[DTB] Blade Control

[klaus]

Just so u know, rector gets beat up by RIP as well.

I favor the 2 RiP, 2 S. Ex. split. Don't underestimate the value of knowing your opponent's hand.

[Megadeus]

Right now I lack yard hate in my board. May just play 3x RIP. its just so damn good. Is it SB material for RUG?

[learntolove6]

Just so u know, rector gets beat up by RIP as well.

Yeah, i'm aware. It's part of my board plan for them. Surgical just also has value in different kinds of match-ups, like High Tide.

[Artlee]

Right now I lack yard hate in my board. May just play 3x RIP. its just so damn good. Is it SB material for RUG?

Like Scavenging ooze it can blank 2/3 of RUG's creatures. On the other hand it also blanks your Snapcaster.

[Hapless Researcher]

So, here's my take on Esper Stoneblade:

Creatures: 13
4 SFM
4 Snap
3 Bob
2 Clique
Artifacts: 4
1 Batterskull
1 Jitte
2 EE
Planeswalkers: 3
3 JTMS
Instants: 12
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords
3 FoW
1 Counterspell
Sorceries: 6
2 IoK
2 Thoughtseize
2 Lingering Souls
Land: 22
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
3 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
1 Karakas
1 Academy Ruin
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Swamp
2 Wasteland
1 Scrubland

My thoughts on the initial board were:

2 Supreme Verdict
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Perish
2 Spell Pierce
1 FoW
2 Flusterstorm
3 RIP
1 PTE
2 D-Sphere

What you guys think?

[mike1987]

So, here's my take on Esper Stoneblade:

Creatures: 13
4 SFM
4 Snap
3 Bob
2 Clique
Artifacts: 4
1 Batterskull
1 Jitte
2 EE
Planeswalkers: 3
3 JTMS
Instants: 12
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords
3 FoW
1 Counterspell
Sorceries: 6
2 IoK
2 Thoughtseize
2 Lingering Souls
Land: 22
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
3 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
1 Karakas
1 Academy Ruin
2 Island
1 Plains
1 Swamp
2 Wasteland
1 Scrubland

My thoughts on the initial board were:

2 Supreme Verdict
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Perish
2 Spell Pierce
1 FoW
2 Flusterstorm
3 RIP
1 PTE
2 D-Sphere

What you guys think?

Nice list there but I am still hesitant on playing Bob with quite a few high casting cost cards in the deck.

On a sidenote: Does this deck need card filtering options like sensei's divining top or ponder? Recently the lists have been cutting ponder altogether but some still play a single top in the mainboard.

[Hapless Researcher]

Bob is fine with all the Brainstorm effects in the deck. They basically turn your storms into Recalls if you have 0cmc cards in hand.

[Mackan]

Recently started playing this again... I've been on and off about it since mystic was standard legal. Right now Im tired of Jace (even though he's better than all) so I cut him. Instead I enhanced the early/midgame (more aggressive curve, better wastelands etc). What do you think about it?

CREATURES (12)
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Dark Confidant
SORCERIES (12)
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Ponder
4 Lingering Souls
INSTANTS (12)
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Spell Pierce
ARTIFACTS (2)
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
LANDS (22)
4 Wasteland
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
1 Scrubland
1 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
SIDEBOARD
2 Engineered Explosives
2 Meddling Mage
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Tormod’s Crypt
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Flusterstorm
2 Thoughtseize
2 Perish

[Hapless Researcher]

Recently started playing this again... I've been on and off about it since mystic was standard legal. Right now Im tired of Jace (even though he's better than all) so I cut him. Instead I enhanced the early/midgame (more aggressive curve, better wastelands etc). What do you think about it?

CREATURES (12)
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Dark Confidant
SORCERIES (12)
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Ponder
4 Lingering Souls
INSTANTS (12)
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Spell Pierce
ARTIFACTS (2)
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
LANDS (22)
4 Wasteland
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
1 Scrubland
1 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
SIDEBOARD
2 Engineered Explosives
2 Meddling Mage
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Tormod’s Crypt
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Flusterstorm
2 Thoughtseize
2 Perish

I think you should definitely be running V Cliques.

[Vandalize]

Recently started playing this again... I've been on and off about it since mystic was standard legal. Right now Im tired of Jace (even though he's better than all) so I cut him. Instead I enhanced the early/midgame (more aggressive curve, better wastelands etc). What do you think about it?

CREATURES (12)
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Dark Confidant
SORCERIES (12)
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Ponder
4 Lingering Souls
INSTANTS (12)
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Spell Pierce
ARTIFACTS (2)
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa’s Jitte
LANDS (22)
4 Wasteland
4 Polluted Delta
4 Flooded Strand
3 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
1 Scrubland
1 Plains
1 Island
1 Swamp
SIDEBOARD
2 Engineered Explosives
2 Meddling Mage
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Tormod’s Crypt
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Flusterstorm
2 Thoughtseize
2 Perish

You have too many lands for this list. With 4 Brainstorm, 4 Ponder and a lower curve, you could easily cut to 20 (and still play 4 Wasteland). You'll get flooded often. I'd trade 2 lands for 2 Vendilion Clique or something as good as that Fae.

@thread, this is my latest list, and I've been tinkering with Trinket Mage, and it's been okay.

Lands [23]
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
4 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
1 Scrubland
2 Island
1 Karakas
1 Swamp
1 Plains
2 Mishra's Factory
1 Academy Ruins

Creatures [11]
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Trinket Mage

Spells [21]
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
3 Force of Will
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Lingering Souls
1 Counterspell
2 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek

Artifacts [5]
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Engineered Explosives

Sideboard [15]
3 Path to Exile
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Flusterstorm
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Disenchant
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Force of Will

Looks a lot of a toolbox list, but it works fine. Mishra's Factory have been pulling their weight pretty hard against almost anything. They carry equipment like a boss. Nihil Spellbomb is fine, but maybe Tormod's Crypt is better in that slot.

Any comments or criticism?

[thra1l]

@thread, this is my latest list, and I've been tinkering with Trinket Mage, and it's been okay.

Lands [23]
4 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Marsh Flats
4 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
1 Scrubland
2 Island
1 Karakas
1 Swamp
1 Plains
2 Mishra's Factory
1 Academy Ruins

Creatures [11]
4 Stoneforge Mystic
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
2 Trinket Mage

Spells [21]
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
3 Force of Will
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Lingering Souls
1 Counterspell
2 Thoughtseize
2 Inquisition of Kozilek

Artifacts [5]
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Engineered Explosives

Sideboard [15]
3 Path to Exile
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Flusterstorm
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Disenchant
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Force of Will

Looks a lot of a toolbox list, but it works fine. Mishra's Factory have been pulling their weight pretty hard against almost anything. They carry equipment like a boss. Nihil Spellbomb is fine, but maybe Tormod's Crypt is better in that slot.

Any comments or criticism?

I love a good Trinket Mage toolbox. :D
I was playing him, but recently switched to squeeze in Bobs (not sure how that'll go, I'll be testing them tonight lol). I personally like Tormod's Crypt over Nihil Spellbomb in lists that run Trinket Mage, just because once you have 3 lands you can go ahead and nuke their graveyard without needing that extra 1 mana to play Spellbomb.

[Apollo]

I tested Bob's and i'm just not sure they belong here yet. I decided to cut the number down to a couple. Having multiple bobs out was really living on the edge with five 5 CMC cards floating in the deck.

[Hapless Researcher]

I tested Bob's and i'm just not sure they belong here yet. I decided to cut the number down to a couple. Having multiple bobs out was really living on the edge with five 5 CMC cards floating in the deck.

You should never play multiple Bobs unless you have a brainstorm loop. Having a board presence is only beneficial when you have a an aggro role in a matchup. Playing multiple Bobs without the brainstorm is setting up for disaster.

As an example, if you have Snap/Brainstorm going, then Bob in multiples is ok, but the dream is having 2 Bobs with Jace. You can use the 0 ability to put 0cmc cards on top, and then confidant into them to optimize card advantage. The real trick is leaving a fetch on top if both cards are lands, so you can shuffle the second away in the event that your Bobs die. You can also risk it if you have a dependable source of life gain ie Jitte or Batterskull.

It adds another layer of decision making to the game, but it can be stellar if navigated properly.

This turns the deck into a pseudo vintage Snap/Jace control deck.

[Jblaze4lif]

Def pseudo Vintage snap bob bc no Tinker Blightsteel, Time Vault or tutors moxen time walk recall lotus. Ah Vintage Madness!!!

[Hapless Researcher]

Def pseudo Vintage snap bob bc no Tinker Blightsteel, Time Vault or tutors moxen time walk recall lotus. Ah Vintage Madness!!!

We can't have all the toys. This is Legacy after all.

[Hapless Researcher]

Def pseudo Vintage snap bob bc no Tinker Blightsteel, Time Vault or tutors moxen time walk recall lotus. Ah Vintage Madness!!!

We can't have all the toys. This is Legacy after all. This is the core engine of that build though, so it can't be all bad.

[Megadeus]

Im liking that Trinket Mage toolbox. Ive been playing with 2x Explosives and 1 Relic of Prog. Maybe you are right about just playing Crypt though. I Do love search relic up and nuking both yards to negate Goyfs and Deathrite Shaman altogether though...

[Hapless Researcher]

Im liking that Trinket Mage toolbox. Ive been playing with 2x Explosives and 1 Relic of Prog. Maybe you are right about just playing Crypt though. I Do love search relic up and nuking both yards to negate Goyfs and Deathrite Shaman altogether though...

If you're in Esper run Nihil Spellbomb. It's a repeatable cantrip and hate.

[LDX]

Hey guys, quick questions about Esperstone Blade. I'm going to a tournament this Sunday and I'm still workin on the optimal build in order to win. Here is my current decklist, please take not of 2 things:

-I do not own more than 1 JtMS
-I do not own EE
-I do not own more than 1 Vendilion Clique

Is it still possible to run an Esper deck? Should I switch to something else, like BW? Would I/do I have chances?

Thank you!

1 Academy Ruins
1 Karakas
1 Plains
1 Scrubland
2 Island
11 Swamp
2 Wasteland
4 Underground Sea
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
2 Tundra

1 Vendilion Clique
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Stoneforge Mystic

1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Liliana of the Veil

1 Batterskull
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Umezawa's Jitte

1 Counterspell
2 Spell Pierce
4 Brainstorm
4 Force of Will
4 Swords to Plowshares

3 Thoughtseize
1 Vindicate
3 Cabal Therapy


SB: 1 Vindicate
SB: 3 Lingering Souls
SB: 1 Cabal Therapy
SB: 3 Surgical Extraction
SB: 2 Perish
SB: 3 Mindbreak Trap
SB: 2 Pithing Needle

[dsck]

Hey guys, quick questions about Esperstone Blade. I'm going to a tournament this Sunday and I'm still workin on the optimal build in order to win. Here is my current decklist, please take not of 2 things:

-I do not own more than 1 JtMS
-I do not own IE
-I do not own more than 1 Vendilion Clique

Is it still possible to run an Esper deck? Should I switch to something else, like BW? Would I/do I have chances?

If you dont have Jaces you would do better with tempo esper version (lingering souls, delvers and dazes). http://thecouncil.es/tcdecks/deck.ph...9&iddeck=63964

What does IE stand for? Only thing I can think of looking thru your list is inquisition of kozilek but thats IoK for short.. Cabal Therapies seem very weak in your list.