My variant on Esper Control (UWB) making use of good removal spells like Path to Exile/Fatal Push, along with cheap efficient counterspells like Logic Knot in the early game and the classic Cryptic Command to stall out opponents. Currently also on 2 copies of Thoughtseize in main to aggressive disrupt any combo decks. The idea of this deck, like any other control deck, is to dictate and survive the early game until we can turn the corner and gain control of the board and tempo with efficient removal spells or a sweeper, and finish off our opponent with our evasive mid/late creatures like Clique, Secure the Wastes, or simply pumping creature lands/tokens with Elspeth. Teferi also generates a ton of card advantage, allowing us to cast our sorcery speed spells without much worry of holding up cryptic mana for the opponents turn. He also allows us to tap Search for Azcanta, then untap it to hold up for search at opponents end step.
04/09/18
Torgaar, Famine Incarnate has been spoiled from Dominaria, so tweaking the deck to a more midrange/Control style of play to get him out. It looks like he can be the big ending threat Esper has needed to close out games.
-2 Vendilion Clique
+2 Torgaar, Famine Incarnate
-2 Restoration Angel
+1 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
+1 Lingering Souls
Basically the plan seems to play the control game pumping out tokens with Lingering Souls/Planeswalkers and controlling the board, while disrupting opponents hand. Then sacrificing 3 tokens to bring out Torgaar setting opponent's life total to 10. Pump Torgaar with Elspeth and swing away.
04/28/18
After testing, I decided the tap-out shell was too slow with todays current meta, so I have Sorin, Torgaar, and the Discard spells in the main with counterspells. After researching research modern challenges and 5-0s on MTGO, found that some control decks like Grixis are balancing a small number of hand disruption spells a long with the classic control counterspell package, so I will be testing how it plays out, though I am concerned about spreading myself too thin on colors since majority of the time should be fetching 'U' to get to Cryptic. Currently trying to decide what one card to cut to make room for the last Iok.
05/01/18
Notes to test Gifts shell from modern challenge 5/0:
-2 Restoration Angel
-1 Vendilion Clique
+3 Gifts Ungiven
-1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
+1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria (JTMS)
-2 Inquistion of Kozilek
+1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
+1 Unburial Rites
-2 Thoughtseize
+1 Ionia, Shield of Emeria
+1 Collective Brutality
-1 Secure the Wastes
+1 Opt / Anguished Unmaking / Mana Leak
