Time to update the description!
9-0 at day one of SCG Columbus (2017)!!! :D
So this is my budget entrance into modern that I've been slowly updating and upgrading over the past several years. Admittedly I've strayed rather far from the creature base in the original list (which can be found here http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/top-decks/tuning-top-modern-decks-budget-players-2016-02-19). I'm still experimenting with what I like and what works well together without changing the deck entirely or breaking my budget all at once (RIP my budget)
Deck gameplan
UR delver is first and foremost a tempo deck. Play an early threat, and delay your opponents gameplan until you can swing in with (hopefully) beefy fliers. Games can play both more control-y and more agro-y based on your draws, but as with any deck, play to your meta. Keep the spells cheap, and at instant speed preferably. Critters that benefit from playing a boat-load of instants and sorceries are the name of the game.
Why I play the cards I play
RIP
Gitaxian Probe
Nimble Obstructionist
, the versatility on this card is key. Imagine if you had the option to play any charm as a creature at instant speed. You get to stifle an ability, cantrip while doing it, AND ITS AN ABILITY NOT A SPELL so unless they have one too it's more or less uncoutnerable. Between stifling storm triggers,
Ezuri, Renegade Leader
overruns, or even fetch lands, don't underestimate this tricky bird. OR sometimes you just want a flipped delver at instant speed. wanders off rambling about options
Electrolyze
, possibly my favorite card in the deck. Instant speed burn and cantrip is right up my alley. Whether going to the dome at end step, or clearing pesky
Lingering Souls
tokens out of the way, this card is fantastic.
Pia and Kiran Nalaar
, I admittedly was luke-warm about this card at first, but after the SCG Columbus Modern Open, I'm a believer. It doesn't win the game outright like
Blood Moon
can, what it does do is slow down the game enough for the rest of the deck to (hopefully) close the gap. That being said, on an empty board it can apply pressure while the rest of the deck (ideally) keeps a lock on the game.
Bedlam Reveler
, oh
Bedlam Reveler
. Unfortunately, I started playing delver after its hayday with
Treasure Cruise
and
Dig Through Time
, so I wasn't able to experience the dream deck. BUT I AM able to jam a worse version of Cruise + a body in my deck. I like this card as a 1-of, as you really only want to see it in some matchups, and only in the late game. Ideally you're firing this card off when the game is grindy and all the gas draws you've gotten are still sitting in the graveyard. The prowess is nice, but often rarely comes up. The 3/4 unboltable, unpushable body is a nice touch as well. I was a tad dissapointed with this card recently, siding it out in a lot of matchups, but for now it stays.
Possible additions
Cryptic Command
is the classic best/most versatile counterspell in modern. It costs a ton (both money and mana), but can really help lock up the game in a non-control matchup. Push through damage, counter bombs, bounce leylines, or just instant speed draw is everything the deck wants to be doing
Delay
is a cheap counter that buys you a couple turns. Best when used against opposing counter magic
Sideboarding
TRON
-1x
Blood Moon
(duh)
-2x
Ceremonious Rejection
(also, if not more, duh)
-2x
Smash to Smithereens
(get rid of maps and wurms)
STORM
-1x
Counterflux
OVERLOAD TO COUNTER ALL STORM COPIES. Or just a hard no
-1x
Dragon's Claw
, possibly the most anti-
Grapeshot
card around
-1x
Dispel
, because sometimes you need to hard counter the first ritual
-2x
Relic of Progenitus
is a hedge against the
Past in Flames
plan, although Storm can win without the graveyard
HUMANS
-1x
Blood Moon
, surprisingly few basics
-1x
Izzet Staticaster
, ping their dorks to oblivion
SCAPESHIFT
-1x
Blood Moon
, nononoValakut
-1x
Flashfreeze
is just a hard counter to most of their deck
MORE MATCHUPS TO COME!
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or just straight up bitter complaints, feel free to leave a comment (I'm always looking for feedback!)
Thanks and happy brewing!
