UWG- Sphinx control

Athios · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 17

// Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
4 [ZEN] Marsh Flats
4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
1 [ZEN] Jwar Isle Refuge
2 [ZEN] Sejiri Refuge
4 [ZEN] Island (7)
4 [ZEN] Plains (4)
2 [ZEN] Swamp (7)

// Creatures
4 [CFX] Sphinx Summoner
4 [ALA] Etherium Sculptor
1 [ARB] Filigree Angel
3 [ALA] Sharuum the Hegemon
1 [ARB] Sphinx of the Steel Wind
3 [CFX] Master Transmuter
2 [CFX] Ethersworn Adjudicator
1 [M10] Darksteel Colossus

// Spells
3 [CFX] Path to Exile
2 [ARB] Mistvein Borderpost
4 [ARB] Fieldmist Borderpost
2 [ALA] Executioner's Capsule
1 [ALA] Dispeller's Capsule
2 [ALA] Courier's Capsule
4 [M10] Fabricate
2 [ALA] Tezzeret the Seeker

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [ARB] Filigree Angel
SB: 2 [ARB] Sphinx of the Steel Wind
SB: 1 [CFX] Path to Exile
SB: 4 [ARB] Wall of Denial
SB: 4 [CFX] Celestial Purge
SB: 1 [M10] Platinum Angel
SB: 1 [ZEN] Eternity Vessel
SB: 1 [M10] Pithing Needle

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Anyone got any ideas on how I can improve this for T2?

ILikeBananas · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 182

I tried to build a competitive Esper deck post ZEN. It just wasn't good enough. Most of esper's strong cards have high cc. There's very little you can play in the early game to fend off aggro decks effectively and any early creature you play will likely end up chumping.

-Sharuum is really nice card advantage but costing 6 is often too late vs today's aggro decks.
-Fabricate and courier's capsule are both a bit slow. I found very often that spending a turn's worth of mana to build a better hand is suicide. Courier's Capsule with Sharuum is excellent though when you stabilize.
-Sphinx of the steel wind is amazing vs a good portion of the meta right now but costing 8 is an issue.
-If you go pure artifacts with toolbox strategy via Fabricate, play scourglass as a 1 of
-Ethersworn adjudicator is easily the best finisher for an esper deck. But again, it costs a lot of mana to use and from testing, it rarely survives until the next untap step.
-Executioner's capsule is terrible in a meta full of black creatures like vampires and nearly all creatures Jund throws at you.

If you want a competitive WUB deck, start by analyzing how to beat jund with it. Simply put, when a deck runs a 4/4 for GB, a 3/3 that turns into 3 tokens for GRB, and a 3/2 for 4 mana that flips into a blightning, you're screwed. Esper does not have the creatures to match in size, and does not have the same cost efficient creatures. Jund also have the most efficient removal spells via Maelstrom pulse, terminate, and bituminous blast. Esper colors have no decent removal outside of path and day of judgement. Jund beats esper in tempo, card advantage, and creature size. You can refine it all day and it'll be tier 2 at best. I'm saying this AFTER I've tested similar deck to yours.

Good luck.

Athios · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 17

Thank you very much for your feedback.
I def understand at first glance the deck seems slow and clunky compared to jund but there are alot things you have to consider. you pointed out how jund plays alot of removal in terminate, pulse and others but I play alot of graveyard recursion and mid to late game all my creatures are just bigger. My main concern would be getting overran early game which is were path to exiles and other cards come into play. And as far as blightning is concerned for me pitching cards into my graveyard just makes me throw down Sphinx of the Steel wind faster. I also feel that I have several creatures that jund just has no answer to. Resolving a Sphinx of the Steel Wind just beats them. Ill admit the game one against just is about 30/70 but I also have alot of sideboard vs jund to win game 2 and 3. Im also considering twinking a few cards around to better main deck against them. And as far as vampires goes Its much of the same thing.
Also one of the best cards in the deck is the Transmuters. Having one resolve and live a turn can win you a game.
Scourglass is going in for sure and I thank you for that recommendation.

kevinconvery · Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 59

what about ethersworn canonist? wrecks cascade, plus if you have a ton of artifacts it doesn't even affect you. at worst, it draws out all the removal they have, but at best it gives you some more time to get your late game together.

Athios · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 17

good idea. I had them in at first but decided not to play them. Ill keep them in mind.

magryn · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 9

If you want to step away from the esper theme and stay on colour, here is a fairly good control list that does well vs the current meta. I do disagree with the statement that jund the most efficient removal spells. bituminous blast is hardly efficient... it is a good card and generates card advantage but for a spell that costs 5 and fails to kill baneslayer angel, it is certainly not efficient.

Here is the list I was talking about,

// Deck file for Magic Workstation (http://www.magicworkstation.com)

// Lands
2 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn
3 [ZEN] Sejiri Refuge
2 [UNH] Mountain
2 [UNH] Plains
2 [UNH] Island
4 [M10] Glacial Fortress
4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
2 [ZEN] Arid Mesa
3 [ALA] Crumbling Necropolis
2 [CFX] Exotic Orchard

// Creatures
4 [M10] Baneslayer Angel

// Spells
3 [MOR] Negate
1 [DD2] Jace Beleren
3 [ALA] Elspeth, Knight-Errant
2 [ALA] Ajani Vengeant
4 [ZEN] Day of Judgment
4 [ALA] Esper Charm
2 [M10] Essence Scatter
3 [M10] Lightning Bolt
2 [ZEN] Mindbreak Trap
3 [CFX] Path to Exile
2 [PT] Pyroclasm
1 [CFX] Obelisk of Alara

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [10E] Flashfreeze
SB: 3 [CFX] Celestial Purge
SB: 1 [MOR] Negate
SB: 4 [ZEN] Luminarch Ascension
SB: 2 [ALA] Dispeller's Capsule
SB: 1 [ALA] Ajani Vengeant

It splashes red but it is really really good regardless.
Path to exile, lightning bolt, and pyroclasm are hands down the most "efficient" removal spells available right now, and not to mention the fact that pyroclasm absolutely devastates bushwacker and vampires.

Mindbreak trap is clutch against cascade. The trap cost will rarely be relevant but when they do play the bituminous blast or bloodbraid elf and you can answer their card advantage AND spell for the turn with one four mana card it is certainly worth playing.

Hope this helps,

Good luck

Athios · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 17

Id like to try and stay with the artifact theme though I appreciate the deck info. I might play baneslayer angel in here but it theres no way for me to recur it or search for it. I could also consider playing a few counterspells.

kaamos · Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 147

SugarShark · Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 247

that WAS good feedback

EMA · Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 52

I'm surprised Agony warp is often overlooked, I believe it is quality removal

whoempah_666 · Joined: 27 Mar 2005 Posts: 9

i'd say put in a 4th PTE at least
agony warp is probably not the best removal but at least it can target black creatures and when trying to survive and early overrun, it can still take out 1 creature and prevent up to 3 damage from another one
adding 1 enigma sphinx might be fun