UR Delver decks aim to establish a clock early in the game and disrupt the opponent using counters and burn spells that double as reach and removal. As the deck ideally wants to be able to cast creatures while holding up mana for disruption, a low curve is very important. Cantrips are used to find creatures or disruption, avoid drawing too many lands, and increase the quality of spells drawn.
Strengths
-Proactive gameplan against combo
-Low mana curve
-Very strong when ahead on the board
-Reach
-Has a chance against most decks in the format
Weaknesses
-Low creature count; creatures can be outclassed in the mid-late game
-Lack of sweepers
-Situational counterspells can lose relevance in the late game
-Lingering Souls and Tarmogoyf
II. Card Choices
Mana Base:
Because the deck optimally wants to see only 3-4 lands the entire game and can function off of 2, UR Delver lists can make up for the lack of card advantage (outside of Snapcaster Mage) by running a higher spell to land ratio than midrange and control decks. The deck wants to maximize the number of initial hands with 2-3 lands, while minimizing the number of initial hands with 4 or more lands. Running free cantrips (Gitaxian Probe) also reduces the number of lands required while increasing the number of spells, which further increases the chance of flipping Delver of Secrets.
Utility lands are important as they help ensure initial hands with at least 2 lands while maintaining relevance if too many lands are drawn. However, they reduce the number of colored sources for the deck and should not replace too many land slots.
Lands that come into play tapped should be avoided as the deck wants to get ahead on the board quickly while having mana open to disrupt the opponent.
The deck should run between 18 and 22 lands, with 0-4 utility lands.
Core 8 Blue Fetchlands - Misty Rainforest/Scalding Tarn
Both fetchlands are able to find Steam Vents and Island, the two most important lands for the deck, which can usually function off of one or two red sources but wants as many blue sources as possible. Fetchlands help to thin the deck of lands, improving later draws. Use the Misty Rainforest before the Scalding Tarn, as the Scalding Tarn can fetch a basic mountain in a racing situation. Be careful about fetching if the opponent can act at instant speed as they can cast spells in response to have a mana advantage. Fetching after or in between Delver triggers can shuffle away unwanted cards.
2-4 Shocklands - Steam Vents
Able to be fetched by the Blue Fetchlands. 2 copies are usually more than enough as the deck doesn't need more than 2 red sources in play and the damage can be a factor if needed to come into play untapped. May need more in a list with more red cards.
3-8 Basic Lands - Island/Mountain
Islands are the most important, as a hand without a blue source is usually unkeepable. Especially with Snapcaster Mage, multiple blue sources are more important than having multiple red sources. In addition, having islands are very important in conjunction with Blood Moon. Having at least 1 mountain can be useful for Scalding Tarn to fetch a red source in a racing situation.
Utility Mutavault
The best manland for the deck as it doesn't come into play tapped and animates for 1 mana. Doesn't slow the deck down in the early game and can attack if mana flooded late game.
Tectonic Edge
Helps fight against Tron decks and keeps UWr off of double white mana and Celestial Colonnade. Since the deck has a low curve, trading lands is usually beneficial. Can help keep soft counters relevant into the late game. Ideally used at the end of an opponent's turn. Having multiple Tectonic Edge can be used to drop the opponent's land count below 3 by holding priority and responding to each activation.
Faerie Conclave/Ghitu Encampment
Possible alternatives to Mutavault. These come into play tapped and requires 2 mana to activate, but provide colored mana and are better at attacking.
Creatures:
The deck wants low CMC creatures, able to be played with countermagic backup. Since the deck has a relatively low creature count, each creature in the deck must either provide a fast clock for the mana investment or some sort of disruption.
Since the deck only needs to resolve 1 creature, having too many creatures decreases the number of reactive plays and restricts the ability to hold up mana for disruption. The deck should run between 12 and 16 creatures.
Core
4 Delver of Secrets
The namesake of the deck. Provides a very fast clock for 1 mana and can often win the game by itself. Fetchlands can shuffle away the revealed card. The deck wants to be able to flip Delver of Secrets without filtering at least 40% of the time.
2-4 Snapcaster Mage
Sometimes the sole source of real card advantage in the deck. Very versatile, providing disruption, burn, or draw depending on the game state. Acts as a blue 2/1 Elvish Visionary with Gitaxian Probe. Usually at the top of the curve.
Support
0-3 Grim Lavamancer
Helps clear the board and adds a clock while shrinking your graveyard against Deathrite Shaman, Tarmogoyf, and Scavenging Ooze. Pings for 2 with a clear board. Multiple can be difficult to support.
0-4 Young Pyromancer
A very efficient threat as it can often produce 4+ power from a 2 mana investment if it can be protected. More difficult to protect than Delver of Secrets due to a higher CMC, but will often require multiple cards from the opponent to fully deal with. May be the best creature in the deck to untap with. Makes tokens very quickly in conjunction with the number of 1 and 2 CMC spells, providing blockers and a growing clock.
0-4 Spellstutter Sprite
Protects creatures from removal and disrupts the opponent at instant speed. A very slow clock, but doesn't require tapping mana at sorcery speed.
0-2 Vendilion Clique
Best against other draw-go decks. May be optimal to play on the opponent's end step to play Vendilion Clique if other answers are available unless the opponent is in topdeck mode or if no other threats are in play. Difficult to play with protection due to having CMC 3.
Burn:
Lightning Bolt and cards that are worse than Lightning Bolt. Acts as removal and reach.
Core
4 Lightning Bolt
Removal and reach. Answers most creatures, pressures planeswalkers, and wins the game. Play 4 along with 2-4 worse versions listed below.
Lightning Bolt 5-8
These all do 2 damage instead of 3 with various pros and cons.
Burst Lightning
Instant speed burn that can be kicked for 5 mana to do 4 damage.
Forked Bolt
Sorcery speed burn that can target 2 creatures/players. Great against tokens.
Magma Spray
Instant speed removal (can only target creatures). Great against persist creatures.
Pillar of Flame
Sorcery speed burn. Great against persist creatures.
Magma Jet
Instant speed burn and scry 2 for 2 mana.
Cantrips:
Cantrips are very important for a tempo list, as the deck needs to see a very specific set of cards quickly to further the gameplan. In the early game cantrips can dig for mana and a clock. In the late game cantrips can shuffle away lands while looking for disruption. They also allow for a higher spell count to help flip Delver of Secrets. Can be flashed back with Snapcaster Mage for card advantage.
Cantrips are ideally free or 1 CMC as, past the first turn, spending the entire turn playing cantrips is usually suboptimal. Also, 1 CMC cantrips can allow 1 land hands to be kept.
Gitaxian Probe
Thins the deck, allowing you to draw better spells more often and play 18-20 lands which increases the chance of flipping Delver of Secrets. Provides information on whether to go on the offense or hold up countermagic. As a bonus, it is a free spell for Young Pyromancer (I would play this in any Delver deck even without Young Pyromancer). At it's worst against very aggressive decks.
Serum Visions
A very strong cantrip for the deck. Allows you to see 3 cards. Finds lands 2-3 and puts extra lands on the bottom. Helps flip Delver of Secrets.
Telling Time
2 CMC but can be cast at instant speed. Immediately looks at 3 cards. Higher CMC means it likely won't be cast in the first few turns and is harder to flash back with Snapcaster Mage.
Disruption:
Disruption needs to be used both offensively and defensively, protecting your clock and fighting combo pieces. Disruption needs to have a low CMC to protect creatures the turn they are summoned.
Core Spell Pierce
Can be used offensively to protect creatures. Great in fighting combo decks and other counterspells. Can still be used in the late game to fight high CMC spells.
Spell Snare - Very narrow but fights important cards including Tarmogoyf, Pyroclasm, Whipflare, Mana Leak, Remand, and Lightning Helix.
Mana Leak - Counters everything. Still relevant in the late game in combination with Tectonic Edge and other counterspells.
Remand - The best answer to flashback and cascade spells. Helps soft counters maintain relevance in the late game and can bounce your own spells against other blue decks.
Miscellaneous:
Other support spells that either don't fit into any of the above categories or encompass more than one category. Spells at 3 mana or greater should have a very large impact on the game state and need to be used cautiously as getting countered and wasting a turn is very detrimental to this deck.
Blood Moon
Resolving this on an empty board against 3 and 4 color decks usually wins the game. However, there are enough UR/monocolor decks that this should only be a 1 of (2 at max) before board. Can steal otherwise unwinnable games. Fetch as many islands as possible early. Can cause opponents in games 2 and 3 to dilute their deck with enchantment removal and hinder mana development by forcing them to fetch basics.
Vedalken Shackles
Great against creature decks. Can act as a moat against aggro or prevent control decks from playing creatures. Also good against creature combo decks. Requires a heavy mana investment of at least 5 before it starts impacting the board state. Having enough islands is usually not a problem for this deck.
Izzet Charm
Very versatile but requires 2 colored mana. Can act as a shock, spell pierce, or careful study.
Electrolyze
Great value. Almost always a 2 for 1 and can occasionally be a 3 for 1. However, paying 3 mana for 2 damage is very expensive.
Cryptic Command
4 CMC with a heavy blue requirement. Restricts the number of colorless lands the deck can support. Great to untap with if ahead on the board. Vulnerable to countermagic.
Sideboard
Disruption Dispel
Great against draw go decks and protects Delver and Pyromancer.
Trickbind
Helps fight storm/cascade. Occasionally will stop a Fetchland activation.
Removal/Bounce Electrickery
Great against the mirror, Affinity, and tokens.
Hibernation
Fights GW hexproof and Birthing Pod decks.
General: I used the UR Delver lists seen in Legacy as a basis for creating this deck. The deck wants to land a quick threat (Delver of Secrets or Young Pyromancer) and protect it while disrupting the opponent. The deck wants to leave mana open as much as possible, so the 1 and 2 CMC slots are prioritized. I feel that Young Pyromancer is a great fit in the deck as it will often provide 4+ power for 2 mana without deviating from the goal of a tempo deck. The deck gets a lot of free wins either from having a turn 2 3/2 flier or a turn 3 Blood Moon. While the deck doesn't have many sources of card advantage (mostly just Snapcaster Mage), the low curve allows running just 20 lands, which allows the deck to see more spells on average than most other decks.
IV. Matchups
I recorded the wins and losses from about 20 Daily events using some variant of the first sample list and summarized what I think of the matchups below. The notes could be incorrect due to small sample size and are arranged in descending order in perceived difficulty.
Strong matchups - I have won over 75% of the matches
GW Hexproof
I am currently 7-0 against this deck. Know what enchantments to counter and keep removal in for Kor Spiritdancer. Counter lifelink enchantments and prevent trample and Keen Sense from being stacked on the same creature. Blood Moon and Spellskite are great against this deck. Resolving Hibernation will usually be the game.
Tron
Counter their tutors and anything over 5 CMC. Watch out for sweepers. Side in dispel against the mono blue version.
Living End
Counter Living End. Remand is great. Remember that they can cascade at instant speed. Trickbind can stop the cascade trigger.
UWr Control
This seems like a bad matchup since they have as much removal as the deck has creatures, but their mana base is very greedy with a much higher average CMC. Trade counterspells for removal as much as possible. Tectonic Edge and Blood Moon can keep them from casting many of their spells. Save counters for Sphinx's Revelation and Cryptic Command and don't overextend into Supreme Verdict. By the late game the deck will often have 2-4 more spells due to running less lands. Blood Moon can win the game by itself and will usually draw some sideboard cards in games 2 and 3.
UR Twin
Land a threat and counter the combo. Spellskite is good in this matchup. Be careful about tapping out as they can resolve half of their combo at instant speed, while tapping a blue source.
Decent matchups - Even, or I won more than I lost
Scapeshift
Counter Scapeshift and Primeval Titan. If there is no clock, they can ramp past soft counters. Don't overextend into sweepers.
Birthing Pod
They have a high curve but have lots of sources for card advantage. Landing a quick threat is important. Melira pod can tutor a sweeper at 3 mana so counter the Chord of Calling.
Merfolk
Unblockable creatures that are uncounterable with an active Aether Vial. The deck must keep them off a critical mass of lords, and more importantly, islandwalk.
Affinity
This can be a difficult matchup if they get a fast start. There are many must answer creatures including Steel Overseer and Arcbound Ravager. If possible, hold up mana to counter Cranial Plating as it forces you to answer every creature they have. They also run 8 manlands, so resolving a Blood Moon is important, especially if they are able to resolve Cranial Plating.
UR Storm
Very difficult to win against an active Pyromancer's Ascension. Tough to fight with counterspells as they can cast rituals to pay for soft counters. The deck must land a quick threat for a chance to win. Trickbind can counter the storm trigger.
Burn
Difficult to race
Zoo
They empty out their hand quickly, weakening counterspells. Very difficult to race.
Terrible matchups - Very difficult to win
White Lifegain
Maybe I have been unlucky, but I have dealt over 30 damage multiple games and still lost. Tokens, Squadron Hawk, and anthem effects make it very difficult for Delver of Secrets to swing.
Shamans Cavern of Souls and lords that give +1/+1 counters instead of a passive boost. Very difficult to race and they run many more uncounterable creatures than you have removal for.
Those 3 tec edges seem like they could end up being a hindrance a lot of the time, 3 lands out of 19 that can't cast your one drops seem a lot.
I will say 19 is quite the low land count although it might not be too bad. I use Mutavaults in their place but play 21 land and I never seen a problem.
Other then Tron I don't see the need for MD Tec Edge, I feel the man lands are so much more effective. But I don't know his purpose.
Also, Shackles seems silly. Threads of Disloyalty IMO seems the batter option. Especially with a low land count, and 3 of which Edges. Shackles needs 5 mana to activate the turn it hits play, an with that count you would probably need to tap out for a turn or two and not really having and immediate board impact.
I'm not the best with this deck... But with zoo. If someone threads something, I usually just burn it and keep going. Or trade. Slows me a turn (less its gout) but shackles can steal the win from me.
I think that Hoogland's version of the deck is better than this one; Shackles and Tec Edge stand out as seeming sub par. Having a fifth of your mana base being colourless in a deck that really wants to have a turn one Delver just seems like a bad idea.
I'm thinking about maybe pushing Electrolyze to the SB. It's great card advantage in some matches but it's quite expensive and ineffective in others [like Tron].
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Decks
Modern
Affinity [MTGO]
Recovering from the Pod ban in paper
i would never drop electrolyze. its often a 1 for nothing and can sometimes be a 2 or 3 for nothing. i'm not sure how it works in a YP shell, but in Hoogland's list (which i think may need another thread) its worth every slot.
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I'm thinking about maybe pushing Electrolyze to the SB. It's great card advantage in some matches but it's quite expensive and ineffective in others [like Tron].
Even then you can just point it at their face to get some early damage going, if need be. However, the amount of match-ups in which it excels in is certainly larger than the match-ups in which it doesn't work too well.
My deck of choice for years has been counter-burn, most recently in the form of Faeries splashing red for bolt and Blood Moon. I've recently switched over to U/R Delver in Modern and I'm enjoying it much more.
It's a bit slower than many of the other builds I've seen around, with more Snapcasters and Cryptic, but that's the way I prefer to play. Dispel has been such a house out of the board at protecting my little guys and disrupting Tron's counters/draw as well as all combo decks that I'm thinking of running a few main.
Again, I'm still working on fully porting this over after playing U/R Fae for so long. Any critiques are appreciated . . . just let it be known that I'm completely married to the Snapcaster/Cryptic/Clique trinity.
I love this deck, I'm winning with it, and I look forward to winning even more! Thanks in advance!
3 Char
2 Electrolyze
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Magma Jet
4 Mana Leak
4 Remand
3 Spell Snare
24 other spells
Sideboard
3 Blood Moon
2 Dismember
1 Dispel
2 Magma Spray
1 Negate
2 Spellskite
2 Spreading Seas
2 Threads of Disloyalty
i want to test Firespout in sb and maybe remove a land for one Grim lavamancer, but it's close, often i don't have red source in opening hand.
Tron is a very good Match up and i disagree with Ari Lax when he explained that blood moon is a bad card against Tron. Moreover, Blood Moon is great against Ajundi and other deck that don't have an healthy manabase.
The Twin match up is hard for me, exarch is bolt proof, creatures have flash, and they play dispel.
Forgiven my approximate English (:
First off, welcome to the forums! Second off, I think you're running a little too many lands. This deck has a very low curve, so you only want to see a few lands in play each game. Lastly, how is the Faerie Conclave working out for you? I'm all for good man-lands, but the Conclave seems a little greedy.
To the two above posts, both of your lists look pretty nice.
Cigmata:
How are your combo matchups and aggro matchups with YP in there? I can never seem to feel comfortable tapping out for YP when the opponent may make some crucial play.
Rhis:
How have your Goyf matchups been (Jund, Jund with white, GW hatebears, GW aggro)? With a list similar to yours I dread these matches.
How has Char been? It seems a little rough. I feel like there has to be something better in that slot.
Last, have you tried Spellstutter Sprite? She's one of my very favorite cards, especially in this shell and when you have 4 mutavault and a faerie conclave.
Cigmata:
How are your combo matchups and aggro matchups with YP in there? I can never seem to feel comfortable tapping out for YP when the opponent may make some crucial play.
I've found YP has helped in both matchups. In Combo he speeds up the clock dramatically. Before YP I'd often be just playing draw go while the Combo player sculpted his hand and built up mana until the turn where there was just too much for me to counter. With a Pyromancer on the board the pressure keeps building as I counter sifting spells. I have no problem tapping out turn 2 since they almost never win there. If it's Storm I'll usually wait until turn 3 to drop him with Spell Snare backup for PA, or turn 4 if I have Leak/Remand.
In Aggro he tends to create an almost endless steam of chump blockers so Clique or The Bug can fly over FTW. I will almost always wait until turn 3 so I can use turn 2 to counter a major threat and then cast/protect him with a Snare or Dispel. I'll wait until turn 4 if I smell Lili or a Geist.
In my opinion guys, I have found Spellstutter Sprite to be one of the best, and most useful counter in the deck. I'm always happy to see it and its a body that comes along with it. But I also play 4 Mutavaults and Cliques, so both early game its helpful, and in turns 4 and 5 I generally have other cards out to help it. But that's my experience with it.
As for Faerie Conclave, having the land come into play tapped is a really big damper more often then not. The deck runs a low land count, so when I make my 3 or 4 land drop I want it untapped for snappy or anything really.
In my opinion guys, I have found Spellstutter Sprite to be one of the best, and most useful counter in the deck. I'm always happy to see it and its a body that comes along with it. But I also play 4 Mutavaults and Cliques, so both early game its helpful, and in turns 4 and 5 I generally have other cards out to help it. But that's my experience with it.
As for Faerie Conclave, having the land come into play tapped is a really big damper more often then not. The deck runs a low land count, so when I make my 3 or 4 land drop I want it untapped for snappy or anything really.
The more Spellstutter Sprites I play, the more amazing it feels. It's effectively a 2 for 1 unless the opponent plays another instant on top of it to reduce your Faerie count.
Being able to counter the two most played cards in the format, Deathrite Shaman and Lightning Bolt, is huge. In fact, 4 of the top 10 most played cards in Modern are CMC 1 and and another 4 are CMC 2, which means that with 1 Mutavault and a Spellstutter Faerie, you can counter a good majority of the field. The coverage on top of Mana Leak, Remand, and Spell Snare is insane. Countering a Thoughtseize, Inquisition, Lightning Bolt, Deathrite Shaman, or Path to Exile just feels so good.
1/1 flyer isn't going to bring the mad beats, but combined with all the Burn we have, it doesn't take that long to whittle down the opponent's life especially if we add Delver, Snapcaster, or Clique to the mix.
Spellstutter sprite is interesting but how is that affecting your spell count to flip delver with the addition of four more creatures? Are you cutting the number of Snapcasters and YPs?
Spellstutter sprite is interesting but how is that affecting your spell count to flip delver with the addition of four more creatures? Are you cutting the number of Snapcasters and YPs?
I kinda would prefer a 4th Clique over Snapcaster but I don't wanna buy one right now.
There seems to be many who play Young Pyromancer; and I will be honest I have not even given him a chance yet. I just look at YP and feel he is not what the deck wants... at all. You need to tap out t2 to play him and your not getting value till turn 3, and then I think to myself what the hell are the 1/1 tokens really going to do for me that Spellsputter cant... or how is he going to change the game if you don't play him till t4 ot t5?
I have also been trying to compare our modern build to both legacy and the original standard builds and they seem to share something in common and that's 8 cantrips. The downside is we don't necessarily have that, or at least ones worth while. There has been a legacy UWR Delver deck placing well that splashes white for 2 cards, GoST and Swords of Plowshare. Standard also played GoST with success and we do have PtE.
I'm going to try to pull ideas from the best of both formats (or what was standard) and throw it together and see how it feels. The only downside is lacking good cantrips. I'm also willing to splash for GoST but then Blood Moon becomes hard and the moon is always a valuable asset.
I think the plan with YP is that you keep turn 2 open to cast mana leak/remand and on turn 3 you have YP + dispel/spell snare/spell pierce that can protect YP + get you a token. There's also Serum Vision and Gitaxian Probe. Probe obviously allows the turn 2 YP + token but if you cast it earlier, you get the info you need to know when you cast YP.
^^ that is too cautious of a play for a deck that is built to be proactive. that's like saying, i'm not going to run my delver out there because it could get bolted.
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YP is very tricky. He has his pros and cons.
He totally changes the necessary play-style of the deck.
YP plays pretty well, but just doesn't suit my style for serious play, which is stopping all of my opponent's plays while chipping away with a flyer.
Has anyone with either version played much against GW bears?
This matchup concerns me due to the huge bodies and Aether Vial.
I'm looking at having some boomerang, repeal, vapor snag effect somewhere in my 75 for vial or big, cheap bodies.
This would, in theory, help with goyf type matches in general.
honestly, i said screw it, splashed white, and mainboarded 3 paths. i got completely totaled by junk last week and all their x/4+ creatures. i took out the burst lightnings and a mana leak. and to me, i feel a lot safer that i can handle threats that happen to resolve.
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I speak in sarcasm because calling people ******* ******** is not allowed.
honestly, i said screw it, splashed white, and mainboarded 3 paths. i got completely totaled by junk last week and all their x/4+ creatures. i took out the burst lightnings and a mana leak. and to me, i feel a lot safer that i can handle threats that happen to resolve.
Seems better to splash black for some kill spells. Path is really not what a Mana Leak deck wants to do.
I. Introduction
UR Delver decks aim to establish a clock early in the game and disrupt the opponent using counters and burn spells that double as reach and removal. As the deck ideally wants to be able to cast creatures while holding up mana for disruption, a low curve is very important. Cantrips are used to find creatures or disruption, avoid drawing too many lands, and increase the quality of spells drawn.
Core:
18-22 Land
10-16 Creatures
4-10 Cantrips
4-10 Burn Spells
6-14 Disruption
Strengths
-Proactive gameplan against combo
-Low mana curve
-Very strong when ahead on the board
-Reach
-Has a chance against most decks in the format
Weaknesses
-Low creature count; creatures can be outclassed in the mid-late game
-Lack of sweepers
-Situational counterspells can lose relevance in the late game
-Lingering Souls and Tarmogoyf
II. Card Choices
Mana Base:
Because the deck optimally wants to see only 3-4 lands the entire game and can function off of 2, UR Delver lists can make up for the lack of card advantage (outside of Snapcaster Mage) by running a higher spell to land ratio than midrange and control decks. The deck wants to maximize the number of initial hands with 2-3 lands, while minimizing the number of initial hands with 4 or more lands. Running free cantrips (Gitaxian Probe) also reduces the number of lands required while increasing the number of spells, which further increases the chance of flipping Delver of Secrets.
Utility lands are important as they help ensure initial hands with at least 2 lands while maintaining relevance if too many lands are drawn. However, they reduce the number of colored sources for the deck and should not replace too many land slots.
Lands that come into play tapped should be avoided as the deck wants to get ahead on the board quickly while having mana open to disrupt the opponent.
The deck should run between 18 and 22 lands, with 0-4 utility lands.
Core
8 Blue Fetchlands - Misty Rainforest/Scalding Tarn
Both fetchlands are able to find Steam Vents and Island, the two most important lands for the deck, which can usually function off of one or two red sources but wants as many blue sources as possible. Fetchlands help to thin the deck of lands, improving later draws. Use the Misty Rainforest before the Scalding Tarn, as the Scalding Tarn can fetch a basic mountain in a racing situation. Be careful about fetching if the opponent can act at instant speed as they can cast spells in response to have a mana advantage. Fetching after or in between Delver triggers can shuffle away unwanted cards.
2-4 Shocklands - Steam Vents
Able to be fetched by the Blue Fetchlands. 2 copies are usually more than enough as the deck doesn't need more than 2 red sources in play and the damage can be a factor if needed to come into play untapped. May need more in a list with more red cards.
3-8 Basic Lands - Island/Mountain
Islands are the most important, as a hand without a blue source is usually unkeepable. Especially with Snapcaster Mage, multiple blue sources are more important than having multiple red sources. In addition, having islands are very important in conjunction with Blood Moon. Having at least 1 mountain can be useful for Scalding Tarn to fetch a red source in a racing situation.
Utility
Mutavault
The best manland for the deck as it doesn't come into play tapped and animates for 1 mana. Doesn't slow the deck down in the early game and can attack if mana flooded late game.
Tectonic Edge
Helps fight against Tron decks and keeps UWr off of double white mana and Celestial Colonnade. Since the deck has a low curve, trading lands is usually beneficial. Can help keep soft counters relevant into the late game. Ideally used at the end of an opponent's turn. Having multiple Tectonic Edge can be used to drop the opponent's land count below 3 by holding priority and responding to each activation.
Faerie Conclave/Ghitu Encampment
Possible alternatives to Mutavault. These come into play tapped and requires 2 mana to activate, but provide colored mana and are better at attacking.
Creatures:
The deck wants low CMC creatures, able to be played with countermagic backup. Since the deck has a relatively low creature count, each creature in the deck must either provide a fast clock for the mana investment or some sort of disruption.
Since the deck only needs to resolve 1 creature, having too many creatures decreases the number of reactive plays and restricts the ability to hold up mana for disruption. The deck should run between 12 and 16 creatures.
Core
4 Delver of Secrets
The namesake of the deck. Provides a very fast clock for 1 mana and can often win the game by itself. Fetchlands can shuffle away the revealed card. The deck wants to be able to flip Delver of Secrets without filtering at least 40% of the time.
2-4 Snapcaster Mage
Sometimes the sole source of real card advantage in the deck. Very versatile, providing disruption, burn, or draw depending on the game state. Acts as a blue 2/1 Elvish Visionary with Gitaxian Probe. Usually at the top of the curve.
Support
0-3 Grim Lavamancer
Helps clear the board and adds a clock while shrinking your graveyard against Deathrite Shaman, Tarmogoyf, and Scavenging Ooze. Pings for 2 with a clear board. Multiple can be difficult to support.
0-4 Young Pyromancer
A very efficient threat as it can often produce 4+ power from a 2 mana investment if it can be protected. More difficult to protect than Delver of Secrets due to a higher CMC, but will often require multiple cards from the opponent to fully deal with. May be the best creature in the deck to untap with. Makes tokens very quickly in conjunction with the number of 1 and 2 CMC spells, providing blockers and a growing clock.
0-4 Spellstutter Sprite
Protects creatures from removal and disrupts the opponent at instant speed. A very slow clock, but doesn't require tapping mana at sorcery speed.
0-2 Vendilion Clique
Best against other draw-go decks. May be optimal to play on the opponent's end step to play Vendilion Clique if other answers are available unless the opponent is in topdeck mode or if no other threats are in play. Difficult to play with protection due to having CMC 3.
Burn:
Lightning Bolt and cards that are worse than Lightning Bolt. Acts as removal and reach.
Core
4 Lightning Bolt
Removal and reach. Answers most creatures, pressures planeswalkers, and wins the game. Play 4 along with 2-4 worse versions listed below.
Lightning Bolt 5-8
These all do 2 damage instead of 3 with various pros and cons.
Burst Lightning
Instant speed burn that can be kicked for 5 mana to do 4 damage.
Forked Bolt
Sorcery speed burn that can target 2 creatures/players. Great against tokens.
Magma Spray
Instant speed removal (can only target creatures). Great against persist creatures.
Pillar of Flame
Sorcery speed burn. Great against persist creatures.
Magma Jet
Instant speed burn and scry 2 for 2 mana.
Cantrips:
Cantrips are very important for a tempo list, as the deck needs to see a very specific set of cards quickly to further the gameplan. In the early game cantrips can dig for mana and a clock. In the late game cantrips can shuffle away lands while looking for disruption. They also allow for a higher spell count to help flip Delver of Secrets. Can be flashed back with Snapcaster Mage for card advantage.
Cantrips are ideally free or 1 CMC as, past the first turn, spending the entire turn playing cantrips is usually suboptimal. Also, 1 CMC cantrips can allow 1 land hands to be kept.
Gitaxian Probe
Thins the deck, allowing you to draw better spells more often and play 18-20 lands which increases the chance of flipping Delver of Secrets. Provides information on whether to go on the offense or hold up countermagic. As a bonus, it is a free spell for Young Pyromancer (I would play this in any Delver deck even without Young Pyromancer). At it's worst against very aggressive decks.
Serum Visions
A very strong cantrip for the deck. Allows you to see 3 cards. Finds lands 2-3 and puts extra lands on the bottom. Helps flip Delver of Secrets.
Sleight of Hand
Allows more immediate selection, but doesn't set up future turns and does not help flip Delver of Secrets.
Telling Time
2 CMC but can be cast at instant speed. Immediately looks at 3 cards. Higher CMC means it likely won't be cast in the first few turns and is harder to flash back with Snapcaster Mage.
Disruption:
Disruption needs to be used both offensively and defensively, protecting your clock and fighting combo pieces. Disruption needs to have a low CMC to protect creatures the turn they are summoned.
Spell Pierce
Can be used offensively to protect creatures. Great in fighting combo decks and other counterspells. Can still be used in the late game to fight high CMC spells.
Spell Snare - Very narrow but fights important cards including Tarmogoyf, Pyroclasm, Whipflare, Mana Leak, Remand, and Lightning Helix.
Mana Leak - Counters everything. Still relevant in the late game in combination with Tectonic Edge and other counterspells.
Remand - The best answer to flashback and cascade spells. Helps soft counters maintain relevance in the late game and can bounce your own spells against other blue decks.
Miscellaneous:
Other support spells that either don't fit into any of the above categories or encompass more than one category. Spells at 3 mana or greater should have a very large impact on the game state and need to be used cautiously as getting countered and wasting a turn is very detrimental to this deck.
Blood Moon
Resolving this on an empty board against 3 and 4 color decks usually wins the game. However, there are enough UR/monocolor decks that this should only be a 1 of (2 at max) before board. Can steal otherwise unwinnable games. Fetch as many islands as possible early. Can cause opponents in games 2 and 3 to dilute their deck with enchantment removal and hinder mana development by forcing them to fetch basics.
Vedalken Shackles
Great against creature decks. Can act as a moat against aggro or prevent control decks from playing creatures. Also good against creature combo decks. Requires a heavy mana investment of at least 5 before it starts impacting the board state. Having enough islands is usually not a problem for this deck.
Izzet Charm
Very versatile but requires 2 colored mana. Can act as a shock, spell pierce, or careful study.
Electrolyze
Great value. Almost always a 2 for 1 and can occasionally be a 3 for 1. However, paying 3 mana for 2 damage is very expensive.
Cryptic Command
4 CMC with a heavy blue requirement. Restricts the number of colorless lands the deck can support. Great to untap with if ahead on the board. Vulnerable to countermagic.
Sideboard
Dispel
Great against draw go decks and protects Delver and Pyromancer.
Trickbind
Helps fight storm/cascade. Occasionally will stop a Fetchland activation.
Removal/Bounce
Electrickery
Great against the mirror, Affinity, and tokens.
Hibernation
Fights GW hexproof and Birthing Pod decks.
Threads of Disloyalty
Fights against any creature deck, especially Tarmogoyf
Flame Slash/Dismember
Fights Tarmogoyf, Scavenging Ooze, Hero of Bladehold, Deceiver Exarch, etc. Dismember is usually better as it can be cast at instant speed, but running multiple can be risky due to the life loss.
Combust
Uncounterable removal against Splinter Twin and Celestial Colonnade.
Miscellaneous
Vandalblast - Artifact removal.
Spellskite - Great against splinter twin and GW Hexproof.
III. Sample Deck lists
I've put up a few 4-0 and many 3-1 finishes in MTGO dailies with this deck. The current build (8/20/2013):
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Steam Vents
5 Island
1 Mountain
2 Tectonic Edge
2 Mutavault
Creatures - 14
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Young Pyromancer
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Vendilion Clique
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Burst Lightning
Cantrips - 8
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
Disruption - 12
3 Spell Pierce
2 Spell Snare
4 Mana Leak
2 Remand
1 Blood Moon
2 Dispel
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Trickbind
1 Hibernation
1 Threads of Disloyalty
1 Dismember
2 Flame Slash
2 Combust
1 Vandalblast
1 Blood Moon
2 Spellskite
CMC breakdown:
1 - 25
2 - 13
3 - 2
General: I used the UR Delver lists seen in Legacy as a basis for creating this deck. The deck wants to land a quick threat (Delver of Secrets or Young Pyromancer) and protect it while disrupting the opponent. The deck wants to leave mana open as much as possible, so the 1 and 2 CMC slots are prioritized. I feel that Young Pyromancer is a great fit in the deck as it will often provide 4+ power for 2 mana without deviating from the goal of a tempo deck. The deck gets a lot of free wins either from having a turn 2 3/2 flier or a turn 3 Blood Moon. While the deck doesn't have many sources of card advantage (mostly just Snapcaster Mage), the low curve allows running just 20 lands, which allows the deck to see more spells on average than most other decks.
IV. Matchups
I recorded the wins and losses from about 20 Daily events using some variant of the first sample list and summarized what I think of the matchups below. The notes could be incorrect due to small sample size and are arranged in descending order in perceived difficulty.
Strong matchups - I have won over 75% of the matches
GW Hexproof
I am currently 7-0 against this deck. Know what enchantments to counter and keep removal in for Kor Spiritdancer. Counter lifelink enchantments and prevent trample and Keen Sense from being stacked on the same creature. Blood Moon and Spellskite are great against this deck. Resolving Hibernation will usually be the game.
Tron
Counter their tutors and anything over 5 CMC. Watch out for sweepers. Side in dispel against the mono blue version.
Living End
Counter Living End. Remand is great. Remember that they can cascade at instant speed. Trickbind can stop the cascade trigger.
UWr Control
This seems like a bad matchup since they have as much removal as the deck has creatures, but their mana base is very greedy with a much higher average CMC. Trade counterspells for removal as much as possible. Tectonic Edge and Blood Moon can keep them from casting many of their spells. Save counters for Sphinx's Revelation and Cryptic Command and don't overextend into Supreme Verdict. By the late game the deck will often have 2-4 more spells due to running less lands. Blood Moon can win the game by itself and will usually draw some sideboard cards in games 2 and 3.
UR Twin
Land a threat and counter the combo. Spellskite is good in this matchup. Be careful about tapping out as they can resolve half of their combo at instant speed, while tapping a blue source.
Decent matchups - Even, or I won more than I lost
Scapeshift
Counter Scapeshift and Primeval Titan. If there is no clock, they can ramp past soft counters. Don't overextend into sweepers.
BGx Midrange
These decks run about 16 creatures; save counterspells for Tarmogoyf. Young Pyromancer tokens can counter Liliana and block Tarmogoyf. Grim Lavamancer can shrink your graveyard against Deathrite Shaman, Scavenging Ooze, and Tarmogoyf. Blood Moon wins games by itself.
Tough matchups - I lost more than I won
Birthing Pod
They have a high curve but have lots of sources for card advantage. Landing a quick threat is important. Melira pod can tutor a sweeper at 3 mana so counter the Chord of Calling.
Merfolk
Unblockable creatures that are uncounterable with an active Aether Vial. The deck must keep them off a critical mass of lords, and more importantly, islandwalk.
Affinity
This can be a difficult matchup if they get a fast start. There are many must answer creatures including Steel Overseer and Arcbound Ravager. If possible, hold up mana to counter Cranial Plating as it forces you to answer every creature they have. They also run 8 manlands, so resolving a Blood Moon is important, especially if they are able to resolve Cranial Plating.
UR Storm
Very difficult to win against an active Pyromancer's Ascension. Tough to fight with counterspells as they can cast rituals to pay for soft counters. The deck must land a quick threat for a chance to win. Trickbind can counter the storm trigger.
Burn
Difficult to race
Zoo
They empty out their hand quickly, weakening counterspells. Very difficult to race.
Terrible matchups - Very difficult to win
White Lifegain
Maybe I have been unlucky, but I have dealt over 30 damage multiple games and still lost. Tokens, Squadron Hawk, and anthem effects make it very difficult for Delver of Secrets to swing.
Shamans
Cavern of Souls and lords that give +1/+1 counters instead of a passive boost. Very difficult to race and they run many more uncounterable creatures than you have removal for.
i'll write the primer for UR delver. not too familiar with the young pyromancer version though. i've been playing Hoogland's list for a few weeks now.
I will say 19 is quite the low land count although it might not be too bad. I use Mutavaults in their place but play 21 land and I never seen a problem.
Other then Tron I don't see the need for MD Tec Edge, I feel the man lands are so much more effective. But I don't know his purpose.
Also, Shackles seems silly. Threads of Disloyalty IMO seems the batter option. Especially with a low land count, and 3 of which Edges. Shackles needs 5 mana to activate the turn it hits play, an with that count you would probably need to tap out for a turn or two and not really having and immediate board impact.
Modern-
Faeries
Tron
Legacy-
Painter's Grindstone (WIP)
Thanks to HOTP Studios for the sig!
Decks
Affinity [MTGO]
Recovering from the Pod ban in paper
Even then you can just point it at their face to get some early damage going, if need be. However, the amount of match-ups in which it excels in is certainly larger than the match-ups in which it doesn't work too well.
Modern-
Faeries
Tron
Legacy-
Painter's Grindstone (WIP)
Thanks to HOTP Studios for the sig!
My list:
Creatures (15)
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Vendilion Clique
Spells (21)
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Serum Visions
2 Spell Snare
3 Mana Leak
2 Remand
3 Telling Time
4 Cryptic Command
Land (24)
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Mountain
9 Island
Sideboard
3 Blood Moon
3 Dispel
3 Firespout
3 Vedalken Shackles
1 Mana Leak
1 Spell Snare
1 Vendilion Clique
It's a bit slower than many of the other builds I've seen around, with more Snapcasters and Cryptic, but that's the way I prefer to play. Dispel has been such a house out of the board at protecting my little guys and disrupting Tron's counters/draw as well as all combo decks that I'm thinking of running a few main.
Again, I'm still working on fully porting this over after playing U/R Fae for so long. Any critiques are appreciated . . . just let it be known that I'm completely married to the Snapcaster/Cryptic/Clique trinity.
I love this deck, I'm winning with it, and I look forward to winning even more! Thanks in advance!
First off, welcome to the forums! Second off, I think you're running a little too many lands. This deck has a very low curve, so you only want to see a few lands in play each game. Lastly, how is the Faerie Conclave working out for you? I'm all for good man-lands, but the Conclave seems a little greedy.
Modern-
Faeries
Tron
Legacy-
Painter's Grindstone (WIP)
Thanks to HOTP Studios for the sig!
Cigmata:
How are your combo matchups and aggro matchups with YP in there? I can never seem to feel comfortable tapping out for YP when the opponent may make some crucial play.
Rhis:
How have your Goyf matchups been (Jund, Jund with white, GW hatebears, GW aggro)? With a list similar to yours I dread these matches.
How has Char been? It seems a little rough. I feel like there has to be something better in that slot.
Last, have you tried Spellstutter Sprite? She's one of my very favorite cards, especially in this shell and when you have 4 mutavault and a faerie conclave.
I've found YP has helped in both matchups. In Combo he speeds up the clock dramatically. Before YP I'd often be just playing draw go while the Combo player sculpted his hand and built up mana until the turn where there was just too much for me to counter. With a Pyromancer on the board the pressure keeps building as I counter sifting spells. I have no problem tapping out turn 2 since they almost never win there. If it's Storm I'll usually wait until turn 3 to drop him with Spell Snare backup for PA, or turn 4 if I have Leak/Remand.
In Aggro he tends to create an almost endless steam of chump blockers so Clique or The Bug can fly over FTW. I will almost always wait until turn 3 so I can use turn 2 to counter a major threat and then cast/protect him with a Snare or Dispel. I'll wait until turn 4 if I smell Lili or a Geist.
In my opinion guys, I have found Spellstutter Sprite to be one of the best, and most useful counter in the deck. I'm always happy to see it and its a body that comes along with it. But I also play 4 Mutavaults and Cliques, so both early game its helpful, and in turns 4 and 5 I generally have other cards out to help it. But that's my experience with it.
As for Faerie Conclave, having the land come into play tapped is a really big damper more often then not. The deck runs a low land count, so when I make my 3 or 4 land drop I want it untapped for snappy or anything really.
The more Spellstutter Sprites I play, the more amazing it feels. It's effectively a 2 for 1 unless the opponent plays another instant on top of it to reduce your Faerie count.
Being able to counter the two most played cards in the format, Deathrite Shaman and Lightning Bolt, is huge. In fact, 4 of the top 10 most played cards in Modern are CMC 1 and and another 4 are CMC 2, which means that with 1 Mutavault and a Spellstutter Faerie, you can counter a good majority of the field. The coverage on top of Mana Leak, Remand, and Spell Snare is insane. Countering a Thoughtseize, Inquisition, Lightning Bolt, Deathrite Shaman, or Path to Exile just feels so good.
1/1 flyer isn't going to bring the mad beats, but combined with all the Burn we have, it doesn't take that long to whittle down the opponent's life especially if we add Delver, Snapcaster, or Clique to the mix.
Creature base:
4x Delver
4x Spellsputter Sprite
4x Snapcaster
3x Clique
I kinda would prefer a 4th Clique over Snapcaster but I don't wanna buy one right now.
There seems to be many who play Young Pyromancer; and I will be honest I have not even given him a chance yet. I just look at YP and feel he is not what the deck wants... at all. You need to tap out t2 to play him and your not getting value till turn 3, and then I think to myself what the hell are the 1/1 tokens really going to do for me that Spellsputter cant... or how is he going to change the game if you don't play him till t4 ot t5?
I have also been trying to compare our modern build to both legacy and the original standard builds and they seem to share something in common and that's 8 cantrips. The downside is we don't necessarily have that, or at least ones worth while. There has been a legacy UWR Delver deck placing well that splashes white for 2 cards, GoST and Swords of Plowshare. Standard also played GoST with success and we do have PtE.
I'm going to try to pull ideas from the best of both formats (or what was standard) and throw it together and see how it feels. The only downside is lacking good cantrips. I'm also willing to splash for GoST but then Blood Moon becomes hard and the moon is always a valuable asset.
... if only we had Price of Progress
He totally changes the necessary play-style of the deck.
YP plays pretty well, but just doesn't suit my style for serious play, which is stopping all of my opponent's plays while chipping away with a flyer.
Has anyone with either version played much against GW bears?
This matchup concerns me due to the huge bodies and Aether Vial.
I'm looking at having some boomerang, repeal, vapor snag effect somewhere in my 75 for vial or big, cheap bodies.
This would, in theory, help with goyf type matches in general.
Seems better to splash black for some kill spells. Path is really not what a Mana Leak deck wants to do.
Legacy: UBRG Czech Pile, WWW Death & Taxes, many other things
Modern: UBR Grixis, RWG Burn, UR UR Storm, BBB 8 Rack, whatever other control deck I can force
Multiplayer EDH: RR Norin the Wary, UU Barrin, Master Wizard, UB Wrexial, the Risen Deep, GR Borborygmos, Enraged