Well, the old Bushwacker isn't really that much of a good inclusion in Storm because it makes us have to have two extra red mana in our pool after casing Empty. Not only that, but most of the time our matchups don't have an immediate answer to 8 or 10+ goblins.
Taking all that into account, I don't see a reason to include the new Bushwacker if the old Bushwacker isn't included in a full list.
So, Jori En, Ruin Diver was spoiled today. Her ability looks like it could really benefit the deck, but it might be too expensive for the deck to reliably cast and stick to the board, unless we're going for casting it on the combo turn. Even then, that might make us have to go off later than turn 3. Any other thoughts?
Which is the list I run and it's really effective. Once I've done more playing at FNM I might want to fool around a bit with the decklist, but the Finkel list is already really good.
So with Ravings if you happen to discard a cantrip or ritual, it won't really matter because it's fuel for Ascension or PiF. That's why the random discard isn't as big as you think it is.
That leads me to PiF. Running 3 is good because you have a better chance of drawing it, and if it so happens that you discard it, it doesn't matter as much because you can flashback or draw into another one.
The number of Grapeshot isn't something I really notice. I run 2 because it's the standard number, and I haven't really run into any huge problems with not having it. Post-board I would almost always have all my copies of Empty, so 2/3 Grapeshot won't matter as much.
I'm not sure how much I can say about Serum Visions. It's really just too good in this deck because you can control your next draw and it replaces itself all for a single blue. With Ascension it's just disgusting (then again what isn't in this deck), and without Ascension it lets you sculpt your hand to set up for the combo turn as well as fill up the yard for possible Ascension activation.
Yep. Scalding Tarn is just the best because they have the versatility of both colors, but if you don't have them that's completely fine. Just run more blue fetches.
4 Serum Visions is a must. There isn't any reason to run less.
Past in Flames is usually a 3-of in standard boards, that way you'll draw it a little more often so that you don't fizzle out.
As for the Faithless Looting/Desperate Ravings argument, for me personally Desperate Ravings is better because it's strictly card advantage as opposed to Faithless Looting, which is objectively card disadvantage. Plus the random discard shouldn't hurt that much because of Past in Flames, especially during the combo turn.
As for your questions
1. I'm not sure myself. I'm sure someone else on the thread can answer.
2. I already addressed this, 3 is the normal number of PiF.
3. That really depends on what cards you used during the combo to wipe the board.
Windswept Heath isn't in our colors at all, so none of those.
Run all of the Flooded Strand, since a lot of the time you want to fetch a blue source. As for the Wooded Foothills, run maybe 2. You'll want to try and get your hands on some more blue fetches because the blue mana helps us set up for the combo turn.
The ideal manabase (at least if you're going with the Jon Finkel manabase) is 7 fetches that can get a blue or red source (blue is more important), 3 Islands, a single Mountain, 3 Shivan Reef and 2 Steam Vents.
If you don't have Shivan Reef or Steam Vents, more basics are fine. Just try to keep it to more Islands than Mountains.
Bolt is much more flexible though. Sure, you might use it for removal more often than doming, but imo, replacing a card as good as Lightning Bolt for a card that specifically targets one creature weakens all your other matchups instead. Bolt can also relieve pressure on your storm count: dome your opponent for 3 (6 if Ascension is active or if you already cast PiF, even 12 if both) and makes it much easier to get a killing Grapeshot.
Volley is very good as an answer card for Rhetoric (and probably other cards I'm forgetting), but Bolt is simply too good to cut out 4 in your sideboard.
Yeah I'm probably dropping the Pact soon, I just need a little more play time with the deck.
@Risumu Defense Grid is great against Faeries, although if your local meta doesn't have a Faeries deck running around (mine has two I think) I don't suggest sideboarding it (although it's very effective against other decks).
I run a single Pact in the mainboard currently, but so far it hasn't been nearly as useful as I foresaw it being, so I'm probably going to drop it and replace it with a fourth Ascension.
Honestly, Defense Grid has done much more in control matchups and really any counterspell's use is nullified if you run Defense Grid.
Your call in the end, but that's my thoughts on Pact and other counterspells.
Personally I haven't played against Abzan or Twin that much, but I can say that main boarding 4 Thought Scour is a must. It fuels your grave for PiF and replaces itself, plus it's an alternate wincon in the right situation.
As for sideboard, I can't tell you much because I haven't played the deck as much as others on this thread.
Taking all that into account, I don't see a reason to include the new Bushwacker if the old Bushwacker isn't included in a full list.
That leads me to PiF. Running 3 is good because you have a better chance of drawing it, and if it so happens that you discard it, it doesn't matter as much because you can flashback or draw into another one.
The number of Grapeshot isn't something I really notice. I run 2 because it's the standard number, and I haven't really run into any huge problems with not having it. Post-board I would almost always have all my copies of Empty, so 2/3 Grapeshot won't matter as much.
I'm not sure how much I can say about Serum Visions. It's really just too good in this deck because you can control your next draw and it replaces itself all for a single blue. With Ascension it's just disgusting (then again what isn't in this deck), and without Ascension it lets you sculpt your hand to set up for the combo turn as well as fill up the yard for possible Ascension activation.
Past in Flames is usually a 3-of in standard boards, that way you'll draw it a little more often so that you don't fizzle out.
As for the Faithless Looting/Desperate Ravings argument, for me personally Desperate Ravings is better because it's strictly card advantage as opposed to Faithless Looting, which is objectively card disadvantage. Plus the random discard shouldn't hurt that much because of Past in Flames, especially during the combo turn.
As for your questions
1. I'm not sure myself. I'm sure someone else on the thread can answer.
2. I already addressed this, 3 is the normal number of PiF.
3. That really depends on what cards you used during the combo to wipe the board.
Run all of the Flooded Strand, since a lot of the time you want to fetch a blue source. As for the Wooded Foothills, run maybe 2. You'll want to try and get your hands on some more blue fetches because the blue mana helps us set up for the combo turn.
The ideal manabase (at least if you're going with the Jon Finkel manabase) is 7 fetches that can get a blue or red source (blue is more important), 3 Islands, a single Mountain, 3 Shivan Reef and 2 Steam Vents.
If you don't have Shivan Reef or Steam Vents, more basics are fine. Just try to keep it to more Islands than Mountains.
Volley is very good as an answer card for Rhetoric (and probably other cards I'm forgetting), but Bolt is simply too good to cut out 4 in your sideboard.
@Risumu Defense Grid is great against Faeries, although if your local meta doesn't have a Faeries deck running around (mine has two I think) I don't suggest sideboarding it (although it's very effective against other decks).
Honestly, Defense Grid has done much more in control matchups and really any counterspell's use is nullified if you run Defense Grid.
Your call in the end, but that's my thoughts on Pact and other counterspells.
As for sideboard, I can't tell you much because I haven't played the deck as much as others on this thread.