Inexpensive Elspeth alternative???
Deck Help forum
Posted on Dec. 9, 2013, 9:27 a.m. by Glaspo
I'm working on a standard U/W control deck. I also have very limited funds. I've looked around to get some ideas for the deck, and a lot of the deck lists I've seen have a bunch of cards that I too have like Sphinx's Revelation , AEtherling and what have you. However, most are running only 2x aetherlings as win conditions because they also have 1-2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion as another potential win condition....though I've been told to run no more than 2x aetherling.
I can't afford Elspeth, so I am wondering if anyone can help me by possibly recommending a potential alternative to elspeth that is also affordable. Thanks!
Frankly, there really isn't.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Jace, Architect of Thought don't just get run because they are powerful, what's perhaps more important is that they are versatile. Elspeth, Sun's Champion can go on the offensive / defensive and create a swarm of creatures, or she can blow up a board of really nasty ones. Jace, Architect of Thought draws cards, which is always useful, while still being good against aggro decks by forcing them into playing into Supreme Verdict .
Without access to those, I would just look to play a super controlling game and lean on AEtherling to win you games, with the Jace's sometimes coming through as well.
December 9, 2013 10:13 a.m.
For UW control? You probably wouldn't ever want to run it. It just doesn't line up particularly well with a control strategy.
Aggro can just kill it or race it, and it will generally be the same for midrange. And the control mirror it's a bigger Mutavault that still dies to all the normal planeswalker removal, and some stuff like Celestial Flare . It also doesn't have any value beyond itself, which is normally what makes planeswalkers so strong. Like even if your opponent Dreadbore s Elspeth, Sun's Champion on their turn, you still got some effect out of it while they still traded a card with you.
December 9, 2013 10:35 a.m.
that said, i personally still like gideon. he may not be the best, but he'll still take up some of their time dealing with him
December 9, 2013 10:56 a.m.
Assemble the Legion is like the red-headed step-child of Elspeth, Sun's Champion
I'm constantly encouraging ppl to swap assemble for elspeth, in this case, I'd suggest the opposite for budget constraints.
December 9, 2013 3:16 p.m.
The problem with adding Assemble the Legion is adding red. And with a third color comes a lot of money in an efficient land base. I would stick with AEtherling . My old azorius control deck ran 3 but I think two will do just fine as long as you can manage the game until you have 7 mana
Glaspo says... #2
ALSO: I have only 2x Jace, Architect of Thought for the same reason that I don't have any Elspeth.....therefore I'm also running 2x Jace, Memory Adept .
Here's my deck btw
Azorius Control
December 9, 2013 9:35 a.m.