Just started playing Pauper, late getting into the format, strictly paper Pauper though, which sucks due to not having a big crowd, but intend to change that.
After I recreated one of my old decks "cyclops/fiend" I already had then realized it was already pauper, I fell in love with this format.
Now I'm running Delver Blue and that is just as fun, seeing as I love ponders, preordains, and counterspell.
I haven't added a sideboard yet since there is no community yet, but I'm sure it would be 3 blue elemental blasts, some serrated arrows, ect.
The one of Bonesplitter is great on any of my fliers for a quicker clock.
Daze is pretty good as well coming of tapping out for a counterspell to counter something else as well.
Thoughtbind cancels everything, but Mana leak would be better in this spot.
Not sure how much I like Gush, It's great card draw when I get it, but the tempo lost between more than one Gush and 3 Dazes might be to much.
Spellstutter sprite is one of my favorites in this deck. Cloud of Faeries, is a great enabler plus it leaves counter magic up. But how do you guys feel about pestermite? It's disruptive and its a faerie. Has flash so it doesn't conflict with leaving up counter mana, and untaps a permanent as well if we want to make it cost only 2. Thoughts?
what about sapphire charm? Seems good to me, because it can act as a pseudo-removal, can un-flip delver or remove any counter from permanents.
The fly ability seems also good for pushing some more damages.
Replies?
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Currently playing: WW - legacy death and taxes - WW
I'M A MEMBER OF THE Anti-Blue Alliance (Just Say "Yes" to Spells!)
The SIX cardinal sins of Legacy:
1. Discuss the unbanning of Surival Of The Fittest.
2. Argue that banning Force of Will would make the format healthier.
3. Play Brainstorm without Fetchlands.
4. Stifle Standstill.
5. Think that Gaea's Blessing will make you Solidarity-proof.
6. Pass priority after playing Infernal Tutor.
what about sapphire charm? Seems good to me, because it can act as a pseudo-removal, can un-flip delver or remove any counter from permanents.
The fly ability seems also good for pushing some more damages.
Replies?
the deck is already very tight for space.
• replacing itself is useless
• most creatures already have flying, and it's begging to get 2-for-1'd
• phasing out an opponent's creatures is really situational, and will most often be dead
try it out and see how it goes, but i don't see this adding a whole lot of utility.
What do you guys think about Stitched Drake? I've seen people playing it, and I have one in my mainboard along with 3 Spire Golem. Do you think it's better to play the 4 Golems instead? For me it's pretty similar, normally I have the creature in the graveyard, but the extra power point isn't enough if I can play a golem for 1 less mana, for example...
Haven't tried the Drake, but I'm struggling to think of a reason why I'd want to make one of my creatures that much more difficult to cast while only getting one extra power, especially when there aren't a ton of three-power creatures to deal with.
It seems this deck continues to be consistent, even through the metagame shifts from new bannings. I monitor the metagame through mtgGoldfish occasionally and it hasn't dropped out of the top 3 for as long as I've been watching. Now, it seems to be approaching 30% of the metagame. I play paper, so there are some slight differences, but Delver is always present in tournaments there too - perhaps moreso than online. What does this deck have a poor matchup against? Are there any rogue decks or strategies that are well positioned to fight it?
It seems this deck continues to be consistent, even through the metagame shifts from new bannings. I monitor the metagame through mtgGoldfish occasionally and it hasn't dropped out of the top 3 for as long as I've been watching. Now, it seems to be approaching 30% of the metagame. I play paper, so there are some slight differences, but Delver is always present in tournaments there too - perhaps moreso than online. What does this deck have a poor matchup against? Are there any rogue decks or strategies that are well positioned to fight it?
Stompy and Elves mostly. Delver tends to fair pretty well against most rogue decks since countermagic can deal with just about everything in the format. Elves is probably the worst matchup for the deck since dealing with the dual threat of getting beaten down by a bunch of 1/1's and dealing with Timberwatchs/Melodies/Huntmasters overloads Delver's control draws.
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MTGO Decks:
Pauper: U Delver Fae UR Nivix Fiend UWB Esper Sage
GInfect RIP UFissure Post RIP URIzzet Post RIP UBRThe Perfect Pauper Storm RIP
I'm thinking of using a variant of this deck in a small paper playgroup, and I'm trying to determine the right configuration of a Red splash. The metagame is an Affinity deck, Infect, MBC and one Tron. My thinking is that Red's burn will give me some speed against Tron and MBC, while being good as cheap removal against Infect. And, I just really like how Red decks tend to be more even across the field, rather than dominating in any given matchup. This is the list I'm considering:
I really like Curfew against this field, and it has some synergy maindeck that I think will be fun. Also, Mistblade Shinobi is kind of a campy card that can get really good in an aggro MU when removal compliments him. I also thought of Archeomancer along this vein, because it can be humorous with Curfew.
I am leaning toward a low Faerie count for Sprites because I think a bounce-able Mental Misstep is good enough on its own, but I suppose that puts me up to 8x Brainstorm/Ponder/Preordain to be able to support Ninjas well enough without bouncing Delvers. Cloud of Faeries is best I find when it never attacks. It does have Cycling though, so I might just get some. Essentially though, I am replacing the Spire Golem end game with slightly more aggression and reach.
I'm playing with something similar. I want to use the Delver-Faerie shell to support a Mystical Teachings sideboard strategy, and splash black in the main sorta' like you're splashing red. My hope is to simulate in small part the stupid mana of Post/Teachings decks with Cloud of Faeries and Dimir Aqueduct.
I know all the cool kids say that Ponder/Preordain are better in this deck than Brainstorm. I'm planning on ignoring that advice because I will have additional shuffle effects in Teaching, and I want to be able to tutor up my cantrips. You, however, might consider adjusting your proportions of Brainstorm, Ponder, and Preordain, or packing fetch lands instead of guild gates so you can shuffle away chaff (it wouldn't slow you down any, and the only low-cost UU spell you run is Counterspell.
I'm only guessing, but I bet 4 curfew is a lot. I use Ghostly Glicker to great effect (blink my spellstutter sprite and a cloud of faeries, untap some land to net 1 mana and a free spell snare, or blink a mulldrifter and a bojuka bog, or whatever), and still I think 2 is pretty strong. Maybe go to three?
I also want to cram in some Bonesplitter, that that's mostly because I'm light on beefy dudes. Let me know how that works out with Kiln Fiend being a fairly strong finisher.
Consider Flame Slash. I hear it's a big deal to be able to lay down four damage.
Yeah, I've been testing it a little bit on MODO, and 4x Curfew is definitely too much. This deck really can't put up enough pressure consistently to be able to go less than 1 for 1 on cards, and Curfew ends up being that a lot of the time. Mainly, I want it most in those Auras/Atog/Nivix/Infect situations where one creature gets loaded up, and it's much better than 1 to 1. The thing I didn't anticipate though is that Nivix/Infect both run Gitaxian Probes, and will play around it more or less easily if they see it by making sure another creature is down. It essentially assumes the ability to outplay the opponent, and by now I think everyone has seen it. Speaking of that, I had not seen Jilt before now, thank you. Jilt, Aether Tradewinds or Peel from Reality are probably what I will go with if I want more value in the Vapor Snag slot. At the same time, I still think maybe 2x Curfew in the sideboard is a good option against Auras for those decks that are removal-heavy and counter-light.
I also took out the Kiln Fiend. The problem is that it trades with a ton of different things on the ground, and that's exactly what you'll be doing with it if that Instant/Sorcery isn't removal on their only blocker. The card is just not stellar in this format without Distortion Strike effects, and I'm not going to be that deck. What I put in its place for now is Pestermite. As beatdown heavy as this meta is, it seems like a few decks are doing that nowadays. If it lets you survive an extra turn, that turn is worth some good amount of damage. I've also had issues against early Ulamog's Crusher and some Somber Hoverguard Affinity variants.
On Brainstorm, I can see that side of it now after this series of games. The deck not only wants to make early Delver, but also it's capable of giving you too much/too little of one thing, and Brainstorm doesn't help that second problem. I have drawn triple Ninja of the Deep Hours with it now, and I am really just losing any game where things like that happen. Ninjas were fringe-playable before Delver for a reason. I will probably go to about 9 cantrip effects, including maybe 2x Sage of Epityr because I really like him and I refuse to run Cloud of Faeries (for now).
I like the Black-splash also as a more Control variant. I played UB Ninjas a few years ago, and really respected Fume Spitter at about the time Infect was first popular. I do think that Okiba-Gang Shinobi is probably the strongest thing that Black has to offer, but I am not sure he's too well-positioned in this metagame with so much beatdown. It would be good in the mirror though. I have never had good results with Soul Manipulation, but the combination of having Cloud of Faeries and a lot of blocking in the meta generally might make it better than Exclude right now. Another gem I really appreciated during the days of Storm Combo was Wail of the Nim. It has both offensive and defensive implications, and is definitely a card I'd want in a Teachings package against MBC, the mirror, and Goblins. I also think your list might be controlling enough for Mulldrifter.
Thank you for those suggestions. I've been looking at a teachings package, but was unaware of Wall of the Nim. I was unsure about going Mulldrifter, but will try it. I've played him in a UB delver list in the past and like the flying body and card draw. You're right about Soul manipulation being occasionally awkward, and I'll likely try 2-of, down from three. I'll experiment with Okiba-Gang in the mirror, but I really like Dreamspoiler Witches for that job.
I've started getting into MTG again after like 8 years of not playing. Not wanting to dump too much money into it, I'm sticking with pauper decks for now. Was hoping someone could give me some pointers on my newly made Delver deck. So far I've gone 11-3 with it, so far so good, but I figure it can always be improved. Lost twice to a Goblins deck, so any sideboard advice for them would be nice. I'm thinking Hydroblast will help, would probably swap 4 of them for 2 Vapor Blast and 2 Deprive if I'm playing Goblins.
got some Snapbacks and Annuls for the sideboard and looking to add some Echoing Truths, but it's not a huge priority since I'm usually just playing single-game matches. thinking of investing in 2 Daze and 2 Snap for the maindeck, but not sure what I would take out to accommodate them. Also given some thought to Curse of Chains, as I have no real way to deal with scary creatures once they hit the battlefield.
re-vamped the deck a little. haven't lost a match since I changed it up, now just looking for sideboard suggestions. the Frostburn Weirds are a placeholder for now, thinking of replacing them and the 2x Dispel with 4x Hydroblast and another Coral Net. also - Annul vs Steel Sabotage for the SB? thoughts?
haven't had this much fun playing MTG since I ran a white weenie deck in Mirrodin/Kamigawa standard.
Stormbound Geist and Spell Pierce are great against them.
Actually, to win MBC, you should aim your counters to two stuff: Removal to your Delver (mainly the lifegain ones), and these three creatures: Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Crypt Rats and Cuombajj Witches.
The key to win this match is to put pressure early, while they're developing their mana and drawing off Sign in Blood, then counter everything that's relevant.
Bounce is actually terrible against them. All their creatures except Crypt and Cuombajj have ETB triggers, so you have to fight them in the stack, rather than in play.
I'm now over 50% against Mono Black. I 4-0d a Pauper Daily recently and played Mono Black twice. Both matches were 2-1 however; it still is tough. I found the matchup easier when I started doing this:
Side out: 3 Snap, 1 Gush
Side in: 3 Serrated Arrows, 1 Stormbound Geist
Serrated Arrows is surprisingly good here. I have found Arrows to be best against decks with smaller creatures that don't put a ton of pressure on you early. So it is great against Mono Black, Delver mirror, and Familiar - those decks use small creatures (mostly 1 and 2 toughness creatures) and they're not THAT aggressive - it usually takes a while for them to kill you. So a mid-game Serrated Arrows against MBC will make their 2/2s into 1/1s (making Cuombajj Witches worse) and they will have trouble pushing through damage in combat.
EDIT: Also, don't fall for the temptation to shoot creatures all the way down to 0/0 with the Serrated Arrows. You are better off just leaving them with an irrelevant 1/1 and making them chump block or something. Wasting arrow counters this way is not efficient because they play cards like Unearth. Unless of course a Gray Merchant of Asphodel is coming down; THEN maybe kill a creature!
My best advice for the MBC matchup is to take your time - the long game is actually not bad for us here. Mono Black's late game is not as good as you might think. They don't have Ponders or Preordains to manipulate later draw steps, and while Sign in Blood is good, its not exactly "insane card advantage." I often see them draw dead into a couple running swamps in the late game. I have found that playing carefully around their removal and holding up counters and tricks is better than trying to get out ahead early and sneak in a quick win. Sometimes the latter strategy works, but don't sacrifice card advantage for it.
Am I crazy for thinking delvers aren't that good against MBC? I have about 50% winrate against MBC in tourney practice mode and I find that most games I win is either early game where I get lucky with delver flips AND they don't have enough removal (rare), or super lategame where they draw 4 lands in a row and I win by outdrawing them.
EDIT: I tested it, and it sucked. I was trying to picture already good scenarios with it. When it is good, it's great, when it's bad, it is horribly bad. And a horrible top deck.
EDIT: I tested it, and it sucked. I was trying to picture already good scenarios with it. When it is good, it's great, when it's bad, it is horribly bad. And a horrible top deck.
There is a lot of potential there for Cloudfin Raptor, and I did well in a few events playing a decklist with 2 copies. It really shines in the mirror match (a potential 3/4 flyer for 1 mana is insane). The problem is not that Cloudfin is bad - its that there is so much OTHER good stuff you could be playing instead of it.
Like you said, when its good its great. Your "nut draws" that involve a Cloudfin Raptor on 1 are usually really, really good. But in the end I cut it for 2 extra instants/sorceries.
I've been testing Treasure Cruise with my deck.
It's a good card if you can draw it after turn 4. where you can easily delve for 7. Worse card to get for opening hand.
Robe doesn't protect you from edicts, so I'm not really sure what it's good against that you can't handle in other ways.
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Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
I see. The person I'm practicing it with is using a lot of bounce. I guess it's too conditional. I also have extra cards. I wonder where I can fit them. Snaps , Peek/Gitaxian Probe , Think Twice, Vapor Snags etc. I'm basically purchasing any blue common find xD.
Can anyone suggest how my sideboard should look like. with this deck. Thanks
After I recreated one of my old decks "cyclops/fiend" I already had then realized it was already pauper, I fell in love with this format.
Now I'm running Delver Blue and that is just as fun, seeing as I love ponders, preordains, and counterspell.
So here's my deck list.
4 spellstutter sprite
4 ninja of the deep hours
4 spire golem
3 cloud of faeries
3 frostburn weird
4 ponder
3 preordain
3 snap
3 daze
1 gush
2 mana leak
1 thoughtbind
1 bonesplitter
I haven't added a sideboard yet since there is no community yet, but I'm sure it would be 3 blue elemental blasts, some serrated arrows, ect.
The one of Bonesplitter is great on any of my fliers for a quicker clock.
Daze is pretty good as well coming of tapping out for a counterspell to counter something else as well.
Thoughtbind cancels everything, but Mana leak would be better in this spot.
Not sure how much I like Gush, It's great card draw when I get it, but the tempo lost between more than one Gush and 3 Dazes might be to much.
Spellstutter sprite is one of my favorites in this deck. Cloud of Faeries, is a great enabler plus it leaves counter magic up. But how do you guys feel about pestermite? It's disruptive and its a faerie. Has flash so it doesn't conflict with leaving up counter mana, and untaps a permanent as well if we want to make it cost only 2. Thoughts?
The fly ability seems also good for pushing some more damages.
Replies?
WW - legacy death and taxes - WW
1. Discuss the unbanning of Surival Of The Fittest.
2. Argue that banning Force of Will would make the format healthier.
3. Play Brainstorm without Fetchlands.
4. Stifle Standstill.
5. Think that Gaea's Blessing will make you Solidarity-proof.
6. Pass priority after playing Infernal Tutor.
the deck is already very tight for space.
• replacing itself is useless
• most creatures already have flying, and it's begging to get 2-for-1'd
• phasing out an opponent's creatures is really situational, and will most often be dead
try it out and see how it goes, but i don't see this adding a whole lot of utility.
Legacy Gobbyboogers R
Stompy and Elves mostly. Delver tends to fair pretty well against most rogue decks since countermagic can deal with just about everything in the format. Elves is probably the worst matchup for the deck since dealing with the dual threat of getting beaten down by a bunch of 1/1's and dealing with Timberwatchs/Melodies/Huntmasters overloads Delver's control draws.
U Delver Fae
UR Nivix Fiend
UWB Esper Sage
G
InfectRIPU
Fissure PostRIPUR
Izzet PostRIPUBR
The Perfect Pauper StormRIPModern:
UW
EggsRIPGR Tron
Legacy:
0 Manaless Dredge
UWR Miracles
UWB Stoneblade and Deathblade
UWR Delver
UWR Landstill
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Spellstutter Sprite
3 Kiln Fiend
1 Archaeomancer
1 Mistblade Shinobi
2 Ponder
2 Preordain
4 Curfew
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
2 Counterspell
1 Staggershock
1 Bonesplitter
5 Mountain
4 Izzet Guildgate
10 Island
I really like Curfew against this field, and it has some synergy maindeck that I think will be fun. Also, Mistblade Shinobi is kind of a campy card that can get really good in an aggro MU when removal compliments him. I also thought of Archeomancer along this vein, because it can be humorous with Curfew.
I am leaning toward a low Faerie count for Sprites because I think a bounce-able Mental Misstep is good enough on its own, but I suppose that puts me up to 8x Brainstorm/Ponder/Preordain to be able to support Ninjas well enough without bouncing Delvers. Cloud of Faeries is best I find when it never attacks. It does have Cycling though, so I might just get some. Essentially though, I am replacing the Spire Golem end game with slightly more aggression and reach.
Anyone else tried something like this?
I know all the cool kids say that Ponder/Preordain are better in this deck than Brainstorm. I'm planning on ignoring that advice because I will have additional shuffle effects in Teaching, and I want to be able to tutor up my cantrips. You, however, might consider adjusting your proportions of Brainstorm, Ponder, and Preordain, or packing fetch lands instead of guild gates so you can shuffle away chaff (it wouldn't slow you down any, and the only low-cost UU spell you run is Counterspell.
I'm only guessing, but I bet 4 curfew is a lot. I use Ghostly Glicker to great effect (blink my spellstutter sprite and a cloud of faeries, untap some land to net 1 mana and a free spell snare, or blink a mulldrifter and a bojuka bog, or whatever), and still I think 2 is pretty strong. Maybe go to three?
Jilt is basically Steamcore Weird in spell form. Just Sayin'.
I also want to cram in some Bonesplitter, that that's mostly because I'm light on beefy dudes. Let me know how that works out with Kiln Fiend being a fairly strong finisher.
Consider Flame Slash. I hear it's a big deal to be able to lay down four damage.
My tentative list:
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
2 Stormbound Geist
4 Brainstorm
2 Mystical Teachings
1 Gush
2 Unearth
4 Rune Snag
3 Soul Manipulation
1 Ghostly Flicker
3 Vapor Snag
2 Agony Warp
1 Doom Blade
4 Swamp
1 Bojuka Bog
3 Dimir Aqueduct
1 Echoing Truth
1 Hindering Touch
1 Diabolic Edict
1 Go for the Throat
1 Agony Warp
1 Oona's Grace
1 Hyrdroblast
1 Steel Sabotage
1 Ghostly Flicker
2 Dreamspoiler Witches
Yeah, I've been testing it a little bit on MODO, and 4x Curfew is definitely too much. This deck really can't put up enough pressure consistently to be able to go less than 1 for 1 on cards, and Curfew ends up being that a lot of the time. Mainly, I want it most in those Auras/Atog/Nivix/Infect situations where one creature gets loaded up, and it's much better than 1 to 1. The thing I didn't anticipate though is that Nivix/Infect both run Gitaxian Probes, and will play around it more or less easily if they see it by making sure another creature is down. It essentially assumes the ability to outplay the opponent, and by now I think everyone has seen it. Speaking of that, I had not seen Jilt before now, thank you. Jilt, Aether Tradewinds or Peel from Reality are probably what I will go with if I want more value in the Vapor Snag slot. At the same time, I still think maybe 2x Curfew in the sideboard is a good option against Auras for those decks that are removal-heavy and counter-light.
I also took out the Kiln Fiend. The problem is that it trades with a ton of different things on the ground, and that's exactly what you'll be doing with it if that Instant/Sorcery isn't removal on their only blocker. The card is just not stellar in this format without Distortion Strike effects, and I'm not going to be that deck. What I put in its place for now is Pestermite. As beatdown heavy as this meta is, it seems like a few decks are doing that nowadays. If it lets you survive an extra turn, that turn is worth some good amount of damage. I've also had issues against early Ulamog's Crusher and some Somber Hoverguard Affinity variants.
On Brainstorm, I can see that side of it now after this series of games. The deck not only wants to make early Delver, but also it's capable of giving you too much/too little of one thing, and Brainstorm doesn't help that second problem. I have drawn triple Ninja of the Deep Hours with it now, and I am really just losing any game where things like that happen. Ninjas were fringe-playable before Delver for a reason. I will probably go to about 9 cantrip effects, including maybe 2x Sage of Epityr because I really like him and I refuse to run Cloud of Faeries (for now).
I like the Black-splash also as a more Control variant. I played UB Ninjas a few years ago, and really respected Fume Spitter at about the time Infect was first popular. I do think that Okiba-Gang Shinobi is probably the strongest thing that Black has to offer, but I am not sure he's too well-positioned in this metagame with so much beatdown. It would be good in the mirror though. I have never had good results with Soul Manipulation, but the combination of having Cloud of Faeries and a lot of blocking in the meta generally might make it better than Exclude right now. Another gem I really appreciated during the days of Storm Combo was Wail of the Nim. It has both offensive and defensive implications, and is definitely a card I'd want in a Teachings package against MBC, the mirror, and Goblins. I also think your list might be controlling enough for Mulldrifter.
18 Island
\\Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Phantasmal Bear
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Spire Golem
3 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
3 Deprive
2 Vapor Snag
3 Ponder
3 Preordain
got some Snapbacks and Annuls for the sideboard and looking to add some Echoing Truths, but it's not a huge priority since I'm usually just playing single-game matches. thinking of investing in 2 Daze and 2 Snap for the maindeck, but not sure what I would take out to accommodate them. Also given some thought to Curse of Chains, as I have no real way to deal with scary creatures once they hit the battlefield.
haven't had this much fun playing MTG since I ran a white weenie deck in Mirrodin/Kamigawa standard.
18 Island
\\Creatures
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
4 Phantasmal Bear
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Spire Golem
4 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
3 Preordain
2 Gush
3 Piracy Charm
2 Snap
3 Frostburn Weird
3 Curse of Chains
4 Annul
2 Dispel
3 Coral Net
Actually, to win MBC, you should aim your counters to two stuff: Removal to your Delver (mainly the lifegain ones), and these three creatures: Gray Merchant of Asphodel, Crypt Rats and Cuombajj Witches.
The key to win this match is to put pressure early, while they're developing their mana and drawing off Sign in Blood, then counter everything that's relevant.
Bounce is actually terrible against them. All their creatures except Crypt and Cuombajj have ETB triggers, so you have to fight them in the stack, rather than in play.
Side out: 3 Snap, 1 Gush
Side in: 3 Serrated Arrows, 1 Stormbound Geist
Serrated Arrows is surprisingly good here. I have found Arrows to be best against decks with smaller creatures that don't put a ton of pressure on you early. So it is great against Mono Black, Delver mirror, and Familiar - those decks use small creatures (mostly 1 and 2 toughness creatures) and they're not THAT aggressive - it usually takes a while for them to kill you. So a mid-game Serrated Arrows against MBC will make their 2/2s into 1/1s (making Cuombajj Witches worse) and they will have trouble pushing through damage in combat.
EDIT: Also, don't fall for the temptation to shoot creatures all the way down to 0/0 with the Serrated Arrows. You are better off just leaving them with an irrelevant 1/1 and making them chump block or something. Wasting arrow counters this way is not efficient because they play cards like Unearth. Unless of course a Gray Merchant of Asphodel is coming down; THEN maybe kill a creature!
My best advice for the MBC matchup is to take your time - the long game is actually not bad for us here. Mono Black's late game is not as good as you might think. They don't have Ponders or Preordains to manipulate later draw steps, and while Sign in Blood is good, its not exactly "insane card advantage." I often see them draw dead into a couple running swamps in the late game. I have found that playing carefully around their removal and holding up counters and tricks is better than trying to get out ahead early and sneak in a quick win. Sometimes the latter strategy works, but don't sacrifice card advantage for it.
x4 Delver
x4 Phantasmal Bear
x4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
x3 Cloud of Faeries
x4 Spellstutter
x4 Counterspell
x1 Deprive
x2 Gush
x4 Preordain
x2 Brainstorm
x4 Gitaxian Probe
x4 Vapor Snag
x2 Stitched Drake
x1 Force Spike
x1 Piracy Charm
x16 Islands
SB
x3 Coral Net
x2 Dispel
x2 Disrupt
x2 Storm-bound Geist
x3 Hydroblast
x1 Negate
x2 Piracy Charm
I could swap some cards out of the sideboard, but I'm mainly just testing what I like in the 2 mans.
EDIT: I tested it, and it sucked. I was trying to picture already good scenarios with it. When it is good, it's great, when it's bad, it is horribly bad. And a horrible top deck.
There is a lot of potential there for Cloudfin Raptor, and I did well in a few events playing a decklist with 2 copies. It really shines in the mirror match (a potential 3/4 flyer for 1 mana is insane). The problem is not that Cloudfin is bad - its that there is so much OTHER good stuff you could be playing instead of it.
Like you said, when its good its great. Your "nut draws" that involve a Cloudfin Raptor on 1 are usually really, really good. But in the end I cut it for 2 extra instants/sorceries.
It's a good card if you can draw it after turn 4. where you can easily delve for 7. Worse card to get for opening hand.
Dispel will be replaced with Preordain
Will probably -1 Treasure Cruise +1 Counterspell when I find one.
16 Islands
Creatures
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
3 Phantasmal Bear
2 Spire Golem
3 Counterspell
4 Daze
2 Deprive
4 Dispel
2 Piracy Charm
4 Brainstorm
2 Gush
2 Treasure Cruise
Found a good card today. Robe of Mirrors Will try it out.
Any additional advice for my deck? Thanks.
U Delver
Can anyone suggest how my sideboard should look like. with this deck. Thanks
16 Islands
Creatures
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Cloud of Faeries
4 Spellstutter Sprite
4 Ninja of the Deep Hours
3 Phantasmal Bear
2 Spire Golem
3 Counterspell
4 Daze
2 Deprive
4 Dispel
2 Piracy Charm
4 Brainstorm
2 Gush
2 Treasure Cruise
U Delver