[DTB] Blade Control

[xfxf]

StP isn't enough to pull the game back against lethal Warrens and Verdict is sually too late. Your best bet is boarding in the second EE. I usually beat storm pre Warrens though, coming back from 18 goblins is just shits and giggles.

[AEnesidem]

I'm considering dropping th emaindeck clique for a 4th snapcaster. Snapcaster feels like a fish in the water in this deck. It's one of our best cards and i'd prefer to draw snapcaster mage over clique in 99% of the situations. I usually was a huge fan of clique, but i find it very underwhelming in esper stoneblade and i think a 4th snapcaster would be better in almost any situation.

opinions?

[xfxf]

Agree with you completely but I'm also considering putting it in the side along with a second copy. Usually against slow combo I find myself having plenty of disruption with no clock and Geist isn't the answer here. An end of turn Clique spoils plans.

[Arsenal]

StP isn't enough to pull the game back against lethal Warrens and Verdict is sually too late. Your best bet is boarding in the second EE. I usually beat storm pre Warrens though, coming back from 18 goblins is just shits and giggles.

I think he was being sarcastic.

EDIT: Re: 4th Snapcaster over the 1-of Clique, I didn't like it in my testing. I always found myself a tad light on flashback targets to justify the 4th Snapcaster in Esperblade (assuming Vidi's stock list). I also like that Clique is an actual clock when our SFM -> Equipment plan fails.

[xfxf]

I recently heard this discussion in real life so don't mind if he was being sarcastic.

Edit: Just noticed who made that post as I'm downing my 4th pint. You are a kind soul to call it sarcastic, in other parts of the world we call it Thrunning.

[ThediscoPower]

I'm considering dropping th emaindeck clique for a 4th snapcaster. Snapcaster feels like a fish in the water in this deck. It's one of our best cards and i'd prefer to draw snapcaster mage over clique in 99% of the situations. I usually was a huge fan of clique, but i find it very underwhelming in esper stoneblade and i think a 4th snapcaster would be better in almost any situation.

opinions?

I don't think it should be dropped, but then again, I do find myself always happy to draw a snapcaster, so the 4th could be good. What I did drop are my 2 sideboard copies of clique, that I did find underwhelming. I think it has been a few games where I found them crowding my hand. ended up resleeving my trusty ol' meddling mages instead.

And for your goblin problems, there is always zealous persecusion!!

[AEnesidem]

I don't think it should be dropped, but then again, I do find myself always happy to draw a snapcaster, so the 4th could be good. What I did drop are my 2 sideboard copies of clique, that I did find underwhelming. I think it has been a few games where I found them crowding my hand. ended up resleeving my trusty ol' meddling mages instead.

And for your goblin problems, there is always zealous persecusion!!

Weird conclusion. I find clique to have a lot of value as a sideboard card against combo but not so much maindeck because its' mediocre against th emajority of the field

[Serbitar]

I was on 4 Mystic, 4 Snap, 0 Clique. For the GP I switched to 4-3-1 and was very happy with that. Snapcaster Mages tend to be very clunky in multiples against all halfway tempo oriented decks. Also, the prevalence of Deathrite Shaman weakens our Snapcasters.

[Arsenal]

I was on 4 Mystic, 4 Snap, 0 Clique. For the GP I switched to 4-3-1 and was very happy with that. Snapcaster Mages tend to be very clunky in multiples against all halfway tempo oriented decks. Also, the prevalence of Deathrite Shaman weakens our Snapcasters.

This. I found 4 Snapcasters to be too many as I often didn't have a relevant target for him. 3 felt right to me.

[rancOr_]

I have always played 4snapcaster in Stoneforge, both UWx and Esper. I dont ever see myself playing only 3, the card is too good in this deck. It really is...

[DragoFireheart]

I recently heard this discussion in real life so don't mind if he was being sarcastic.

I feel bad for that person if that is their strategy for fighting Storm decks.

This. I found 4 Snapcasters to be too many as I often didn't have a relevant target for him. 3 felt right to me.

Agreed. 4 seemed like too many. 3 is the correct amount.

[Malakai]

Just weigh snapcaster against the number of three-drops you have and you'll find the right number.

Deathrite Shaman makes snappy worse, but if you're bringing in more removal he jumps back up to good again because you always have a way to kill Deathrite.

[thra1l]

I played 4-4 Snap/Stoneforge until combo was really prevalent and I switched a Snap for a Clique. Both are fine in my opinion. When I Top 8'd SCG Cinci in February I was on 4 Snaps and never really had a problem.

[lost_ronin_soul]

I been working on a blue white red version for a while now. It runs pretty decent

Lands:
1 Academy Ruins
2 Arid Mesa
4 Flooded Strand
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Plateau
2 Tundra
2 Volcanic Island
3 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains

Creatures:
2 Geist of Saint Traft
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Vendilion Clique

Instants:
4 Brainstorm
1 Counterspell
4 Force of Will
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Spell Pierce
3 Swords to Plowshares(Sideboard one as of 4/18/13)
1 Izzetet Charm(updated 4/18/13)

Artifact:
1 Batterskull
1 Umezawa's Jitte
2 Sensei's Divining Top
2 Engineered Explosives

Planeswalkers:
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor


Sideboard: (changes as of 4/18/13)
2 Detention Sphere
2 Flusterstorm
2 Mindbreak Trap (I face storm in almost every event and fluster storm, spell pierce and ,fow dont seem to be enough)
1 Spell Pierce
1 Engineered Explosives
3 Red Elemental Blast
2 Rest In Peace
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Supreme Verdict


this is my forum page which I been tinkering on the deck and posting my results in tournaments for American blade

This deck turns Geist into a powerhouse since its harder to get chump blocked (kill spells and stoneforge protection )
It also runs 21 lands but the mana base doesnt seem to cuz any problems regularly with top and brainstorm.

[mike1987]

Do you guys think running 22 lands in this pseudo control deck is a tad too little? Of course, a timely cantrip can most certainly save oneself from being land screwed but there are a few times i just didnt draw enough lands.

[kirdie]

I feel like the deck never has enough mana, yesterday I had 7 lands in play and it was still not enough for all the batterskull back to hand, play again, equip jitte, use academy ruins and top stuff I could have been doing. With UW, 23 lands and 3 Ponders I feel it is barely enough.

[learntolove6]

i think 22 is okay with 1-2 ponders and 4 brainstorms.

i;ve recently been very frustrated with my draws playing vidi's list, so i decided to cut either 1 vindicate or 1 EE for another ponder. i didn't know which was right and was wracking my brain over other spells to cut, because i was sure i wanted a second ponder, but i think im just going to cut the 1 ponder from vidi's list and run 1 top to smooth my draws. it's almost never a bad thing to have a top in any match up, so i think this is right. all the spells in this deck are so good!

also, i've been readjusting my sideboard to fit geist in (playing the mirror match taught me a lot about geist's power). i don't know how to fit him in though, can anyone post their sideboards so i can learn a thing or two?

[rancOr_]

i think 22 is okay with 1-2 ponders and 4 brainstorms.

i;ve recently been very frustrated with my draws playing vidi's list, so i decided to cut either 1 vindicate or 1 EE for another ponder. i didn't know which was right and was wracking my brain over other spells to cut, because i was sure i wanted a second ponder, but i think im just going to cut the 1 ponder from vidi's list and run 1 top to smooth my draws. it's almost never a bad thing to have a top in any match up, so i think this is right. all the spells in this deck are so good!

also, i've been readjusting my sideboard to fit geist in (playing the mirror match taught me a lot about geist's power). i don't know how to fit him in though, can anyone post their sideboards so i can learn a thing or two?

I play UWB without all the cute cards making my draws way more consistent, which has had good results. I don't play EE/verdict/vindicate/academy ruins. But run with 2ponder 2clique 4snap 3pierce with a solid mana base w 22lands. I like this alot more then all the other esper versions that are being copyed all around the world. (so also 21 blue spells instead of 19)I never needed more MD removal then just the 4stp/4snap, as u also have Jace/Jitte/Souls etx. I do run additional removal in the SB: 2perish.1verdict.1path.1darkblast. Snapcaster obviously plays a big role in this deck, so I got 2Perish to complement against Jund/deathrite which has always been awesome.

[zerzab11]

@learntolove: This is the board I'm currently rocking:

2 Surgical Extraction
2 Geist of Saint Traft
2 Flusterstorm
1 Thoughtseize
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Disenchant
1 Relic of progenitus
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Darkblast
1 Perish
1 Cabal Therapy
1 Ethersworn Canonist

I play 4 Force main, the Canonist is there to make Combo (big factor of the current field) better (which is quite favorable postboard imo)

On another hand I think this deck lost some of his power in the format due to the bad Shardless BUG MU, which is relatively heavy played over here. Anyone who faces this as well?

[Arsenal]

Punishing Jund and Shardless BUG have made Esperblade a less attractive deck to pilot. Both decks are very tough matchups for us, imo. I've gotten lucky here and there mostly due to a timely Perish, but overall, I do not like these matchups over a 9 round tourney.