Originally Posted by
troopatroop
It's mostly about the natural draw. I haven't found a reason to fetch more than 1 basic Mountain yet, and have rarely wished that my basic Island were a Mountain. Considering Wasteland as well, getting stuck with an untapped Mountain is rarely useful, whereas the Island keeps Spell Pierce and Brainstorm up. Lightning Bolt, being an answer for permanants, could at least be casted later. If you're mana screwed, and all you have is the basic Mountain, and you're staring at Ponders and Brainstorms in your hand, you're not going to be very happy.
That being said, his list has VERY little need for a basic Island, as he's just all out Burn + B-storm/Delver/Snappy, so I agree as well. It's important to not take manabase construction in absolutes, imo. This deck has so much flex, and the lands are always a reflection of what you need to cast. Well, that's all for now. Fuck homework! :P
Oh, and Grim Lavamancer is more important to this deck than any other, like Zoo or something. It's either 3 or 4, because they're lackluster in multiples, but I think he's a huge part of the deck's gameplan. I like to bait the removal on him, and follow it up with a Delver that eats 6-12 points of life. It's just really important that you've got another critter to keep pressure after removal. Force is another story, and I wouldn't want to play more than 3. Maybe you board one, idk, but the card is hit or miss. Sometimes you have to cast it bad, like removing a Snapcaster Mage that you need later. If you don't see multiples at the same time, you go minus 2! in cards, and then you're really counting on PoP to win it for you. If you expect a 40% combo metagame? by all means, but I already MD 4 Pierce. 3 Daze/3 Fow has been just enough free counter for me.