I saw this Youtube video, where a legacy sliver is discussed. Apparently he did quite well with it. There were some obvious shortcomings in the deck, however at 3:32, he mentions that his friends encouraged him to go with a counter-sliver deck, which he would've done except he didn't own any Force Of Will or dual lands.
In general, as far as legacy is concerned, is counter-sliver the standard deck? In other words if you have the Force of Will and duals, would you be dumb to play any other variant of sliver besides counter-sliver?
Usually as Slivers lacks elements of preventing combo. The (I hate to say it but) better deck 'Merfolk' uses FoWs as the go to against combo decks, sometimes even using COTV. I only say Merfolk is better because of Cursecatcher and True-Name Nemesis, which are just strong.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
In general I think people play Merfolk because it's cheaper, more resilient to Wasteland, slightly better against combo due to Cursecatcher, draws cards with Silvergill Adept and punishes any deck playing blue with unblockable creatures. Both Merfolk or Slivers generally run Force of Will and Daze in some number, budget versions may run Spell Pierce of Counterspell.
Slivers does give you access to better removal (StP), green and white sideboard cards (Krosan Grip, Rest in Peace, Ethersworm Cannonist, Meddling Mage), and one could certainly run a more aggro COTV version the same as with Merfolk. Probably though if you're going to spring for Tundras and Tropical Islands, there might be more interesting decks to play that wouldn't feel just like playing Merfolk.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Legacy: WRDeath and Taxes UWRMiracles UBTezzerator GTrinity GBWRLoam URLandstill
Modern: WUBValue Titan UMerfolk WGDeath and Taxes
I have tried to play Slivers before (immediately after the newest Muscle Sliver came out), and the whole time I really did feel like I was just playing a bad Merfolk deck. Merfolk is much better at supporting both Force of Will and Daze, has more stable mana (so also supports Mutavault better), and has arguably better evasion with Islandwalk. They also have just as many lords, and the extra abilities you can gain from slivers (trample, various evasion, and whatnot) are all pretty situational.
Slivers does give you access to better removal (StP), green and white sideboard cards (Krosan Grip, Rest in Peace, Ethersworm Cannonist, Meddling Mage), and one could certainly run a more aggro COTV version the same as with Merfolk.
You could get the same thing by just splashing white into Merfolk. I've got a friend that does that, running StP and a Stoneforge package in an otherwise stock Merfolk deck. He calls it SwordFish.
Slivers is only better than Merfolk when playing against control like miracleS imo because of the fact that they have more colors available and they can run hibernation sliver.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks:
Modern
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Legacy
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
Slivers is only better than Merfolk when playing against control like miracleS imo because of the fact that they have more colors available and they can run hibernation sliver.
do you think theres a variant that might run dark confidant as a card drawing engine?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: C Serum Eldrazi Legacy: CEldrazi C Mud W Soldier Stompy R Bread (big red stompy) WU Spirit Blade WUG Meat Hooks WUBGR Blue Dredge
Slivers is only better than Merfolk when playing against control like miracleS imo because of the fact that they have more colors available and they can run hibernation sliver.
do you think theres a variant that might run dark confidant as a card drawing engine?
First off, I would throw out there that my previous statement is no longer that accurate.
Secondly, You can always test it out and see how it goes!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks:
Modern
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Legacy
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
The advantage of Slivers are their speed in my opinion. You can essentially play 12 "Muscle Sliver" + Bonescythe Sliver for double damage and Sliver Legion as a living Coat of Arms at the very top of the curve
I've never seen a Sliver Legion in a legacy slivers deck place anywhere. Where have you seen this success? I'm interested what this deck would look like. (:
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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 like the thought of using standstill, but this article is incredibly outdated (2013) and was wondering if it's just better to run brainstorm instead?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: C Serum Eldrazi Legacy: CEldrazi C Mud W Soldier Stompy R Bread (big red stompy) WU Spirit Blade WUG Meat Hooks WUBGR Blue Dredge
Hey I was wondering what people's thoughts on Collected company were? I'm used to playing modern, and made the legacy version of the deck, however i feel that it's really lacking speed/power.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: C Serum Eldrazi Legacy: CEldrazi C Mud W Soldier Stompy R Bread (big red stompy) WU Spirit Blade WUG Meat Hooks WUBGR Blue Dredge
Super bleh in legacy. 4 mana needs to win the game.
The thing is, in modern, it always did. Does it not do the same in legacy? The number of times its revealed haste + lord or some equivalent and swing for game was huge in personal experience (I went 3-1, or 4-0 in my last 4 modern fnm's because of it)
EDIT: ur right doesn't seem its what the deck needs. Im thinking of playing a 1x lead the stampede however just for a tiny bit of card draw
The only thing that I personally feel Slivers has over Merfolk in legacy (because they are essentially the same deck) is less fragile to boardwipes due to Hibernation Sliver. Removal is semi-similar since Merfolk can run Dismember, their mana base is more solid, and they are more consistent.
I still play slivers as a fun deck from time to time, but I don't think it's something that is going to be broken with the current slivers that exist. We'll need new slivers printed to really go anywhere I think.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Current Decks:
Modern
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Legacy
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
In my testing I've been enjoying reasonable success with a Full Slivers list (originally by Daniel Nunes). It plays Force of Will, AEther Vial, and 31 slivers. It has enough blue to support the Forces, and Hibernation Slivers are especially helpful to that end. Let me know if you have any tips. I could play 3 Striking Sliver and 2 Venomous Sliver.
Would heart sliver find a way in this list? I've found it invaluable in modern at the very least (really accelerates the aggro beat down plan before the opponent can "go off")
I think I would -1 sidewinder sliver and -1 necrotic sliver for +2 heart sliver. I think necrotic sliver has even less play in legacy than it does in modern (where personally, it has only been fringe playable)
I think slivers need a 2 drop sliver that poops out a 0/1 sliver token every time a sliver is played. probably too powerful but it would be cherished and loved
There is been two years since I started playing slivers in competitive legacy and I am very satisfied with the results.
As a merfolk player and huge fan of the deck too, I disagree that it is just a better slivers deck, they are very different despite having the same lords and beatdown plan.
Slivers work pretty good in many bad matchups for merfolk like jund, elves, painter, Goblins, Eldrazi, etc and have good and bad points very different than the merfolks.
In generall I think that the ideal of the deck is going in heavy creatures versions that can use five colors consistently with no dual lands. I don't think cards like brainstorm or daze fit well in the plan of the deck, you want to play as many creatures as possible in order to make the lords true valuable. The game against fair decks costume to be good ones, some people just concede when you play crystalinne sliver through cavern of souls and basically shut down their hands full of counters and removals. Combo is the challenge for the deck, sometimes a turn 4 kill with a force of will or Karakas backup is sufficiently and the hatebears in the sideboard can help improving the game.
My first decklist was that one: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=10661&d=260985&f=LE
After the banning of DTT and consequent reduction of Young Pyromancer decks I cutted the sidewinters for more strikings and added two venoms on maindeck. Played with something like this for a while: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=11139&d=263388&f=LE
In the recent metagame I made some changes. Now playing with 4 striking sliver, which is very good in the eldrazi and tarmogoyf decks matchups since with it you can produce a first strike wall to defend against big monsters, 2 winged slivers in the place of the hunters to fly more consistenly and 4 hibernation sliver maindeck to deal with miracles and other people trying to control you like shardless bug and jund. Moved the Syphon slivers to the sideboard and added a third Venom sliver into it.
I have considered player bonescythe sliver and hearth sliver, but I don't think there is place for it in the deck. Some players like Darkhearth sliver, I have never tested it but think that Syphon sliver works better.
Let me know if you want more discussions on slivers, I love playing the deck and think it have a unexplored potential in legacy. I apologize if there is any grammar issues, english is not my mother language.
There is also a report I wrote six mouths ago about a tournament I was able to win with slivers. With you want to check up (in portuguese): http://insidegamestore.com.br/publico/publicacao.xhtml?pid=2309096
There is been two years since I started playing slivers in competitive legacy and I am very satisfied with the results.
As a merfolk player and huge fan of the deck too, I disagree that it is just a better slivers deck, they are very different despite having the same lords and beatdown plan.
Slivers work pretty good in many bad matchups for merfolk like jund, elves, painter, Goblins, Eldrazi, etc and have good and bad points very different than the merfolks.
In generall I think that the ideal of the deck is going in heavy creatures versions that can use five colors consistently with no dual lands. I don't think cards like brainstorm or daze fit well in the plan of the deck, you want to play as many creatures as possible in order to make the lords true valuable. The game against fair decks costume to be good ones, some people just concede when you play crystalinne sliver through cavern of souls and basically shut down their hands full of counters and removals. Combo is the challenge for the deck, sometimes a turn 4 kill with a force of will or Karakas backup is sufficiently and the hatebears in the sideboard can help improving the game.
My first decklist was that one: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=10661&d=260985&f=LE
After the banning of DTT and consequent reduction of Young Pyromancer decks I cutted the sidewinters for more strikings and added two venoms on maindeck. Played with something like this for a while: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=11139&d=263388&f=LE
In the recent metagame I made some changes. Now playing with 4 striking sliver, which is very good in the eldrazi and tarmogoyf decks matchups since with it you can produce a first strike wall to defend against big monsters, 2 winged slivers in the place of the hunters to fly more consistenly and 4 hibernation sliver maindeck to deal with miracles and other people trying to control you like shardless bug and jund. Moved the Syphon slivers to the sideboard and added a third Venom sliver into it.
I have considered player bonescythe sliver and hearth sliver, but I don't think there is place for it in the deck. Some players like Darkhearth sliver, I have never tested it but think that Syphon sliver works better.
Let me know if you want more discussions on slivers, I love playing the deck and think it have a unexplored potential in legacy. I apologize if there is any grammar issues, english is not my mother language.
There is also a report I wrote six mouths ago about a tournament I was able to win with slivers. With you want to check up (in portuguese): http://insidegamestore.com.br/publico/publicacao.xhtml?pid=2309096
It is good to hear from you. I am now slowly putting together a Legacy Sliver deck very similiar to the one you had on MTG Top 8.
How do you feel about manaweft/gemhide in some slots or Chalice of the Void?
Thanks Buddy. Just make sure to stay away from slivers mirror! It is very awkard...
I don't like manaweft/gemhide much cause you are always trying to attack as much as possible, tapping your creatures to add mana don't seem viable to me. As for chalice of the void, I like playing a more agressive line with more drop 1 creatures, so you can very often kill your combo opponent on turn 4, but think it is a good choice if the goal is to improve combo matchups.
@mambosong: Interesting! I have never though of that before, maybe I try at least 1 Darkhearth.
also, thoughts on using shardless agent? it'll work fantastically with the hatebear sideboard plan. Also the inclusion of standstill might work with it as well. Im thinking of running 4x shardless and 2x standstill in the sliver deck.
Right now I'm using ancient zig over sliver hive because it can help to play shardless agent and all the hate bear sideboard cards. I'm pretty sure that 8 sources of blue for standstill is too little, possibly cutting down the number of zigs for more fetches might be the better plan. It can also just be cut out for phantasmal images. thoughts?
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern: C Serum Eldrazi Legacy: CEldrazi C Mud W Soldier Stompy R Bread (big red stompy) WU Spirit Blade WUG Meat Hooks WUBGR Blue Dredge
I was considering a Poisonous Sliver variant with 4 Virulent Sliver, 3 Green Sun's Zenith to find more Virulents, and 4 Phantasmal Images to copy them. I then goldfished it with a variety of hand compositions, comparing it to a traditional Full Slivers list. In only one scenario out of eight did the Virulent Slivers help, with a turn three kill: t1 Vial, t2 Virulent + t2 Heart Sliver, t3 Virulent + any other sliver = ten poison damage. In all other cases, the poison deck hadn't killed by turn three. On turn four, it overkilled, often with 14-20 poison.
The traditional slivers with their lords didn't waste damage, so to speak. Most any sequence of slivers (with two lords) added up to twenty damage by turn four. It is more likely they would draw two lords, and their slivers have additional powers thanks to Striking Sliver played turn one over Virulent Sliver. And getting the opponent close to death with damage is better than with poison, for reasons such as Ad Nauseum. Phantasmal Image is another option, though they're harder to cast (and easier to counter unless you dedicate a Cavern of Souls to illusion), with potential upside of copying an Emrakul.
I suspect Virulent Sliver isn't good here or in any format, which is a shame. I like Striking Sliver in their slot, as it combined with Crystalline Sliver creates an unbreakable wall. Plus upside with Venom Sliver, as Daniel Nunes said. If you're looking for additional lords, don't feel bad about playing Leeching Sliver. I play them in Modern, and they're great.
Or, do you feel the t3 poison kill described above is valuable enough to pursue? Note, the composition of the slivers required included no evasion or protection for the first two turns. How likely do you feel this specific scenario is? (Vial isn't necessary if you have a third land and another 1-drop sliver on t3.)
mambosong I can see some logic on playing Shardless Agent, but I just don't know if it fit well in the deck. Have you tested the list?
GreySavant as for poisonous variant, as said I think it isn't good. The traditional plan of a turn 4 kill is much more constant, as your tests suggest.
I am currently playing with 4 Striking Sliver, can't see myself using less than it anymore. It is too useful against Baleful Strix and equipment and provides the unbreakable wall mode. I found out that he is very good against burn also, since you can stop incoming Goblin Guides on turn 2 without lose slivers on block. To combo with it I am using 2 Venom Sliver Maindeck and 1 Sideboard, nice against any deck containing Tarmogoyf, Gurmag, Reliquary, etc.
One of my doubts on sideboarding is if Venom Sliver is worth against Sneak and Show, Reanimator and Elves. It can stop the big creatures, but the plan of the hatebears is to don't let they even enter the battlefield. As I don't like sideboarding blue cards or drop 1 cards out against combo, to use Venom and hatebears on g2 I have to cut some lords, which can be painful. Against Elves I stopped the Behemoth kill once with Striking on battlefield and Venom entering through Aether Vial, but it is too hard to happen and the opponent can play around it if he is smart enough.
There is a sliver group on facebook, you are in it?
After a few more test games, I have to recant my earlier statement about Leeching Sliver being an option for an additional lord. I think Phantasmal Image is strictly better as it's blue and can be pitched to Force of Will. Currently, I have two Images. I will also consider adding additional Venom Slivers.
I have been testing a version with Brainstorm over Striking Sliver. The deck feels far weaker and more vulnerable without the first strike. In the board, I'll be testing 1 Syphon Sliver, 1 Frenetic Sliver. Is the Syphon Sliver good against anything but Burn? Frenetic can be a 5th Hibernation Sliver against control.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
In general, as far as legacy is concerned, is counter-sliver the standard deck? In other words if you have the Force of Will and duals, would you be dumb to play any other variant of sliver besides counter-sliver?
U Merfolk | GR Tron | WUR Jeskai Control | WBG Abzan Company
EDH:
G Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Fighting for Rivendell
WU Brago, King Eternal, Long Live the King
WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon, Worship the Dragon
Slivers does give you access to better removal (StP), green and white sideboard cards (Krosan Grip, Rest in Peace, Ethersworm Cannonist, Meddling Mage), and one could certainly run a more aggro COTV version the same as with Merfolk. Probably though if you're going to spring for Tundras and Tropical Islands, there might be more interesting decks to play that wouldn't feel just like playing Merfolk.
Modern: WUBValue Titan UMerfolk WGDeath and Taxes
You could get the same thing by just splashing white into Merfolk. I've got a friend that does that, running StP and a Stoneforge package in an otherwise stock Merfolk deck. He calls it SwordFish.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
do you think theres a variant that might run dark confidant as a card drawing engine?
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
First off, I would throw out there that my previous statement is no longer that accurate.
Secondly, You can always test it out and see how it goes!
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I've never seen a Sliver Legion in a legacy slivers deck place anywhere. Where have you seen this success? I'm interested what this deck would look like. (:
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
I like the thought of using standstill, but this article is incredibly outdated (2013) and was wondering if it's just better to run brainstorm instead?
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
The thing is, in modern, it always did. Does it not do the same in legacy? The number of times its revealed haste + lord or some equivalent and swing for game was huge in personal experience (I went 3-1, or 4-0 in my last 4 modern fnm's because of it)
EDIT: ur right doesn't seem its what the deck needs. Im thinking of playing a 1x lead the stampede however just for a tiny bit of card draw
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
I still play slivers as a fun deck from time to time, but I don't think it's something that is going to be broken with the current slivers that exist. We'll need new slivers printed to really go anywhere I think.
Modern Warp / UR Control / UR Storm / Naya Breachshift / ElectroBalance
Solidarity / Lands / Sneak and Show / Grixis Delver / Reanimator / Belcher / Storm / Dredge
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
4x Crystalline Sliver
4x Galerider Sliver
4x Hibernation Sliver
2x Hunter Sliver
4x Muscle Sliver
1x Necrotic Sliver
4x Predatory Sliver
1x Sidewinder Sliver
4x Sinew Sliver
2x Striking Sliver
1x Winged Sliver
4x Cavern of Souls
1x Gemstone Mine
1x Karakas
3x Mana Confluence
4x Mutavault
4x Sliver Hive
4x Force of Will
4x AEther Vial
1x Ethersworn Canonist
3x Faerie Macabre
2x Harmonic Sliver
1x Hunter Sliver
3x Meddling Mage
1x Pithing Needle
1x Venom Sliver
I think I would -1 sidewinder sliver and -1 necrotic sliver for +2 heart sliver. I think necrotic sliver has even less play in legacy than it does in modern (where personally, it has only been fringe playable)
I think slivers need a 2 drop sliver that poops out a 0/1 sliver token every time a sliver is played. probably too powerful but it would be cherished and loved
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
As a merfolk player and huge fan of the deck too, I disagree that it is just a better slivers deck, they are very different despite having the same lords and beatdown plan.
Slivers work pretty good in many bad matchups for merfolk like jund, elves, painter, Goblins, Eldrazi, etc and have good and bad points very different than the merfolks.
In generall I think that the ideal of the deck is going in heavy creatures versions that can use five colors consistently with no dual lands. I don't think cards like brainstorm or daze fit well in the plan of the deck, you want to play as many creatures as possible in order to make the lords true valuable. The game against fair decks costume to be good ones, some people just concede when you play crystalinne sliver through cavern of souls and basically shut down their hands full of counters and removals. Combo is the challenge for the deck, sometimes a turn 4 kill with a force of will or Karakas backup is sufficiently and the hatebears in the sideboard can help improving the game.
My first decklist was that one: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=10661&d=260985&f=LE
After the banning of DTT and consequent reduction of Young Pyromancer decks I cutted the sidewinters for more strikings and added two venoms on maindeck. Played with something like this for a while: http://www.mtgtop8.com/event?e=11139&d=263388&f=LE
In the recent metagame I made some changes. Now playing with 4 striking sliver, which is very good in the eldrazi and tarmogoyf decks matchups since with it you can produce a first strike wall to defend against big monsters, 2 winged slivers in the place of the hunters to fly more consistenly and 4 hibernation sliver maindeck to deal with miracles and other people trying to control you like shardless bug and jund. Moved the Syphon slivers to the sideboard and added a third Venom sliver into it.
I have considered player bonescythe sliver and hearth sliver, but I don't think there is place for it in the deck. Some players like Darkhearth sliver, I have never tested it but think that Syphon sliver works better.
Let me know if you want more discussions on slivers, I love playing the deck and think it have a unexplored potential in legacy. I apologize if there is any grammar issues, english is not my mother language.
There is also a report I wrote six mouths ago about a tournament I was able to win with slivers. With you want to check up (in portuguese): http://insidegamestore.com.br/publico/publicacao.xhtml?pid=2309096
How do you feel about manaweft/gemhide in some slots or Chalice of the Void?
I think playing 1 or 2 darkheart slivers is a good idea just for the dredge match up because it breaks their bridge from belows
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
Thanks Buddy. Just make sure to stay away from slivers mirror! It is very awkard...
I don't like manaweft/gemhide much cause you are always trying to attack as much as possible, tapping your creatures to add mana don't seem viable to me. As for chalice of the void, I like playing a more agressive line with more drop 1 creatures, so you can very often kill your combo opponent on turn 4, but think it is a good choice if the goal is to improve combo matchups.
@mambosong: Interesting! I have never though of that before, maybe I try at least 1 Darkhearth.
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
Heres a sample list:
4x Crystalline Sliver
4x Galerider Sliver
4x Hibernation Sliver
4x Muscle Sliver
4x Predatory Sliver
4x Shardless Agent
4x Sinew Sliver
2x Syphon Sliver
Instant (4)
4x Force of Will
4x AEther Vial
Land (20)
4x Ancient Ziggurat
4x Cavern of Souls
4x Flooded Strand
1x Island
4x Mutavault
1x Tropical Island
1x Tundra
1x Underground Sea
2x Standstill
3x Containment Priest
2x Ethersworn Canonist
3x Harmonic Sliver
3x Meddling Mage
4x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
Right now I'm using ancient zig over sliver hive because it can help to play shardless agent and all the hate bear sideboard cards. I'm pretty sure that 8 sources of blue for standstill is too little, possibly cutting down the number of zigs for more fetches might be the better plan. It can also just be cut out for phantasmal images. thoughts?
C Serum Eldrazi
Legacy:
C Eldrazi
C Mud
W Soldier Stompy
R Bread (big red stompy)
WU Spirit Blade
WUG Meat Hooks
WUBGR Blue Dredge
The traditional slivers with their lords didn't waste damage, so to speak. Most any sequence of slivers (with two lords) added up to twenty damage by turn four. It is more likely they would draw two lords, and their slivers have additional powers thanks to Striking Sliver played turn one over Virulent Sliver. And getting the opponent close to death with damage is better than with poison, for reasons such as Ad Nauseum. Phantasmal Image is another option, though they're harder to cast (and easier to counter unless you dedicate a Cavern of Souls to illusion), with potential upside of copying an Emrakul.
I suspect Virulent Sliver isn't good here or in any format, which is a shame. I like Striking Sliver in their slot, as it combined with Crystalline Sliver creates an unbreakable wall. Plus upside with Venom Sliver, as Daniel Nunes said. If you're looking for additional lords, don't feel bad about playing Leeching Sliver. I play them in Modern, and they're great.
Or, do you feel the t3 poison kill described above is valuable enough to pursue? Note, the composition of the slivers required included no evasion or protection for the first two turns. How likely do you feel this specific scenario is? (Vial isn't necessary if you have a third land and another 1-drop sliver on t3.)
GreySavant as for poisonous variant, as said I think it isn't good. The traditional plan of a turn 4 kill is much more constant, as your tests suggest.
I am currently playing with 4 Striking Sliver, can't see myself using less than it anymore. It is too useful against Baleful Strix and equipment and provides the unbreakable wall mode. I found out that he is very good against burn also, since you can stop incoming Goblin Guides on turn 2 without lose slivers on block. To combo with it I am using 2 Venom Sliver Maindeck and 1 Sideboard, nice against any deck containing Tarmogoyf, Gurmag, Reliquary, etc.
One of my doubts on sideboarding is if Venom Sliver is worth against Sneak and Show, Reanimator and Elves. It can stop the big creatures, but the plan of the hatebears is to don't let they even enter the battlefield. As I don't like sideboarding blue cards or drop 1 cards out against combo, to use Venom and hatebears on g2 I have to cut some lords, which can be painful. Against Elves I stopped the Behemoth kill once with Striking on battlefield and Venom entering through Aether Vial, but it is too hard to happen and the opponent can play around it if he is smart enough.
There is a sliver group on facebook, you are in it?
I have been testing a version with Brainstorm over Striking Sliver. The deck feels far weaker and more vulnerable without the first strike. In the board, I'll be testing 1 Syphon Sliver, 1 Frenetic Sliver. Is the Syphon Sliver good against anything but Burn? Frenetic can be a 5th Hibernation Sliver against control.