My most current list for BUG-Delver _13JULY2014 .
Stifle
has came in and out of my lists. I can support its weight (being a long-time Stifle-Nought player), and its effectiveness for building tempo. But sometimes your opponent just plays around it, and you have forsaken your proactivity by leaving a blue up to use it. This is a great strategy with Gitaxian Probe deck-builds where you can sculpt your game-plan and not sacrifice tempo. Those decks also tend to have more one-mana counters & discard spells to snipe what your opponent has. But, I decided to remove the situational
Stifle
, and upped the Hymns. Hymn to Tourach has always been a feared card, and (besides being a 2-for-1) it can sometimes hit a wanted land. I have a bevy of creatures to fit the meta,, 4x Delver & 4x Deathrite should be stock in any BUG-"Delver" list. Then it's your preference when it comes to creatures 9-14. True-Name Nemesis comes in and out, but I opted for this current build to get around it for game one (if I can't Daze it, or remove it with Liliana of the Veil). 3x FOWs and 3x Spell Pierce are balanced, and then the 4th Force of Will comes in against various combo.
Disfigure
hits a lot of tempo stuff that matters, and Abrupt Decay is that inevitable source of uncounterable removal. I've found that 4x Ponder is a necessary element to this deck, and it shouldn't be lessened. Feeding Goyf/DRS or finding a threat, a source of removal, a needed land, or simply pitching to Force of Will more than proves its worth. 23x MD sources of blue, & 26x cards to support flipping Delver of Secrets
by my count.
~ LANDS: There's 19 total, and the perfect fit for having 4x Brainstorm and 4x Ponder, backed with Deathrite Shaman,, Supporting higher casting cost spells. Instead of a 4th Underground Sea I wholeheartedly support the 9th sac-land to feed DRS, more consistently opening the door for 3-mana 2nd turns and more options. The only problem is when you go to the long game and you possibly have no other lands to search up (only happened once with an attrition match from the mirror, exchanging blow-for-blow). Leading with Deathrite is fun when you waste their land then hit them with Hymn on that 2nd turn. 2x Bayou defends Abrupt Decay mana through opposing wastes, while also allowing you to support Hymn when you need it, where
Tropical Island
merely supports the omnipresent Daze, and then
Vendilion Clique
.
~
Side: Everyone knows that sideboards are highly malleable, and you should build them to combat your meta. I have combo, and graveyard based strategies, and I try and keep up appearances for other decks that pop up. I think it's important to note that Flusterstorm is great against combo and other counterspell battles, but it doesn't hit Blood Moon,
Sneak Attack
, or
Rest in Peace
, so a 4th Spell Pierce can always be good. Neither Flusterstorm or Pierce hit creatures, so it's why I've experimented with MD Spell Snare over the 3rd Spell Pierce. ~ ~ ~
For a more visually stimulating and in-depth Q&A, please reference this link by Bob Huang:
http://www.starcitygames.com/article/27826_Leaving-A-Legacy--BUG-Delver-At--SCGBalt.html
If you enjoy beefy goyfs and a fed DRS, you can remove Tombstalker and play around with Dark Confidant. Bob is just one of those must-answer threats sometimes, and if your opponent doesn't have an answer to him immediately.... he can pull you ahead for a gg.
Happy hunting to all you BUG-Delver lovers out there.
