Yes! Sorin is probably fantastic. And I think clique is as well. Perhaps stronger than Reflector Mage I should think. Though blinking reflector and blinking clique is both fun.

I always find it difficult to pick a Sorin because one's better in creature heavy decks than the other and the other's my favorite planeswalker card. And damn, I really want to make some modern decks with Reflector Mage, but he's usually barely outclassed.

Don't underestimate reflector mage. He's won a lot of games for me. Bouncing mana dorks in elves so they cant play them back out again and get mana starved. A few times I've vialed in a reflector mage end of turn to bounce a tarmogoyf and then swing through the remaining 5 or so damage in my turn to win. It does happen.

I hear you on sorin. Sorin, Lord of Innistrad is my favourite planeswalker of all time. For sure. He's so strong but not amazing in creature heavy decks. Sorin, Solemn Visitor works nicely if you already have board presence.

Have you tested it with Remand yet? I feel like it may be helpful with the tempo version. Anyway, I love the build man, it looks super fun to play.

I actually haven't tested remand. Unsure how I feel about it. Because I don't have a quick combo finish it may give the opponent too much leeway to just recast their stuff.

That's true, I also didn't realize that you were using Delay which serves a similar function for the same CMC. The only other thing I can think of is possibly Restoration Angel to bounce your reflector mage and reuse your Wasteland Strangler + Spell Queller combo. I know Displacer does the same thing, but Restoration is a little beefier, although she comes out a turn later.

You could always side in some Thoughtseizes or Inquisitions to deal with the early delver threats before they hit the field. Perhaps a Sphinx's Revelation as well, although I feel it would work better in a more control variant.

Delay actually works with wasteland strangler because suspend cards are exiled.

Im tempted by -1 sculler, +1 resto. I love her but 21 lands is tough.

I dont normally have a problem with aggro here. In fact I 2-0d Gruul zoo deck with this just 1 hour ago. Start of the game is exceedingly sketchy but as soon as you land a turn 3 threat you pretty much win. Path t1 into a counter t2 into strangler t3 is so potent. When you play against delver the match gets interesting because its tempo v tempo so you'll have points where you're the control deck with your 8 counters and points where you're the aggro deck.

I love the concept of this deck. I wish there was a way to use more copies of Delay over Mana Leak; it synergizes with Wasteland Strangler when you haven't Quelled something.

The deck should have been called "Spell Strangler", though! :)

I feel like Mystifying Maze would be scary in here with your AEther Vial & Eldrazi Displacer.

They attack, you activate maze, then flash in strangler. Doesn't take up any spots and helps activate displacer's ability.

Thank you ChiefBell for working on this. I have been chewing on an idea similar to this for weeks now and just haven't found what I love best yet, so I will be following your deck closely to see what you end up doing.

You usually brew pretty sweet decks, so I am confident that you will stumble upon the right build. :D

Polupus - Unfortunately 4 mana on a land is exceedingly hard to reach. That essentially means I need 5 lands (maze + 4 others) which won't happen in a 21 land deck.

Daedalus19876 - Turning Delay into Counterspell is obviously awesome but you need to be careful because sometimes a Wasteland Strangler can't be found. In these situations you essentialy get a 1-for-0 as their spell is cast when it comes off suspend and you get no value.

wolfging - Thanks! That's really kind of you to say.

Actually just lost to burn which is interesting.

I find it interesting that you're playing Timely instead of Leyline in the SB. And if you keep having problems with aggro, having the Sorin in main could help.

Most lists running Aether Vial only require three. I think some mainboard Supreme Verdicts would be helpful, and that some Spell Snares can move to the side.

swap out Reflector Mage with Fiend Hunter

DarkLaw - I'm usually ok with the creature based aggro (Zoo, for example) given the blockers I have. Burn was just quite different. I'm generally not a fan of the 1-of leyline, but I agree that Timely is an odd choice. It should perhaps be a creature so I can vial it or cast it. Kor Firewalker or something.

Polupus - The 2 power on Reflector Mage is actually surprisingly revelant in being able to close out games. Fiend Hunter whilst passable as removal is pretty dire as a creature. It'll go in the sideboard, for sure.

Thought-Knot Seer-It is like a Spell Queller but it can remove the spell before it is cast

MMM. Great suggestion. Worried about the manabase though. Maybe if I go to 22 lands and cut 2 creatures I can throw in a thought knot. I like it a lot.

Maybe a few more adakar wastes or caves of koilos

I'm actually tempted to go up to 2 Mystic Gate.

Oh yeah, that would be more useful

The only issue with Thought-Knot Seer is that you don't get any extra value by Strangling the spell. They draw the extra card regardless, whereas removing a Quelled spell prevents them from getting it back.

The only issue with Thought-Knot Seer is that you don't get any extra value by Strangling the spell. They draw the extra card regardless, whereas removing a Quelled spell prevents them from getting it back.

Hey ChiefBell it looks like we independently had a few of the same ideas! I've been toying around with this concept and I have found much success running 2x Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver in the main, it absolutely helps against aggro especially merfolk because their synergies become yours. I run 6 1 mana discard spells for the turn 1 play and I currently run 4xSurgical Extraction that allow me to crush combo and grave strategies while simultaneously creating consistency for Wasteland Strangler and the 4x Ulamog's Nullifier that I run. I run no less than 24 lands to pull this off. From my testing I would suggest forgetting about delay, without a processor it is really really really bad and that inconsistency is no bueno for the competitive modern meta. I run 4x Remand as my main non-creature counter. I've been doing very well against any bigger or slower deck including control, tron, and eldrazi - try Appetite for Brains as sideboard tech against them. Linear aggro isn't so bad of Ashiok/Strangler, instead it's decks with lots of targeted removal that hurt. Discard + Extractions really help because I can rip away all bolts for instance (then use them for processing) but without that their creatures are usually beefier and they get their spells back if I'm not quick enough on the processing.