R/u/x Blue Sligh

[Hanni]

Current list, as of 9/9/2020

R/u Sligh

Lands (18)
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Arid Mesa
3 Wooded Foothills
3 Bloodstained Mire
2 Volcanic Island
2 Mountain
2 Barbarian Ring

Creatures (16)
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Akoum Hellhound
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Goblin Guide

Spells (26)
4 Brainstorm
2 Light Up the Stage
4 Daze
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
4 Rift Bolt
2 Forked Bolt
2 Fireblast

Sideboard (15)
4 Force of Will
4 Force of Negation
4 Smash to Smithereens
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle


Old list, as of 7/2/2018

R/u Sligh

Lands (18)
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Wooded Foothills
2 Bloodstained Mire
2 Arid Mesa
4 Volcanic Island
2 Mountain
2 Barbarian Ring

Creatures (14)
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Goblin Guide
2 Grim Lavamancer

Spells (28)
4 Brainstorm
4 Daze
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning
4 Rift Bolt
4 Forked Bolt
2 Price of Progress
2 Fireblast

Sideboard (15)
4 Smash to Smithereens
4 Force of Will
2 Spell Pierce
2 Seal of Removal
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle

Old list from 3/26/2012:

R/U/w Blue Sligh
Quickdraw, the Six Shooter

// Lands (18)
4 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn
4 [ZEN] Arid Mesa
2 [ON] Wooded Foothills
2 [ON] Flooded Strand
3 [U] Volcanic Island
1 [U] Plateau
1 [U] Tundra
1 [UNH] Mountain

// Creatures (16)
4 [ZEN] Goblin Guide
2 [TO] Grim Lavamancer
2 [M12] Phantasmal Bear
4 [ISD] Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration
4 [ZEN] Steppe Lynx

// Spells (26)
4 [NE] Daze
4 [IA] Brainstorm
3 [FD] Magma Jet
4 [R] Lightning Bolt
4 [LG] Chain Lightning
4 [TSP] Rift Bolt
3 [VI] Fireblast

// Sideboard (15)
SB: 4 [ZEN] Spell Pierce
SB: 2 [EX] Price of Progress
SB: 2 [SC] Sulfuric Vortex
SB: 2 [GP] Shattering Spree
SB: 2 [TE] Disenchant
SB: 3 [TSB] Tormod's Crypt

Original Post:

Intro

I know there's a million and one U/R/x threads all over The Source, with all sorts of variations. I mean, you've got one for Snapcaster Control, one for U/R Delver (pretty generic), one for Blue Zoo... the list goes on. I felt that there wasn't a thread specifically dedicated to this approach for the deck, so I decided to make a thread.

For me personally, this idea started in the Blue Zoo thread after the spoiling of Mental Misstep. At that time, I was trying to make a 4c Blue Zoo deck work. It had some strong matchups, but fell flat on its face against decks like The Rock, Maverick, and Big Zoo. The problem was, I was too much of an aggro/control deck, and not enough of a Zoo deck. Force of Will does not belong in that deck, at least maindeck, period.

So why split this up from Blue Zoo? Well, there's always been a fundamental difference between Sligh and Zoo. Zoo tends to play a much larger creature density, with burn being used primarily as removal. In fact, most traditional Zoo lists only run 7 burn spells (and 3-4 Path to Exile). Sligh, on the other hand, has a much smaller creature density, and a much larger burn density. Fundamentally, Sligh is a deck that wants to drop creatures on turns 1-3 and swing as aggressively as possible, and then switch over to being a burn deck, pointing all of the rest of the burn it has or draws at the opponent's face to end the game as fast as possible.

Why split this up from U/R Delver? Well, while there are some lists in that thread that are very close to this idea, there are also alot of lists that are drastically different. This deck is not an aggro/control deck. Snapcaster Mage, Vendilion Clique, Stifle, Spell Snare, Spell Pierce, and Force of Will do not belong in the maindeck. This deck is primarily red based as opposed to primarily blue based.

Here is the core, that all Blue Sligh lists should contain:

4 Goblin Guide
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Brainstorm
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Chain Lightning

Some may question the inclusion and validity of Brainstorm as a core card, citing examples of it being bad for tempo or some such nonsense. Let's get the facts straight; Brainstorm accelerates the tempo far more than it loses it, by going through 3 draw steps worth of cards, flitering out the chaff. You don't play Brainstorm on turn 1, unless you absolutely have to. You don't play Brainstorm on turn 2 unless you have a Delver, or you absolutely have to. Brainstorm is meant to be utilized once you've run out of spells to curve out with; Brainstorm is meant to dig 3 deep to set up the kill and get rid of excess lands and unecessary creatures. Ever play Burn? Ever been in a position where you're 1 burn spell away from killing the opponent, only to topdeck 2 lands and a Grim Lavamancer, and die before you can activate him? Say hello to Brainstorm.

Past the rest of the core cards, which I should hope need no explanation, there is a fairly sizable list of other playable spells. Also, as the title suggests, a splash is very feasible, and likely better than straight R/u.

I'll be more than happy to update this list as more suggestions are given. For now, I'll just list the remaining cards that I am running, along with a few other valuable options:

Grim Lavamancer
Phantasmal Bear
Wild Nacatl
Steppe Lynx
Kird Ape
Kiln Fiend
Tarmogoyf
Daze
Ponder
Magma Jet
Fire/Ice
Rift Bolt
Fireblast
Searing Blaze
Forked Bolt
Price of Progress
Tribal Flames
Lightning Helix
Cursed Scroll

Anyway, let me start off with my current list to get things started:

R/u/w Blue Sligh

// Lands (18)
4 [ZEN] Scalding Tarn
4 [ZEN] Arid Mesa
2 [ON] Wooded Foothills
2 [ON] Flooded Strand
3 [U] Volcanic Island
1 [U] Plateau
1 [U] Tundra
1 [UNH] Mountain

// Creatures (15)
4 [ZEN] Goblin Guide
3 [TO] Grim Lavamancer
4 [ISD] Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration
4 [ZEN] Steppe Lynx

// Spells (27)
4 [NE] Daze
4 [IA] Brainstorm
4 [FD] Magma Jet
4 [R] Lightning Bolt
4 [LG] Chain Lightning
4 [TSP] Rift Bolt
3 [VI] Fireblast

// Sideboard (15)
SB: 4 [ZEN] Spell Pierce
SB: 3 [EX] Price of Progress
SB: 2 [4E] Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2 [GP] Shattering Spree
SB: 2 [TE] Disenchant
SB: 2 [NE] Submerge

Explanation:

This deck is pure aggression. Everything in the deck is designed to maximize early game damage output. Delver changed the dynamics of aggressive decks in the format. On all accounts, this is simply a Sligh deck with the most aggressive 1 drops in the format.

For my particular build, I've decided that the white splash offered me the most bang for my buck. The heavy fetchland manabase synergizes well with Grim Lavamancer, and obviously for Steppe Lynx. For this deck, Steppe Lynx is a Tarmogoyf for 1 mana. The deck cares little about its creatures past turn 4; Lynx being a dead draw in the midgame isn't very relevant. Swinging as a 4/5 on turns 2 and 3 is about as nut high as it gets. This deck is about as best a shell as any deck is going to be for Steppe Lynx in the format, and I'm even running Daze to enable it as a Loam Lion should that be necessary.

Grim Lavamancer is somewhat conflicting with the general aggressive nature of the deck, since it's a bit slow and a bit inefficient at doing damage (for the cost). However, it's still a body to increase my potential "Zoo-rush" during the early game (overloading the opponent's removal with 1 drops), it's in my primary color, and it gives the deck lasting strength should it need the extra reach in the midgame. The fact that 2 targetable damage is so relevant in the metagame right now, makes it worth the space.

Daze is such a powerful card for this deck. This deck functions off of 1 mana, and never needs more than 3 lands in play. Daze is a free Counterspell on turns 1-2 almost always, and is still very effective on turns 3-4. Turns 1-4 are the most important turns of the game for this deck, so Daze does exactly what this deck wants it to do. Being set back a land drop is irrelevant, and in fact, can actually be a good thing for prolonging Steppe Lynx's damage capabilities. The fact is, Daze is an extremely aggressive card. The ability to drop a guy on turn 1 and protect him maximizes the decks damage output. If Daze counters a turn 1 Swords to Plowshares on Steppe Lynx, who turns around and puts out 8 damage, Daze effectively becomes worth 8 damage for 0 mana.

Magma Jet is a great card in this deck. I've heard the argument before of Ponder being better, since Ponder can essentially be 3 damage for 2 mana (digging into a Bolt). The thing is, this deck only runs 19 burn spells (if you don't count Guide or Lavamancer), which is roughly 1/3 of the deck. If the Jets were replaced with Ponder's, the deck would drop down to 15 burn spells, or 1/4 of the deck. At 1/4, Ponder is not guaranteed to draw into a burn spell. Magma Jet is always 2 damage for 2 mana; the increased burn density is a beautiful thing. As I mentioned earlier, 2 targetable damage is extremely relevant in the format right now, making Magma Jet a fantastic burn spell.

Rift Bolt is another 1cc 3 damage burn spell that dodges Daze, Spell Snare, and Counterbalance. It also targets creatures. Shouldn't need any additional explanation.

Fireblast is this decks finisher, able to speed up the goldfish by an entire turn in many cases. It also has great synergy with Price of Progress out of the sideboard, tapping and sac'ing nonbasic red sources for Fireblast prior to casting Price of Progress, resulting in decreased self-inflicted damage. I run 3 copies because I definitely want to see one, and I run enough manipulation with 4 Brainstorm and 4 Magma Jet to avoid drawing multiple copies. Even in the event of drawing two, sometimes the deck (and gamestate) will get to 4 red sources, making the second copy castable.

As with all sideboards, they are changeable and adaptable to the metagame. For right now, I'm packing Spell Pierce to address combo, Price of Progress and Red Elemental Blast to address control (REB can also address combo), Shattering Spree and Disenchant to answer problematic artifacts/enchantments (though Smash to Smithereens is a great replacement for Spree if you're not expecting Chalice), and Submerge for anything with Forests and aggro.

Thanks for reading.

[Hanni]

Reserved.

[Hanni]

Oh, and for those who are curious about the Stoneblade matchup, I've been tearing it up left and right on MWS. Here's a good tidbit from a game I just played.

<New Game: waiting for opponent>
Hanni shuffles library
<Hanni> i r srs cat, this r srs deck
Hanni draws 0 cards
t shuffles library
<t> I am ready.
t draws 0 cards
<-------- New Game Started -------->
Hanni's Security Code: C2D4DF48 [Type 1.5]
t's Security Code: 5E5559E5 [Type 1.5]
It is now turn 1 (Hanni)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
<Hanni> hi
<t> hi
t shuffles library
Hanni rolled a 6, using a 20 sided die
t shuffles library
t rolled a 3, using a 20 sided die
t draws 7 cards
Hanni draws 7 cards
<t> kp
<Hanni> kp
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
Hanni plays Tundra from Hand
Hanni taps Tundra
Hanni plays Steppe Lynx from Hand
<Hanni> Ok?
<Hanni> End my turn
It is now turn 2 (t)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
t draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
t plays Scalding Tarn from Hand
t taps Scalding Tarn
t puts Scalding Tarn to Graveyard from Play
t's life total is now 19 (-1)
t is looking its Library...
t puts Volcanic Island into play from Library
t shuffles library
t stops looking its Library...
t taps Volcanic Island
t plays Lightning Bolt from Hand
Hanni puts Steppe Lynx to Graveyard from Play
t puts Lightning Bolt to Graveyard from Play
<t> End my turn
It is now turn 3 (Hanni)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
Hanni untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
Hanni draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
Hanni plays Mountain from Hand
Hanni taps Mountain
Hanni plays Grim Lavamancer from Hand
<Hanni> Ok?
<Hanni> End my turn
It is now turn 4 (t)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
t untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
t draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
t taps Volcanic Island
t plays Lightning Bolt from Hand
Hanni puts Grim Lavamancer to Graveyard from Play
t puts Lightning Bolt to Graveyard from Play
t plays Tundra from Hand
<t> End my turn
It is now turn 5 (Hanni)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
Hanni untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
Hanni draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
Hanni plays Flooded Strand from Hand
Hanni taps Tundra
Hanni plays Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration from Hand
<Hanni> Ok?
<t> Ok
<Hanni> End my turn
It is now turn 6 (t)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
t untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
t draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
t plays Scalding Tarn from Hand
t taps Volcanic Island
t taps Tundra
t plays Stoneforge Mystic from Hand
<t> Ok?
<Hanni> Ok
t is looking its Library...
t puts Batterskull into play from Library
t shuffles library
t stops looking its Library...
t puts Batterskull to Hand from Play
<t> End my turn
<Hanni> EOT
Hanni puts Flooded Strand to Graveyard from Play
Hanni's life total is now 19 (-1)
<Hanni> Ok?
<t> Ok
Hanni is looking its Library...
Hanni puts Volcanic Island into play from Library
Hanni shuffles library
Hanni stops looking its Library...
Hanni taps Mountain
Hanni taps Volcanic Island
Hanni plays Magma Jet from Hand
<Hanni> Ok?
t puts Stoneforge Mystic to Graveyard from Play
Hanni is looking top 2 cards of its Library...
Hanni rearranges cards in Hanni's Library
Hanni stops looking its Library...
Hanni puts Magma Jet to Graveyard from Play
<Hanni> Ok
It is now turn 7 (Hanni)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
Hanni untaps his/her permanents
Hanni puts Magma Jet into play from Library
Hanni puts Magma Jet to Hand from Play
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
Hanni draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
Hanni undone last draw [1 card(s)]
<Hanni> sorry
Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration is now 3/2
It is now the Combat Phase, Declare Attackers Step
Hanni taps Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration
Hanni taps Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration
t's life total is now 16 (-3)
It is now the Postcombat Main Phase
Hanni taps Mountain
Hanni plays Rift Bolt from Hand
Rift Bolt now has 1 (+1) counters.
<Hanni> End my turn
t taps Scalding Tarn
t puts Scalding Tarn to Graveyard from Play
t's life total is now 15 (-1)
t is looking its Library...
t puts Plateau into play from Library
t shuffles library
t stops looking its Library...
It is now turn 8 (t)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
t untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
t draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
t taps Tundra
t plays Swords to Plowshares from Hand
Hanni puts Delver of Secrets/Insectile Aberration to RFG from Play
t puts Swords to Plowshares to Graveyard from Play
Hanni's life total is now 22 (+3)
t plays Island from Hand
<t> End my turn
<Hanni> EOT
<Hanni> Thinking
Hanni taps Volcanic Island
Hanni plays Lightning Bolt from Hand
t's life total is now 12 (-3)
Hanni puts Lightning Bolt to Graveyard from Play
It is now turn 9 (Hanni)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
Hanni untaps his/her permanents
t's life total is now 9 (-3)
Hanni puts Rift Bolt to Graveyard from Play
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
Hanni draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
<Hanni> End my turn
It is now turn 10 (t)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
t untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
t draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
t plays Mountain from Hand
t plays Batterskull from Hand
t taps Volcanic Island
t taps Tundra
t taps Plateau
t taps Island
t taps Mountain
<t> Ok?
<Hanni> resp
Hanni taps Tundra
Hanni taps Mountain
Hanni plays Magma Jet from Hand
t's life total is now 8 (-1)
t's life total is now 7 (-1)
Hanni is looking top 2 cards of its Library...
t puts a 4/4 Germ token into play
Hanni puts a card on bottom of Library from Library
Batterskull is enchanting Germ now
Hanni stops looking its Library...
Hanni puts Magma Jet to Graveyard from Play
<t> End my turn
<Hanni> Thinking
Hanni taps Volcanic Island
Hanni untaps Volcanic Island
<Hanni> Thinking
It is now turn 11 (Hanni)
It is now the Beginning Phase, Untap Step
It is now the Beginning Phase, Upkeep Step
Hanni untaps his/her permanents
It is now the Beginning Phase, Draw Step
Hanni draws a card
It is now the Precombat Main Phase
Hanni taps Tundra
Hanni plays Brainstorm from Hand
<Hanni> Ok?
<t> Ok
Hanni draws a card
Hanni draws a card
Hanni draws a card
Hanni puts a card on top of Library from Hand
Hanni puts a card on top of Library from Hand
Hanni puts Brainstorm to Graveyard from Play
Hanni taps Mountain
Hanni plays Lightning Bolt from Hand
t's life total is now 4 (-3)
Hanni puts Lightning Bolt to Graveyard from Play
Hanni taps Volcanic Island
Hanni plays Fireblast from Hand
Hanni puts Mountain to Graveyard from Play
Hanni puts Volcanic Island to Graveyard from Play
<System> Player Lost
<Hanni> Ok?

Bolded the important stuff. Preboard game. I was on the play and dealt lethal on my turn 6. He scooped.

[Honoluluicecaps]

This is almost the exact direction that I have wanted the U/R delver deck to go, so I really like the list.

I would personally prefer PoP MD over Magma Jet, in something like 3x PoP and 1x Ponder split, but that's just because my meta is full of Patriot and Bant.

[ajfennewald]

here is my tribal flames version
4 scalding tarn
4 wooded foothills
1 misty rain forest
1 arid mesa
2 volcanic island
1 tropical island
2 taiga
1 platuea
1 tundra
1 badlands
1 mountain
4 tribal flames
4 bolt
4 chian
4 rift bolt
3daze
4 brainstorm
3 ponder
4 wild nacatl
4 delver
4 goblin guild
2 grim lavamancer
1 kird ape
sb
4 FOW
4 spell peirce
3 sulfuric vortex/batterskull hate
4 grave hate
In exchange for a slightly worse mana base you get tribal flames and wild nacatl. Not sure if it is better or worse tbh.
counters come in against all combo decks and some other random decks (i.e. enchantress)

[Hanni]

I'll add Tribal Flames to the list of options in the opening post.