“Solar Flare” was a control deck in Magic: the Gathering that was prominent during the Innistrad block (2011-2012 Standard format). The deck utilized a combination of powerful control elements, creature removal, and graveyard recursion and revolved around Blue, Black, and White colors.. The deck’s name is derived from the card “Sun Titan,” which could bring back other creatures from the graveyard when it entered the battlefield.

The key components of the Solar Flare deck included the following:

1. Control Elements: Cards like “Mana Leak” and “Forbidden Alchemy” were used to control the opponent’s spells and dig for key cards.
2. Removal Spells: Efficient removal spells like “Doom Blade” or “Go for the Throat” helped deal with opponent creatures, along with some mass removal spells such as Wrath of God and Damnation.
3. Graveyard Interaction: The deck often included cards that benefited from or interacted with the graveyard. “Unburial Rites” was a crucial card, allowing the player to reanimate a powerful creature from the graveyard.
4. Card Advantage: The deck aimed to generate card advantage through cards like “Think Twice” and “Snapcaster Mage,” allowing players to reuse spells.
5. Finishers: The deck typically had powerful finishers, such as “Sun Titan” or “Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite,” which could dominate the battlefield and close out the game.

The Magic: The Gathering deck archetype later on adapted the name Esper Control with the release of the Shards of Alara set. Esper depicts the same three-color combination for this deck build.

Below is an example deck list of the Solar Flare deck:

Standard Solar Flare deck by JonathanRubin • MTG DECKS