Grixis or Esper?

Modern Deck Help forum

Posted on April 12, 2017, 11:56 a.m. by TheRiddler

I'm wanting to start a new deck slowly over the coming months, and I'm stuck between Grixis Control/Tempo and Esper Control/Tempo. Regardless I want to play both Tasigur, the Golden Fang and Gurmag Angler as well as possibly the accompanying manlands. So what do you all think?

EmblemMan says... #2

Grixis then gurmags and tasigur just dont really fit in an esper deck with collonade

April 12, 2017 12:32 p.m.

APPLE01DOJ says... #3

I vote Grixis. It's a faster style and more enjoyable to play against.

April 12, 2017 12:44 p.m.

The real question here is do you want to play interactive control with a fast clock? Or do you want to make your opponent Miserable?

April 12, 2017 1:07 p.m.

sylvannos says... #5

I also vote Grixis. Terminate, Lightning Bolt, and Kolaghan's Command are all way too good not to play in Control, especially with how fast aggro decks have gotten in Modern. It's easier to just nuke things after they've resolved than try to hold up countermagic at all times.

The only "Esper" deck I've ever liked playing was Gifts Ungiven, and that needs a 4th. color anyway because you lack removal otherwise.

April 12, 2017 6:55 p.m.

TheRiddler says... #6

Interactive control with a fast clock is where I'm leaning. I make people miserable in EDH, so something where we can move on with our lives would be best. Really as long as I can play blue, Tasigur, and Gurmag I'll be happy.

What deck would I make people miserable with? Like what's the general build?

April 12, 2017 9:01 p.m.

TheRiddler says... #7

So I threw together a base list to start direct card discussion: Grixis Tempo/Control. For simplicity sake let's have all that deck specific talk happen there. Thanks for all your help!

April 12, 2017 9:50 p.m.

As a control player, I cannot pass on Supreme Verdict, Path to Exile or Sphinx's Revelation. Therefore I always play Esper or Jeskai Flash :)

April 13, 2017 6:25 a.m.

TheRiddler says... #9

I made some changes to list, check them out!

April 13, 2017 5:19 p.m.

Xica says... #10

Both of those cards are at their best when played for the insane tempo they are able to create.

Grixis is probably the best color combination for building tempo oriented decks, hell even its old timer finisher card - Cruel Ultimatum - is just a large tempo card, not a finisher, strictly speaking.
Esper is strong, but it favours hardline control, not tempo.

April 18, 2017 9:53 a.m.

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