I'm thinking about gutting the Guttersnipe , Manaweft Sliver and Predator's Rapport to work on protecting the combo or card draw... Any thoughts?

okok just getting the hang of the deck :D

The rapport is nice, but feels a bit sluggish. Why not add Divination over the rapport, and 2 Cancel s over the sliver?

Would Signal the Clans help this deck, in terms of getting the combo out faster?

Fizzz if I took out the secondary combo (1x Predator's Rapport , 2x Guttersnipe , 2x Manaweft Sliver ) I would probably put in either 3x Inspiration 1x Deadly Recluse and 1x Izzet Charm or I would put in 2x Opportunity and 3x Omenspeaker . Cancel doesn't work because of the UU (and Dissolve is better) and Divination I can't end step.

evfaux Signal the Clans is just too random.

So draw card at instant speed is better... interesting :D If possible I'll put this deck up together and try it at tonight's fnm

RedZebra That's what I was starting to realize. Made changes for some more powerful card draw and I personally think that the Deadly Recluse is a better choice simply because of the reach coupled with deathtouch.

Mizzium Skin is another option for protecting your combo.

chrizzilla I had looked at that and honestly its a really a person by person call whether Mizzium Skin or Simic Charm is better. For now I'm running Simic Charm mainboarded because of its versatility. I might decide down the line to run Mizzium Skin instead.

Fizzz It's not that expensive to put together :) If you do do that let me know how it goes.

I struggle a bit to get the thing on the board... but will try it nonetheless.

What is the opening hand you look for and go NIIIICE

well god hand is 2 lands (one guildgate and one basic of the color not of the guildgate) all 3 combo pieces, Deadly Recluse and Magma Jet or Omenspeaker . A hand I look at and go NIIICE too would be one with 2/3 combo pieces, 2 lands (not the same basic type) and a mix of control and either Deadly Recluse or Omenspeaker . A hand I would take should have at least 1/3 of the combo pieces and 2-3 lands (one isn't enough and 4 is too much) and a mix of control and early stall.

replace some of your basics with the scry lands...have you actually been able to use Opportunity viably?

only problem with having one win con, opponents sideboard. ex: Pithing Needle Doom Blade Slaughter Games etc etc.

GamerSonX thats why I incorporated multiples in mine maindeck and sideboard:

Death by mana dork, no seriously...#tableflip

I took my variation of this to fnm. finished 3rd. lost to esper, and selesnya aggro. game 5 was against white aggro, he got mad at it and smacked my library off the table, luckily the owner saw this and threw him out, so not only did I get my 3rd place prizes but got his 4th place stuff too. It was fun, but I think I'll save it for casual play from now on, not really my style, especially when playing against a life-gain deck, seems to just go back and forth, with no real upper hand.

khanye I'm trying to keep it budget which is why I don't have scy lands or shocks. Opportunity Generally can work enstep starting t6 with me almost certainly being able to play it my t8. (can be earlier if I get Zhur-Taa Druid out)

GamerSonX to counter Pithing Needle I have Fade into Antiquity sideboarded. It will almost always come out game 2, for Doom Blade I have Simic Charm , Negate , and Izzet Charm . There is no counter for Slaughter Games that I know of except to Slaughter Games your opponents Slaughter Games first and I don't have black so I can't counter it. and khanye you would still lose if someone Slaughter Games your Elite Arcanist

As for against life gain, that should be the easiest matchup since the combo can be performed infinitely until they are dead.

That's where my aetherling comes in game 3

Okay. That makes sense.

get a mask of avacyn in there! make your elite arcanists and zhurtaa druids hexproof. that would really help.

briyellowduck: Mask of Avacyn isn't standard, and he already has Simic Charm to protect them.

What do you do against board wipes?

Either counter it or hope to have a Simic Charm or two in hand to return those creatures to my hand.

It looks like you're biggest bane is verdict.

Supreme Verdict is a huge bane to any deck. My only hope is to use Savage Summoning to get combo pieces in on my opponents endstep and then untap and win before they can use the verdict