So I've noticed Delver isn't getting played anymore, and I think that's a bit strange. Sure, there's no more Pondering and no more Mana Leak. Clearly, Delver isn't going to be as absurd (and as annoying) as he once was. Yet I can't help feeling that he's still worth playing, and this is my idea.
The part I'd really like some ideas on is the spells. Gather the Townsfolk is obviously going to be good here, since it's the tie that binds Delver and Champion. Cloudshift has some anti-synergy with Delver and Cloistered Youth, unless there is a Champion out. Youth is easy to flip, so I don't mind if she shifts back in human form.
Any ideas are welcome of course.
About the sideboard, I really have no idea.
Edited for deck tags. Check this thread for info on how to use these. ~parinoid
I tried Delver but found it wasn't very consistent without Ponder. I think you'll have at least a little more success if you replace Dissipate with Azorius Charm and drop Doomed Traveler for Lyev Skyknight. You don't want to hold back for Dissipate mana and Doomed Traveler is not aggressive enough. Skyknight is great in this deck. Silverblade Paladin would also be very good.
It's probably correct that Dissipate isn't going to work, it is both expensive and color-heavy. I'd like to switch it out, but I don't see Azorius Charm as actually doing much. It's no counterspell. Well, I suppose it cantrips if it isn't needed as a combat trick or life gain.
Doomed Traveler is absolutely the weakest of the 1-drops. I'd like a more aggressive play there as well, I just don't see one that's available in Standard. Still I could back off on his count a bit. Going to 3 would still provide the requisite 11 one-mana creatures needed to achieve good probability of consistently opening with one.
The difficulty of flipping Delver is something I'd like to act on... Perhaps we can count Gather as a creature and wind up with:
-1 Doomed Traveler
-1 Feeling of Dread
-4 Dissipate
-4 Knight of Glory
+2 Runechanter's Pike
+2 Lyev Skyknight
+3 Inaction Injunction
+3 Azorious Charm
...adding an instant/sorcery and throwing in the Pike, which really synergies well with Delver and the whole weenie strategy.
...for the sideboard...
There are actually a fair amount of counterspells in Standard. Negate, that anti-creature one, Spell Rupture, Syncopate... It seems to me that a board that included these, plus some graveyard hate in Purify the Grave, might be a good start. One could take out whichever of the instant/sorceries was the weakest in the MU and replace it with the counterspell likely to be strongest.
4 Moorland Haunt
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Plains
4 Island
4 Champion of the Parish
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Doomed Traveler
4 Cloistered Youth
4 Knight of Glory
4 Silent Departure
4 Cloudshift
4 Feeling of Dread
4 Gather the Townsfolk
4 Dissipate
The part I'd really like some ideas on is the spells. Gather the Townsfolk is obviously going to be good here, since it's the tie that binds Delver and Champion. Cloudshift has some anti-synergy with Delver and Cloistered Youth, unless there is a Champion out. Youth is easy to flip, so I don't mind if she shifts back in human form.
Any ideas are welcome of course.
About the sideboard, I really have no idea.
Edited for deck tags. Check this thread for info on how to use these. ~parinoid
Overall record: 139-98-15
Total number of matches: 252
Win percentage ignoring draws: 58.649789
Win percentage including draws: 55.158730
Doomed Traveler is absolutely the weakest of the 1-drops. I'd like a more aggressive play there as well, I just don't see one that's available in Standard. Still I could back off on his count a bit. Going to 3 would still provide the requisite 11 one-mana creatures needed to achieve good probability of consistently opening with one.
The difficulty of flipping Delver is something I'd like to act on... Perhaps we can count Gather as a creature and wind up with:
-1 Doomed Traveler
-1 Feeling of Dread
-4 Dissipate
-4 Knight of Glory
+2 Runechanter's Pike
+2 Lyev Skyknight
+3 Inaction Injunction
+3 Azorious Charm
...adding an instant/sorcery and throwing in the Pike, which really synergies well with Delver and the whole weenie strategy.
...for the sideboard...
There are actually a fair amount of counterspells in Standard. Negate, that anti-creature one, Spell Rupture, Syncopate... It seems to me that a board that included these, plus some graveyard hate in Purify the Grave, might be a good start. One could take out whichever of the instant/sorceries was the weakest in the MU and replace it with the counterspell likely to be strongest.
Overall record: 139-98-15
Total number of matches: 252
Win percentage ignoring draws: 58.649789
Win percentage including draws: 55.158730