Esper Control (post rotation) (Standard)

Right away I know the comments:
-You can't play Esper, there is no Godless Shrine yet.
-The mana base is terrible.

My response: Have you seen how terrible the Azorius decks land base is, this is no worse than that.

Esper gives you an opportunity to go a different direction with your control deck. While you will still play counters and plenty of removal, you have access to entirely different options.

Step 1) Where to start?

1) Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
*it's still why you play control in this format.

2) Settle the Wreckage
*still the best sweeper

3) Sinister Sabotage
*the best counterspell available

4) Chemister's Insight
*the best major card draw spell

5) Search for Azcanta
*it just provides too much potential value to not include in the 60.

Step 2) Why play black?

1) Thought Erasure
*such an amazing turn 2 play to disrupt our opponents turn sequencing or to grab a threat that we do not have an answer to.

2) Vraska's Contempt
*still going to be a strong card moving forward

3) Cast Down
*excellent cheap removal

4) The Eldest Reborn
a 3 for 1 that gets you amazing value
stronger after the opponent sideboards out there spot removal

5) Unmoored Ego (sideboard)
*good night narrow strategies

Step 3) Round out the cheap spells

1) Mission Briefing
*a cheap spell, but not an early turn play. Has a ton of targets.

2) Seal Away
*cheap exile removal

Step 4) Finish the counterspell package

1) Essence Scatter
*mostly concerned with creatures at the start of the format.

2) Syncopate
*exile

3) Negate
*there will be some midrange/control decks. Also an answer for History of Benalia.

4) Disdainful Stroke
*for all the big bad stuff out there.

Step 5) Sideboard
*pretty straight forward... there are obvious cards for the control mirror, counterspells to adjust after game 1 depending on the opponents deck, removal for creature heavy decks, and a pair of Dream Eater's to catch opponents off guard that take out removal.