Welcome to my Esper hand Control deck!
This deck plays a lot like lantern control, but instead of limiting what they draw, you instead limit what they play. In my opinion it’s a lot more fun than lantern control because it doesn’t drag out as long and you have a lot of different interaction to work with.
Hand Control
This deck is all about knowing the opponent’s hand and deck so here are the cards that control the game before any threats even make it to the battlefield.
Meddling Mage: Mage works wonders in this deck, and a lot of time is a pretty good win condition since we are able to take out all their removal with other affects.
Nevermore: Not many decks mainboard enchantment removal, so Nevermore is a very strong card in the deck. However, since it’s 3 total mana and 2 white, we are only running two copies, as Meddling Mage is a bit more reliable. Still good about stopping combo pieces and big threats.
Sorcerous Spyglass: Adding this over Pithing Needle was actually a harder decision than you would think. Both are so good, and since I have so many other cards that let you peek at the hand, I felt as though I didn’t need it at first. After some playtesting and a bit of reflection, I realized being able to consistently know my opponents hand was very important, so paying an extra mana to do so seemed well worth it.
Tidehollow Sculler: Still not really sure if I like/need this card in the deck. So far, it has really helped but it just seems a bit weaker than a lot of cards in the deck, as it doesn’t have synergy with the Extraction cards. Right now I’m debating whether I should replace it with a win-con. Death's Shadow maybe?
Thoughtseize/Inquisition of Kozilek: These are the staples of the early game. Disrupting the opponents early game with these cards makes playing first extremely strong. Additionally, synergy with the 6 Extractions in the deck can be very powerful, and games can be over on turn one simply by making them discard their combo piece and then paying 2 life for Surgical Extraction.
Board Control
As this is mainly a hand Control deck, it obviously needs a little bit of board control just in case they top deck and slip something by.
Fatal Push/Path to Exile: Obviously very very strong removal spells, honestly some of the best in the format. No other explaination needed really.
Runed Halo: This acts as sort of a Meddling Mage but can be used for something that has already hit the field, so it’s honestly a really great card. In a lot of cases though it will just be used like a Mage to make casting the card pointless.
Support/Other
Peek: May replace this eventually but it’s done well in playtesting since it at least replaces itself by drawing a card. The hand peek is really nice in this type of deck, but it’s simply not Gitaxian Probe though :(
Surgical Extraction/Extirpate: Even Though these are under the support category, they are super necessary for the deck. With all the playsets, as well as all the graveyard play, these cards are crazy good. A lot of times these Extractions will be a 4-for-1 which is insane.
Search for Azcanta
: The Deck was lacking card advantage overall and was blowing out its hand a little too early in the game. So this card really helps survive the late game.
Lingering Souls: Acts as the sort of win-con in the deck, as it’s a bit lacking in that department. May replace in the future but so far it’s worked pretty well.
Creeping Tar Pit: Another Solid Win condition in the deck that’s pretty hard to get rid of when played correctly. The Evasion plus the fact that only instant speed removal gets rid of it makes for a very solid card.
Well that’s it! Thanks for viewing the deck and please, any feedback is appreciated!
