Agree with your assessment for the most part. I think Censor is a card that doesnt look exciting but is probably underrated by people on average, so I will try a copy or two.
The thing I like about Soul Scar Mage is that the wither effect makes it so we dont always 2 for 1 ourselves vs bugger creatures.
On second thought, You might be right about censor. Its probably better in Delver than in a slower control deck as most of those don't even run many cheap counters leaning on removal early.
The problem with soul scar mage is that I'd rather run vapor snag, and we don't really have room for both. Vapor snag does what soul scar mage does (remove fatties) but better.
On second thought, You might be right about censor. Its probably better in Delver than in a slower control deck as most of those don't even run many cheap counters leaning on removal early.
Delver is one of the few permission-based blue decks aggressive enough to make sure Leak stays live for the duration of most games. Leak is much better than Censor here.
the card itself really isn't worth the card board its printed on...does it serve a purpose? Sure its a blue 1 drop that might not be a 1/1. I would not put it in a list and expect to win a PTQ or GP though.
On second thought, You might be right about censor. Its probably better in Delver than in a slower control deck as most of those don't even run many cheap counters leaning on removal early.
Delver is one of the few permission-based blue decks aggressive enough to make sure Leak stays live for the duration of most games. Leak is much better than Censor here.
I was thinking this would replace remand in the mix of counters
I think this is significant. The format has slowed down a little and I've been playing various other URx versions of Delver lately, to moderate success. However, going back to a more stable mana-base (aka I am morally opposed to Blood Moon) would be nice. Additionally, Serpent is immune to Abrupt Decay, Inquisition of Kozilek, and most importantly Fatal Push. Pretty big game.
Possible post-AKH, list. Also, still hoping Preordain gets unbanned which would just upgrade Serum Visions, and the counter suite might have to flex a little. But, again I just want to stress how much potential Serpent has as a 2 mana 6/5 starting as early as turn 3 or 4. This guy literally eats Tasigur, the Golden Fang, Thought-Knot Seer, and most Tarmogoyfs for breakfast.
I don't think it is. You want Bedlam Reveler if most of the cards in your deck do the same thing, like aggrreasively tinted Prowess decks, which may or may not include Delver.
Cryptic Serpent is less reliant on that and is bigger than your average Reveler ends up.
Cryptic Serpent plays better with counters, and UU is easier than RR. Bedlam is great for like UR Prowess, but I think if you want to play the tempo game with counters, Serpent might be better.
I would only run reveler in the SB for grindy match ups in which your going to be very low on cards in hand. If you run him MD he is often stranded in hand as you will have 2-3 useful cards that will have to be discarded to his ETB trigger. The Serpent yes is just a vanilla 6/5 but that is a large body and he stone walls most of the common big dudes gofy, tas.
I've been testing Cryptic Serpent in my list above and have been pretty happy with it. However, they can get stuck in your hand early if you don't find cantrips, and in general it's so big I never need more than one. So, I'm going to try
Now, Curator is nowhere near as efficient, but it flies and more importantly it cycles for the low cost of U. You all play, or at least are interested in, a Delver deck, so I don't think I need to explain how important it is for us to have the right cards at the right time, and tacking cycling onto a threat for when it's not what you need is Huge.
This is the list I've testing on MTGO for the last couple of days with fairly good results. The deck is mostly an experiment to see if Enigma Drake could be a suitable follow creature to Delver of Secrets and to my surprise it has preformed very well.
Again, this is a test to see if the new cards can give UR Delver some game, and while the drake makes the deck very aggressive in the air, the Cryptic Serpents give us a massive beater that can fend off the ground. Although I think running four of him would be too much. Two is the sweet spot that I've found for the 6/5. If you haven't tested Enigma Drake out then I recommend giving him a spin and letting me know how he's preformed for you. I'm curious to see if anyone else has tested out our new flying friend.
It looks good. I've found myself happier seeing Enigma Drakes more than Cryptic Serpents since it's never a totally dead card.
It's not totally dead on turns one and two and frequently three and four? Isn't it dead whenever you don't have a whopping three lands to tap for a creature that dies to Fatal Push?
the card itself really isn't worth the card board its printed on...does it serve a purpose? Sure its a blue 1 drop that might not be a 1/1. I would not put it in a list and expect to win a PTQ or GP though.
Been grinding on modo still this past week, and I feel like the deck is not that poorly positioned. Sure, it's not great in a meta of strictly Death's Shadow, but I feel favored against Storm, Ad Naus, and Abzan Company, and at least even against the Valakut, Living End, and Tron decks, which is most of the decks I see. Here's my current list, for anyone interested:
I actually think we can work out a good deck out of amonkhet for the classic u\r delver. The serpent and the drake seem fine. Censor needs to prove himself in and i'm still not sold on it. Curator seems loose
I agree. I think this deck is okay at the moment, but doesn't have many clean answers to Death's Shadow or Dredge threats in general, which limits its current potential. Other then that, I like our chances against the field. Also, yes, Curator of Mysteries ended up being pretty loose, but I like testing new cards.
I wanted to ask if anyone has tried a permission heavy build with Baral, Chief of Compliance? It seems like a great way to dig through your deck quickly to find answers and power out a Cryptic Serpent or big Enigma Drake. I used to have fun at FNM cantripping into a big, dumb Spellheart Chimera and it was never really viable but it sure was a hoot. Is this idea in the same boat?
Faithless Looting seems seriously good with Cryptic Serpent and the other new toys. Let's us dig through the Deck faster. Also, the Flashback is quite useful.
Faithless Looting isn't really that great for us, because it is card disadvantage and we are often trying to trade 1-for-1 while beating down; going down a card just to filter a little is not great in practice. If you want more card draw, something like Compulsive Research is usually better.
I wanted to ask if anyone has tried a permission heavy build with Baral, Chief of Compliance? It seems like a great way to dig through your deck quickly to find answers and power out a Cryptic Serpent or big Enigma Drake. I used to have fun at FNM cantripping into a big, dumb Spellheart Chimera and it was never really viable but it sure was a hoot. Is this idea in the same boat?
Delver of Secrets bashes for 3 and costs U, Cryptic Serpent beats for 6 and (usually) costs UU. Young Pyromancer can run away with a game and Snapcaster Mage is incredibly versatile. Baral, while good, only hits for 1, has a CMC of 2, and doesn't give card advantage. Seems like a pretty easy pass.
Smuggler's Copter is a more reliable source of looting and also helps close out games in the air.
Certainly not more reliable than Faithless Looting if all you're looking for is filtering. Looting costs less, and requires no setup. Also, running vehicles in a deck where less than 25% of your cards are creatures is very loose.
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Been testing a WB Miracles decks lately, but I did make one small SB change to the list on the previous page: -2 Magma Spray +2 Electrickery. Card is a great option to have access to against almost all go-wide strategies.
I was comaparing Copter to Baral rather than Faithless Looting (which is bad in any non GY-centric deck imho) that I would not run it in a Delver deck anyway.
The thing I like about Soul Scar Mage is that the wither effect makes it so we dont always 2 for 1 ourselves vs bugger creatures.
Counter-Cat
Colorless Eldrazi Stompy
I was thinking this would replace remand in the mix of counters
I think this is significant. The format has slowed down a little and I've been playing various other URx versions of Delver lately, to moderate success. However, going back to a more stable mana-base (aka I am morally opposed to Blood Moon) would be nice. Additionally, Serpent is immune to Abrupt Decay, Inquisition of Kozilek, and most importantly Fatal Push. Pretty big game.
Possible post-AKH, list. Also, still hoping Preordain gets unbanned which would just upgrade Serum Visions, and the counter suite might have to flex a little. But, again I just want to stress how much potential Serpent has as a 2 mana 6/5 starting as early as turn 3 or 4. This guy literally eats Tasigur, the Golden Fang, Thought-Knot Seer, and most Tarmogoyfs for breakfast.
4 Delver of Secrets
3 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Compulsive Research
2 Cryptic Command
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Logic Knot
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
2 Stoke the Flames
4 Thought Scour
3 Vapor Snag
1 Mountain
1 Hallowed Fountain
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Spirebluff Canal
2 Steam Vents
2 Disdainful Stroke
2 Dismember
3 Dispel
2 Echoing Truth
2 Magma Spray
2 Negate
2 Wear // Tear
Cryptic Serpent is less reliant on that and is bigger than your average Reveler ends up.
he also allows you to run stubborn denial
-2 Serpent
+2 Curator of Mysteries
Now, Curator is nowhere near as efficient, but it flies and more importantly it cycles for the low cost of U. You all play, or at least are interested in, a Delver deck, so I don't think I need to explain how important it is for us to have the right cards at the right time, and tacking cycling onto a threat for when it's not what you need is Huge.
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Enigma Drake
2 Cryptic Serpent
Spells(27)
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Serum Visions
1 Spite of Mogis
4 Spell Snare
4 Thought Scour
2 Vapor Snag
4 Mana Leak
2 Negate
2 Electrolyze
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Steam Vents
1 Stomping Ground
3 Spirebluff Canal
3 Island
1 Mountain
1 Izzet Staticaster
1 Bedlam Reveler
3 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Dispel
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Destructive Revelry
3 Blood Moon
1 Threads of Disloyalty
Again, this is a test to see if the new cards can give UR Delver some game, and while the drake makes the deck very aggressive in the air, the Cryptic Serpents give us a massive beater that can fend off the ground. Although I think running four of him would be too much. Two is the sweet spot that I've found for the 6/5. If you haven't tested Enigma Drake out then I recommend giving him a spin and letting me know how he's preformed for you. I'm curious to see if anyone else has tested out our new flying friend.
Counter-Cat
Colorless Eldrazi Stompy
3 Curator of Mysteries
4 Delver of Secrets
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Compulsive Research
2 Cryptic Command
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
2 Remand
4 Serum Visions
2 Stoke the Flames
4 Thought Scour
3 Vapor Snag
1 Mountain
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Spirebluff Canal
2 Steam Vents
3 Crumble to Dust
2 Dismember
3 Dispel
1 Echoing Truth
4 Magma Spray
2 Negate
I agree. I think this deck is okay at the moment, but doesn't have many clean answers to Death's Shadow or Dredge threats in general, which limits its current potential. Other then that, I like our chances against the field. Also, yes, Curator of Mysteries ended up being pretty loose, but I like testing new cards.
Current list:
4 Delver of Secrets
2 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer
2 Compulsive Research
2 Cryptic Command
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Mana Leak
2 Remand
4 Serum Visions
2 Spell Pierce
2 Stoke the Flames
4 Thought Scour
3 Vapor Snag
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Spirebluff Canal
3 Steam Vents
3 Crumble to Dust
2 Dismember
3 Dispel
1 Echoing Truth
2 Electrickery
2 Magma Spray
2 Negate
Faithless Looting isn't really that great for us, because it is card disadvantage and we are often trying to trade 1-for-1 while beating down; going down a card just to filter a little is not great in practice. If you want more card draw, something like Compulsive Research is usually better.
Delver of Secrets bashes for 3 and costs U, Cryptic Serpent beats for 6 and (usually) costs UU. Young Pyromancer can run away with a game and Snapcaster Mage is incredibly versatile. Baral, while good, only hits for 1, has a CMC of 2, and doesn't give card advantage. Seems like a pretty easy pass.
Certainly not more reliable than Faithless Looting if all you're looking for is filtering. Looting costs less, and requires no setup. Also, running vehicles in a deck where less than 25% of your cards are creatures is very loose.
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Been testing a WB Miracles decks lately, but I did make one small SB change to the list on the previous page: -2 Magma Spray +2 Electrickery. Card is a great option to have access to against almost all go-wide strategies.
Copter is good alongside Young Pyromancer.