Opportune Savagery (Competitive)

Modern Aggro Competitive Delver RUG (Temur) Tempo

tchau204

Land (20)

• 2x Breeding Pool
• 1x Forest
• 4x Island
• 4x Misty Rainforest
• 1x Mountain
• 4x Scalding Tarn
• 1x Spirebluff Canal
• 2x Steam Vents
• 1x Stomping Ground

Instant (19)

• 2x Cryptic Command
• 1x Dispel
• 1x Electrolyze
• 4x Lightning Bolt
• 2x Mana Leak
• 4x Opt
• 2x Remand
• 1x Spell Pierce
• 2x Spell Snare

Creature (14)

• 4x Delver of Secrets  ^Flip
• 4x Snapcaster Mage
• 4x Tarmogoyf
• 2x Vendilion Clique

Sorcery (5)

• 1x Roast
• 4x Serum Visions

Artifact (2)

• 2x Vedalken Shackles

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Sideboard

Instant (7)

• 2x Ancient Grudge
• 1x Dispel
• 2x Negate
• 2x Pulse of Murasa

Sorcery (3)

• 2x Firespout
• 1x Roast

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Blood Moon

Creature (2)

• 2x Huntmaster of the Fells  ^Flip

Artifact (2)

• 2x Grafdigger's Cage

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Maybeboard

Creature (2)

• 2x Managorger Hydra

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This is my current competitive modern deck; I've played RUG Delver for the past 4-5 years and have constantly made modifications based on metagame shifts.

Introduction

RUG Delver is one of the best Tempo decks in the format; it employs inexpensive but highly efficient creatures such as Delver of Secrets   and Tarmogoyf to pressure the opposing player while utilizing the best counter-magic in the game. By outclassing your opponent's spells on all fronts in terms of speed and efficiency, and by accumulating small advantages through cards like Snapcaster Mage, Cryptic Command, and Electrolyze, RUG Delver wins by getting ahead and staying ahead of your opponent. In the sideboard, RUG Delver utilizes powerful cards such as Ancient Grudge and Blood Moon.

RUG Delver has on average a 50/50 matchup against most decks in the field. It has a favorable matchup against combo and control archetypes and has the tools to stave off highly aggressive strategies. However, it can sometimes struggle against midrange strategies (i.e. GB/x) which aims to slow it down and grind it out.

Overall, RUG Delver is a deck which greatly relies on the expertise of its pilot and can prove to be highly rewarding.

Core Card Selection

• Delver of Secrets   -- Wild Nacatl with wings.


• Tarmogoyf -- The best green creature ever printed. On average, it's a 4/5 (Land, Creature, Sorcery, Instant) for a two mana investment. An interesting thing to know about Tarmogoyf is that it's often immune to Lightning Bolt; when it's a 2/3 without an instant in the graveyard, a Lightning Bolt targeting it will enter the graveyard when it resolves as a state-based mechanic, immediately growing it to a 3/4.


• Snapcaster Mage -- An instant speed creature with the ability to enable the reuse of powerful spells such as Mana Leak and Lightning Bolt, resulting in +1 card advantage (CA). Nothing feels better than flashing back a Cryptic Command (+2 CA) though!


• Cryptic Command -- The most powerful blue spell in Modern. Often times it counters a spell and draws you a card, but on occasion, it can bounce a problematic permanent or save your own from removal. It can also buy you time in a race by tapping your opponent's creatures down, or open the way for an alpha strike!


• Lightning Bolt -- The best red spell ever printed. This spell single-handedly makes a lot of interesting creatures unplayable in Modern. Combined with Snapcaster Mage, this card can stave off your opponent's horde, or send 6 damage to his/her face.


• Mana Leak -- An effective Modern counterspell.


• Serum Visions -- Improves deck consistency, but most importantly, sets up your Delver of Secrets  .


• Spell Pierce -- Great for protecting your creatures during the early game, combating counter-magic, and sometimes just stopping a Liliana of the Veil / Karn Liberated. It can also offer excellent defense against hand disruption in the form of Inquisition of Kozilek and or Thoughtseize during the early stages of the game.


• Spell Snare -- Inexpensive counter-magic for just about everything: Tarmogoyf, Dark Confidant, Mana Leak, Remand, Lightning Helix, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, etc.

Flex Slots

• Vendilion Clique -- An instant speed creature which presents a fast clock. More importantly, it allows you to disrupt your opponent, which is great against combo and control. In a tight spot, it can also allow you to cycle away a useless card in hand. Often times, you'll cast Vendilion Clique at the end of your opponent's turn, but don't forget that playing it during their draw step can quite often force a mediocre play or take away a key creature/sorcery spell!


• Young Pyromancer -- Well-suited for the tempo strategy, this card is excellent if you intend on going wide to overwhelm your opponent's defenses.


• Gitaxian Probe -- Information is key, especially when you're trying to out-tempo your opponent. This card lets you know when it's safe to turn up the aggression or if it's time to defend your threats. It's also great for powering out Elemental tokens via Young Pyromancer.


• Electrolyze -- Incredible when you have 1-2 targets to ping, but it can also keep you from drowning against Liliana of the Veil. Generally, a very good card for CA.


• Simic Charm -- Although slower and more demanding, in terms of mana cost, than Vapor Snag, this card offers a level of flexibility that makes up for it. Like Vapor Snag, it can bounce a problematic creature or help you reuse a Snapcaster Mage. However, it can also protect your threats from most forms of removal, i.e. Abrupt Decay and Karn Liberated. In addition, Simic Charm can often aid your Tarmogoyf in defeating a Gurmag Angler or provide that needed boost for closing out the game.

Testing

• Managorger Hydra -- Doesn't pass any of the typical Modern creature tests (in particular, Lightning Bolt test), but it's easy to cast (i.e. only one G), and can really get out of hand if left unanswered. Countering a removal spell, for instance, gives him +2/+2. It's even better when considering Snapcaster Mage. To top it all off, he can trample over tokens!

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Top Ranked	Achieved #71 position overall 10 years ago
Date added	10 years
Last updated	7 months
Legality	This deck is Modern legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 4 Mythic Rares 26 - 3 Rares 8 - 5 Uncommons 16 - 3 Commons
Cards	60
Avg. CMC	1.73
Tokens	Human 2/2 G, Wolf 2/2 G
Folders	Modern, Modern, Cool decks I like, Competitive Modern, Favorites, interesting decks, Decks I Like, i like tis, 5. Inspirations, nice