Well the version of esper at the PT is designed to beat esper and slower aggro decks. The esper deck in the deck tech played 4 far/away which is just too slow vs mono red. Far/away is insane against the GW and BG because they are a turn slower, and you're more likely to get to turn 5 to blow them out. Plus those 2 archetypes don't play many hasters (just mangler), so bouncing a creature will always create a tempo swing if not a blow out if a creature has +1/+1 counters or it's a token.
That esper version is only going to be 50-55% vs mono red. You have to run more 2 mana removal spells to beat mono red at a higher win rate.
Well put rickster. Rdw is not very popular here with only 17 decks at 4.4% of the field. So esper players can get away with largely disregarding it in their deck construction.
I disagree. I play my Esper without Devour Flesh in either main or board and beat plenty mono-red. And those I lose, wouldn't be won with Devour Flesh (or Ultimate Price, which is probably a better removal spell against mono-red).
Azorius Charm is huge and getting to 3 mana is not the problem. The problem is doing something meaningful with that 3 mana and Far // Away seems exactly the right thing to do. As a bonus, it also bounces creatures, and while Azorius Charm is obviously much, much better, Unsummoning a 3/1 Foundry Denizen or a Gorehouse Chainwalker is quite good as well. Good enough to buy you time to get to that critical 4 mana.
You still have to play more than 4 guildgates. I don't really like that. But I guess it's probably the best sphinx's revelation deck, and you can jam 8 anti aggro cards in your sideboard.
So, what deck is castellan playing? 4colorgoodstuff.dec? I've watched him play, but honestly, the only cards I remember him using are deadbridge chant and sire of insanity
I love how many people aren't playing pithing needle to answer aetherling. Needle is hardly dead against some other cards too like jace, AoT, maze's end, a measure against bloodrush (not that good, but it's nice to have the option. Really nice setup for supreme verdict as it forces the opponent to extend into the wrath if they want a faster clock.)
Love how well esper is doing. Then again sphinx's revelation is absurd.
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"Yawgmoth," Freyalise whispered as she set the bomb, "now you will pay for your treachery."
I love how many people aren't playing pithing needle to answer aetherling. Needle is hardly dead against some other cards too like jace, AoT, maze's end, a measure against bloodrush (not that good, but it's nice to have the option. Really nice setup for supreme verdict as it forces the opponent to extend into the wrath if they want a faster clock.)
Love how well esper is doing. Then again sphinx's revelation is absurd.
Well the Pulpit also has value against other things also like say an Obzedat on the attack or even tapping down the pro black/white blood baron.
I mean sure Needle has alternate uses also but you can't diss Pulpit that hard. It's not like Pulpit is purely against Aetherling alone.
I love how many people aren't playing pithing needle to answer aetherling. Needle is hardly dead against some other cards too like jace, AoT, maze's end, a measure against bloodrush (not that good, but it's nice to have the option. Really nice setup for supreme verdict as it forces the opponent to extend into the wrath if they want a faster clock.)
Love how well esper is doing. Then again sphinx's revelation is absurd.
the problem with needle is that it turns off your own aetherling and jace
Azorius Control- Andrejs Prost
Deadbridge Chant Midrange (4color) - Rob Castellon
Selesnya Aggro (WW) - Craig Wescoe
Esper Control x3 - Matej Zatlkaj; Dustin Ochoa; Makihito Mihara
Boros Blitz - Josh Utter-Leyton
UWR Control - Andrew Shrout
If you look at the lists, its pretty clear control had a good run to the top 8. Aetherling is a beast. Aggro did make first seed top 8 under Craig Wescoe with Voice of Resurgence. Continuing to be the, well deserved, hype card of Dragons Maze. Not to mention Boros making it there under JUL. And it had an interesting 4 color Bridge midrange deck get in too. (Complete with Sire of Insanity)
[card=Dismal Failure]"Two magi could trade spells all day and never crown a victor.
The real battle is not one of power but of will.
If your confidence breaks, so too shall you." —Venser[/card]
I am rooting for wrapter to win it all. PoY, USA team captain, and hopefully a Pro Tour champ, now that's one hella achievement in one big event. That said he needs to blitz his way to the trophy tomorrow. Team CFB delivers yet again in Pro Tour.
More like Aetherling ftw, but yes. Sphinx's Revelation refilling the hand and life total back to where it almost resets the game was key in alot of matches. Not to mention the multiple Aetherling blowouts. That's probably going to happen alot in the final day as well.
And LSV locking in Platinum status was good to hear as well.
[card=Dismal Failure]"Two magi could trade spells all day and never crown a victor.
The real battle is not one of power but of will.
If your confidence breaks, so too shall you." —Venser[/card]
I'd like to see Rob Castellon win it all.
I like seeing rogue decks and I really like his.
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If MTG is a part of your life, the formats are like relationships:
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
Great news to everyone! LSV will sit down for the coverage/commentary tomorrow. LSV confirmed it himself in his facebook page. He's been great (if not the best) commentating during PTGTC, so another coverage with him will surely make the games more interesting.
Oh you know what's interesting is the lack of notion thief in the sideboards of the 3 esper decks. I guess it costs too much and dispel and sin collector are comparable/cheaper, and less narrow.
And if you look at Shrout's list he's playing 3 prisms and a godless shrine to cast his sideboard rakdos's returns.
I want to try Castellon's list. But i'm not sure how good it will be online with that greedy mana base. He also said in his deck tech he wanted +2 goliaths and -2 alms beasts.
I'll probably start tweaking Matej Zatlkaj's deck for online play. I don't understand why some other control players are only playing 3 revelations and/or 3 verdicts.
all of those lists should be taken with a massive grain of salt. anyone netdecking particularly the control lists and taking them into a daily on mtgo is mad. not only have they been built for an expected meta full of control decks, they've done well in a meta which was ACTUALLY full of control decks. mono red is still at something like 25% of the winning decks on mtgo, it's such a different meta from this that it's barely worth comparing. it's interesting info for sure, but that's a very different environment...
http://www.twitch.tv/magicprotour
Well the version of esper at the PT is designed to beat esper and slower aggro decks. The esper deck in the deck tech played 4 far/away which is just too slow vs mono red. Far/away is insane against the GW and BG because they are a turn slower, and you're more likely to get to turn 5 to blow them out. Plus those 2 archetypes don't play many hasters (just mangler), so bouncing a creature will always create a tempo swing if not a blow out if a creature has +1/+1 counters or it's a token.
That esper version is only going to be 50-55% vs mono red. You have to run more 2 mana removal spells to beat mono red at a higher win rate.
You still have to play more than 4 guildgates. I don't really like that. But I guess it's probably the best sphinx's revelation deck, and you can jam 8 anti aggro cards in your sideboard.
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DGM gives too much anticontrol tools they said.
Control is dead they said.
I love it when people go into the tank big time to answer cards like Aetherling.
Feel free to bid on my cards here!
Love how well esper is doing. Then again sphinx's revelation is absurd.
Currently Playing:
Retired
It's has always been doing well it's Away (Far/Away) the best deck in the format.
Well the Pulpit also has value against other things also like say an Obzedat on the attack or even tapping down the pro black/white blood baron.
I mean sure Needle has alternate uses also but you can't diss Pulpit that hard. It's not like Pulpit is purely against Aetherling alone.
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the problem with needle is that it turns off your own aetherling and jace
so needle isn't a good option in control mirrors
Pro players have a tendency to play blue decks at large events.
I know there's
Selesnya aggro
Boros aggro
2x Esper control
UWR control
4 color chant
not sure what the other 2 decks are
Quite true. Players understood the power of blue in this block format and played it, in force.
Sphinx's Revelation
Far // Away
Aetherling
Psychic Strike
Turn // Burn
Counterflux
Syncopate
Render Silent
Cyclonic Rift
Supreme Verdict
Dispel
Azorius Charm
Detention Sphere
Jace, Architect of Thought
Azorius Control- Andrejs Prost
Deadbridge Chant Midrange (4color) - Rob Castellon
Selesnya Aggro (WW) - Craig Wescoe
Esper Control x3 - Matej Zatlkaj; Dustin Ochoa; Makihito Mihara
Boros Blitz - Josh Utter-Leyton
UWR Control - Andrew Shrout
If you look at the lists, its pretty clear control had a good run to the top 8. Aetherling is a beast. Aggro did make first seed top 8 under Craig Wescoe with Voice of Resurgence. Continuing to be the, well deserved, hype card of Dragons Maze. Not to mention Boros making it there under JUL. And it had an interesting 4 color Bridge midrange deck get in too. (Complete with Sire of Insanity)
:symr::symu: Reality Bites
:symr::symu: Delver Cyclops
:symr::symu: Niv Control EDH
:symg::symw: Sigarda EDH
The real battle is not one of power but of will.
If your confidence breaks, so too shall you."
—Venser[/card]
3 esper control
1 azorius control
1 uwr control
1 4 color chant
1 selesnya aggro
1 boros aggro
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/ptdgm13/Top_8_Decks
so there's 5 sphinx's revelation decks, 2 aggro decks, and a 1x 4 color control/mid range deck
...LSV locking Platinum!!
Why not?
More like Aetherling ftw, but yes. Sphinx's Revelation refilling the hand and life total back to where it almost resets the game was key in alot of matches. Not to mention the multiple Aetherling blowouts. That's probably going to happen alot in the final day as well.
And LSV locking in Platinum status was good to hear as well.
:symr::symu: Reality Bites
:symr::symu: Delver Cyclops
:symr::symu: Niv Control EDH
:symg::symw: Sigarda EDH
The real battle is not one of power but of will.
If your confidence breaks, so too shall you."
—Venser[/card]
http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/ptdgm13/Other_Side
I like seeing rogue decks and I really like his.
Standard/Block = The on-again, off-again holiday fling
Modern/Vintage/Legacy = Stable, homely. A ***** after absence/misreading
Limited/Sealed = Heart breaking free spirit
Commander/Cube = Agreeable, needy and expensive
Pauper/Peasant = Sweet, kind, practical, but shy and boring
Why not?
And if you look at Shrout's list he's playing 3 prisms and a godless shrine to cast his sideboard rakdos's returns.
4 Steam Vents
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Godless Shrine
3 Azorius Guildgate
1 Izzet Guildgate
1 Boros Guildgate
3 Plains
3 Island
2 Mountain
Creatures 2
2 Aetherling
4 Supreme Verdict
3 Sphinx's Revelation
2 Thoughtflare
4 Azorius Charm
2 Turn/Burn
3 Renounce the Guilds
3 Counterflux
2 Izzet Charm
1 Dispel
1 Assemble the Legion
3 Prophetic Prism
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
3 Rakdos's Return
3 Boros Reckoner
2 Mugging
2 Dispel
2 Aetherize
1 Dramatic Rescue
1 Counterflux
1 Assemble the Legion
I want to try Castellon's list. But i'm not sure how good it will be online with that greedy mana base. He also said in his deck tech he wanted +2 goliaths and -2 alms beasts.
1 Orzhov Guildgate
1 Gruul Guildgate
1 Boros Guildgate
1 Golgari Guildgate
1 Rakdos Guildgate
3 Selesnya Guildgate
4 Overgrown Tomb
4 Temple Garden
2 Godless Shrine
2 Stomping Ground
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Forest
1 Swamp
1 Plains
1 Angel of Serenity
4 Gatecreeper Vine
2 Deadbridge Goliath
3 Centaur Healer
4 Sin Collector
4 Voice of Resurgence
3 Alms Beast
2 Sire of Insanity
2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
Spells 11
2 Deadbridge Chant
2 Devour Flesh
3 Selesnya Charm
3 Abrupt Decay
1 Golgari Charm
1 Golgari Charm
4 Slaughter Games
1 Pithing Needle
1 Angel of Serenity
2 High Priest of Penance
1 Saruli Gatekeepers
1 Merciless Eviction
2 Gaze of Granite
1 Ready/Willing
I'll probably start tweaking Matej Zatlkaj's deck for online play. I don't understand why some other control players are only playing 3 revelations and/or 3 verdicts.
5 Plains
4 Island
3 Dimir Guildgate
2 Orzhov Guildgate
1 Azorius Guildgate
4 Godless Shrine
4 Watery Grave
4 Hallowed Fountain
Creatures 8
4 Sin Collector
2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
2 Aetherling
4 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Azorius Charm
3 Syncopate
4 Far/Away
2 Detention Sphere
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
3 Precinct Captain
2 Psychic Strike
2 Devour Flesh
2 Dispel
2 Angel of Serenity
1 Reap Intellect
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1 Detention Sphere
1 Aetherling