What's esper control

[Swamplord99]

I know this is stupid but what's Esper and how do you win with it?

[blackychan1]

It plays counterspells (blue), killspells (black), board wipes (blue/white) and {sphinx's revelation} to control the board until they play {elspeth, sun's champion} or {ætherling} to beat you in the face for game.

[DrainCleaner]

Esper is the name given to the color combination of blue white and black. And control is a strategy where you try to control what your opponents are capable of doing. An esper control deck is probably full of counterspells, mass board sweepers, and removal, with small ways to win a long game.

[Gorzo]

Much of the esper control deck is leaving standard in a few weeks, anyway. It's losing some it's most vital controlling spells like {Supreme Verdict}, {Detention Sphere}, and {Sphinx's Revalation}, one of it's only win conditions, {Ætherling}, shock lands for its mana base, and various other important pieces.

A new control deck will undoubtedly emerge, control players will always be looking for a way. But I'm pretty sure Esper is no longer going to be the optimal color archetype.

[ibtrickey]

Esper comes from the card {Esper Charm}
The charm card named most of the tri-color variants.
There is also
{Bant Charm}
{Jund Charm}
{Grixis Charm}

And with esper control it is mostly standard yes. I went esper mill for modern now.

[Spikepit]

I'm thinking Jeskai may take over as control base. 

[Gorzo]

Esper comes from the card {Esper Charm}
The charm card named most of the tri-color variants.
There is also
{Bant Charm}
{Jund Charm}
{Grixis Charm}

And with esper control it is mostly standard yes. I went esper mill for modern now.

The names came from the set those charms came from, not from the cards in it. Shards of Alara was a multicolor block, the lore of which involved the 5 colors of mana being divided into different 3-colored shard, each represented by its own land.

Esper - UWB - primarily focused in artifacts and artifact creatures.
Bant - WGU - Focused on the Exalted mechanic, and held the ideals of heroism and good. The Planeswalker {Ajani Goldmane} is from the shard of Bant, and {Elspeth Tirel} has ties to it as well.
Naya - GRW - a land of giant beasts, worshipped as "gods," Naya focused on having huge creatures with power 5 of greater
Jund - RGB - A savage, primal land of dragons. Jund focused on the Devour mechanic, and making small creatures designed to be sacrificed to larger ones. The Planeswalker {Sarkhan Vol} is from Jund.
Grixis - BUR - a land of pure evil. So evil that it attracted the evil tyrant Planeswalker, {Nicol Bolas}.

[Swamplord99]

Wait so thats probably coming back in khans right?

[rarehuntertay]

Esper comes from the card {Esper Charm}
The charm card named most of the tri-color variants.
There is also
{Bant Charm}
{Jund Charm}
{Grixis Charm}

And with esper control it is mostly standard yes. I went esper mill for modern now.

The names came from the set those charms came from, not from the cards in it. Shards of Alara was a multicolor block, the lore of which involved the 5 colors of mana being divided into different 3-colored shard, each represented by its own land.

Esper - UWB - primarily focused in artifacts and artifact creatures.
Bant - WGU - Focused on the Exalted mechanic, and held the ideals of heroism and good. The Planeswalker {Ajani Goldmane} is from the shard of Bant, and {Elspeth Tirel} has ties to it as well.
Naya - GRW - a land of giant beasts, worshipped as "gods," Naya focused on having huge creatures with power 5 of greater
Jund - RGB - A savage, primal land of dragons. Jund focused on the Devour mechanic, and making small creatures designed to be sacrificed to larger ones. The Planeswalker {Sarkhan Vol} is from Jund.
Grixis - BUR - a land of pure evil. So evil that it attracted the evil tyrant Planeswalker, {Nicol Bolas}.

Your lore is incorrect. Ajani is from Naya, not Bant. Sarkhan is not from Jund. Jund is the first Shard he visited upon his Spark activating.

[Distriimuir]

Lol yeah I was going to say sarkhan is from the new plane tarkir in the new set, and ajani Is certainly from naya.

[Gorzo]

Derp, you're right. Lack of sleep is catching up with me. I knew Ajani was Naya, just goofed, though i did think Sarkhan was from Jund. Thanks for the corrections, lore is obviously not my strong suit.

[rarehuntertay]

Derp, you're right. Lack of sleep is catching up with me. I knew Ajani was Naya, just goofed, though i did think Sarkhan was from Jund. Thanks for the corrections, lore is obviously not my strong suit.

Its ok. Lack of sleep makes everyone make mistakes. That why were are all here. Just to learn from each other.

[Ekann1]

Much of the esper control deck is leaving standard in a few weeks, anyway. It's losing some it's most vital controlling spells like {Supreme Verdict}, {Detention Sphere}, and {Sphinx's Revalation}, one of it's only win conditions, {Ætherling}, shock lands for its mana base, and various other important pieces.

A new control deck will undoubtedly emerge, control players will always be looking for a way. But I'm pretty sure Esper is no longer going to be the optimal color archetype.

YAY!!!!!!

[particle]

Much of the esper control deck is leaving standard in a few weeks, anyway. It's losing some it's most vital controlling spells like {Supreme Verdict}, {Detention Sphere}, and {Sphinx's Revalation}, one of it's only win conditions, {Ætherling}, shock lands for its mana base, and various other important pieces.

A new control deck will undoubtedly emerge, control players will always be looking for a way. But I'm pretty sure Esper is no longer going to be the optimal color archetype.

YAY!!!!!!

are you saying "Yay!!!!!!" to stuff rotating or to the fact that a new control deck will still likely see play?

[Ekann1]

Yay to the fact that the all the cards from UWx control are leaving. I hate every single one of them.