This is my version of Esper Control that I am playing for Khans of Tarkir Standard. As of this post, I have gone 3-1 the past three weeks, and I gotta say, I LOVE this deck! I am also a control player at heart, so I don't feel THAT bad about it :)
Card breakdown;
Thoughtseize; B and two life discard the most relevant nonland card in your hand? Seems legit.
Bile Blight; I was originally running them in the side, but I think that at least two should be run main. It hits a lot of relevant three CMC or less creatures, and is an early mainboard answer to tokens.
Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver; I once heard that Ashiok is a card you either love or hate, and I have fallen on the love side of the fence. If you manage to stick Ashiok turn three and protect Ashiok, you basically win the game. Ashiok is still a relevant answer in the late game to, threatening to mill your opponent out, as well as kill them with their own creatures. The only problem I have with Ashiok is that I can't tell if Ashiok is a man or a woman... ah, well, doesn't matter. A fantastic card nonetheless.
Hero's Downfall; the best targeted removal spell in Standard right now.
Dissolve; I know a lot of people want a cheap counterspell, but personally, I like Dissolve. Cancel isn't a terrible card, and I feel the scry is more relevant in this type of deck.
Sorin, Solemn Visitor; even though this deck is playing no creatures main, Sorin is still a powerhouse. He combos very nicely with Elspeth's soldier tokens, he makes 2/2 fliers himself, and like most planeswalkers, his ultimate wins you the game. Very good card.
Utter End; the most powerful targeted removal spell in Standard. This deck is usually slow enough that it can get away with playing three of them main, and I have also considered a fourth side.
End Hostilities; a poor man's Wrath of God. And sadly, Fate Reforged doesn't look like it's going to help us control players out in the four CMC wrath department :(
Elspeth, Sun's Champion; amazing card. Wins games. 'Nuff said.
Dig Through Time; the poor man's Sphinx's Revelation, but that doesn't make this a terrible card. In fact, the life gain was the only reason that Sphinx's Rev was good in the first place, and Dig basically costs TWO mana in this deck most of the time! Sounds pretty good, doesn't it? That's because it IS! But you probably already knew that.
Treasure Cruise; the closest Wizards could ever come to reprinting Ancestral Recall, or even, if I dare say, the closest they could come to reprinting power again, although I might eat my words somewhere down the line, so don't quote me on that. Regardless, good card.
Lands; kinda need them, kinda want them. This isn't Manaless Dredge, people.
Sideboard;
Bile Blight, for against tokens and Abzan Aggro/Midrange.
Deicide; enchantment hate, and I find it still relevant with Sidisi Whip running Pharika, God of Affliction sometimes, or at least at my LGS they do, so you could swap it with
Erase
, depending on personal preference and local meta.
Disdainful Stroke; comes in against basically every midrange and control matchup.
Negate; mainly for against control, but also good against Jeskai Tokens.
Brimaz, King of Oreskos; mainly for against control, but sometimes I will side it in against Abzan, since they will usually end up siding in planeswalkers and spells like Utter End, which means that I can set up some early pressure, and have them use their Downfall's and Utter End's on him instead.
Drown in Sorrow; mainly for against tokens, since there isn't anyother kind of pure aggro deck at my LGS's meta right now.
Liliana Vess; comes in against control, sometimes slower midrange decks. Also, I'm not sure if it worked, but I tried to show the art from the Duels of the Planeswalkers promo (which is what I have), and I must say, that is probably my favorite piece of Magic art ever. So well done!
Fated Retribution; mainly comes in against Abzan and control, because they will try to fight me with both planeswalsers and creatues.
Resolute Archangel; I feel like this card is underrated. Yes, it costs seven mana. Yes, it's only for a 4/4 flier. No, it's not a piece of crap, shut your mouth. This card WRECKS Jeskai Tempo, and to an extent, faster midrange decks, by basically resetting the game, and lets me beat you in the face with that 4/4 flying body you were so busy laughing at before. However, it does have it's limits, mainly fast or blitz - style aggro decks, but other than that, this card is better than you think.
That wraps up my breakdown of my Esper Control deck for Khans of Tarkir Standard. If you have any comments at all, compliments, criticism, or even snarky, rude and/ or borderline offensive remarks, feel free to leave them! :)
