I enjoy the deck so far, however it's missing some early game stuff, you can easily be overwhelmed by turn 3 before you play any dragons. Maybe consider adding a Dragonlord's Servant for quicker dragon drop? Maybe a Sidisi's Faithful as a chump blocker or bounce (and a pump for jace)

oldelpaso, I think your mistaking the goal here. This isn't like a Mardu Dragons or Atarka ramp style dragon deck. You may not even play a 4CMC dragon until turn 7, and that's okay! Early turns are for Jace, removal, card draw, and Counters. Let them run out of gas and then swing in when they've exhausted all their resources.

Running three colors may be worth experimenting with Radiant Flames as an Anger of the Gods replacement against weenie aggro decks

Yep, Mandalorian is correct. I'm going to add a how to play section when I get some time today. Thanks for the suggestions though!

I'm not sure about the Dragonmaster outcast, he fits the dragon theme, but he doesn't actually synergize with scorn or crux on his own and he's really flimsy for a card that you need to stick around for an entire turn to be worth it. I'd swap him for two more jace's or some more ways to fight off early agro (main deck radiant flames or languish maybe?) Stubborn Denial seems more like a sideboard card if that, it's mostly valuable against other control decks and they aren't likely to let you resolve or keep a four-power guy around, i'd swap it for some main deck ruinous paths personally.

Love it man! Have you tried Dragonlord Kolaghan in your main? With access to black and red, it feels like an awesome finisher in combo with your Dragonmaster. Feel free to check out my deck Grixis Dargons Control (Suggestions Plz) of a similar build.

Looking at this from a competitive standpoint, there isn't much that Grixis has that Esper doesn't. One of the fundamental deck building issues with this deck is that you're based UR. This means that your fetches have to split between the two types of lands and your mana base is rough. For example, opening with two fetches means you can get a BR and UB land. The common color there is black, not blue. This makes Silumgar's Scorn unreliable on turn 2.To get UU on turn two means having an island and a UB land on turn two which leaves you with no red mana. Alternatively you can add some Shivan Reef but then you're losing a lot of life and the format will start out aggressive. Atarka Red will be a miserable matchup, and I tried a 'better' Grixis build than this which is still soft to Atarka Red.Esper is still the way to go for control. Nothing really compares to reliable counterspells and Ojutai.

There are two reasons to keep over and they are Thunderbreak Regent and Draconic Roar. White is losing Elspeth, Sun's Champion so it really doesn't have that high end pay off in control that it used to. By adding white MAYBE your mana base is easier but you would really only be switching removal for removal. I think at that point its a matter of personal taste.

Engineofindifference I will definitely agree that Dragonmaster Outcast is probably too cute for this deck, but I do like that is something that has to be answered or ends up giving me a good advantage. I will try it out for a bit though, but I think it will become another Jace, or I can go back to using Flamewake Phoenix. I disagree on your evaluation of Stubborn Denial. It's great in this deck. Most decks run some kind of interaction, and it's just so powerful to be able to hold up a single blue and make the opponent tank over if I can counter their spell. After playing this deck for a few months, I can tell you for certain that Stubborn Denial is worth the spot. I do go between 2 and 3 copies depending on the meta, though.

THEblazinASIAN Thanks! I like your deck, budget but still powerful. I though about the Kolaghans, but decided I'd rather have Silumgar, the Drifting Death since it is really hard to get rid of. Appreciate it!

Brewtality Esper does for sure have a better mana base, but I'm still ok with this one. Hell, white may get added before I know it since 4c is so easy now. Like Mandalorian said, Thunderbreak Regent and Draconic Roar are the reason for red rather than white. Ojutai is powerful, yes, but I think the synergy of Thunderbreak Regent and counterspells is too sweet to pass up. So, I might see what 4c dragons looks like, but the red is definitely going to stay.

I appreciate the feedback guys, I'll be sure to mention you by name if I end up using your advice!

A three color mana base is best in this format when the two primary colors are ally, and the third color is an ally to one of the primary colors. The shell for UB Dragon Control is still there. Dissolve is the only real missing piece, but even that is filled. So at this point you add a third color, white adding Ojutai and Utter End (both excellent cards) or red adding Thunderbreak and Draconic Roar (which make far more sense in a mid range/aggro deck).

You are completely right, no disagreement there from me. Since this deck does have 13 creatures, it's more in-between midrange and control rather than pure control. I'm comfortable with this. I know the mana could be better if I played a different color, but I think the mana is good enough for this style of deck. Do you agree with that?

Nice build and the detailed description makes it easier to just sleeve up and start playing! big time +1. I've tried to work on a Grixis Dragons build, might have to try out yours instead though

As much as Stubborn Denial works, It doesn't hit creatures. Sure, its cheap and can be more or less reliably used if you have dragons on the board and means to protect them. But Stubborn Denial doesn't stop creature spells. And given the BFZ cards which is looking so creature intensive, I would rather opt for a hard counter like Scatter to the Winds or perhaps Spell Shrivel which isn't as mana intensive.

And this is strange, but why not Ugin, the Spirit Dragon. Technically, a finisher which you can afford to play with Haven of the Spirit Dragon.

For Dragonmaster Outcast I must say it's fairly a strange choice. Since Stormbreath Dragon rotates out, I would assume to replace with Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker instead.

I'd drop an icefall regent for a dragonlord atarka and take out a polluted delta or two for an equal amount of wooded foothills. Also put in a cinder glade or two and swap out with one each of the other tango lands or whatever people are calling them these days.

ScarletHarlot: I appreciate the suggestion, but I don't think Dragonlord Atarka is worth splashing for. Dragonlord Atarka is best in a ramp deck, I think. If I were to add a fourth color, it would be white for Dragonlord Ojutai. Thanks though!

Well, actually, Dragonlord Ojutai is definitely playable given the strong manabase this rotation provides. Adding Prairie Stream and fetching it actually lets you play Dragonlord Ojutai fairly efficiently, of course a 1 or 2 of em.

So maybe something like +1 Dragonlord Ojutai -1 Icefall Regent and -2 Sunken Hollow +2 Prairie Stream? I even have an extra Dragonlord Ojutai somewhere..

I highly suggest keeping Smoldering Marsh and Sunken Hollow at 4 each and Prairie Stream at 2. Drop your basic lands to 2 Island 1 Swamp 1 Mountain instead. Reason is mostly you are slower, you can play tangoland tapped anyway. Further, given play test, All I had to do is use the fetchland to fetch 2 basic on the board as early as possible. Once that is done, all your tango comes in untapped really fast, and using 8 fetchland pretty much guarantee you can put down 2 basic at maximum turn 4. Which if you are asking me, pretty darn sweet.

Furthermore, been testing Dragonlord Kolaghan mainboard, and boy does it do wonder in this standard. This is of course talking in regards to my meta. Dragonlord Kolaghan practically shuts down late game for creature base decks, Siege Rhino find themselves stuck in their hands once you've reach turn 10 or so if they have a Siege Rhino in the yard. Even the dreaded Gaea's Revenge is pretty much stuck once you have the right criteria. You may consider dropping one Thunderbreak Regent for it.

Only suggestion really is possibly switch the Draconic Roar in sb with the Foul-Tongue Invocation . Point being that you're more then likely to be able to reveal a dragon and kill most all 1-3 drops and throw some damage to their face rather then possibly running into tokens or manlands for your foul tongue. +1 though either way

emptydog The thing is, I really want two untapped blue sources on my turn two for Silumgar's Scorn. Running 10 of the duals is pretty unnecessary, and makes my mana base way too slow. I've thought about Dragonlord Kolaghan for sure, but I think it's a nonbo with Horribly Awry, which is really good against the decks Dragonlord Kolaghan is good against. I could see dropping a Silumgar, the Drifting Death for it if my local meta works out that way, thanks for the suggestions!

stimulispakij Are you saying to mainboard 4 Draconic Roar and board the Foul-Tongue Invocation?

yes

stimulispakij That is something I could do, but it depends on the meta. If aggro decks are everywhere, I probably want all 4 Draconic Roar. Mid-range and control? I want it with my current split. Foul-Tongue Invocation is a good catch-all-ish removal for game 1's, so I'll leave it there for now. I appreciate the feedback though!

Just think what would happeb if someone [crumble to dust] your white source after you revealed an Ojutai in hand though. So sad, so sad.

What's the game plan against G/W or Bant megamorph? More Horribly Awrys from the sideboard? Just curious, seeing how well those decks did last weekend. The top 2 were both G/W megamorph, by the way... Crazy.

I'd bring in the 3x Horribly Awry, the 4th Draconic Roar, the 2x Ultimate Price and 1x Ruinous Path(for dromoka). Dropping 2x Stubborn Denial, 2x Scatter to the Winds, 2x Icefall Regent and a Dig Through Time.

It is an interesting match-up, one that I have a lot of removal for. Depending how they board, 2x Stubborn Denial could stay in instead of the 4th Draconic Roar and 3rd Horribly Awry. Good question, you made me think for a minute!

Yeah, I think that the main necessity is preventing their creatures from even hitting the board, however with creatures such as Den Protector and Deathmist Raptor, both being a 4 of, putting them into a graveyard might not be enough. However, one might make an argument the constant board wipes leaving flying dragons from Crux of Fate might win the game. Interesting matchup, and definitely one that could go really wrong or really well. I'll have to playtest it.