I dont get it why this should be a Delver/Tempo deck

I would call this Atarka Zoo or something else

I also dont think that its good against Combo or burn ; it just isnt fast enough and/pr has enough disruption

I kept the name (explained in the "History" section) as the list has been changing. This used to be more Tempo based with cards like Vines of Vastwood but still employs some of those tactics such as trying to get ahead in mana and protect creatures from Burn with Atarka's Command. It really isn't a Zoo list with the low creature count and lack of Wild Nacatl and Kird Ape and I haven't been able to come up with a particularly good name for its current iteration.

In the description I briefly mentioned that it has trouble with non-creature combo decks and that those are the toughest matches. After side boarding, this deck can get a little faster and add some relevant disruption but I'd still classify those matches as unfavorable. Against creatures combos such as Infect, it has been very good so far due to the large removal suite.

This deck is favored against Burn for a few reasons: we do not give them free damage from our lands, we can usually gain a small advantage while killing their creatures (Seal of Fire vs Eidolon of the Great Revel, bolt a Goblin Guide after possibly getting a land, everything dies to Searing Blaze), more of our spells can deal with creatures, we are still almost as fast,and all of our creatures outclass theirs so we can control the board fairly easily unless they use burn to remove our creatures - which favors us as we are more likely to topdeck a 'bomb' like Tarmogoyf or Traverse the Ulvenwald.

With vines i undestand that you called this delver. I also have to admit that Zoo isnt a right deck name since its only playing 13 creatures - not around 30

My point with the weakness against combo is that you dont have any real Disruption against eg Scapeshift and you cat race them with cards like volcanic Fallout and traverse (especially without Delirium) because you cant reliably goldfish a turn 4 win

against burn: 1. Your mana base is similar and youre playing mostly Fetches and shocks (Btw you should play more fetches for lavamancer and Searing Blaze)2. If youre killing creatures like Guide you will be slower and your opponent has still burnspells although goyf outclasses all other creatures he isnt that big here compared to BGx (with Liliana)

1. You dont have any real SB hate (Spellskite is only really good if youre playing Blue otherwise he is more often than not a 0/4 for 2 mana) and Burn will have Palms/Path/helix

Palm and Helix are great in a race and path is just the best answer against Goyf

also i would think that affinity is more like a 40/60 Matchup since they force you to have enough removal against their threats or they will race you

altough you can answer Pre Board stuff like Overseer pretty easily something like a Master of Etherium/ Etched Champion / Cranial Plating is pretty hard to deal with and you are not playing a deck that will win on turn 4 most of the time

I realize the weakness to combo and that is why the side has Blood Moon and Phyrexian Revoker. They may not be the absolute best against combo, but along with Destructive Revelry (if artifacts are used like in Tron) give me a fighting shot against them. I have and am still considering splashing another color for sideboard cards but I can't think of a package that seems better in general than the current one. One example I have tried is a Blood Crypt for Thoughtseizes, but I really didn't like that I couldn't use that and Blood Moon at the same time. If I add too many cards that don't deal damage, this deck loses too much reach.

If you have the means to try this deck, I'd suggest playing it against Burn. In most of the matches I've played, I felt favored and my record supports that. I may play fetches and shocks, but my need to fetch untapped shocks is low and the Copperline Gorges help out a lot too. I don't have more fetches because the land count has felt about right for a deck with 4 Traverse the Ulvenwald and I can't get rid of any basics or shocks as those number are very low. Copperline Gorge has been too valuable to get rid of.

I only have 1 Grim Lavamancer and having more shocks would make him better, but he is good enough as is and I cannot add a second one because of the nature of this deck (delirium and creature tutors). Traverse the Ulvenwald occasionally also helps with the Searing Blaze dilemma. I actually would be interested in cutting a Searing Blaze or two but I feel like the deck loses too much reach as there aren't that many good burn cards left that can hit creatures and players.

This deck is fast enough that if Burn slows down a bit from creature deaths, it likely wins. The times it loses are when the Burn deck has a good hand with zero creatures or only 1 that I cannot kill before it deals damage. In my experience, Tarmogoyf is actually larger than in Jund. It is incredibly rare to be less than a 4/5 and he commonly goes up to 5/6; 6/7 is rare though.

As the Burn match already feels good and every card in my deck has use against it, I did not dedicate any specific spots for it.

Affinity is somewhat random. If they draw the Steel Overseer or Signal Pest portions of the deck, I'm in good shape. Etched Champion or Master of Etherium in the main deck can be troublesome. Cranial Plating really depends on whether I can kill their creatures fast enough.

I really appreciate your feedback and would be grateful if you happen to know of a better answer to creature-less combo than Blood Moon and Phyrexian Revoker.

I would Add Goblin Guide and/or test Anger of the Gods (depending on your meta ) although anger is bad with your Creatures Hooting Mandrills could be good but is quite bad with Goyf/Lavamancer

I would also play 2 Forest and 1 Mountain (for Blood Moon)

Revoker is ok against Ad Nauseam and Melira Combo (Lab Maniac as alternative Wincon/ Creature Beat Down).

Maybe Splash White for some better SB options with a Sacred Foundry (Thalia, Guardian of Thraben Rest in Peace Aven Mindcensor Stony Silence )

Or a)

All summarized i would put in 4 Goblin Guide and cut probably Volcanic Fallout and Rift Bolt/Traverse the Ulvenwald/Searing Blaze

Thanks for the feedback!

I was thinking about using Goblin Guide in the side for slower matches but I can test him in the main as well (once I actually acquire some).

I've thought pretty hard about Anger of the Gods but as you pointed out, it is too crippling to my creatures and does not even deal player damage like Volcanic Fallout. As you also pointed out, Hooting Mandrills is close to being great for this deck, but has too much interference with delirium and Tarmogoyf.

If I keep the Searing Blazes, I need the current land configuration. If I cut those for the Goblin Guides, your mana would be solid.

I will consider the White splash as it has good options (except Rest in Peace which hurts me). The tricky part is that I don't want to plan on using those cards if I bring in Blood Moon.

The versatility to hit creatures or players is nice with Tarfire... I'd still take Lava Spike over it in most situations, 4 copies nets you 4 additional damage for the same amount of mana, with the restriction that it be pointed at players; would add a few more cards to your smaller Sorcery selection. Just a thought, obviously this comment is coming from a Burn guy.

Thanks for the suggestion, Lava Spike is the stronger card but it is very important that every burn spell is capable of targeting creatures or provides an additional effect where it can trade for cards instead of life (for example how Atarka's Command can win a combat or move any creature out of Lightning Bolt range). Tarfire also is not a sure spot in the deck yet but I have been pretty happy with it turning on delirium.

What separates this deck from Burn is that every card has a use in nearly all matchups at the expense of being a bit slower in general. Against decks where Burn is good, this will still play like a Burn deck and remain advantaged (just not by as much). Against decks where Burn is bad or needs to play control, (almost) every card is well equipped to get rid of or outclass opposing threats.

Any particular reason you take Tarfire over Shock?

Tarfire has the "Tribal" card type... I understand. Totally missed that.

Hi flintshadowrider, as DrayDray pointed out,Tarfire is tribal as well as an instant so it helps with delirium spells as well as Tarmogoyf.

Oh, forgot tribal counts as another card type... Cool

Grim Flayer is a hard card to outclass, especially if you have delirium (which is easy to get with Mishra's Bauble, Seal of Fire, and Tarfire anyway)

seriously tho, it's a solid card.

only 12 creatures?? I'd take out a couple Searing Blaze from the mb.

Narnam Renegade seems like a bad Gnarlwood Dryad, why not replace 3x narnam and 1x searing with 4x flayer?

Making a Jund (color) version of this deck is something I am currently working on but it would be too different to consider it the same deck. Grim Flayer is a good card that would work well with this deck but is not worth splashing black for. Unlike the current creatures, it can also be walled by opposing Tarmogoyf.

There may only be 12 creatures, but Traverse the Ulvenwald effectively adds 4 more for a reasonable 16.

Searing Blaze provides essential burn for this deck and is a major reason why splashing a third color is difficult. For the plan B of burning the opponent out to work, there needs to be a critical mass of damage spells.

The point of the deck is to remain just .

Adding Grim Flayer would mean adding another color and at that point the deck just becomes something it's not.

There are deliruim based jund decks look at the new Death's Shadow decks for example.

@m0x and Apakakuta

lol i didn't realize this deck was just red/green...that was completely my fault. wouldn't have suggested it otherwise. I see your point about Traverse the Ulvenwald. imo Searing Blaze and Narnam Renegade (who I like more and more after thinking about it) are fine in this build.

congrats on doing so well against a wide variety of modern decks, including tier 1 and tier 2 decks!!!

out of curiosity, how fast are you able to get delirium online in most games?

I can usually get Delirium by the middle or end of turn 2.

Having it at the start of turn 2 is only possible with a fetch, Mishra's Bauble and Tarfire.

A fair amount of the time that I attack with a Gnarlwood Dryad on turn 2 I have the option of turning it on which may mean finding basics with Traverse the Ulvenwald or burning the opponent with a Seal of Fire. Waiting a turn usually means finding a target for a bolt, having a creature die or having time to suspend Rift Bolt.

By turn three I almost always have it if I want it; although, sometimes I lead with a Narnam Renegade and just have lots of burn in hand and am fine holding cards for later.

Gotcha. That's pretty fast

I can vouch for Mox. I literally played against him at GPSJ and he had Gnarlwood Dryad as a 3/3 Death touch, by T2/3 (Consistently). The Traverse the Ulvenwald is exceptionally well as a Tutor card. He searched for a Tarmogoyf and closed out one of the games (All for 1 mana).

You should add a link to a youtube video of you playing this on Xmage or Mtgo :)

Hm, good idea. I'll try to make one within a week :)

I was able to get my camera and microphone working so I made my first video of this deck! I included a video section and plan on making more when I have time.

I just watched the video. Sweet Atarka's Command, for the win!