Basically, we control the board, and control the opponent's hand whenever possible. Our sideboard tries to hose down some of the higher-tier decks in the format while preserving our goal of dropping walkers after ruthlessly hating out every single threat our opponents try to play.
Anger of the Gods: It's our fast sweeper, and whatever it kills will never be seen again. Crucial against aggressive decks, and it can hose down interactions with Whip of Erebos.
Banishing Light: Since it gets removed by
Erase
, Utter End, and several other effects, we only mainboard 1. It's still a fantastic all-around removal spell, though, and it is seldom dead because it can target almost anything.
Bile Blight: Good against aggro, and for killing Jeskai's tokens. In fact, it's kind of crucial in that matchup. Sidisi's tokens are also ripe targets. The spell's applications are broad enough that we mainboard a pair.
Brimaz, King of Oreskos: He's our only creature and we just run a pair. If we drop him early, he'll probably soak up removal that would otherwise target our planeswalkers. If he sticks, though, we can run away with the game while we use removal to let him swing in again and again. Obviously, in grindy matchups, he can break a stalemate if topdecked. He's an attrition card that has to be answered, since he generates a lot of value if he gets to stay longer than two turns.
Chandra, Pyromaster
: Besides serving as our primary card advantage engine, Chandra fills a number of crucial roles. She kills mana dorks, apart from Sylvan Caryatid. She pings down opponents in grindy matchups. She can tick down enemy planeswalkers. She can ping a big blocker to let attackers through. And her ultimate can deal big damage if we find a
Crackling Doom
, or even our single Sign in Blood. An absolute workhorse for us at almost any point in the game.
Crackling Doom
: Kill their big guy, smash their face. At instant speed. Don't worry, the other two are in the sideboard.
Despise
: Hand disruptor that behaves like a preemptive Hero's Downfall. A solid Turn 1 play that can disrupt tempo and give us a look at what's coming. We run another off of the sideboard for grindy matchups, where information and card advantage are at a premium.
Elspeth, Sun's Champion: The Champion can wipe Monster decks when she hits the board, or generate immediate value with her Captain's Call ability. If she uses her ultimate, the game is likely over. She is one of our main win conditions, and the option she lends to our control package is underrated.
End Hostilities: It's not Supreme Verdict, but it's the best we can do in the format for hard sweepers. Also, it doesn't leave bestowed auras behind as creatures.
Hero's Downfall: Kills other planeswalkers and creatures. Bread-and-butter board control that we like to see in almost every matchup.
Liliana Vess: Lets us fix our next draw and get ahead in the game. Great for finding more win conditions, sweepers, or other cards to clinch the game. It takes discipline to -2 for a Plains to cast Elspeth, Sun's Champion next turn, but sometimes one must do it. Her +1 is fantastic in attrition matchups, as it allows us to outpace our opponents or even force them to play cards at suboptimal moments. She's very resistant to physical damage, and even if she dies the turn she's played, she's usually already done something significant for us. Her ultimate, Rise of the Dark Realms, doesn't happen too often, but it's game-over if it does.
Mardu Charm
: I'm still shocked that players refuse to respect this card as an instant-speed Duress. Grab removal, Whips, or planeswalkers. Are they swinging with tokens while tapped out? Two-for-one them with the Warrior tokens, and keep your new dudes for next turn. Need to kill something? Flame Slash it. The card is relevant at almost every point in the game and is an astonishingly underrated control tool.
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker: Another win condition that doubles as a Flame Slash if we need it. In addition to being a beefy airborne beater, he threatens his ultimate, which can let us get ahead in attrition matchups and bury our opponent under our strongest cards. The ultimate is usually at its strongest when smashing late-game deadlocks, but it is an important option nonetheless.
Sign in Blood: It hurts us, but it is still fast card advantage that we can point at opponents when they're on the ropes. The reason I like this over Read the Bones is its lower CMC. Having a 3-drop removal spell available on Turn 5 while I draw more during a main phase is a good position to be in. I don't like straddling two 3-drops at that point in the game. Also, we can shoot it at people, and it's hilarious when Chandra's ultimate lets us kill fools with it.
Sorin, Solemn Visitor: The gloomy Vampire walker gives us back life, which is crucial. He allows for big life gain swings when our other win conditions are in play. He can steal games on his own if we protect him long enough to produce a Vampire token and steadily tick up. The ultimate basically means we won't have to remove many hostile creatures anymore, and is sometimes crucial for busting up grindy deadlocks. Arguably the most important walker in the list.
Thoughtseize: Early-game hand disruption staple. Pretty relevant at any point unless the opponent is in topdeck mode. This was a no-brainer include. Drawing two to three in the early game is usually backbreaking for the opponent.
Banishing Light: It's just so versatile and affordable in the format right now that we want to see more of it in most attrition-based games.
Crackling Doom
: It's incredibly strong against creature-heavy decks, like Monsters. It even plays strongly against Jeskai Tokens. Its most relevant matchup is probably Blue/White Heroic, though.
Despise
: Attrition matches like us to have a little extra hand disruption.
Drown in Sorrow: Fast, aggressive, and persistent board sweeping is an important cornerstone of anti-Jeskai Ascendancy strategy. Get those tokens the heck off the board before they kill you. Oh, and it's solid against aggro, too.
End Hostilities: Attrition matches want us to blow up the board a lot. A third copy gives us more opportunities.
Seeker of the Way
: Soaks up removal against tempo decks, and lets us gain some early life for playing disruption cards. Actually works pretty well against aggro, tempo, and control. It kind of depends on the exact tendencies of the opponent, but it often performs well in a large number of post-board situations.
Tormod's Crypt: This is mostly in here for the Sidisi Whip matchup. It makes it harder for opponents to Treasure Cruise, too. Sidisi is popular enough to warrant the inclusion of a pair on the side.
Utter End: More removal. Whatever it hits will never be seen again. Just watch out for Disdainful Stroke. Pro Tip: if it's Turn 4 and you haven't killed that Jeskai Ascendancy yet, do it now!!
