Deck Discussion: Why Brilliant is not that brilliant.

So this time I will look at a list and write about what I like or dislike on the list.

And this time it will be Brilliant Esper.

Here’s the list I tried:

Brilliant Esper

// Lands
4 [ALA] Arcane Sanctum
2 [M10] Glacial Fortress
3 [ROE] Island
4 [ZEN] Marsh Flats
3 [ROE] Plains
3 [ROE] Swamp
4 [WWK] Creeping Tar Pit

// Creatures
4 [ROE] Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
4 [ROE] Wall of Omens

// Spells
4 [ALA] Brilliant Ultimatum
3 [ZEN] Day of Judgment
3 [ALA] Esper Charm
4 [ZEN] Spreading Seas
1 [WWK] Smother
3 [CFX] Path to Exile
4 [WWK] Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 [LRW] Liliana Vess
2 [ARB] Fieldmist Borderpost
2 [ARB] Mistvein Borderpost
1 [ALA] Elspeth, Knight-Errant

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [CFX] Path to Exile
SB: 2 [M10] Celestial Purge
SB: 2 [ARB] Identity Crisis
SB: 2 [ZEN] Kor Sanctifiers
SB: 4 [M10] Negate
SB: 4 [WWK] Kor Firewalker

Before I even played I took a look into the list. By doing this you can easily see you have 4 cards that never want to be on your hand and another 4 cards that you don’t want to see until you have 7 mana. I’m not fond of decks like this one, having 4 cards that you probably will never have the chance to cast during the game without the help of Brilliant Ultimatum looks pretty bad when you see hands like BUltimatum|Emrakul|5 other cards you already have 1 death card on your hand an 1 that is only active in late game if you happen to draw multiples of this is a complete blowout for an agressive deck.

Besides this the manabase is also clunky, you have 13 lands that can produce black (I’m not counting the fetch) and only 3 of them come into play untapped. While this might not seem a problem it actually is. Decks can capitalize on this by color screwing you, BUltimatum as a very awkward cost of  BBUUUWW, while they might not be able to making you ultimatum unplayable it’s possible to get some extra turns that can give your opponent the time to end the game.

For UW Tappout this is a good strategy that can give you some games and for Super Friends you should be aiming for it. Both this decks play Spreading Seas and some number of tectonic Edge and Oblivion Ring (gets rid of Borderposts) while Super Friends also have Ajani Vengeant. Also this deck as a lot of problem to deal with Planeswalkers beside attacking them with a Creeping tar pit, while this is not a bad plan it gives the other control player or screwing your mana even further by Pathing the manland. Ajani Vengeant makes this look really unfair on the first game since it will keep you out of 1 mana and if he goes ultimate you lose. Post side you will have an answer for it but it will still be hard matchup since they bring in 4-8 conters and you will need to play around it with only 4 negates.

Against jund things look pretty bad. On the first game if you reach 7 mana alive you will most likely win, post side it becomes hell. Besides they having Maelstrom Pulse and Blightning that hinder your plays they will also have 3-4 Duress to take away your best card in hand and 3-4 Goblin Ruinblaster to slow you down. I wonder if it can win a game post side against Jund.

It’s not a bad deck but I wouldn’t play this in a competitive tournament unless I am looking to have some laughs.

                                                        

Cumps, Anglachel.