Esperlark for Regionals

By Jim Marlow

Hey guys,

So by now you know im playing some sort of reveillark deck for regionals of the w/u/b variety, and i have finally slain the 61st card from my deck to produce pretty much the exact 75 i will be taking to Leeds (and then later to ipswich and cambridge) in an attempt to get to nationals

4 x tidehollow sculler
4 x mulldrifter
4 x stillmoon cavalier
3 x vendilion clique
3 x reveillark
2 x sower of temptation

4 x path to exile
4 x cryptic command
4 x esper charm
3 x wrath of god.

4 x arcane sanctum
4 x reflecting pool
2 x mystic gate
2 x sunken ruins
2 x fetid heath
2 x vivid creek
1 x vivid meadow
1 x vivid marsh
3 x island
2 x plains
2 x swamp

Sideboard

4 x burrenton forge-tender
3 x bitterblossom
2 x jace beleren
2 x scepter of fugue
2 x infest
1 x wrath of god
1 x sower of temptation

Having written last article about how good thoughtseize is, i realised after much deliberation that it simply doesnt fit into this style of deck, why? well firstly because if im using it to manipulate a control players hand, i would prefer to use scepter of fugue, and against aggro style decks i am happy for them to flop their hand on the table, because i am wrathing. I think already having the vendilion cliques gives me a bit of an edge in control mirrors, so i found myself boarding out the thoughtsiezes when i was hypothetically boarding.

Here's how i would sideboard in some of the more common matches.

Vs Fae.
-3 wrath
+3 bitterblossom

This is a pretty simple move here, i am already preboarded to some extent because of the cavaliers main, plus clique and sculler to spoil the party. I think bitterblossom basically pushes the match in my favour because i can deal with theirs in multiple ways (charm or cavalier). I might like to squeeze in the jace's or the scepters here too, what do you guys think?

Vs 5cc/cruel
-2 wrath of god
-2 sower of temptation
-4 stillmoon cavalier
+4 burrenton forge tender
+2 scepter of fugue
+2 jace beleren

This is pretty basic sideboarding, because most of the cards im siding out are pretty weak against 5cc. I want to leave a wrath and the paths in against walls and plumeveils, which can become problematic if they slow me down too much, but i think with the jace's and scepters i can get ahead on cards and win.

Vs Dark Bant

-4 esper charm
+1 sower of temptation
+2 infest
+1wrath

I am not sure whether the esper charms or tidehollow scullers are worse in this matchup, i think it might depend if im playing/drawing too, but either way, i feel this match is fairly winnable, with 6 wraths main plus the cavaliers essentially providing protection from their deck the only thing that scares me is a birds of paradise with a loxodon warhammer....and rafiq maybe?

Vs kithkin and w/b tokens

-4 tidehollow sculler
+1 sower of temptation
+2 infest
+1 wrath

Is this right, should scullers or esper charms be out for both, not sure really? either way i feel like this match should be ok with lots of wraths. I really want to play auster command because it feels soo good against both these decks right now, because wrathing all their guys plus killing either bitterblossom or glorious anthems in multiples must feel good. anyway maindeck cavaliers and 6 wraths, seems ok.

Vs boat brew

-4 stillmoon cavalier?
+4 burrenton forge-tender

Im guessing here, i need to test this matchup more, i think i probably want the infests in too, who knows?

Well if you can see any glaring mistakes with my deck or sideboard plans please comment, but i am feeling pretty good about it right now. I am going to be back in Leeds sometime on Easter weekend, so my house will availible for deck testing / drinking for most of the week, as im pretty sure there will only be 2 of us in, so we could probably put people up for a night or two if people want.

I will be giving an update about the t-shirts very shortly (today or tomorrow) both on here or on facebook, but basically i need to get back to Leeds before i can pay, because my card has expired today and i left my chequebook in Leeds, hence me getting back there early.

See you all soon

Jim

As always, feel free to comment on anything related or unrelated to this article. If you would like to contribute to the TLM blog, please send articles, ideas, naked photos, or anything else you would like me to publish to ss07jm@leeds.ac.uk