[Deck] Canadian Threshold (aka RUG Delver, Tempo Thresh)

I've been continuing to test TNN builds and I have concluded while TNN builds are nigh unstoppable on the play, winning on the draw with a TNN hand is kind of rough, especially against Death and Taxes and Daze mirrors. Obviously TNN is already terrible against Elves/Storm/Show and Tell/Combo. I'm also finding that games against TNN decks in a Goyf build are winnable, your play just needs to be incredibly tight. So with these facts combined, I am back on Goyf in the MD and TNN in the SB. Destructive Revelry in the SB is part of this plan, we need an answer to RIP to keep Goyf playable. The extra damage from Destructive Revelry is worth at least a partial card, so this card is perfectly designed to fit in our SB. I've got the Electrickery in the board since I plan on bringing in TNN against Death and Taxes and Jund, so Rough would be more dubious in those match ups. Electrickery is also the better card against Storm, so I figure that is enough upside to make it worth it, but it certainly could just be Rough/Tumble. This is where I am at currently with a general SB plan, I think this build has reasonable game against the whole meta:

MD: 60
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Tarmogoyf

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
2 Gitaxian Probe

4 Lightning Bolt
2 Chain Lightning

4 Stifle
4 Daze
2 Spell Pierce
4 Force of Will

4 Wasteland
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island

SB:
2 Submerge
2 True-Name Nemesis
2 Electrickery
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Flusterstorm
2 Destructive Revelry
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Surgical Extraction

SB plans: (Obviously -2 Daze +2 FoW in match ups on the draw where I cut 4 FoW)

RUG Delver:
-4 FoW,-2 Spell Pierce, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB, +2 Submerge

BUG Delver:
-4 FoW, -2 Tarmgoyf, +2 REB, +2 Submerge, +2 TNN

Urw Delver:
-4 FoW, -2 Tarmgoyf, +2 REB, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Jund:
-4 FoW, +2 Submerge, +2 TNN

Deathblade:
-4 FoW, -2 Gitaxian Probe, +2 REB, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Shardless BUG:
-4 FoW, -2 Gitaxian Probe, +2 REB, +2 Submerge, +2 TNN

Miracles:
-2 Daze, -2 Chain Lightning, -4 Lightning Bolt, +2 REB, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Death and Taxes:
-2 Spell Pierce, -2 Stifle, -2 FoW, +2 Electrickery, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Elves:
-4 Daze, -4 Stifle, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 Submerge, +2 Electrickery

TES:
-4 Lightning Bolt, -2 Chain Lightning, -1 Tarmogoyf, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB +2 Electrickery +1 Surgical Extraction

ANT:
-4 Lightning Bolt, -2 Chain Lightning, -2 Tarmogoyf, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB, +2 Electrickery, +1 Surgical Extraction, +1 Grafdigger’s Cage

Show and Tell:
-2 Chain Lightning, -2 Lightning Bolt, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB

Dredge:
-3 Stifle, -2 Chain Lightning, +2 Flusterstorm, +1 Surgical Extraction, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage

Wow, BK! Thanks for the information and testing. Very solid post.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BKclassic

I'm also finding that games against TNN decks in a Goyf build are winnable, your play just needs to be incredibly tight. So with these facts combined, I am back on Goyf in the MD and TNN in the SB. Destructive Revelry in the SB is part of this plan, we need an answer to RIP to keep Goyf playable. The extra damage from Destructive Revelry is worth at least a partial card, so this card is perfectly designed to fit in our SB.
MD: 60
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Tarmogoyf

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
2 Gitaxian Probe

4 Lightning Bolt
2 Chain Lightning

4 Stifle
4 Daze
2 Spell Pierce
4 Force of Will

4 Wasteland
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island

SB:
2 Submerge
2 True-Name Nemesis
2 Electrickery
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Flusterstorm
2 Destructive Revelry
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Surgical Extraction

SB plans: (Obviously -2 Daze +2 FoW in match ups on the draw where I cut 4 FoW)

RUG Delver:
-4 FoW,-2 Spell Pierce, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB, +2 Submerge

BUG Delver:
-4 FoW, -2 Tarmgoyf, +2 REB, +2 Submerge, +2 TNN

Urw Delver:
-4 FoW, -2 Tarmgoyf, +2 REB, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Jund:
-4 FoW, +2 Submerge, +2 TNN

Deathblade:
-4 FoW, -2 Gitaxian Probe, +2 REB, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Shardless BUG:
-4 FoW, -2 Gitaxian Probe, +2 REB, +2 Submerge, +2 TNN

Miracles:
-2 Daze, -2 Chain Lightning, -4 Lightning Bolt, +2 REB, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Death and Taxes:
-2 Spell Pierce, -2 Stifle, -2 FoW, +2 Electrickery, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 TNN

Elves:
-4 Daze, -4 Stifle, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 Submerge, +2 Electrickery

TES:
-4 Lightning Bolt, -2 Chain Lightning, -1 Tarmogoyf, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB +2 Electrickery +1 Surgical Extraction

ANT:
-4 Lightning Bolt, -2 Chain Lightning, -2 Tarmogoyf, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB, +2 Electrickery, +1 Surgical Extraction, +1 Grafdigger’s Cage

Show and Tell:
-2 Chain Lightning, -2 Lightning Bolt, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 REB

Dredge:
-3 Stifle, -2 Chain Lightning, +2 Flusterstorm, +1 Surgical Extraction, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage

---

Great post and testing. Not 100% on board with all of the sideboard decisions though. How has siding REB in against rug been for you? For me I've always preferred Spell Pierce because it affects the key spell in the mirror which is Bolt. Bolt is what always seems to settle RUG mirrors by breaking Goyf stalemates and killing opposing Delvers. The other sideboard plan that I don't quite understand is Jund. Even with the advantage of being on the play; Jund has so much hand disruption to rip TNN from our hand. Maybe I'm wrong it just seems hard to power TNN through Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek and Hymn.

I've been trying out something very similar to the list that Jacob Wilson used in his last video (one card difference in the maindeck and a slightly different sideboard):

MD: 60
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Tarmogoyf

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
2 Gitaxian Probe

4 Lightning Bolt
1 Forked Bolt

4 Stifle
4 Daze
2 Spell Pierce
1 Spell Snare
4 Force of Will

4 Wasteland
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island

SB:
2 Submerge
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Flusterstorm
1 Spell Pierce
1 Forked Bolt
1 Rough
1 Sulfur elemental
1 Pithing Needle (Hasn't done anything too amazing yet, but it's flexible and has game against a large variety of cards)
1 Krosan Grip
1 Artifact Mutation (With SCG Squirrel Storm token for added lols when it resolves http://www.starcitygames.com/article...14-Part-2.html )

After playing this list a bit TNN doesn't seem as much of an issue if I have Gitaxian Probe early enough. The information seems even more valuable now since a lot of the fair decks have their own "1 card combo" against us in the form of TNN. I can use the information to plan appropriately and play the control game if I need to (realize they're short on mana, search for more countermagic, dig for removal for deathrite because they're short on double blue, etc). As for the sideboard I actually really like the singleton plan which seems better with Gitaxian Probe. I played in a local weekly 4 round tournament last night that had 40ish people and I went 3/1.

Round 1 Miracles 0/2
I was a bit confused game one because I probed turn 2 I think and it revealed Brainstorm, 2x Snapcaster, Volcanic, Jace. The revealed cards and two Tundras on the field led me to think it was some UWR midrange, but Terminus swept away my Goose after I got him down to 9. After that he got counterbalance lock set up and we moved to game two.
This game I kind of just through my opener was a single land single delver hand with lots of disruption. The key mistake was not dazing the turn 1 ponder he played. With that type of hand the game needs to go as short as possible and disrupting the can trips is the best way at doing that. Delver beat him down to 12 before Terminus ruined the party. I was able to stifle it the first time around, but the second time he had Force back up to deal with my Force.

Round 2 Zoo 2/1
I'm pretty sure this is just a bad match up, but haven't played it enough to know for sure. Game 1 was pretty fast with him having Green Sun, Noble, Wild nacatal and Kotr just too many threats that I couldn't find answers for.
Game 2 was awesome my turn 1 delver immediately was met by a Swords To plowshares. Wild Nacatal started to beat down on me with Noble Hierarch helping out. I was able to get a Goyf out, but sadly Nacatal could eat it in combat seeing as it was only a 3/4 so I take a few more hits and fall to 12. My opponent then played Sylvan Safekeeper followed by a Kotr the next turn. With things looking grim I ponder and find Rough to join the submerge in my hand. After that I turn Goyf (3/4) sideways staring down his 4/4 Kotr He takes and falls to 18. Wasteland hits his plateau (sacrificed to safekeeper to give Kotr shroud for the turn) leaving him with plains, forest, noble, safekeeper and kotr. Then rough hits the table and on his upkeep I submerge Kotr which I couldn't cast for the rest of the game with only two lands in play.
Game 3 my opponent kept a very control like hand leading fetch forest pass. Seeing as he didn't play any of the 12 one drops (GSZ, Noble, Nacatal) I assumed he had either removal or some two drops. With that being said goose hits the table. He adds a Grove of the Burnwillows to the table which got wasted on my turn immediately. Another goose joins the party and the rest is history with him being behind on relevant creatures to block my geese.

Round 3 RUG Delver 2/0
I always hate this mirror it's just so disgusting. Someone always ends up with no permanents and that's pretty much how this went.
Game 1 I win the die roll probe and see 2x ponder, tropical, wasteland, stifle, goyf and a delver. I lead with my delver pass my opponent proceeds to wasteland me which worried me a bit since I didn't have another land. Delver bricks swings for one and I pass after playing a wasteland of my own. He plays ponder which in response I wasteland followed by a force to play around daze. On my turn Delver continues to brick, but this time I drew a land which isn't horrible. I pass my opponent plays a fetch passes back and delver continues to brick this time off of a wasteland. So I play my wasteland pass he proceeds to wasteland my volcanic and of course I draw a flooded strand. At this point the game ended after delver flipped and he had probed me knowing I had stifle + force back up for his fetch and I knew he had stifle hahaha.
Game 2 Started with a delver on his side which met my bolt. After that he leaded out another delver passed back. I played out a tarmgoyf which we fought over, but it finally resolved. His delver bricks and he adds a goyf to the table. On my turn I play out two delvers and pass. He just passes the turn back since our goyfs are staring at each other. After my first delver trigger resolved revealing a stifle he submerged the flipped one and the second one then failed. Eventually the skies were clear and my delver went to work after one of them trading with his. In the end it was a very close game me just barely winning the race at 5 life after he took out my goyf and bolt got me the extra few points I needed.

Round 4 Manaless Dredge 2/1
For once I actually beat this deck it helps when you find your sideboard cards hahaha. Game one he wins hands down no contest. Game two I keep a solid opener with 3 cantrips my first ponder finds one of the two cages in the top 3. I keep the cage on top in case he's able to therapy. He discards Troll passes I play cage on my turn which he tries to force, but I had daze back up. Game 3 was pretty funny my opener had both cages plus force. He starts out with Chancellor of the annex and discards a dredger and passes. On my turn I play out one cage and he didn't have the force so that was that. Most of the time I play against this deck previously my opponents always seemed to have phantasmagorian which really enables the deck to have some backbreaking starts with Probe or Street Wraith. It also enables them to Therapy away your hand much faster which was the problem I always had.

Yep,The mirrorgame is the only one where you manaflooding is great :)
It's still one of the most skill intensive matchup.
mulligan decisions are quite important,don't keep greedy hands.



- Team RUG-STAR Berlin -

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by sawatarix

Yep,The mirrorgame is the only one where you manaflooding is great :)
It's still one of the most skill intensive matchup.
mulligan decisions are quite important,don't keep greedy hands.



- Team RUG-STAR Berlin -

---

Yeah and that's part of the reason I'm not a huge fan of the mirror. I lost a mirror match a few weeks ago because I opted to use my last mana for spell pierce rather than stifle his second fetch which cost me the game (it was at 4 cards on the stack him swinging for lethal with goyf and fighting over my submerge). Should we side gitaxian probe out here? I personally think so, but more expierenced players have said the information is too valuable in the mirror. This makes sense, but that 2 life is probably another increment of 3 after the third fetch or a force which makes me want to side it out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Contract Killer

Great post and testing. Not 100% on board with all of the sideboard decisions though. How has siding REB in against rug been for you? For me I've always preferred Spell Pierce because it affects the key spell in the mirror which is Bolt. Bolt is what always seems to settle RUG mirrors by breaking Goyf stalemates and killing opposing Delvers. The other sideboard plan that I don't quite understand is Jund. Even with the advantage of being on the play; Jund has so much hand disruption to rip TNN from our hand. Maybe I'm wrong it just seems hard to power TNN through Thoughtseize, Inquisition of Kozilek and Hymn.

---

While I do board out Spell Pierce, I am replacing it with Flusterstorm which is strictly better in the mirror. REB's ability to kill Delver and counter blue spells is crazily good. I do agree that Burn is an essential part of the mirror, I used to run 5 burn spells main with 3 REB's in the board with the idea that the extra REB would make up for the lack of burn. In the Jund matchup, the idea isn't really to power TNN through their disruption, it's more of a lategame topdeck to power through whatever clogged up board state they have created. Basically an easier to cast Sulfuric Vortex. You might be correct that it isn't the optimal strategy against Jund, if I didn't have TNN, I would board in 2 Rough/Tumbles which are also effective at breaking up clogged board states in that match up.

@contract killer:

Te mirrorgame is all about resources so knowing our opponents plans/strategy is crucial.
This is one if the mathups i want to have 3-4 probes or should i say glasses of urza :-)


- Team RUG-STAR Berlin -

@ Contract killer

I suspect part of your lack of luck with the nemesis rests in your sideboarding and not with your nemesis.

I quite rarely board out force when i have nemesis, because i need to grind long games where my opponents draw x number of lilianas/tarmogoyfs/nemesis/entreats etc. that i cannot daze. On the otherhand i can safely ignore significant portions of the opponents deck (plows, decays etc.)

The jund matchup is perhaps the clearest example. I play that like a control deck, countering everything they play untill i find my nemesis, at which point mini-progenitus eats them with no cards in hand.

I only board out force when i am confident the game will be short enough that my dazes are live against significant spells.

Two of the best Canadian Threshold players in the world--Jacob Wilson and Alexander Hayne--combine to give some sick tech here: http://www.channelfireball.com/video...exander-hayne/

Make sure to watch the last video in the playlist.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BKclassic

This is where I am at currently with a general SB plan, I think this build has reasonable game against the whole meta:
...
2 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Chain Lightning
...

---

Seeing how you got only two additional burn, it looks like you'd be better off with FBs instead of CLs. I guess you won't use the card as a finisher too often, but rather as a cleaning device to open road for your creatures.

EDIT: The sb in the above video is really awful. Temporal Mastery? Hidetsugo's 2nd Rite? Common Deer? I wouldn't touch those cards in rubber gloves.

Haha,the channel fireball video is amazing, best entertaining in magic history ;D
The only exeption is thrun, i had the troll long time in my rug-sideboard and it was great.



- Team RUG-STAR Berlin -

here's what ill be testing tomorrow (lots of Dnt/Jund/Patriot.....with occasional combos)

RUG TNN
18 lands = still im not that happy with the 19 land, tried a lone island on a 7/7/4 split and was just not happy with it...i always want an eot fetch volc to burn drs or mom...i decided to replace the island with the 4th volc (goodthing i didnt sold my last 1!) ill be facing wastelands, so i need to have another true land in the low land count of 18.
3 trops / 4 volcs / 4 wastes / 7 fetches

creatures
12 = 3goose/3goyfs/2tnn/4 delvers = dropped the v.cliq (huge fan of this) coz i want to test tnn heavy builts..

since im running tnn, i think itll be better that every burn spells is an instant...so when i arrive at three i can already drop tnn and not worry bout unkilled annoying crits...
im going back to testing TARFIRES...that will surely be an advantage if im playing goyfs still..

spells = sets of fows/dazes/stifles/bolts/ponders/bstorms...
3 tarfires / 2 pierces / 1 izzet charm....though im still thinking of just making it another pierce, but i love drawing this as it can flush out excess lands once established... any thoughts?

i decided to cut simic in the sb, and will just make it the third submerge back...as i was loaded with UR..
im confident with the creature list, as im not worried with their removals anymore, i will surely have a clock they have to deal with with 5 untouchables...
i just need to manage well fetching, well any RUG should do...so i think 7 fetches (1 low of the usual) will not be an issue...
tests results to follow..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by poxy14

here's what ill be testing tomorrow (lots of Dnt/Jund/Patriot.....with occasional combos)

RUG TNN
18 lands = still im not that happy with the 19 land, tried a lone island on a 7/7/4 split and was just not happy with it...i always want an eot fetch volc to burn drs or mom...i decided to replace the island with the 4th volc (goodthing i didnt sold my last 1!) ill be facing wastelands, so i need to have another true land in the low land count of 18.
3 trops / 4 volcs / 4 wastes / 7 fetches

creatures
12 = 3goose/3goyfs/2tnn/4 delvers = dropped the v.cliq (huge fan of this) coz i want to test tnn heavy builts..

since im running tnn, i think itll be better that every burn spells is an instant...so when i arrive at three i can already drop tnn and not worry bout unkilled annoying crits...
im going back to testing TARFIRES...that will surely be an advantage if im playing goyfs still..

spells = sets of fows/dazes/stifles/bolts/ponders/bstorms...
3 tarfires / 2 pierces / 1 izzet charm....though im still thinking of just making it another pierce, but i love drawing this as it can flush out excess lands once established... any thoughts?

i decided to cut simic in the sb, and will just make it the third submerge back...as i was loaded with UR..
im confident with the creature list, as im not worried with their removals anymore, i will surely have a clock they have to deal with with 5 untouchables...
i just need to manage well fetching, well any RUG should do...so i think 7 fetches (1 low of the usual) will not be an issue...
tests results to follow..

---

Have you tried the singleton of Life from the loam in the maindeck? I took it out and found the same problems you were facing with the lands and I decided to play it again. I cut goyf completely for TNN as I no longer really fear RIP and I play 3 tnn 1 V Clique 4 Delver 4 Goose. Also I put EE in the sideboard as I feel it does a significant amount of damage to DNT, Elves, Jund and Bug for hitting 1 drops and 2 drops. Also it can be brought in against dredge and miracles.

@shiftykapree: i would try to find a slot for lifeloam.though im really not a fan of it.and with drs on my meta..this one drop can easily derail the lftl plan..

a while ago me and my friend tested my built over his urniv magus...3-0 in favor of me..goyf trumps decks with burn removals...as long as it is not remove from the game like stp, decays, lotv...goyfs still presents a big problem...and with tarfires, theyre easily a gain 5 vs decks with stps..if ur not able to counter it..with 8 burn spells, everything that landed gets toasted, with me not worrying dazing them..thus waited for him to cast his own tnn..well i need to test this still vs wasteland.dec....never had a problem landing tnns vs this deck, as they dont carry any.

I haven't gotten to the same level of success with RUG as I did back in February at Nashville. 2-2 at the Charlotte Invitational, and 3-3 / 0-3 at two SCG opens. I'd like to think that I still played mostly well, but I had some rough matchups (double merfolk, double D&T, Painter). I'm still sticking with RUG though, at least until I top 8 again (or 0-3 drop a couple more times D: ). I played 54+2 Probe/Pierce/FBolt and it felt pretty good to have Probe, but I'd feel fine going back to 3 Pierce/FBolt. Goyf is still good, Goose is still good, Stifle is still good, etc.

I played in 4 MODO Daily's this weekend with basically the same configuration as last time I posted. Here is the list I ran and what I learned:

4 Wasteland
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island

4 Delver of Secrets
4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Tarmogoyf

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
2 Gitaxian Probe

4 Lightning Bolt
2 Forked Bolt/Tarfire

2 Spell Pierce
4 Stifle
4 Daze
4 Force of Will

SB
2 Submerge
2 Spell Pierce
2 Rough/Tumble
2 Destructive Revelry
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Surgical Extraction
2 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Sulfur Elemental

-At least the online meta seems pretty favorable to RUG. I only 3-1'ed one tournament, but I probably could have placed in another if I had flooded just a bit less. Also I got struck down in one tournament by internet issues after being 1-0. I didn't play against TNN at all. Straight up Death Blade isn't a great match up, but this kind of strategy seems to have a huge target on its head (hopefully the SCG Open meta will be similiar). I also didn't want TNN at all. Contrary to the SB'ing guide I posted before, I don't think this card really helps against Shardless BUG or Death Blade, our best bet is just to play a tight tempo game against all decks.

-I like 4 graveyard hate spells in the sideboard. It’s not going to be possible to turn Shardless BUG and Deathblade into great match ups, but what we can do is not lose to other match ups, like Reanimator and Dredge. It’s also another generally useful card against combo decks without having to run more Spell Pierce type effects in the SB (which we have plenty of), so I am on board with Surgical Extraction for now.

- I am still trying decide which burn spell is best to supplement Lightning Bolt and I am leaning towards double Tarfire right now, it’s just pretty rare that we get to use the upside of Forked Bolt, and Tarfire is an instant and grows Tarmogoyf (getting Tarmogoyf to 5/6 against Tombstalker is good!), and those upsides come up pretty frequently. A Forked Bolt/Dismember split is probably the next most likely thing I would run. The only thing I don’t like about double Tarfire is that Serra Avenger/Painter’s Servant/Scavenging Ooze are things and your Lightning Bolts usually have a lot of targets already in those match ups, Dismember gives us an extra way to deal with those problems.

-Flusterstorm vs Spell Pierce in the SB: It's not too often that Flusterstorm counters something that Spell Pierce couldn't. Since I am running two Surgical Extraction to bring in against combo decks, I feel pretty comfortable not running Flusterstorm anymore. I did like Flusterstorm to help against Entreat and Terminus against Miracles, but Counterbalance is the card that's really going to kill you.

-While I am quite certain that six burn spells is optimal for most match ups, I have come to realize that Shardless BUG is the perfect match up to board out a burn spell for a Pithing Needle. I used to run a 3 Probe build with 5 burn spells in the MD with the idea of bringing in Pithing Needle against Deathrite Shaman decks to act as a pseudo burn spell. However, against most match ups, especially Delver mirrors, 6 burn spells are what you need. This lead to me cutting Pithing Needle since I was planning on just burning DRS, since I couldn’t think of a card to cut for Pithing Needle in the match ups where I would bring it in (namely Shardless BUG) . Pithing Needle actually punishes players for playing DRS since it answers all copies in their deck so it gives us virtual card advantage. Over the weekend, I realized that 6 burn isn’t that great against Shardless BUG, you only want to burn to kill DRS and finish off Tarmogoyf (you don't want to burn Shardless Agent and you want to counter Baleful Strix), so I will be boarding out a burn spell for a Pithing Needle in this match up.

So here is what I am going to test next weekend:

MD:
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Tarmogoyf

4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
2 Gitaxian Probe

4 Lightning Bolt
1 Forked Bolt
1 Dismember

2 Spell Pierce
4 Stifle
4 Daze
4 Force of Will

4 Wasteland
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island

SB plans:
2 Submerge
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Spell Pierce
2 Destructive Revelry
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Rough/Tumble
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle

I cut the Sulfur Elemental for the Pithing Needle. This may not be what I stick with, but I like Pithing Needle against Death and Taxes (it shuts down Mother of Runes, which is what Sulfur Elemental mostly does anyway).

Sideboarding (you cut up to 2 Daze on the draw instead of FoW in most match ups)

RUG Delver:
-4 FoW, +2 REB, +2 Submerge

BUG Delver:
-4 FoW, +2 REB, +2 Submerge

Urw Delver:
-4 FoW, +2 REB, +2 Destructive Revelry

Jund:
-4 FoW, +2 Submerge, +2 Rough/Tumble

Deathblade:
-4 FoW, -1 Dismember, +2 REB, +1 Pithing Needle, +2 Destructive Revelry

Sharldess BUG:
-4 FoW, -1 Forked Bolt, +2 REB, +2 Submerge, +1 Pithing Needle

Miracles:
-4 Lightning Bolt, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, -1 Daze, +2 REB, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Destructive Revelry, +1 Pithing Needle (On the draw, I might leave in more Bolts and take out a few Daze to answer Vendilion Clique)

Elves:
-4 Daze, -4 Stifle, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Submerge, +2 Rough/Tumble

Death and Taxes:
-2 FoW, -1 Stifle, -2 Spell Pierce, +2 Rough/Tumble, +1 Pithing Needle, +2 Destructive Revelry

Goblins:
-2 Spell Pierce, -2 FoW, +2 Destructive Revelry, +2 Rough/Tumble

Sneak and Show:
-4 Lighting Bolt, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, -1 Tarmgoyf, +2 REB, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Surgical Extraction, +1 Pithing Needle

Reanimator:
-4 Lightning Bolt, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Surgical Extraction, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage

TES:
-2 Lightning Bolt, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, -1 Tarmogoyf, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 REB +1 Rough/Tumble

ANT:
-2 Lightning Bolt, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, -2 Tarmogoyf, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 REB, +2 Surgical Extraction

Dredge:
-4 Stifle, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, +2 Spell Pierce, +2 Surgical Extraction, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage


Edit- Corrections in SB and talk about Flusterstorm

Thanks for the report and for the ideas. One thing seems a bit strange, though:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BKclassic

SB plans:
2 Submerge
2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Spell Pierce
2 Destructive Revelry
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Rough/Tumble
2 Surgical Extraction
1 Pithing Needle


Dredge:
-4 Stifle, -1 Forked Bolt, -1 Dismember, +2 Flusterstorm, +2 Surgical Extraction, +2 Grafdigger’s Cage

---

Flusterstorm isn't in your sb. Also, I like Pithing Needle against Cephalid Coliseum.

This may seem narrow, but has anyone considered Ground Seal against Deathrite Shaman? It hits reanimator but not much else. But it cantrips and if it goes to the bin, it boosts your goyf and is a card that can't be hit by Shaman.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tormod

This may seem narrow, but has anyone considered Ground Seal against Deathrite Shaman? It hits reanimator but not much else. But it cantrips and if it goes to the bin, it boosts your goyf and is a card that can't be hit by Shaman.

---

If Ground Seal somehow cost 1 mana or was better against graveyard decks (doesn't stop exhume or your oppoents from Dredging). Unfortunately, I don't find Fire/Ice to be playable because spending to mana to answer a 1 mana card is profoundly terrible. I haven't actually tried Ground Seal but Pithing Needle is a great sweeper against DRS and is what I would have to reccomend.

Please play Graffdigger's Cage as grave hate instead of Surgical. It definitely adds a few percentage points towards our elves matchup which should make it an easy choice. It's probably also better against Reanimator since you can drop it early instead of having it in your hand waiting to be discarded. It's also infinitely better against Dredge since they actually have to answer it instead of playing through or around it.
Is Gitaxian Probe better than an extra counter spell and removal spell? I mean, I get that it's good and all, but to me it doesn't seem worth it at all and I probably will never play them in RUG.