One of the best parts of the old primer was the sideboarding advice. I have not played this deck enough to really contribute to this -- I just switched over from the Fae version, which I knew really well, but this deck seems to perform better so I wanted to try. I also am not sure when to be aggressive or when to hold back. Do I pretty much need YP or Delver in an opener to keep?
What I've noticed is it looks like this deck has a worse matchup with almost everything than Fae. Pod was a really good matchup for Fae, and does not look so with this. What are you sideboarding in? I rarely see magma spray in sideboards, and it's an all star against pod, hatebears, merfolk, and affinity, all decks that I want to side in more removal for countermagic. Is combust for UWX, mainly for manlands and resto? What do you do against goyf? Would love to see more info. This also seems worse against jund/rock post board. Also with less countermagic, seems worse against storm.
Keep in mind I'm skewed towards Fae. I know Fae and Pyrodelver are two completely different decks, but I need to know how to change my mindset playing them.
how about running 1x of either blustersquall or burn at the stake as finishers with the elemental tokens? I feel like either one would be better than a sword.
Blustersquall sounds like an interesting card actually. The only issue with both cards is the mana cost. With our deck we can reach those amounts. However we prefer to get to three mana and stay there really. In my opinion if we have drawn that many lands we probably aren't ready to win yet or won't win.
Thoughts on Swerve in the side? Seems like a good answer to Decay, as well as all the other cheap removal spells that screw us over (Bolt, Path, Dismember, Combust).
I really like Cryptic Command for the Blustersquall role. Helps against the Jund match up, and great tempo finisher and an answer to any permanent that the deck can't deal with. With 19 lands, it's pretty easy to get there consistently.
I really like Cryptic Command for the Blustersquall role. Helps against the Jund match up, and great tempo finisher and an answer to any permanent that the deck can't deal with. With 19 lands, it's pretty easy to get there consistently.
For sure cryptic is a better choice, but I don't have access to one and figured blustersquall would be good too. Especially since at the very least you can cast it for one mana and get another token and wait to snapcast it again later.
Swerve also redirects Thoughtseize effects, counters any counter, has a Spellskite effect vs Splintertwin (just not Kiki), amongst other utility. Can often be a 2-for-1.
Redirect is slightly harder on the mana, but otherwise pretty good.
I personally have gone up to 2 Mountains as opposed to the usual lists that run just because you're super unlikely to see both Mountains both games unless you're actively fetching for them with Scalding Tarn in match ups where you need the creature removals, which are also the match ups that you don't want to fetch a untapped Steam Vents. It also helps against Tec Edge on your Steam Vents and tapping down your Mountain with Ajani to lock you out of Red, and Spreading Seas on all your red sources is a thing.
No particularly good match up that I'm aware of, pretty well positioned against combo and anything light on removals. The worst match ups I believe are Bogle and Burn.
I'll try to write out a sideboard and match up analysis on Sunday.
Edit: Sorry I couldn't get around to it, was out all of Sunday. Hopefully by Monday/Tuesday this week.
Jund and American midrange/control are bad matchups.
I'm testing 2-3x Clique main (no fetches, no Grims). I wouldn't drop down less than 2: they do everything the deck wants. They don't require us to tap out on our own turn, can be used as a powerful tempo play (flash in and block, flash in EOT, untap, swing, they +1 Liliana and you flash Clique in, flash in response to their Aether Vial activation or tutor effect). They filter out our bad cards, but more importantly, give us info on the opponent and let us snatch their best card away. They work well with Remand and Vapor Snag for this purpose for a harder answer (bounce their spell/creature, Clique and put it on botton), and, of course, they are another heavy hitting threat, swinging for 3 evasive damage. I don't know why I don't see more of them in the lists posted here; the deck got a lot better when I added them.
As for issues with multiples, this is how I see it:
The deck needs a greater threat density, as we lose to removal. If you draw 2, you don't have to worry as much about it getting removed and losing pressure. If they don't remove it, then you won't have the second clog up your hand for long because you're going to win swinging for 3+ a turn with burn/counter backup.
How do you maintain a high enough spell count by running cliques? I can see cutting grim lavamancers for them but grims seem much more suited for this deck's playstyle.
I run 29 instants/sorceries. I've also been testing 2 Clique/1 Grim, not sure how I like it as compared to 3 Clique. A lot of times, Grim eats removal and dies. I like Clique because it's a disruptive tempo card, and a threat, which blends well with the deck's strategy. Grave hate is sided in against us as well, and Clique has incidental value in not being affected by that.
How do you maintain a high enough spell count by running cliques? I can see cutting grim lavamancers for them but grims seem much more suited for this deck's playstyle.
I run 1 Grim / 1 Clique main, and 1 Grim in the board. Here's my full list:
What I've noticed is it looks like this deck has a worse matchup with almost everything than Fae. Pod was a really good matchup for Fae, and does not look so with this. What are you sideboarding in? I rarely see magma spray in sideboards, and it's an all star against pod, hatebears, merfolk, and affinity, all decks that I want to side in more removal for countermagic. Is combust for UWX, mainly for manlands and resto? What do you do against goyf? Would love to see more info. This also seems worse against jund/rock post board. Also with less countermagic, seems worse against storm.
Keep in mind I'm skewed towards Fae. I know Fae and Pyrodelver are two completely different decks, but I need to know how to change my mindset playing them.
For sure cryptic is a better choice, but I don't have access to one and figured blustersquall would be good too. Especially since at the very least you can cast it for one mana and get another token and wait to snapcast it again later.
I personally have gone up to 2 Mountains as opposed to the usual lists that run just because you're super unlikely to see both Mountains both games unless you're actively fetching for them with Scalding Tarn in match ups where you need the creature removals, which are also the match ups that you don't want to fetch a untapped Steam Vents. It also helps against Tec Edge on your Steam Vents and tapping down your Mountain with Ajani to lock you out of Red, and Spreading Seas on all your red sources is a thing.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
I'll try to write out a sideboard and match up analysis on Sunday.
Edit: Sorry I couldn't get around to it, was out all of Sunday. Hopefully by Monday/Tuesday this week.
I'm testing 2-3x Clique main (no fetches, no Grims). I wouldn't drop down less than 2: they do everything the deck wants. They don't require us to tap out on our own turn, can be used as a powerful tempo play (flash in and block, flash in EOT, untap, swing, they +1 Liliana and you flash Clique in, flash in response to their Aether Vial activation or tutor effect). They filter out our bad cards, but more importantly, give us info on the opponent and let us snatch their best card away. They work well with Remand and Vapor Snag for this purpose for a harder answer (bounce their spell/creature, Clique and put it on botton), and, of course, they are another heavy hitting threat, swinging for 3 evasive damage. I don't know why I don't see more of them in the lists posted here; the deck got a lot better when I added them.
As for issues with multiples, this is how I see it:
The deck needs a greater threat density, as we lose to removal. If you draw 2, you don't have to worry as much about it getting removed and losing pressure. If they don't remove it, then you won't have the second clog up your hand for long because you're going to win swinging for 3+ a turn with burn/counter backup.
-Mark
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
From my experience,
Good Matchups:
Burn
Affinity
Merfolk
Twin
Scapeshift
50/50 Matchups
Pod (we're better against Melira than Kiki imo)
UWR Midrange
Bad Matchups
Bogles
Jund
UWR Control
Martyr Proc (though of course not played much any longer)
Standard: lol no
Modern: BG/x, UR/x, Burn, Merfolk, Zoo, Storm
Legacy: Shardless BUG, Delver (BUG, RUG, Grixis), Landstill, Depths Combo, Merfolk
Vintage: Dark Times, BUG Fish, Merfolk
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion / Krenko, Mob Boss / Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
4 Delver of Sercrets
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Vendilion Clique
Spells - 27
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
3 Vapor Snag
3 Mana Leak
3 Spell Snare
2 Remand
2 Pillar of Flame
1 Electrolyze
1 Spell Pierce
4 Steam Vents
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Misty Rainforest
1 Stomping Ground
7 Island
1 Grim Lavamancer
1 Dispel
2 Combust
1 Magma Spray
1 Vandalblast
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Counterflux
2 Hibernation
1 Spell Snare
1 Spellskite
1 Flame Slash
Standard: lol no
Modern: BG/x, UR/x, Burn, Merfolk, Zoo, Storm
Legacy: Shardless BUG, Delver (BUG, RUG, Grixis), Landstill, Depths Combo, Merfolk
Vintage: Dark Times, BUG Fish, Merfolk
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion / Krenko, Mob Boss / Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
How do you beat Burn?
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.