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Thread: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

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    1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    I've been stupid busy on my thesis (the defense did not go as well as I would have liked -- time for revisions). I did, however, get a fellowship to a PhD program (getting paid to go to school rocks!), so no worries. I decided it was finally time to play some Magic. We had, for the first time in a long time, a Legacy tournament near Baton Rouge today. 28 Players showed up.

    Here is what I played:

    // Lands - 18
    3 Mountain
    1 Island
    1 Volcanic Island
    1 Steam Vents
    4 Scalding Tarn
    4 Arid Mesa
    1 Polluted Delta
    3 Misty Rainforest

    // Creatures - 12
    4 Goblin Guide
    4 Delver of Secrets
    4 Grim Lavamancer

    // Burn - 14
    4 Lightning Bolt
    4 Chain Lightning
    4 Rift Bolt
    2 Price of Progress

    // Permission - 8
    4 Daze
    2 Spell Snare
    2 Spell Pierce

    // Cantrips - 8
    4 Brainstorm
    4 Ponder

    // Sideboard
    SB: 3 Smash to Smithereens
    SB: 2 Spell Snare
    SB: 2 Spell Pierce
    SB: 4 Tormod's Crypt
    SB: 3 Submerge
    SB: 1 Sulfuric Vortex

    I don't recall everything (I'm getting old). If any of my opponents remember more specifically or differently, please let me know so that I can improve the accuracy of this report. I'll do my best to explain what happened.


    Round 1 - The Rock by Ator

    I'm playing against a friend (uncommon for me). His deck was heavy 2cc, including Living Wish. I knew his exact decklist before entering the tournament (he knew mine as well). This made it interesting for me.

    Game 1 - I'm on the draw. He gets land screwed a bit in the early game, stopping him from developing his board, and I wreck him with a Delver, Guide, and some burn I believe. UR Delver is just stupid consistent; it punishes decks which aren't as consistent.

    Board: -2 Spell Pierce, -2 Price of Progress, -1 Grim Lavamancer, +2 Spell Snare, +3 Submerge

    Game 2 - We both mull, Spell Snare and a Daze stopped his plays while I roll him. Not much to say. He was never really in this game either.


    Round 2 - Stifle+Fling Dreadnought by Lyle

    He has an interesting build. Torpor Orbs (didn't see these until game 2), Stifle, Reality Ripple, and Vision Charm to cheat his Dreadnoughts into play. He played Fling, E-tutor, Fabricate, ESG, SSG, Petals (I think), and a heavy amount of tempo permission (FoW, Daze, Spell Pierce). It was fairly fast, well-protected, and consistent.

    Game 1 - I'm on the play, I mull, have a Guide, and each trigger gives him a land on every single swing. He goes for turn 3 Dreadnought, which I counter. He goes for turn 4 Dreadnought with a Spell Pierce which I can't answer. I almost had him, though - I just needed my Delver to flip to win the game.

    Board: -2 Price of Progress (Damn this card sucked ALL day), -1 Grim Lavamancer, -2 Spell Snare, +2 Spell Pierce, +3 Smash to Smithereens

    Game 2 - I play conservatively, holding back to make sure I can answer his combo. He goes Torport Orb + Dreadnought on turn 2 (SSG is good at that), I Daze. He then Nought+Stifles, I Spell Pierce. He then plays another Dreadnought with Visions Charm I believe. I Smash it and swing+burn him out.

    Board: -1 Grim Lavamancer, +1 Spell Snare

    Game 3 - I believe I drew a very good hand and he had to mulligan twice. He was never in this game.


    Round 3 - UR Delver by Graham (Funyun45 on this forum)

    After careful consideration, we decided to draw. We both ended up getting into the top 8, so it didn't come back to haunt us.


    Round 4 - Reanimator by Ed (undefeated)

    Standard UB build. He played well. He had curb-stomped a UR-Delver player the round before. I was not happy to see this matchup.

    Game 1 - I'm on the draw, and I mulled. He Careful Study's an Empyrial Archangel (yikes) into the GY on turn 1. I only have 1 land this entire game. We both are Brainstorming and Pondering - he was looking for a Reanimate effect and me for land and permission. I eventually took the plunge and started tapping out to cast creatures. He FoWed twice and Dazed. I had multiple creatures and a Daze, and was able to get a Delver and Goblin Guide on the board. I started swinging, and he didn't find a Reanimate Dead until Guide revealed it on the last turn. I second mainphased a Bolt while he was at 2, and he didn't have a permission spell.

    Board: -2 Price of Progress, -3 Grim Lavamancer, -3 Rift Bolt, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Spell Snare, +4 Tormod's Crypt (I really wanted to take Daze out, but frankly, Daze plays differently in this deck, and it should usually stay in even on the draw)

    Game 2 - I open an okay hand with a Crypt. He drops a fetch on turn 1. My turn 1, I drop Delver and Crypt gets countered. He entombs on my end step for the Archangel again. He Reanimates, and I'm boned. I reveal a Chain, flip Delver, swing, he blocks, I Chain and Bolt him, his Angel dies. I Ponder and Brainstorm for another dude or two and another Crypt. Crypt and Dudes resolve while he's searching for a Reanimate effect other than Reanimate (low on life). He never got back into the game.


    Round 5 - Breakfast by a well-mannered someone (Sorry, I'm awful with names)

    I'm 2nd seed, he's 1st. We do the math and draw into top 8.


    Top 8 - Dredge by Slater? (Something like that)

    He has a fairly standard LED Dredge deck. In Round 4, this guy had jumped out of his chair and fucking screamed in ecstasy as he won on turn 1 on the play against an opponent who had flashed a Graffdigger's Cage which would have come down on turn 1, a card for which he had no answer that game and knew that he had to win on the spot. Cool guy, nice deck - I was not pleased to be against this deck, which is not favorable for me, imho.

    Game 1 - I had a Daze, Spell Pierce, Spell Snare, 2x land, Guide and Lavamancer. He mulls once. Apparently, he opens with 3 LED's, 1 Faithless Looting, Thug, and a Bridge. Casts LED, LED, LED, pops one, Loots, and Thug flips Stinkweed and GGT (fuck) and then flips some more gas. He uses the LED's to keep emptying his hand. Only one bridge in the GY to start with. He's dredging slowly while I start getting into play a Delver, Guide, and Lavamancer. Lavamancer shoots himself to remove Bridge after my opponent gets an Ichorid online, removing his Bridge. He flips another Bridge and a Narco. On my turn he tries to use a Narco to block a flipped Delver, but I shoot the Guide to remove the Bridge and knock out the Narco. He returns 2 Ichorids and swings. Delver and burn go the distance.

    Board: -2 Price of Progress, -2 Spell Snare, -2 Rift Bolt, +4 Tormod's Crypt, +2 Spell Pierce

    Game 2 - He sets me on the play, I believe. I go land, Crypt, and Lavamancer (instead of Delver). He goes Gemstone, Looting, I can't counter it. He drops a Stinkweed Imp. I drop a Delver. He starts slow dredging, flips a Narco, drops a CC and a PImp. No Bridges. I flip Delver, I try to shoot the PImp, he CoV's his PImp, and then sacs Narco to chain the Delver. We play out our PImp and Delver, he also lands his second Coliseum. I end up having to Chain Lightning his PImp, he uses a CC to draw (not dredge as I have the Crypt in play), and pitches some stuff and the PImp dies. He eventually ends up with 3 cards in hand, at 7ish life, and I just Crypt him with permission and the finishing burn spell for next turn in hand. He draws, does nothing, and I win the next turn.


    Top 4 - Breakfast by Ditto (He's undefeated)

    UGBW Cephalid Breakfast. Vials, Permission, Living Wish, Worldly Tutor, two sets of win cons. He's got some awesome tricks up his sleeves, some of which I wasn't prepared for. He was a smart player.

    Game 1 - Very close game. He forces my opening Delver. I still get it going early and bring him down to 7. He grabs 4 dual lands, he drops a 2cc en-Kor, and then the Cephalid (tapped out). I daze, he has 2 cards in hand. He Forces. I tap the rest of my land to play Price of Progress for 8, still in response to the Cephalid (he could have won in response to Price if the Cephalid had been allowed to resolve). This was the only game where Price was worth casting.

    Board: -2 Price of Progress, -2 Spell Pierce, -2 Rift Bolt, +4 Tormod's Crypt, +2 Spell Snare

    Game 2 - I believe he has to mull. My hand was stupid: Crypt, 2X Delver, Guide, 2x Land, Daze, Ponder. I get the ball rolling hard and fast. Ponder finds me way more permission and some burn. Delvers give him a lot of information advantage about what I was drawing (Spell Snare and Daze), and my Guides gave me information advantage about what he was drawing. He was never in this game.


    Finals - Maverick

    We just split. 1st Place was 4 Force of Wills (somewhat beatup) and 2nd place was an Underground Sea. I take the Sea and the best of the FoW's, and he takes the other 3 FoW's.


    Closing Thoughts: The deck was very consistent. When my opponents had to mulligan, I ended up not using Goblin Guide as my first creature in most cases. That paid off well. I'm considering going back up to 3 Dual lands. Price sucked balls. The tournament was very fun.



    peace,
    4eak

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Glad to see that A. you did well and B. There are others out there struggling to make time for magic while getting their PhDs.

    And yeah, getting paid to go to school rocks. Hard.
    Quote Originally Posted by emidln View Post
    If you have 3 mana and 2 draws and can't win through bullshit permanents, you are mentally deficient and probably want to examine a game with less thought. I recommend Lawn Darts.

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Is Price of Progress really that bad? One tournament is a pretty small sample. It sometimes sucks, but when it works the way it should, it's MVP.
    The Source: Your Source for "The Source: Your Source for..." cliche.

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    I've been unhappy with it for a while. I have no idea what to do with the slot. I've tried a lot of things.


    peace,
    4eak

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Quote Originally Posted by 4eak View Post
    I've been unhappy with it for a while. I have no idea what to do with the slot. I've tried a lot of things.


    peace,
    4eak
    I'm sure you haven't tried the new wheel of fortune yet, right?

  6. #6

    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Quote Originally Posted by 4eak View Post
    I've been unhappy with it for a while. I have no idea what to do with the slot. I've tried a lot of things.


    peace,
    4eak
    how about snapecaster mage? i really like it on my ur delver =]~

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    I've tried Snapper many times. Perhaps it will be the right call. For the 2 Price of Progress slots, I'm considering one of the following:

    • 2 Forked Bolt
    • 1 Spell Snare, 1 Spell Pierce
    • 1 Snapcaster Mage, 1 Spell Pierce
    • 2 Snapcaster Mage



    peace,
    4eak

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Your build rocks, and it's good to see you performed well. Congrats!
    A book about the dark side of Legacy: "Magic: The Addiction" // Conversations with Magic players: "Humans of Magic"

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    What are your thoughts on Vexing Devil and Thunderous Wrath? Wrath I could see as a 2of

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Vexing Devil is never going to stay in play unless they have an answer to it (too much removal sitting in hand or a giant blocker) or you were already winning (they were at 4 life or less). The majority of the time, people will take the 4 damage. Vexing Devil is a 4-damage Lava Spike that can occasionally do nothing (those cases where it is answered from removal/blocking).

    I won't play Lava Spike in this deck, not even a 4-damage Lava Spike. Sligh must play burn cards which can interact with creatures. Only the most "combo" oriented Sligh/Burn builds should run Vexing Devil. I prefer interaction to combo as I can leverage my playskill more effectively that way.

    Thunderous Wrath appears too conditional. I don't have enough practice with the Miracle mechanic in Legacy to know for sure. I am strongly worried that it will end up being dead in hand too often and that it forces me to tap out in times where it isn't clear that I should be tapping out. I need to test this card.


    peace,
    4eak

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    Re: 1st Place (Split) with UR Delver - Gamer's Paradise in Louisiana

    Congrats! What are you getting your PhD in? I'm currently in law school (2L) and some weeks, I have plenty of time for Magic, other times, I don't play for a month.
    I'm just catching up with past tournament reports and I just read yours. I noticed something that caught my eye in the Dredge match-up: "I try to shoot the PImp, he CoV's his PImp, and then sacs Narco to chain the Delver."
    Unless this is a typo, he can't sac a creature to chain CoV. Maybe it was just an honest play mistake. Anyhow, no harm, no foul.
    In my limited experience with UR Delver (<10 games online), I've found PoP to be one of the strongest cards in the deck. Perhaps the meta shifted, but it definitely stole me some games. There are so many decks it wrecks, especially when they don't see it coming or when they know you have it and they have to play around it the whole game. I play PoP in Zoo, Burn and UR Delver. 8 damage for 2 mana =

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