Now that spirits is going to be a faster deck with Supreme phantom, is it maybe time to revisit going jeskai? Eidolon of the great revel is a very strong card and bringing that with bolt in for path, at least in the mainboard, could mean that we end up being a whole turn faster. What do you guys think, is spirits going to be fast enough now to benefit from this? Eidolon before was always risky because we took too much damage off of it ourselves, and we couldn't close the game fast enough.
Well boys, spoiler season is over, and it looks like the main reason for the M19 Spirits was to inject our deck with life! Not quite enough for Spirits in Standard.
On splashing red, I feel like a Red splash would be the hardest to pull off, and would probably have the least payoff. First off, we need double red for Eidolon...second, Eidolon doesn't fly. Feels like if we're going to splash for a third color, Bant is the way to go. And don't forget, most builds are already splashing black for lingering souls.
edit: although, splashing red in a Blood Moon heavy meta seems really strong.
I already have Elves and humans built so I already have the expensive cards. Budget is not an issue, what is the best list possible? Assuming post M19 release.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"We have been patient. We have planned our attack. We are ready... now."
-Eladamri, Lord of Leaves
Currently thinking Bant is the way to go since we didn't get any more spirits, but who is to know going into the future with RTRTR coming up, there could be some potential spirits from orzhov/azorius (maybe) that could be great for us.
I just think coco and hierarch are too good to not be using, especially when you can turn 2 a geist of saint traft which really helps this deck race.
I have been reading what Kat Light ( ranked #2 with bant spirits at SCG team open) wrote about the T2 3cmc drop, and she belives that's what the deck is supposed to do. In order to do this, she was running additional copies of Birds of paradise.
In my opinion, the problem with bant will be about cutting mana creatures. If you are cutting birds and do not hit hierarch then the deck is just a worse version than UW untill you get 4 lands to play CoCo.
Just my feeling though.
I've seen her list and based a few of my choices off of it. I would think that with the 2 drop lord being a thing, we might change slightly from the 6 mana dork lists. I might be wrong in thinking that, but if I'm proven wrong I'm totally ok with that. I'm just doing my best to experiment with what I think could be the most powerful things to do right now given that the lord still won't be legal in modern for a while
Went ahead and preordered mah new spirits. I tend to jump around decks in modern a good bit, just because I'm still trying to learn ins/outs and sideboarding, but spirits is a deck I return to often. It's just so freaking fun...
Anywho, played a modern FNM 4 rounds at the LGS. Not a super telling show, but the deck felt great.
Okay, first off some notes about the deck... I was expected to play standard tonight so I literally was mid playtest build with this deck. Ideally I would have made the following changes:
2 ceremonious rejection in the sideboard should have been something else, probably something like an additional 2 nebelgast heralds.
2 of my seachrome coasts, a basic island and a basic plains should have been cavern of souls. My meta has a good bit of control, so this should have been at least 3 caverns and a plains or all 4 caverns.
I'm not a fan of the detention sphere in the main, I'm thinking it should probably just be something like cast out that I can cycle to dig for a kill or pop off on a problem permanent at instant speed (like ensnaring bridge for example). I was just trying it out.
Ideally I'd like more sideboard dedicated to burn over only the two blessed alliance. the mainboard commands help, but I was just testing those out. They are kind of too slow for the match up.
Anyway, below is a match report if anyone is interested. Games really show how well this deck plays on the stack.
Match 1 I got the bye, 1-0 match record
Match 2 is against UGw infect. The guy has a ton of reps with infect, and is a good infect pilot. Game 1 I kept a 1 land hand with vial on t1 and floundered around and folded to t3 lethal on a blighted agent. Game 2 early mausoleum wanderers, one with obsession on it, beat in the air and keep him off his pump spells during the combo turn. Game 3 was pretty interesting. I had 2 vials (one on 3 and one on 2) with selfless spirit/rattle chains/nebelgast herald on the board. During his turn he goes for an attack with blighted agent, with an exalted pump from his single hierarch. I activate vial on 3, he lets the vial resolve and I bring in another nebelgast herald. He responds to the triggers by tapping 1 and paying 2 to put an apostle's blessing on the stack for blue on the blighted agent. I respond to the blessing by playing a selfless spirit from hand (flash due to rattle chains and I paid mana for it) to retrigger to heralds. Triggers on the stack and he plays a vines of vastwood and kicks to protect the agent again and pump him. I vial in an image and copy the herald and it's gg as I had lethal on the crack back. Great sequencing by both of us imo.
2-0 Match record
Match 3 was against stock humans, with 1 restoration angel in the main. Game 1 he mulls down to 5 and I path anything relevant and just beat in the air for the win, although he did have me below 10. Game 2 was back and forth, eventually I have him down to 11 with a selfless spirit and two drogskol captains on the board (representing 8 damage). I say to a friend nearby that a phantasmal image off the top would be pretty clutch (copying lord would allow me to get in for exactsies) not really paying attention to the fact that the dude has one card in hand (face down on the table) and a vial on two...during draw step vials in a meddling mage and calls phantasmal image...after I drew a phantasmal image. Dick move... Game 3 he derps and tries to reflector mage my lord to which I just vial in a phantasmal image and then get in for lethal. Eventually I just overwhelm him with a bigger force in the air, saving removal for anything that flies from his deck or excessively large champion of the parishs.
3-0 match record
Match 4 was against a guy on Jeskai control. He is always a struggle to beat, great player and he's actually a judge so his plays are always very clean and sequenced very well. Game 1 t1 aether vial, t2 during his EoT I flash in rattlechains and mausoleum wanderer off the vial, t3 I just set up enough recurring damage in the sky and hexproof him off all removal he tries to throw at me. I did resolve cast two ojutai's commands to get back selfless spirits during this game, so I kept his mana locked up pretty well. Game 2 is a t1 vial and I ran into another pretty interesting stack situation here. The way the stack ends up shaking out during his EoT is I have a vial on 3 and 3 mana up. He paths my sefless spirit in play, I activate vial in response (he lets it resolve) and I bring in a drogskol captain, he responds by bolting the captain that I tap my mana to spellqueller, at which point he paths the captain, I respond to the path and sack the selfless spirit to save the spellqueller and then search for the captain. I untap, crack in and pass turn. He's down to 3 cards and tries to kill the queller with a path, I spellqueller the path, he responds by snapcaster mage targeting bolt (I let snap resolve and let him cast bolt) and then vial in the 3rd spellqueller to snag the bolt. That's lethal in the air on my next turn and he scoops.
Match record 4-0
For what it's worth, the decks played tonight were:
humans
UW spirits (me)
Jund
Mardu Pyromancer
Lantern
Grixis Control
Jeskai Control
Blue Moon
Infect
Meta has burn, tron, ponza, elves, martyrproc, affinity, KCI, storm, vizier company and whoever strolls in from out of town as well, on a regular basis.
All in all I was happy with a 4-0 record but I wish I had made the changes I mentioned above. I have the cards, I was just play testing variants after reading posts and watching previews all this week. Not having the caverns ended up biting me once, but I still won the game. I like having the 4 paths for hollow one decks. I feel like I usually only see 1-3 significant threats from them and I can race about everything else. I do think the new GY hate spirit will do wonders for the match up though.
Lots of grim lavamancer floating around though, which I think is a mistake to bring in against us. Often with captains and images I can just either outgrow the damage, hexproof my way out of it, or sac a selfless spirit to save an important board state.
Deck was a blast, and I'll be on it for awhile. This has been the most rewarding deck I've played in quite some time. I'm actually considering selling out of foil elves and trying to foil this out instead...
This is a list I've been testing, I'm really loving the mainboard but the sideboard needs work I think. Geist of Saint Traft has put in some serious work.
Was also thinking of cutting the Kira, Great Glass-Spinner for another Hurkyl's Recallin the side
This is a list I've been testing, I'm really loving the mainboard but the sideboard needs work I think. Geist of Saint Traft has put in some serious work.
Was also thinking of cutting the Kira, Great Glass-Spinner for another Hurkyl's Recallin the side
Regarding the dismember in the side, what matches do you find yourself wanting 5 kill spells assuming you keep your paths in?
I've been very pleased with nebelgast herald, although I'm tempted to try a 2 herald 1 GoST split. Any reason you're not on him? Seems like an amazing tool for the deck.
I haven't really given it much thought about the nebelgast herald to be honest. maybe i should cut the dismember move kira to the side, cut a geist and run two nebelgast heralds.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern Player
Bridgevine BRG
Burn RWG
Dredge BRUG
Storm RU
Amulet Titan GURB
Wow thanks so much for such an in depth reply! I honestly can't argue anything you've said, I agree 100%. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Modern Player
Bridgevine BRG
Burn RWG
Dredge BRUG
Storm RU
Amulet Titan GURB
Has anyone considered running 3-4x Eidolon of Rhetoric MB as a lockpiece? Being able to play instant speed allows us to get around it pretty easily, as we can play on our opponents turn, and Aether Vial gives us another way around it as well. However, it would probably be most powerful on T2, but has the least amount of synergy with Bant...
Thoughts?
I liked the idea of the Red Eidolon as a lock piece, just not the idea of the RR casting cost, and the fact that it actually hurts us pretty bad.
Has anyone considered running 3-4x Eidolon of Rhetoric MB as a lockpiece? Being able to play instant speed allows us to get around it pretty easily, as we can play on our opponents turn, and Aether Vial gives us another way around it as well. However, it would probably be most powerful on T2, but has the least amount of synergy with Bant...
Thoughts?
I liked the idea of the Red Eidolon as a lock piece, just not the idea of the RR casting cost, and the fact that it actually hurts us pretty bad.
Could run caverns, vials, unclaimed territory and trim the spell slots. Just make a variant of the humans mana base and the RR won't be much of an issue.
Havent tried either, but great revel is intriguing vs decks like storm.
What's your thought on Spirit of the Labyrinth as more taxes?
It maybe deserves a spot in the SB?
She doesn't fly, so this may keep her out from the mainboard, but almost every deck in modern likes to draw.
And she is a 3/1 so pretty aggressive on her own.
I don't think it is as good as it seems. It's fragile and it's really just locking down a handful of cards. opt, remand, electrolyze, cryptic command are all happening during your turn. dark confidant doesn't actually draw, it just puts it in your hand. Same with ancient stirrings or cards like it - you reveal and put in your hand. All the tutors are like this actually. Chord/coco bypass by just putting dudes on the field.
If the effect were worth while I think we'd see a lot more use from notion thief in modern and we don't. There are a few big payoff cards, like Jace that make it gross to flash in, but he still has relevant modes and can tick up to win eventually.
As you mentioned, no flying is a big deal.
I think the SB slot would be of better use elsewhere. It's great against serum visions and maybe hollow one decks as a gotcha card if you can have it survive the random discard effects and keep it around (this card does stomp all over goblin lore and burning inquiry if you flash it in.l). I think path is more applicable against hollow one (and the new cleric along with it) and we already have a good control match up.
I'm not a fan really. If hollow one is prevalent in your meta then it's a great SB for it though as 1 lord lets it tangle with hollow one, and 2 lets it tangle with the delve threats.
Hi guys, new fella here. I'll admit I have not read through the thread. I have some questions in light of the new M19 hotness headed your way:
1) Auras: With Drogskol Captain and Phantasmal Image to copy him, plus Kira and Selfless Spirit and Rattlechains (and even Geist of Saint Traft in some builds) I wonder about a miser's Curious Obsession, or even two; or one only of Steel of the Godhead. Steel in particular could help maindeck against Burn, maybe--and it seems especially good with Geist.
2) Utility Lands: Some players run Moorland Haunt. I could see running one of these, but I'd be inclined to try to find room for some number of Mutavaults in a build with a second lord, instead. Thoughts?
3: Lingering Souls: Does the second lord push the deck towards a minor B splash? Maybe play it in the side?
That is 52 cards. Does the deck like removal (Path, Vapor Snag)? Counterspells? More tempo/disruption (Nebelgast Herald seems like it could be really important)? More hexproof (GoST, or a second Kira in the main)? My sense is that the build was not settled even before the two new hits in M19.
I asked a lot of questions, thanks for reading. Responses appreciated!
[EDIT]: My experience with Humans suggests that it is important to have a good T1 play, especially with Vial, so on T2 you can build momentum by playing two threats after a T1 Vial. Clearly, we have no Champion of the Parish-caliber opener, but have any Vial players tried Topplegeist or any of the other 1 CMC Modern-legal Spirits?
Looks to me like the deck has an excess of playable options, now. That's a good place to be!
Hi guys, new fella here. I'll admit I have not read through the thread. I have some questions in light of the new M19 hotness headed your way:
1) Auras: With Drogskol Captain and Phantasmal Image to copy him, plus Kira and Selfless Spirit and Rattlechains (and even Geist of Saint Traft in some builds) I wonder about a miser's Curious Obsession, or even two; or one only of Steel of the Godhead. Steel in particular could help maindeck against Burn, maybe--and it seems especially good with Geist.
2) Utility Lands: Some players run Moorland Haunt. I could see running one of these, but I'd be inclined to try to find room for some number of Mutavaults in a build with a second lord, instead. Thoughts?
3: Lingering Souls: Does the second lord push the deck towards a minor B splash? Maybe play it in the side?
That is 52 cards. Does the deck like removal (Path, Vapor Snag)? Counterspells? More tempo/disruption (Nebelgast Herald seems like it could be really important)? More hexproof (GoST, or a second Kira in the main)? My sense is that the build was not settled even before the two new hits in M19.
I asked a lot of questions, thanks for reading. Responses appreciated!
[EDIT]: My experience with Humans suggests that it is important to have a good T1 play, especially with Vial, so on T2 you can build momentum by playing two threats after a T1 Vial. Clearly, we have no Champion of the Parish-caliber opener, but have any Vial players tried Topplegeist or any of the other 1 CMC Modern-legal Spirits?
Looks to me like the deck has an excess of playable options, now. That's a good place to be!
Streex can offer you a much more comprehensive answer, but if this is time sensitive just my quick 2 cents since I've been running the deck:
1. I'm personally a big fan of curious obsession. There is a reason other vial/similar decks drift towards card advantage (humans turn to bob/canopy, elves sometimes run visionary, merfolk has spreading seas or silvergill adept, faeries runs ancestral vision). Obsession has been the easiest draw engine I've found to date and I'm usually always happy to see it. Bant decks have run tamiyo, field researcher to fog down fliers and draw cards in the past, or coco to hit a lord or two. Either way, most lists are running something to fuel you into turns 5-6.
2. I think the utility of flying, activating during your opponents turn, and building inevitability is what makes the haunt get the nod over mutavault. The deck doesn't tangle well on the ground and even just 1 mantis rider can cause issues sometimes (and that's not even a big body for modern) and he's tiny compared to most ground creatures. The deck can be very mana hungry some turns so activating haunt to get damage in while leaving mana up for queller can be a big deal.
3. I haven't personally tested the application of lingering souls with two lords now, but my gut is that it's another 3 drop that needs a more painful mana base to work out well. We don't have the discard/removal of mardu/abzan to back it up either. Given how poor burn can be, I'm less excited for the black splash. Although that being said, you could open up a build with lingering souls and sorin, solemn visitor and recup huge chunks of life while building a clock. I think the build would be very different and I sorin, 4 lingering souls, and 2-4 removal (or discard if B) is a lot of deck slots devoted to no creatures for vial. I think it's just a different deck. It also doesn't allow us to play at instant speed as well since so much of what B brings is sorcery speed (sorin, souls, collective brutality, discard). At that point, what are we doing better than mardu phromancer or BW tokens?
Speaking of card draw engines that don't open you up to getting 2-for-1'd, Bygone Bishop anyone? He can also be vialed in to leave your mana open for casting, and doesn't require you to attack every turn or lose the advantage. And a body is always better than an enchantment, even if a bit slower.
Also, as much as I hate the card, I feel that any creature based white deck should have 1-2 Worship in the side to shore up those bad matchups.
The problem with Bygone Bishop is that it provides no benefit when you vial in a creature. I think there are better places to seek card advantage, though being a spirit does improve its chances a good deal.
Personally, I'm trying a black dual in the main with 3 Lingering Souls in the sideboard. It seems silly not to play some number of Lingering Souls in a spirits deck. Admittedly, it doesn't exactly draw cards. But against Jund, Jeskai, and other midrange decks, Lingering Souls does a lot of work, especially considering you are likely dropping several/all copies of vial. Against aggro, ramp, and combo, I'm content with Curious Obsession.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
On splashing red, I feel like a Red splash would be the hardest to pull off, and would probably have the least payoff. First off, we need double red for Eidolon...second, Eidolon doesn't fly. Feels like if we're going to splash for a third color, Bant is the way to go. And don't forget, most builds are already splashing black for lingering souls.
edit: although, splashing red in a Blood Moon heavy meta seems really strong.
-Eladamri, Lord of Leaves
Currently thinking Bant is the way to go since we didn't get any more spirits, but who is to know going into the future with RTRTR coming up, there could be some potential spirits from orzhov/azorius (maybe) that could be great for us.
I just think coco and hierarch are too good to not be using, especially when you can turn 2 a geist of saint traft which really helps this deck race.
FULL TIME FAERIES
I've seen her list and based a few of my choices off of it. I would think that with the 2 drop lord being a thing, we might change slightly from the 6 mana dork lists. I might be wrong in thinking that, but if I'm proven wrong I'm totally ok with that. I'm just doing my best to experiment with what I think could be the most powerful things to do right now given that the lord still won't be legal in modern for a while
FULL TIME FAERIES
Bridgevine B R G
Burn R W G
Dredge B R U G
Storm R U
Amulet Titan G U R B
Anywho, played a modern FNM 4 rounds at the LGS. Not a super telling show, but the deck felt great.
Here's what I played tonight:
4 seachrome coast
4 flooded strand
2 hallowed fountain
2 mooreland haunt
4 plains
4 island
Spells
4 Aether Vial
4 path to exile
2 curious obsession
1 detention sphere
2 Ojutai's Command
4 mausoleum wanderer
4 selfless spirit
4 rattlechains
4 phantasmal image
4 spell queller
4 drogskol captain
2 nebelgast herald
1 Kira, great glass-spinner
1 Elder deep-fiend
1 eidolon of rhetoric
2 negate
1 echoing truth
2 rest in peace
2 hurkyl's recall
2 ceremonious rejection
2 blessed alliance
2 settle the wreckage
Okay, first off some notes about the deck... I was expected to play standard tonight so I literally was mid playtest build with this deck. Ideally I would have made the following changes:
Anyway, below is a match report if anyone is interested. Games really show how well this deck plays on the stack.
Match 1 I got the bye, 1-0 match record
Match 2 is against UGw infect. The guy has a ton of reps with infect, and is a good infect pilot. Game 1 I kept a 1 land hand with vial on t1 and floundered around and folded to t3 lethal on a blighted agent. Game 2 early mausoleum wanderers, one with obsession on it, beat in the air and keep him off his pump spells during the combo turn. Game 3 was pretty interesting. I had 2 vials (one on 3 and one on 2) with selfless spirit/rattle chains/nebelgast herald on the board. During his turn he goes for an attack with blighted agent, with an exalted pump from his single hierarch. I activate vial on 3, he lets the vial resolve and I bring in another nebelgast herald. He responds to the triggers by tapping 1 and paying 2 to put an apostle's blessing on the stack for blue on the blighted agent. I respond to the blessing by playing a selfless spirit from hand (flash due to rattle chains and I paid mana for it) to retrigger to heralds. Triggers on the stack and he plays a vines of vastwood and kicks to protect the agent again and pump him. I vial in an image and copy the herald and it's gg as I had lethal on the crack back. Great sequencing by both of us imo.
2-0 Match record
Match 3 was against stock humans, with 1 restoration angel in the main. Game 1 he mulls down to 5 and I path anything relevant and just beat in the air for the win, although he did have me below 10. Game 2 was back and forth, eventually I have him down to 11 with a selfless spirit and two drogskol captains on the board (representing 8 damage). I say to a friend nearby that a phantasmal image off the top would be pretty clutch (copying lord would allow me to get in for exactsies) not really paying attention to the fact that the dude has one card in hand (face down on the table) and a vial on two...during draw step vials in a meddling mage and calls phantasmal image...after I drew a phantasmal image. Dick move... Game 3 he derps and tries to reflector mage my lord to which I just vial in a phantasmal image and then get in for lethal. Eventually I just overwhelm him with a bigger force in the air, saving removal for anything that flies from his deck or excessively large champion of the parishs.
3-0 match record
Match 4 was against a guy on Jeskai control. He is always a struggle to beat, great player and he's actually a judge so his plays are always very clean and sequenced very well. Game 1 t1 aether vial, t2 during his EoT I flash in rattlechains and mausoleum wanderer off the vial, t3 I just set up enough recurring damage in the sky and hexproof him off all removal he tries to throw at me. I did resolve cast two ojutai's commands to get back selfless spirits during this game, so I kept his mana locked up pretty well. Game 2 is a t1 vial and I ran into another pretty interesting stack situation here. The way the stack ends up shaking out during his EoT is I have a vial on 3 and 3 mana up. He paths my sefless spirit in play, I activate vial in response (he lets it resolve) and I bring in a drogskol captain, he responds by bolting the captain that I tap my mana to spellqueller, at which point he paths the captain, I respond to the path and sack the selfless spirit to save the spellqueller and then search for the captain. I untap, crack in and pass turn. He's down to 3 cards and tries to kill the queller with a path, I spellqueller the path, he responds by snapcaster mage targeting bolt (I let snap resolve and let him cast bolt) and then vial in the 3rd spellqueller to snag the bolt. That's lethal in the air on my next turn and he scoops.
Match record 4-0
For what it's worth, the decks played tonight were:
humans
UW spirits (me)
Jund
Mardu Pyromancer
Lantern
Grixis Control
Jeskai Control
Blue Moon
Infect
Meta has burn, tron, ponza, elves, martyrproc, affinity, KCI, storm, vizier company and whoever strolls in from out of town as well, on a regular basis.
All in all I was happy with a 4-0 record but I wish I had made the changes I mentioned above. I have the cards, I was just play testing variants after reading posts and watching previews all this week. Not having the caverns ended up biting me once, but I still won the game. I like having the 4 paths for hollow one decks. I feel like I usually only see 1-3 significant threats from them and I can race about everything else. I do think the new GY hate spirit will do wonders for the match up though.
Lots of grim lavamancer floating around though, which I think is a mistake to bring in against us. Often with captains and images I can just either outgrow the damage, hexproof my way out of it, or sac a selfless spirit to save an important board state.
Deck was a blast, and I'll be on it for awhile. This has been the most rewarding deck I've played in quite some time. I'm actually considering selling out of foil elves and trying to foil this out instead...
Bridgevine B R G
Burn R W G
Dredge B R U G
Storm R U
Amulet Titan G U R B
Geist of Saint Traft has put in some serious work.
Was also thinking of cutting the Kira, Great Glass-Spinner for another Hurkyl's Recallin the side
4 Phantasmal Image
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
4 Supreme Phantom
4 Drogskol Captain
4 Rattlechains
4 Selfless Spirit
4 Spell Queller
4 Nebelgast Herald
Land
4 Island
1 Plains
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Seachrome Coast
2 Moorland Haunt
1 Cavern of Souls
4 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
4 Aether Vial
Instant
4 Path to Exile
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
3 Remorseful Cleric
2 Eidolon of Rhetoric
3 Deprive
2 Echoing Truth
2 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Blessed Alliance
Bridgevine B R G
Burn R W G
Dredge B R U G
Storm R U
Amulet Titan G U R B
Regarding the dismember in the side, what matches do you find yourself wanting 5 kill spells assuming you keep your paths in?
I've been very pleased with nebelgast herald, although I'm tempted to try a 2 herald 1 GoST split. Any reason you're not on him? Seems like an amazing tool for the deck.
Bridgevine B R G
Burn R W G
Dredge B R U G
Storm R U
Amulet Titan G U R B
Bridgevine B R G
Burn R W G
Dredge B R U G
Storm R U
Amulet Titan G U R B
Thoughts?
I liked the idea of the Red Eidolon as a lock piece, just not the idea of the RR casting cost, and the fact that it actually hurts us pretty bad.
Could run caverns, vials, unclaimed territory and trim the spell slots. Just make a variant of the humans mana base and the RR won't be much of an issue.
Havent tried either, but great revel is intriguing vs decks like storm.
I don't think it is as good as it seems. It's fragile and it's really just locking down a handful of cards. opt, remand, electrolyze, cryptic command are all happening during your turn. dark confidant doesn't actually draw, it just puts it in your hand. Same with ancient stirrings or cards like it - you reveal and put in your hand. All the tutors are like this actually. Chord/coco bypass by just putting dudes on the field.
If the effect were worth while I think we'd see a lot more use from notion thief in modern and we don't. There are a few big payoff cards, like Jace that make it gross to flash in, but he still has relevant modes and can tick up to win eventually.
As you mentioned, no flying is a big deal.
I think the SB slot would be of better use elsewhere. It's great against serum visions and maybe hollow one decks as a gotcha card if you can have it survive the random discard effects and keep it around (this card does stomp all over goblin lore and burning inquiry if you flash it in.l). I think path is more applicable against hollow one (and the new cleric along with it) and we already have a good control match up.
I'm not a fan really. If hollow one is prevalent in your meta then it's a great SB for it though as 1 lord lets it tangle with hollow one, and 2 lets it tangle with the delve threats.
1) Auras: With Drogskol Captain and Phantasmal Image to copy him, plus Kira and Selfless Spirit and Rattlechains (and even Geist of Saint Traft in some builds) I wonder about a miser's Curious Obsession, or even two; or one only of Steel of the Godhead. Steel in particular could help maindeck against Burn, maybe--and it seems especially good with Geist.
2) Utility Lands: Some players run Moorland Haunt. I could see running one of these, but I'd be inclined to try to find room for some number of Mutavaults in a build with a second lord, instead. Thoughts?
3: Lingering Souls: Does the second lord push the deck towards a minor B splash? Maybe play it in the side?
I assume the core of the UW/Vial deck is:
4x Flooded Strand
12x other lands
4x Drogskol Captain
4x Supreme Phantom
3x Phantasmal Image
4x Selfless Spirit
1x Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
4x Rattlechains
4x Mausoleum Wanderer
4x Spell Queller
I asked a lot of questions, thanks for reading. Responses appreciated!
[EDIT]: My experience with Humans suggests that it is important to have a good T1 play, especially with Vial, so on T2 you can build momentum by playing two threats after a T1 Vial. Clearly, we have no Champion of the Parish-caliber opener, but have any Vial players tried Topplegeist or any of the other 1 CMC Modern-legal Spirits?
Looks to me like the deck has an excess of playable options, now. That's a good place to be!
Streex can offer you a much more comprehensive answer, but if this is time sensitive just my quick 2 cents since I've been running the deck:
1. I'm personally a big fan of curious obsession. There is a reason other vial/similar decks drift towards card advantage (humans turn to bob/canopy, elves sometimes run visionary, merfolk has spreading seas or silvergill adept, faeries runs ancestral vision). Obsession has been the easiest draw engine I've found to date and I'm usually always happy to see it. Bant decks have run tamiyo, field researcher to fog down fliers and draw cards in the past, or coco to hit a lord or two. Either way, most lists are running something to fuel you into turns 5-6.
2. I think the utility of flying, activating during your opponents turn, and building inevitability is what makes the haunt get the nod over mutavault. The deck doesn't tangle well on the ground and even just 1 mantis rider can cause issues sometimes (and that's not even a big body for modern) and he's tiny compared to most ground creatures. The deck can be very mana hungry some turns so activating haunt to get damage in while leaving mana up for queller can be a big deal.
3. I haven't personally tested the application of lingering souls with two lords now, but my gut is that it's another 3 drop that needs a more painful mana base to work out well. We don't have the discard/removal of mardu/abzan to back it up either. Given how poor burn can be, I'm less excited for the black splash. Although that being said, you could open up a build with lingering souls and sorin, solemn visitor and recup huge chunks of life while building a clock. I think the build would be very different and I sorin, 4 lingering souls, and 2-4 removal (or discard if B) is a lot of deck slots devoted to no creatures for vial. I think it's just a different deck. It also doesn't allow us to play at instant speed as well since so much of what B brings is sorcery speed (sorin, souls, collective brutality, discard). At that point, what are we doing better than mardu phromancer or BW tokens?
Also, as much as I hate the card, I feel that any creature based white deck should have 1-2 Worship in the side to shore up those bad matchups.
Personally, I'm trying a black dual in the main with 3 Lingering Souls in the sideboard. It seems silly not to play some number of Lingering Souls in a spirits deck. Admittedly, it doesn't exactly draw cards. But against Jund, Jeskai, and other midrange decks, Lingering Souls does a lot of work, especially considering you are likely dropping several/all copies of vial. Against aggro, ramp, and combo, I'm content with Curious Obsession.