Esper Tempo
A frontier deck that utilizes creatures that put me in a superior board state. Currently looking for suggestions on card changes.
Card Explanations
Mausoleum Wanderer
Easy to cast, and has a constant threat of Force Spiking if the opponent taps out to cast, providing a tempo advantage. Also gets buffed by Spell Queller.
Glory-Bound Initiate
A good body, and the lifelink from Exert will go a long way to help keep me alive. With Blessed Alliance I have the option to override the Exert penalty.
Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
Card filtering is good, but the flipside provides some control and is pretty flexible. Recasting an Ojutai's Command is a pretty strong play. Right now I'm pretty iffy on this card though, may replace with Kytheon/Gideon to be more aggressive.
Spell Queller
One of the staples of the deck, takes down a spell or creature with it, and an evasive 2 power creature isn't too bad either.
Reflector Mage
Another deck staple, for the same reasons as Queller. Great for tempo.
Torrential Gearhulk
Great for tempo and can finish out the game. Can simply come with removal or a counterspell, or can do something like Gearhulk -> Ojutai's Command -> Glory-Bound + something nice.
Collective Brutality
This is mainboarded over Grasp of Darkness because my concern for this removal slot is against a fast agro matchup. -2/-2 is enough to deal with early threats, and it's otherwise more versatile than Grasp with it's other modes.
Harsh Scrutiny
Mainboarded over Duress or similar effects for similar reasons to Brutality. Turn 1 Harsh Scrutiny against an aggro deck is pretty brutal, and scry on top is great.
Blessed Alliance
Very versatile in this deck. Removal if I need it, can give me blockers and bypass exert, and if I'm desperate give me some life for that one more crucial turn.
Ojutai's Command
Great for control and tempo, and a great target for recasting. Four mana is a bit steep in this deck, hence only running 2. Will most likely be used for the first option every time unless I'm pretty far ahead, and then probably the card draw since it will be a late spell for me.
Void Shatter, Clash of Wills
A few hard counterspells for counterspell purposes and for targeting for recast.
Lands
Not much to say here other than I chose them for budget reasons. Fetchlands should replace some of the other multicolor lands, but Port Town and Prairie Stream aren't too bad on their own. Shambling Vent is good for that lifelink if I need it. Cave of Kolios and Ifnir Deadlands are there for Thought-Knot in the sideboard.
Sideboard
In progress
Duress
Swaps with Harsh Scrutiny for less creature-focused decks.
Grasp of Darkness
Swaps with Collective Brutality for more midrangey decks with bigger bodies.
Selfless Spirit
Swaps with Mausoleum Wanderer or Jace for more control focused decks to protect against wipes.
Thought-Knot Seer
Swaps with Mausoleum Wanderer for more control focused decks. Used to be mainboarded, but is kind of hard to cast so was inconsistently on curve. Against slow matchups I suspect this is less of a problem.
