The loss of an extra A or C pack makes it feel weaker, because all the other Shards got better in R, I've been drafting other archetypes as of late to great success but I tried Esper recently...my deck seemed as solid as it could have been but it just didn't get there some times. There's also easy hate like Qasali Pridemage :/
I'd have to say no unless you're up vs. an unearthing deck. I mean there are some clinch times when they have a really important card in their hand but most of the time in limited in my experience people are dropping their hand down to 1-2 cards.
Esper is definitely not dead. If for nothing else, you still have Shard and Coflux which can be supported by Bant Sureblads and the Grixis one. It has to evolve, as usual, but I actually think the colors UBW are still playable, and they mostly happen to be artifacts. No Shard is dead.
We had 26 last night at our FNM and I rode WUb Esper aggro to 3rd place. There are stronger archetypes/shards, but hey, if that's what's flowing, I'm OK going that way. Again, it's not quite dead, just not quite what it was before Reborn was released.
IMO Shieldbearer, Glassdust Hulk and Soul Manipulation can carry esper to 3-0. I have always killed at least one creature with Shieldbearer, and occasionally it has been better than agony warp (Its the new plauge wind!).
My problem with esper is that if more than one person goes esper, both decks end up mediocre. Being able to table cloudheath drake, darklit gargoyle, and shieldbearer is key.
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My problem with esper is that if more than one person goes esper, both decks end up mediocre.
Not necessarily. In one draft yesterday I was in Esper, my second round opponent was in Esper and he claims his first round opponent was also in Esper. At most one of those decks was bad and one at least made it to the finals! (I lost in the 2nd, so don't know how the draft ended.)
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I won a draft the other week with an aggressive esper deck. I had no bombs, but no one ever seemed to find ways to deal with my tidehollow strix, two grixis grimblades, stormblade, other two drops. No one else drafted esper, and the other players were all doing crazy things like splashing into five colors so they could play that third pack Thraximundar. My deck was just the most consistent, and things worked out.
My problem with esper is that if more than one person goes esper, both decks end up mediocre. Being able to table cloudheath drake, darklit gargoyle, and shieldbearer is key.
This is just un-true..... I've never once drafted Esper where I was the only drafter at the table and I've never NOT made top eight with it at my FNM....... seriously it easily easily supports two drafters but it has trouble supporting 3.
Though to be fair, the traditional "Esper" with all the artifact stuff, and Sanctum Gargoyle loops and the what-nots is not the same thing as UW aggro. UW aggro can function very well even without any artifact support. The present day day "Esper" are all UW aggro decks with a small black splash.
And the thread was made like a long time ago anyway, most of these archetypes weren't even fleshed out by then.
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olliver ruel seems to think forcing esper agro is a good idea. u/w aggro is realy realy strong, your picks will determine if you end up in bant or esper. i went undefeated with a bant list that splashed for black (had to run that enigma sphinx) but i wish i had gone esper, but when i was too into green i started seeing some amazing esper stuff. you get access to the two best blades (esper and bant), you get amazing fliers, you get sheildmage, great exalted creatures, one of the better land cycling spells from conflux, and mad synergy if you get the right cards in packs 1 and 2 (reborn has some realy good artifacts as well)
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I'd have to say no unless you're up vs. an unearthing deck. I mean there are some clinch times when they have a really important card in their hand but most of the time in limited in my experience people are dropping their hand down to 1-2 cards.
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My problem with esper is that if more than one person goes esper, both decks end up mediocre. Being able to table cloudheath drake, darklit gargoyle, and shieldbearer is key.
1800+ in Limited
3-0ing after drafting 17 non-basics in Cube
Not necessarily. In one draft yesterday I was in Esper, my second round opponent was in Esper and he claims his first round opponent was also in Esper. At most one of those decks was bad and one at least made it to the finals! (I lost in the 2nd, so don't know how the draft ended.)
(I'm on on this site much anymore. If you want to get in touch it's probably best to email me: dom@heffalumps.org)
Forum Awards: Best Writer 2005, Best Limited Strategist 2005-2012
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MTGSalvation Articles: 1-20, plus guest appearance on MTGCast #86!
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This is just un-true..... I've never once drafted Esper where I was the only drafter at the table and I've never NOT made top eight with it at my FNM....... seriously it easily easily supports two drafters but it has trouble supporting 3.
And the thread was made like a long time ago anyway, most of these archetypes weren't even fleshed out by then.
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