The questions I'm getting asked are a bit strange since they're entirely deck construction and not strategic; so the answer is "if it's good in your meta". Eg: if there were a lot of Tron I'd probably play a few vapor snags; but in general an Unsummon variant isn't good in a control oriented tempo deck - it's much better in a more beatdown oriented deck like the Swiftspear version or UW Delver was in standard, this shell cares about the card a lot more.
I never understand questions about Tarmogoyf - do you guys just scoop when it gets cast or something? You could just play magic and play well and maybe win anyway?
Threads because I was expecting Jund / testing different cards out.
Way too much focus on specific cards and not enough on strategy IMO.
I'm pretty big on Probe since this deck really needs the velocity and information; since perfect sequencing is such a big deal. I could see 3 Probe, 1 Sleight though ~ this would give you slightly more keepable 1 landers.
The deck putting up more results might have something to do with a 1500% increase in it's share if the metagame - we don't know what the previous list would've done with a similar meta share so we can only deduce that there's a correlation between the deck seeing more play and the deck putting up more results.
I'll also be very clear ~ time and time again we've seen that the early mtgo lists and SCG lists are not optimal. I've given last seasons Boros Burn in standard as a very telling example.
That's not to say Swidtsoear isn't a playable variant; only to infirm that saying the Snapcaster version that might only be 0.5% of the meta isn't putting up the sane results means nothing.
How can anyone at this point not be playing Swiftspear. It's not just Treasure Cruise that has put this deck into tier 1, Swiftspear is a big part of that too and even when TC and DTT get banned Swiftspear might enough by herself to keep this deck competitive. The two problems Delver had before was not having a good threat on turn 1 aside from Delver, and not being able to come back from running out of gas. Swiftspear and TC are the double whammy solution to this problem that has catapulted Delver into being the best deck in the format. Swiftspear is better than Goblin Guide and when draw in multiples can kill insanely fast.
Turn 1: Mountain, Swiftspear, attack for 1.
Turn 2: Steam Vents, Swiftspear, Serum Visions, Gitaxian Probe, attack for 6.
That's not even that uncommon for this deck to do. Attacking with two 3/4s on turn 2 is INSANE.
Make no mistake, Swiftspear is a creature that is comparable to Wild Nacatl in power level, I can't believe someone in this thread said Snapcaster was better in this deck. The great thing about this deck right now is even if they kill your Delvers and Swiftspears you can just Cruise, draw another one, and get right back to killing them. You don't need to hold up counter magic to protect your threats a lot of the time because you can now just keep drawing more of them and out tempoing your opponent.
Because its power ceiling is lower than Snapcaster Mage. Its amusing that you think I am "just someone" then try to lecture me with the text of the cards:P Talk about condescending and pointless.
Snapcaster versions were Tier 2. They ALSO got the new delve spells and need to be evaluated in that context. You can rest assured that whichever version puts up the first relevant results will become the norm, but until then it is simply speculation.
Fair enough, but then your argument is that the addition of Treasure Cruise pushes UR Delver to Tier 1, in spite of people playing the deck sub-optimally by replacing Snapcaster Mage with Monastery Swiftspear.
ABSOLUTELY. Ancestral Recall is a mighty powerful card, much more powerful than anything else going on in the format. I even wrote an article about it! I think a lot of these new pilots have no idea the difference that U: draw 3 made to an already fringe tier 1 deck (see above)
This will end up being like when everyone told me I was wrong about Young Pyromancer in standard and that Eidolon of Great Revels was the great savior for Boros Burn.
Snapcaster versions were Tier 2. They ALSO got the new delve spells and need to be evaluated in that context. You can rest assured that whichever version puts up the first relevant results will become the norm, but until then it is simply speculation.
Dig Through Time might be better than Treasure Cruise afterall; Snapcaster versions are just better than Swiftspear versions in Modern; you can't reliably kill fast enough and you give up too much card quality.
1. You're actually a tempo deck and not tempo-combo. You don't have the free-win or the risk of trying to combo someone; this makes your attrition matchups much better (Jund and UWR) but your ramp matchups worse (Tron and Scapeshift). You destroy combo decks (including Twin).
2. With Treaaure Cruise you have a good matchup against every tier 1 deck (even Jund); your bad matchups are those where they don't care about card advantage and they can blank your counters (the aforementioned ramp decks); so you switch Twin's good tier 2 matchups for better tier 1 matchups. Delver wrecks most if the fringe decks but auto-losses to Burn.
3. Maybe and No; I'm not sure it's really worth a slot and if I played a 5-drop it would be Batterskull (this deck often needs life gain)
4. They're very different cards
5. UR Delver can beat a resolved Goyf and Relic is too low impact for this deck. You're the best Snapcaster Deck if you're worried about that.
I never understand questions about Tarmogoyf - do you guys just scoop when it gets cast or something? You could just play magic and play well and maybe win anyway?
Threads because I was expecting Jund / testing different cards out.
Way too much focus on specific cards and not enough on strategy IMO.
4 Delver of Secrets
4 Snapcaster Mage
4 Young Pyromancer
Instants
2 Burst Lightning
3 Dig Through Time
2 Electrolyze
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Mana Leak
4 Remand
1 Spell Pierce
3 Spell Snare
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Serum Visions
Lands
4 Flooded Strand
5 Island
1 Mountain
1 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Steam Vents
1 Batterskull
2 Blood Moon
2 Combust
2 Dispel
1 Electrickery
3 Magma Spray
1 Negate
1 Shatterstorm
2 Threads of Disloyalty
Not a lot if burn in my meta so adjust accordingly.
Sword of Fire and Ice is not remotely playable.
I'll also be very clear ~ time and time again we've seen that the early mtgo lists and SCG lists are not optimal. I've given last seasons Boros Burn in standard as a very telling example.
That's not to say Swidtsoear isn't a playable variant; only to infirm that saying the Snapcaster version that might only be 0.5% of the meta isn't putting up the sane results means nothing.
Because its power ceiling is lower than Snapcaster Mage. Its amusing that you think I am "just someone" then try to lecture me with the text of the cards:P Talk about condescending and pointless.
Most of the time though.
ABSOLUTELY. Ancestral Recall is a mighty powerful card, much more powerful than anything else going on in the format. I even wrote an article about it! I think a lot of these new pilots have no idea the difference that U: draw 3 made to an already fringe tier 1 deck (see above)
Snapcaster versions were Tier 2. They ALSO got the new delve spells and need to be evaluated in that context. You can rest assured that whichever version puts up the first relevant results will become the norm, but until then it is simply speculation.
I have tested both
Dig Through Time might be better than Treasure Cruise afterall; Snapcaster versions are just better than Swiftspear versions in Modern; you can't reliably kill fast enough and you give up too much card quality.
1. You're actually a tempo deck and not tempo-combo. You don't have the free-win or the risk of trying to combo someone; this makes your attrition matchups much better (Jund and UWR) but your ramp matchups worse (Tron and Scapeshift). You destroy combo decks (including Twin).
2. With Treaaure Cruise you have a good matchup against every tier 1 deck (even Jund); your bad matchups are those where they don't care about card advantage and they can blank your counters (the aforementioned ramp decks); so you switch Twin's good tier 2 matchups for better tier 1 matchups. Delver wrecks most if the fringe decks but auto-losses to Burn.
3. Maybe and No; I'm not sure it's really worth a slot and if I played a 5-drop it would be Batterskull (this deck often needs life gain)
4. They're very different cards
5. UR Delver can beat a resolved Goyf and Relic is too low impact for this deck. You're the best Snapcaster Deck if you're worried about that.