I think sidewinder sliver and striking sliver are probably similar power levels in terms of 1-drops. The biggest draws of sidewinder, IMO, are that flanking stacks (unlike first strike, though I admit that that's rarely relevant) and that sidewinder sliver is the same color as sinew sliver, so it's easier on the manabase. If you're already playing a full set of bolt, helix, and boros charm then maybe you would want striking sliver instead, but I've been extremely happy with a bant manabase, since it's much more stable and lets me run the 4x Mutavault that give so much reach.
Incidentally, here is the md that I've been testing:
This build tries to play a bit more of a tempo game than a straight blitz list, which gives incidental resilience to mass removal with the countermagic and the ability to 'hold back' a couple lords until the last turn. Additional resilience to targeted removal comes in the form of spellskite and opaline sliver. I'd really love another spellskite, but I'm not sure what I can take out that wouldn't compromise the aggression of the deck too much. I may cut one of the mana leaks for it. This can easily go turn 1 vial, turn 2 lord plus galerider, and then just sit back on disruption while repeatedly bashing for four in the air. Once I figure out a sideboard I think I'll start running this regularly at local modern events.
EDIT: Also, it's easy to set up a good finishing blow by holding back a couple lords until near the end and then playing them out at once to give that surprise boost to finish out a game. Also, the arid mesa are a concession to my only having 1 misty rainforest. I'd much rather run 4x Misty.
The first thing I notice is that you're missing two of your 'other spells,' giving you a 58-card deck. You might look into going up to 60, as I've heard you tend to win more games that way.
It feels like your list can't really make up its mind as to what it wants to be. Generally, Sedge Sliver is at its best in blitzy lists that don't mind the additional volatility of a five-color manabase. However, I'm not sure how blitzy your list can be, since it has no one-drops and only 20 creatures. Also, I'm not really sure what Manaweft Sliver is really doing for you, since your deck tops out at three mana. Aether Vial lets you cheat mana costs while still attacking, but Manaweft Sliver makes you pick between being aggressive and furthering your board development.
A couple questions:
what is the gameplan for this deck? How are you trying to win? How quickly?
How often does your plan come together the way you envision it? Which happens more often, having too much removal or not enough? Too much mana or not enough?
How many games do you lose by being 'one turn too slow?' What do you think could help give you that one extra turn?
How often do you find yourself getting 'out-carded' in the card advantage game? (i.e. how many times do you just 'not have enough gas' to close out a game?) How do those games usually play out?
Interesting notes:
1. Not a playset of Mutavault
2. Rainbow colors
3. No Aether Vial support
4. Firewake Sliver for alpha strike? Plays very well with Gemhide Sliver
5. No spot removal support spells.
6. No evasion slivers mainboard.
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Current Decks:
Modern
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Legacy
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I wasn't a huge fan of Screeching Sliver or Two-Headed Sliver (except against Zoo), but I needed another 1-drop and evasion. A couple Charms main board would have been nice. There's just too many possible ways to go with slivers, so I guess I just gotta test them all out before I know what's best.
EDIT: Trying a more controlling version of Slivers next time using all the cheap slivers as Vindicates with Necrotic Sliver. Hopefully blowing up their land base and eventually reanimating for one big final swing. Also using Telekinetic to tap down any threats/lands on their upkeep. Will post deck list when done.
I wasn't a huge fan of Screeching Sliver or Two-Headed Sliver (except against Zoo), but I needed another 1-drop and evasion. A couple Charms main board would have been nice. There's just too many possible ways to go with slivers, so I guess I just gotta test them all out before I know what's best.
EDIT: Trying a more controlling version of Slivers next time using all the cheap slivers as Vindicates with Necrotic Sliver. Hopefully blowing up their land base and eventually reanimating for one big final swing. Also using Telekinetic to tap down any threats/lands on their upkeep. Will post deck list when done.
Have you had a chance to set up your more-control based version? Would love to see the decklist (:
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Current Decks:
Modern
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Legacy
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I fully believe Slivers is possible, and am curious to your thoughts on the fundamental strengths and flaws of the archetype. We have so many options available to us that we should really examine our core.
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I don't care if you're a moderator but you sir have said a very, very stupid thing.
Do you think it's better than either City of Brass or Mana Confluence? The benefit is it saves you life each time, however I'm not sure I want to cut any of the current lands for it as they all currently help cast every card in the deck. I think it's worth considering if the land count is increased beyond 20, as well as potentially Reflecting Pool or Gemstone Mine.
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I don't care if you're a moderator but you sir have said a very, very stupid thing.
I am sorry if I am bombing this thread. I started another one but a moderator closed it as it stoped being theoretical discusion and actual deck sugestions in the actual meta. I feel happy with the effeorts of the original writeup so I will re-post it here. It seems like a lot of us are thinking in the same direction. Again, I am sorry for any spelling mistakes but I am a dyslectic with english as my second language.
As far as I can see there are four possible directions to take the deck into. But before that I think it is important to talk about the modern format.
Modern is an insane format filled with a lot of combo decks. Both “Birthing Pod” and “Twin Exarch” can pull a win out from anywhere. Twin Exarch has instant speed, Pod is very consistent with a lot of tutors. Usually disrupt able by killing some of the key creatures. “UR Storm” and “Scapeshift” are combo decks with very little interaction with the opponent. UR Storm are just playing spells until it hits a sweet spot where it wins by playing tons of card draw and mana generation over and over. Scapeshift just want to get to 6 mana and cast Scapeshift, finding Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and kill us.
The control decks are “Rock” (good spells, card draw and big creatures, more of a midrange deck then control) “UWR midrange” (some with creatures, some with instant speed spells. Get better the longer the game lasts) “UrzaTron” (perhaps not a “control deck”, it just puts together 7 mana very easily and start casting the biggest badest artefacts and/or blue cards in the format.)
The agro decks are Affinity (kill you with archbound ravager or cranial plating fast) Jund (Kills you very fast and consistently with the best creatures per mana ratio possible) red deck wins (throws creatures at you and then spells, or just resolves 7 burn spells to the face.)
These 3 different decks are horrible to prepare against. Inn between the best agro possible, one and two card combo decks and consistent control decks it will not be possible to make a rogue deck. Instead of finding something that can counter the metagame we should make a deck that focuses on what we want it to do, and just do it better.
The sliver archetypes as far as I can see: “Sliver Poison”, “Agro Lord”, “Control Sliver” and “Big Sliver”.
“Agro Lord”: Apply pressure by playing fast good slivers and kill your opponent. Hopefully our speed and lords will make us able to compete with the speed of the other agro decks. I think this can be a competitive build but someone needs to play test it. Ancient Ziggurat, Cavern of Souls, Sliver Hive and Æther Vial will fix any mana problems. A suggested list follows, the bracket entries might be better but we do not know without a play test.
1cc: Galerider Sliver, Sidewinder Sliver, Æther Vial (Mindlash Sliver) these are good and you want bodies in the table as early as possible. The Mindlash Sliver is if you can somehow get rid of your opponents hand in some way and if you need more bodies earlier. It can be worth looking into.
2cc: Sinew Sliver, Predatory Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Leeching Sliver, Phantasmal Image, Diffuion sliver[/card] (Two-Headed Sliver) Sinew Sliver and Predatory are good. We want as much of this if we want a sliver deck to be able to compete with the other agro decks. Frenzy and Leeching are just as good as the previous two, if they are not blocked. Sidewinder and Galerider will help in this fashion. Phantasmal Image is good because we want as many lords as possible. Two-Headed is in case 4 Galeriders are not enough. Several of the decks in the metagame run blockers.
3cc: Sedge Sliver, Mirror Entity (Firewake Sliver) 3cc is very expensive in my opinion as we need to be fast. Sedge is another lord (include some swamps) but the regeneration is not good enough to cost one mana more. Mirror Entity is a very good finisher. Play a vial on turn 1, play some sliver on turn 2 and 3 and turn 4 sneak the entity into play and pay 3 mana for an over run. (Although Ancient Ziggurat might be bad here.)
A deck like this would probably also try to run some disruption. Preferably Thoughtseize, Lightning Bolt, Abrupt Decay, Flame Slash and/or Path to Exile as they are the current bread and butter or the format. (Since we will be tapping a lot Slaughter Pact can also function.) If someone can please play test a deck along these lines and give us some information on this then that would be awesome. I think this can really be the way to go!
“Control Sliver” is the sliver deck that did well once upon a time. It was a very tight sliver deck with a few of the best slivers backed up by the best control cards that where available. Back in the day it was known as “Meathooks”.
A problem these days is that we have no Force of Will, Counterspell, Demonic Consultation and no pure Crystalline Sliver. I do not even know if the old decklist would function in today’s modern environment. I do however think that suck a list can be a very strong contender. We should start to identify cheap good slivers that can make this deck good. After all, they must be good enough to play over Snapcaster Mage and Young Pyromancer. The new Sliver Hive is good in this form of deck and I would appreciate any good results people can report with decks like this. It worked in the 90’s, why not in the 10’s?
“Big Sliver” is the deck we wish sliver decks where. We make them in casual but it carries over badly in the competitive scene. Agro decks are too fast for us (life gain might mitigate this) Combo Decks assemble their pieces and win while we play goofy slivers and Control Decks kill our key slivers, board wipe and/or outdraws us.
However if a deck that plays all the “good but to expensive slivers” we need to focus on the best slivers that give our deck a controlling edge. The bracket slivers are slivers that might be good, but I do not think they will be the back bone of the deck:
Perhaps a little light on the actual lords (Sidewinder Sliver helps) but the black Leeching Sliver and Frenzy Sliver might help. The Springleaf Drum and the Æther Vial are there to help ease the deck into the right spot. I think Springleaf Drum is an actual good card as you can play your sliver and them tap it for mana. A good head start, a Springleaf Drum and/or an æther vial on 2 can help fight the Blood Moon. Drum is also more rainbow colour. The Thoughtseize and Path to Exile are unfortunatly the only 7 spots dedicated to fighting ouer oponent, as I feel some cards should force them to play around us. Thoughtseize will help stop anger of the gods. Diffusion sliver will also make it harder for them to stop us. It has only 4 Galerider Sliver and 1 Two-Headed Sliverto come around blockers. If pod/afinnaty/jund/rock starts playing blockers Predatory Sliver, Sinew Sliver and Sidewinder Sliverwill hopefully be enough to function to push trhough. If we do not have enough mana problems it might justefy putting in some Mutavaults. I did not dare use them in the original draft as we need coming crashing out of the gates.
On a final note: Both Curiosity, Keen Sense and Warriors' Lesson are legal in modern and function very well with slivers, but not in the decks I sugested.
I guess what ever sliver deck we end up building venom sliver will be good in a sideboard vs creature decks. It can combines not just with striking sliver but in particular bonescythe sliver and thorncaster sliver. However a hidden gem might be cautery sliver with deathtuch. It can make headacke for combo creatures as pod and kikijiki.
Bonescythe sliver and syphon sliver will also lead to a ridicules amount of life. Unfortunatly two of the best decks in modern pod and splinter twin do not care about life total.
I feel like the curve needs to stay really low. I think striking + venom is too cute to rely on consistently with all the removal in the format. I feel like Leeching Sliver is a better Thorncaster when we aren't talking about deathtouch. Cautery Sliver seems kinda meh to me. We can't get too cute with the various interactions with slivers. We need pure speed. Lords and Evasion and removal protection gets us there.
Ok, a massive brainstorm while I was watching Battlestar Galactica.
The Manaweft Sliver and Gemhide Sliver function as a Sakura-Tribe Elder until it gets killed. It unlocks our potensial to play more exspemsive spells. Can a desent controll deck use Gifts Ungiven? If the early slivers give us mana we can use the gift as a poor mans Fact or Fiction witch was awsome in it's time. Getting counter spells, creature removal or some good slivers would be nice. We can even pull off Sliver Hivelord + Unburial Rites.
Ok, a massive brainstorm while I was watching Battlestar Galactica.
The Manaweft Sliver and Gemhide Sliver function as a Sakura-Tribe Elder until it gets killed. It unlocks our potensial to play more exspemsive spells. Can a desent controll deck use Gifts Ungiven? If the early slivers give us mana we can use the gift as a poor mans Fact or Fiction witch was awsome in it's time. Getting counter spells, creature removal or some good slivers would be nice. We can even pull off Sliver Hivelord + Unburial Rites.
I think you are putting too much into it. KISS is an awesome mindset to have..
Incidentally, here is the md that I've been testing:
2x Cavern of Souls
2x City of Brass
1x Misty Rainforest
3x Arid Mesa
4x Mutavault
1x Breeding Pool
2x Hallowed Fountain
2x Temple Garden
2x Island
1x Plains
4x Galerider Sliver
2x Sidewinder Sliver
1x Spellskite
4x Predatory Sliver
4x Sinew Sliver
3x Phantasmal Image
2x Snapcaster Mage
2x Opaline Sliver
4x Aether Vial
4x Remand
3x Mana Leak
4x Path to Exile
3x Serum Visions
This build tries to play a bit more of a tempo game than a straight blitz list, which gives incidental resilience to mass removal with the countermagic and the ability to 'hold back' a couple lords until the last turn. Additional resilience to targeted removal comes in the form of spellskite and opaline sliver. I'd really love another spellskite, but I'm not sure what I can take out that wouldn't compromise the aggression of the deck too much. I may cut one of the mana leaks for it. This can easily go turn 1 vial, turn 2 lord plus galerider, and then just sit back on disruption while repeatedly bashing for four in the air. Once I figure out a sideboard I think I'll start running this regularly at local modern events.
EDIT: Also, it's easy to set up a good finishing blow by holding back a couple lords until near the end and then playing them out at once to give that surprise boost to finish out a game. Also, the arid mesa are a concession to my only having 1 misty rainforest. I'd much rather run 4x Misty.
The first thing I notice is that you're missing two of your 'other spells,' giving you a 58-card deck. You might look into going up to 60, as I've heard you tend to win more games that way.
It feels like your list can't really make up its mind as to what it wants to be. Generally, Sedge Sliver is at its best in blitzy lists that don't mind the additional volatility of a five-color manabase. However, I'm not sure how blitzy your list can be, since it has no one-drops and only 20 creatures. Also, I'm not really sure what Manaweft Sliver is really doing for you, since your deck tops out at three mana. Aether Vial lets you cheat mana costs while still attacking, but Manaweft Sliver makes you pick between being aggressive and furthering your board development.
A couple questions:
what is the gameplan for this deck? How are you trying to win? How quickly?
How often does your plan come together the way you envision it? Which happens more often, having too much removal or not enough? Too much mana or not enough?
How many games do you lose by being 'one turn too slow?' What do you think could help give you that one extra turn?
How often do you find yourself getting 'out-carded' in the card advantage game? (i.e. how many times do you just 'not have enough gas' to close out a game?) How do those games usually play out?
4 Ancient Ziggurat
3 Cavern of Souls
2 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
2 Temple Garden
2 Marsh Flats
1 Blood Crypt
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Sacred Foundry
1 Forest
1 Stomping Ground
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Mutavault
4 Virulent Sliver
4 Sinew Sliver
4 Sedge Sliver
4 Sidewinder Sliver
4 Striking Sliver
4 Gemhide Sliver
4 Predatory Sliver
3 Firewake Sliver
3 Syphon Sliver
2 Thorncaster Sliver
1 Homing Sliver
1 Harmonic Sliver
1 Sliver Legion
1 Homing Sliver
2 Harmonic Sliver
3 Path to Exile
2 Two-Headed Sliver
2 Galerider Sliver
3 Lightning Helix
2 Krosan Grip
Interesting notes:
1. Not a playset of Mutavault
2. Rainbow colors
3. No Aether Vial support
4. Firewake Sliver for alpha strike? Plays very well with Gemhide Sliver
5. No spot removal support spells.
6. No evasion slivers mainboard.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
4x Galerider Sliver
2x Screeching Sliver
4x Sidewinder Sliver
3x Striking Sliver
4x Virulent Sliver
1x Gemhide Sliver
3x Manaweft Sliver
4x Predatory Sliver
2x Sentinel Sliver
4x Sinew Sliver
1x Two-Headed Sliver
2x Adaptive Automation
2x Firewake Sliver
1x Bonescythe Sliver
2x Sliver Legion
1x Thorncaster Sliver
4x Ancient Ziggurat
4x Cavern of Souls
3x City of Brass
3x Gemstone Mine
3x Mutavault
3x Reflecting Pool
3x Homing Sliver
2x Harmonic Sliver
2x Necrotic Sliver
2x Telekinetic Sliver
1x Two-Headed Sliver
3x Boros Charm
2x Path to Exile
I wasn't a huge fan of Screeching Sliver or Two-Headed Sliver (except against Zoo), but I needed another 1-drop and evasion. A couple Charms main board would have been nice. There's just too many possible ways to go with slivers, so I guess I just gotta test them all out before I know what's best.
EDIT: Trying a more controlling version of Slivers next time using all the cheap slivers as Vindicates with Necrotic Sliver. Hopefully blowing up their land base and eventually reanimating for one big final swing. Also using Telekinetic to tap down any threats/lands on their upkeep. Will post deck list when done.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
Modern:
B 8Rack
RX Goblins
BG Elves (Attempting)
UBW Mill
G Stompy
UB Tezzerator
Legacy:
W Stax
Have you had a chance to set up your more-control based version? Would love to see the decklist (:
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Mana Confluence
4 City of Brass
3 Reflecting Pool
Incidentally, I see decks with nothing but slivers. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Thorn of Amethyst might find a place in the 75.
4 City of Brass
4 Mana Confluence
4 Sliver Hive
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Mutavault
3 Galerider Sliver
1 Mindlash Sliver
3 Striking Sliver
4 Virulent Sliver
1 Darkheart Sliver
3 Gemhide Sliver
4 Manaweft Sliver
4 Predatory Sliver
1 Blur Sliver
1 Harmonic Sliver
1 Syphon Sliver
1 Bonescythe Sliver
1 Telekinetic Sliver
1 Dormant Sliver
1 Sliver Legion
2 Sliver Hivelord
4 Aether Vial
4 Chord of Calling
I fully believe Slivers is possible, and am curious to your thoughts on the fundamental strengths and flaws of the archetype. We have so many options available to us that we should really examine our core.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I'm sure it will be as close to a hexproof sliver as we will get. It's awesome.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
Oh duh I'm stupid. He works the same as Kira. I always make that mistake haha. He's still great.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I'd say that it's a she, not a he.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
As far as I can see there are four possible directions to take the deck into. But before that I think it is important to talk about the modern format.
Modern is an insane format filled with a lot of combo decks. Both “Birthing Pod” and “Twin Exarch” can pull a win out from anywhere. Twin Exarch has instant speed, Pod is very consistent with a lot of tutors. Usually disrupt able by killing some of the key creatures. “UR Storm” and “Scapeshift” are combo decks with very little interaction with the opponent. UR Storm are just playing spells until it hits a sweet spot where it wins by playing tons of card draw and mana generation over and over. Scapeshift just want to get to 6 mana and cast Scapeshift, finding Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and kill us.
The control decks are “Rock” (good spells, card draw and big creatures, more of a midrange deck then control) “UWR midrange” (some with creatures, some with instant speed spells. Get better the longer the game lasts) “UrzaTron” (perhaps not a “control deck”, it just puts together 7 mana very easily and start casting the biggest badest artefacts and/or blue cards in the format.)
The agro decks are Affinity (kill you with archbound ravager or cranial plating fast) Jund (Kills you very fast and consistently with the best creatures per mana ratio possible) red deck wins (throws creatures at you and then spells, or just resolves 7 burn spells to the face.)
These 3 different decks are horrible to prepare against. Inn between the best agro possible, one and two card combo decks and consistent control decks it will not be possible to make a rogue deck. Instead of finding something that can counter the metagame we should make a deck that focuses on what we want it to do, and just do it better.
The sliver archetypes as far as I can see: “Sliver Poison”, “Agro Lord”, “Control Sliver” and “Big Sliver”.
“Sliver Poison”: We try to find Virulent Sliver, preferably in multiples. Attack and apply poison counters. If you have 2 Virulent Slivers in the table each attack that hits will deal 2 poison counters and it can add up fast. Use Predatory Sliver or other Poison/Infect/Proliferate cards to supplement as plan B. I do think it is very fragile.
Key Cards: Virulent Sliver, Chord of Calling, Summoner's Pact, Galerider Sliver, Phantasmal Image.
“Agro Lord”: Apply pressure by playing fast good slivers and kill your opponent. Hopefully our speed and lords will make us able to compete with the speed of the other agro decks. I think this can be a competitive build but someone needs to play test it. Ancient Ziggurat, Cavern of Souls, Sliver Hive and Æther Vial will fix any mana problems. A suggested list follows, the bracket entries might be better but we do not know without a play test.
1cc: Galerider Sliver, Sidewinder Sliver, Æther Vial (Mindlash Sliver) these are good and you want bodies in the table as early as possible. The Mindlash Sliver is if you can somehow get rid of your opponents hand in some way and if you need more bodies earlier. It can be worth looking into.
2cc: Sinew Sliver, Predatory Sliver, Frenzy Sliver, Leeching Sliver, Phantasmal Image, Diffuion sliver[/card] (Two-Headed Sliver) Sinew Sliver and Predatory are good. We want as much of this if we want a sliver deck to be able to compete with the other agro decks. Frenzy and Leeching are just as good as the previous two, if they are not blocked. Sidewinder and Galerider will help in this fashion. Phantasmal Image is good because we want as many lords as possible. Two-Headed is in case 4 Galeriders are not enough. Several of the decks in the metagame run blockers.
3cc: Sedge Sliver, Mirror Entity (Firewake Sliver) 3cc is very expensive in my opinion as we need to be fast. Sedge is another lord (include some swamps) but the regeneration is not good enough to cost one mana more. Mirror Entity is a very good finisher. Play a vial on turn 1, play some sliver on turn 2 and 3 and turn 4 sneak the entity into play and pay 3 mana for an over run. (Although Ancient Ziggurat might be bad here.)
4cc: (BoneScythe Sliver, BoneSplitter Sliver) both of these are oh so aggressive but alas I think they cost too much.
A deck like this would probably also try to run some disruption. Preferably Thoughtseize, Lightning Bolt, Abrupt Decay, Flame Slash and/or Path to Exile as they are the current bread and butter or the format. (Since we will be tapping a lot Slaughter Pact can also function.) If someone can please play test a deck along these lines and give us some information on this then that would be awesome. I think this can really be the way to go!
“Control Sliver” is the sliver deck that did well once upon a time. It was a very tight sliver deck with a few of the best slivers backed up by the best control cards that where available. Back in the day it was known as “Meathooks”.
4 Hibernation Sliver
4 Muscle Sliver
3 Winged Sliver
2 Acidic Sliver
4 Aura of Silence
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
3 Annul
2 Swords to Plowshares
3 Demonic Consultation
4 Tundra
4 Underground Sea
2 Scrubland
2 Gemstone Mine
1 Undiscovered Paradise
4 Flood Plain
1 Tropical Island
1 Volcanic Island
4 Erase
2 Swords to Plowshares
4 Pyroblast
2 Hydroblast
3 Worship
A problem these days is that we have no Force of Will, Counterspell, Demonic Consultation and no pure Crystalline Sliver. I do not even know if the old decklist would function in today’s modern environment. I do however think that suck a list can be a very strong contender. We should start to identify cheap good slivers that can make this deck good. After all, they must be good enough to play over Snapcaster Mage and Young Pyromancer. The new Sliver Hive is good in this form of deck and I would appreciate any good results people can report with decks like this. It worked in the 90’s, why not in the 10’s?
“Big Sliver” is the deck we wish sliver decks where. We make them in casual but it carries over badly in the competitive scene. Agro decks are too fast for us (life gain might mitigate this) Combo Decks assemble their pieces and win while we play goofy slivers and Control Decks kill our key slivers, board wipe and/or outdraws us.
However if a deck that plays all the “good but to expensive slivers” we need to focus on the best slivers that give our deck a controlling edge. The bracket slivers are slivers that might be good, but I do not think they will be the back bone of the deck:
Galerider Sliver, Gemhide Sliver, Manaweft Sliver, Necrotic Sliver, BoneSplitter Sliver, Dormant Sliver, Telekinetic Sliver, Constricting Sliver
(Striking Sliver, Predatory Sliver, Sinew Sliver, Diffusion sliver, Frenetic Sliver, Harmonic Sliver, Homing Sliver, Sedge Sliver, BoneScythe Sliver, Psionic Sliver, Might Sliver, Thorncaster Sliver, Megantic Sliver, Sliver Hivelord)
This deck would also need to run some of the previous mentioned spells. Return to the Ranks can also be good in this type of deck.
I also have 2 sugested decks:
4 Sliver Hive
4 Mana Confluence
1 Watery Grave
1 Temple Garden
1 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
1 Swamp
4 Sidewinder Sliver
4 Predatory Sliver
4 Sinew Sliver
4 Diffusion Sliver
4 Leeching Sliver
1 Two-Headed Sliver
2 Frenzy Sliver
2 Springleaf Drum
4 Thoughtseize
3 Path to Exile
Perhaps a little light on the actual lords (Sidewinder Sliver helps) but the black Leeching Sliver and Frenzy Sliver might help. The Springleaf Drum and the Æther Vial are there to help ease the deck into the right spot. I think Springleaf Drum is an actual good card as you can play your sliver and them tap it for mana. A good head start, a Springleaf Drum and/or an æther vial on 2 can help fight the Blood Moon. Drum is also more rainbow colour. The Thoughtseize and Path to Exile are unfortunatly the only 7 spots dedicated to fighting ouer oponent, as I feel some cards should force them to play around us. Thoughtseize will help stop anger of the gods. Diffusion sliver will also make it harder for them to stop us. It has only 4 Galerider Sliver and 1 Two-Headed Sliverto come around blockers. If pod/afinnaty/jund/rock starts playing blockers Predatory Sliver, Sinew Sliver and Sidewinder Sliverwill hopefully be enough to function to push trhough. If we do not have enough mana problems it might justefy putting in some Mutavaults. I did not dare use them in the original draft as we need coming crashing out of the gates.
The second one is a control version.
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Breeding Pool
1 Temple Garden
2 Hallowed Fountain
3 Mutavault
1 Forest
1 Island
4 Gemhide Sliver
4 Diffusion Sliver
4 Mirror Entity
4 Serum Visions
4 Path to Exile
3 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Deprive
4 Cryptic Command
This might seem like an odd one and it probably is. Try to keep control with your counter spells and Path to Exile. Ouer winn condition is Mirror Entity and slivers. Sphinx's Revelation + Deprive, Path to Exile and Cryptic Command will hopefully be good enough control cards. If you want to improve on the design I really think Disrupting Shoal can be worth adding. As can Dormant Sliver + Necrotic Sliver. Sliver Hivelord can also fitt into this deck. Return to the Ranks would be good if we had more slivers in the actual deck. If people have other takes on this deck, please post them!
On a final note: Both Curiosity, Keen Sense and Warriors' Lesson are legal in modern and function very well with slivers, but not in the decks I sugested.
4 Galerider Sliver
2 Virulent Sliver
4 Predatory Sliver
4 Sinew Sliver
4 Diffusion Sliver
4 Leeching Sliver
2 Manaweft Sliver
2 Blur Sliver
2 Sliver Hivelord
4 Aether Vial
4 Path to Exile
2 Domri Rade
Manabase
4 Sliver Hive
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Reflecting pool
3 Ancient Ziggurat
4 Mana Confluence
3 Mutavault
This is my preliminary list. Any opinions?
EDIT: Maybe Descendants' Path over Domri Rade?
Bonescythe Sliver and Syphon Sliver will also lead to a ridicules amount of life. Unfortunatly two of the best decks in Modern is pod and Splinter Twin do not care about life total.
I feel like the curve needs to stay really low. I think striking + venom is too cute to rely on consistently with all the removal in the format. I feel like Leeching Sliver is a better Thorncaster when we aren't talking about deathtouch. Cautery Sliver seems kinda meh to me. We can't get too cute with the various interactions with slivers. We need pure speed. Lords and Evasion and removal protection gets us there.
The Manaweft Sliver and Gemhide Sliver function as a Sakura-Tribe Elder until it gets killed. It unlocks our potensial to play more exspemsive spells. Can a desent controll deck use Gifts Ungiven? If the early slivers give us mana we can use the gift as a poor mans Fact or Fiction witch was awsome in it's time. Getting counter spells, creature removal or some good slivers would be nice. We can even pull off Sliver Hivelord + Unburial Rites.
I think you are putting too much into it. KISS is an awesome mindset to have..
Speaking of progress, we (sliver decks) can also runn Birthing Pod. It will be a good way to progress ouer slivers forward.