I know that too well, I tried making a BR Control deck during theros standard to combat mono blue devotion and red rush. It was one of the worst serious decks i've ever built lol. My "Aetherling" in it was Master of Cruelties
When it comes to alara shards colors I guess it's fairly important. I'm figuring out it's mana base pretty well, also it's the cheapest on my wallet at the moment (: I do agree with everything you said, however I enjoy the esper colors because of the options it gives it, White gives elspeth, and black gives great removal, and blue sandwiches them together imo. The WB list kind of flopped on itself against everything lol.
So I have these three deck ideas that I've been wanting to make, but am strapped on cash for any of them. The cheapest one to finish would be the Esper Control deck, but my favorite one is Jeskai Counterburn/Control. Which one do you think is my best bang for buck? I've been looking at primers on here for a while to get ideas and now I just want feedback.
I'm not bothering with the mana base as it's pretty much always workable with up to 3 colors. I will say that I'm using 2 Flooded Strands and 3 Polluted Deltas in the Esper Control though for Dig Through Time. I can use any advice you have to offer, even if it's changing colors or offering other deck ideas! I have a decent start on a basic abzan midrange, but I really want to branch off into other deck ideas, namely control. Thanks!
Creatures
2x Prognostic Sphinx
Planeswalkers
3x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2x Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker
Instants
4x Dissolve
2x Mindswipe
4x Lightning Strike
2x Magma Jet
2x Nullify
2x Dig Through Time
2x Steam Augury
3x Jeskai Charm
2x Anger of the Gods
2x End Hostilities
Enchantments
3x Font of Fortunes
2x Banishing Light
2x Anger of the Gods
2x End Hostilities
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Mindswipe
2x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2x Negate
3x Nyx-Fleece Ram
Creatures
1x Prognostic Sphinx
Planeswalkers
3x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Instants
4x Dissolve
4x Hero's Downfall
4x Utter End
2x Bile Blight
3x Dig Through Time
2x Jace's Ingenuity
3x Thoughtseize
4x End Hostilities
Enchantments
3x Font of Fortunes
2x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
2x Despise
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Drown in Sorrow
2x Nyx-Fleece Ram
2x Negate
1x Thoughtseize
2x Pearl Lake Ancient
Creatures
4x Soldier of the Pantheon
4x Bloodsoaked Champion
3x Brimaz, King of Oreskos
3x Herald of Torment
3x Athreos, God of Passage
3x Wingmate Roc
3x Hero's Downfall
2x Bile Blight
Sorceries
4x Thoughtseize
3x Sign in Blood
Enchantments
1x Spear of Heliod
3x Banishing Light
2x Sorin, Solemn Visitor
3x Bile Blight
2x Despise
3x Pharika's Cure
2x Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2x Murderous Cut
1x Hero's Downfall
1x Whip of Erebos
1x Read the Bones
I'm not bothering with the mana base as it's pretty much always workable with up to 3 colors. I will say that I'm using 2 Flooded Strands and 3 Polluted Deltas in the Esper Control though for Dig Through Time. I can use any advice you have to offer, even if it's changing colors or offering other deck ideas! I have a decent start on a basic abzan midrange, but I really want to branch off into other deck ideas, namely control. Thanks!