I've been theory crafting on a tempo deck ever since I played Knightfall. I've used search and two old threads have come up in the modern section, which were quite old. So i've learned that Modern doesn't really have a viable one.
I also don't know if a new topic is correct or that it should be in the Esper Draw Go or in the BUW Midrange thread since it has elements of both.
With the release of Dominaria, which provided one of the key cards, I started playtesting this Esper version of the deck online to very great results. As oppopsed to Bant to gain access to strong black removal and disruption, while dropping the ability to "combo" off.
The deck plays the reactive Ux control game with strong tempo plays, made possible with recent printings of Spell Queller and Merfolk Trickster, Also Path to Exile feels very strong in the current meta.
Amonst the wins, the most notable wins were vs. Jund (Removal Suite + Counters), Jund DS (Surgical + BA) and Lantern (Esper Charm and Cryptic are disgusting here).
I'm no die hard control player, so i'd like to discuss the viability and gain other peoples vision regarding a real tempo deck like this, where it's weaknesses lie and how a potentially strong sideboard would look like.
I saw the title and instantly thought this was a Raff Capashen, ship's mage. but anyhow, very cool deck. always will love a Clique and Queller deck. Cheers man!
So, it has been a little silent here, but after some time i have managed to put the deck together in paper and am ready to give it some more testing in real life.
I have some doubts about the inclusion of FoR. It seems pretty usefull agains a plethora of decks but i don't know for sure if i need to up the land count for it or not.
After some testing, i figured 3 FoR lead to awkward hands. Sequencing colors is pretty tricky and the blue part of the deck is very important. Idealy you want to hit at least UUW on T3 and even beter, UWB without too much pain. So i went down a copy of FoR and upped the landcount back to 25.
Just scrolling through the forum and noticed this thread. Esper is one of my favourite shards in Magic and I've been jamming Esper Control for a while, Esper Charm is one of my favourite Magic cards (and it pains me not to play it in this deck). A few weeks back I decided to try a more tempo build of Esper as well and came up with this:
At the two LGS I play at there's a heavy Tron/Big Mana deck and Dredge meta hence the heavy amounts of hate for those strategies.
So far I've had a fair amount of success, typically dropping only 1 match a night. I really wanted to play with Bob again and he has been great at giving me consistent gas or forcing opponents to deal with him and not use their removal for something like Queller. Geist has been surprisingly good as well, giving me a super fast clock. I can usually clear the path for him with removal and counterspells and he's really quite hard to get rid of.
Collective Brutality is another one of my fave Magic cards, I love anything with lots of versatility. It does so much and works very well with Souls, clearing low toughness creatures, snagging removal or important spells or helping me do my best Bolt Snap Bolt impression (I've actually won a game going Brutality Snap Brutality).
Anyway I'll keep playing this and report when I can, I may tinker with the counterspells a bit and might cut the clique for a 3rd Queller. I'm interested to see how your higher top end of Gearhulk goes and am intrigued by Merfolk Trickster, how well has it been performing for you?
So i played the deck yesterday in paper for the first time and have a very good feeling about it. Played several games vs BUG Delver/control and Dredge in a casual setting. It sometimes has tricky routes to victory, But when you get there, it feels great.
It had the ability to turn the corner very late and feels very strong when it does.
It'll be my fun brew pet deck for the time to come.
Let's take it to FNM
I also don't know if a new topic is correct or that it should be in the Esper Draw Go or in the BUW Midrange thread since it has elements of both.
With the release of Dominaria, which provided one of the key cards, I started playtesting this Esper version of the deck online to very great results. As oppopsed to Bant to gain access to strong black removal and disruption, while dropping the ability to "combo" off.
3 Island
2 Swamp
1 Plains
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
2 Marsh Flats
2 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
1 Hallowed Fountain
3 Darkslick Shores
3 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Merfolk Trickster
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Spell Queller
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Torrential Gearhulk
Spells 20
3 Serum Visions
2 Opt
3 Fatal Push
3 Path to Exile
4 Remand
2 Esper Charm
3 Cryptic Command
2 Surgical Extraction
4 Thoughtseize
2 Blessed Alliance
2 Countersquall
3 Lingering Souls
2 Settle the Wreckage
The deck plays the reactive Ux control game with strong tempo plays, made possible with recent printings of Spell Queller and Merfolk Trickster, Also Path to Exile feels very strong in the current meta.
Amonst the wins, the most notable wins were vs. Jund (Removal Suite + Counters), Jund DS (Surgical + BA) and Lantern (Esper Charm and Cryptic are disgusting here).
I'm no die hard control player, so i'd like to discuss the viability and gain other peoples vision regarding a real tempo deck like this, where it's weaknesses lie and how a potentially strong sideboard would look like.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW
From this week on i run the following list:
4 Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
1 Marsh Flats
2 Watery Grave
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Glacial Fortress
2 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Field of Ruin
3 Merfolk Trickster
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Spell Queller
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Torrential Gearhulk
Spells 21
3 Serum Visions
3 Opt
3 Fatal Push
3 Path to Exile
4 Remand
2 Esper Charm
3 Cryptic Command
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize
2 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Spell Snare
2 Blessed Alliance
2 Stony Silence
3 Lingering Souls
1 Settle the Wreckage
I have some doubts about the inclusion of FoR. It seems pretty usefull agains a plethora of decks but i don't know for sure if i need to up the land count for it or not.
Hope to get some input on the matter.
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW
After some testing, i figured 3 FoR lead to awkward hands. Sequencing colors is pretty tricky and the blue part of the deck is very important. Idealy you want to hit at least UUW on T3 and even beter, UWB without too much pain. So i went down a copy of FoR and upped the landcount back to 25.
This is what i'll be running tomorow
4 Island
2 Plains
1 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Drowned Catacomb
2 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Field of Ruin
3 Merfolk Trickster
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Spell Queller
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Torrential Gearhulk
Spells 20
2 Serum Visions
3 Opt
3 Fatal Push
3 Path to Exile
4 Remand
2 Esper Charm
3 Cryptic Command
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Thoughtseize
2 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Ceremonious Rejection
3 Spell Snare
1 Blessed Alliance
3 Lingering Souls
1 Settle the Wreckage
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW
1 Plains
2 Island
2 Swamp
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
2 Hallowed Fountain
1 Watery Grave
1 Godless Shrine
2 Darkslick Shores
2 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Celestial Colonnade
Creatures 12
3 Dark Confidant
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Spell Queller
1 Vendilion Clique
4 Lingering Souls
4 Serum Visions
3 Collective Brutality
4 Fatal Push
3 Path to Exile
3 Remand
2 Cryptic Command
1 Logic Knot
1 Countersquall
1 Spell Snare
4 Nihil Spellbomb
3 Damping Sphere
2 Stony Silence
1 Disenchant
1 Liliana, the Last Hope
2 Unmoored Ego
1 Countersquall
1 Dispel
At the two LGS I play at there's a heavy Tron/Big Mana deck and Dredge meta hence the heavy amounts of hate for those strategies.
So far I've had a fair amount of success, typically dropping only 1 match a night. I really wanted to play with Bob again and he has been great at giving me consistent gas or forcing opponents to deal with him and not use their removal for something like Queller. Geist has been surprisingly good as well, giving me a super fast clock. I can usually clear the path for him with removal and counterspells and he's really quite hard to get rid of.
Collective Brutality is another one of my fave Magic cards, I love anything with lots of versatility. It does so much and works very well with Souls, clearing low toughness creatures, snagging removal or important spells or helping me do my best Bolt Snap Bolt impression (I've actually won a game going Brutality Snap Brutality).
Anyway I'll keep playing this and report when I can, I may tinker with the counterspells a bit and might cut the clique for a 3rd Queller. I'm interested to see how your higher top end of Gearhulk goes and am intrigued by Merfolk Trickster, how well has it been performing for you?
It had the ability to turn the corner very late and feels very strong when it does.
It'll be my fun brew pet deck for the time to come.
Let's take it to FNM
Modern: WUBRG Humans - GBW Traverse - GWU Knightfall - GRW