"3-Drop" Control

Standard WUB (Esper)

OptimusTom

Creature (2)

• 2x Monastery Mentor

Planeswalker (3)

• 3x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

Land (25)

• 2x Caves of Koilos
• 3x Flooded Strand
• 3x Island
• 1x Plains
• 3x Polluted Delta
• 2x Swamp
• 4x Temple of Deceit
• 4x Temple of Silence
• 2x Tranquil Cove
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Instant (25)

• 4x Anticipate
• 2x Bile Blight
• 4x Dig Through Time
• 2x Disdainful Stroke
• 4x Dissolve
• 4x Hero's Downfall
• 1x Nullify
• 2x Ultimate Price
• 2x Utter End

Sorcery (5)

• 1x Crux of Fate
• 1x Despise
• 3x Thoughtseize

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Sideboard

Creature (2)

• 2x Merciless Executioner

Enchantment (5)

• 2x Encase in Ice
• 2x Myth Realized
• 1x Virulent Plague

Instant (2)

• 2x Negate

Sorcery (6)

• 3x Drown in Sorrow
• 2x Duress
• 1x Self-Inflicted Wound

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While attempting to build an Esper list, I read up a lot on control articles from players such as Shaheen Soorani who were saying how powerful the 2-drop slot was going to be for decks, but how the old Esper deck always needed too many different colors on turn 2 to be threatening. With a lot of single-color 2-drops released in Dragon of Tarkir, my friends & I began joking around about a "2-Drop Control" deck with goofy win cons such as Returned Phalanx or Seeker of the Way.

At FNM, I was unable to find the cards I wanted to play the Esper Dragons list, and I had helped my friends complete their G/W & Abzan decks. I had a dated UB Control list from Fate Reforge and a lot of cards at my disposal, but no Silumgar's Scorn. What I wound up doing was modifying our joke "2-Drop Control" to include the powerful 3-Drops, Hero's Downfall, Dissolve, Ashiok & a new comer Monastery Mentor. Breaking my own rule a bit for Utter End & Crux of Fate (much needed power for the Control aspect) I was able to go X-1 on the night, even defeating the Esper Dragons list I had originally wanted to play!

Since it had some success at FNM - and I still don't have the cards for Esper Drgons - I'm thinking of building out the "3-Drop" Control Esper list to be more competitive. That's where I am currently at now!

Date added	9 years
Last updated	9 years
Legality	This deck is not Standard legal.
Rarity (main - side)	8 - 0 Mythic Rares 24 - 2 Rares 11 - 6 Uncommons 9 - 7 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	3.14
Tokens	Monk 1/1 W