I like the deck, actually been playing something pretty close to this for the past few weeks at local FNM (excluding the gatecrash cards of course). But suggestions, Sorin. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is an absolute all star in the deck.

I love Sorin, and the first versions of the decks I ran ran him. But as I see it, in GTC the aggression level is super high, and sorin doesn't help me as much as say, a well-timed supreme verdict.

I'd recommend pulling the Glaring Spotlights. As an Esper deck, you have enough board wipes that you don't need your det spheres and ultimate price to be as active...Recommend another Jace, Memory Adept SB against other control decks, as well as a third faithmender against the aggro decks that are going to run rampant.

It seems like you're slightly on the fence about planeswalkers. I've done a lot of testing on esper control, and I can tell you that you definitely want them. The set-up I like is 4x Liliana of the Veil (takes some skill to run this many of her, but it's very rewarding), 3x Jace, Architect of Thought , 2x Sorin, Lord of Innistrad , 1-2x Tamiyo. Give them a few tries together and I guarantee you'll be happy with the results. Nothing synergizes with boardwipes as well as planeswalkers. =)

You're going overboard with a playset of card:Sphinx's Revelation. Cut down to two or three and you can have Sorin and Obzedat.

card:Sphinx's Revelation is the life of this deck. If its played turn 7 you have pretty much stabilized against aggro. Against midrange, it draws up that jace or tamiyo that you need to win. Sorin helps, but hes way worse then card:Sphinx's Revelation. Same with Obzedat, Ghost Council

Honestly I LOVE Obzedat, it is such an awesome creature for Esper Control decks, im going to +1 and I would like to ask that if you get the time, take a look at my esper control:

deck:esper-control-i-felt-like-being-annoying

Im suprised to not see any Merciless Eviction

I prefer Terminus over Merciless Eviction , purely because of the miracle. I might go 2 Terminus 1 Merciless Eviction . I dont feel like Merciless Eviction is necessary though.

I'd say this is the best thought out esper control in standard right now. Because of that I'm curious why you dont run a lot of cards other esper decks do.

Like Obzedat, Ghost Council

Sorin, Lord of Innistrad

Orzhov Charm especially vs. ultimate price.

also what do you think about Merciless Eviction vs planar cleansing. It offers the options, and there's tons of indestructible triggers in standard right now. Which brings me to the last thing, Terminus .

of all things I think your sideboard is absolutely perfect. The planeswalkers dont synergize with auger, and they're usually used against certain matchups anyways. Counters for the mirror, and duress as well. Graveyard hate because some things shouldn't happen. I guess my only question is why Angel of Serenity sideboard instead of mainboard. what do you usually board her in for?

@user:Weston%20Ayarza:

First let me say that the old version of this deck used all those cards(except merciless eviction). The board wipes were 4x Supreme Verdict and 3xTerminus . I ran 2x Obzedat, Ghost Council and 2x Sorin, Lord of Innistrad .

Obzedat, Ghost Council : He was good, but that's it. He didnt stabilize, or stall that well. He just gained 2 life each turn and maybe hit for 5. Everyone runs an answer to him, and he fits better in midrange.

Sorin, Lord of Innistrad : Again, good but not good enough. He hits the field, leaves me tapped out, and then they just kill him with trample or flying or double strike or something. All I get is a 1/1 with lifelink. Hes only good if I can protect him.

Orzhov Charm : Its a 1 for 2. If They play a Thundermaw Hellkite , I can Ultimate Price and nothing happens. If I Orzhov Charm I still lose 5. Same with Thragtusk . Sure, Orzhov Charm can hit Boros Reckoner , or Olivia Voldaren ,or Dreg Mangler or other great multicolored creatures, but that's what Devour Flesh and Azorius Charm + Nephalia Drownyard is for.

Merciless Eviction : The whole strength behind Planar Cleansing is that it kills the planeswalker and kills there creatures. Garruk, Primal Hunter ? No problem. Planar Cleansing . Sorin, Lord of Innistrad ? No problem. Planar Cleansing . Domri Rade spitting out tons of creatures? No problem. Planar Cleansing . Merciless Eviction doesnt do that.

Terminus :Same as Merciless Eviction .

And lastly, Angel of Serenity sideboard. I side it in against the indestructibles and the midrange decks. It's not mainboard because the only thing i would take out is Drogskol Reaver , and that's not happening. I usually side out the least effective removal and Drogskol Reaver .

Please +1!

Deck looks incredibly solid and well thought out. Your card breakdown really explains all your decisions, something I have done with my fully tuned decks in the past too. You definitely get a +1 from me. Nice deck, good luck with it.

How much work do you get out of Restoration Angel doing? I found in my Bant type of board wipe deck Caught with my Bants Down that the only real use she served was to bounce Thragtusk , I would rarely if ever use her to flash in as a blocker. Does she do work with Augur of Bolas for you?

Restoration Angel works so well for me. A: with Augur of Bolas she replaces her and untaps a blocker/saves a blocker.B: She is a tank against RDW, gruul, boros, or naya humans. Not much can deal with her. So even if I have nothing, she can still block extremely well.C: Shes a huge hitter in control. a 3/4 doesnt seem that big in a meta full of Thragtusk s, but it really is big. In a control deck, she will easily stay alive long enough to bring them down past 10 health. Then, Snapcaster Mage and Drogskol Reaver can finish the job.And last but not least, shes a 3/4 Snapcaster Mage (sometimes). And thats just amazing.

Thanks for the in-depth response. Makes a lot of sense. I guess the only thing I was considering with the planar cleansing vs terminus/eviction was that the indestructible triggers would stop cleansing. But I think you're right with what you picked

Solid usage of Restoration Angel , with your mana base, I can see how it'd be viable. Have you considered replacing Dissipate with Psychic Strike due to your secondary mill win con, or is the exile portion too useful?

I like Psychic Strike , but with all those Dreg Mangler s and reanimation, exile is just too useful. Also, Psychic Strike doesn't give me enough. Sure, two cards, but it's not needed.

A very well thought out Esper Control deck. I like the use of the Drogskol Reaver in the mainboard. Have you ever considered Blind Obedience in the sideboard? It slows down aggro a lot and gives you life from extort. Also it gives you extra card advantage with Drogskol Reaver . Definitely getting a +1 from me.

I love the idea of Blind Obedience , definitely putting it in. Thinking of pulling the 2x Dispel in the sideboard for the Blind Obedience .

I decided to dub the Burning-Tree Emissary turn 2 combo, "The Second Power Nine"

The combo is:Arbor Elf + Burning-Tree Emissary + Burning-Tree Emissary + Loxodon Smiter

or

Arbor Elf + Burning-Tree Emissary +Burning-Tree Emissary + Rancor + Rancor

or any other combination of Burning-Tree Emissary and 1/2/3 drops on turn 2 that leave you with 9 power on the feild.

I like this different take on Esper. I have top admit even with your explanation I'm not sold on Planar Cleansing, the triple white cost just seems too much, but in playtesting I didn't run into any problems with it. There are also plenty of better kill spells to sideboard over Smite the Monstrous. Nice use of Drogskol Reaver, I love that card. +1'd

Check out mine if you'd like, could use feedback.: Ghost Dad and Friends.

There is 1 reason and 1 reason only i use Smite the Monstrous....Ghost Dad. It also can hit Thragtusk, Angel of Serenity, big Champion of the Parishs, Falkenrath Aristocrats, Skirsdag High Priest demons, Loxodon Smiter, and man y more creatures that are run in top decks. Ill be sure to check out your esper list.

I understand, but why not Murder or Victim of Night over that? They're double black, but a lower cmc and can hit anything (or most things in the case of the latter).

I am really white heavy, so I can have a turn 4 verdict consistently. Its very rare for me to reach double black by turn 5 or 6, which is what I need to actually stop Ghost Dad, or many other of the creatures on that list of things I need to answer.

Check out my new article, The Current Standard #1