This is an updated version of a deck a friend made years ago. I'm looking to improve for a tournament in a few weeks. This is meant to be casual, but can hold its own in some competitive match ups.
3 Merfolk Secretkeeper // Venture Deeper
4 Thassa's Oracle
2 Wall of Lost Thoughts
3 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
1 Jace, the Perfected Mind
3 Consider
2 Opt
4 Test of Talents
2 Sweet Oblivion
3 Jace's Triumph
3 Omen of the Dead
3 Drowned Secrets
3 Omen of the Sea
1 Mirrormade
2 Founding the Third Path
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
8 Island
5 Swamp
I played against some top decks (BR, White Humans, Creativity) and found that on the play I was at least one turn too slow every time. I also played against some casual decks (mostly not Pioneer) and while speed was less of an issue and I could win, gameplay was almost single-minded: they need to dodge Test of Talents and attack. Other notes: Omen of the Dead is the only black card, yet I never had trouble finding a win condition between the 7 and draw spells. Black needs a better reason to be in the deck, like Demonic Bargain and Fatal Push.
Test of Talents is very specific hate. It can auto-win in the right matchup, but everywhere else it's useless, and it's the only interaction outside of blockers. I kept wishing I could Spell Pierce that Thoughtseize, or Make Disappear that Fable of the Mirror-Breaker.
I wanted Drowned Secrets or a protected Jace, Wielder of Mysteries every game. I don't know how to win otherwise, and I threw away a lot of hands with friendly mulligans.
Why no delve spells? Treasure Cruise is at its peak here.
My takeaway is that the deck needs to do at least one of three things: speed up, set up > interact, or interact > finish. I dropped the second color, Test, and some weaker cards for more of what I already had, Make Disappear, and Impulse to pull it all together, and I at least won some games. Ledger Shredder, Thing in the Ice, Fading Hope, and non-blue interaction are things I haven't tried yet. I think Demonic Bargain + interaction is the route to go from a fun perspective.
3 Merfolk Secretkeeper // Venture Deeper
4 Thassa's Oracle
2 Wall of Lost Thoughts
3 Jace, Wielder of Mysteries
1 Jace, the Perfected Mind
3 Consider
2 Opt
4 Test of Talents
2 Sweet Oblivion
3 Jace's Triumph
3 Omen of the Dead
3 Drowned Secrets
3 Omen of the Sea
1 Mirrormade
2 Founding the Third Path
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
8 Island
5 Swamp
Omen of the Dead is the only black card, yet I never had trouble finding a win condition between the 7 and draw spells. Black needs a better reason to be in the deck, like Demonic Bargain and Fatal Push.
Test of Talents is very specific hate. It can auto-win in the right matchup, but everywhere else it's useless, and it's the only interaction outside of blockers. I kept wishing I could Spell Pierce that Thoughtseize, or Make Disappear that Fable of the Mirror-Breaker.
I wanted Drowned Secrets or a protected Jace, Wielder of Mysteries every game. I don't know how to win otherwise, and I threw away a lot of hands with friendly mulligans.
Why no delve spells? Treasure Cruise is at its peak here.
My takeaway is that the deck needs to do at least one of three things: speed up, set up > interact, or interact > finish. I dropped the second color, Test, and some weaker cards for more of what I already had, Make Disappear, and Impulse to pull it all together, and I at least won some games. Ledger Shredder, Thing in the Ice, Fading Hope, and non-blue interaction are things I haven't tried yet. I think Demonic Bargain + interaction is the route to go from a fun perspective.