I've found that to only be necessary in a control vs control match up which is why I sideboarded it. If I'm in a bad position I have used Dimir Charm on myself in the past.

Psychic Intrusion is expensive, and I'm honestly probably side boarding it because it hasn't really been as effective as I'd hope except in a control match up. I am considering running 2x Nightveil Specter in its place.

mazes turbo

Congrats on the great record at FNM keep it up.

Might have to try out black blue.

Thanks, I am happy considering I went 3-1 with what I consider an inferior version of my deck. I'm hoping to fare better in upcoming FNMs.

So u basicly went to an fnm with 20 cards in sideboard? u know that the limit is 15 right?

My 'sideboard' is a combination of maybe cards as well. I only am using 14 tonight and playing around with Vraska, the Whips, and the Lanterns as a 'maybe' option, but obviously not using them tonight

any chance your name is Jason? also: nice deck

Nope, it is not Jason. And thank you!

With only 18 non-land permanents, I'm not so sure Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx is good here. I would consider swapping for basic Island . I can foresee a situation where you're one blue source away from casting a Far / Away or something similar, and a Temple of Deceit comes off the top, delaying you another turn.

I try to use Nykthos when I'm massing Pack Rat to allow me to only have a small number of lands out and still be able to create 2 tokens a turn. It has been more helpful than detrimental.

Well Made Sir!

I'm So Lonely...sigh...

@Behgz I wasn't necessarily against you're suggestion of Elixir of Immortality . I just don't think adding a card for the reason of "i might go against a certain deck someday" or "hey this will gain me 5 life and recycle my graveyard" is a good idea. For a deck with a lot of black nonland permanents, adding Grey Merchant of Asphodel would be much better for life gain. It would also give you a body on the field and the life loss taken by the opponent would speed up the game enough to not need to add a card like Elixir of Immortality into a deck where it isn't going to significantly improve your chances of winning. I would also argue, with Liliana of the Dark Realms , 4x Watery Grave and 10x Swamp , adding 1x Corrupt would be a much better choice than 1x Elixir of Immortality in this particular deck.

I would probably cut the Pack Rat and Nighthowler slots for something with more benefits.

Agent of the Fates is a 3/2 deathtouch with the added flexibility of making some of your removal (Doom Blade ) into a way to get around hexproof/indestructible.

Deathrite Shaman would be good against mirror matches, allowing you to deal damage with their spells.

Judge's Familiar is a 1/1 flyer that they have to play their spells around, it helps buy you an extra turn if they don't want some things to be countered.

Thrill-Kill Assassin 2/3 deathtouch, enough said.

That may be the worst thing I could possibly do with this deck. I think you are missing the general idea to this deck.

I may try to give Shipwreck Singer a shot in place of Nighthowler though

So I Run Esper Control at FNM, and have gone 6-2 (taking 4th) and 7-1-1 (taking 2nd) in a largely Agro-centric meta. I manage to keep up with agro with the help of Doomblade and Azorius Charm , as well as the very useful T4 Supreme Verdict . Since you are running B/U, you're not going to be able to get those 3 or 4-for-1s as I can with my Verdicts. If you are in a meta like mine, you need to have much needed T2 removal.

The point in me saying this the above is this: I would move Far / Away in the sideboard and put in Devour Flesh or Ultimate Price instead. When I am against a more tempo-y deck, I side in 2xFar / Away , since it is more effective then just Doomblade. Using only one-half of the spell, in my opinion, is loss of card advantage. Why use it as a 1-for-1, when it is a garunteed two-for-1.

Then again, if your meta is a little less agro-centric as mine is, you're likely fine as is :)

I just would rather have the extra T2 removal for pesky Ash Zealot , Fleecemane Lion , Precinct Captain , Young Pyromancer , or an unleased Gore-House Chainwalker

Also, look into AEtherize for a good T4 AoE-like effect. Definitly works against those rampy G/R decks.

101 rules for control players out there: Since your game pressence is not on the field, but in your hand, Card advantage is your advantage.

Still, +1 for making this deck work. I do want to try this approach as another fun way to play control >:D (Mwahaha)

I don't run into many quick aggro decks at my meta, I usually see a little more of the control crowd. I run Ratchet Bomb sideboard just in case, and usually have enough removals in my hand to get me through till T4 Desecration Demon or Liliana's Reaver without it. I personally love Far / Away because of its versatility and ability to get around protection from black, indestructible, and hexproof as well as the ability to remove up to 2 creatures if you bounce a creature token with one swoop (Selesnya decks, against other Pack Rat s). Worse case scenario now is I have 3 dead cards against a deck (Doom Blade ) that I can use as Pack Rat fodder until I sideboard for Dark Betrayal next round. I would say in rare cases would the 3 dead cards be my downfall in a game, so I'm not overly worried about it. Don't forget, Dimir Charm also removes those pesky mini creatures T2 as well, so that gives me eight potential T2 removals, then I can follow up with the Hero's Downfall and Far / Away .

With a Curve of

T1 Thoughtseize

T2 Doomblade/Dimir Charm /Pack Rat (against aggro/tempo)

T3 Hero's Downfall / the away part of Far / Away

T4 Liliana's Reaver / Desecration Demon

T5 PackRat (Against control) / Far / Away

I could see it being effective in a non-agro based meta.

As Esper, I still run some risks with 3xDoom Blade and 4xAzorius Charm in my mainboard unless i have a Verdict and two white mana in hand (even when i have 4x Hero's Downfall and 2xDetention Sphere ).

You also run Creature based removal & discard whith Thoughtsieze and your T4 ceatures.

Good point about your Doom Blade being more Pack Rat fodder.

I'd warn you of MRD running Stormbreath Dragon , or rampy ones that board it in, and can get it it faster then your Dese-Demons.

I never really get heartburn over Stormbreath Dragon , though I strongly dislike Burning-Tree Emissary (especially when more than one comes out T2, they have three or more creatures on the board before I can lay down my second land). That's where T2 Ratchet Bomb comes in handy, but my deck will take a little beating up front against a quick aggro deck before I gain board control. I've been debating against adding in either Whip of Erebos or Crypt Incursion to the sideboard to regain life lost early.

Nice deck +1 here!

For the Blood Baron of Vizkopa issues you should probably take out Shipwreck Singer for 2x Lifebane Zombie or perhaps less so Cyclonic Rift .

That might be a really good sideboard there, didn't see that one ( Lifebane Zombie ) . I'll see how I can fit it into the sideboard. And thanks for the compliment :)

Just a thought for the blood baron, Rapid Hybridization . Seems like a solid card in most situations, and imagine the look on their face when their bloodbaron is now a frog. Just putting it out there.

Haha that would be hilarious! I'll take a look into that, don't think I have any in hand though