Still working on numbers, but I found that without red losing Bolt, Helix, and Vengeant as main targets, I needed more interaction with my opponent. Prison helps slow down games, the 4th verdict helps deal with everything in general, and Elspeth is a power house!
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Modern decks: BGRDredgevineBGR UWRJeskai ControlUWR
I use my red for cards such as Keronas, Anger of the Gods,Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius and Assemble the Legion. I was going to remove these but Im not sure how to do so until I saw your list. It seems more interactive to a extent and easier to pilot.
I also have an American version I have been messing with to try and figure out the best color combination. I'm sold on both, but they each have their own style/approach. I use less card draw and opponent interaction in the form of Ghostly Prison. I have an easier curve in sweepers at Anger/Verdict, and a lower curve with bolt/helix. I switch Elspeth, Knight-Errant for Ajani Vengeant.
I found that dropping the card draw for more 1 for 1 answers lets me take care of problems, but the UW version always has something and hardly runs out of gas. The UW manabase is slightly less painful than the UWR, but red provides more/alternate win conditions. Niv_mizzet is not good in a deck like this imo because it doesn't combine with anything. I have been switching between Consecrated Sphinx and Sun Titan as both work extremely well off of Jace Beleren. You want a win condition that will have both card advantage/game ending consequences. Sphinx provides four cards basically when it hits the board, and Titan brings back a planeswalker.
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Modern decks: BGRDredgevineBGR UWRJeskai ControlUWR
I also have an American version I have been messing with to try and figure out the best color combination. I'm sold on both, but they each have their own style/approach. I use less card draw and opponent interaction in the form of Ghostly Prison. I have an easier curve in sweepers at Anger/Verdict, and a lower curve with bolt/helix. I switch Elspeth, Knight-Errant for Ajani Vengeant.
I found that dropping the card draw for more 1 for 1 answers lets me take care of problems, but the UW version always has something and hardly runs out of gas. The UW manabase is slightly less painful than the UWR, but red provides more/alternate win conditions. Niv_mizzet is not good in a deck like this imo because it doesn't combine with anything. I have been switching between Consecrated Sphinx and Sun Titan as both work extremely well off of Jace Beleren. You want a win condition that will have both card advantage/game ending consequences. Sphinx provides four cards basically when it hits the board, and Titan brings back a planeswalker.
I also have an American version I have been messing with to try and figure out the best color combination. I'm sold on both, but they each have their own style/approach. I use less card draw and opponent interaction in the form of Ghostly Prison. I have an easier curve in sweepers at Anger/Verdict, and a lower curve with bolt/helix. I switch Elspeth, Knight-Errant for Ajani Vengeant.
I found that dropping the card draw for more 1 for 1 answers lets me take care of problems, but the UW version always has something and hardly runs out of gas. The UW manabase is slightly less painful than the UWR, but red provides more/alternate win conditions. Niv_mizzet is not good in a deck like this imo because it doesn't combine with anything. I have been switching between Consecrated Sphinx and Sun Titan as both work extremely well off of Jace Beleren. You want a win condition that will have both card advantage/game ending consequences. Sphinx provides four cards basically when it hits the board, and Titan brings back a planeswalker.
I noticed that Niv_Mizzet wasnt fitting into the deck but I needed to find something to be some sort of threat even though it has no synergy with the deck itself.
Im going to try running Consecrated Sphinx or Sun Titan. I just have to go thru my binders and find them but im almost positive I have more than one of each
What I mean with reccommending testing over saying what changes I'd make is that a bunch of matches against two of a friend's decks is not much testing. Get some sort of free mtg software for testing, or otherwise get more games in with the deck.
What I mean with reccommending testing over saying what changes I'd make is that a bunch of matches against two of a friend's decks is not much testing. Get some sort of free mtg software for testing, or otherwise get more games in with the deck.
There's stuff that will jump out at you
I have the deck built on MtGO and do most of my testing there in tournament practice.
Okay, well, get a bigger sample and things will probably start jumping out at you. Faith's Fetters and Gods seem like they'd be incredibly slow for your particular deck.
The problem with a tempo style U/W is you are going to get overrun by Affinity and probably even POD at some point. I used to play a similar build but with Bladesplicers and a couple wall of omens as well with 4 Restoration Angels. I would sideboard Supreme Verdict and more removal in general. It was ok, but not stellar. I prefer to play a good Control role and be good against something game one. I have tried less controlling lists without Supreme Verdict but they always feel like they are just weak tempo and poor control hybrid. I think if you build U/W Control as a long game deck and with that strategy in mind, the deck will be stronger as opposed to a hybrid.
One card that I feel plays greatly in the current meta is Shadow of Doubt. For me it should be a staple in SB, and I even run one or two copies of it MD. It can basically stop a LOT of cards, from Gifts (that is not played that often anymore, but still...), to fetch lands, to Pod... It might be a dead draw on some scenarios, specially late game, but when it does, it can simply be "cycled" when you play a path for a little more value.
Uw flash was all about augurs and the like forming a draw engine of sorts. It is extremely slow in Modern. People seriously need to try matches against tough established decks with initial brews...playing games is like hitting fastforward on progress made tuning decks.
I'm not a huge fan of 4 Mystic Gates personally. Even with 4 hate lands (Ghost Quarter/Tec Edge) colors are not so much the restraining factor as how much mana you get. That being said a 2 Mystic Gate 2 Calciform Pools split is what I'm currently running. The Pools have been absolute all stars for me. They let me tap down to a single land and still have counter magic up (people get burned by this quite often). They let me make the most of passing the turn and not playing anything almost like drawing an extra land each turn in some cases. If control is an at all decent part of the meta they are just amazing.
I've been running a very similar list that is essentially what the last UW deck to 5-0 a premier ran. The main difference is the addition of Remand (Which has been good, but not great), main deck Wurmcoil Engine, and Snapcaster Mage at the cost of D-Spheres and walkers. The deck is cool and a lot of fun. It doesn't consistently 4-0 dailies, but that seems more because few people run it than actual power level.
I'm not a huge fan of 4 Mystic Gates personally. Even with 4 hate lands (Ghost Quarter/Tec Edge) colors are not so much the restraining factor as how much mana you get. That being said a 2 Mystic Gate 2 Calciform Pools split is what I'm currently running. The Pools have been absolute all stars for me. They let me tap down to a single land and still have counter magic up (people get burned by this quite often). They let me make the most of passing the turn and not playing anything almost like drawing an extra land each turn in some cases. If control is an at all decent part of the meta they are just amazing.
I've been running a very similar list that is essentially what the last UW deck to 5-0 a premier ran. The main difference is the addition of Remand (Which has been good, but not great), main deck Wurmcoil Engine, and Snapcaster Mage at the cost of D-Spheres and walkers. The deck is cool and a lot of fun. It doesn't consistently 4-0 dailies, but that seems more because few people run it than actual power level.
I know that no one is probably going to listen, but I still have to advocate Condescend over Remand. In a Control deck, you want permanent answers and cards that can work in the late-game. Unlike Remand, Condescend does this. And it also can be cast for X=0 on another spell just for the scry 2 if you are stuck on lands. So if you don't think that Remand is great, you should try it out.
I've tried Condescend, but I've just like Remand better. It's always just 1U and it draws me a card when I care more about card quantity and hitting land drops where scry is more card quality. So long as I slow the opponent down a little I can almost always win by landing a Sphinx, or Sun Titan.
I beat RG Tron and 2 affinity. Affinity takes an absolute beating from this deck, and Tron is ok if you manage to draw into some kind of hate.
Have also playtested the deck against a few other matchups. The midrange (like Jund and pod) and control matchups are all ok to good. Combo decks are difficult, but that's what your sideboard is for.
Hallowed fountains have been the worst card in the deck. I am thinking of going up to 4 mystic gates and more basics (Copying JB2002's manabase exactly).
I don't like pools as I always want to tap out.
I don't advocate any form of permission that are not snares or cryptics. Permission is actively bad in this style of deck (Unless you are running the 4 Snaps 2 Cliques as your only creatures version). I have tested 3 mana leaks, then 2, then none.
I was skeptical of this style of control when I saw quite a few people putting up solid results on MTGO, but I think it's great and absolutely love playing this deck. I have tried the more creature-light and permission-heavy version, but I think if you want to run that version you might as well be playing UWR.
There's nothing more soul-crushing for the opponent than to have you stabilize on board and drop a Consecrated Sphinx or a Sun Titan bringing back a Kitchen Finks.
The only difference this deck has from the one I posted above is +1 Restoration Angel and -1 Detention Sphere. Angel is very good, while D.Sphere is useful but seldom game-breaking.
Round 1 Bye. Odd number of players, I'm the lucky one.
Round 2 Loss vs. Mono-U Tron. Flooded out on game one, beat him with a couple of mindcensors in game two, then lost game three because I stupidly kept wall of omens over spreading seas when sideboarding. Would have won if the walls I drew were spreading seas.
Round 3 Win vs. RUG Aggro. This is a relatively easy matchup. They don't like Kitchen Finks nor restoration angels. And they really hate Supreme Verdict.
Round 4 Win vs. BR Aggro. This guy's deck is pretty interesting and quite powerful. He runs discard spells, Dark Confidant, Ashenmouth Gorger, Abyssal Persecutor etc. I lost the first game after a discard spell took away my only cantrip and I failed to draw another land for the next few turns. I managed to get decent draws games 2 and 3 and did the usual wipe board play 6-drop win.
Top 4 (It was a small turnout because of Game's Day, so they didn't use the top 8 structure).
Semifinals Win vs. BR Aggro. I paired up against the SAME GUY. The games went relatively the same way.
And then I split the finals with my opponent.
I am pretty comfortable with the current list and will continue running it until I encounter major problems along the way.
Interesting list. I have never been a fan of Mana Leak either because I would like to tap out many times too, but cutting them seems very bad to me:
Turn 3 Liliana of the Veil: Your only answer is Detention Sphere which is known to be quite bad against Abrupt Decay and Maelstrom Pulse.
Turn 3 Pestermite/Exarch into Splinter Twin: Again, you don't have many answers, just 4 Path to Exile.
RG Tron: You won't be able to counter their threats early enough and Spell Snare is probably the worst card in you deck against them.
By cutting Mana Leak your matchup against Midrange decks should (theoretically) decrease, as the high number of counterspells are the main reason why we they hate playing against straight UW Control. The combo and tempo matchup like Twin and Delver will be very rough due to playing a high amount of clunky sorcery speed removals.
I understand that we have a Sideboard to handle those problems. But BG/x, Pod and Twin being the most powerful/played decks, playing without Mana Leak seems like asking for trouble.
But I'm still very interested in how your matchups against Twin, BG/x and Pod are. How did you like the full package of Wall of Omens?
I like the list, but the absence of mana leak is odd. I don't really like detention sphere much, just because B/G/x is popular, making abrupt decay/mpulse also popular by default. Wall of Omens seems ok, I am not sure about 4 but it helps to block, cantrip and has synergy with Restoration Angel, same goes for Kitchen Finks. I am kind of surprised to see no Gideon Jura honestly, he has performed well for me in general. Also, Jace Beleren is also another decent way to get a little ahead, but perhaps the omniprescence of lightning bolt is a deterrent. I do like Spreading Seas though as supplemental manland removal and draw. Really, just a couple mana leaks, maybe a Jace Beleren and 1 Sphinx's Revelation and a Gideon Jura and I'd run a similar list.
The only difference this deck has from the one I posted above is +1 Restoration Angel and -1 Detention Sphere. Angel is very good, while D.Sphere is useful but seldom game-breaking.
Nice job! I've long suggested and suspected that Tap Out control is the best way to build UW in modern (I've even stated so in this thread). I've mentioned how I'm not a big fan of Temple of Enlightenment, but thats mostly because I really really like Calciform Pools.
My only thing is I really like Gideon Jura and Elspeth Knight Errant. I think they are higher impact than Sun's Champion. I can certainly see Sun's Champion being basically unbeatable, but I think Knight Errant and Gideon are also basically unbeatable and come down quicker.
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Currently Playing:
Modern: UWUW TronUW
Legacy: WDeath N TaxesW CEldrazi C
If you couldn't tell I hate greedy blue decks.
I don't really miss mana leak. Liliana is terrible against Kitchen Finks, so she does not really present a problem. She can also be bounced if all they are doing is ticking her up. On top of that, I run spreading seas, wraths, and a full set of tec edges which all give BGx decks fits.
Exarch and Pestermite can be a problem, but that's what paths are for. The trick is to not just path them whenever they come down, but rather path it when they try to combo off. If they try to race you you have wraths. If they try to counter your path you have spell snares. I wouldn't lie that twin is one of the more difficult matchups for my list though.
I mean, mana leaks are definitely good in certain situations, but they dilute your overall game plan which is to control the board. It's the reason why the winning lists online don't run it anymore. I think it is not wrong to run leaks, but I don't think it's wrong to not run them either.
Temples have been really good for me, but it's because I don't run mana leaks. If you like permission then you should run either calciform pools and seachrome coasts over temples.
Regarding walls: They are ok. I had 1 snapcaster over the 4th wall, but found that having that extra early cantrip beats having the option of re-buying a path or wrath. They are never really bad because they come down at a time where you won't be doing much with your mana anyway and they are never terrible topdecks.
I don't like revelations. It is actively bad in many situations, does not win you the game directly, and can be IOK'd. Sun Champion is easily a flex spot, as is consecrated sphinx. I have resolved sphinx a few times and won off the back of it, but I have never casted Sun Champion. I can easily see running Gideon or Baneslayer over Sun Champion. I don't recommend Elspeth Knight Errant - I have tried her and found her to be too durdly and easily killed (surprisingly). Gideon and Sun Champion are much more impactful. Sure they come down later, but we're not trying to win any fast games here. Baneslayer is just unbeatable against some decks and completely useless against others, which is why I choose to run her in the sb.
At the end of the day I think that everyone's ideas has merits and that as long as the core of the deck remains the same (Colonnade, Cryptics, Snares, Finks, Wraths, Resto Angels are non-negotiable imo) the deck is very strong. It's all in how you play the deck.
Tap out style is fun with blue/white, but lately I've been trying a UW list that is more permission based. The main benefit is Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and he has been quite amazing. He is particularly fun in concert with Consecrated Sphinx, but I've since replaced the Sphinx with Aetherling.
Fair enough. I will drop mana leaks and see how it goes. I still like Gideon Jura and a single Batterskull for late game breakers since both are very difficult to deal with and both have impact. I also really like Spreading Seas again. I also want to try a Jace Beleren since this is tapout and he is decent behind a blocker and can draw cards for a couple of turns of draw abrupt decay/lightning bolt.
Tap out style is fun with blue/white, but lately I've been trying a UW list that is more permission based. The main benefit is Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and he has been quite amazing. He is particularly fun in concert with Consecrated Sphinx, but I've since replaced the Sphinx with Aetherling.
I'd run Wurmcoil Engine or Batterskull over Aetherling.
Tap out style is fun with blue/white, but lately I've been trying a UW list that is more permission based. The main benefit is Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and he has been quite amazing. He is particularly fun in concert with Consecrated Sphinx, but I've since replaced the Sphinx with Aetherling.
I'd run Wurmcoil Engine or Batterskull over Aetherling.
Aetherling is just the newest one I'm testing. I also have a singleton Wurmcoil Engine in the deck, but the main benefit to Aetherling is he lets me just end the game. People can't just hole up with a few kitchen finks like they can against Sun Titan.
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BGRDredgevineBGR
UWRJeskai ControlUWR
Pauper:
GMono-Green AggroG
MTGO Username: creamy99
Twitch Stream: www.twitch.tv/coachcreamy
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Cherokee3210
Check it out for the latest testing, gameplay, and dailies!
I found that dropping the card draw for more 1 for 1 answers lets me take care of problems, but the UW version always has something and hardly runs out of gas. The UW manabase is slightly less painful than the UWR, but red provides more/alternate win conditions. Niv_mizzet is not good in a deck like this imo because it doesn't combine with anything. I have been switching between Consecrated Sphinx and Sun Titan as both work extremely well off of Jace Beleren. You want a win condition that will have both card advantage/game ending consequences. Sphinx provides four cards basically when it hits the board, and Titan brings back a planeswalker.
BGRDredgevineBGR
UWRJeskai ControlUWR
Pauper:
GMono-Green AggroG
MTGO Username: creamy99
Twitch Stream: www.twitch.tv/coachcreamy
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Cherokee3210
Check it out for the latest testing, gameplay, and dailies!
I noticed that Niv_Mizzet wasnt fitting into the deck but I needed to find something to be some sort of threat even though it has no synergy with the deck itself.
Im going to try running Consecrated Sphinx or Sun Titan. I just have to go thru my binders and find them but im almost positive I have more than one of each
There's stuff that will jump out at you
I have the deck built on MtGO and do most of my testing there in tournament practice.
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Vendilion Clique
3 Restoration Angel
Instants (24)
2 Vapor Snag
4 Path to Exile
4 Thought Scour
4 Spell Snare
4 Think Twice
4 Remand
2 Cryptic Command
4 Seachrome Coast
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Celestial Colonnade
2 Glacial Fortress
4 Island
2 Plains
2 Moorland Haunt
2 Tectonic Edge
Numbers with Vapor Snag, Spell Snare, Think Twice, Cryptic Command and etc could probably be changed around.
Take this list for example:
http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=7762&d=244694&f=MO
5 Island
5 Plains
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Mystic Gate
4 Celestial Colonnade
Creatures:14
4 Wall of Omens
4 Kitchen Finks
2 Vendilion Clique
1 Sun Titan
1 Restoration Angel
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Consecrated Sphinx
4 Spell Snare
4 Path to Exile
3 Cryptic Command
3 Supreme Verdict
1 Pact of Negation
Other Spells:5
3 Detention Sphere
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Gideon Jura
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
1 Batterskull
2 Aven Mindcensor
1 Damping Matrix
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Ratchet Bomb
1 Spellskite
4 Threads of Disloyalty
2 Celestial Purge
What are people's thoughts on the land choice and the deck in general?
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
I've been running a very similar list that is essentially what the last UW deck to 5-0 a premier ran. The main difference is the addition of Remand (Which has been good, but not great), main deck Wurmcoil Engine, and Snapcaster Mage at the cost of D-Spheres and walkers. The deck is cool and a lot of fun. It doesn't consistently 4-0 dailies, but that seems more because few people run it than actual power level.
I know that no one is probably going to listen, but I still have to advocate Condescend over Remand. In a Control deck, you want permanent answers and cards that can work in the late-game. Unlike Remand, Condescend does this. And it also can be cast for X=0 on another spell just for the scry 2 if you are stuck on lands. So if you don't think that Remand is great, you should try it out.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
4 Wall of Omens
4 Kitchen Finks
1 Vendilion Clique
2 Restoration Angel
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Sun Titan
Spells:21
4 Path to Exile
4 Spell Snare
3 Spreading Seas
2 Detention Sphere
4 Cryptic Command
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Wrath of God
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Celestial Colonnade
5 Island
3 Mystic Gate
4 Plains
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Dispel
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
2 Negate
2 Stony Silence
2 Aven Mindcensor
1 Wrath of God
2 Baneslayer Angel
I beat RG Tron and 2 affinity. Affinity takes an absolute beating from this deck, and Tron is ok if you manage to draw into some kind of hate.
Have also playtested the deck against a few other matchups. The midrange (like Jund and pod) and control matchups are all ok to good. Combo decks are difficult, but that's what your sideboard is for.
Hallowed fountains have been the worst card in the deck. I am thinking of going up to 4 mystic gates and more basics (Copying JB2002's manabase exactly).
I don't like pools as I always want to tap out.
I don't advocate any form of permission that are not snares or cryptics. Permission is actively bad in this style of deck (Unless you are running the 4 Snaps 2 Cliques as your only creatures version). I have tested 3 mana leaks, then 2, then none.
I was skeptical of this style of control when I saw quite a few people putting up solid results on MTGO, but I think it's great and absolutely love playing this deck. I have tried the more creature-light and permission-heavy version, but I think if you want to run that version you might as well be playing UWR.
There's nothing more soul-crushing for the opponent than to have you stabilize on board and drop a Consecrated Sphinx or a Sun Titan bringing back a Kitchen Finks.
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
4 Wall of Omens
4 Kitchen Finks
1 Vendilion Clique
3 Restoration Angel
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Sun Titan
Spells:20
4 Path to Exile
4 Spell Snare
3 Spreading Seas
1 Detention Sphere
4 Cryptic Command
2 Supreme Verdict
1 Wrath of God
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
4 Celestial Colonnade
2 Hallowed Fountain
5 Island
3 Mystic Gate
4 Plains
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Temple of Enlightenment
1 Dispel
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Celestial Purge
1 Disenchant
2 Negate
2 Stony Silence
2 Aven Mindcensor
1 Wrath of God
2 Baneslayer Angel
The only difference this deck has from the one I posted above is +1 Restoration Angel and -1 Detention Sphere. Angel is very good, while D.Sphere is useful but seldom game-breaking.
Round 1 Bye. Odd number of players, I'm the lucky one.
Round 2 Loss vs. Mono-U Tron. Flooded out on game one, beat him with a couple of mindcensors in game two, then lost game three because I stupidly kept wall of omens over spreading seas when sideboarding. Would have won if the walls I drew were spreading seas.
Round 3 Win vs. RUG Aggro. This is a relatively easy matchup. They don't like Kitchen Finks nor restoration angels. And they really hate Supreme Verdict.
Round 4 Win vs. BR Aggro. This guy's deck is pretty interesting and quite powerful. He runs discard spells, Dark Confidant, Ashenmouth Gorger, Abyssal Persecutor etc. I lost the first game after a discard spell took away my only cantrip and I failed to draw another land for the next few turns. I managed to get decent draws games 2 and 3 and did the usual wipe board play 6-drop win.
Top 4 (It was a small turnout because of Game's Day, so they didn't use the top 8 structure).
Semifinals Win vs. BR Aggro. I paired up against the SAME GUY. The games went relatively the same way.
And then I split the finals with my opponent.
I am pretty comfortable with the current list and will continue running it until I encounter major problems along the way.
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
Turn 3 Liliana of the Veil: Your only answer is Detention Sphere which is known to be quite bad against Abrupt Decay and Maelstrom Pulse.
Turn 3 Pestermite/Exarch into Splinter Twin: Again, you don't have many answers, just 4 Path to Exile.
RG Tron: You won't be able to counter their threats early enough and Spell Snare is probably the worst card in you deck against them.
By cutting Mana Leak your matchup against Midrange decks should (theoretically) decrease, as the high number of counterspells are the main reason why we they hate playing against straight UW Control. The combo and tempo matchup like Twin and Delver will be very rough due to playing a high amount of clunky sorcery speed removals.
I understand that we have a Sideboard to handle those problems. But BG/x, Pod and Twin being the most powerful/played decks, playing without Mana Leak seems like asking for trouble.
But I'm still very interested in how your matchups against Twin, BG/x and Pod are. How did you like the full package of Wall of Omens?
Nice job! I've long suggested and suspected that Tap Out control is the best way to build UW in modern (I've even stated so in this thread). I've mentioned how I'm not a big fan of Temple of Enlightenment, but thats mostly because I really really like Calciform Pools.
My only thing is I really like Gideon Jura and Elspeth Knight Errant. I think they are higher impact than Sun's Champion. I can certainly see Sun's Champion being basically unbeatable, but I think Knight Errant and Gideon are also basically unbeatable and come down quicker.
Modern:
UWUW TronUW
Legacy:
WDeath N TaxesW
CEldrazi C
If you couldn't tell I hate greedy blue decks.
Vintage
WWhite Trash
Exarch and Pestermite can be a problem, but that's what paths are for. The trick is to not just path them whenever they come down, but rather path it when they try to combo off. If they try to race you you have wraths. If they try to counter your path you have spell snares. I wouldn't lie that twin is one of the more difficult matchups for my list though.
I mean, mana leaks are definitely good in certain situations, but they dilute your overall game plan which is to control the board. It's the reason why the winning lists online don't run it anymore. I think it is not wrong to run leaks, but I don't think it's wrong to not run them either.
Temples have been really good for me, but it's because I don't run mana leaks. If you like permission then you should run either calciform pools and seachrome coasts over temples.
Regarding walls: They are ok. I had 1 snapcaster over the 4th wall, but found that having that extra early cantrip beats having the option of re-buying a path or wrath. They are never really bad because they come down at a time where you won't be doing much with your mana anyway and they are never terrible topdecks.
I don't like revelations. It is actively bad in many situations, does not win you the game directly, and can be IOK'd. Sun Champion is easily a flex spot, as is consecrated sphinx. I have resolved sphinx a few times and won off the back of it, but I have never casted Sun Champion. I can easily see running Gideon or Baneslayer over Sun Champion. I don't recommend Elspeth Knight Errant - I have tried her and found her to be too durdly and easily killed (surprisingly). Gideon and Sun Champion are much more impactful. Sure they come down later, but we're not trying to win any fast games here. Baneslayer is just unbeatable against some decks and completely useless against others, which is why I choose to run her in the sb.
At the end of the day I think that everyone's ideas has merits and that as long as the core of the deck remains the same (Colonnade, Cryptics, Snares, Finks, Wraths, Resto Angels are non-negotiable imo) the deck is very strong. It's all in how you play the deck.
Modern: Jund Legacy: RUG Delver EDH: Captain Sisay
I'd run Wurmcoil Engine or Batterskull over Aetherling.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
Aetherling is just the newest one I'm testing. I also have a singleton Wurmcoil Engine in the deck, but the main benefit to Aetherling is he lets me just end the game. People can't just hole up with a few kitchen finks like they can against Sun Titan.