Gold Digger [UWr Delve Control]

@Alphastryk:

All vaild points.
If you're tuning this for the next GP make sure to meta your SB slots. I'm sure it's a tricky topic.
Be prepared to face a considerably increased amount of delve-mechanic hate:
RiPs/Relics, Leylines (have been facing them online recently), plus hate specifically targeted the UR elefant in the room that we also suffer from: an increased amount of Chalice decks.
Luckily this development will also stifle decks that can be tough for us: PunishingXYZ, and Loam decks in general.

Not sure if the BUG version of this deck fits in the thread but I want 3-1 again on MTGO.
MU:
2-0 vs BUG Delver
2-1 vs OmniShow
2-0 vs MUD
1-2 vs UWR delver (in game 3 I had all for Dig's in my hand. Normally it's an easy MU)

This is actually one of the more interesting things to come out of the delve cards that I've seen. I'll be keeping a close eye on this... Unfortunately there's no way I'm buying Misdirection online until there's a reprint.

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Originally Posted by alphastryk

Choke is the only one there I'm even mildly worried about - Moat answers Batterskull & any other equipment pretty well already, and EE and counterspells handle Vial most of the time. CB you can usually answer on the stack or with EE, and I'm not too worried to begin with - the Miracles matchup is good enough that it doesn't matter.

I'm leaning towards cutting both of them but I'm not even sure what else I need in the board.

I wasn't planning on going to GP New Jersey, but this deck is good enough that I'm seriously considering it now.

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I've had EE pithing needled a couple times, which has been annoying since it's the only option for non-creature permanent removal. It hasn't been catastrophic yet, but if they sneak a lili through and you can't EE for 3 you've got a problem.

Vnayin suggested trying a Council's Judgement. I'm also playing around with dropping the Cruise for a Keranos (still a source of card advantage, but also a wincon. Plus you can bolt away resolved walkers).

How has misdirection been? In my experience, it's the lowest-performing blue card so far. Also, have you tested much vs UR delver? I've felt pretty comfortable vs most delver matchups, but UR always seems to have just enough reach to kill me right before I stabilize. Baneslayer helps, but it seems they've always got all deez to blank it (double bolt it after I fight over cruise, etc).

I love this list. Is Treasure Cruise any good here?

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Originally Posted by jarvisyu

I love this list. Is Treasure Cruise any good here?

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Treasure Cruise is ok. Obviously worse that Dig Through Time, which is why I'm only running one as a 5th Dig. It's possible that something like Impulse is just better though.

I'm trying to rework my sideboard to improve the UR Delver matchup, likely cutting the Wear // Tear, Pithing Needle, and maybe the Blood Moon.

Current frontrunners for those slots - Kor Firewalker, Nyx-Fleece Ram (really), and more BEB effects.

I'm not too worried about people boarding in RiP / Relic / Leyline against us - I think them having those cards in their deck is bad enough - this deck can function without the delve spells when needed.

Misdirection has been great as a 5th FoW in counter wars and as a way to fight Hymn.

EE getting Needled seems bad, but I'm having trouble coming up with a scenario where both Needle and the thing non-creature you want to kill resolve - you have more counterspells than anyone else in the format.

I had a Council's Judgment initially but never really needed it. Swapped to the Wear // Tear but that's been equally a blank.

I played Alphastryk's 73 in a 20 person local yesterday. I swapped the Blood Moon and a Clique for a Crypt and a Meddling Mage. The list was stellar, although I did run into a nearly unwinnable match up in Manaless Dredge. I managed to steal a game where I Surgicaled him twice, Plowed some creatures, Crypted him, and still almost died to a giant Grave Troll (I ripped Verdict off a Ponder shuffle). Yeah that's a tough deck. Otherwise, crushed mana dredge and Elves, and drew with a slow Elves player who wouldn't conceed to my onboard Moat. Speaking of, that card was amazing and way, way better than Verdict. I think I'll be playing this deck in a duel for duals PTQ side event.

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Originally Posted by alphastryk

Treasure Cruise is ok. Obviously worse that Dig Through Time, which is why I'm only running one as a 5th Dig. It's possible that something like Impulse is just better though.

I'm trying to rework my sideboard to improve the UR Delver matchup, likely cutting the Wear // Tear, Pithing Needle, and maybe the Blood Moon.

Current frontrunners for those slots - Kor Firewalker, Nyx-Fleece Ram (really), and more BEB effects.

I'm not too worried about people boarding in RiP / Relic / Leyline against us - I think them having those cards in their deck is bad enough - this deck can function without the delve spells when needed.

Misdirection has been great as a 5th FoW in counter wars and as a way to fight Hymn.

EE getting Needled seems bad, but I'm having trouble coming up with a scenario where both Needle and the thing non-creature you want to kill resolve - you have more counterspells than anyone else in the format.

I had a Council's Judgment initially but never really needed it. Swapped to the Wear // Tear but that's been equally a blank.

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I've tried 2x BEB in the board, was a pretty marginal benefit.
I've also considered running a Ram - I'll try it next time, probably alongside an E Tutor.

Agreed that grave hate is pretty irrelevant vs us.
The only situation I've been in where needle on EE was relevant has been vs a deck running Liliana (also happened vs Elves, but it just meant i had them soft-locked with moat/jace instead of hard-locked with EE/ruins).

Online meta is 20%+ UR delver (by itself!), and it looks like paper metas are similar; I'm interested in hearing about what you end up having success with in the board.

After testing Baneslayer Angel today, I have to say, EtA will remain my go-to killcon for the time being.
Outside of the lifegain aspect, there really is no benefit to her.

I like that EtA is immune to STP, Lili, Jace bounces etc., but what makes those angel tokens stellar is that you not only can cast them EOT, but also basically just end the game right there.

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Originally Posted by klaus

After testing Baneslayer Angel today, I have to say, EtA will remain my go-to killcon for the time being.
Outside of the lifegain aspect, there really is no benefit to her.

I like that EtA is immune to STP, Lili, Jace bounces etc., but what makes those angel tokens stellar is that you not only can cast them EOT, but also basically just end the game right there.

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Do you run top at all? Or do you find that you need to be conservative with your Brainstorm effects to get an entreat on top / trigger it at your opponent's end step?

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Originally Posted by exallium

Do you run top at all? Or do you find that you need to be conservative with your Brainstorm effects to get an entreat on top / trigger it at your opponent's end step?

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You can check the OP, it's 2 currently. I keep my version up to date there.

Interesting to see you're liking EtA - I tried it and it was awful. Maybe our metagames are that different? I really don't see the appeal of EtA without making tons of other changes I don't want to make - your list has to play Top to support it, and Top is not where this deck wants to be. To reliably cast it EoT as you claim requires playing the deck very differently as well. The biggest thing though - you don't need to 'win the game right there' - the fact that you are so far ahead on cards means you already have - you just need to physically close the door. If I thought I could get away with it I'd just play 4 Jaces and be done with it.

There isn't a Jace / Lili / StP deck I'm scared of (those matchups are all very good already except for Jund) , so I don't need a wincon to help out there - Jace does just fine. Baneslayer doesn't get Pierced or Decayed. It gets you life back again aggro when you need it.

Caleb Durward talks about the deck in a recent article:

http://www.channelfireball.com/artic...gp-new-jersey/

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Originally Posted by Svknoe

Caleb Durward talks about the deck in a recent article:

http://www.channelfireball.com/artic...gp-new-jersey/

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Interesting to see - your list from MTGO I guess? :)

"...The result is this deck, which looks like it belongs in Vintage."

That's definitely true - it often feels like you just are not playing the same format as your opponent.

Yes, I have had good success with it on modo recently. :)

The list is almost an exact copy of Carsten's list, which I think is the best variant. I haven't tested the list in the OP, though. My changes only amount to wanting 1 more piece of graveyard hate and budget concerns.

Edit:

Do any of you have any thoughts on sideboarding? I feel just about clueless. There are the easy things such as removal being bad against combo, while clique is good against control. In fair deck match ups (especially delver), I often don't know what to take out.

This deck is really interesting. I honestly don't think you need anything but Jace to win though.

Sorceries (8)
4 Ponder
1 Preordain
1 Council's Judgement
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Treasure Cruise

Instants (25)
4 Brainstorm
4 Swords to Plowshares
2 Spell Pierce
1 Flusterstorm
1 Pyroblast
3 Counterspell
1 Fire // Ice
4 Force of Will
1 Misdirection
4 Dig Through Time

Planeswalkers (3)
3 Jace, the Mindsculptor

Artifacts (2)
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Batterskull

Lands (22)
4 Flooded Strand
4 Polluted Delta
1 Arid Mesa
3 Tundra
2 Volcanic Island
3 Island
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Karakas
1 Academy Ruins

Sideboard (15)
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Path to Exile
1 Flusterstorm
1 Spell Pierce
1 Pithing Needle
1 Wear // Tear
1 Hydroblast
1 Pyroblast
1 Pyroclasm
1 Ethersworn Canonist
3 Containment Priest
1 Council's Judgement

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Originally Posted by klaus

You can check the OP, it's 2 currently. I keep my version up to date there.

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Awesome... I basically have the deck online already... =D I'm just missing a tundra and some of the cheap stuff.

Definitely going to throw this together post GP New Jersey.

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Originally Posted by exallium

Awesome... I basically have the deck online already... =D I'm just missing a tundra and some of the cheap stuff.

Definitely going to throw this together post GP New Jersey.

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If you're used to playing durdly UW control decks quickly (like Miracles), this deck should be pretty easy to play. I don't even play much control and I've found that it's easier than Miracles because there's less Topping and more card draw. I strongly suspect it's a stronger deck overall too.

But on the topic of Entreat vs. Baneslayer - BG decks can beat Entreat with a pile of otherwise-dead Abrupt Decays. Many are stone cold locked by Baneslayer. It takes less mana to set up a win, and no one beats a Baneslayer race. This is regardless of the merits of Top vs. Preordain / Cruise.
Entreat is probably better against white decks, but they usually have a slower clock so you can afford to wait until you can protect Baneslayer (just like you'd have to wait to play around Pierce with Entreat).

Also Moat is insane. Absolutely bonkers. This deck is fairly inbred with a couple of Blasts and Pierces maindeck, and Moat just shores up so many weaknesses. It really bridges the midgame into a late-game win. Often swarm decks will slowroll their creatures for wraths and you'll find yourself swimming in a never-ending horde of creatures. You need a card to really slam the gate closed on them. (I may be out of Moat puns...)

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Originally Posted by phazonmutant

I strongly suspect it's a stronger deck overall too.

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That's a big statement. All in all, it's made me more excited to try the deck out. I'll want a change after New Jersey anyhow. I'll definitely pick up a moat online and try it out as well.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by exallium

That's a big statement. All in all, it's made me more excited to try the deck out. I'll want a change after New Jersey anyhow. I'll definitely pick up a moat online and try it out as well.

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I've played Miracles since the cards were printed. This is a clearly stronger deck.

I'll repeat what I said in another thread - this is the best Legacy deck I've ever played, including Mystical Tutor Reanimator.