Esper ``Sphinx'' Control

[thedoctor81877]

Hi, I am reletively new to magic, having only played for 1 to 1 1/2 yrs. I am working on an Esper Sphinx Deck, & would like some input please. Here is the deck below.

Esper ``Sphinx'' Control
Lands 4x Arcane Sanctum 2x Rupture Spire 2x Sejiri Refuge 2x Jwar Isle Refuge 1x Glacial Fortress 1x Drowned Catacomb 2x Kabira Crossroads 1x Plains 6x Island 4x Swamp Planeswalkers 1x Elspeth, Knight-Errant 2x Jace Beleren Creatures 1x Sphinx of the Steel Wind 3x Sharuum the Hegemon 2x Wall of Denial 2x Sphinx of Jwar Isle	Spells 1x Luminarch Ascension 3x Path to Exile 3x Oblivion Ring 3x Courier's Capsule 3x Essence Scatter 3x Negate 3x Executioner's Capsule 3x Countersquall 3x Esper Charm

I have the refuges in there because I currently do not have the money for the M10 lands (the 2 I have listed I got in booster packs or fat packs). I am also not sure if I should have a few more creatures or not. I definitely want this to be control rather than aggro thought. Any thoughts would be greatly be appreciated.

Thanks
-The Doctor

[Extremist Moderate]

I think one fun card you may like for this is Sphinx Ambassador. If you can swing with her, then it can ruin their bombs. Though she's not very competitive.(Just hope they aren't playing creatureless.)

Also, you may wanna go with something other than Sharuum, since you don't really have many good things to bring back.(And if you want a sphinx that comes back, try Enigma Sphinx) I think you might wanna try Magister Sphinx in this slot. It's an immediate impact, and sets a 2-turn clock.

[thedoctor81877]

So, you're saying I should play Enigma Sphinx? And, if I were to play Magister Sphinx, would 2 be enough (as that's all I have)? If I replace Sharuum with Magister, should I be adding another couple of creatures?

Also, how do my spells look?

-The Doctor

[Extremist Moderate]

They look fairly... controlling

However, I think you may want to see if you can somehow procure some Day of Judgment... If you can get them...(Maybe some more Luminarch Ascension?)

Enigma Sphinx was merely a suggestion. He could be good, but I'm not quite sure, but I really like Magister here.

Also, Into the Roil?

[movingtonewao]

why dont you up the esper charm count to 4. its really really good.

[thedoctor81877]

Thanks for everybody's help thus far.

If I can get some Day to Judgement's - would 3 be sufficient do you think? Also, how many Into the Roil's - again would 3 be enough? I do have extra Esper Charms, so I can easily up those to 4. If I make these changes, what should I take out; considering that my lands are at 25, and the deck is currently at 61.

Thanks again for the suggestions.

-The Doctor

If I replace the 3 Shauum's w/ 2 Magister Sphinx's; then would adding 2 Sharding Sphinx's help to not only give me blockers, but keep the creature count up?

-The Doc

If I replace the 3x Sharuum the Hegemon w/ 2x Magister Sphinx; then would adding 2x Sharding Sphinx help to not only give me blockers, but keep the creature count up?

-The Doc

Do not triple post. Please use the Edit button instead of posting multiple times in a row. Warning issued.

- SC

[metamorph]

i think Sphinx Summoner might be a great addition to the deck. my opinion is that the deck should be more of a "tap-out" control deck than a permission based counter control deck. i'd favor something more like this:

Deck
spells - 18 4 Day of Judgment 4 Path to Exile 4 Oblivion Ring 3 Esper Charm 3 Courier's Capsule planeswalkers - 4 2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant 2 Jace Beleren creatures - 12 4 Wall of Denial 4 Sphinx Summoner 1 Enigma Sphinx 1 Sharuum the Hegemon 1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind 1 Platinum Angel	land - 26 4 Kabira Crossroads 4 Jwar Isle Refuge 4 Sejiri Refuge 4 Arcane Sanctum 3 Marsh Flats 1 Swamp 2 Plains 4 Islands

notes:

i actually really like the lifegain mana base available for this deck. you can easily be gaining 4 or 5 life from just your land with this deck, and that can make a huge difference in surviving against an aggro deck.

the pacing of this deck is slow and deliberate. hopefully the fact that many of your lands come into play tapped won't be a big problem because of that. it wasn't a big deal for the 5 color control deck last season, so this deck might be able to get away with it also.

there are no counterspells at all. your plan is to bury your opponent with card advantage and win with Sphinxes that he can't deal with. your walls, board removal, and lifegain should keep you alive long enough to pull that off, hopefully.

[thedoctor81877]

In my brief time playing, I don't think I have ever, played a `control' deck (especially these colours) w/o having counterspells. It sounds intriguing, and I'd like to try it out, its just that I don't know if I can afford to get all of this now, or soon. The main problem would be the Day of Judgment, the Marsh Flat and the other Elspeth, Knight-Errant.

But, I would like to give this a try sometime. Any other suggestions about how to improve what I already have (i.e. in the realm of what it actually is - a countrspell deck) - and then later on [when I get the cash, I suppose[ I would like to try this version.

Thanks again
-The Doc

[Valick]

I've been meaning to put my Sphinx's to work in a deck but it really never seemed worth it until Sphinx of Jwar Isle came along. Anyways my version is slightly more expensive but should work verily well.

Deck
Creatures 2x Sphinx of Jwar Isle 2x Sphinx of the Steel Wind 3x Baneslayer Angel 4x Wall of Denial Spells 2x Spell Pierce 4x Negate 4x Path to Exile 3x Esper Charm 3x Mindbreak Trap 3x Courier's Capsule 3x Jace Beleren 3x Day of Judgment	Lands 2x Arcane Sanctum 4x Marsh Flats 3x Drowned Catacomb 2x Glacial Fortress 7x Island 4x Plains 3x Swamp	Sideboard 2x Spell Pierce 4x Flashfreeze 1x Mindbreak Trap 1x Day of Judgment 1x Esper Charm 4x Tidehollow Sculler 2x Duress

[Lionheart17]

Sphinx control looks good. I would personally use Path to Exile/Silence as control. Day of Judgement/Scourglass for board sweeping. Even Ethersworn Shieldmage to slow aggro turn 3 would work. Follow that up with 3 Sharuum for recursion of Shieldmage/Scourglass, 1 Platinum Angel and and 2 Sphinx of Steel Wind to keep you alive. You could even add Master Transmuter for more fun.

[thedoctor81877]

This is how I am *thinking* of altering my deck, based on everybody's suggestions, and my budget.

``Sphinx'' Control
Lands 4x Seriji Refuge 1x Glacial Fortress 4x Jwar Isle Refuge 1x Drowned Catacomb 2x Arcane Sanctum 3x Kabira Crossroads 6x Island 4x Swamp Planeswalkers 1x Elpeth, Knight-Erant 2x Jace Beleren Creatures 1x Sphinx of the Steel Wind 3x Enigma Sphinx 2x Magister Sphinx 2x Sphinx of Jwar Isle 1x Platinum Angel 3x Wall of Denial	Spells 3x Path to Exile 3x Obilivion Ring 2x Day of Judgement 2x Scourglass 3x Courier's Capsule 4x Negate 4x Esper Charm

[thedoctor81877]

Here is what I have now, but I am having trouble with the deck winning.

Deck

Lands (25) 2 x Arcane Sanctum 4 x Sejiri Refuge 4 x Jwar Isle Refuge 1 x Drowned Catacomb 1 x Glacial Fortress 3 x Plains 6 x Island 4 x Swamp Planeswalkers (4) 2 x Jace Beleren 1 x Elspeth, Knight Errant 1 x Tezzeret the Seaker Creatures (12) 1 x Sphinx of the Steel Wind 1 x Magister Sphinx 2 x Sharuum the Hegemon 1 x Sharding Sphinx 1 x Sphinx Summoner 3 x Tidehollow Sculler 2 x Etherium Sculptor 1 x Platinum Angel

Spells (18) 4 x Path to Exile 1 x Luminarch Ascension 3 x Oblivion Ring 1 x Day of Judgement 2 x Scourglass 3 x Courier's Capsule 4 x Esper Charm

I have been trying to find more Day of Judgment but my local store does not have any yet. I know, however, that I can get more 2 more of Scourglass. Should I try to do that, or go online to buy more of DAy of Judgement???

I am having trouble with the control aspect of this deck. I really miss the blue `permission' spells. I won once the other day, but my life was down to 2 :P . I should be able to get a few of Enigma Sphinx's tommorow at the magic shoppe and add them. I guess I still need some help with this deck.

Thanks,
The Doctor

[styx]

If you wanna play a deck with Sharuum then play more smaller stuff... like Vedalken Outlander and Tidehollow Sculler...

[zombiesrfun]

Originally Posted by thedoctor81877

Here is what I have now, but I am having trouble with the deck winning.


I have been trying to find more Day of Judgment but my local store does not have any yet. I know, however, that I can get more 2 more of Scourglass. Should I try to do that, or go online to buy more of DAy of Judgement???

I am having trouble with the control aspect of this deck. I really miss the blue `permission' spells. I won once the other day, but my life was down to 2 :P . I should be able to get a few of Enigma Sphinx's tommorow at the magic shoppe and add them. I guess I still need some help with this deck.

Thanks,
The Doctor

Tezzy looks out of place in that build.

[thedoctor81877]

Well, what should I put in if I take out Tezzeret? Also, if I take out the Sharuums, then what should I put in her place?

-The Doctor