[Primer] UR Delver

[Valdarith]

I want to start here:

[deck]
Creatures (12)
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer

Spells (30)
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Burst Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Thought Scour
3 Serum Visions
2 Spell Pierce
2 Spell Snare
4 Remand
3 Mana Leak
3 Treasure Cruise

Lands (18)
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
1 Breeding Pool
4 Island
1 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Surgical Extraction
2 Dispel
2 Grim Lavamancer
2 Magma Spray
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Flashfreeze
1 Negate
2 Combust
1 Keranos, God of Storms
[/deck]

[Valdarith]

I find it humorous that the art for both Young Pyromancer and Treasure Cruise are by Cynthia Shephard. Coincidence?

[Jack]

I don't think Keranos on 18 lands is a good idea.

[Jack]

And I think addressing the land count issue is the better way to remedy this.

[Valdarith]

I don't think Keranos on 18 lands is a good idea.

If you've played the UWR matchup as many times as I have you'll understand why it's there. Of course, it could be overkill since we're running Treasure Cruise.

Land count is fine I think.

[Valdarith]

Zem, thoughts on Burst Lightning vs Pillar of Flame here? I love playing at instant speed but I feel like maindecking Pillar of Flame could free up some sideboard slots while shoring up the Pod matchup. My main complaint with Pillar has been the nonbo with EOT Snapcaster.

[Mr. Metronome]

Oh my god. This has me excited for gp van.

[Mr. Metronome]

Zem, thoughts on Burst Lightning vs Pillar of Flame here? I love playing at instant speed but I feel like maindecking Pillar of Flame could free up some sideboard slots while shoring up the Pod matchup. My main complaint with Pillar has been the nonbo with EOT Snapcaster.

I don't mind the thought of 1 Pillar 1 Burst Lightning main. Pillar is worse with EOT Snapcaster but still goes to the face decently when you need it to.

When I was playing the SSS version I found I could usually make use of my mana in such a way that Pillar wasn't all that clunky. In fairness, that version wasn't casting Serum Visions.

[zemanjaski]

Pillar vs Burst Lightning is just a reaction to meta I think. I know pod is way more popular in the US than here in Aus, so Pillar is probably much better for you than me.

[zemanjaski]

[deck]UR Powerful Wizards[/deck]
Creatures
4 Delver of Secrets
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Young Pyromancer

Non-creature Spells
2 Burst Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
1 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
2 Thoughtscour
2 Treasure Cruise

Lands
1 Flooded Strand
5 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
1 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Steam Vents

Sideboard
2 Blood Moon
1 Combust
1 Dispel
2 Grim Lavamancer
3 Magma Spray
2 Negate
2 Spellskite
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Vedalken Shackles
[/deck]

To have the option of 3 Lavamancer or 3 cruise, whichever fits better

[Mr. Metronome]

I'm just testing with a split for the time being. What are some sideboard cards you've been testing with?

I usually use a ~25 card sideboard in testing, and then narrow it down after I've determined the matchups that need help most, so even super obscure 1ofs are sweet.

[Mr. Metronome]

That sideboard looks awesome, damn.

[zemanjaski]

Depending on your meta:
- Combust
- other counterspells (dispel, flash freeze, spell pierce)
- Dismember
- Threads of Disloyalty
- Spreading Seas
- Vandalblast

[zemanjaski]

Oh and Keranos / Batterskull duh.

[LP, of the Fires]

Keranos, since he's the most untouchable. Closest thing to playable answer is revoke existence.

[Valdarith]

How many times have you Snap + Cruised?

[LP, of the Fires]

To cruise, or not to cruise?

That's never the question.

Snap cruise.

[zemanjaski]

Twice.

One time was Cruise, Snap, Cruise around turn ~15 or so. Opponent conceded immediately.

[LP, of the Fires]

You regularly go through ~35 cards with this deck between fetching, cantripping, thought scouring and cruising.

[zemanjaski]

I've almost miller out many times with the deck over the last few months.

[Jack]

How many times have you Snap + Cruised?

Best feeling ever

[Mr. Metronome]

Been flooding a bit on 19 land, might try 18 with the 4th Serum Visions and either 3rd Treasure Cruise or another Thought Scour.

Now that we're running a lot of Scours, is Runechanters Pike a reasonable option? I realize the nonbo with Cruise, but at the same time a lot of my games see me having 15-20 cards in the yard in the mid to late game, and it's perfectly possible to delve a cruise without exiting many/any instants and sorceries.

I'm not sure if the Pike is needed, but it seems awesome to close games out quickly from time to time.

[zemanjaski]

Seems like you're in a rush to win when you shouldn't be; equipment doesn't interact by itself and is very clunky; you can't afford the tempo loss usually.

[Valdarith]

After playing with Pike a little in my 75 I realized that Batterskull and Keranos were just better.

[Mr. Metronome]

Yeah that makes sense. I'm probably just nostalgic for standard with uw runechanter flash.

[zemanjaski]

You implied that your were playing less than 4 visions? If so, please explain.

[LP, of the Fires]

Treasure cruise is the most back breaking thing in the lategame. Everytime I cast it after turn 4, it ends the game.

I'm kind of on board with the idea of a single hibernation. The boggles matchup is atrocious, and hibernation lets you actually catch up while being applicable in other matchups.

With a raw draw three in our deck, I don't mind having a hurkyulls recall for creatures.

[rcwraspy]

Treasure cruise is the most back breaking thing in the lategame. Everytime I cast it after turn 4, it ends the game.

I'm kind of on board with the idea of a single hibernation. The boggles matchup is atrocious, and hibernation lets you actually catch up while being applicable in other matchups.

With a raw draw three in our deck, I don't mind having a hurkyulls recall for creatures.

Is Boggles large in your meta? I've heard a lot of SB advice about not hedging for a matchup you're not likely to see. That said, Hibernation is better than some of the MD cards against Jund/Junk and Pod, too.

[Valdarith]

Engineered Explosives fills a similar role against Bogles while being good in other matchups.

[Mr. Metronome]

You implied that your were playing less than 4 visions? If so, please explain.

I was playing something in between your list and Val's from the top of the page.

[zemanjaski]

I'm skeptical of cutting a land AND a visions; you really need to hit 2 and 3 in a relatively timely fashion. I understand the fear if flooding, but that's even less if a worry now given you can draw 3 a few times.

[zemanjaski]

Finished 2nd in a 7 round event, played horribly. Will tune the list a bit.

[zemanjaski]

This is slightly better. I actually ran out of lands to fetch several times, so I am switching the mana base slightly, amongst other changes. If anything isn't intuitive, ask!

[deck]UR Delver[/deck]
Creatures
4 Delver of Secrets
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Young Pyromancer

Non-Creature Spells
2 Burst Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
1 Sleight of Hand
1 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
1 Thoughtscour
2 Treasure Cruise

Lands
5 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
1 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents

Sideboard
2 Blood Moon
1 Combust
1 Counterflux
1 Dispel
2 Grim Lavamancer
3 Magma Spray
1 Negate
2 Spellskite
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Vedalken Shackles
[/deck]

[Jack]

When do you bring in the extra Treasure Cruise?

[zemanjaski]

In attrition matchups.

[magicdownunder]

Zem would you be interested in playing Modern MOCS on Saturday, November 22, 2014 7:00 AM Pacific - which is around 11:00 PM Melbourne time I think?

I don't care much for the format so this could be a nice chance for you too battle it out in Modern against the world stage (you'll find that from team CFB LSV and Owen are MOCS regulars (though I can't recall any recent MOCS top8 in constructed)).

[zemanjaski]

I'll be in France for the World Magic Cup I am afraid.

[zemanjaski]

I am getting my Treasure Cruise alt. art to loo like Law's submarine. So gas.

[zemanjaski]

I might cut a Spellskite for a Batterskull, since...well...Batterskull.

So many options, mostly all excellent.

[Pedros]

I might cut a Spellskite for a Batterskull, since...well...Batterskull.

So many options, mostly all excellent.

Isnt generally Keranos better than Batterskull? Most people seemed to agree on it?