Help against Esper Control?
Standard forum
Posted on Aug. 3, 2013, 10:49 a.m. by icarusfalls
Hey everyone, So at FNM this week, I used my Mono Black deck Can't Keep a Good Undead Down. It actually did well considering my skill level is low, (11th, but that is good for me, it's only my third week playing) but I faced many Esper Control decks. In fact, I would say out of 26 people, 13 of them were playing Esper Control. My question is, what types of decks are good against these opponents? As a newer player, I would love a recommendation on a deck that is not too expensive, and fun to play, or even some general advice on what Esper Controls weaknesses are. I appreciate the help, and thanks in advance!
Yeah - wow - I was going to say much the same but then I doubted myself ...
Think poker and don't over-extend (the last thing you want to happen is that you start top-decking with an empty hand). It can be fun!
Or you could try aggro that gets them down to Lightning Bolt (or its current version) reach by the time they board wipe ... not sure if the current standard supports that or not, though - sometimes it does / sometimes it doesn't
August 3, 2013 11:25 a.m.
But then you still have to watch out for whatever version of counter spell they are running when you cast that version of bolt you managed to keep.
August 3, 2013 11:26 a.m.
detentionsphere says... #5
Honestly, I don't see how your deck has a chance of beating Esper. Unlike other aggro decks, it lacks Burning-Tree Emissary and haste creatures, which is what makes other aggro decks good against control. Packing a bunch of Duress in the sideboard might work.
However, if you really want to beat control, well, a few months ago, BR Zombies was Esper's nightmare matchup. Splashing red for Falkenrath Aristocrat , Hellrider , and Thundermaw Hellkite is ridiculously good vs Esper. T1 Gravecrawler , T2 Knight of Infamy , T3 Geralf's Messenger , T4 Falkenrath Aristocrat is a nightmare for Esper to deal with, especially if they're not running Warped Physique .
August 3, 2013 5:55 p.m.
icarusfalls says... #6
Thanks for all the tips! I'll make sure to try to lure their counterspells into play and always keep something in my hand. I was always just playing my creatures as usual, then getting board wiped, and then while I was waiting for more creatures, getting milled. I'll also aquire the red cards you suggested then play those in some casual matched with someone who plays esper. It seems such a crazy popular deck where I am right now. That and Boros Reckoner .
August 3, 2013 7:01 p.m.
icarusfalls: In addition to rationing your creatures, I can't stress the importance of keeping something in your hand. Even if it's just a basic land, if I'm a control player and see you with two cards in your hand, I have to make a decision. Work on your poker face and see if you can bluff them into saving that Cancel for your Mountain .
Additionally, consider adding in a single element of control in your sideboard. Watching the look on an Esper player's face if you Wild Ricochet their Sphinx's Revelation is one of the best things in the game.
August 4, 2013 1:53 a.m.
icarusfalls says... #8
Twyn:Thanks for the tip, I've been playing Mono black so I've been trying to use Duress and Appetite for Brains to act as a sort of control, but I don't know of any other control in standard black, but being new I don't know all the cards available. I've been facing a lot Nephalia Drownyard in these decks, so I almost considered putting in Contaminated Ground just to ding them when they tap to mill me. The few matches I have played I noticed Appetite for Brains didn't really help me as much as the Duress , but least it lets me see their hand, so if I have my Desecration Demon I have a chance of making it land without being countered. I've been working on holding cards back as suggested by Stygian333 and r3v13w suggested and luring out a board wipe before dropping my better creatures. I did manage to beat one esper control player, but he was a newer player like myself and didn't have the experience playing like the other opponents did. I appreciate the advice, thanks!
August 4, 2013 11:44 a.m.
Stygian333 says... #9
Well, not emptying your hand is the important part. If they can drain all the threats from your hand and then wipe them out, then you're stuck in top deck mode, and that's right where they want you. Another common thing to watch out for is Azorius Charm + Nephalia Drownyard . Its good. Its can be expensive for them do do all at once in one turn (5 mana + drownyard), but if they split it up, and Nephalia Drownyard on their turn they can make it happen. Making them pay life would stop them from milling you to death with it, but I would pay 2 life without thinking to mill away a creature I put on top of your library.
On the end of what to hold onto and what to play; more often than not, you're going to have to play through their counterspells. The whole point of their deck is that by playing lands and passing they ARE getting ahead. And by not playing your creatures (because you know they'll get countered) you ARE falling behind. Because eventually they'll get a Nephalia Drownyard or Sphinx's Revelation , and have mana open for counters or whatever else. The key here is NOT to put all your eggs in one basket. Esper is good at board wipes. Holding back card's on its own isn't a game winning strategy. Holding back a specific one or two as a backup while building a board presence is more like it. Or think of it this way. If you play most of your creatures, how much MORE successful will your attacks be with just one more creature? Is that advantage worth trading the ability to play a creature after the inevitable mass removal against Esper?
Playing Esper is a real mind game. Basically, try to apply as much pressure as possible with as few creatures as needed. This is a razor's edge. Too few and too little damage, and a Sphinx's Revelation will easily put them back to 20 life. Too much battlefield commitment and you're vulnerable to a Supreme Verdict or Terminus . The hardest part is finding the perfect balance. With more games you can only improve. Good luck.
August 4, 2013 12:05 p.m.
icarusfalls says... #10
Stygian333 Thanks for the info! So, its basically a game of keeping up a presence on the board that is a threat, while at the same time holding in my hand enough creatures so when they eventually board wipe, I can keep up the pressure as well as having cards in hand so they aren't sure whether to wipe or wait another turn. Now that you mention it, I remember the one player asking me every few turns how many cards I had in my hand. It's going to take a lot of practice but the tips you have given will be really helpful to me.Thanks so much!
Stygian333 says... #2
Esper is oriented towards a long game focus. If they can get the game to go long, they can assemble their boardstate to eventually pressure you out with a singular threat like AEtherling or mill you out with Nephalia Drownyard , or something to that effect. As you likely know, counterspells and board removal is their bread and butter.
As far I could ever figure, the best thing you can try to do is play through the counterspells, as you have more creatures than they to counter spells (In almost every case), but you can play them in an order to most benefit you. If you start with okay spells, they either HAVE to counter it (to which, you're okay, saves your better stuff) or let you build up a minor board to start applying pressure. The other half of this is not to over commit to the board, as one Terminus or Supreme Verdict would leave you left for dead if there isn't anything in your hand after the fact.
The way you win is by getting the counterspells and removal out of their hand on your terms so that you can win the game. Sphinx's Revelation is dangerous because it totally defaults any progress you've made to getting rid of board wipes and / or counterspells, and the life is nice too.
August 3, 2013 11:15 a.m.