Hea Tom, I was wondering why'd you play IoK over thoughtseize, is the life loss that relevant in your meta? I even think that Jace could be completely cut from Esper as his impact here is not that great. For me, a well played Elspeth is worth more.
Regarding the new dominaria set: what do you guys think of Teferi, Hero of Dominaria? His + ability seems good for keeping up counters, the -3 for removing other planeswalkers etc., his ultimate is definitely gamewinning. I might give it a try!
Haven't been playing esper for months, thinking about returning 'cause I miss playing it. Unfortunately JTMS is way out of my budget (approx. 90 euros) So what would people recommend playing in the current meta if I decide to not put JTMS in an esper build? Is the current deck still viable, or should I put in quellers or SfA?
What about a resto package in abzan? Blinking Rhino's and thragtusks seems really good to me, especially against pushes/paths. I have been thinking to build a deck around this, combining 3 resto's 3-4 rhino's, 2 thragtusks and maybe a blade splicer. Besides this the usual discard package and souls are included.
I think this build can provide enough pressure to be competitive, although sweepers might pose a problem. Please give me some feedback on this idea, I might have overlooked something.
My sideboard plan is not ready yet. Thinking of some stony silences against artifact based decks and some Planeswalkers like Soring LOI
@Lapahn: Why not use Nature's Claim instead of Fragmentize? Our biggest threats are able to compensate the lifegain and the range is bigger.
I'm new to jeskai and wanted to share my deck. In my meta both lantern control and Eldratron are fairly abundant, so I have a sideboard that focusses on artifact hate.
The deck plays pretty smooth, although I think I can cut a geist for a counter or another electrolyze. I find it hard to put together a decent sideboard, hope you guys can give me some tips. Oh, the 4th snap will be part of the deck pretty soon.
This deck started as a 4-color control deck with mystical teachings. That deck was hard to play, as the dividing line between being proactive or reactive couldn't be found in such a way that matches were won (lost big time against Eldra-Tron). Tapping out for souls or keep a negate/logic knot to counter a potential gamechanger at the other side of the table, were part of those awkward decisions. So I thought of a bit more proactive deck, a deck with threats so the opponent would focus on them instead on your life total. I came up with this list, the idea is being proactive and keep mana at the right moments to counter stuff. Of course this sounds as the same problem I encountered playing 4-color control. It isn't, as the deck has more threats and enough cheap removal spells the main focus is to be quick and counter when possible, instead of being reactive and waiting for a big spell to counter.
I played with it against artifact lockdown and Eldra-Tron with a green splash. The matches were smoother and the clock this deck provides is at the right moments quite fast. Hopefully you could give me some feedback.
So if Esper should be a bit more proactive in the current meta, what do you guys think of this list? It's just an experiment, and I'm not sure this is the path we should follow. Beside that, I think the last few pages were a bit demotivating (exceptions aside!). A blow for me was that the founding father of this thread posted a deck (aggro/burn) that isn't contributing to Esper draw-go at all. I can remember that in the beginning of this thread, people that posted various esper tapped-out decks were requested to keep it out of this thread, as the deck focuses on Draw-GO. This thread gave me (and others) a lot of insights and inspiration. I just hope it won't die.
So I have been playing with the idea to convert my esper draw-go into a 4-color draw-go deck. I was happy to find out (via teferi_brah_of_zhalfir) that people are playing competitive 4 color control. Hope this thread will stay alive, so we can brew along.
So here's the deck I put together with help of this thread:
I am still working on the SB, which will be completed soon. Hope you guys can give me some feedback, as I feel like I'm missing something
EDIT: Played some matches against Eldrazi (GR ramp), zombies and Artifact lockdown. Maybe it's me, but I found it hard to win against these decks. It seems that the deck is lacking a wincon or is not able to stabilise. My first changes were taking out Runed Halo and D-sphere, replacing them with 2 souls, either as chumpblockers or a wincon. I also took out Teferi, as the card feels awkward in some matchups, I rather play a resto angel to get more out of my snappies. Elspeth SC in the mainboard is something I'm still considering, although too much sorcery speed cards would break the idea of 'draw-go'. Another question of mine is whether we should play 1 or 2 mystical teachings, I am still trying out both but can not really give an opinion yet. Got to be honest: I miss the card draw engine esper draw-go had. I often see myself ending up with 1 or 2 cards in hand, which feels terrible.
I think most of the problems stated above are also part of the fact that I just started playing 4 color control. This deck requires a very dedicated way of piloting and hopefully will improve over time. So here's the current deck:
Thanks for the tips! I think Night's whisper is a fine card. The good thing about Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is that he's still on the battlefield after deciding to -2 him, which is an obvious choice if the souls are on the battlefield. As for the resto angel, I was thinking of putting in some Walls (2-3). At the moment I do not posses a second Gideon, so for now I'll stick to the one.
@mtthwds: Yes, that would be nice! I will replace the duresses and try to get my hands on some brutalities and striplands
Seems like a pretty sweet deck to me. You prefer Inquisition of kozilek in the main over Duress? With al the removal this deck has, don't you think that Duress is a better card? I do agree against deck that rely heavily on creatures, the inquisition is a better option (hence the 3 in the SB). I like the Wall of Omens in your deck, I'll probably try 2 of them in my main. Additionally, the tectonic edge might as well be a good one, I've noticed that the land hate against UW/x decks is a miss.
This deck started as an experiment a couple of months ago. Along the way it became better by fine-tuning it. The main strategy is to disrupt our opponent's hand and remove threats before they hit the board, while building up our own threats. The various wincons provide this deck some competitive character. Of course it could use some improvement, hence the thread. I hope you guys can give some golden tips.
I've been following this thread since March and enjoy reading it, as it has a high information-density and most of the discussions are interesting. Since april I am working on my own esper draw-go deck. There is still room for improvement, such as replacing the shambling vents for celestials and put in 1 more cryptic. Due to the pricing of these cards I'm bound to a slow, but steady, improvement. I hope you guys can give me some feedback.
I'm curious about the deck after splashin. Venser is indeed a nice card, I recommend playing a maximum of 2, if you are including him in your list. Also, I think that playing 3 remands is too much of a good thing, replace 1 with a negate in your SB.
4 Celestial Colonnade
1 Drowned Catacomb
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
3 Island
2 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Ghost Quarter
Permission (8):
2 Logic Knot
2 Negate
4 Cryptic Command
2 Snapcaster Mage
Card Draw (11):
4 Think Twice
4 Esper Charm
2 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Remand
Removal (9):
4 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
3 Supreme Verdict
Other (4):
2 Blessed Alliance
1 Runed Halo
1 White Sun's Zenith
2 Stony Silence
1 Wrath of God
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Dispel
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Baneslayer Angel
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Teferi, mage of Zhalfir
1 Gideon Jura
1 Gideon of the Trials
1 Celestial Purge
2 Thoughtseize
2 Surgical Extraction
I think this build can provide enough pressure to be competitive, although sweepers might pose a problem. Please give me some feedback on this idea, I might have overlooked something.
2 Shambling Vent
1 Stirring Wildwood
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Windswept Heath
1 Wooded Foothills
1 Godless Shrine
2 Overgrown Tomb
2 Woodland Cemetery
1 Isolated Chapel
2 Blooming Marsh
1 Horizon Canopy
1 Vault of the Archangel
2 Swamp
2 Forest
1 Plains
3 Restoration Angel
4 Siege Rhino
2 Thragtusk
1 Tasigur, The Golden Fang
4 scavenging Ooze
1 Blade splicer
2 Eternal Witness
Spells (19):
4 Lingering Souls
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Thoughtseize
2 Collective Brutality
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Path to Exile
1 Zealous Persecution
My sideboard plan is not ready yet. Thinking of some stony silences against artifact based decks and some Planeswalkers like Soring LOI
@Lapahn: Why not use Nature's Claim instead of Fragmentize? Our biggest threats are able to compensate the lifegain and the range is bigger.
4 Celestial colonnade
4 Flooded Strand
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Arid Mesa
2 Steam Vents
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Spirebluff Canal
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Eiganjo Castle
2 Ghost Quarter
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Restoration Angel
4 Spell Queller
Instants (19):
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
4 Path to Exile
1 Electrolyze
2 Remand
2 Cryptic Command
3 Logic Knot
Sorceries (4):
4 Serum Visions
2 Stony Silence
1 Wear//Tear
1 Disenchant
1 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Smash to Smithereens
1 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Electrolyze
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Blessed Alliance
2 Cryptic command
2 Supreme verdict
The deck plays pretty smooth, although I think I can cut a geist for a counter or another electrolyze. I find it hard to put together a decent sideboard, hope you guys can give me some tips. Oh, the 4th snap will be part of the deck pretty soon.
I played with it against artifact lockdown and Eldra-Tron with a green splash. The matches were smoother and the clock this deck provides is at the right moments quite fast. Hopefully you could give me some feedback.
2 Celestial Colonnade
1 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Arid Mesa
1 Marsh Flats
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
2 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Island
1 plains
1 Mountain
1 Swamp
1 Ghost Quarter
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Lightning Helix
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Monastery Mentor
2 Kolaghan's Command
2 Lingering Souls
1 Secure The wastes
1 Gideon Jura
Removal (7):
4 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
1 Detention Sphere
Counters (6):
2 Cryptic Command
2 Logic Knot
1 Negate
1 spell Pierce
Card draw (5):
4 Think Twice
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Rakdos Charm
1 Deflecting Palm
1 Blessed Alliance
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Stony Silence
1 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Extirpate
1 Disenchant
1 Celestial Purge
1 Cast Out
4 Celestial Colonnade
1 Drowned Catacomb
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
3 Island
2 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Ghost Quarter
Permission (8):
2 Logic Knot
2 Negate
4 Cryptic Command
2 Snapcaster Mage
2 Restoration Angel
Card Draw (9):
4 Think Twice
4 Esper Charm
1 Sphinx's Revelation
Removal (9):
4 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
1 Supreme Verdict
2 Blessed Alliance
Other (4):
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Gideon Jura
2 Secure the Wastes
1 Runed Halo
2 Stony Silence
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Settle the Wreckage
1 Dispel
1 Baneslayer Angel
2 Timely Reinforcements
2 Lingering Souls
1 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
1 Detention Sphere
So here's the deck I put together with help of this thread:
2 Celestial Colonnade
1 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Marsh Flats
1 Arid Mesa
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
2 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Island
1 plains
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Ghost Quarter
2 Mystical Teachings
4 Think Twice
1 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Extirpate
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Kolaghan's Command
3 Cryptic Command
2 Logic Knot
1 Spell Pierce
1 Negate
3 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
2 Blessed Alliance
1 Lingering Souls
Creatures (3):
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Teferi, Mage of zhalfir
I am still working on the SB, which will be completed soon. Hope you guys can give me some feedback, as I feel like I'm missing something
EDIT: Played some matches against Eldrazi (GR ramp), zombies and Artifact lockdown. Maybe it's me, but I found it hard to win against these decks. It seems that the deck is lacking a wincon or is not able to stabilise. My first changes were taking out Runed Halo and D-sphere, replacing them with 2 souls, either as chumpblockers or a wincon. I also took out Teferi, as the card feels awkward in some matchups, I rather play a resto angel to get more out of my snappies. Elspeth SC in the mainboard is something I'm still considering, although too much sorcery speed cards would break the idea of 'draw-go'. Another question of mine is whether we should play 1 or 2 mystical teachings, I am still trying out both but can not really give an opinion yet. Got to be honest: I miss the card draw engine esper draw-go had. I often see myself ending up with 1 or 2 cards in hand, which feels terrible.
I think most of the problems stated above are also part of the fact that I just started playing 4 color control. This deck requires a very dedicated way of piloting and hopefully will improve over time. So here's the current deck:
2 Celestial Colonnade
1 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Marsh Flats
1 Arid Mesa
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
2 Steam Vents
1 Sacred Foundry
3 Island
1 plains
1 Swamp
1 Mountain
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Ghost Quarter
2 Mystical Teachings
4 Think Twice
1 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Kolaghan's Command
3 Cryptic Command
2 Logic Knot
2 Negate
4 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
1 Blessed Alliance
2 Lingering Souls
2 Supreme Verdict
Planeswalkers (1):
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Creatures (2):
2 Snapcaster Mage
@mtthwds: Yes, that would be nice! I will replace the duresses and try to get my hands on some brutalities and striplands
Fun combinations:
4 Marsh Flats
3 Godless Shrine
2 Isolated Chapel
7 Swamp
4 Plains
2 Shambling Vent
2 Vault of The Archangel
Discard (7):
3 Thoughtseize
4 Duress
Removal (5):
3 Path to Exile
2 Wrath of God
2 Night's Whisper
4 Read the Bones
Threats (7):
4 Lingering Souls
1 Obzedat, Ghost Council
2 Restoration Angel
Planeswalkers (7):
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Ob Nixilis Reignited
1 Liliana, the Last hope
1 Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Other (4):
3 Surgical Extraction
1 Blessed Alliance
3 Fatal Push
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Path to Exile
1 Timely Reinforcements
1 Blessed Alliance
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Wrath of God
1 Stony Silence
2 Disenchant
1 Runed Halo
Edit: Added Night's Whisper as card draw instead of Skeletal scrying..
1 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Shambling Vent
2 Celestial Colonnade
2 Drowned Catacomb
3 Glacial Fortress
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Watery Grave
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Ghost Quarter
Permission (8):
1 Dispel
2 Logic Knot
2 Negate
3 Cryptic Command
1 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Snapcaster Mage
Card Draw (11):
4 Think Twice
4 Esper Charm
2 Sphinx's Revelation
1 Remand
Removal (9):
4 Path to Exile
2 Fatal Push
3 Supreme Verdict
Other (4):
2 Blessed Alliance
1 Runed Halo
1 White Sun's Zenith
2 Stony Silence
1 Wrath of God
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Dispel
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Baneslayer Angel
2 Timely Reinforcements
1 Teferi, mage of Zhalfir
1 Celestial Purge
2 Inquisition of Kozilek
1 Thoughtseize