[OGW] Green Esper Dragons
Casual
SCORE: 48 | 158 COMMENTS | 11756 VIEWS | IN 14 FOLDERS
FNM RESULTS (10/30/15) —Oct. 31, 2015
I want to start off by saying that Dragonlord Dromoka was an absolute champion. I unfortunately forgot who was the person that suggested I should splash green, but thanks to you this deck feels more solid; one of the top Esper players at the shop even said he might try to "steal my idea" of splashing green for his own deck. Anyways, here are the results!
FIRST GAME: I won 2-0 against G/B Elf Aristocrats. This was an odd take on your typical Aristocrat decks that are floating around now. The reason for the elf-tribal sub-theme here was because he also ran Shaman of the Pack. Both games went the same, I just kept the board cleared and made sure to save counters or Utter End for his Evolutionary Leap. Overall this was a very easy match up for me.
SECOND GAME: I won 2-0 against a R/B Dragon Control. This deck threw me off, because for some reason I kept thinking it was Grixis and was trying to play around counter haha; that would explain why whenever I would cast something, and waiting for responses, my opponent just looked at me like "Yeah it resolves, why do you even ask?". Anyhow, first game was pretty easy, my starting hand was amazing, I was able to control the board, and stabilize thanks to Dragonlord Dromoka. Game two I could feel the win even before the game started because my opponent had to mulligan down to 5, and that hurts in a control deck. The game was very similar to the first.
THIRD GAME: I lost 1-2 against a G/W Token deck. I was surprised at how ridiculously fast this deck could overrun the board. First game I kept his board under control, I sort of guessed what type of deck it was gonna be when the first card played was Retreat to Emeria. Eventually with his board cleared and a couple of dragons on my side he decides to scoop, and looks at the next 5 draws and it was all lands. Second game I simply got overrun, I kept a terrible hand and made mistakes. Third game was a very fun game, got very close and I made the absolute worst mistake:focusing too much on something. We are now in the second main phase, I have a tapped Gideon and Silumgar, my opponent had played a Secure the Wastes in response to Silumgar's trigger to block Gideon, so now I am gacing 9 tokens and a flipped Nissa. The mistake I made here was getting so focused on clearing the board, didn't look at what else I could do or what my opponent's life total was, and just burned through 2 digs to try to find a Languish. All I actually had to do was play Dromoka, pass turn, block, I would have been left with 2 life and next turn swing for lethal (even my opponent pointed that out).
FOURTH GAME: I won 2-1 against a Grixis Eldrazi Aggro. First game, just like with any aggro deck I face, it was easy mode. The second game, for whatever reason, I decided to keep a hand with 5 lands, and Ojutai, and a Dromoka. What a terrible idea, he killed me before I was able to play my 5th land. Thirda game was intense, primarely because my opponent was bluffing me really hard. I got dropped to 5 life, then stabalized with Dromoka (this is the 2nd time he saved my ass). We exchanged a few blows back and forth, eventually game hit time and on turn 3 he gave me the game since next turn I was going to swing for lethal. The smart cookie knew I was worried about a Dust Stalker and used this to his advantage to buy time. After the game he told me all he had in hand was lands and a Duress.
FINAL RESULT: 3-1-0. So close to getting 4-0! Stupid mistakes happen oh well. I am very happy at how my deck performed!
On a side not - I am having issues with my sideboard. By that I mean I never know what to side out and what to side back in. Most games I never even saw the cards I sideboarded in, and still won. I highly doubt my deck is so solid to where I don't need to sideboard out. Maybe I have too much removal that's redundant and should throw in something else. Oh and Narset was definately more handy than a Crux of Fate the one game I actually brought her in.
ComputerizedMTG says... #2
Alright? lol
I mean that sucks pretty bad since he is quite a bit more than that, but not sure that is much related to the deck here hehe.
October 24, 2015 11:05 a.m.
Thank you very much for building the solid Esper Dragon Control. That got me end up to be in second place of Battle for Zendikar Game Day #1 but that got me disappointed little bits. I decided to pull Ob Nixilis Reignited and Ugin, the Spirit Dragon because it did not do anything good and then replaced them with Sorin, Solemn Visitor. That would save my life from gain the life on my danger low life. However, I got a first place in Game Day #2 and got my very first Game Day Playmat prize. Thank you very much dude! :)
October 25, 2015 11:19 p.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #4
Hey levimc, that's awesome to hear! Congratulations on your win!
I love Ugin, but I am always on the fringe with Ob Nixilis. Regardlesa, glad to hear my deck helped you out. I unfortunately was not able to attend gameday, which makes me a sad panda, so reading you comment made my day. Once again, congrats on your mat!
October 25, 2015 11:56 p.m.
Thank you. I had two different tough rounds against opponents but other two opponents were a piece of cake. One plays W/B Warrior Deck (most warriors from Khans and Drana from BfZ). During the beginning of the match, I got overwhelmed by pest little warriors with their abilities then later got their battlefield under my total control after using the boardwipe with Crux of Fate or Languish then using Sorin, Solemn Visitor to gain more life back from less than 3-5 life left. As soon as I got an opponent under my complete control, he forfeit even at the life of 33 while my life was like 3 left. How weird.
Another opponent runs Red and Black Dragon Deck. I feel like that the round was more like Battle of Dragons but really tough than the opponent with W/B Warrior Deck. After he cast Crumble to Dust on my Prairie Stream, that really screwed my plan up badly because I have no other white source (except for Haven of the Spirit Dragon to cast Dragonlord Ojutai only). Then he casted Oblivion Sower to stole my exiled lands after I used delve on Dig Through Time. I learned that lesson big time and know what to do afterward. Then I would not put Prairie Stream on play unless I have to play it to cast the non-Dragon spell such as Utter End or Sorin, Solemn Visitor or Gideon, Ally of Zendikar. When I do that, I always have counterspell back up with two to three blue lands available in case if an opponent do anything to destroy or exile my only white source (Prairie Stream). The battle of Dragons are pretty tough but luckily, I keep drawing Foul-Tongue Invocation and Ruinous Path which I already have four of each in my deck in case when an opponent put the creature on play then instant-playing Foul-Tongue Invocation to gain 4 more life with Dragon card in my hand or on play. But I don't really bother to kill 1/1 creature unless they show more threat when the opponent cast the boost spell such as Titan's Strength or Kolaghan's Command.
Like I said before, Sorin, Solemn Visitor and Foul-Tongue Invocation always save my life from brink of the death. I noticed that I have a minor problem with this deck is draw too many lands which I don't really expect that. But too many lands will not hurt anything. However, I have to be careful with my only white source lands in case if someone else use Crumble to Dust.
October 26, 2015 1:19 a.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #6
I am glad you brought up Crumble to Dust. When I first drafted the deck I intended to pu a basic Plains just in case that card saw heavy play, but opted out for a full playset of Prairie Streams. I consider adding one or two Plains and take out Prairie Streams in it's place if your meta sees heavy use of Crumble to Dust.
Also reguarding your oppont forfeiting, even though he had much more life than you, is completely normal.I usually have it happen against Atarka Red: they exhaust all of their threats, run out of gas, and simply understand they can't come bacl from their current state.
Righy on dude! Wish I could have gone to Game Day myself.
October 26, 2015 2:39 a.m.
Sorry i havnt' read the other comments, but has anyone suggested using Bring to Light?
October 28, 2015 4:29 a.m.
OminousRex says... #9
You need something to make your dragons more explosive and maybe have some cards that give them synergy for combos. For my dragon deck it was Dragonmaster Outcast and Dragonlord Kolaghan. The haste from Kolaghan gives Dragonmaster's tokens that appear on upkeep haste. I was even considering Flameshadow Conjuring to double-up on all of my dragon plays. Green has plenty of great mechanics to bring to the table. Have you thought of ramping to bring out Ugin, the Spirit Dragon early on? Nissa's Renewal and Explosive Vegetation would do , with the former having a nice lifegain bonus to keep you afloat. Managorger Hydra would be a great early play to take advantage of all of your control spells.
October 28, 2015 12:04 p.m.
OminousRex says... #10
Oops, Flameshadow Conjuring would put my dragons in the graveyard ;)
October 28, 2015 12:50 p.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #11
I did see your deck OminousRex, and because of it I did want to try splashing red for Kolaghan, his effect seems powerful mid to late game when opponent is able to play creatures he top decks unless he loses 10 life.But i was considering him more for that control aspect, and not how explosive my dragons could become in turn.
While I do appreciate the suggestions for ramp, this a control shell who uses Dragons as win cons, but that doesn't mean it is some weird mid-range control deck. Dromoka is added just to make it more difficult for control decks and to pad my life. I may remove green altogether if it doesn't work; although Abzan Charm is really tempting as well. That beign said if i added ramp spells i would be taken away counters, and/or removal, and I dont wana do that. I want to stick to a control deck not switch to aggro.
I really do appreciate the suggestions though! It's cool to see the many roads the deck could take and does open up for testing possibilities.
October 28, 2015 12:53 p.m.
I actually really like this list, have you played much with it yet? I don't think I'd change anything.
October 28, 2015 1:20 p.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #13
Honestly, Slowgod, I have not. Only testing I did was on here and just a couple times. I was supposed to get this build to FNM last week but I could not for the life of me get a hold of a couple of Dragonlord Dromokas and Silkwraps. I was also hoping to take it to game day, but unfortunately I was unable to attend, although luckly for me levimc seemed to have done well with my deck list. Not sure if he played this list with the recent addition of green or not.
This week's FNM will be my first time seriously testing the deck after the changes. Will see how it does and see if I should side/remove the walker in exchange of more control/removal/card advantage (Abzan Charm is looking very tasty right now). I do have to say, even though a few people have suggested I remove Gideon, that he is an absolute beast and whether he is in the MB or SB he will stay in the deck hehe.
October 28, 2015 1:53 p.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #14
I am starting to wonder if I should try out Ultimate Price. There are a plathera of mono colored creatures being played, and after some quick testing the card is quick and can stop some early damage. Hmm.....
October 28, 2015 6:01 p.m.
OminousRex says... #15
I swear by Ultimate Price and Ruinous Path. They have served me extremely well in my control decks :)
October 28, 2015 6:18 p.m.
OminousRex says... #16
And Horribly Awry is my answer to Jace, Vryn's Prodigy Flip. Hit the road Jace, and dontcha come back no more, no more, no more, no more ;)
October 28, 2015 6:44 p.m.
OminousRex says... #17
There are few things as satisfying as rendering $400 worth of an opponent's cards useless with 50 cent uncommons.
October 28, 2015 6:56 p.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #18
Hehe, yeah it is definitely a great feeling.
I can see already where I can fit Ultimate Price. Really should find a slot for Duress as well.
October 28, 2015 7:05 p.m.
OminousRex says... #19
Duress is a great card but it got squeezed out of my deck because I found after playing it for a while, you need more than 2 copies for it to be consistently effective.
October 28, 2015 7:24 p.m.
I don't use any splash of red or green in my pure Dragon Esper Control. Check it out My Own Dragon Esper Control deck.
October 29, 2015 12:33 a.m.
ComputerizedMTG says... #21
Quick change before FNM. Want to give Narset Transcendent another go so I removed the Crux of Fate from the SB and placed Narset in its place.
Liammtgbeginner says... #1
i sold my fricking jace when he was 30$! son of a gun!
October 24, 2015 10:19 a.m.