Well it doesn't look like BotG is giving much love to Esper. Most of the cards that we will want to use are really made for the Mono Black deck but let's have a look, shall we?
Fated Retribution This card costs a ton! The triple white isn't so much an issue by that point. In fact it's very likely the Esper manabase would have 3 white once they reach seven lands, especially considering scry effects. The card is extremely powerful. It could be a sideboard option against G/R devotion as a one of, with all their plainswalkers, ramp creatures and fatties this could be ok. In the control mirror this could take out a board of Jace, Elspeth, her token army, while leaving your detention spheres and elixir safe.
1.5/5.0 Very fringe, but possible.
God-Favored General Possible sideboard card versus control. Think about it. Sideboard into four of these after your opponent sideboards out most of their removal. Drop one t2 and then just spend the rest of the game making guys every turn and beating face.
Excoriate Kills a God after it swings at you? Gets rid of Lotleth Troll or Valorz, sort of fringe sideboard card.
0.5/5.0 May see very meta specific sideboard use.
Hold At Bay A newbie style anti aggro sideboard card.
0.5/5.0
Divination Hey! This card could see some play...oh wait, we already have it. At least we know Divination will be an option for the foreseeable future.
2.5/5.0
Weight of the Underworld Limited fodder, too expensive for what it does and let's them keep devotion, potentially.
0.0/5.0
Revoke Existence Yes, it's a sideboard card but a REALLY good one! I would most definitely play this in my sdeboard over (the still decent) Glare of Heresy.
3.0/5.0 THis will see plenty of sideboard play and meta dependant in the mainboard.
Nullify As far as Esper is concerned this is almost a strictly better Essence Scatter which was already a playable. The double blue shouldn't be a problem with the solid manabase.
He is sideboardable for sure. So everyone wants to run mutavault...fine this kills it for one mana at instant speed.
1.5/5.0
Gild Ramp plus removal...interesting. I don't see this being played, much. It could see play with some strange scenarios. Does get rid of gods.
1.0/5.0
Bile Blight Double black is a little tough but this card is super solid, kill up to three pack rats, or a bunch of mutavaults, all of elspeths tokens, bunch of BTE, etc. really sweet!
3.5/5.0
Drown in Sorrow The fact that this card exists will lessen the field of many aggro decks! Strictly better Infest!
Might not be a full fledged sweeper, but it is better than AEtherize for the simple fact that it actually does reset the board, where AEtherize will leave any non attacking creatures back. This is kind of a big deal when they are dropping Loxodon Smiter and whatnot which matters for the turn after AEtherize actually considers the board. It is better for combating aggressive critical mass, where AEtherize actually is not. It is weak against hasty red decks, but as 4CC board resets go, Esper could really actually use more.
Drown in Sorrow is great and all, but not so much against GW aggro decks because they do not achieve critical mass as quickly as red decks, and their bodies tend to be more resilient to -2/-2 strategies just before the midgame actually starts.
Esper certainly got a few tools that it seems it had been missing, which makes me happy.
Eye Gouge is hilarious. It's meant to stop the Nivix Cyclops decks from taking over pauper but they actually put a Cyclops of One Eye Pass in the set too.
"If fetch lands are reprinted I really believe they will be in allied colors (aka Onslaught fetches). If the fetch lands are reprinted you better believe that we'll all be fetching up basics. This would lead me to believe that the set after THS may have a reprint as the temples can't be fetched but it's pure speculation." - posted 03/22/2014 proved correct during Khans spoiler season.
"The set releases for fall 2015 (Blood, Sweat and Tears) and fall 2016 (Lock, Stock and Barrel). One or both of those 2 blocks (I'm betting) are going to contain either Fetch reprints or (more likely) Filter reprints. Filter lands still need a reprint. They are getting pretty high up there and it's been longer than ZEN so it makes a little more sense that Filter lands would see print earlier that fetches." - posted 03/22/2014 proved incorrect about filters coming earlier than fetches, still pending on filters in Origins block.
Might not be a full fledged sweeper, but it is better than AEtherize for the simple fact that it actually does reset the board, where AEtherize will leave any non attacking creatures back. This is kind of a big deal when they are dropping Loxodon Smiter and whatnot which matters for the turn after AEtherize actually considers the board. It is better for combating aggressive critical mass, where AEtherize actually is not. It is weak against hasty red decks, but as 4CC board resets go, Esper could really actually use more.
Drown in Sorrow is great and all, but not so much against GW aggro decks because they do not achieve critical mass as quickly as red decks, and their bodies tend to be more resilient to -2/-2 strategies just before the midgame actually starts.
Esper certainly got a few tools that it seems it had been missing, which makes me happy.
Dpeneds what creature based decks gain traction. Overwhelming Wave could be good if your opponent is on T1 Experiment One, T2 Voice, T3 Smiter but I don't often see that deck. I guess it's also good against T1 Cloudfin, T2 Frostburn T3 Nightveil, but I don't think I want to clog up the 4 CMC spot with something like this.
Temple will make esper's mana alot stronger.
Drown in Sorrows seems correct as a 1 or 2 of in mb, or at the least in the side - it gives us alot of defence to the hasty red decks and the Wx human decks. Its not horrendous against the G/W decks but as has been pointed out not amazing either. Also not horrendous against mono blue.
Bile Blight seems very strong but the double black is harsh. Still its a card that will see sideboard play at the very least. Depends on the Meta.
Revoke Existence seems good in the board.
How many and which temples would you now play in Esper? I dont think you can play more then 8.
On the other hand, the question that interessts me the most is: where in the meta would esper or uw control find its place? I think MonoB got a big boosts and has now more answers to issues that troubles them before. And with the reprint of Revoke Existence UWs biggest removal Detention Sphere got just more weaker, thats why I believe blue-control will shift more to Esper, which still had a very greedy mana base.
Depends what spells you are playing. If you have a lot of bile blight, drown in sorrows, hero's downfall, dimir charm, you'll have to play more black than what people are using now.
Black is the colour to play, MonoB is not the be and end all that it was in THS though. There are more answers to MonoB now, and Bg or Junk look really strong, in terms of colour combinations at the moment.
Assuming you aren't looking to play Blight and therefore more black, we play 27 land and all 12 temples, probably all 12 shocks as well. Greedy as hell but the temples are too good to pass up and the shocks are too necessary to ensure mana is available on the critical turns. At the very least we play 10 temples.
There is no way you could convince me to turn more than 8 Scry Lands, however I believe UA is trying to touch on the simple fact that now we have the flexibility of optimizing out combinations within the 8 Scry Land slots.
Obviously, you could run more than 8... but the deck can struggle against aggro enough as it is.
There is no way you could convince me to turn more than 8 Scry Lands, however I believe UA is trying to touch on the simple fact that now we have the flexibility of optimizing out combinations within the 8 Scry Land slots.
Obviously, you could run more than 8... but the deck can struggle against aggro enough as it is.
That's exactly what I'm touching on. We don't have to run 8 scyr lands that have black in them anymore.
To the other guy-Eye Gouge is good in the sideoboard for those aggro decks with tons of one drops AND kills mutavault.
It's not too narrow, it can be a one of in the sideboard if your meta has a lot of white weenie or mutavaults.
And you'd be better off running the two mana spell that hits far more of their deck plus more of the average decks in the format. Eye-gouge is cute but it really is too narrow unless the meta is really heavily skewed.
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Fated Retribution This card costs a ton! The triple white isn't so much an issue by that point. In fact it's very likely the Esper manabase would have 3 white once they reach seven lands, especially considering scry effects. The card is extremely powerful. It could be a sideboard option against G/R devotion as a one of, with all their plainswalkers, ramp creatures and fatties this could be ok. In the control mirror this could take out a board of Jace, Elspeth, her token army, while leaving your detention spheres and elixir safe.
1.5/5.0 Very fringe, but possible.
God-Favored General Possible sideboard card versus control. Think about it. Sideboard into four of these after your opponent sideboards out most of their removal. Drop one t2 and then just spend the rest of the game making guys every turn and beating face.
2.0/5.0 May see play as shocking sideboard tech.
Asphyxiate Strictly worse Hero's Downfall.
0.0/5.0
Excoriate Kills a God after it swings at you? Gets rid of Lotleth Troll or Valorz, sort of fringe sideboard card.
0.5/5.0 May see very meta specific sideboard use.
Hold At Bay A newbie style anti aggro sideboard card.
0.5/5.0
Divination Hey! This card could see some play...oh wait, we already have it. At least we know Divination will be an option for the foreseeable future.
2.5/5.0
Weight of the Underworld Limited fodder, too expensive for what it does and let's them keep devotion, potentially.
0.0/5.0
Revoke Existence Yes, it's a sideboard card but a REALLY good one! I would most definitely play this in my sdeboard over (the still decent) Glare of Heresy.
3.0/5.0 THis will see plenty of sideboard play and meta dependant in the mainboard.
Nullify As far as Esper is concerned this is almost a strictly better Essence Scatter which was already a playable. The double blue shouldn't be a problem with the solid manabase.
2.5/5.0 Could be mainboarded and/or sideboarded.
Eye Gouge I like this card! It's techy sideboard but those fast white decks have Dryad Militant, Daring Skyjek red has Firefist Striker, Firedrinker Satyr, Tormented Hero is still around. T1 Experiment One and Cloudfin Raptor, Foundry Street Denizen, Spirit of the Labyrinth , etc.
He is sideboardable for sure. So everyone wants to run mutavault...fine this kills it for one mana at instant speed.
1.5/5.0
Gild Ramp plus removal...interesting. I don't see this being played, much. It could see play with some strange scenarios. Does get rid of gods.
1.0/5.0
Bile Blight Double black is a little tough but this card is super solid, kill up to three pack rats, or a bunch of mutavaults, all of elspeths tokens, bunch of BTE, etc. really sweet!
3.5/5.0
Drown in Sorrow The fact that this card exists will lessen the field of many aggro decks! Strictly better Infest!
4.0/5.0
Temple of Enlightenment Playable scry land is of course really good.
4.0/4.0
Not a ton to work with in this set but definitely things to help us stay in the top tier. Agree...disagree?
Might not be a full fledged sweeper, but it is better than AEtherize for the simple fact that it actually does reset the board, where AEtherize will leave any non attacking creatures back. This is kind of a big deal when they are dropping Loxodon Smiter and whatnot which matters for the turn after AEtherize actually considers the board. It is better for combating aggressive critical mass, where AEtherize actually is not. It is weak against hasty red decks, but as 4CC board resets go, Esper could really actually use more.
Drown in Sorrow is great and all, but not so much against GW aggro decks because they do not achieve critical mass as quickly as red decks, and their bodies tend to be more resilient to -2/-2 strategies just before the midgame actually starts.
Esper certainly got a few tools that it seems it had been missing, which makes me happy.
"The set releases for fall 2015 (Blood, Sweat and Tears) and fall 2016 (Lock, Stock and Barrel). One or both of those 2 blocks (I'm betting) are going to contain either Fetch reprints or (more likely) Filter reprints. Filter lands still need a reprint. They are getting pretty high up there and it's been longer than ZEN so it makes a little more sense that Filter lands would see print earlier that fetches." - posted 03/22/2014 proved incorrect about filters coming earlier than fetches, still pending on filters in Origins block.
Dpeneds what creature based decks gain traction. Overwhelming Wave could be good if your opponent is on T1 Experiment One, T2 Voice, T3 Smiter but I don't often see that deck. I guess it's also good against T1 Cloudfin, T2 Frostburn T3 Nightveil, but I don't think I want to clog up the 4 CMC spot with something like this.
Ya, Temple is the only card I have to buy for this set. Can't tell if that's a good thing or bad thing...
Drown in Sorrows seems correct as a 1 or 2 of in mb, or at the least in the side - it gives us alot of defence to the hasty red decks and the Wx human decks. Its not horrendous against the G/W decks but as has been pointed out not amazing either. Also not horrendous against mono blue.
Bile Blight seems very strong but the double black is harsh. Still its a card that will see sideboard play at the very least. Depends on the Meta.
Revoke Existence seems good in the board.
Depends what spells you are playing. If you have a lot of bile blight, drown in sorrows, hero's downfall, dimir charm, you'll have to play more black than what people are using now.
Assuming you aren't looking to play Blight and therefore more black, we play 27 land and all 12 temples, probably all 12 shocks as well. Greedy as hell but the temples are too good to pass up and the shocks are too necessary to ensure mana is available on the critical turns. At the very least we play 10 temples.
Obviously, you could run more than 8... but the deck can struggle against aggro enough as it is.
That's exactly what I'm touching on. We don't have to run 8 scyr lands that have black in them anymore.
To the other guy-Eye Gouge is good in the sideoboard for those aggro decks with tons of one drops AND kills mutavault.
It's not too narrow, it can be a one of in the sideboard if your meta has a lot of white weenie or mutavaults.
I'll pass.
And you'd be better off running the two mana spell that hits far more of their deck plus more of the average decks in the format. Eye-gouge is cute but it really is too narrow unless the meta is really heavily skewed.