
Quote from: fj76ts4 on March 03, 2015, 10:54:11 PM
look dude

you're playing esper, you gotta run {esper charm}s, they do too much to not include

things you do with esper charm:

instant speed discard 2 in their draw phase is hilarious, especially if you're ahead on cards
instant speed draw 2 is never bad
kills blood moon dead

Assuming you have a plains, island and swamp. Right? WRONG! Tap for the mana as the spell is on the stack and smack that {Blood Moon} out of the sky with your {Feminine Charm}! Er. {Esper Charm}.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: Codester1991 on March 04, 2015, 12:46:44 AM
Quote from: LinkCelestrial on March 03, 2015, 11:44:06 PM
Quote from: fj76ts4 on March 03, 2015, 10:54:11 PM
look dude

you're playing esper, you gotta run {esper charm}s, they do too much to not include

things you do with esper charm:

instant speed discard 2 in their draw phase is hilarious, especially if you're ahead on cards
instant speed draw 2 is never bad
kills blood moon dead

Assuming you have a plains, island and swamp. Right? WRONG! Tap for the mana as the spell is on the stack and smack that {Blood Moon} out of the sky with your {Feminine Charm}! Er. {Esper Charm}.
I don't wanna sound stupid but uhh...

How bout just side boarding {erase}'s?
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: fj76ts4 on March 04, 2015, 08:10:44 AM
Quote from: Codester1991 on March 04, 2015, 12:46:44 AM
Quote from: LinkCelestrial on March 03, 2015, 11:44:06 PM
Quote from: fj76ts4 on March 03, 2015, 10:54:11 PM
look dude

you're playing esper, you gotta run {esper charm}s, they do too much to not include

things you do with esper charm:

instant speed discard 2 in their draw phase is hilarious, especially if you're ahead on cards
instant speed draw 2 is never bad
kills blood moon dead

Assuming you have a plains, island and swamp. Right? WRONG! Tap for the mana as the spell is on the stack and smack that {Blood Moon} out of the sky with your {Feminine Charm}! Er. {Esper Charm}.
I don't wanna sound stupid but uhh...

How bout just side boarding {erase}'s?

the problem with erase is that it's way too narrow, esper charm does a lot of stuff and is maindeckable to boot
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 04, 2015, 12:37:23 PM
Quote from: bravado883 on March 04, 2015, 09:59:34 AM
Just don't like it guys. There's not much {Blood Moon} where I am; {Esper Charm} doesn't hit it on the draw anyway. I like discard in the format right now, but not when I can't see what they've got; there's a lot of Abzan Aggro around and I'd rather not have people discarding {Loxodon Smiter} and {Wilt-Leaf Liege} on me. I don't really need more card draw, though I am considering the singleton {Jace, Architect of Thought} as was previously mentioned. Appreciate the suggestion though.

Fair enough. I highly recommend trying {Jace, Architect of Thought}. He has been very good and earned himself two slots in my Jeskai Counterburn deck.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 11:31:07 AM
Quote from: bravado883 on March 11, 2015, 01:12:53 AM
Updated after playing some more on MTGO.

Sideboard looks a bit inconsistent. Otherwise how has it been?
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 11:47:23 AM
There is a disturbing lack of {nephalia drownyards} in this list
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: DimirOverlord1300 on March 11, 2015, 01:29:02 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 11:47:23 AM
There is a disturbing lack of {nephalia drownyards} in this list
It's baaaaaaaad
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 01:54:55 PM
Quote from: DimirOverlord1300 on March 11, 2015, 01:29:02 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 11:47:23 AM
There is a disturbing lack of {nephalia drownyards} in this list
It's baaaaaaaad

{Creeping Tar Pit} is far superior.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 02:02:51 PM
Quote from: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 01:54:55 PM
Quote from: DimirOverlord1300 on March 11, 2015, 01:29:02 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 11:47:23 AM
There is a disturbing lack of {nephalia drownyards} in this list
It's baaaaaaaad

{Creeping Tar Pit} is far superior.
I'm probably wrong here but I like drownyards because they will never die ever, path to exile? Nope. Electrolyze? Nope. Lightning bolt? Nope. Just my preference
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 02:27:43 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 02:02:51 PM
Quote from: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 01:54:55 PM
Quote from: DimirOverlord1300 on March 11, 2015, 01:29:02 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 11:47:23 AM
There is a disturbing lack of {nephalia drownyards} in this list
It's baaaaaaaad

{Creeping Tar Pit} is far superior.
I'm probably wrong here but I like drownyards because they will never die ever, path to exile? Nope. Electrolyze? Nope. Lightning bolt? Nope. Just my preference

{Creeping Tar Pit} is, unassisted and swinging each turn, a 7 turn clock.

{Nephalia Drownyards} is, counting drawing seven and a card each turn, an 8 turn clock.

There's also the fact that the pit taps for coloured but comes in tapped and the Drownyards don't come in tapped but tap for colourless.

The thing is the pit is a better mana fixer and actually works towards the same goal as the rest of the deck. Yes it can get path'd or bolted but the thing is if you've played against it it's generally pretty hard to catch. You have to have instant speed removal ready and willing.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 03:13:55 PM
Quote from: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 02:27:43 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 02:02:51 PM
Quote from: LinkCelestrial on March 11, 2015, 01:54:55 PM
Quote from: DimirOverlord1300 on March 11, 2015, 01:29:02 PM
Quote from: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 11:47:23 AM
There is a disturbing lack of {nephalia drownyards} in this list
It's baaaaaaaad

{Creeping Tar Pit} is far superior.
I'm probably wrong here but I like drownyards because they will never die ever, path to exile? Nope. Electrolyze? Nope. Lightning bolt? Nope. Just my preference

{Creeping Tar Pit} is, unassisted and swinging each turn, a 7 turn clock.

{Nephalia Drownyards} is, counting drawing seven and a card each turn, an 8 turn clock.

There's also the fact that the pit taps for coloured but comes in tapped and the Drownyards don't come in tapped but tap for colourless.

The thing is the pit is a better mana fixer and actually works towards the same goal as the rest of the deck. Yes it can get path'd or bolted but the thing is if you've played against it it's generally pretty hard to catch. You have to have instant speed removal ready and willing.
Drownyard is 1 more turn, not a huge deal for a control deck. Especially considering you're running revs to refill your hand and keep answering their threats. I prefer it because there are 0 spells in the format that stop it except blood moon and sowing salts but those both hit tar pit too. I suppose it's worth mentioning that tar pit can easily turn into a 5-6 turn clock off of people shocking themselves, but I still prefer drownyards.
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: Kaalia with haste on March 11, 2015, 04:09:17 PM
Quote from: bravado883 on March 11, 2015, 03:39:27 PM
{Nephalia Drownyard} was sweet in standard, but it seems that it's too slow in modern, and incidentally helps certain decks. Additionally, almost every control deck in modern (where Drownyard would theoretically be best) runs {Tectonic Edge}, so I don't see Drownyard sticking around long even in matchups where I would generally want it.
I forgot drownyards gives advantage sometimes especially with lingering souls being around so much right now
Title: Re: Esper Control
Post by: DimirOverlord1300 on March 11, 2015, 04:20:57 PM
Also, drown yard can't block if it needs to.