Esper Colored Control

b4il3y · Joined: 28 Jul 2008 Posts: 31

This is a decklist and explaination that I posted on another forum. I know there is some good people on here to give constructed criticism. I'm looking for a somewhat better way of dealing with Vampires. I thought the theory behind my build would work agaist them...but that damn Gatekeeper...it's like Vamp players ALWAYS HAVE IT NO MATTER WHAT. Should I run more essence scatter? Should I just be more patient and play around it? -Bailey

Hey dude..I like your list alot...and I've been tinkering around with the same idea. I asked myself...what was so successful in all of the UW based control decks of the past...and something caught my eye. That 2-3 mana cost utility creatures that makes aggro crap its pants, or just does something extremely useful and give a blocker. Creatures of the past: Wall of Roots, Finks, Wall of Denial (in my sb), and Court Hussar. I went with Vampire Nighthawk. A 2/3 flying body w/deathtouch that no one wants to attack into..and if they do you gain life and extend the game of one of my 4x Day of Judgment. Plus, red HAS to burn this guy out or they do not win..making Jund think twice about it's plays. Sphinx of Jwar Isle is the real deal..and I call him Triple S Light (Simic Sky Swallower).

Heres the list off the top of my head, as it's on MTGO:

4x Day of Judgment
4x Esper Charm
4x Path to Exile
3x Cancel (yes..cancel. All haters can comment to themselves and leave it be..its a hard counter that gets anything)
3x Jace
2x Negate (still tinkering over 2 and 3 for this)
2x Essence Scatter (with 8 ways to remove creatures...thinking about cutting for 2 more negate or something else)
2x Into the Roil (repeal that always costs 4)

4x Vampire Nighthawk
3x Baneslayer Angel
2x Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1x Orb Nixilis, the Fallen
1x Sphinx of Lost Truths

25 Lands (still working on a manabase I like, and still working on getting 4x Marsh Flats)

SB
4x Celestial Purge (a must)
4x Wall of Denial
3x Infest (a little more mass removal for rush decks)
3x O-Ring (planeswalkers and added spot removal)
1x Roil Elemental (a fun choice of mine...you will catch someone w/their pants down w/this guy!)

I've always loved UW Control, but I think we have to splash black now for the best card draw in the format...in addition to getting the ability to strip out jund's hand before they get going

-Edit-
I have been testing red instead of black before anyone posts it. I do like it better, but I just like BWU control and would like to see it work.

SugarShark · Joined: 22 Mar 2009 Posts: 457

Trotsky1 · Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 1671

Actually seems quite solid assuming you've got a workble manabase. I like the idea of vampire nighthawk, in a control deck, first time Ive seen it and seems interesting may or may not be a better option than wall of denial.

Super_Prep · Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Posts: 104

Those Cancel are so sexy!!! Surprised

xSNACKSx · Joined: 20 Jul 2009 Posts: 236

I played nighthawk in esper control, It's not all that great, it dies to just about every form of removal and trades with a dude that wasn't that big of a threat anyways. Wall of reverance is a much better option. it's also kind of embarassing you'd run 4x nighthawk but only 3x baneslayer.

b4il3y · Joined: 28 Jul 2008 Posts: 31

Well there is a Baneslayer in the side.

Anyway, like I said I like the build that has red instead of black. I wanted to try to make a build that just splashed black for esper charm, mostly because Mind Spring to me is just clunky. You can set up some Magosi shannanigans w/Mind Spring, but I would much rather have an instant speed card drawer to go along with Jace. Unfortunately, all there is the Esper Charm. Not even a Telling Time in sight. Control is very shaky right now, as per design. *sigh*

ncgeniusbrad · Joined: 31 Jul 2007 Posts: 41

day of judgment in this format is worse than wall of denial. DoJ isnt good against the top tier decks. cancel is also weak. i have an esper deck with essence scatter and negate as the only counters and its working well.