As most control freaks know, the ideal is to construct an utterly flawless deck. I've decided to build one without a few key pieces to most Esper control decks due to outside inspiration.
As a base the deck is riddled with Cancel and
Dissolve
because, well, I would rather get rid of your pesky things before they even hit the field. The reason for the
Dissolve
is also for the scry. As a deck that survives on maintenance of cards in hand, scrying is a very important ordeal. I also have my three Render Silent in here for those moments when I'm behind and I need to make sure you play nothing more onto the battlefield. You would think this card wouldn't be very useful and that you would recommend replacing them with
Syncopate
or something better. You'd be surprised to know how many times that card has kept me out of a lot more trouble when I'm already struggling.
ONWARD WE MARCH. As far as basic removal goes, I have the standard Supreme Verdict for total board wipe. Two or Three for One's are always a pleasure. For me. Hero's Downfall is majestic against those grimy planeswalkers. And for that reason they have become a must. Detention Sphere is a very effective way to take care of some of the pesky, peskiness that some opponents bring to the table. I have also a Planar Cleansing in my main deck for those "oh, shit" moments and I need something that just takes care of anything.
And for even more control I have main boarded Thoughtseize because who doesn't mind knowing what your opponent is holding and then removing a vital card? THIS GUY DOES!!
Card advantage comes from my Sphinx's Revelation and my Jace, Memory Adept. I absolutely love my Jace, Memory Adept because He doubles as a win-con for me as well. How shitty do you feel when you've lost the game because you couldn't draw a damn card? THIS guy has, and for anyone else that it's happened to, decking makes for terrible night terrors.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Obzedat, Ghost Council are my main boarded win-cons. I love Elspeth, Sun's Champion. She has saved my keester more than once. She pretty much protects herself, and then far sooner than you know it, I've ultimated her and I'm swinging for lethal. Just say you love me now!!
My side board is under construction. I have everything that is in it right now. I have the Cyclonic Rift so that they can be overloaded and then paired with the
Reap Intellect
. Yes you pick up all your permanents; and then, yes, I pick "x" cards to take away from the game. Blood Baron of Vizkopa Makes for a wonderful win-con against anything that's control, agro black, wheenie white, or whatever else you might have. As long as you have black or white, I'm playing him. My Elixir of Immortality come into play against other Control decks. You can shuffle your graveyard into your library? You see, I did tell you that decking gives me night terrors, every night. And then in comes the Pithing Needles for those pesky things like
AEtherling
or even my own Obzedat, Ghost Council
Now, despite my rather apparent confidence in the deck, I know it has flaws, some I can see and some that I cannot. Please, feel free to leave advice of any kind.
Happy playing my fellow MTG addicts.
