Adam Haggerty's Esper Control
 
Type: Deck Idea
Format (legal 👍)
modModern
Approx. Value:
$66.07
Buy

0 Likes 0 Comments
Avg. CMC 3.43
Card Color Breakdown
Card Type Breakdown

Marvel's Spider Man
releases on September 26, 2025!

Preorder now on CardKingdom Preorder now on TcgPlayer

Marvel's Spider Man
releases on September 26, 2025!

Preorder now on CardKingdom Preorder now on TcgPlayer
Main Deck - 60 cards, 24 distinct
Sort by:
:
Name  Ed. Price Type Cost P Modified
Rarity Color
Instant (17)
3 Blink of an Eye
$0.12 Instant 23-May-2018 17:12
2 Cast Down
$0.31 Instant 23-May-2018 17:11
2 Hieroglyphic Illumination
$0.08 Instant 23-May-2018 17:04
3 Pull from Tomorrow
$0.41 Instant 23-May-2018 17:10
3 Settle the Wreckage
$2.42 Instant 23-May-2018 17:04
3 Syncopate
$0.06 Instant 23-May-2018 17:11
1 Vraska's Contempt
$0.33 Instant 23-May-2018 17:13
Sorcery (7)
4 Approach of the Second Sun
$2.30 Sorcery 23-May-2018 17:04
3 Fumigate
$0.42 Sorcery 23-May-2018 17:04
Artifact (2)
2 Thaumatic Compass // Spires of Orazca
$1.33 Artifact // Land 23-May-2018 17:04
Enchantment (5)
1 Profane Procession // Tomb of the Dusk Rose
$0.34 Legendary Enchantment // Legendary Land 23-May-2018 17:10
2 Search for Azcanta // Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
$1.79 Legendary Enchantment // Legendary Land 23-May-2018 17:04
2 The Eldest Reborn
$0.28 Enchantment - Saga 23-May-2018 17:11
Planeswalker (3)
3 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
$1.90 Legendary Planeswalker - Teferi 23-May-2018 17:04
Land (26)
1 Arch of Orazca
$0.29 Land 23-May-2018 17:04
1 Drowned Catacomb
$0.98 Land 23-May-2018 17:09
2 Fetid Pools
$0.31 Land - Island Swamp 23-May-2018 17:08
2 Field of Ruin
$0.18 Land 23-May-2018 17:04
2 Glacial Fortress
$0.50 Land 23-May-2018 17:04
4 Irrigated Farmland
$0.23 Land - Plains Island 23-May-2018 17:04
4 Island
$0.14 Basic Land - Island 23-May-2018 17:04
4 Isolated Chapel
$0.62 Land 23-May-2018 17:09
5 Plains
$0.08 Basic Land - Plains 23-May-2018 17:04
1 Swamp
$0.13 Basic Land - Swamp 23-May-2018 17:09
Sideboard - 26 cards, 11 distinct
Sort by:
:
Name  Ed. Price Type Cost P Modified
Rarity Color
Creature (10)
1 Gonti, Lord of Luxury
$0.17 Legendary Creature - Aetherborn Rogue 2 23-May-2018 17:56
3 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
$7.08 Legendary Creature - Human Advisor 2 23-May-2018 17:15
3 Knight of Grace
$0.13 Creature - Human Knight 2 23-May-2018 17:04
3 Knight of Malice
$0.14 Creature - Human Knight 2 23-May-2018 17:14
Instant (6)
2 Invoke the Divine
$0.08 Instant 23-May-2018 17:04
4 Negate
$0.24 Instant 23-May-2018 17:04
Sorcery (6)
2 Doomfall
$0.06 Sorcery 23-May-2018 17:13
4 Duress
$0.14 Sorcery 23-May-2018 17:14
Artifact (1)
1 Sorcerous Spyglass
$0.09 Artifact 23-May-2018 17:04
Enchantment (3)
2 Arguel's Blood Fast // Temple of Aclazotz
$0.32 Legendary Enchantment // Legendary Land 23-May-2018 17:16
1 Gideon's Intervention
$0.14 Enchantment 23-May-2018 17:04

Notes
 
It get's easier if I abandon Approach all together, but I'm not fully convinced that having access to some kind of clock isn't worth it. Decking your opponent by normal draws is quite the game plan, and Approach let's you win games you shouldn't. I've been running the Bant version for grow from the ashes, which is very powerful and can help close games fairly quickly with approach. Black offers a lot of tools.

Black has access to 4 duress, which is particularly good in the diverse threat meta, and is the ultimate pace maker in counter wars. Duress with counterspell back up is a savage beating to straight U/W control. Duress is also a proactive tool, so pairs well with trying to land an approach, teferi, or strip opposing planeswalkers at key times. The eldest reborn is some sweet tech that has surfaced, and is pretty much great against everything. The fact that it can get planeswalkers to is just so much gas, effectively acting as another Teferi. Going into black also let's us get away from the enchantment removal. It's not the biggest liability and they are certainly efficient, but people are preying on these from side somewhat, and cast out wars are annoying and fragile. It can create a tempo window if they remove or bounce it, and the black removal just happens. We also can play a miser's profane proccession, which I have a feeling is going to overperform. Playing a decent number of these flip cards also still give us access to mana acceleration, which helps still get an approach ahead of schedule and win control mirrors. We also can play Kambal and Blood Fast. Kambal is a ridiculous win con against control, and having access to blood fast in a control mirror is Sweet. We can run Gonti, which also generally good against everything, and super good against control. History of Banalia is still a concern, but not untenable. Overall, I think if we hone it right, it should be the apex control deck, and also have the same if not a little more robust plan against the rest of the field. I'll need to compare lists with esper midrange and B/W vehicles.

As an aside, the mana right now is GREAT for control decks. Anyone who thinks the mana is bad just hasn't figured it out yet. Check lands, cycling lands, and utility lands across color favor control decks for sure. Running three colors is relatively easy, as long as the third is a light splash. I might be pushing it with vraska's contempt, but it also might work out just fine! Dual color decks don't have 12 awesome dual options, but they have 8 and a bunch of functional options, so top complaining? I think three color manabases are actually easier than two for this reason.
Comments
    No comments yet.