A solid approach to Esper. This deck is stream-lined in the main board with four copies of our extremely valuable spells. Leading to a very stable game experience. The answers are able to hit most anything and can be sideboarded out for specific answers without compromising the integrity of the build.
Dissolve is the only counterspell in the mainboard and it's a hard counter with scry so it presents flexible value, the other counterspells are all contingent on certain spells and situations. We will play more specific counterspells out of the board via Gainsays and Negates.
Azorius Charm is never dead and goes from being fine to very good depending on the match-ups. This is a great example of a good card that we can side out without compromise.
The heart of our deck is S.V. + D-Sphere+Jace+ Revelation. These 16 cards are what you will rely on the majority of games to control the game by sweeping, removing, card advantage,etc.
Don't take out Jace, there's always something better to take out. A single revelation comes out occasionally, A single Sphere comes out in certain match-ups. The addition of two Devour Flesh (1 in the main), gives us some ability to dump all four verdicts in certain match-ups.
I don't find two Elspeth's necessary at the moment, but I don't think it's bad if you want to go that route. The single Aetherling in my 75 seems to have worked well. Some people like 2, I'm not sure it's necessary.
The single Pilfered Plans feels and has played smoothly. It you have been going the Divination path and you are running 27 lands I really recommend playing with plans over divination. It's essentially the same card but you can play tech and mill their scry'd card, even if you just play it for the draw two, you occasionally mill away one of the few win cons against control.
2 or 3 downfalls? It really depends on the meta. I don't think this card is as good as D-Sphere so I really don't feel the need for 3 since I already have the full set of Spheres. You may want to run three if you aren't running all Spheres (I don't recommend not having 4 D.S. though the 2-3 for 1's are really strong).
2 Thoughtseize gives us some good interaction with the opponent's hand and also can come out for answers when needed.
Sideboard questions are welcome!
I'll give more information on how it continues to play out after my team and I return from Japan from GP Kyoto in the next few weeks.
First about what comes out. Azorius Charm is 90% of the time going to be cycle here, so how about just putting in the card you'd rather have? It has no good targets for the bounce part except for the occasional Aetherling fogging (if it doesn't get countered).
I keep in one Supreme Verdict because occasionally someone brings in a bunch of Soldier of the Pantheon and Sin Collectors. Notice that bringing in the Merciless Eviction preserves the second Verdict though! It can also clear those walkers if you fall behind or if your opponent has 2 D-Sphere's out this can turn a game around. Remember Eviction also exiles the god's and is the only card we have against a hexproof, indestructible Fleecemane Lion, it wont come up much but just be aware.
The Downfall's are only hitting planeswalkers here. We have 4 D-Sphere's, a Merciless Eviction, 7 counter-spells, 2 Thoughtseize and the last Hero's Downfall to fight them with.
Now about the cards that are coming in. Merciless Eviction comes in as an upgrade to one Verdict. 4 Counter-spells for the 4 charms.The Jace as C/A and another win con for the downfall, and the Sin Collector to strip the opponent's hand of Revelations and counter-spells (and maybe get in for some damage!).
I fluctuate between different builds but the one posted in OP may serve as a most base, default build. My last build was
-1 Pilfered Plans
for
+1 Ultimate Price
-1 Azorius Charm
for
+1 Devour Flesh
Esper has hard matchup against fast decks anyway so that's why I cut "draw 2 for 3 mana spell". I don't think it is that crucial and having one isn't something that will save me games, so I'd rather have a bigger chance to play turn 2 kill spell.
There is only one in the deck. I would normally run two but as you said there are a lot of aggro builds right not. Many high-level players are playing 2x Divination without a problem. You are very unlikely to draw PIlfered Plans in your opening hand (this is important), you ARE very likely to draw it at a later time. You become more and more likely against control(ie long games) where you most need it. You shouldn't be so close to death that you have to devote that many slots on t2 removal/bounce effects in the main-board. Of course your meta could be overloaded with aggro. My meta is usually GP or high level tourneys where we see a full display of the meta.
I cut Azorius Charm because it doesn't do anything in most matchups and Devour Flesh is almost the same in matchups I think Azorius Charm is good. I still leave 3 Azorius Charms because I don't want to have too many dead spells against mirror.
Please explain how Azorius Charm "doesn't do anything in most match ups". It buys tempo in any deck with a creature count, it cycles for another card against control, etc
Our sideboard different hugely though. All cards you have in your sideboard are cards I at least considered. There is a one exception: Merciless Eviction. I don't know how much this is an upgrade from Supreme Verdict. Sure it kills planeswalkers but this is 6-mana counterable kill spell that will almost never have most than two targets and usually will have one. I am afraid it is not reliable enough. It also has "Pithing Needle" problem - it kills your permanents too. I don't like it.
Counterable isn't too relevant here. This comes in as a powerful card against control. For example, they counter your Jace and play Jace, you are a little behind, they and an Elspeth and look way behind. (They tapped out for Elspeth) You kill their planeswalkers 2-1, they have two D-Spheres out, you have none (or one), you exile them. They have a God out, that's beating your face, you just need to wrath, etc)
I don't bring in Pithing Needle against control usually so that point is irrelevant. I use it against the Gruul planeswalkers deck, Maze's End, etc It's a value/versatility card.
I'd keep two Supreme Verdicts for Barons, random Elspeth tokens or Sin Collectors. I don't think that many people will side in Soldier of Pantheon against us. This tech demands siding in 4 Soldiers and I think there are lot of better cards to pack in.
It's happened to me enough that I'm aware of the technique and am prepared to fight it.
I am torn between D-Sphere/Downfall count. I tried 3/3, 4/2, 4/3. I really like Downfall. It is worse than D-Sphere only in Mono B and Mono U matchups. I really feel like I want to play 3/3 split with one Sphere in side but on the other hand this seems like a wasted sideboard slot. I don't like playing tapout game, I'd rather have as many instant as possible. IDK. Keep in mind that Downfall does not get hit by Gainsays or random Glare of Heresy/Destructive Reverly/etc.
You're forgeting that Hero's Downfall can't deal with the God's which are powerful in the decks running them. MonoU, MonoB, the Red deck, G/R devotion.
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4 Watery Grave
4 Godless Shrine
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Temple of Silence
4 Island
3 Plains
Planeswalkers (5)
4 Jace, Architect of Thought
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
Creatures (3)
1 Aetherling
2 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
4 Supreme Verdict
4 Detention SPhere
4 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Azorius Charm
3 Dissolve
2 Hero's Downfall
2 Thoughtseize
1 Devour Flesh
1 Pilfered Plans
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 DoomBlade
2 Negate
2 Gainsay
2 Sin Collector
1 Devour Flesh
1 Jace, Memory Adept
1 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1 Pithing Needle
1 Merciless Eviction
Dissolve is the only counterspell in the mainboard and it's a hard counter with scry so it presents flexible value, the other counterspells are all contingent on certain spells and situations. We will play more specific counterspells out of the board via Gainsays and Negates.
Azorius Charm is never dead and goes from being fine to very good depending on the match-ups. This is a great example of a good card that we can side out without compromise.
The heart of our deck is S.V. + D-Sphere+Jace+ Revelation. These 16 cards are what you will rely on the majority of games to control the game by sweeping, removing, card advantage,etc.
Don't take out Jace, there's always something better to take out. A single revelation comes out occasionally, A single Sphere comes out in certain match-ups. The addition of two Devour Flesh (1 in the main), gives us some ability to dump all four verdicts in certain match-ups.
I don't find two Elspeth's necessary at the moment, but I don't think it's bad if you want to go that route. The single Aetherling in my 75 seems to have worked well. Some people like 2, I'm not sure it's necessary.
The single Pilfered Plans feels and has played smoothly. It you have been going the Divination path and you are running 27 lands I really recommend playing with plans over divination. It's essentially the same card but you can play tech and mill their scry'd card, even if you just play it for the draw two, you occasionally mill away one of the few win cons against control.
2 or 3 downfalls? It really depends on the meta. I don't think this card is as good as D-Sphere so I really don't feel the need for 3 since I already have the full set of Spheres. You may want to run three if you aren't running all Spheres (I don't recommend not having 4 D.S. though the 2-3 for 1's are really strong).
2 Thoughtseize gives us some good interaction with the opponent's hand and also can come out for answers when needed.
Sideboard questions are welcome!
I'll give more information on how it continues to play out after my team and I return from Japan from GP Kyoto in the next few weeks.
How do you usually sideboard vs UW control and the mirror?
Good question.
Obviously not side-boarding terribly different against such close match-ups.
Against the mirror:
IN-
+2 Negate
+2 Gainsay
+2 Sin Collector
+1 Jace, Memory Adept
+1 Merciless Eviction
OUT-
-4 Azorius Charm
-3 Supreme Verdict
-1 Hero's Downfall
First about what comes out. Azorius Charm is 90% of the time going to be cycle here, so how about just putting in the card you'd rather have? It has no good targets for the bounce part except for the occasional Aetherling fogging (if it doesn't get countered).
I keep in one Supreme Verdict because occasionally someone brings in a bunch of Soldier of the Pantheon and Sin Collectors. Notice that bringing in the Merciless Eviction preserves the second Verdict though! It can also clear those walkers if you fall behind or if your opponent has 2 D-Sphere's out this can turn a game around. Remember Eviction also exiles the god's and is the only card we have against a hexproof, indestructible Fleecemane Lion, it wont come up much but just be aware.
The Downfall's are only hitting planeswalkers here. We have 4 D-Sphere's, a Merciless Eviction, 7 counter-spells, 2 Thoughtseize and the last Hero's Downfall to fight them with.
Now about the cards that are coming in. Merciless Eviction comes in as an upgrade to one Verdict. 4 Counter-spells for the 4 charms.The Jace as C/A and another win con for the downfall, and the Sin Collector to strip the opponent's hand of Revelations and counter-spells (and maybe get in for some damage!).
I hope that addressed your concerns.
You're forgeting that Hero's Downfall can't deal with the God's which are powerful in the decks running them. MonoU, MonoB, the Red deck, G/R devotion.