[Deck] Grixis Tempo

[AdventuresWithTarmo]

Hi all, I'm new to these boards and new to legacy as well. I was wondering, on the subject of fatal push, since it doesn't slot very well in the current build, if maybe, a build more adapted for a fair metagame (not necessarily 4c delver) if it would take the spot of cabal therapy. Dismember is clearly better for the previous stated reasons. But I think it should Still warrant consideration

[Miscanthus]

Question for the experienced Grixis Delver players out there:
In general, how does this deck typically fare in an Eldrazi heavy meta?
Is the matchup approximately even? In their favor? In our favor?

I'm normally a storm player, but looking for an alternate (and different style/approach) deck during times of hostile metas, and/or when I become too well-known at my local LGS, etc.

[TheManWithaPlan]

Question for the experienced Grixis Delver players out there:
In general, how does this deck typically fare in an Eldrazi heavy meta?
Is the matchup approximately even? In their favor? In our favor?

I feel like you are a slight favourite in the Eldrazi matchup because Delver on turn one and flip on turn 2 can plus some backup is going to put them very far behind in the life total race quickly. You also have Young Pyromancer and Gurmag Angler late game that usually trump Thought-Knot Seer. Reality Smasher is a bit of a problem still.

Also took down a 50 player 1K Today with Grixis Delver!

[TheManWithaPlan]

Deck List

Report

R1: Sneak Fit- Both game 1 and game 2 I was able to take the game just before I ran out of time and he would proceed to start casting giant creatures and crushing me.
2-0 (1-0 2-0)
Boarding
-4 Daze, -1 Force,-1 Spell Pierce
+Winter Orb, Needle, Strix, 2 Relic, Painful Truths

R2: Pox- Game 1 I am able to take the game before he takes control of the game. Game 2 he get the Abyss (or L'abisso) Liliana, and Night of Souls Betrayal. I lost that game. Game 3 was pretty much a repeat of game 1.
2-1 (2-0 4-1)
Boarding
-1 Force, -2 Therapy, -1 Probe
+1 Grudge, 2 Surgical, 1 Painful Truths

R3: Deadguy Ale- Game 1 we traded for a bit until he was able to take over with an unanswered Stoneforge Mystic. Game 2 I mulled to 5 and eventually found and resolved a Painful Truths that got me back in it by drawing me answers to his Deathrite and his Batterskull. Unfortunately it was not enough as he drew decently and I couldn't quite catch up.
0-2 (2-1 4-3)
Boarding
-4 Force, -1 Probe, -2 Pierce
+ Needle, Painful Truths, Grudge, Strix, Staticaster, Explosives, Lavamancer

R4: White Eldrazi- I am paired up against someone who is 3-0 and is a very good player. I am able to win both games due to resolving a Delver and flipping it early to put myself way ahead in the damage race quite early.
2-0 (3-1 6-3)
Boarding
-1 Probe, -1 Pierce, -1 Therapy
+ Strix, Explosives, Grudge

R5: UB Reanimator- Game 1 he gets a Griselbrand out of the graveyard under my Deathrite Shaman and lose. Game 2 he gets an Ashen Rider into play after I Surgical his Griselbrands and I respond with a Strix. The game gets pretty awkward and eventually I am able to push through the Rider. Game 3 he gets Griselbrand into play off of a Show and Tell and I put in Strix. The game gets pretty awkward form there because I have a sizeable board presence including a Relic, Deathrite and 2 Delvers with the Strix. He eventually goes to cast a Show and Tell and I counter it without a fight and eventually I push him to suicide the Griselbrand and quickly take the game from there.
2-1 (4-1 8-4)
Boarding
-1 Dismember, -2 Bolt, -1 Pierce, -1 Probe, -1 Therapy
+ Flusterstorm, 2 Relic, 2 Surgical, Strix

At this point I am pretty safe to draw into top 8 however my 6th round opponent was not and we were forced to play.

R6: Dredge- Game 1 he was faster that my 1 petty Deathrite Shaman, I tried to get Pyromancer to do it but it wasn't enough. Game 2 I found some Relics and had pressure, he was able to force me to pop both my Relics, and he was going to go off but I Forced his Looting. Game 3 he told me after the match that he kept a hand with 4 Looters and a land but no Dredgers and couldn't find anything off the lootings then promptly conceded to a turn 2 Relic.
2-1 (5-1 10-5)
Boarding
-1 Probe, -2 Therapy, -2 Bolt, -1 Dismember
+ Lavamancer, Explosives, 2 Surgical, 2 Relic

TOP 8! Yay I did it! I was 3rd going in beneath a guy on 18 points and another on 15 points as well. The top 8 decks were;
3 Deadguy Ale!!!!!!!
1 Grixis Delver
1 Grixis Tezzerator
1 BUG Control
1 Lands
1 UB Landstill
So, looking at the top 8 metagame, I feel pretty terrible going in. I feel like the metagame hates Delver and that I am going to be out immediately, but that does not deter me from trying my best.

Quarterfinal On the Play: Grixis Tezzerator- Game 1 we do an interesting dance with 2 Deathrite Shamans, not a ton of lands or spells in the graveyard and him trying to recycle Baleful Strixes with Academy Ruins in which I eventually lost. Game 2 I am able to keep his stuff at bay while pressuring his life total. I did probe him late and catch a Blood Moon, but by then it is too late and I am able to take the game before he finds an answer to my board. Game 3 I get off to a slow start because he drops Chalice on 1 turn 1 but I have the Ancient Grudge turn 2 after countering Padeem, Consul of Innovation. I am able to deploy an Deathrite and a Delver and start pressuring his life total. He then casts Blood moon and the turafter clears my board with Toxic Deluge. From there I am able to land a Young Pyromancer and he follows up with Phyrexian Revoker and I bolt it. Now he is at 13 and I have 1 Bolt a token and a Young Pyromancer to finish the job against his 1 card in hand. I bolt him and attack him from 10 to 6. Unfortunately for him he bricks on spells and I am able to take the match.
2-1 (6-1 12-6)
Boarding
-1 Force, -1 Therapy, -1 Dismember, -1 Probe
+ Staticaster, Needle, Grudge, Explosives

Semifinal On the Draw: Deadguy Ale- (Different Deadguy Player than in the swiss @Wilkin this time) Game 1 I am able to stay relatively even on cards and eventually get to a state where neither of us has much I had probed him a couple turns earlier and had therapy'd to take out a Lili earlier. I was able to sacrifice an Elemental to the therapy a few turns down the road to get rid of the Swords to Plowshares in his hand and slam a Gurmag Angler. I got to connect with it once and then he drew another Plow and got rid of it. From there I was able to mount a board presence and kill him. Game 2 I kept a sketchy 7 with 1 land but was able to cantrip into another land. Unfortunately he had a couple of Wastelands to get both my lands and I conceded to a Stoneforge Mystic soon after. Game 3 was similar to game 1 but the finish was pretty sweet. He is at 9 and I have a flipped Delver and a Deathrite Shaman. He casts Lingering Souls to stop my Delver. I was somewhat tight on mana and had to do a couple of things I decided to cast Lavamancer and eat the Lingering Souls and pass the turn. He taps all 5 mana on his turn and I am fretting a hard casted Shriekmaw and instead it's a Batterskull to which I respond "OK, It's just a Batterskull." Next turn I swing into the souls and kill both with Delver and Lavamancer. From there we trade blows with Batterskull vs. Delver, Lavamancer and Deathrite. Unfortunately for him he was cut short of a 3rd Batterskull hit when I ended it with an attack with Delver, Shock with Lavamancer and Deathrite and finished him with a Bolt. GG's @Wilkin, really fun and tight match.
Go check out the Deadguy thread to see Wilkin's side of the match.
2-1 (7-1 14-7)
Boarding
-4 Force, -1 Probe, -2 Pierce
+ Needle, Painful Truths, Grudge, Strix, Staticaster, Explosives, Lavamancer

Finals On the Play: BUG Control- Game 1 was pretty close. I started with Probe, ripped Therapy and took 2 Deathrite Shamans. he had multiple Deathrite Shamans and 2 Tarmogoyfs that were beating me down. I am at 11 and he is at 9. He doesn't have many lands in play nor are there many in graveyards nor are there many spells in graveyard either. I crash in with Angler and Delver and he throws a Deathrite into the Abyss. He sings me down to 5 with the Tarmogoyfs and I follow up with Pyromancer into a cantrip, attack you to 3 cast a second Delver and pass. He casts Ponder which I promptly Spell Pierce to put myself out of lethal range and take the game next turn with a Delver. Game 2 I mull to 5 keep, 1 Wasteland and spells and promptly lose to his hilarious land heavy draw. Game 3 I was able to get on board early getting my Delver Decayed and soon after landing a Gurmag Angler, and connecting once. He lands a Jace and bounces my Angler to stabilize at 8 life and soon cracks another fetchland to go to 7. At this point I cast Young Pyromancer and Probe. I see a Flusterstorm and a Ponder and I need to get in for 1 damage and get rid of the Flusterstorm to free up going for the kill with double Lightning Bolt. I am able to make another token by fighting a Deathrite Shaman and he fights back with Flusterstorm. Alas I Wasteland his only open mana and swing to hit him for 1 damage and from there I cast 2 Lightning Bots to finish the job and to win the day.
2-1 (8-1 16-8)
Boarding
Strangely enough I can't remember how I boarded exactly, oops :|

Through this tournament I am now qualified for an invitational tournament at the end of June with a large cash payout, and now have my 2nd Face to Face Games Toronto Sunday Showdown victory! Thanks for reading!

[LewisCBR]

Deck List

Report...

Awesome, man. Congrats!

[Whitefaces]

Nice job, cheers for the report! I've seen people going down to 3 Probes which I like, I'll try that out.

Not sure about the Relics in the sb, how were they? Is there not a better option since we're playing DRS, Angler, Grudge, Lavamancer etc?

[meffeo]

Nice job, cheers for the report! I've seen people going down to 3 Probes which I like, I'll try that out.

Not sure about the Relics in the sb, how were they? Is there not a better option since we're playing DRS, Angler, Grudge, Lavamancer etc?

Nihil Spellbomb is the card you are probably looking for.

[Whitefaces]

Nihil Spellbomb is the card you are probably looking for.

Thanks, I was alluding to something like that Had forgotten about Spellbomb.

I'm also not sure these two slots in addition to Surgicals are needed. Is it mostly for Reanimator?

[TheManWithaPlan]

Not sure about the Relics in the sb, how were they? Is there not a better option since we're playing DRS, Angler, Grudge, Lavamancer etc?

Relic is excellent in Deathrite Shaman mirrors because it allows you to eat at their graveyard and cuts them off from eating away your graveyard. Once their graveyard is empty or has 1 card your Deathrites reign supreme. Otherwise Relic is Relic and will always be great Graveyard hate. I do like it over Spellbomb because it can also control graveyards.

I play 3 Probe because I only have 2 Therapy and I don't always need Probe as a crutch for Therapy. As well I feel I only need 3 because I like to have an extra slot in my mainboard and 1 Probe isn't much of a sacrifice.

[revenantkioku]

I play in Japan which seems to be a very rich combo and Reanimator meta amongst all the stores I go to. Am I just barking up the wrong tree with Grixis Delver or is there perhaps a sideboard I could lean towards? I'm starting to feel very frustrated, but I am sure it is more my playing and side boarding than the actual deck.

[LewisCBR]

Relic is excellent in Deathrite Shaman mirrors because it allows you to eat at their graveyard and cuts them off from eating away your graveyard. Once their graveyard is empty or has 1 card your Deathrites reign supreme. Otherwise Relic is Relic and will always be great Graveyard hate. I do like it over Spellbomb because it can also control graveyards.

Maybe i'm sleepy today, but I'm not following this logic at all. How, again, does Relic trump the DRS vs DRS battles? Can you give an example?

[TheManWithaPlan]

Maybe i'm sleepy today, but I'm not following this logic at all. How, again, does Relic trump the DRS vs DRS battles? Can you give an example?

I wouldn't quite say that Relic is a trump, but it really helps in Deathrite mirrors, especially when Tarmogoyf or Gurmag Angler is involved. Relic acts as almost another Deathrite Shaman incrementally eating cards from graveyards. It also stops your opponent from eating cards in your graveyard with Deathrite Shaman because if they try to go after a card in your graveyard you can use Relic targeting yourself and exile the card they are targeting with their Deathrite. With the incremental exiling that Relic does if your opponent's graveyard becomes empty, they are forced into eating cards from your graveyard and can't because of Relic.

[Nikedemos]

I wouldn't quite say that Relic is a trump, but it really helps in Deathrite mirrors, especially when Tarmogoyf or Gurmag Angler is involved. Relic acts as almost another Deathrite Shaman incrementally eating cards from graveyards. It also stops your opponent from eating cards in your graveyard with Deathrite Shaman because if they try to go after a card in your graveyard you can use Relic targeting yourself and exile the card they are targeting with their Deathrite. With the incremental exiling that Relic does if your opponent's graveyard becomes empty, they are forced into eating cards from your graveyard and can't because of Relic.

where can i find your deck list?
:-)

[meffeo]

where can i find your deck list?
:-)

It should be this one

[H]

TOP 8! Yay I did it! I was 3rd going in beneath a guy on 18 points and another on 15 points as well. The top 8 decks were;
3 Deadguy Ale!!!!!!!
1 Grixis Delver
1 Grixis Tezzerator
1 BUG Control
1 Lands
1 UB Landstill

That was Lam Pham? I'd love to see that list.

Any chance they might post them on the Face to Face website? (Seems they posted some recent Modern top 8, but not this one yet.)

[Douif]

That was Lam Pham? I'd love to see that list.

http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=14546&d=287272&f=LE

25 LANDS
2 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Dust Bowl
1 Flooded Strand
1 Marsh Flats
4 Mishra's Factory
1 Misty Rainforest
4 Polluted Delta
3 Snow-Covered Island
1 Snow-Covered Swamp
3 Underground Sea
4 Wasteland

5 CREATURES
4 Snapcaster Mage
1 True-Name Nemesis

26 INSTANTS and SORC.
4 Brainstorm
2 Counterspell
2 Diabolic Edict
4 Fatal Push
4 Force of Will
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare

4 OTHER SPELLS
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Standstill

SIDEBOARD
1 Damnation
1 Dread of Night
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Engineered Plague
3 Flusterstorm
1 Pithing Needle
3 Relic of Progenitus
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Toxic Deluge
1 True-Name Nemesis

[H]

http://mtgtop8.com/event?e=14546&d=287272&f=LE

Hot damn, I somehow missed that, thanks!

[CyrusCG]

I know it was brought up previously, but I think the discussion of Surgical vs. Macabre warrants further discussion, especially until (if) BR Reanimator dies down.

Cons of macabre are obviously that it cannot flip delver, make elemental tokens, give you information about their hand/deck, or just simply take their win con against some decks. Also it can't take nonbasics/other problematic cards out of someone's deck entirely but I'm of the opinion that in the matches you would want surgical in, you probably don't want to take a land (Lands obviously being the exception).

Pros are that it is not stopped by chancellor/Chalice, can't be discarded to duress or collective brutality, and can hit two different cards at the same time.

I've been testing both, but what do you guys think?

[revenantkioku]

I'm mostly hit by Thoughtseize and Unmask, so it seems to me that the downsides would tower over the benefits.

[jrsthethird]

I know it was brought up previously, but I think the discussion of Surgical vs. Macabre warrants further discussion, especially until (if) BR Reanimator dies down.

Cons of macabre are obviously that it cannot flip delver, make elemental tokens, give you information about their hand/deck, or just simply take their win con against some decks. Also it can't take nonbasics/other problematic cards out of someone's deck entirely but I'm of the opinion that in the matches you would want surgical in, you probably don't want to take a land (Lands obviously being the exception).

Pros are that it is not stopped by chancellor/Chalice, can't be discarded to duress or collective brutality, and can hit two different cards at the same time.

I've been testing both, but what do you guys think?

One plus of Surgical is that it can effectively counter the Chancellor effect without spending any mana. They try to slow you down with that card but 1 Probe or Surgical blows away any Chancellor effects and lets you continue with your gameplan.