Esper Jace Gifts (Modern)

Very fun esper deck.

COMING TOMORROW: THE IN DEPTH SIDEBOARD/MATCH UP GUIDE. STAY TUNED

RECENT CHANGES!
These are the recent changes I have been trying. I removed the 3 cryptbreakers. They were fun and could function as a discard outlet but were not reliable enough. I think the deck is functioning better with the extra disruption that has been added in place of more controlled discard. Will test and assess.
++Mainboard changes++
-3 cryptbreaker, +1 snapcaster mage +1 tidehollow sculler +1 Iona, shield of emeria (moved from sideboard).
++Sideboard changes++
-1 go for the throat, -1 iona (moved to mb [helps with burn and other aggro decks]) +2 disdainful stroke (helps our post board tron match ups)

Considering tweaking the deck here and there but it has been functioning well in testing so far against some of the more common competitive decks. (storm,gds,burn,coco decks,5c humans, jeskai geist/control, mardu pyromancer, Tron builds).

Possible changes to the mana base, shambling vent/mutavault could be cut for creeping tar pits, colonnade might be too expensive here. Cut another land for marsh flats.. Shambling vent in testing has been providing extra life from the damage taken by the fetch/shock landbase. In some matches this can be the tiny edge that pushes the deck to the winning turn.

Liliana the last hope is nice for getting a snapcaster or tidehollow back from the graveyard and her ultimate can clog up the board on your side while you find the pieces you need to combo out elesh norn or land a jace, the mind sculptor if it doesn't just win the game on its own. At the very least she saves you some points of damage if you're noncreature heavy. Going to test LotV in place of LtlH to see if that's a better option.

Thinking about testing a new card from Rivals of Ixalan Azor, the lawbringer. This could be a good reanimation target in certain match ups that are non creature heavy and its last ability acts as a reusable Sphinx's revelation which looks pretty cool. Will see if this is useful as a sideboard option.

It is also notable that the scarab god is hilarious here. If not exiled or countered he keeps coming back every turn if you want him to and most players will not see it coming. 5cmc is not too expensive in this kind of deck as a 1 of when games usually run long. I think he would be good in a lantern control match as you can sit back and let his first ability do damage while scrying through your deck looking for what you need. Will test against lantern control next. In a pinch, the scarab god can also reanimate elesh norn as a 4/4 zombie with all of her abilities. This makes your scarab god a 7/7 recurring nightmare. Do not discount the power of scarab reanimation. Makes for some interesting gameplay. There are few things in magic I enjoy more than reanimating a creature from the opponents graveyard at instant speed. Need a few extra life? Now you have a 4/4 kitchen finks. the possibilites are endless.

Search for azcanta worked great as a 2 or 3 of in my original deck. Now I have gone down to 1 and am considering cutting the last one for a third snapcaster. This does not change the mana curve. 2 snapcasters have been working well but mostly as an alternative gifts package (snap, fatal, path, x). 3 might be a better option, but this is a pricey card.

Gifts Ungiven piles

This section details the different strategies that can be used when casting gifts ungiven. To players unfamiliar with the card or deck, when casting gifts if it is not required to find all 4 cards in your library. Any amount is ok. This is what makes the elesh norn/iona combo work reliably, because the 2 cards you search for in your library are guaranteed to go to your graveyard. A big creature and a flashback reanimation sorcery. Gifts is an instant, so try to cast it at the most opportune time. If cast at the end of your opponents turn unburial rites can then be cast right after when your following main phase begins with as little warning for your opponent as possible.
It takes practice to operate this deck smoothly so don't just go for the big creature combo every time. Figure out what your opponent is trying to do, look at the cards in your hand and weigh the options. This is a powerful spell that can get you out of some tight spots.

Here are some gifts piles I use

+Big creature combo+ (unburial rites, elesh norn, grand cenobite)/(unburial rites, iona, shield of emeria) if unburial rites is in hand you can gifts for elesh norn and iona being able to reanimate both with the flashback.
+Risk it big combo+ (elesh norn, grand cenobite, iona, shield of emeria, the scarab god, unburial rites) This gets you all 3 of your heavy hitters if you can pull it off!
+Snapcaster mage packages+ ~removal~(snapcaster, fatal push, path to exile, x)
---If unsure of what else to put in the pile lingering souls is always a safe bet since it has flashback---
+Sweeper package+(supreme verdict, damnation, bontu's last reckoning, x)
+Need a black source now+(swamp, snow-covered swamp, urborg, tomb of yawgmoth, x)
+Need a blue source now+ (island, snow-covered island, shock or fetch, x)
+Liliana the last hope is on the field+ (tidehollow sculler, snapcaster mage, x, x)

The sideboard needs some work but functions well as is. Let me know if you have any criticisms or feedback! I enjoy playing this deck and want to make it as effective as I can.