Drowning Esper Control
Standard*
SCORE: 3 | 1568 VIEWS | IN 1 FOLDER
Current Matchups at LGS —July 13, 2019
Breakdown of the decks I see often at weekly Standard: Jeskai Control: The guy's personal brew, it has a heavy nod toward the power of Mono Red with maindeck Revitalize and Absorb and is similar to the older lists before Esper's rise (thanks to Allegiance and War). This match up is favored, as most of Esper's removal can also hit Walkers and Thought Erasure is a great tool, while Crackling Drake is easy to destroy with removal and with Narset, Parter of Veils out is another one for one. Boros Aggro: Sometimes Feather, the Redeemed sometimes classic, this is a fast deck that often utilizes Path of Mettle Flip for the last game advantage. This matchup is a little iffy, and one hopes to draw plenty of removal without paying too much life. Tyrant's Scorn is a better removal option than Cast Down here, as Feather dodges the later and they may also have Tajic, Legion's Edge so if your game store has a lot of Feather the trade might be worth it. Mono Red Aggro: Mostly the Lightning Aggro challenger deck with some cards added, this match up is favored if you have Oath of Kaya and a Teferi, Time Raveler or two to use it multiple times. It can buy the turns you need to get your powerful late game online, as well as remove pesky threats like Goblin Chainwhirler or a Tibalt who's downticked. As long as you keep your life padded Ugin can run away with the game, outdoing even their go wide strategy given time. Experimental Frenzy and Chandra, Fire Artisan are answered with Despark cleanly, and Teferi can bounce the Frenzy while Vraska's Contempt handles Chandra. Match ups that aren't major archtypes: Orzhov Midrange that uses Cruel Celebrant alongside Glass of the Guildpact to turn the afterlife cards into true threats, and has added planeswalkers like Sorin, Vengeful Bloodlord and Kaya, Orzhov Usurper to help along the way. To beat this deck you want to exile their threats as they keep coming back to haunt you. Best card for this match up, and the reason I stubbornly keep it in the side, is surprisingly Thief of Sanity. It is slow enough that the Thief takes over the game, if defended right. Grixis Control: I've only seen this deck once or twice, and while the discard is annoying Esper can recover and beat the Bolas twins. Ugin is nice here, as well as a flavor win as he takes down his brother. I don't have much information on this match up however, so can only wish you luck. Match ups that are big but I don't see and so have no advice: Bant Midrange, Simic Nexus, Gruul/Jund Aggro, Esper Hero (which is not control no matter what the internet says, I refuse), Mono Blue, and whiel it used to be good against Saulti Midrange I'm not sure now.