[Deck] Bizarro French (UWR Tempo)

[nevilshute]

http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=226749&type=card http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=171012&type=card http://gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=234704&type=card

I have looked and looked and have not been able to find a thread for this deck so I've decided to make one myself. I'm not taking credit for it whatsoever, as I've seen people playing it for a while at my LGS. I have, however, decided to put the cards together.

It's a tempo deck that relies on getting down an early threat in the shape of preferably a Delver of Secrets or a Steppe Lynx and then driving home victory through burn spells and protecting itself with permission spells. Like Zoo it runs a high percentage of fetch lands in order to feed the Steppe Lynx.

Key Cards:

First choice creatures:

Delver of Secrets: One of the rock stars of most tempo decks. A definite four-of. The deck runs enough instants and sorceries to support it.

Steppe Lynx: Great alternative turn one drop to Delver.


Supporting cast of creatures:

Grim Lavamancer

Vendilion Clique

Geist of Saint Traft

Burn/Removal:

Lightning Bolt

Path to Exile

Secondary burn cards:

Chain Lightning

Boros Charm

Permission:

Daze

Force of Will

Spell Pierce

Lands:
This deck relies on having a lot of fetchlands to feed the Steppe Lynx and so runs more lands than other tempo decks such as RUG Delver. 20 lands should probably be the minimum. Also, I don't think Wastelands will work particularly well as there isn't room for it, plus they are countered by the Path to Exiles.

There are plenty of ways to go about it, but this is the list I'm planning to run:


4x Delver of Secrets
4x Steppe Lynx
3x Grim Lavamancer
2x Vendilion Clique

4x Lightning Bolt
4x Boros Charm
4x Path to Exile

4x Daze
3x Force of Will
2x Spell Pierce
4x Brainstorm
2x Ponder

3x Volcanic Island
3x Tundra
1x Island
1x Plains
1x Mountain
1x Karakas
4x Scalding Tarn
4x Flooded Strand
2x Arid Mesa

Anyone got any experience with this deck? :)

[Viridia]

Probably want to go find Hanni's UWR Sligh Thread, looks like it's basically the deck you're looking for ;)

[JDK]

There you go: http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?23209-R-u-x-Blue-Sligh/page17

[SirTylerGalt]

I'm really interested in this color combination. I tried a few similar decks in the past on Cockatrice, and really like the feel of UWR tempo. Boros Charm makes it even better :)

Last year, I saw an interesting Deck Tech with David Gearhart (who created a number of cool decks such as "Solidarity" and "Shot in the Dark" :) ):

http://www.starcitygames.com/events/coverage/deck_tech_uwr_delver_with_davi.html

I really want to add Stifle to this deck, to screw with the opponent's mana. Stifle also lets you keep the 4/4 angel token from Geist (by stifling the trigger at the end of combat). Snapcaster Mage would also be fun, to recur Stifle / Lightning Bolt / Boros Charm.

I also want to fit Nivmagus Elemental + Flusterstorm, but that might be too greedy... Thing is, Boros Charm has a very good synergy with Nivmagus: it gives Nivmagus double strike for a letal attack... and it can protect it from Engineered Explosives / Abrupt Decay / Supreme Verdict (which is a big problem for a deck with many one-drops like Nivmagus / Delver / Grim Lavamancer / Steppe Lynx).

A cool tech with Path to Exile: if you have 2+ Lynx in play, you can Path to Exile one of your own creatures to boost your Lynx at instant speed :)

Also, I really like David's Ensnare tech in the SB. I once got my Sneak & Show opponent to tap his Emrakul, then next turn I replayed my land and attacked for lethal :)


Edit: another cool thing with this deck: aside from Grim Lavamancer, it doesn't depend a lot on the graveyard. Which means you can play 3-4 Rest in Peace in the SB to own BUG / RUG / Dredge / Reanimator :)

Edit 2: I think it might be too slow, but Stoneforge Mystic might be really interesting in this deck... Equip a creature with a Sword, then Boros Charm for Double Strike :)

[mini1337s]

I really want to add Stifle to this deck, to screw with the opponent's mana. Stifle also lets you keep the 4/4 angel token from Geist (by stifling the trigger at the end of combat). Snapcaster Mage would also be fun, to recur Stifle / Lightning Bolt / Boros Charm.
I think a majority of time you will want Stifle just to be a burn spell. Your Path to Exiles are a nombo with Stifle as well.

I would suggest taking a peek at some of the Boro's landfall decks from Shards/Zendikar standard. I would also take a look at the UR Delver decks, because this seems to be an extention of that strategy.

I would forgo the permission all together, opting for a more "all-in" Burn strategy. The way I see it, you are using Boro's Charm as a replacement for Fireblast, and opting for a repeatable "burn" spell in the way of Steppe Linx.

Maybe something like:

4x Delver of Secrets
4x Goblin Guide
4x Steppe Linx
3x Geist of St. Traft

4x Lighting Bolt
4x Chain Lightning
4x Boro's Charm
4x Lava Spike
4x Daze
1-2x Teleportal/Veil of Secrecy? (Geist and Steppe Lynx :P)
2x Fireblast

2x Sulfuric Vortex

[SirTylerGalt]

I think a majority of time you will want Stifle just to be a burn spell. Your Path to Exiles are a nombo with Stifle as well.

I would suggest taking a peek at some of the Boro's landfall decks from Shards/Zendikar standard. I would also take a look at the UR Delver decks, because this seems to be an extention of that strategy.

I would forgo the permission all together, opting for a more "all-in" Burn strategy. The way I see it, you are using Boro's Charm as a replacement for Fireblast, and opting for a repeatable "burn" spell in the way of Steppe Linx.

Maybe something like:

4x Delver of Secrets
4x Goblin Guide
4x Steppe Linx
3x Geist of St. Traft

4x Lighting Bolt
4x Chain Lightning
4x Boro's Charm
4x Lava Spike
4x Daze
1-2x Teleportal/Veil of Secrecy? (Geist and Steppe Lynx :P)
2x Fireblast

2x Sulfuric Vortex

I think there are multiple directions we can take this deck:
- very aggressive landfall deck with Steppe Lynx, Zektar Shrine Expedition, Boros Charm, and Flagstones of Trokair + Ghost Quarter tech for multiple landfalls per turn. Credit to Drew Levin who suggested the idea here: http://www.starcitygames.com/article/25605_Gatecrash-Legacy-Review-A-Deck-Recommendation.html Maybe that's what you meant with "Boro's landfall decks from Shards/Zendikar standard"? I didn't play Magic at the time, so I didn't know these cards. Turn 2 6/7 Lynx with Double Strike seems interesting, though. Or Turn 3 7/1 Elemental with Double Strike and Trample...
- aggressive, sligh-like deck, with lots of 1-drop, and burn to finish the opponent (no Stifle / Wasteland here, since we don't care about that here --> we want our opponent dead). I'd look at Hanni's UWR sligh deck.
- a more midrange, tempo-oriented deck, like David Gearhart's UWR Delver ( http://www.starcitygames.com/events/coverage/deck_tech_uwr_delver_with_davi.html ), or Paolo Cesari's deck that made top8 at Jupiter Games last week ( http://jupitergames.info/articles/2013/52837/decklists-february-nelc )


4 Arid Mesa
4 Flooded Strand
3 Tundra
3 Volcanic Island
1 Plateau
1 Karakas
4 Wasteland

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
2 Ponder

3 Force of Will
4 Daze
3 Spell Pierce

4 Stifle

4 Delver of Secrets
3 Grim Lavamancer
2 Vendilion Clique
3 Geist of Saint Traft

SB: 2 Tormod’s Crypt
SB: 1 Spell Pierce
SB: 3 Red Elemental Blast
SB: 1 Force of Will
SB: 2 Engineered Explosives
SB: 2 Umezawa’s Jitte
SB: 1 Disenchant
SB: 1 Smash to Smithereens
SB: 2 Ethersworn Canonist


I think that's a cool deck. You have Wasteland + Stifle to tempo the opponent out. You can Stifle the Geist token to keep your 4/4 Angel (instead of exiling it). You can use Karakas to bounce Geist / Clique. I think I want Rest In Peace in the SB, but that's a nombo with Grim Lavamancer, so...

[Ruta Barracuda]

UWR midrange/tempo is definitely a thing in Modern right now, and we're seeing the UWR tempo being a thing here too in Legacy, and I like that a lot. Things that have been thrown around in Modern for the midrange version of this deck (more oriented toward having a lasting late game) is running Figure of Destiny in place of Delver of Secrets. Considering how good Delver is in Legacy compared to Modern, I wouldn't be one to cut him. Instead, I'd be tempted to run FoD in place of Steppe Lynx in a midrange deck. Thing is, I haven't seen a single competitive Legacy deck running Figure; probably because he needs to be pumped and is slower in the beginning. I plan to test him out nonetheless, but I am wondering what you all think of this option.

[maiko1993]

I think that if there is reason to this deck exist is a attempt to a bettr list than RUG. Sacrificing raw power (green) to consistence and more answers (white).
There are 2 ways we can work:
1 - Get the RUG list, remove the green cards and
work with that list adding white cards
2 - Work with the UW DelverBlade list ( http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?25180-UW-DelverBlade) adding red to lightning bolt and Pyroblast

[KazinMtg]

Goblin Guide seems like an auto include in a list like this.

[SirTylerGalt]

Cool article::

http://jupitergames.info/articles/2013/52861/cooks-kitchen-murica-nelc-02022013

[Arsenal]

I really like the look of UWR Delver sans Steppe Lynx. Bryant Cook recently wrote an article/report about his experience with it (http://jupitergames.info/articles/2013/52861/cooks-kitchen-murica-nelc-02022013) and it recently placed 4th at SCG Edison (http://sales.starcitygames.com//deckdatabase/displaydeck.php?DeckID=52994). I like the use of Grim Lavamancer over Steppe Lynx as Grim Lavamancer deals with soooo much stuff it's not even funny, and it allows you to interact with your opponent's creatures/planeswalkers/life total outside of the redzone. I'd personally up the Grim Lavamancer count to 4 as I want one in play as soon as I can have him, and he's not bad in multiples. I also like Forked Bolt over Spell Pierce (I'll play 3x Spell Pierce in the SB) as I want more ways to deal with DRS and opposing Delvers when I'm on the draw, and I want more ways to deal with annoying 1/1 Souls tokens so that I can swing for huge damage with Geist. I'll try to save my Daze and FoW for the more expensive 3-4cc non-creature spells my opponent will want to play (Liliana, Jace, etc). Forked Bolt also handles a plethora of other relevant creatures (Stoneforge, Dark Confidant, Clique, Snapcaster, etc). Forked Bolt also gives me a bit more reach (4 Lightning Bolt, 4 Grim Lavamancer, 2 Forked Bolt). I'm thinking about Fire/Ice too, but I like Forked Bolt's 1cc in a tempo deck like this. Here's my take:

1 Plateau
3 Tundra
4 Volcanic Island
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Flooded Strand
4 Wasteland

1 Vendilion Clique
3 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Delver of Secrets

2 Forked Bolt
2 Ponder
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Brainstorm
4 Stifle
4 Daze
4 Force of Will

The board would consist of some combination of Rest in Peace, Spell Pierce, REB, BEB, Pithing Needle, etc. Pretty much any good SB option that R, U, and W affords you, you'll run it here. One thing that has stuck out is Stifle. With so many creatures and Sorceries, I don't ever feel like I can leave mana open in the first 3 turns for Stifle without it hampering my board development. I get how awesome it is, but I can't use it as I'd like because I'm constantly playing mainphase spells; aggro BUG Delver came across the same thing and it has since dropped Stifle altogether. Just something to keep an eye on.

Karakas + Legendary Creature is fine in a grindy deck like Esperblade or even Junk, but for me, it felt too clunky and slow when I was trying to swing for as much damage ASAP + burning them out and I didn't like the mana config with it (those awesome hands of Wasteland, Wasteland, Karakas = sadface). Also, I personally call this deck "Delver United".

[kiblast]

No basics at all seems greedy though. I can understand cutting Karakas (even if it has its utility with Geist, Geist is so hard to deal with that by the time opponents finds a Supreme Verdict or a Liliana, bouncing it might be crucial) , but you should try to fit at least an Island.
I don't really like Forked Bolt as you already have 8 ways to deal with DRS on the draw and 11 on the play (including turn 1 Grim). That's more than enough. Concerning Lingering Souls, Daze and Pierce are enough and overall more flexible. Considering that I found this deck goldfishing turn 5 pretty easily, normally you just need to counter Souls once.

Regarding SB options, I'd like to suggest Ensnare vs. any creature based deck, from Tempo Thresh to Goblins, or Junk or whatever. Buying one turn and completely clearing blockers at the same time is bonkers. Think about Mother of Runes, Batterskull, Spirit tokens, Tarmogoyf, Phyrexian Dreadnoughts. Anything. You just outrace them with your Delver+ Geist beatdown.

[catmint]

I can see the point of hexproof beeing good in tempo in times of decay. Also non gy dependence to support lavamancer is sweet right now, but still why is Geist so hard to deal with for your opponents? Any big creature (especially tarmogoyf which is cheaper and very popular) reduces him to a "4 to the dome". And there are other popular creatures like snapcaster or vendilion clique who can trade. I guess the answer to this is "swords to plowshares", but Goyf would still worry me, so I would for sure play 4 Submerge in the board. Not beeing in green keeps the submerges of RUG, BUG in the board giving a real advantage. Submerge also Deals with Tombstalker in such an elegant way

I am interested in this deck, but I have some questions:

1) Should the land count go up to 19 or 20 to support cmc3? Lavamancer is also mana-intensive

2) I never really played a lot of white but I wonder if a powerful Enlightened Tutor package in the SB makes sense. Something like 3 E. Tutor and some very powerful hate winning games against specific decks: like Rest in Piece, Circle of Protection: Red, Ensnaring Bridge (Show&Tell), Arcane Laboratory, Energy Flux. Against all of the listed decks at least 4 slots (removal or lavamancer) are really weak, so having 4 virtual game changing spells among the

3) Another SB option would be to go for a Stoneforge Mystic Package against midrange. Batterskull is still very powerful and any swords make Geist a real beast. But I guess the tempo package is better than SFM in those matchups.

[kiblast]

Yeah, I still play Submerge and I'm testing a 2/2 Submerge Ensnare split. I like how Ensnare comes in handy vs. a lot of decks, while Submerge does nothing vs non green aggro decks, basically vs Goblins or Merfolk. By the way, an active Lavamancer and Burn takes down everything in legacy excluding 6+ thoughness Kotr. Besides that, you have as you correctly said StP, and counters. I wouldn't say the situation is so dramatic that you absolutely need 4 Submerges in the board.

[Einherjer]

If Goyf is the creature, you are worried about I'd suggest just the same answer to the creature that worries me --> Nimble Mongoose.

I've just started picking up the deck but I've been testing quite a bit lately and pretty often died to Nimble Mongoose... The best answer to it seems to be Rest in Peace, as Goyf gets destroyed by the splashdamage aswell - obv you should board out Lavamancers in this (RUG) MU in any way...

Greetings

[Arsenal]

Yeah, that Plateau could be an Island, but I'm okay with my mana configuration so far; maybe my current love of Team America, and RUG Delver before it, has gotten me trained on using all nonbasics in a three color tempo deck. I'm still conflicted over Pierce. There are times when it's been awesome, then others when the game has progressed to where my opponent doesn't care about paying 2 more mana. Forked Bolt is always live, on turn 1 through turn 20. Again, same problem I've run across with Stifle is that Pierce forces me on leaving mana open in the early stages of the game when I'm wanting to tap out to develop my board. With the Lavamancers and 3cc creatures, this deck is insanely mana hungry. I'll go back to Pierce and test, but in my initial testing, I really didn't like it as it as I felt it hampered my own tempo.

[catmint]

If Goyf is the creature, you are worried about I'd suggest just the same answer to the creature that worries me --> Nimble Mongoose.

I've just started picking up the deck but I've been testing quite a bit lately and pretty often died to Nimble Mongoose... The best answer to it seems to be Rest in Peace, as Goyf gets destroyed by the splashdamage aswell - obv you should board out Lavamancers in this (RUG) MU in any way...

Greetings

Hmm, true. In fact nimble mongoose is a bigger problem since all our answers target. So you suggest boarding out lavamancers for a couple of rest in piece against RUG? How many would you run? What do you think about an enlightened tutor toolbox in the SB?

Evaluating to play this deck over RUG delver is the bigger question, since those 2 are pretty similar (BUG "tapout" delver is a different animal).

A collection of my thoughts of Pro's and Con's:

Using the GY for lavamancer vs. using it for nimble mongoose (& Goyf) -> The 2 green creatues are surely overall better than what white has to offer: Geist of St. Draft (expensive), Steppe Lynx (inconsistent & swingy), Serra Avenger (color intensive), or Jotun Grunt (antisynergistic - does not live long enough), but Mongoose gets hated by deathrite pretty well and lavamancers board control is a premium feature in a deathrite haevy metagame.

In General URW controls the board much better than RUG.

URW is also not affected by submerge which people will bring a lot expecting all kinds of Jund, BUG, RUG, Maverick, Rock.

The SB options white wins over green imo. Loam & Krosan Grip are nice, but white has a lot of options: Rest in Peace, Meddling Mage, Detention Sphere and others...

The antisynergy of Swords & Bolt (or the tempo plan) is of course a disadvantage.

Having a 3 mana win-con to do the "heavy lifting" is just what worries me a bit for a deck like this. With Geist, Lavamancer and a more even distribution of the 2 splash colors (you even want to play a non-awesome land... pfui) mana is definetly a lot more vulnerable than RUG's mana, which is why I would never cut Ponder.

Any thoughts are welcome.

[Arsenal]

I haven't seen anyone advocating for Serra Avenger or Jotun Grunt in UWR Delver. I think it's now widely accepted that Geist of Saint Traft, Delver of Secrets, Grim Lavamancer, and Vendilion Clique are the core creature theats. Geist being 3cc is wonky, but if that means I don't have to care at all about Abrupt Decay or Deathrite Shaman once he resolves, then I'll pay the 3cc for him and hope my removal clears his path. Also, swinging for 6 points across 2 creatures creates more problems for your opponent than a single 4/5 being chumped all day by Souls tokens. I like Geist in this deck a lot and think he is positioned well in this meta.

[SirTylerGalt]

UWR Delver in action in the SouthFloridaMagic top 4:

http://www.twitch.tv/southfloridamagic/b/366854333

[Einherjer]

As this thread starts off with a UWR Slighdeck I thought that opening a new thread for the deck we are discussing atm seems fine.

http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?25531-UWR-Delver&p=704211#post704211

Greetings

[Mastikor]

UWR Delver in action in the SouthFloridaMagic top 4:

http://www.twitch.tv/southfloridamagic/b/366854333

That Standstill :confused: