I couldn't find a thread for this deck, so I decided to start one:
Esper Familiar Combo is a UWB Combo deck that relies on the "Familiar" creatures to reduce the cost of your blue spells to fuel a powerful draw engine that ultimately mills your foe's deck. This deck has evolved from the old Temporal Fissure Storm (that has pretty much the same engine, but a less powerful finisher [well, Temporal Fissure is banned now]).
Card choices:
Core: Cloud of Faeries - this is one of the combo pieces, use Cloud of Faeries to untap lands (mainly those who produce UB or UW). Don't forget to always tap both lands before resolving Cloud of Faeries.
Snap - This one is awesome, bounce your foe's creatures to gain tempo to establish your mana, or to loop Cloud of Faeries and generate a lot of mana. Again, don't forget to tap both lands before resolving Snap.
Sunscape Familiar - This is the main Familiar in the deck. As a 0/3 Wall, this creature can hold off aggro decks, to buy you some time to estabilish your manabase and card filtering.
Nightscape Familiar - This is the second Familiar. He regenerates, which can be relevant sometimes, but as a 1/1, he's much weaker.
Mnemonic Wall - This one is a core card as well. You pretty much can't win without it. Use it to recover Ghostly Flicker (or any other important card) to make the loop going. I play this over Archeomancer for two reasons: Once you have 4 Familiars out (a pretty dream situation, actually), this card only costs 1 (Archeomancer would cost 2), and 0/4 Defender is more useful than a 1/2.
Sage's Row Denizen - This one is the main kill condition. Once you've established the infinite combo flicking blue creatures (usually Mnemonic Wall and Cloud of Faeries/Mulldrifter), you can mill your opponent's deck in the spot.
Ghostly Flicker - This card allows the infinite loops with Mnemonic Wall. On your combo turn, one of the targets must always be Mnemonic Wall, as it will be able to recover Ghostly Flicker, and the second target should be Cloud of Faeries to add infinite mana or Mulldrifter to draw your deck (or even Lone Missionary out of the sideboard, to gain infinite life).
Dimir Aqueduct - UB tapping land, necessary for the combo with Cloud of Faries and Snap
Draw Engine: Compulsive Research - On your combo turn, any land after your land drop is irrelevant, so use this card to full potential. Probably the best draw spell in the deck.
Mulldrifter - This card is a staple in pauper for a good reason. In this deck, he's a freaking beast. Evoke is a alternative manacost, so you can also reduce Evoke costs with the Familiar creatures. If you have 2 Familiar out, Evoke Mulldrifter for 1 mana and draw 2 cards (Ancestral Recall much?)
Preordain - This card is the best at filtering our topdecks, as well as sculpting our hand in the early turns.
Foresee - This card is a powerful Preordain, that gets much cheaper once you got some Familiars.
Deep Analysis - DA is awesome, Flashback being an alternative cost also gets reduced by Familiars, don't forget to use this.
Utility: Reaping the Graves - This card is necessary in the maindeck. You can't win without Sage's Row Denizen (unless you plan to attack with Mulldrifters for the win, lol). If Sage gets discarded or killed in any case, Reaping the Graves allows you to recover him, as well as evoked Mulldrifters.
Sideboard: Lone Missionary - Gaining 4 life and a blocker is pretty necessary against fast aggro decks like Goblins and Mono Green Aggro. Also great synergy with Ghostly Flicker.
Duress - Take out that removal spell or Counterspell that will break your combo. Great against control decks.
Dispel - Also against removal and Counterspells, but fighting on the stack.
Hydroblast - Against Goblins/Burn, probably our worst matchup.
Prismatic Strands - Against any aggro, Strands can also mess up some combos like Kiln Fiend, etc.
Capsize - Awesome sideboard card against control decks. Also a similiar with Temporal Fissure, once you have enough mana, just bounce your foe's board entirely.
I finally found a thread here for this deck. Unfortunately I saw no discussion about it on the Storm forums. Looking forward to some matchup analyses. Do you have time issues when playing this deck? Against decks that can't interact that well with the combo (Stompy, Infect etc) I was scooping g2 if I won g1 due to time constraints.
Why 3 Mnemonic Wall? I noticed you are running only 20 lands. Is it enough for you?
Would anti-graveyard cards be the best way to fight this strategy? I've been having the hardest time fighting it because it's so consistent and resilient. I'm not typically one to run fast aggro decks, so I've really been suffering from the presence of this deck.
I figure the deck actually relies on graveyard recursion more than anything else. removing key cards in a graveyard to stop Mnemonic Wall, Ghostly Flicker and Reaping the Graves feels like it would work well. I've tried running massive amounts of countermagic or removal, but they just always get out of it by drawing more cards.
@bmp I haven't been able to make a detailed matchup analysis yet due to lack of time (and I haven't been playing magic as much as I would want). Basically, in my experience, the hardest matchups are Goblins and MBC. Goblins has a really fast clock, this deck needs time to setup. MBC is hard if the player knows what he's doing. A well timed removal can stop the combo dead, and Wrench Mind also hurts.
I play 3 Mnemonic Wall because it's an integral part of the combo. Often I was able to draw 10~15 cards in one turn, but couldn't find Mnemonic Wall to make the loops and just had to ship the turn. The possible drawback is opening with 2 of them in your hand, very annoying indeed.
20 Lands has been enough, sometimes I have to mulligan because of Aqueduct and Chancery being my only lands, but that's fine. It has been working.
@Obermeir Graveyard hate is only relevant in the combo turn, so I suggest something instant speed or that can respond at instant speed (like Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb, Faerie Macabre). The key to beat this deck is to either be lightning fast and finish before the deck can establish the mana, or fight with discard and hold your removal to an important time (for example: in respose to Snap into Cloud of Faeries, or responding Ghostly Flicker targeting Mnemonic Wall).
Thank you, I think that will definitely help! I was just throwing all my removal as early as possible, trying to concentrate on specific creature-types (either Walls, Familiars, or Faeries) in order to choke them on that combo-piece. Waiting to 2-for-1 them will probably work a lot better.
I was thinking of using Shred Memory, personally. Although it's more expensive, it has a good number of cards exiled, and it stays in my hand until I need it. I feel like Relic and Spellbomb would be too obvious and the opponent would work around it. Plus, it has the bonus of being transmutable.
I finally found a thread here for this deck. Unfortunately I saw no discussion about it on the Storm forums. Looking forward to some matchup analyses. Do you have time issues when playing this deck? Against decks that can't interact that well with the combo (Stompy, Infect etc) I was scooping g2 if I won g1 due to time constraints.
Why 3 Mnemonic Wall? I noticed you are running only 20 lands. Is it enough for you?
I used to play this deck a lot, time is its biggest drawback, you simply don't have time for 3 games (at least I don't) That said its extremely consistent, and scooping game 2 is the ultimate pro strat, might as well be on the play. I'd agree that MBC and fast aggro are the hard matchups, all the others actually feel pretty easy.
I'm new to pauper and to this deck, but is there a reason why this deck play 0 ponder? I know there is no shuffle effect but in my experience ponder is better then preordainin combo decks usualy
Actually, if you see only one good card on top, preordain are better. I play with this deck and tries ponder, but sometimes ponder shows 2 cards you dont need and to draw that only card you need, you lose 2 draws after, so preordain is better in this case.
is there any card you guys don't want to see out of an opponent's sideboard? other than the obvious counterspells or pyroblasts? faerie macabre comes to mind in response to mnemonic wall reentering the battlefield, i just don't know if there is a card with the eldrazi clause on it at common.
Esper Familiar Combo is a UWB Combo deck that relies on the "Familiar" creatures to reduce the cost of your blue spells to fuel a powerful draw engine that ultimately mills your foe's deck. This deck has evolved from the old Temporal Fissure Storm (that has pretty much the same engine, but a less powerful finisher [well, Temporal Fissure is banned now]).
Card choices:
Core:
Cloud of Faeries - this is one of the combo pieces, use Cloud of Faeries to untap lands (mainly those who produce UB or UW). Don't forget to always tap both lands before resolving Cloud of Faeries.
Snap - This one is awesome, bounce your foe's creatures to gain tempo to establish your mana, or to loop Cloud of Faeries and generate a lot of mana. Again, don't forget to tap both lands before resolving Snap.
Sunscape Familiar - This is the main Familiar in the deck. As a 0/3 Wall, this creature can hold off aggro decks, to buy you some time to estabilish your manabase and card filtering.
Nightscape Familiar - This is the second Familiar. He regenerates, which can be relevant sometimes, but as a 1/1, he's much weaker.
Mnemonic Wall - This one is a core card as well. You pretty much can't win without it. Use it to recover Ghostly Flicker (or any other important card) to make the loop going. I play this over Archeomancer for two reasons: Once you have 4 Familiars out (a pretty dream situation, actually), this card only costs 1 (Archeomancer would cost 2), and 0/4 Defender is more useful than a 1/2.
Sage's Row Denizen - This one is the main kill condition. Once you've established the infinite combo flicking blue creatures (usually Mnemonic Wall and Cloud of Faeries/Mulldrifter), you can mill your opponent's deck in the spot.
Ghostly Flicker - This card allows the infinite loops with Mnemonic Wall. On your combo turn, one of the targets must always be Mnemonic Wall, as it will be able to recover Ghostly Flicker, and the second target should be Cloud of Faeries to add infinite mana or Mulldrifter to draw your deck (or even Lone Missionary out of the sideboard, to gain infinite life).
Dimir Aqueduct - UB tapping land, necessary for the combo with Cloud of Faries and Snap
Azorious Chancery - UW tapping land, read above.
Draw Engine:
Compulsive Research - On your combo turn, any land after your land drop is irrelevant, so use this card to full potential. Probably the best draw spell in the deck.
Mulldrifter - This card is a staple in pauper for a good reason. In this deck, he's a freaking beast. Evoke is a alternative manacost, so you can also reduce Evoke costs with the Familiar creatures. If you have 2 Familiar out, Evoke Mulldrifter for 1 mana and draw 2 cards (Ancestral Recall much?)
Preordain - This card is the best at filtering our topdecks, as well as sculpting our hand in the early turns.
Foresee - This card is a powerful Preordain, that gets much cheaper once you got some Familiars.
Deep Analysis - DA is awesome, Flashback being an alternative cost also gets reduced by Familiars, don't forget to use this.
Utility:
Reaping the Graves - This card is necessary in the maindeck. You can't win without Sage's Row Denizen (unless you plan to attack with Mulldrifters for the win, lol). If Sage gets discarded or killed in any case, Reaping the Graves allows you to recover him, as well as evoked Mulldrifters.
Sideboard:
Lone Missionary - Gaining 4 life and a blocker is pretty necessary against fast aggro decks like Goblins and Mono Green Aggro. Also great synergy with Ghostly Flicker.
Duress - Take out that removal spell or Counterspell that will break your combo. Great against control decks.
Dispel - Also against removal and Counterspells, but fighting on the stack.
Hydroblast - Against Goblins/Burn, probably our worst matchup.
Prismatic Strands - Against any aggro, Strands can also mess up some combos like Kiln Fiend, etc.
Capsize - Awesome sideboard card against control decks. Also a similiar with Temporal Fissure, once you have enough mana, just bounce your foe's board entirely.
Echoing Decay - Good against aggro and token decks.
My latest list is the following:
4 Evolving Wilds
2 Terramorphic Expanse
6 Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains
3 Dimir Aqueduct
3 Azorius Chancery
Creatures [21]
4 Cloud of Faries
4 Mulldrifter
4 Sunscape Familiar
3 Nightscape Familiar
3 Mnemonic Wall
2 Sea Gate Oracle
1 Sage's Row Denizen
4 Preordain
4 Compulsive Research
4 Snap
3 Ghostly Flicker
2 Foresee
1 Deep Analysis
1 Reaping the Graves
3 Hydroblast
3 Lone Missionary
3 Duress
2 Dispel
2 Echoing Decay
1 Prismatic Strands
1 Capsize
Later i'll make some matchup analysis and cards that didn't make the cut for maindeck.
Thanks for Reading
Why 3 Mnemonic Wall? I noticed you are running only 20 lands. Is it enough for you?
UB Fae
TES
Pox
I figure the deck actually relies on graveyard recursion more than anything else. removing key cards in a graveyard to stop Mnemonic Wall, Ghostly Flicker and Reaping the Graves feels like it would work well. I've tried running massive amounts of countermagic or removal, but they just always get out of it by drawing more cards.
Any thoughts on this?
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I play 3 Mnemonic Wall because it's an integral part of the combo. Often I was able to draw 10~15 cards in one turn, but couldn't find Mnemonic Wall to make the loops and just had to ship the turn. The possible drawback is opening with 2 of them in your hand, very annoying indeed.
20 Lands has been enough, sometimes I have to mulligan because of Aqueduct and Chancery being my only lands, but that's fine. It has been working.
@Obermeir Graveyard hate is only relevant in the combo turn, so I suggest something instant speed or that can respond at instant speed (like Relic of Progenitus, Nihil Spellbomb, Faerie Macabre). The key to beat this deck is to either be lightning fast and finish before the deck can establish the mana, or fight with discard and hold your removal to an important time (for example: in respose to Snap into Cloud of Faeries, or responding Ghostly Flicker targeting Mnemonic Wall).
I was thinking of using Shred Memory, personally. Although it's more expensive, it has a good number of cards exiled, and it stays in my hand until I need it. I feel like Relic and Spellbomb would be too obvious and the opponent would work around it. Plus, it has the bonus of being transmutable.
UGTurboFogGU
BRSacrificial AggroBR
16The Paper Pauper Battle Bag16
EDH
BRRakdos, Lord of PingersBR
GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
UB Ramses OverdarkUB
Sig by Ace5301 of Ace of Spades Studio
I used to play this deck a lot, time is its biggest drawback, you simply don't have time for 3 games (at least I don't) That said its extremely consistent, and scooping game 2 is the ultimate pro strat, might as well be on the play. I'd agree that MBC and fast aggro are the hard matchups, all the others actually feel pretty easy.
RGStandard Gruul AggroRG
faerie macabre comes to mind in response to mnemonic wall reentering the battlefield, i just don't know if there is a card with the eldrazi clause on it at common.