I've had a lot of success running Divination with Quicken. It seems cute, but it happens a lot more often than you'd think and is much better at drawing cards than Think Twice.
Especially with all the graveyard hate around.
I'm running 3 Divination, 2 Think Twice, and 4 Quicken.
4 might seem like a lot, but for one mana it cycles and I've never been sad to see it in my hand.
I tested it against Grixis Control for a few games without sideboarding and lost almost all of them. Bonfire and Olivia wreck the deck. But I would chalk that up to the lack of sideboarding. I would have put in Sin Collector, my fourth Xathrid Necromancer and Fiendhunter Paladin.
I'll finish up the deck next week (proxied now) and play with it at a tournament for extra testing.
That's why I'm running Brave the Elements, it saves our guys from Bonfire and other red sweepers. Also Riders of Gavony protect against Olivia.
If you're splashing black for Xathrid, why not run 3-4 of. I'd -2 Silver-Inlaid Dagger and add 1 more xathrid and 1 more of something else, with just a 2 of on the dagger, I don't see it being overly impactful for you. Better to just run Door of Destinies instead.
I like the dagger as it makes late game champions or even mutavault a decent threat. I do run a third Xathrid in the sideboard, but I am looking to up the count main deck. I just have to figure out what to cut.
Door of Destinies seems way too slow, all my creatures are a lower CMC than the artifact itself.
This is mostly mono-white humans with the black splash for Xathrid Necromancer giving the deck much more resilience against sweepers and lots of removal.
(Also sin collector in the board).
Running mostly white due to Brave the Elements. It's too good not to.
It has a bit of anti-synergy with Xathrid and the zombies, but I feel as though the tokens will be giving me enough card advantage to balance it out.
Round 3: 1-2 to Domri Naya
Game one was really grindy, he eventually got in there on card advantage over the course of the game after playing 3 Domri Rade and 2 Voice of Resurgence.
Game two I boarded in very similar to the Boros matchup, although I think I might've sided in Oblivion Ring as well.
I just played Supreme Verdict on turn 4 killing 3 of his dorks then Advent of the Wurm on his next turn after and he had a hard time coming back from that.
Game three was disappointing. Open hand was 5 lands, a Terminus and some other high costing card, so naturally I mulligan. Then I draw a 1 land hand, mulligan again. Then 5 cards, no land. Mulligan to 4 I keep 2 Temple Garden, a Sphinx's Revelation and Restoration Angel. I played no spells that game and he won swiftly after. I'd really have liked to see how a proper game three would've turned out.
Round 4: 2-0 to BUG Control
Very grindy matches also, we just kept dealing with each others threats as soon as they hit the table. I won in the end purely from playing 2 Sphinx's Revelation in game one. Game two I dont remember much details, but I would've played the role of the aggressor, hanging back counter magic for Aetherling. He kept trying to bait the counters with removal spells on my creatures. Don't fall for it! Aetherling is much worse.
Sideboard was tricky, I had never played a deck like this or was prepared for it.
From memory I sided:
+ 2 Aetherling
+ 2 Oblivion Ring
- 2 Unsummon
- 2 Supreme Verdict
I wanted to side out more, such as Azorius Charm and Augur of Bolas because they just didnt do anything against this matchup.
Finally Round 5: 2-0 to R/W/B aggro.
Game one I played a snapcaster into his attacking Boros Elite, then just picked off the next few creatures one by one until I could play Advent of the Wurm and he conceded.
Game two was long, there were a few times I was about to die but just had the right answers at the right time.
In the end I was on 6 and he played Aurelia, the Warleader and thought he had me, I sphinx's Rev'd for 3 putting me back on 3.
Then I swung in with the 5/5 Wurm, and Restoration Angel for lethal damage, giving them lifelink with Azorius Charm.
Even if he blocked there was no way he could deal 11 damage next turn so the lifelink is what saved me.
Sideboard was the same as the Boros matchup also.
All in all, I think this deck still has some chops if your meta is right for it.
Cards like Voice of Resurgence and Strangleroot Geist do make this deck tough to play though.
I'm still considering adding more Righteous Blow and maybe some sideboard cards for Control matchups. I'll let you guys know if I change anything.
Yeah, I've decided against making it a tri-colour deck. Not only would it make the manabase less stable, it'd require a complete rebuild anyway. Entreat is always amazing, even if it comes out early game. A single 4/4 flier does pretty well on turn 5, worst case.
I'm also gonna stick Render Silent in mainboard alongside Dissipate. It feels like it's just an amazing card, especially in a dedicated UW manabase/ I'll playtest it for a while, see how it goes.
Taking Gideon out, into sideboard. He's good as a late-game threat, but he's really only fantastic as an aggro matchup.
I want to play a UW control deck with Snapcaster Mage, Aetherling and the other usual cards (azorius charm, verdict etc...). But can't decide on what third colour fits best in the current metagame.
I know each colour has more cards to offer, just listing the basic idea.
I don't want to win by milling my opponent like the common esper builds do but rather stabilise and beat down with Aetherling.
I feel like you may as well run a U/R delver list similar to Lu Cai instead of illusions.
With red, stromkirk replaces the bear, and chandra's phoenix is better than the lord.
You can still run Snappy and phantasmal image as well.
What makes Dellusions so good compared to U/R delver (besides consistency) is Moorland Haunt.
It's way too clunky for Dellusions.
The fact that disperse is an instant is too big to ignore.
You can play it at the end of your opponents turn, rather than tapping out.
Therefore bluffing mana leak or actually holding up counter mana.
And like you said, synergy with Delver/Snappy.
Most of the permanents (besides Lilliana) that mess up your game plan come down in the later turns, and returning it to their hand to get that extra damage through or time walk them is all you need.
Played 'Dellusions' at my State Championships this weekend, went 3-2 losing to RDW and tempered steel.
I ran Todd's most recent list but dropped a single O-ring and a single Stitched Drake for 2 Geist of Saint Traft.
I was very disappointed in Oblivion ring. It was just never good, even if I did have it at the right time. It's so slow and takes up a whole turn, leaving them to play around counters as well.
I am definitely switching to 3 Disperse in the board. It flips delver, and can be flashed back with Snappy.
Permanents are only permanent until the game is over. And all we need to do to end the game in our favour is stall them with counters and time walk them with bounce. Oblivion ring slows us down.
I also really needed the 4th Stitched Drake, RDW is definitely our worse matchup. Considering Timely Reinforcements, maybe even Celestial Purge (as it hits Lilliana and Inferno/Grave Titan as well).
These could be in place of Mental Misstep. Nothing feels better than misstepping a first turn Stromkirk don't get me wrong...
But not having it in your opening hand is just terrible, you never wanna see it later on. The only other thing it hits in their deck is shock, which my opponent showed me he sides out for arc trail against us.
Not only wasn't I expecting Tempered Steel, I drew some really bad hands, even after mulliganing twice. So I have no real feedback on that matchup, the games were over in a couple of turns as I didn't even cast any spells.
Geist I'm still unsure about, he was really good against Grixis control, since his hand was Doom Blades and Arc Trails, and I had counters up if he ever peeled a Slagstorm.
I can see it being good against that match up and U/B control, but not much else.
Other than those 2 match ups, I went 2-0 to the other decks not ever feeling like I was under any pressure. The deck is good, but sideboard needs some work.
"Lewis Laskin has been crushing MTGO Daily Events with an innovative U/B Control list splashing Garruk Relentless and Beast Within. These two spells combined make his creature matchups are much better, specifically against Mono Red. Permanents like Koth of the Hammer and Shrine of Burning Rage are now a little easier to manage." - StarCityGames.com
I'd move Spellskite to the sideboard, and tapping out for a Solemn Simulacrum defeats the purpose of draw go.
I'm unsure about Lost in the Mist, I wouldn't play it myself but if you're having success with it thats fine.
Up Mana Leak and Think Twice to 4 (or Forbidden Alchemy to 3).
Move a couple of Disperse to the sideboard as well and add some removal. (Doom Blade, Wring Flesh, Dismember etc...)
If Ludevic's Test Subject is your win con cut some of the other fatties in the deck. Not all though, Grave Titan as a backup.
Edit: Also cut 2 basic lands for 2 Ghost Quarter, this card is good at blowing up problem lands, like Inkmoth, Kessig Wolf-Run and Nephalia Drownyard.
Invoke the Firemind isn't worth it. At all. You could probably use that slot for either Mulldrifter or more Chain Lightning. If you're wanting a finisher type X spell, then Comet Storm is fantastic and will do some damage in the late game. Comet Storm with Snapcaster Mage sounds like an easy game-over moment (Titan, then Comet Storm next turn, then Snapcaster Mage and a Comet Storm the turn after that sounds like something most players would have a hard time surviving). Cryptic Command, also, can be a beast here.
I like Ancestral Vision. A lot, in fact. I think it has an easy place here as you can never draw too many cards. I would actually suggest -4 Incinerate (the weakest of your burn) and +4 Ancestral Vision, since getting three extra cards can be worth a lot more than three damage for two mana in a control deck.
I would vote Slagstorm in over Volcanic Fallout unless you're constantly playing against Faeries. Then again, my experience with Volcanic Fallout is restricted to Lorwyn Standard and recent Extended play, so this can be chalked up to Your Mileage May Vary
Thanks! I was actually wanting another draw spell and Ancestral Visions easily takes the cake.
Faeries and Merfolk are decks I'll be playing so I'll use Fallout for now.
And of course, I have better draw now with Ancestral Visions so Invoke the Firemind is not needed!
Especially with all the graveyard hate around.
I'm running 3 Divination, 2 Think Twice, and 4 Quicken.
4 might seem like a lot, but for one mana it cycles and I've never been sad to see it in my hand.
That's why I'm running Brave the Elements, it saves our guys from Bonfire and other red sweepers. Also Riders of Gavony protect against Olivia.
I like the dagger as it makes late game champions or even mutavault a decent threat. I do run a third Xathrid in the sideboard, but I am looking to up the count main deck. I just have to figure out what to cut.
Door of Destinies seems way too slow, all my creatures are a lower CMC than the artifact itself.
4 Champion of the Parish
3 Imposing Sovereign
4 Knight of Glory
4 Precinct Captain
2 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
4 Banisher Priest
2 Fiendslayer Paladin
4 Silverblade Paladin
2 Xathrid Necromancer
4 Brave the Elements
2 Silver-Inlaid Dagger
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Mutavault
11 Plains
1 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
2 War Priest of Thune
2 Fiendslayer Paladin
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Sin Collector
1 Xathrid Necromancer
2 Riders of Gavony
This is mostly mono-white humans with the black splash for Xathrid Necromancer giving the deck much more resilience against sweepers and lots of removal.
(Also sin collector in the board).
Running mostly white due to Brave the Elements. It's too good not to.
It has a bit of anti-synergy with Xathrid and the zombies, but I feel as though the tokens will be giving me enough card advantage to balance it out.
Thoughts?
Here's my current list:
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Restoration Angel
3 Thought Scour
2 Unsummon
4 Azorius Charm
2 Essence Scatter
2 Think Twice
2 Dissipate
3 Sphinx's Revelation
4 Advent of the Wurm
1 Rewind
2 Supreme Verdict
4 Breeding Pool
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Hinterland Harbor
1 Island
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Temple Garden
3 Renounce the Guilds
2 Rest in Peace
2 Selesnya Charm
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Supreme Verdict
2 Aetherling
1 Terminus
I'll tell you a bit about my matches from last nights FNM.
Round 1: 2-0 to Jund
I dont remember much of the gameplay, I just countered/removed his threats and beatdown with wurm. Sideboard was:
+ 2 Oblivion Ring
+ 3 Renounce The Guilds
+ 2 Selesnya Charm
+ 2 Aetherling
- 2 Unsummon
- 3 Augur Of Bolas
- 4 Snapcaster Mage (incase of graveyard hate).
Renounce the guilds is key here, gets rid of everything especially Sire Of Insanity.
Round 2: 2-0 to Boros Aggro
Pretty easy matchup with Augur of Bolas, Unsummon/Azorius Charm and Snapcaster Mage. Making them top deck their 1-Drop Champion of the Parish or Boros Elite keeps them off their mid game. Remember to play around Boros Charm! I think I sided like this:
+ 1 Righteous Blow
+ 2 Supreme Verdict
+ 1 Terminus
- 2 Dissipate
- 1 Rewind
- 1 Sphinx's Revelation
Righteous Blow was amazing here, thinking of adding more.
Round 3: 1-2 to Domri Naya
Game one was really grindy, he eventually got in there on card advantage over the course of the game after playing 3 Domri Rade and 2 Voice of Resurgence.
Game two I boarded in very similar to the Boros matchup, although I think I might've sided in Oblivion Ring as well.
I just played Supreme Verdict on turn 4 killing 3 of his dorks then Advent of the Wurm on his next turn after and he had a hard time coming back from that.
Game three was disappointing. Open hand was 5 lands, a Terminus and some other high costing card, so naturally I mulligan. Then I draw a 1 land hand, mulligan again. Then 5 cards, no land. Mulligan to 4 I keep 2 Temple Garden, a Sphinx's Revelation and Restoration Angel. I played no spells that game and he won swiftly after. I'd really have liked to see how a proper game three would've turned out.
Round 4: 2-0 to BUG Control
Very grindy matches also, we just kept dealing with each others threats as soon as they hit the table. I won in the end purely from playing 2 Sphinx's Revelation in game one. Game two I dont remember much details, but I would've played the role of the aggressor, hanging back counter magic for Aetherling. He kept trying to bait the counters with removal spells on my creatures. Don't fall for it! Aetherling is much worse.
Sideboard was tricky, I had never played a deck like this or was prepared for it.
From memory I sided:
+ 2 Aetherling
+ 2 Oblivion Ring
- 2 Unsummon
- 2 Supreme Verdict
I wanted to side out more, such as Azorius Charm and Augur of Bolas because they just didnt do anything against this matchup.
Finally Round 5: 2-0 to R/W/B aggro.
Game one I played a snapcaster into his attacking Boros Elite, then just picked off the next few creatures one by one until I could play Advent of the Wurm and he conceded.
Game two was long, there were a few times I was about to die but just had the right answers at the right time.
In the end I was on 6 and he played Aurelia, the Warleader and thought he had me, I sphinx's Rev'd for 3 putting me back on 3.
Then I swung in with the 5/5 Wurm, and Restoration Angel for lethal damage, giving them lifelink with Azorius Charm.
Even if he blocked there was no way he could deal 11 damage next turn so the lifelink is what saved me.
Sideboard was the same as the Boros matchup also.
All in all, I think this deck still has some chops if your meta is right for it.
Cards like Voice of Resurgence and Strangleroot Geist do make this deck tough to play though.
I'm still considering adding more Righteous Blow and maybe some sideboard cards for Control matchups. I'll let you guys know if I change anything.
I'd cut the Guildgates for 2 Ghost Quarter.
You're running a lot of counters and Cavern of Souls still sees play.
Green gives me:
Selesyna Charm
Farseek
Advent of the wurm
Loxodon Smiter
Red:
Rolling Temblor
Pillar of Flame
Searing Spear
Black:
Tribute to Hunger
Devour Flesh
Tragic Slip
I know each colour has more cards to offer, just listing the basic idea.
I don't want to win by milling my opponent like the common esper builds do but rather stabilise and beat down with Aetherling.
So which colour do you think is best?
With red, stromkirk replaces the bear, and chandra's phoenix is better than the lord.
You can still run Snappy and phantasmal image as well.
What makes Dellusions so good compared to U/R delver (besides consistency) is Moorland Haunt.
The fact that disperse is an instant is too big to ignore.
You can play it at the end of your opponents turn, rather than tapping out.
Therefore bluffing mana leak or actually holding up counter mana.
And like you said, synergy with Delver/Snappy.
Most of the permanents (besides Lilliana) that mess up your game plan come down in the later turns, and returning it to their hand to get that extra damage through or time walk them is all you need.
I ran Todd's most recent list but dropped a single O-ring and a single Stitched Drake for 2 Geist of Saint Traft.
I was very disappointed in Oblivion ring. It was just never good, even if I did have it at the right time. It's so slow and takes up a whole turn, leaving them to play around counters as well.
I am definitely switching to 3 Disperse in the board. It flips delver, and can be flashed back with Snappy.
Permanents are only permanent until the game is over. And all we need to do to end the game in our favour is stall them with counters and time walk them with bounce. Oblivion ring slows us down.
I also really needed the 4th Stitched Drake, RDW is definitely our worse matchup. Considering Timely Reinforcements, maybe even Celestial Purge (as it hits Lilliana and Inferno/Grave Titan as well).
These could be in place of Mental Misstep. Nothing feels better than misstepping a first turn Stromkirk don't get me wrong...
But not having it in your opening hand is just terrible, you never wanna see it later on. The only other thing it hits in their deck is shock, which my opponent showed me he sides out for arc trail against us.
Not only wasn't I expecting Tempered Steel, I drew some really bad hands, even after mulliganing twice. So I have no real feedback on that matchup, the games were over in a couple of turns as I didn't even cast any spells.
Geist I'm still unsure about, he was really good against Grixis control, since his hand was Doom Blades and Arc Trails, and I had counters up if he ever peeled a Slagstorm.
I can see it being good against that match up and U/B control, but not much else.
Other than those 2 match ups, I went 2-0 to the other decks not ever feeling like I was under any pressure. The deck is good, but sideboard needs some work.
4 Darkslick Shores
1 Forest
2 Ghost Quarter
4 Hinterland Harbor
8 Island
3 Swamp
4 Woodland Cemetery
1 Consecrated Sphinx
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Beast Within
2 Black Sun's Zenith
2 Despise
4 Dissipate
2 Doom Blade
3 Forbidden Alchemy
3 Garruk Relentless
4 Mana Leak
4 Think Twice
2 Wring Flesh
2 Doom Blade
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Memoricide
2 Memory's Journey
2 Mental Misstep
1 Negate
2 Phantasmal Image
2 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Wring Flesh
1 Wurmcoil Engine
"Lewis Laskin has been crushing MTGO Daily Events with an innovative U/B Control list splashing Garruk Relentless and Beast Within. These two spells combined make his creature matchups are much better, specifically against Mono Red. Permanents like Koth of the Hammer and Shrine of Burning Rage are now a little easier to manage." - StarCityGames.com
What's everyones take on this deck?
I'm unsure about Lost in the Mist, I wouldn't play it myself but if you're having success with it thats fine.
Up Mana Leak and Think Twice to 4 (or Forbidden Alchemy to 3).
Move a couple of Disperse to the sideboard as well and add some removal. (Doom Blade, Wring Flesh, Dismember etc...)
If Ludevic's Test Subject is your win con cut some of the other fatties in the deck. Not all though, Grave Titan as a backup.
Edit: Also cut 2 basic lands for 2 Ghost Quarter, this card is good at blowing up problem lands, like Inkmoth, Kessig Wolf-Run and Nephalia Drownyard.
For those who don't know here it is:
3 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Grave Titan
4 Snapcaster Mage
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Black Sun's Zenith
4 Dissipate
4 Doom Blade
3 Forbidden Alchemy
1 Geth's Verdict
4 Mana Leak
1 Negate
4 Think Twice
2 Wring Flesh
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Ghost Quarter
9 Island
2 Nephalia Drownyard
6 Swamp
1 Black Sun's Zenith
1 Negate
2 Nephalia Drownyard
1 Nihil Spellbomb
3 Phantasmal Image
3 Ratchet Bomb
3 Spellskite
1 Wring Flesh
I really wanna fit Disperse in, but unsure what to take out.
Has anyone else played this deck? What are the match ups like?
Thanks! I was actually wanting another draw spell and Ancestral Visions easily takes the cake.
Faeries and Merfolk are decks I'll be playing so I'll use Fallout for now.
And of course, I have better draw now with Ancestral Visions so Invoke the Firemind is not needed!
This is what I put together quickly, help?
2 Chain Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Counterspell
3 Fire // Ice
4 Incinerate
4 Mana Leak
2 Invoke the Firemind
3 Volcanic Fallout
2 Inferno Titan
2 Cascade Bluffs
6 Island
6 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Steam Vents
4 Sulfur Falls