Is esper still big in meta?
Standard forum
Posted on April 15, 2013, 6:56 p.m. by strongwalker
Should I replace the Psychic Spiral in my sideboard with something for another deck?
I don't know if I'm hurting myself by not having that killer answer to an esper mill deck, but I don't know if it merits a sideboard slot now.
What do you think?
strongwalker says... #3
that's true. but without Supreme Verdict and Sphinx's Revelation dimir is easier to kill than esper.
April 15, 2013 10:05 p.m.
detentionsphere says... #4
No, Esper is not really big in the meta anymore. People still play it but much less than before.
Even so, if you are running Snapcaster Mage (which I assume you are, as you have not posted what deck you are playing), I would leave 1 Psychic Spiral in the sideboard... it is only one slot and will give you a bunch of free wins if you DO end up playing against Esper.
April 16, 2013 3:27 a.m.
Not too many people are playing Esper anymore since Wolfrun Bant is a lot stronger. However, Nephalia Drownyard is still showing up in decks outside of its colors.
April 16, 2013 5:51 a.m.
strongwalker says... #6
I think I'll run Pithing Needle since it can come in against planeswalkers as well. Flexibility is nice.
Thanks!
April 16, 2013 10:50 a.m.
detentionsphere says... #7
No, Wolf Run Bant is not better than Esper. It is actually played much less than Esper. What IS seeing play right now is Prime Speaker Bant, which is pretty good.
It's not that Esper is decreasing in popularity, it's that control decks in general are, since in a metagame full of Naya Blitz, Junk Rites, and Jund Midrange, it's tough to be casting Sphinx's Revelation .
April 17, 2013 4:52 a.m.
hiddengibbons says... #8
It really depends on what type of Esper. I've seen about three types. Theres a Tempo/Exalted, Mill, Superfriends, and combinations. Control is as strong as its ever been and its mostly due to Terminus . On any given night at FNM, theres going to be at least one Esper deck, maybe more depending on how many people are there. But I've found that sideboarding against specific cards or decks is less effective than sideboarding against deck types. You might put in certain cards to go against a deck or a card and then not run up against it. Instead of sideboarding specifically against esper milling, sideboard against Control in general. Esper Milling isn't the only control out there. I'm biased about this of course, because I play Esper and am proud to say that I haven't lost a round during my last 2 FNM's. The only decks I really worry about in the meta are Jund/Naya Midrange, Rites, Tempo, and other Control. Actually, I've seen a decrease in the popularity of Rites due to all the graveyard hate. I think Control and Midrange will always be big in the meta because of their consistency and versatility.
10vernothin says... #2
well.
lots of people still plays Dimir mill.
April 15, 2013 8:46 p.m.