Dies to Removal

I want to start here:

[deck]
Creatures (12)
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer

Spells (30)
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Burst Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe
3 Thought Scour
3 Serum Visions
2 Spell Pierce
2 Spell Snare
4 Remand
3 Mana Leak
3 Treasure Cruise

Lands (18)
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
3 Steam Vents
1 Breeding Pool
4 Island
1 Mountain

Sideboard (15)
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Surgical Extraction
2 Dispel
2 Grim Lavamancer
2 Magma Spray
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Flashfreeze
1 Negate
2 Combust
1 Keranos, God of Storms
[/deck]

I find it humorous that the art for both Young Pyromancer and Treasure Cruise are by Cynthia Shephard. Coincidence?

I don't think Keranos on 18 lands is a good idea.

And I think addressing the land count issue is the better way to remedy this.

I don't think Keranos on 18 lands is a good idea.

If you've played the UWR matchup as many times as I have you'll understand why it's there. Of course, it could be overkill since we're running Treasure Cruise.

Land count is fine I think.

Zem, thoughts on Burst Lightning vs Pillar of Flame here? I love playing at instant speed but I feel like maindecking Pillar of Flame could free up some sideboard slots while shoring up the Pod matchup. My main complaint with Pillar has been the nonbo with EOT Snapcaster.

Oh my god. This has me excited for gp van.

Zem, thoughts on Burst Lightning vs Pillar of Flame here? I love playing at instant speed but I feel like maindecking Pillar of Flame could free up some sideboard slots while shoring up the Pod matchup. My main complaint with Pillar has been the nonbo with EOT Snapcaster.

I don't mind the thought of 1 Pillar 1 Burst Lightning main. Pillar is worse with EOT Snapcaster but still goes to the face decently when you need it to.

When I was playing the SSS version I found I could usually make use of my mana in such a way that Pillar wasn't all that clunky. In fairness, that version wasn't casting Serum Visions.

Pillar vs Burst Lightning is just a reaction to meta I think. I know pod is way more popular in the US than here in Aus, so Pillar is probably much better for you than me.

[deck]UR Powerful Wizards[/deck]
Creatures
4 Delver of Secrets
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Young Pyromancer

Non-creature Spells
2 Burst Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
1 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
2 Thoughtscour
2 Treasure Cruise

Lands
1 Flooded Strand
5 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
1 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
3 Steam Vents

Sideboard
2 Blood Moon
1 Combust
1 Dispel
2 Grim Lavamancer
3 Magma Spray
2 Negate
2 Spellskite
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Vedalken Shackles
[/deck]

To have the option of 3 Lavamancer or 3 cruise, whichever fits better

I'm just testing with a split for the time being. What are some sideboard cards you've been testing with?

I usually use a ~25 card sideboard in testing, and then narrow it down after I've determined the matchups that need help most, so even super obscure 1ofs are sweet.

That sideboard looks awesome, damn.

Depending on your meta:
- Combust
- other counterspells (dispel, flash freeze, spell pierce)
- Dismember
- Threads of Disloyalty
- Spreading Seas
- Vandalblast

Oh and Keranos / Batterskull duh.

Keranos, since he's the most untouchable. Closest thing to playable answer is revoke existence.

How many times have you Snap + Cruised?

To cruise, or not to cruise?

That's never the question.

Snap cruise.

Twice.

One time was Cruise, Snap, Cruise around turn ~15 or so. Opponent conceded immediately.

You regularly go through ~35 cards with this deck between fetching, cantripping, thought scouring and cruising.

I've almost miller out many times with the deck over the last few months.

How many times have you Snap + Cruised?

Best feeling ever

Been flooding a bit on 19 land, might try 18 with the 4th Serum Visions and either 3rd Treasure Cruise or another Thought Scour.

Now that we're running a lot of Scours, is Runechanters Pike a reasonable option? I realize the nonbo with Cruise, but at the same time a lot of my games see me having 15-20 cards in the yard in the mid to late game, and it's perfectly possible to delve a cruise without exiting many/any instants and sorceries.

I'm not sure if the Pike is needed, but it seems awesome to close games out quickly from time to time.

Seems like you're in a rush to win when you shouldn't be; equipment doesn't interact by itself and is very clunky; you can't afford the tempo loss usually.

After playing with Pike a little in my 75 I realized that Batterskull and Keranos were just better.

Yeah that makes sense. I'm probably just nostalgic for standard with uw runechanter flash.

You implied that your were playing less than 4 visions? If so, please explain.

Treasure cruise is the most back breaking thing in the lategame. Everytime I cast it after turn 4, it ends the game.

I'm kind of on board with the idea of a single hibernation. The boggles matchup is atrocious, and hibernation lets you actually catch up while being applicable in other matchups.

With a raw draw three in our deck, I don't mind having a hurkyulls recall for creatures.

Treasure cruise is the most back breaking thing in the lategame. Everytime I cast it after turn 4, it ends the game.

I'm kind of on board with the idea of a single hibernation. The boggles matchup is atrocious, and hibernation lets you actually catch up while being applicable in other matchups.

With a raw draw three in our deck, I don't mind having a hurkyulls recall for creatures.

Is Boggles large in your meta? I've heard a lot of SB advice about not hedging for a matchup you're not likely to see. That said, Hibernation is better than some of the MD cards against Jund/Junk and Pod, too.

Engineered Explosives fills a similar role against Bogles while being good in other matchups.

You implied that your were playing less than 4 visions? If so, please explain.

I was playing something in between your list and Val's from the top of the page.

I'm skeptical of cutting a land AND a visions; you really need to hit 2 and 3 in a relatively timely fashion. I understand the fear if flooding, but that's even less if a worry now given you can draw 3 a few times.

Finished 2nd in a 7 round event, played horribly. Will tune the list a bit.

This is slightly better. I actually ran out of lands to fetch several times, so I am switching the mana base slightly, amongst other changes. If anything isn't intuitive, ask!

[deck]UR Delver[/deck]
Creatures
4 Delver of Secrets
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Snapcaster Mage
3 Young Pyromancer

Non-Creature Spells
2 Burst Lightning
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Serum Visions
1 Sleight of Hand
1 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
1 Thoughtscour
2 Treasure Cruise

Lands
5 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Mountain
1 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents

Sideboard
2 Blood Moon
1 Combust
1 Counterflux
1 Dispel
2 Grim Lavamancer
3 Magma Spray
1 Negate
2 Spellskite
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Vedalken Shackles
[/deck]

When do you bring in the extra Treasure Cruise?

In attrition matchups.

Zem would you be interested in playing Modern MOCS on Saturday, November 22, 2014 7:00 AM Pacific - which is around 11:00 PM Melbourne time I think?

I don't care much for the format so this could be a nice chance for you too battle it out in Modern against the world stage (you'll find that from team CFB LSV and Owen are MOCS regulars (though I can't recall any recent MOCS top8 in constructed)).

I'll be in France for the World Magic Cup I am afraid.

I am getting my Treasure Cruise alt. art to loo like Law's submarine. So gas.

I might cut a Spellskite for a Batterskull, since...well...Batterskull.

So many options, mostly all excellent.

I might cut a Spellskite for a Batterskull, since...well...Batterskull.

So many options, mostly all excellent.

Isnt generally Keranos better than Batterskull? Most people seemed to agree on it?