I often see a deck list where there are more fetchlands than actual basic lands they can grab. I'm talking right now in standard (with no more shock lands to grab). What's the point of running six fetchlands if you only have say, three basics to grab out of your library? Also what is a good number of fetchlands to run if you are playing 4 color?
Fetchlands aren't much good in a 4 colour deck in Standard; in a deck like that you want Mana Confluence and the two triple-on-colour trilands.
In other decks, the existance of Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time makes fetchlands enormously better than basics. You want to run the smallest number of basics that won't see you run out and be unable to use a fetchland, then you want more and more fetches to fuel delve cards.
If a mono-blue deck was viable in present Standard (it isn't), I'd play 8 fetchlands in it.
The fetches in standard are to fuel delve mostly some decks going as far as playing evolving wilds. Keep in mind urbog turns your fetches into swamps. In many ways pain lands are better.
In other decks, the existance of Treasure Cruise and Dig Through Time makes fetchlands enormously better than basics. You want to run the smallest number of basics that won't see you run out and be unable to use a fetchland, then you want more and more fetches to fuel delve cards.
If a mono-blue deck was viable in present Standard (it isn't), I'd play 8 fetchlands in it.
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GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
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