Rejection costs one less (which is huge, especially for snapcaster flashback), but stroke seems to be the more versatile counterspell in a SB against more match-ups. Rejection is not that strong against affinity (board already cluttered early) and Eldrazi (Cavern of souls). Stroke on the other hand is great against ALL control/big mana strategies.
Opinions?
I used to play Countersquall in the sideboard, but leaving up 2 mana for a counter always felt bad.
LotV is the stronger walker in a vacuum, whereas LtlH has a little more overall synergies in the deck. It probably boils down to a meta choice. What about a split in the main board and test which one works out better against more match-ups? I only tested them a few games with them in the side board and can't draw any definitive conclusions about their "maindeckability".
Liliana, the Last Hope doesn't impact the board enough on the turn she comes down to be reliable in an aggro deck. Liliana of the Veil fits with a more aggressive game 1 plan, because she always clears a blocker at the worst.
If you go with a more controlling build like mtgneffy's from last page, Liliana, the Last Hope is better maindeck because the goal is to be a little grindy. I don't think one is right, as long as you build around her a little.
After a couple of games I'm in love with Flaying Tendrils. It feels better than Yixlid Jailer because it comes in against a lot more decks than just Dredge, and having a more powerful sweeper than Golgari Charm is necessary since we don't have access to Anger of the Gods.
Also, I saw this UB Shadow list run a copy of Slip Through Space as a Temur Battle Rage replacement in the sideboard. I'm not sure if it's necessary, but I think it could slot nicely into the Sultai list if your meta is full of tokens or other annoying blockers.
I have to ask, why aren't you guys playing Serum Visions? That's one of the main draws to blue, along with Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial, and it really helps smooth out your draws. Also, just to throw out a crazy idea, but what about Rancor in this deck? It can kinda fill the same niche that TBR fills in the Jund and Grixis versions, but it's a static effect. Worst case, if you get 2-for-1d casting it, it pumps your goyfs and helps towards delirium.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern UBR Grixis Shadow UBR UR Izzet Phoenix UR UW UW Control UW GB GB Rock GB
Commander BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth BG BGUW Atraxa, Praetor's Voice BGUW
I have to ask, why aren't you guys playing Serum Visions? That's one of the main draws to blue, along with Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial, and it really helps smooth out your draws. Also, just to throw out a crazy idea, but what about Rancor in this deck? It can kinda fill the same niche that TBR fills in the Jund and Grixis versions, but it's a static effect. Worst case, if you get 2-for-1d casting it, it pumps your goyfs and helps towards delirium.
Rancor sounds interesting. As skullscorcher mentioned, there's also Slip through Space and there is also Distortion Strike. I think I'd rank them Slip>Rancor>Strike. Slip first because of the snapcaster interaction.
I have to ask, why aren't you guys playing Serum Visions? That's one of the main draws to blue, along with Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial, and it really helps smooth out your draws. Also, just to throw out a crazy idea, but what about Rancor in this deck? It can kinda fill the same niche that TBR fills in the Jund and Grixis versions, but it's a static effect. Worst case, if you get 2-for-1d casting it, it pumps your goyfs and helps towards delirium.
I think Sultai needs to maintain the aggressiveness of the Jund Death's Shadow Aggro deck, which means that free cantrips like Mishra's Bauble and Street Wraith which also have other synergies are just better than cantrips that cost mana. Especially in the early turns I rarely have extra mana but aren't frequently mana screwed, and most victories come from out-curving my opponent with Thoughtseizes and Death's Shadows. Until Bauble is banned, I don't think I'll use any blue cantrips, since they slow down the deck.
Rancor sounds interesting. As skullscorcher mentioned, there's also Slip through Space and there is also Distortion Strike. I think I'd rank them Slip>Rancor>Strike. Slip first because of the snapcaster interaction.
I like Rancor as a sideboard option, kind of along the lines of Bitterblossom from some early sideboards. Temur Battle Rage is good largely because of its non-Ferocious mode, and without Double-Strike I don't want this effect main deck, but if your meta is full of token decks Rancor is some nice tech.
I've been playing the Jund and Grixis versions, and while the Jund version is more explosive and consistent thanks to Tarmogoyf and Traverse, I have noticed that the Jund deck is much worse than Grixis when it comes to topdecks in the mid to late game, and that's largely because of Serum Visions. There are a lot of times where I would scry 2 lands I didn't need to the bottom, whereas with the Jund list I would have to draw them. I guess my point is that if you're going to run a blue cantrip, I really think it should be SV instead of Thought Scour in this list. Scour is great if you're playing delve fatties, but I don't think it does enough otherwise. Having the off-chance of hitting another card type seems a lot worse than setting up your next two draw steps. But maybe I'm wrong, I just didn't see much discussion in this thread on SV vs. Scour, and SV seems like the better choice to me.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern UBR Grixis Shadow UBR UR Izzet Phoenix UR UW UW Control UW GB GB Rock GB
Commander BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth BG BGUW Atraxa, Praetor's Voice BGUW
I will try this list the last time before GP copenhagen:
1 Forest
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Overgrown Tomb
4 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Watery Grave
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Death's Shadow
4 Fatal Push
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
2 Liliana of the Veil
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Street Wraith
2 Stubborn Denial
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Thoughtseize
4 Traverse the Ulvenwald
Sideboard:
1 Big Game Hunter
2 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Collective Brutality
1 Flaying Tendrils
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Ghost Quarter
2 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Stubborn Denial
2 Surgical Extraction
Note: I had 16 cards in the board, and chose to cut the Nihil sPellbomb. Was thing that 2 surgical with snaps would be enough. Im super scared of tron because of the trial and I'm packaging a Ghost quarter to help me out. Big Game Hunter seems cool too, so i will try that if i get him.
I also went away from the Golgari charms (which was supposed to save me from Verdicts or elves, or leyline) but they havent done that in testing. Flaying tendrills was on my radar too, but it's difficult making room for more than 1.
I love this list! Out of curiosity, why two Collective Brutality? I like having one but I'm not sure two is necessary unless you're expecting a ton of burn, and having access to a single Golgari Charm, a second Flaying Tendrils, or another piece of graveyard/Tron hate might be more useful.
EDIT:
I use the same mainboard linked above, and this is my current sideboard. I've been tuning (sporadically) over the past couple of weeks in preparation for playing some MODO leagues when I get back home from vacation and feel pretty good regarding the current MODO meta:
[quote from="Don D »" url="http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro?comment=22"]I want to update the primer, as this is a deck at least until the next B & R announcement (haha). So far here's the maindeck:
@mtgneffy Thanks for the report! Burn is a weird matchup that is very draw dependent.
How did Spreading Seas work? I see you put 2 in your board alongside another Rejection, and I know I was originally skeptical but I'm starting to think there's room for an enchantment or two in the 75. I'll try the 3/3 IoK/Stubborn Denial spread, I like having the full discard suite but with Snapcaster Mage 7 might be enough, and Stubs is just so good every time I draw it.
@mtgneffy BG Tron is a worse matchup for us than GW Tron, which used to be more popular before Eldrazi Tron. Ceremonious Rejection and Surgical Exraction seem like our best options, alongside Spreading Seas, which I'm gonna try.
I see this deck as an evolution of the new UB Shadow lists that have been going 5-0 in the MODO leagues. Whether this is the final version that Sultai will take or not is undetermined, but the list should definitely be added to the Primer.
Switching again to Stubborn Denial over Thought Scour. The consistency with scour is nice but denial is the stronger card. Stoping any topdecked unfair non-creature spell after the initial hand disruption is too good to pass up. The updated side board will follow.
Agreed. And nice article. He suggest the 1 dismember that I might be missing for faster kills. but 1 decay main is not much, even with snaps. If a bridge lands, then what? Spending 2 slots on decays in the board is then necessary but kinda sad.
Do you think we should fit dismember in the main?
Im not a fan of the 5-0 list i must say. Seems like a mix of aggro and midrange, and shadow doesnt fit well in the latter.
2 decays are a must IMO. There are too many troublesome non-creature permanents around to switch the 2nd decay for a dismember.
Agreed on your comment on 5-0 MODO list. I'm also not a fan of it. Delve creatures instead of goyf is a huge mistake IMO, especially if traverse AND snapcaster are in the same deck. (although the delve threats are resistant to the bazillions of fatal pushes that are played at the moment) Playing traverse without bauble seems also suboptimal.
Some interesting results from the Louisville Team Open (not Team Unified), including the top deck being a Death's Shadow Aggro list that splashed blue for 3 maindeck Stubborn Denial! This list is very interesting to me, as Death's Shadow Aggro had been splashing blue in the sideboard with a Watery Grave and 4 Stubborn Denial for months, but this is the first time I've seen it maindeck instead of the white splash.
Another trend worth investigating is the evolution of the BGx shell for Death's Shadow. The dominant archetype outside of Jund is Abzan, with 2 lists in the top 12 of that particular event. Personally I love the Abzan Death's Shadow list: I feel like it retains all of the fun parts of playing Abzan Midrange with a ton more aggression and power.
So, half a year or more out from the debut of Death's Shadow Jund we have at two tiered Death's Shadow lists (Jund and Grixis) as well as some derivative lists showing up in each shell (either BGx or UBx). The question is, is Sultai a BGu deck or a UBg deck? As you all know, I prefer the BGu build, but given that a UBg deck 5-0ed the other day, and that straight UB lists are beginning to show up, I think we're about to see a big leap in Death's Shadow diversity, including Sultai breaking into the scene, if only in the form of the premiere Death's Shadow Aggro list splashing blue instead of white.
The side board is still in development and many different cards are tested. Tooth Collector singlehandedly dismantled my opponents elves after pushing the Archdruid
Havent your had problems with t1 black mana then? For discards spells and push. I know the 12 fetchlands helps, but i would be afraid of drawing forest and breeding pool I know the chances are low tho..
I've switched out my basic Forest for a Breeding Pool and am very happy with the change so far. The corner cases where basic Forest was good were far outweighed by the lack of consistent double blue for Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial.
Havent your had problems with t1 black mana then? For discards spells and push. I know the 12 fetchlands helps, but i would be afraid of drawing forest and breeding pool I know the chances are low tho..
The land configuration is debatable. Was already thinking of switching back. Grave->Tomb->Grave gives also UU turn 3 for snap stubborn but not GG for traverse goyf, which is not that often the play. So yes, i'll be switching back on my next update.
@skullscorcher: the basic forest is your insurance against blood moon. I wouldn't cut it.
@skullscorcher: the basic forest is your insurance against blood moon. I wouldn't cut it.
Death's Shadow Jund has been on one basic Swamp for a long time and they have fewer answers to Blood Moon than we do (discard spells plus instant speed removal with Abrupt Decay plus Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial). Like I said, the corner cases (like Blood Moon) are far outweighed by the value, especially when grabbing the basic Swamp with Traverse to make a land drop is a very common turn 2 play. Having exactly three fetches for Grave->Tomb->Grave is ideal, but fetching for Tomb->(Traverse for) Swamp->Pool comes up frequently, and smooths out your mana nicely.
EDIT: I feel like I didn't make the correct point earlier. Breeding Pool instead of Forest smooths out the mana base by removing situations where drawing non-fetchlands is bad while also increasing versatility late in the game. Basic Forest, while nice insurance against Blood Moon, is the worst land to see in your opening hand and is almost never fetched for. Cutting it for Breeding Pool brings a third blue source into the deck, which is meaningful given the way the deck aggressively fetches its few mana-producing lands. Breeding Pool over Forest also keeps the number of non-black mana-producing lands at one, which is all you want given the deck's greedy color needs in the early turns. Nothing feels worse than having a two land hand with Forest and Breeding Pool and a bunch of Thoughtseizes.
I personally like surgical over nihil. I also play a couple thought scours as well though which can just get combo pieces randomly sometimes but it's also nice to be able to traverse for fulminator into surgical against tron etc.
I also like 1 dismember main
Pool over forest all day baby!
Open questions:
- 2 nihil / 1 surgical or vice versa? Surgical can be snapped but nihil grows goyf and cantrips. Surgical can be used for more decks. Tron for ex
- Should I fit in a dismember to fight eldrazi or more troublesome creatures. Like Gurmag angler. Good to have with snap. I'm thinking instead of the 4th traverse
- forest or breeding opool
-My main objection to Nihil Spellbomb is that it costs 2 mana to get full value, whereas Surgical Extraction is free (and actually grows your Death's Shadows) and can be flashed back with Snapcaster. I prefer a 2-1 split, or even more depending on the meta; it's often the best thing to side in in place of Fatal Push against certain types of combo/big creature decks.
-I'm not a big fan of Dismember in black decks. While the life loss is nice for Shadow, it's always going to be a ghetto Terminate, and Go for the Throat does that job better. I wouldn't cut the fourth Traverse the Ulvenwald though, all four are necessary to make the landbase work early and draw into threats later.
@skullscorcher: the basic forest is your insurance against blood moon. I wouldn't cut it.
Death's Shadow Jund has been on one basic Swamp for a long time and they have fewer answers to Blood Moon than we do (discard spells plus instant speed removal with Abrupt Decay plus Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial). Like I said, the corner cases (like Blood Moon) are far outweighed by the value, especially when grabbing the basic Swamp with Traverse to make a land drop is a very common turn 2 play. Having exactly three fetches for Grave->Tomb->Grave is ideal, but fetching for Tomb->(Traverse for) Swamp->Pool comes up frequently, and smooths out your mana nicely.
EDIT: I feel like I didn't make the correct point earlier. Breeding Pool instead of Forest smooths out the mana base by removing situations where drawing non-fetchlands is bad while also increasing versatility late in the game. Basic Forest, while nice insurance against Blood Moon, is the worst land to see in your opening hand and is almost never fetched for. Cutting it for Breeding Pool brings a third blue source into the deck, which is meaningful given the way the deck aggressively fetches its few mana-producing lands. Breeding Pool over Forest also keeps the number of non-black mana-producing lands at one, which is all you want given the deck's greedy color needs in the early turns. Nothing feels worse than having a two land hand with Forest and Breeding Pool and a bunch of Thoughtseizes.
It's also about the opportunity cost that comes from running a basic Forest. Having basic lands in a deck that runs 12 fetchlands means that 4 of your fetchlands can't find that land, and having two different basic lands in the deck reduces the flexibility that comes from running so many fetches. I also found a lot of scenarios where playing or fetching for a shock land was necessary to grow my Death's Shadow but I just had access to the basic Forest. These kinds of situations were coming up for me a lot more than needing a basic Forest to avoid Blood Moon, so I made the change and have been happy so far.
One point for your argument is that having the basic Forest makes specifically Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter worse against us. I'm hedging on mana flexibility and redundancy being more important in the meta than these cards and Blood Moon, but we'll see.
I used to play Countersquall in the sideboard, but leaving up 2 mana for a counter always felt bad.
EDIT:
Liliana, the Last Hope doesn't impact the board enough on the turn she comes down to be reliable in an aggro deck. Liliana of the Veil fits with a more aggressive game 1 plan, because she always clears a blocker at the worst.
If you go with a more controlling build like mtgneffy's from last page, Liliana, the Last Hope is better maindeck because the goal is to be a little grindy. I don't think one is right, as long as you build around her a little.
After a couple of games I'm in love with Flaying Tendrils. It feels better than Yixlid Jailer because it comes in against a lot more decks than just Dredge, and having a more powerful sweeper than Golgari Charm is necessary since we don't have access to Anger of the Gods.
Also, I saw this UB Shadow list run a copy of Slip Through Space as a Temur Battle Rage replacement in the sideboard. I'm not sure if it's necessary, but I think it could slot nicely into the Sultai list if your meta is full of tokens or other annoying blockers.
UBR Grixis Shadow UBR
UR Izzet Phoenix UR
UW UW Control UW
GB GB Rock GB
Commander
BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth BG
BGUW Atraxa, Praetor's Voice BGUW
Some lists do run Serum Visions. For me they compete with the slot of Thought Scour and Traverse the Ulvenwald and both cards have more overall synergies with the deck.
Rancor sounds interesting. As skullscorcher mentioned, there's also Slip through Space and there is also Distortion Strike. I think I'd rank them Slip>Rancor>Strike. Slip first because of the snapcaster interaction.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
I think Sultai needs to maintain the aggressiveness of the Jund Death's Shadow Aggro deck, which means that free cantrips like Mishra's Bauble and Street Wraith which also have other synergies are just better than cantrips that cost mana. Especially in the early turns I rarely have extra mana but aren't frequently mana screwed, and most victories come from out-curving my opponent with Thoughtseizes and Death's Shadows. Until Bauble is banned, I don't think I'll use any blue cantrips, since they slow down the deck.
I like Rancor as a sideboard option, kind of along the lines of Bitterblossom from some early sideboards. Temur Battle Rage is good largely because of its non-Ferocious mode, and without Double-Strike I don't want this effect main deck, but if your meta is full of token decks Rancor is some nice tech.
UBR Grixis Shadow UBR
UR Izzet Phoenix UR
UW UW Control UW
GB GB Rock GB
Commander
BG Meren of Clan Nel Toth BG
BGUW Atraxa, Praetor's Voice BGUW
Creature 12
4 Death's Shadow
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Snapcaster Mage
Instant 12
3 Fatal Push
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Stunbborn Denial
4 Thought Scour
Sorcery 12
1 Colective Brutality
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Thoughtseize
4 Traverse the Ulvenwald
Planes 2
2 Liliana, the Last Hope
Artifact 4
4 Mishra's Bauble
Lands 18
4 Misty
4 Delta
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Overgrown Tomb
2 Watery Grave
1 Swamp
1 Forest
Sideboard
1 Fatal Push
2 Spellbomb
3 Fulminator Mage
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Stunbborn Denial
2 Collective Brutality
2 Liliana of the Veil
I really like switch 4 Street Wraiths to 4 Thought Scour.... Any thoughts?
Traverse its really powerfull to use only 2...
TY ALL
(Sorry for my bad english, not my native language xD)
I love this list! Out of curiosity, why two Collective Brutality? I like having one but I'm not sure two is necessary unless you're expecting a ton of burn, and having access to a single Golgari Charm, a second Flaying Tendrils, or another piece of graveyard/Tron hate might be more useful.
EDIT:
I use the same mainboard linked above, and this is my current sideboard. I've been tuning (sporadically) over the past couple of weeks in preparation for playing some MODO leagues when I get back home from vacation and feel pretty good regarding the current MODO meta:
2 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Collective Brutality
2 Flaying Tendrils
2 Liliana, the Last Hope
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Nature's Claim
1 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Stubborn Denial
2 Surgical Extraction
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
How did Spreading Seas work? I see you put 2 in your board alongside another Rejection, and I know I was originally skeptical but I'm starting to think there's room for an enchantment or two in the 75. I'll try the 3/3 IoK/Stubborn Denial spread, I like having the full discard suite but with Snapcaster Mage 7 might be enough, and Stubs is just so good every time I draw it.
Other observations:
-The list goes heavy on blue cantrips and totally forgoes Mishra's Bauble.
-There is only one Liliana in the deck, and she lives in the sideboard.
-Gurmag Angler and Tasigur, the Golden Fang are being run alongside some number of Traverse the Ulvenwald.
I see this deck as an evolution of the new UB Shadow lists that have been going 5-0 in the MODO leagues. Whether this is the final version that Sultai will take or not is undetermined, but the list should definitely be added to the Primer.
http://modernnexus.com/deaths-shadow-analysis-implications-potential/
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
2 decays are a must IMO. There are too many troublesome non-creature permanents around to switch the 2nd decay for a dismember.
Agreed on your comment on 5-0 MODO list. I'm also not a fan of it. Delve creatures instead of goyf is a huge mistake IMO, especially if traverse AND snapcaster are in the same deck. (although the delve threats are resistant to the bazillions of fatal pushes that are played at the moment) Playing traverse without bauble seems also suboptimal.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
Another trend worth investigating is the evolution of the BGx shell for Death's Shadow. The dominant archetype outside of Jund is Abzan, with 2 lists in the top 12 of that particular event. Personally I love the Abzan Death's Shadow list: I feel like it retains all of the fun parts of playing Abzan Midrange with a ton more aggression and power.
So, half a year or more out from the debut of Death's Shadow Jund we have at two tiered Death's Shadow lists (Jund and Grixis) as well as some derivative lists showing up in each shell (either BGx or UBx). The question is, is Sultai a BGu deck or a UBg deck? As you all know, I prefer the BGu build, but given that a UBg deck 5-0ed the other day, and that straight UB lists are beginning to show up, I think we're about to see a big leap in Death's Shadow diversity, including Sultai breaking into the scene, if only in the form of the premiere Death's Shadow Aggro list splashing blue instead of white.
4 Mishra's Bauble
Creature (16)
4 Death's Shadow
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Street Wraith
4 Tarmogoyf
Instant (10)
2 Abrupt Decay
4 Fatal Push
4 Stubborn Denial
Sorcery (12)
4 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Thoughtseize
4 Traverse the Ulvenwald
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Watery Grave
1 Breeding Pool
1 Overgrown Tomb
1 Forest
1 Swamp
2 Ghost Quarter
2 Ceremonious Rejection
2 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Collective Brutality
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Flaying Tendrils
1 Reclamation Sage
1 Tooth Collector
1 Bojuka Bog
The side board is still in development and many different cards are tested. Tooth Collector singlehandedly dismantled my opponents elves after pushing the Archdruid
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
I've switched out my basic Forest for a Breeding Pool and am very happy with the change so far. The corner cases where basic Forest was good were far outweighed by the lack of consistent double blue for Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial.
EDIT: For reference, here's my current landbase.
1 Breeding Pool
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Overgrown Tomb
4 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Watery Grave
The land configuration is debatable. Was already thinking of switching back. Grave->Tomb->Grave gives also UU turn 3 for snap stubborn but not GG for traverse goyf, which is not that often the play. So yes, i'll be switching back on my next update.
@skullscorcher: the basic forest is your insurance against blood moon. I wouldn't cut it.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
Death's Shadow Jund has been on one basic Swamp for a long time and they have fewer answers to Blood Moon than we do (discard spells plus instant speed removal with Abrupt Decay plus Snapcaster and Stubborn Denial). Like I said, the corner cases (like Blood Moon) are far outweighed by the value, especially when grabbing the basic Swamp with Traverse to make a land drop is a very common turn 2 play. Having exactly three fetches for Grave->Tomb->Grave is ideal, but fetching for Tomb->(Traverse for) Swamp->Pool comes up frequently, and smooths out your mana nicely.
EDIT: I feel like I didn't make the correct point earlier. Breeding Pool instead of Forest smooths out the mana base by removing situations where drawing non-fetchlands is bad while also increasing versatility late in the game. Basic Forest, while nice insurance against Blood Moon, is the worst land to see in your opening hand and is almost never fetched for. Cutting it for Breeding Pool brings a third blue source into the deck, which is meaningful given the way the deck aggressively fetches its few mana-producing lands. Breeding Pool over Forest also keeps the number of non-black mana-producing lands at one, which is all you want given the deck's greedy color needs in the early turns. Nothing feels worse than having a two land hand with Forest and Breeding Pool and a bunch of Thoughtseizes.
4 Misty Rainforest
2 Overgrown Tomb
4 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Watery Grave
1 Collective Brutality
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Thoughtseize
3 Traverse the Ulvenwald
2 Bitterblossom
2 Abrupt Decay
1 Dismember
3 Fatal Push
1 Murderous Cut
2 Stubborn Denial
2 Thought Scour
1 Architects of Will
4 Death's Shadow
2 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy
2 Snapcaster mage
4 Tarmogoyf
Side:
2 Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
2 Ceremonious Rejection
1 Damnation
1 Dispel
1 Feed the Clan
1 Fulminator Mage
1 Kitchen Finks
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Nature's Claim
1 Pulse of Murasa
1 Scavenging Ooze
2 Surgical Extraction
Big points of note:
No Wraiths - 2/2 split between baby jace and snapcaster mage - 2 bitterblossom (pet card of mine)
Let me know what you guys think! I'll update with more testing data after I've played a few more events with the deck.
I also like 1 dismember main
Pool over forest all day baby!
-My main objection to Nihil Spellbomb is that it costs 2 mana to get full value, whereas Surgical Extraction is free (and actually grows your Death's Shadows) and can be flashed back with Snapcaster. I prefer a 2-1 split, or even more depending on the meta; it's often the best thing to side in in place of Fatal Push against certain types of combo/big creature decks.
-I'm not a big fan of Dismember in black decks. While the life loss is nice for Shadow, it's always going to be a ghetto Terminate, and Go for the Throat does that job better. I wouldn't cut the fourth Traverse the Ulvenwald though, all four are necessary to make the landbase work early and draw into threats later.
What about 3 grave, 1 tomb, 1 forest, 1 swamp?
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/other-formats/mtgo-pauper/developing/647850-primer-angler-delver
Modern: Sultai Death's Shadow
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/773885-sultai-deaths-shadow-bug-aggro]
Legacy: Snake&Show
http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?27217-Deck-Sneak-and-Show
Discuss my Cube @ MTGsalvation:
http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/showthread.php?t=207309
It's also about the opportunity cost that comes from running a basic Forest. Having basic lands in a deck that runs 12 fetchlands means that 4 of your fetchlands can't find that land, and having two different basic lands in the deck reduces the flexibility that comes from running so many fetches. I also found a lot of scenarios where playing or fetching for a shock land was necessary to grow my Death's Shadow but I just had access to the basic Forest. These kinds of situations were coming up for me a lot more than needing a basic Forest to avoid Blood Moon, so I made the change and have been happy so far.
One point for your argument is that having the basic Forest makes specifically Path to Exile and Ghost Quarter worse against us. I'm hedging on mana flexibility and redundancy being more important in the meta than these cards and Blood Moon, but we'll see.