Esper Control (Standard)

Testing/Thoughts:

• I'm testing going heavier on the black removal suite as Vraska's Contempt is the best removal spell in standard, however I don't want to just copy the Esper lists from the pro tour since those are targeted towards a specific meta. Having tested the esper lists from the pro tour I found myself missing settle the wreckage more often than not. I find at least having a couple in the list keeps your opponents honest.
• 1 Ixalan's Binding SB (I feel like this is an underplayed card and the effect is very good vs. the Mono-Red and RB decks.)
• 3 Walking Ballista SB (I am testing these in the knight of malice/baral, chief of compliance slots in order to combat the increasing numbers of Glint-Sleeve Siphoners. It's also pretty nice vs opposing Teferis and as a mana sink in the control mirror.)
• 2 Cast Down SB over 2 Essence Extraction (I'm not sure about this, but Brad Nelson and Guillaume Wafo-Tapa both had Cast Down over any life gain removal spell in the SB so i wanted to give it a shot. I like the mana efficiency and it may be worth it over the swingy life gain removal spells.)
• I'm not sure about the last SB card at the moment. I need to identify my weakest matchup with the current build.

Cards I would like to test:

• 3 Baral, Chief of Compliance SB
• 2 Gonti, Lord of Luxury SB
• 2 Karn, Scion of Urza SB

Cards I am not playing anymore:

• 3 Authority of the Consuls SB (***Edit: I might revisit this card with red occupying such a large share of the meta.)
• 2 Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage SB (Card was great when it was on the board and lived, but ultimately felt a little slow and too narrow.)
• 2 Cast Out MB (Card felt very weak against out opposing Cast Outs or Thrashing Brontodon.)
• 1 Profane Procession SB (With UW control playing next to no creatures in their 75 the card was just way too narrow. It is only good vs RB. ***Edit: With UBx Control and UB Midrange seeing an uptick in meta share I have been thinking about trying this card again.)
• 1 Nezahal, Primal Tide SB (I keep going back and forth on this card being in the SB, but for the moment I have cut it to make space to try out other cards. Until Disallow rotates I don't think I will be playing this card.)
• 2 Sorcerous Spyglass (Decks, most importantly RB, are starting to adapt to this card in the SB and I wanted to get ahead and try to be ahead of the curve by playing something harder to remove in Ixalan's Binding. However, this card performed great in the matchups I brought it in and I will definitely revisit the card if Ixalan's Binding proves to be lacklustre.)

WIP SB Guide (Any advice is appreciated)

Vs. UW/UWb Control

-4 Fatal Push
-2 Settle the Wreckage
-1 Vraska's Contempt
-1 Cast Down
-2 Essence Scatter

+1 Forsake the Worldly
+2 Negate
+2 Duress
+2 Arguel's Blood Fast
+3 Walking Ballista

Vs. UB/UBw Control

-4 Fatal Push
-2 Settle the Wreckage
-1 Vraska's Contempt
-1 Cast Down
-2 Syncopate

+2 Negate
+2 Duress
+2 Arguel's Blood Fast
+1 The Scarab God
+3 Walking Ballista

Vs. Mono-Black

• 2 Settle the Wreckage
• 4 Fatal Push

+1 Ixalan's Binding
+2 Negate
+2 Arguel's Blood Fast
+1 The Scarab God

Vs. UB/Grixis Midrange

On the Play:

-2 Fatal Push
-2 Settle the Wreckage
-1 Forsake the Worldly
-1 Search for Azcanta

+1 Ixalan's Binding
+1 Arguel's Blood Fast
+1 The Scarab God
+3 Walking Ballista

On the Draw:

-1 Fatal Push
-2 Settle the Wreckage
-1 Commit // Memory
-1 Search for Azcanta

+1 Ixalan's Binding
+1 The Scarab God
+2 Duress
+1 Arguel's Blood Fast

Vs. GB Constrictor & Mono-Green/Green-Black Stompy

-1 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
-1 Negate
-2 Syncopate

+1 Forsake the Worldly
+2 Cast Down
+1 The Scarab God

Vs. Mono-Red

-3 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
-1 Search for Azcanta
-1 Negate
-1 Glimmer of Genius
-1 Forsake the Worldly

+1 Ixalan's Binding
+2 Cast Down
+1 The Scarab God
+3 Walking Ballista

Vs. RB Aggro

-2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
-1 Search for Azcanta
-1 Glimmer of Genius

+1 Ixalan's Binding
+2 Cast Down
+1 The Scarab God

Vs. RB Midrange

-4 Fatal Push

+1 Forsake the Worldly
+1 Ixalan's Binding
+1 Cast Down
+1 The Scarab God

Vs. WB Benalia

-1 Glimmer of Genius
-1 Search for Azcanta

+1 Forsake the Worldly
+1 Negate

Vs. UR God-Pharaoh's Gift

-4 Fatal Push
-1 Vraska's Contempt

+2 Negate
+1 Forsake the Worldly
+1 Ixalan's Binding
+1 The Scarab God