Ahh ahh! Kick back, relax...
FNM(4/6/2014) REPORT complete! See further down the page!
Back to the drawing board. I've looked at multiple lists and realized that each list in Top 8/16 is different from the rest. I'm just going to play what I want to play. Brian Braun Duin recently helped me tweak this deck through a short Twitter conversation. I think I'm all set!
U/W with access to more removal. The following is a guide rather than that stupid here's-what-this-card-does-because-you-don't-know-how-to-read-text-boxes-BULLSHIT.
Boarding Tips & Strategy
#R/W Burn:
-2 Thoughtseize
-2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
-2 Supreme Verdict
-1 AEtherling
+3 Fiendslayer Paladin
+2 Negate
+2 Nightveil Specter
Get rid of the higher cost spells. Survive the initial barrage of spells from their opening hand. They aren't going to mulligan unless they have a hand full of lands. Play your life link. Win game. Just be careful of Mizzium Mortars. It kills Blood Baron of Vizkopa. Also, if they didn't have it in their main already, they will board in Skullcrack when they find out you are playing control so don't be afraid to Rev on their upkeep. Thoughtseize comes out because we don't want to take 2 life to remove a spell they're obviously going to use in response. You're probably going to lose this matchup pretty fast.
#B/x Control/Devotion
-2 Supreme Verdict
-2 Detention Sphere
-2 Jace, Architect of Thought
-1 Supreme Verdict
-1 Plains
+2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
+1 Deicide
+4 Nightveil Specter
+1 Dark Betrayal
+1 Pithing Needle
There isn't much of a change in this matchup because Esper is more suited to deal with MBD in game 1 than U/W. The matchup is still a little difficult. You will likely be trading Verdict for Desecration Demon. Nightveil Specter is good in this matchup. It's a good chump block but it's really just to gain card advantage. They can't Blade it so they either have to spend a Devour Flesh or, instead of making a rat, spend 3 mana on Downfall. Jace, Architect of Thought comes out because of their Hero's Downfall and 4 mutavaults. At most you will -2 Jace ONE TIME and then he either dies to a creature or a spell. It's awkward to tap out on your turn 4 for a one time draw.
#R/G/x Monsters
-2 Jace, Architect of Thought
-1 Detention Sphere
-1 Sphinx's Revelation
+2 Negate
+1 Doom Blade
+1 Pithing Needle
I take back what I said before. This match is a nightmare. Xenagos, the Reveler does so much work. Hold back a Dissolve or Negate to counter their Rakdos's Return. Take care of their planeswalkers ASAP. Thoughtseize stays so that you can save your kill spells or counter spells for Stormbreath Dragon and Mistcutter Hydra. If you have any extra kill spells or Celestial Flare then go ahead and take out another Jace, Architect of Thought. His +1 is useless against their bigger power creatures and Satyr Tokens will just over run you eventually.
#Junk Midrange
-2 Jace, Architect of Thought
-2 Detention Sphere
-1 Ultimate Price
-1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
-1 Plains
+2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
+2 Nightveil Specter
+1 Pithing Needle
+1 Dark Betrayal
+1 Deicide
Control is a late game deck. Junk takes a while to build a board state. You win. This is another game of attrition; Win the small battles and bait out their Golgari Charm. An explosive Sphinx's Revelation is not as effective as slowly picking apart their boardstate. Watch out for Obzedat, Ghost Council. Deal with this card as soon as possible. Make sure your opening hand is strong enough and assume they will have discard spells post board. Control the board while developing yours. Tag their Whip of Erebos with Deicide. If they are playing multi-color creatures then you should take out Ultimate Price and bring in 2 more copies of Nightveil Specter.
x/x Aggro
-2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
-2 Thoughtseize
-1 Dissolve
-1 Detention Sphere
+3 Fiendslayer Paladin
+2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
+1 Doom Blade/Dark Betrayal
Side in your life gain. Mitigate damage as often as possible. Jace is staying in and only using +1 until you can't protect him anymore. If it's Black aggro then obviously use Dark Betrayal. For everything else there's Doom Blade.
Naya Hexproof
-2 Hero's Downfall
-1 Sphinx's Revelation
-1 Ultimate Price
-1 Thoughtseize
-1 AEtherling
+2 Negate
+2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
+1 Deicide
+1 Opportunity
Take out your removal. The opponent's opening hand is your best friend. Hope that they get a shitty one. What you're bringing in are non-creature counters and life gain to hopefully survive to turn 5 and start stabilizing. Supreme Verdict is a huge blow to their boardstate. Oblivion Ring effects stay to target their enchantments. The lone Thoughtseize is to prevent them from sticking another creature on board after you wipe.
Brave Naya
-2 Thoughtseize
-1 Dissolve
-1 AEtherling
-1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
-1 Jace, Architect of Thought
+2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
+2 Fiendslayer Paladin
+1 Doom Blade
+1 Negate
Brave is like playing against aggro. The only difference is that this deck can reach over the top where Aggro will lose steam. AEtherling comes out since he's slow. Always expect Brave the Elements and Boros Charm. Make them spend it. It makes your later kill spells more effective. This deck is weak against flyers.
U/W/x Control
-3 Devour Flesh-2 Supreme Verdict
-2 Detention Sphere
-1 Ultimate Price
+4 Nightveil Specter
+2 Negate
+2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
You are in this matchup for the long haul. Whoever decides to make the first play is probably going to fall behind, unless you have the counterspells to fight for whatever it is you are trying to resolve. Things you have to fight for are AEtherling, Jace, Architect of Thought, Sphinx's Revelation, and Elspeth, Sun's Champion. Jace, Memory Adept is going to do some serious work in this matchup. I think Esper is in a better position to beat U/W because you have access to black spells like Thoughtseize and Hero's Downfall. You could also have Obzedat, Ghost Council as a 1-of in your Sideboard. Control the board and drop AEtherling or Blood Baron of Vizkopa when you think the opponent has exhausted their counters. I like to leave nullfy for AEtherling. I don't think boarding all Verdicts is a good idea. If your Elspeth is 1 Loyalty behind theirs then you will need a board wipe. I like to keep 2 against American Control. Assemble the Legion is still a thing.
Mono-Blue Devotion
-1 AEtherling
-1 Jace, Architect of Thought
-1 Sphinx's Revelation
-1 Hero's Downfall
+2 Negate
+1 Deicide
+1 Doom Blade
Deicide is a good card vs Blue Devotion. I think the matchup here is 5:5. It comes to the players' abilities. They will board in Gainsay so board in your extra counter spells to fight for Elspeth, Sun's Champion.
