[Deck] U/R Delver

[lyracian]

2. My name for the deck is Viking Funeral. You have a bunch of humans, they go on a boat ride, and then they light themselves on fire and throw themselves at your opponent.

I like Viking Funeral. Congratulations on the win as well.

[now]

So, now that Treasure Cruise has gotten the thumbs up, at least in the less-of-a-burn-deck version, how about Dig Through Time? Is Treasure Cruise superior, as most of our cards do the same thing and we’re only looking for raw card advantage, not card selection? How relevant is the versus ?

[kaminamina]

So, now that Treasure Cruise has gotten the thumbs up, at least in the less-of-a-burn-deck version, how about Dig Through Time? Is Treasure Cruise superior, as most of our cards do the same thing and we’re only looking for raw card advantage, not card selection? How relevant is the versus ?

Extremely, it turns out. I tested it and, while not inconsistent, it's less consistent than cruise. Plus like half our cards do the same thing so we don't have specific answers we're digging for

[dte]

And if not instead, isn't DTT able to be TC 5-6?

[kaminamina]

And if not instead, isn't DTT able to be TC 5-6?

The utility of dtt kind of reminds me of snapcaster mage. The difference being, dtt can give you two creatures or two spells but snaps always gives you a 2/1 and a spell. But I think more than 4 delve cards is pushing it so I'll stick with snaps

[ThiefSlayer]

- Forked Bolt instead of more Chain Lightning seems really weird

This may sound weird sometimes, but in Bob's list chain and forked bolt usually have the utility of a removal spell, since the deck's main strenght is win by attacking (otherwise it should have PoP). That being said, I dont see any relevant creature with resistence of 3 playing in legacy nowadays, it's usually more than 3 or less than 3. Forked bolt has the possibility of killing 2 /1 creatures, killing a /1 creature and dealing 1 damage to opponent or killing a /2 creature.

I didn't try this deck yet, but I think the possibility of 1 extra damage from chain lightning to the player isn't exactly the deck's goal, and I think forked bolt seems better as a removal spell as it may be card advantage for R against elves, delver, DnT, goblin, among maybe others that I don't remember.

That being said, I'll try a 3-0 split between chain lightning and forked bolt. Not sure if that's a good deal, only suggesting you to think about the possibility of playing only forked bolt instead of forked-chain split

[Griselpuff]

All the points about forked bolt are correct. Furthermore, chain can be awkward against red decks.

[Neffy]

All the points about forked bolt are correct. Furthermore, chain can be awkward against red decks.

Also, in the mirror Forked Bolt proved to me to be very very good.
Taking out YP+token or YP+delver, etc.

Do you guys think Gut Shot could be worth running now?
I had an opponent who ran 2 in the board. Really nice with MS and even TC. And of course YP.
Have not tried it myself but it might be very advantageous to run 1-2?

[wwoning]

Bob, thank you for being awesome and winning with this brilliantly found deck! My compliments, it was fantastic watching you play the deck. Is your article still coming through? If so, please link us to it!

[Kronicler]

It went up on channelfireball yesterday:

http://www.channelfireball.com/artic...in-new-jersey/

[wwoning]

Cheers!

[Michael Keller]

Top 8ed Jupiter Games' NELC with U/R Cruise Control.

[Heresy]

Top 8ed Jupiter Games' NELC with U/R Cruise Control.

Grats! What was your list like?

[Warden]

Grats! What was your list like?

I'm not spilling the beans here. Hollywood has a very interesting list. An interesting rationale with certain slots (backed up by doing well today). The biggest take away for me was seeing how ridiculous Treasure Cruise is. It's bananas. Dig Through Time is equally impressive but Cruise finds itself being Ancestral when it piggybacks bstorm/ponder/probe. I think I found a key weakness for this UR deck, but again, I'll let the man post his list and share for the community. I made T4 with a different deck but all the UR-cruise variations were interesting to watch. And by interesting I mean "fueling my hatred of island".

[Michael Keller]

Here was the list I ran:

4x Delver of Secrets
4x Young Pyromancer
4x Phantasmal Bear
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Treasure Cruise
4x Daze
4x Brainstorm
4x Gitaxian Probe
4x Ponder
3x Force of Will
2x Forked Bolt
1x Red Elemental Blast

4x Scalding Tarn
3x Wasteland
3x Island
2x Mountain
2x Volcanic Island
2x Polluted Delta
2x Flooded Strand

//SB
3x Red Elemental Blast
2x Blue Elemental Blast
2x Grafdigger's Cage
2x Pithing Needle
2x Blood Moon
1x Sulfuric Vortex
1x Hydroblast
1x Force of Will
1x Surgical Extraction

The deck played very smoothly, although this list was really just a trial that was used to see how taking a different approach to building U/R would work. Wound up playing against Manaless, OmniTell and Grixis Pyromancer [3-0] and drew the last two rounds in first overall where we all split.

Here are some thoughts on this list:

1. I really liked the main-deck Red Blast in place of the fourth Force. With Cruise and U/R everywhere, I just expected the strength of this card to shine - which it did. I'll stick with it main, although going with Pyroblast is likely better to be able to make surprise tokens off of Pyromancer or being able to tick up Monastery.

2. Phantasmal Bear was used in place of Guide and Monastery as an aggressive creature that requires no spell investment before attacking or timing my spells like I would have to around Monastery to pump it. It was decent and won me several rounds, actually. I liked that it pitches to Force and once it's targeted, it goes to the graveyard. Generally speaking, any removal targeting it would kill it anyhow. This helps fuel earlier Cruises, and was relevant in two scenarios.

Again, only a test, and I think I'll go with Swiftspear next go-around.

3. Wasteland was decent as a tempo spell and really worked well. Although, I'm not sure this is the right deck for it. I was never disappointed to see it, and it did win me a couple games where Delver and Daze just shut the game down after nuking their lands. I'll probably cut it or run only a pair. I just think the card is too good to pass up without running any, although four is too much.

4. I only had two Volcs on me at the time, although I've been testing two for a while in most of my U/R builds. I play more fetches and a few more basics, which I've really liked. Two Volcs are enough to setup your first two turns just fine, and a third by turn three is generally not even a matter of concern as a basic usually is just fine. I'll probably run three.

5. Hydroblasts and Pyroblasts all the way. They make surprise tokens as I mentioned, can fuel Treasure Cruise or pump Monastery in corner-case scenarios.

6. Forked Bolt was insane. I may even try to find room for a third if I can. It's just so good in the mirror and creates card advantage in so many scenarios. Just so damn good.
Just some thoughts. Treasure Cruise was easily by far and away the best card in the deck. It straght-up won games on its own.

[cheerios]

I played a modified version of Bob's list (Viking Funeral) to a top 4 finish in a 5 rounder yesterday.

The changes I made were the ff:
MD: -1 Chain Lighthning, +1Forked Bolt (3rd)

SB:-2 Blood Moon, +2POP
-1 Null Rod, +1 Smash to Smitherens (2nd Copy)

Matches:
RD 1 2-0 vs painter
RD 2 2-0 vs elves
RD 3 2-1 vs jund (POP'ed him for 10 or 8 damage on game 3)
RD 4 ID
RD 5 ID
Quarters 2-0 vs omnitell (was able to race an emrakul on game 1)
Semis 0-2 vs chalice merfok (mull to 5 vs a very fast hand in game 1, got chalice for 1'ed on game 2)

Overall, the deck is very strong vs fair decks, but feels vulnerable vs Sneak and Show, and Reanimator.

Cheers

[cris_rj]

Iam playing the following list of u/r delver:


Creature:
4-delver of secrets
2 grim lavamancer
2- snapcaster mage
4- young pyromancer

Spells:
4 chain lightening
4 lightning bolt
4 daze
4 fow
4 glitaxian probe
4 ponder
4 brainstorm
2- price of progress
2- spell pierce

lands:
4 scaldin tarn
4 misty rainforest
2 island
1 moutain
3 volcanic island
1 delta
1 arid mesa


Sideboard:

1 price of progress
2- surgical extraction
2- pyroblast
2- spell pierce
2- sulfuric vortex
4- searing blood
2- smash to smithereens

I playerd yesterday in my local game store and went 3-0-2

I won:
elves 2-1 (searing blood did wonderful things)
mud 2-1
Miracles 2-0

I lost for:
All spells 0-2
Burn 0-2


I love playing searing blood ! I switch the 4 gg in main deck form yp and I love it !!
Iam having problems fighting against Burn. What sideboard and strategy can I use ? o really have no idea !! I need to rush for burning my opponent before he burns me ?

I didnt use treasure cruise and Ms in main deck. But I will try using it this weak ! Any suggestions for changing main deck and sideboarding ?

Thx !

[Neffy]

Overall, the deck is very strong vs fair decks, but feels vulnerable vs Sneak and Show, and Reanimator.

Regarding reanimator, that actually surprises me. We can opt for grafdiggers and needles for Griselbrand. We have counters and a fast clock. Even Sulfuric Vortex is pretty useful too.
Sneak and show also seems good to me (I havent played it (only omni tell)), so this is purely thought, but having needles, (moons?), vortex, pyroblast, hydroblast, fast clock, counters and ways to race emrakul triggers sounds reasonable to me?

How come you feel we're vulnerable to these decks? Or is it just based on your own decklist, SB and bad luck? I would like to know your thoughts (and others').

[cheerios]

To be honest, I just built the deck two days ago. So it might be attributed to lack of familiarity and experience with the deck.

I have to agree with you that post board we have very good answers to the Griselbrand decks; however, pre-board we only have 8 counterspells, 4 of which are weak against reanimator (Daze).


I also find myself cutting some treasure cruises post board against the faster decks, not sure if this is a good idea.

Can you share how sideboard against fast combo?

Cheers

[Neffy]

True. pre-board can rely heavily on you drawing counterspells at the right time. Last time I used 2 extra spell pierces just to see how it worked, and eventho there was dissynergy with MS, it worked fine.

For those combo decks I took out 2x forked bolt and some other burn i think. I want to keep it it, but i want the cards in the board more. this included 2 flusterstorm, 3 pyroblast and needles I think.
In those match ups you need the counterspells and your creatures are not going out, so there was only cantrips left. I might have cut 1-2 probes too. :)