Esper Control fights over the same resource territory as your deck — removal and card advantage — so the game becomes a war of attrition where resolving a threat they cannot answer is the path to victory. Orim's Chant and Counterspell are their primary weapons; your Mana Tithe and White Orchid Phantom play important roles by taxing and pressuring them during tapped-out windows. Hexing Squelcher disrupts Teferi, Time Raveler's activated minus ability, which is their primary threat-plus-protection piece, and its prowess-light body can attack planeswalkers effectively. Clarion Conqueror as a flying threat demands a specific answer and is difficult for Esper to profitably trade with using creature-based removal. Vexing Bauble taxes their cantrip suite and slows their Tune the Narrative and Consult the Star Charts draws, keeping them from assembling their lock pieces quickly. Mass sweepers are dead cards when they run few creatures.