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Thread: [Deck] UWb Esperblade

  1. #81
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Playstyle is really an awful word to describe the methodology of how this deck operates. There are correct and incorrect plays, which are deduced from the matchup, cards in hand, board position, etc.

    For the above example, I cannot just give you an answer so easily. For instance, you don't always want to use your misstep to protect your creatures. The best use of misstep, outside of countering other missteps, is targeting threats and possibly cantrips. Hierarchs and Vials count too.

    I suppose, in the NORug matchup, if I won the die roll, it might be best to just make land drops and play around my opponents inevitable turn 3 Clique rather than commit a creature to the board. If I lose the die roll, my play is going to be more reactive to what my opponent does. This may mean letting Bob eat a bolt so SFM can vial in Feast and Famine, while saving Misstep for something else, like pitching to FOW. There are so many variables present here - it is the opposite of cut and dry.

    Against Stoneblade I like to make my land drops and see who blinks first. This deck can utilize tempo like crazy if you know how.

    It is my opinion that this deck is a beast in the current American legacy metagame. It does not come with training wheels, however. Some of the interactions are much more complex than just playing Jace and winning the game. Yes, if oftentimes can be that academic, but if you don't know how to use brainstorm yet, play another deck.
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  2. #82
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Hey, I'm just getting back to Magic after a 10 years break and just started playing Legacy, cut me some slack :)

    I think I'm OK with the use of Brainstorm, definitely not pro level and still could use some improvements but again I think I'm doing fine. When I used to actively play there were no Fethclands around and Impulse was deemed better than Brainstorm so I'll get used to it :)

    But I can see what you mean, I think I'm more used to playing decks with an initial plan (straight up control so to speak) rather than decks which can change it's plan according to the matchup but this is the format and this is the current environment so what better way to learn than play, ask people about their approaches, strategies?

    Still I find the deck appealing and it would be cool to read a tournament report.

  3. #83
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    What do you think of this list?
    I really like it at the moment, It evolved from my BW Deadguy Ale to this one.
    What do the Esperblade Pros think?
    //Lands -20
    3 Underground Sea
    3 Tundra
    2 Scrubland
    4 Polluted Delta
    4 Marsh Flats
    4 Wasteland

    //Creatures -11
    4 Stoneforge Mystic
    4 Dark Confidant
    3 Snapcaster Mage

    //Artefacts -4
    1 Batterskull
    1 SoXaY
    1 Umezawa's Jitte
    1 Cruicible of Worlds


    //Discard -6
    4 Thoughtseize
    2 Hymn to Tourach

    //Removal -6
    4 Swords to Plowshares
    2 Vindicate

    //Countersuite -9
    4 Stifle
    4 Force of Will
    1 Spell Pierce

    //Utility -4
    4 Brainstorm

  4. #84
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    I think that Spell Snare and basic lands are really useful in this deck now. This would eliminate the need for Crucible too. I also really like Clique in the deck, and at this point haven't added Dark Confidant to the list yet, since it relies so heavily on SFM/Batterskull resolving.
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  5. #85
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Having play-tested UW Tempo and Bw Confidant and reading through this thread I can say that since misstep is banned (which desperately hurt this deck) UWb Esperblade needs to be tested with -4 FoW +delver of secrets, more equipment, bitterblossom, etc.

    My version of Bw Confidant used bitterblossom and it was fantastic. It makes equipment (notably Jitte) much, much better. I'll throw it together and see how it plays, I just don't own Cliques yet, damnit.

  6. #86
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    I recently got a few snapcaster mages and wanted to included them in my esper deck. I have had an esper-america deck built, but seeing recent finishes with a standard TA deck, there has been a shift from the tempo idea to using cards like additional discard.
    By taking the last deck I posted in the esper america thread and shifting cards to include those mentioned above, it developed into this.
    4 stoneforge mystic
    2 snapcaster mage
    2 tombstalker
    2 vendilion clique
    1 batterskull
    1 sword of ___
    2 jace the mindsculptor
    4 force of will
    2 spell snare
    2 daze
    4 brainstorm
    1 ponder
    4 hymn to tourach
    2 thoughtseize
    4 swords to plowshares
    1 dismember
    22 land
    One thing that a lot of people might think is that tombstalker and snapcaster do not work together, and its true you wouldn't want to play them right around to each other, but you probably wouldn't want to set things up to where that would happen anyway.
    Stifle could be awesome, but I also didn't always like holding up the mana for it either. With thoughtseize, it at least makes this not an issue.
    One thing I did do as adding a 22nd land, it is a sunken ruins. I haven't decided if its a good idea, but it does make it easy to get either BB or UU.
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  7. #87
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    I recently got a few snapcaster mages and wanted to included them in my esper deck. I have had an esper-america deck built, but seeing recent finishes with a standard TA deck, there has been a shift from the tempo idea to using cards like additional discard.
    By taking the last deck I posted in the esper america thread and shifting cards to include those mentioned above, it developed into this.
    4 stoneforge mystic
    2 snapcaster mage
    2 tombstalker
    2 vendilion clique
    1 batterskull
    1 sword of ___
    2 jace the mindsculptor
    4 force of will
    2 spell snare
    2 daze
    4 brainstorm
    1 ponder
    4 hymn to tourach
    2 thoughtseize
    4 swords to plowshares
    1 dismember
    22 land
    One thing that a lot of people might think is that tombstalker and snapcaster do not work together, and its true you wouldn't want to play them right around to each other, but you probably wouldn't want to set things up to where that would happen anyway.
    Stifle could be awesome, but I also didn't always like holding up the mana for it either. With thoughtseize, it at least makes this not an issue.
    One thing I did do as adding a 22nd land, it is a sunken ruins. I haven't decided if its a good idea, but it does make it easy to get either BB or UU.
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  8. #88
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    A quick update to the list I posted above. It turns out I really like the snapcasters and probably will go to 3 or even 4. If so I'll have to cut the tombstalkers to make it work. There is also benefit to adding at least 1 simply to increase the blue count up to 20.
    Currently I added an additional land as well, bringing the count to 23 and reduced the fetches to 8 and added a basic of each land. The basics may not be necessary and if I went with all 4 snapcasters, a riptide lab may be the way to go.
    By adding the additonal land it also meant I either had to cut the dismember and go with 4 removal or keep the dismember and play 3 swords in the main. I am still deciding how I would want to do this as well.
    Any suggestions?
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  9. #89
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Have you guys had a look at the following lists which placed 2nd and 4th respectively at the recent Jupiter Games tournament?


    Brian Finlayson-Schuler, 2nd Place
    Esper Fae-Blade


    Creatures:
    4 Spellstutter Sprite
    4 Stoneforge Mystic

    Legendary Creatures:
    2 Vendilion Clique

    Instants/Sorceries:
    4 Force of Will
    4 Swords to Plowshares
    4 Ancestral Visions
    4 Brainstorm
    1 Diabolic Edict
    2 Thoughtseize
    3 Daze

    Tribal Enchantments:
    3 Bitterblossom

    Planeswalkers:
    2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

    Equipment:
    1 Batterskull
    1 Sword of Feast and Famine

    Legendary Equipment:
    1 Umezawa’s Jitte

    Basic Land:
    1 Plains
    1 Swamp
    1 Island

    Non-Basic Land:
    4 Underground Sea
    2 Tundra
    2 Marsh Flats
    4 Polluted Delta
    4 Mutavault

    Sideboard:
    3 Inquisition of Kozilek
    2 Spell Pierce
    1 Diabolic Edict
    4 Extirpate
    1 Damnation
    2 Perish
    2 Engineered Explosives


    Eli Kassis, 4th Place
    Esper Stone-Blade:

    Creatures:
    3 Snapcaster Mage
    4 Stoneforge Mystic
    3 Dark Confidant

    Instants/Sorceries:
    4 Inquisition of Kozilek
    4 Swords to Plowshares
    4 Brainstorm
    1 Spell Snare
    4 Stifle
    4 Vindicate
    3 Daze

    Tribal Enchantments:
    1 Bitterblossom

    Equipment:
    1 Batterskull

    Legendary Equipment:
    1 Umezawa’s Jitte

    Basic Land:
    1 Island
    1 Plains
    1 Swamp

    Non-Basic Land:
    3 Underground Sea
    3 Tundra
    2 Scrubland
    2 Polluted Delta
    3 Flooded Strand
    3 Marsh Flats
    4 Wasteland

    Sideboard:
    2 Spell Pierce
    1 Tsabo’s Web
    2 Perish
    2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
    2 Disenchant
    3 Surgical Extraction
    3 Engineered Plague
    These lists take the deck in two very interesting directions. Thoughts?
    Last edited by BackDr0p; 10-20-2011 at 01:19 AM. Reason: Typo.


  10. #90
    In response: Snapcaster Mage
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    I like snapcaster mage a lot.

    Still not sure if I should play BUG or BUW in Amsterdam, but if I play Esperblade I would play a control game with 23-24 lands. In a build with Jace and Snapcaster Daze is bad and therefore Stifle won't be included in my build.

  11. #91
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Eli Kassis Esper stoneforge build from the last Jupitor games has been testing really well for me. -1 bitterblossom, +1 snapcaster and a complete redesign of the sideboard and you are good to go. Being able to skip force due to seize, daze, stifle and vindicate is wonderfull in all the attrition matchups.

  12. #92
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Well I want more blue cards and daze can give me that plus having only 2 doesn't make it too big a deal with the above mentioned cards, at least I don't think.
    If I up the mage count to say 4, and cut daze that would give me the 19 blue still, though I would like 20
    Maybe add an additional snare to it?
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  13. #93
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    I was able to get 2 more snapcasters for my deck and now have 4 in my build. I also finally was able to get a sword of feast and famine too, replacing the sword of body and mind I had in it.
    By doing exactly what I was proposing with cutting the 2 daze I had, adding an additional spell snare, the deck turned out to be pretty awesome I feel.
    My take is this:
    4 snapcaster mage
    4 stoneforge mystic
    2 vendilion clique
    2 jace the mindsculptor
    1 sword of feast and famine
    1 batterskull
    4 force of will
    3 spell snare
    4 brainstorm
    1 ponder
    4 hymn to tourach
    2 thoughtseize
    4 swords to plowshares
    1 dismember
    4 underground sea
    2 tundra
    2 scrubland
    1 island
    1 swamp
    1 plains
    4 wasteland
    4 marsh flats
    3 polluted delta
    1 flooded strand

    something I found out was making sure you had white was pretty important so put the plains in there to have 3 basics.
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  14. #94
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    Heh, I think I'm talking to myself in this thread as of late, but if anyone looked at the legacy decklists from this past SCG open, they would have seen an esperblade list among them.
    The interesting part is only having 2 force of will, no maindeck discard, the inclusion of 2 chrome mox, and 3 bitterblossom.
    I would doubt I would enjoy chrome mox in the deck, nor bitterblossom, so it would be interesting what others who have played those cards would think
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  15. #95
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    No, you don't talk to yourself ;-)
    I also saw the list, and i'am also not sure about the chrome moxes, but it makes very strong turn 1 plays possible, turne 1 stoneforge or confidant or blossom isn't that bad.

    About bitterblossom, i'am not sure about it atm, if it resolves it gives enough creatures to your equipment, when i played uw stoneblade, i often had the problem that my small creatures all died before they could take equipment... and hardcasting battleskull takes a lot of time...

    I think uwb stoneblade is a good way, but i'am not sure about how the build should look like. What i know it sholud have 4 stoneforge and 4 snapcaster, black discard and ...? :-)
    Last edited by jeanbathez; 11-08-2011 at 10:21 AM.

  16. #96

    Re: UWb Esperblade

    4 stoneforge mystic
    4 dark confidant
    4 snapcaster mage
    2 vendillion clique
    4 brainstorm
    2 ponder
    4 force of will
    4 spell snare
    4 swords to plowshares
    2 vindicate
    1 batterskull
    1 sword of feast and famine
    3 jace the mindsculptor

    4 mishra's factory
    4 marsh flats
    4 flooded strand
    4 tundra
    2 underground sea
    1 scrubland
    1 plains
    1 island

  17. #97

    Re: UWb Esperblade

    The thing about Bitterblossom is that if you land it on a clean table, it's really hard for your opponent to race it.

    And if it's not in a clean table, you get to Force Field a Tarmogoyf or Knight of the Reliquary while you dig for removal.

    It works well in offense, defense, carries an equipment and kills planeswalkers.

    There are cards that make it terrible, like Fire/Ice and Jitte, but I think it's too powerful and fits easily into the deck to cut it completely...

  18. #98
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    For the above deck, it appears a little risky for dark confidant simply due to the high CMC of many of the cards in it. 3 jace, 4 force, 1 batterskull, plus 5 cards costing 3. It might not be a big deal if you can land a batterskull and recoup some life but otherwise I think you might be running the risk of killing yourself that way.
    Also why the low amount of land (21) and 4 mishra's factory instead of wasteland.
    These are all questions a posting of a decklist do not answer very well.
    Originally I thought if you were wanting to play chrome mox, you would want more free counterspells, but then began to think that's even more disadvantage on your end, so you could potentially play something like Eli did with no force, and more removal or discard
    Anyone who eats hot dogs with their mouth is doing it wrong, as far as I’m concerned.

  19. #99
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    Re: UWb Esperblade

    4 Snapcaster Mage
    4 Spellstutter Sprite
    4 Stoneforge Mystic


    3 Spell Snare
    4 Brainstorm
    4 Force of Will
    4 Swords to Plowshares

    3 Ponder

    4 Bitterblossom

    2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor


    1 Batterskull
    1 Sword of Feast and Famine
    1 Umezawas Jitte

    Lands [21]

    1 Riptide Lap
    1 Plains
    1 Scalding Tarn
    1 Scrubland
    1 Swamp
    2 Island
    3 Tundra
    3 Underground Sea
    4 Flooded Strand
    4 Polluted Delta


    From the top of my head. Cards that can be included in the main : Vindicate, Discard,... to make more use of Snappy. I opted to not play Mutavault or Wasteland which are all options, this deck can be build with so much options- in so many different directions...

    And with snappy the SB gets easier : some number of extraction, spell peirce, discard...

  20. #100

    Re: UWb Esperblade

    4 stoneforge mystic
    4 dark confidant
    4 snapcaster mage
    2 vendillion clique
    4 brainstorm
    2 ponder
    4 force of will
    4 spell snare
    4 swords to plowshares
    2 vindicate
    1 batterskull
    1 sword of feast and famine
    3 jace the mindsculptor

    4 mishra's factory
    4 marsh flats
    4 flooded strand
    4 tundra
    2 underground sea
    1 scrubland
    1 plains
    1 island

    "oldbsturgeon

    For the above deck, it appears a little risky for dark confidant simply due to the high CMC of many of the cards in it. 3 jace, 4 force, 1 batterskull, plus 5 cards costing 3. It might not be a big deal if you can land a batterskull and recoup some life but otherwise I think you might be running the risk of killing yourself that way.
    Also why the low amount of land (21) and 4 mishra's factory instead of wasteland.
    These are all questions a posting of a decklist do not answer very well.
    Originally I thought if you were wanting to play chrome mox, you would want more free counterspells, but then began to think that's even more disadvantage on your end, so you could potentially play something like Eli did with no force, and more removal or discard"


    Here is why I made the choices that I did with this deck. First of all, dark confidant is not as risky as he might seem. You have a lot of ways to manipulate your deck, between 6 cantrips, 4 snapcasters to get cantrips back, and 3 Jace. Also, even losing a lot of life with dark confidant has often not been as big of a deal for me as it might seem - even while playing against my friend's zoo deck (which is the deck I have actually played against more than anything else). Once you start playing removal spells and buying them back with snapcaster, landing Jace, etc., you can clog up the board pretty well in order to stabilize. I used to run sensei's divining top as a way to help with bob, instead of running ponder, but when I added snapcasters I switched to ponder and it has worked out well so far. Life loss is a concern, but hasn't hasn't been too much of a problem so far.

    Moreover, Bob is essential to this build in my opinion, because he gives you one more "must kill" threat. I have found it useful to play him and stoneforge very aggressively, letting them kill the first of the two, and then playing the second, ideally with force of will backup, after they have used their removal spell. They almost always kill the first if they have removal, and either one, if it sticks, is often enough to win the game for you.

    Regarding the land count - I have found that with the six cantrips and only 4 colorless lands, there haven't been too many problems. Not only are there six cantrips, but you can use snapcaster to retrieve them. Also, there are only 6 black cards in the deck, none of which cost double black, so your mana base is actually fairly stable. Often what happens is you fetch up a black land on the second turn for bob, and then even if they waste you, you are fine, as you probably don't have any more black cards to cast and all your lands make blue and white except for factory.

    Also - aside from the fact that I simply don't have wastelands - I didn't want to go above 4 colorless lands while playing three colors, and I really wanted man-lands for the sword and to protect Jace. Also, they are useful if your life is low (from bob or simply just b/c) to use as blockers for nimble mongooses, nactl's, kird apes, etc. Finally, they simply increase your clock a hell of a lot. If you have a snapcaster and they have a goyf, and goyf is a 4/5, you can race them if you have a factory. THis seems essential, even though wasteland is obviously sick and gets you lots of random free wins.
    Last edited by rchinnock; 11-08-2011 at 10:36 PM.

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