Fraying Sanity is so good in multiples, just with 2 and a glimpse, that's 40 cards milled. Also why just 3 Archive Trap?

Flooremoji- First, thanks for the upvote!

I agree with your assessment of Fraying Sanity. I only included 2 of Sanity and 3 of Archive Trap to keep room for Tempo and hard mill. sanity is an investment in this deck, often tapping out for the turn and not really adding to the "turbo" side of the deck's playstyle. Trap while cool, is usually only fooling my opponent once. Furthermore, is rarely hard casted, even when I have the mana, as I usually have more cost-effective spells in hand.

Thanks for the feedback! Play hard and have fun!

You too!

Cool! UB Mill has interested me since I first saw it a long time ago. Looks like you've made a really solid version of it with some good cards, it was very helpful for me. Thanks.

I've made my own version of the deck, with some significant changes. You can check it out and see what you think if you like. Esper Archive Trap Mill

Espescially in an esper shell with Path to Exile you should always play four Archive Trap.

Eledain- Statistically speaking, yes; 4 traps are better, in theory.

In practice, a set of traps used to be in here. Alas, after pulling it early game too many times, I've opted to go to 3. The setup usually only works once. After that, the opponent is savvy to my tricks, and won't allow another trap to go off without hard casting it. I removed one to make room for a Fraying Sanity a card that's cheaper, and can get more done over the course of a game. Thanks for the input!

Play on!

I know your problem mate, some people will play around Archive Trap in game two and three, but don`t you think it would be better to play all four in game one and side some or all out after boarding?

Eledain- It depends on your meta, I suppose. I see your point: having the chance of 2 Archive Traps to pop off for free opening hand, is pretty awesome, and I 100% agree. And I appreciate the Sb wiggle room it offers. I simply can't decide what to take out for it. LOL

Flip side of the same coin, cost for cost, the other mill spells are more effective and progress the archetype just as effectively, without being so conditional. I can get nearly as much done with a Glimpse the Unthinkable, or a well timed/lucky Mind Funeral, as spending 5 mana because my opponent refuses to be fooled again. That late in the game, I need the mana to control what the board is doing, as there will undoubtedly be a boardstate.

That said, my decision will stand for now, but Iwill take your words into serious consideration in future games.

Thanks for the upvote, mate!

Idk if this has been said yet but doesnt Snapcaster Mage seem like a snap 4-of here??

also maindeck Trapmaker's Snare??

Pyromancer999- Great suggestions!
I've had 2x Snapcaster Mage here before. It did what it was supposed to, it just didn't do it well enough to justify another $80 increase to the price of the overall deck.

My perspective is: yes, Snappy opens up gy resources, but also essentially doubles that spell's cost. It just isn't right for this build, IMO. There's simply no room for it.

As far as Trapmaker's Snare. I have a deck (unlisted), that's built around that silly little combo. For this particular strategy. To be honest, both Snare and Archive Trap seem to only take up real estate in-hand, while I either wait for them to search thier library, or uh.. hope their stupid enough to search their library after a Ghost Quarter, or Path to Exile, I don't like hope.. While I play a heavy psychological game at the table, I don't like to leave much to chance when it comes to the cards I'm playing.

While Field of Ruin guarantees a search, it also makes me pay to do it, and then another to then search with Snare simply not resource efficient, in my experience.

Great minds think alike! I appreciate the feedback, as always! Again, it's all meta specific; What works for me, may not for you!

Go forth, and conquer!

This list has helped me improve my Esper Mill so thank you! I really like use of Ethereal Haze rather than Darkness or Holy Day! I may also end stealing the Fragmentize, although I may stick with my Disenchants for the instant speed. The only suggestion I have is one recently made to me which is maybe some Mission Briefing for the Archive Trap recasts. Really cool deck though!

Enitofu- Let me preface this comment by saying, I'm not trying to be the guy that thinks this deck is perfect, and simply doesn't want to change the deck. I base my reasoning off of cost/effectiveness ratios. As with any and all of my decks, suggestions are welcome. I don't want anyone getting the impression that I'm too hard-headed to take suggestions.

That being said, I really do like Mission Briefing. It's got some good utility and resource acquisition goin on there. I could use it in something like Squidward's Horrorble Drawings. However it's power falls short of Visions of Beyond: I draw three cards, and can choose to play as many as I can afford for half the mana. In almost any other blue deck, it would probably be the other way around. But visions fits the archetype I've chosen a bit better.

I'm very humbled and excited that I've been able to help a fellow lobotomist! I hope it does well for you, and most importantly have fun with it.

Again, as with all decks, your meta may have different requirements to be max-effective. So happy gaming and thanks for the upvote!

jonmaior- Umm.. where do you see Trapmaker's Snare ?

you removed it it was in an old build

What are your thoughts on Mission Briefing ?

Perhaps in place of Fraying Sanity ?

HySpeed- Thanks for the suggestion. While I recognize the value Mission Briefing offers to Archive Trap , it doesn't fit right for this build.

Perhaps a mono-blue deck would benefit more from it; offering the chance for a counterspell, and if not, a chance for multiple Traps. I've been considering Stream of Thought . Opinions?

Being 3 color, double blue might be too much - good point.

Stream is 4 cards for 1 mana, which is nice. I used to have a table that listed mill cards and their "mill per mana" ratio. It was something like:

• Breaking {UB}: 8 cards / 2 mana = 4
• Glimpse {UB}: 10 cards / 2 mana = 5
• Funeral {1UB}: ~4 cards / 3 mana = ~4
• -- I am guestimating 4 cards before a land on average.
• Trap {0}: 13 cards / 0 mana = 13

adding your suggestion:

• Stream {U}: 4 cards / 1 mana = 4
• -- plus the late game: {U}{2UU}: 8 cards / 5 mana = ~2

So it is a cheaper version of breaking.

Love the deck and like how much time you put into it, +1 from me

Probably the best mill build I’ve ever seen.

Balaam__- Thank you! That means a lot.

However, for transparency, I haven't really gotten to playtest this build (had 4 each of Path, Haze, and Drown) and I'm worried ive taken too much tempo out for mill solidarity.

Playtest and lemme know what you think, everyone.