Few more things to discuss regarding sideboard options:
I want this deck's board to have cards that impact multiple matchups each. For this reason, cards like Hurkyl's Recall or Shatterstorm or even Izzet Staticaster seem too narrow to have the impact i'm looking for.
Instead, I want to go matchup by matchup in a diverse meta, and find the low-hanging fruit that will allow the board to impact the most different matchups. That's why I think spell pierce/snare are great both in the board and the main - these cards are narrow, but definitely shine better in certain matchups. Still working on this analysis, but seeing how UR Delver is my new baby I fully plan on having the sideboard plan clearly determined within a few weeks.
I need help with the following problem cards: Electrolyze, Supreme Verdict, Izzet Staticaster
- Any deck that can run these cards (ie: URW Control, Twin, Grixis decks, mirror) is terrifying to me. I find myself in situations where I need to flood the board for a win, but will get blown out if the opponent has one of these. Spell pierce is the best defense right now, but if we're at Turn 5 or later they are going to play around it. Boros charm would be great (indestructible mode can outright win the game, and 4-8 points of burn will do the same), but I hate this deck as URW. Mizzium skin seems OK but not exactly the answer i'm looking for (It only works once vs. staticaster, not at all vs. verdict - plus it's just a 1:1 trade most of the time and is useless otherwise). Any ideas on protecting a flooded board vs. those cards? Of course the best way is to retain threats best as possible, which this deck is fully capable of doing. Luckily, each of the 16 creatures we run can win the game by themselves, so it is definitely possible to just accept the fact that you CANNOT overcommit with this deck. Would love thoughts on this concept.
This is another reason I think the spellstutter Sprite version should have a different primer. It has 13 maindeck answers to these 3 cards, and that doesn't count the times spellstutter Sprite can counter a 3 cmc spell. Therefore the Sideboard considerations for the 2 decks are different.
LOL i thought I had good attention to detail, but apparently not. After re-reading the primer, I agree that the spellstutter version should be it's own thread/primer, and find it's way to "developing" status.
I just recently became a delver believer. I was always playing Merfolk but now I'm up for a bigger challenge. Iv been using clique for the short time I have the deck and it's awesome. I have also been using goblin guide instead of YP. I'm just not impressed with him so far so I'm trying out the guide instead. So far I'm enjoying the deck. I look forward to sharing thoughts on sideboards and stuff soon.
Here is my current list.
So I have ordered a earlier list i posted (with a few changes) and thought I would post my "updated" (more expensive) list i am now working towards for some feedback before I go ahead and buy it
This list is based from my older list (which is based formd ecks here + research and feedback), coupled with some general information from around the web as well as some SB hints taken from lists posted here and in other UR threads
Why no Grim Lavamancer?
I don't run any fetchlands (they are to expensive for me at present) so he seems to more of a late game play (4-5). But he is then counter productive with Snapcaster Mage. So instead i opted for Runechanters Pike as it works in a similar way (Adds damage based on spells in GY) and can help me get past big fatties. It seemed a worthwhile swap in until I get some fetchlands
The SB I think looks good. It gives me SB options vs most decks. I am tempted tot ake the Blood moon countt o 3 total (2SB, 1 MD) but at 3cmc running 3 seems a little to much.
I would go with Mutavault over Faerie Conclave. It is important for your lands to come into play untapped.
I orignally tried mutavault. but the issue I found was it adds colourless mana. When a majority of spells require [mana]U[mana] that is a pretty big drawback. Conclave also has some reach with Flying. I'll playtest more with mutavault
Yes, some one did post in the last primer about that. Unfortunately that is not the same as a winning or top 16 finish. I am not sure I guess of the goals/scope of this primer.
No, because this deck is soft to decks that are heavy on removals, and Twin only exacerbates the problem because it is also weak to removals and getting 2 for 1'd.
I believe one of the four Day 2 lists at GP Minneapolis ran Goblin Guides AND Young Pyromancer.
I believe the conventional wisdom is that you don't want to run Goblin Guide in a deck that runs Mana Leak and Spell Pierce. Also I agree that the Fae version is very different and should be a different primer.
Thoughts on having one Primer for the UR Delver decks or two?
UR Pyro would be under Established (Modern), UR Fae would under Modern Deck Creation because it has posted 0 results in the past 6 months, online or in real life.
I've started the UR Fae primer over there in modern deck creation. It definitely has more than zero results, although it does not qualify for established at this time.
Sweet! Thanks for your good work, I'll just take the Spellstutter portion out of this Primer.
I mean that the deck's placed in no competitive paper events as far as I know, the deck seems fine, just that Young Pyromancer is insanely good card, and I believe it's a mistake to not play Serum Visions.
It looks like this primer is ment to refocuse the deck I guess with updated information.
Have we ever thought about side boarding in the twin combo to suprise our opponent?
I really wouldn't do that. As someone has already said, people often side in more sweepers and removal against us anyway (even though we only run 14 or so creatures, that's still how we win) and the Twin combo is a little weak to the same removal (minus sorcery speed sweepers of course). However, my biggest issue with that is that there is a significant percentage of matches that go to game 2 with your opponent actually thinking your deck is Twin. That means they're boarding for the combo. Our real deck can take advantage of this, but if all of a sudden we board the combo into the deck then all of a sudden we're boarding right into our opponent's game plan.
Before someone says it - yes, I know that Twin doesn't run Delver or YP. But we don't see those cards in every single game. Most of the other cards in the lists are similar or the same. Would you keep a hand that is island, tarn, serum visions, snapcaster, bolt, gitaxian probe, remand? I would, and while you can dig and hopefully find one of 8 cards, you're not a lock to do so.
I totally agree on all your thoughts on this. I am very new to the deck and I was just thinking outside the box and wanted to see how it was received. So thank you for the input and how it makes alot of sense. In my opinion the deck seems very powerful. I do feel like something is holding it back for some reason. Which is why i was trying to think outside the box because I dont think it would take too much to make this an even better deck and figured it would be best to start with ideas that were a bit out there. You know?
Not sure if the OP is open to critique for the primer, but having some information like what Lantern posted would be great in the OP, along with important MU info against the dominant/prevalent decks.
The Primer's still new and I'm still hoping to work on it more. The green splash is awful, you're already killing your life total as is, there's no reason to start the game at 11 life and still not have a consistent G source. Actually, I'm not even sure why Lantern transported all that text because most of it is just random Q & A that's not all that relevant.
Last Sunday, I swapped the deck with a guy who liked Snapcaster decks in Standard, and he made it to first in the 10 man tournament with this deck.
I want this deck's board to have cards that impact multiple matchups each. For this reason, cards like Hurkyl's Recall or Shatterstorm or even Izzet Staticaster seem too narrow to have the impact i'm looking for.
Instead, I want to go matchup by matchup in a diverse meta, and find the low-hanging fruit that will allow the board to impact the most different matchups. That's why I think spell pierce/snare are great both in the board and the main - these cards are narrow, but definitely shine better in certain matchups. Still working on this analysis, but seeing how UR Delver is my new baby I fully plan on having the sideboard plan clearly determined within a few weeks.
I need help with the following problem cards: Electrolyze, Supreme Verdict, Izzet Staticaster
- Any deck that can run these cards (ie: URW Control, Twin, Grixis decks, mirror) is terrifying to me. I find myself in situations where I need to flood the board for a win, but will get blown out if the opponent has one of these. Spell pierce is the best defense right now, but if we're at Turn 5 or later they are going to play around it. Boros charm would be great (indestructible mode can outright win the game, and 4-8 points of burn will do the same), but I hate this deck as URW. Mizzium skin seems OK but not exactly the answer i'm looking for (It only works once vs. staticaster, not at all vs. verdict - plus it's just a 1:1 trade most of the time and is useless otherwise). Any ideas on protecting a flooded board vs. those cards? Of course the best way is to retain threats best as possible, which this deck is fully capable of doing. Luckily, each of the 16 creatures we run can win the game by themselves, so it is definitely possible to just accept the fact that you CANNOT overcommit with this deck. Would love thoughts on this concept.
Here is my current list.
Creatures:16
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
2 Vendilion Clique
Spells:26
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Pillar of Flame
4 Serum Visions
1 Spell Pierce
2 Spell Snare
2 Vapor Snag
3 Mana Leak
3 Remand
2 Electrolyze
Lands:18
5 Island
3 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents
2 Sulfur Falls
Sideboard:15
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Relic of Progenitus
1 Vandalblast
2 Combust
2 Negate
2 Spellskite
2 Blood Moon
2 Counterflux
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Batterskull
Also, there are zero recent winning modern decks with delvers and goblin guides...
So I have ordered a earlier list i posted (with a few changes) and thought I would post my "updated" (more expensive) list i am now working towards for some feedback before I go ahead and buy it
This list is based from my older list (which is based formd ecks here + research and feedback), coupled with some general information from around the web as well as some SB hints taken from lists posted here and in other UR threads
4x Delver of Secrets
4x Snapcaster Mage
4x Young Pyromancer
Instant (18)
2x Electrolyze
4x Lightning Bolt
3x Mana Leak
3x Remand
1x Spell Pierce
2x Spell Snare
3x Vapor Snag
4x Gitaxian Probe
1x Pillar of Flame
4x Serum Visions
Enchantment (1)
1x Blood Moon
Artifact (2)
2x Runechanter's Pike
Land (18)
2x Faerie Conclave
6x Island
3x Mountain
3x Steam Vents
4x Sulfur Falls
1x Blood Moon
2x Counterflux
2x Engineered Explosives
1x Izzet Staticaster
2x Relic of Progenitus
2x Shattering Spree
2x Spellskite
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of Fire and Ice
1x Vandalblast
Why no Grim Lavamancer?
I don't run any fetchlands (they are to expensive for me at present) so he seems to more of a late game play (4-5). But he is then counter productive with Snapcaster Mage. So instead i opted for Runechanters Pike as it works in a similar way (Adds damage based on spells in GY) and can help me get past big fatties. It seemed a worthwhile swap in until I get some fetchlands
The SB I think looks good. It gives me SB options vs most decks. I am tempted tot ake the Blood moon countt o 3 total (2SB, 1 MD) but at 3cmc running 3 seems a little to much.
Any feedback would be fantastic
WU$50 Budget UW heroicUW
Modern
WR Boros Burn RW
Commander/EDH
(WiP) RNorin the TrollR
I orignally tried mutavault. but the issue I found was it adds colourless mana. When a majority of spells require [mana]U[mana] that is a pretty big drawback. Conclave also has some reach with Flying. I'll playtest more with mutavault
It's not really budget. It's $515, it just doesn't run fetch lands
WU$50 Budget UW heroicUW
Modern
WR Boros Burn RW
Commander/EDH
(WiP) RNorin the TrollR
Have we ever thought about side boarding in the twin combo to suprise our opponent?
I believe the conventional wisdom is that you don't want to run Goblin Guide in a deck that runs Mana Leak and Spell Pierce. Also I agree that the Fae version is very different and should be a different primer.
I've started the UR Fae primer over there in modern deck creation. It definitely has more than zero results, although it does not qualify for established at this time.
I mean that the deck's placed in no competitive paper events as far as I know, the deck seems fine, just that Young Pyromancer is insanely good card, and I believe it's a mistake to not play Serum Visions.
I really wouldn't do that. As someone has already said, people often side in more sweepers and removal against us anyway (even though we only run 14 or so creatures, that's still how we win) and the Twin combo is a little weak to the same removal (minus sorcery speed sweepers of course). However, my biggest issue with that is that there is a significant percentage of matches that go to game 2 with your opponent actually thinking your deck is Twin. That means they're boarding for the combo. Our real deck can take advantage of this, but if all of a sudden we board the combo into the deck then all of a sudden we're boarding right into our opponent's game plan.
Before someone says it - yes, I know that Twin doesn't run Delver or YP. But we don't see those cards in every single game. Most of the other cards in the lists are similar or the same. Would you keep a hand that is island, tarn, serum visions, snapcaster, bolt, gitaxian probe, remand? I would, and while you can dig and hopefully find one of 8 cards, you're not a lock to do so.
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
The Primer's still new and I'm still hoping to work on it more. The green splash is awful, you're already killing your life total as is, there's no reason to start the game at 11 life and still not have a consistent G source. Actually, I'm not even sure why Lantern transported all that text because most of it is just random Q & A that's not all that relevant.
Last Sunday, I swapped the deck with a guy who liked Snapcaster decks in Standard, and he made it to first in the 10 man tournament with this deck.