I am considering this deck for a GP and I'm in serious need of help. This is meant to be an Esper control deck with a cycling subtheme. I don't have major budget concerns (although I'm only running 2 TSGs for budget, but anything less expensive than that isn't an issue) and am looking to perfect as much as possible. Advice?
Questions for consideration:1) Land Count? This is a control deck but also has the cycling subtheme so I will be more likely than normal to draw lands. 24? 25? 26?
2) Sweepers. How many will I need? I was thinking 4 or 5. What split? Settle the Wreckage seems to have dropped in popularity mostly because I think people are more aware of it now. However, this deck actively wants to leave mana to cycle, so does it get better? Right now I have a 2/2 split with preference towards Fumigate but I could very easily be persuaded otherwise.
3) Archfiend of Ifnir? It seems like a really powerful flier almost to match Glorybringer, but the issue is 4 health, which dies to Glorybringer exert, Chandra minus, but is just outside of the small burn spells. It also seems like a good pseudo-board wipe against aggro decks and can bring their massive creatures down to earth, but it would be hard to stack a lot of counters on them.
4) Countervailing Winds? Is it worth the ability to cycle over a hard counter like Disallow? I am already little low on actual cyclers but early I think this will be a more expensive censor and late I will need my counters so I won't be cycling it. At that point is the cycling worth it?
5) Cycle Deserts. Is it worth the tap lands for the ability to cycle? Once again, I am low on cyclers, but these feel very much not worth it. It should also be noted that I am using all 8 possible dual cycle lands, so would I be cycling away too many with the deserts?
6) Torrential Gearhulks? A very powerful control finisher, I'm wondering if my curve can handle it, as well as if I have too many top end cards. Also, if I add Gearhulk, should I take out the Drake Haven and focus on winning through big finishers instead of the two pronged approach (haha)?
7) Negates mainboard? I already have lots of counters and I feel like this deck is made to outlast, but how much do I need it for against things like Approach and GPG? Enough t warrant MB? And if so how many?
8) Sideboard. I already am very removal heavy MB and I'm wondering if having a removal heavy sideboard is overblown. Also, how should I divide my matchups? My cheap creatures MB are almost entirely aimed against aggro, so do I need to add things like Baffling End as even more removal for small creatures? Against midrange decks, do I need more wipes? Big creatures? Or is lots of removal the way to go? And finally in a control mirror, how many negates, how many Gearhulks, do I just stay the same and look to outlast on the backs of my cycling?
9) The biggest question of all: Is cycling worth it? I get a couple of synergies, some interesting creatures, more consistent draws, and lots of surprise. But is it worth it? Is going for cycling taking away as a whole? Would I be better off with a straight Esper Control deck, or some other similar variant from Esper GPG to U/B control to U/W Approach...? This is not so much a meta-call as just looking at power level.
10) Finally, is there anything I forgot, from gaping holes to good cycling creatures that aren't here?
Thank you for all of your help!
