Test Article: Darkarts

[darkarts981]

Welcome to Darkarts' Decks and Discussion: Week One. This week I have randomly selected a deck from the top six finishers at the standard open on July 14th, the day after the 2013 Core Set was released.  This particular deck finished in 4th place (randomly selected out of the top 6 finishers). This deck was Mono-Blue Wizards.

Ok, Mono-Blue Wizards. Really all that this deck is, is a clever take on Delver, the list is posted in the standard section of this forum. As a take on Delver, it plays four {Delver of Secrets} (see creature subtype) and four {Snapcaster Mage} (see creature subtype). It plays the usual suspects for a delver list (ie. {Ponder}, {Gitaxian Probe} etc.), but we also see some interesting innovations in the list, or rather resurgences of some old cards (see list in standard). There are two innovations of the deck that I find particularly interesting (and one of them expected), these are {Talrand, Sky Summoner}, and {Augur of Bolas}. By playing this choice set of creatures, the deck offers a clever choice that I have never seen before with {Cavern of Souls} – Wizard. The only creature in the deck that is not a Wizard, is {Phantasmal Image}, which I find interesting simply as a two-of in the list. There are quite a few differences in the list from your traditional Delver, first of all the two-of {Mental Misstep} in the Maindeck, and obviously the new 2013 cards.

The Breakdown: Here is the last section of each article I will write (if I continue writing of course), in this section I break down each card, and what it's purpose is to the deck (sometimes not all of the cards, as some of them are pretty obvious). First up in this week's Breakdown – {Sword of Feast and Famine}, this card is an interesting singleton of the deck, but it's purpose is clear to me. IT can provide a good way to play Talrand with only four mana open, and still assure his survival, because as long as you have mana open, there is usually a way you can keep him alive, and better yet, get a Drake in the process! {Augur of Bolas} – If you haven't figured it out already, this card gets you to the stuff that fuels the deck, it can get you to a {Mana Leak} to counter an opponent's fatty, or better yet, a way to save {Talrand, Sky Summoner} from his almost imminent death, after that, the card is used simply as a chump blocker to keep you alive for longer. {Gut Shot} and {Mental Misstep} have the same purpose to the deck in my mind, I see both of them as ways to get rid of early pressure, such as {Champion of the Parish} or {Stromkirk Noble}. {Gut Shot} is always an alternate (unbelievably) win condition. Simply because there is always that moment where your opponent is almost within killing range, or is at one life, but you can't quite kill them, I see this as the purpose of {Gut Shot}. {Mutagenic Growth} is in the deck for a main two reasons, first of all it can keep a creature that you need alive on the field (ie. Talrand), or it can get the damage through that you need, and if you have Talrand out, you get a Drake in the process! {Thought Scour} is an interesting card, but I understand it! It can be used against an opponent (if they just used a {Ponder}, you mill the rest of it), but can also be used to your advantage when milling yourself! It gets you through the deck, and helps you find the answers you need, and the cards that you milled are open to {Snapcaster Mage}! The final card that I will analyze in this article, is {Vapor Snag}, which is the most important card in the deck, it helps keep you alive by bouncing your opponents big fatties, or a creature that has seen {Unburial Rites}, when you bounce that they probably will not be able to play it for a few turns! But the main purpose I see it for, is keeping {Talrand, Sky Summoner} alive. You do this, and are left with a Drake to defend in the meantime!
So essentially what I saw from this list, is that almost everything either works with Talrand, or gets you through your deck! Thank you for reading Darkarts' Decks and Discussion!

Ok, so this is my first article, I would like you to let me know what you thought of it, if you liked it or didn't like it. And what I could do to make future articles better! Don't be afraid to give me your criticism!! Thank you,
                                                                Darkarts981.

[Thorn]

Love it. Very cool. It would also be nice if instead of doing a pro deck pick one at random from this forum!  That would be cool!

[darkarts981]

Love it. Very cool. It would also be nice if instead of doing a pro deck pick one at random from this forum!  That would be cool!

Whoa! Never actually thought of that!! Thanks for the suggestion! If i continue writing, then I will definitely start doing that!!

[GoJuDragon]

Very good

[Thorn]

Love it. Very cool. It would also be nice if instead of doing a pro deck pick one at random from this forum!  That would be cool!

Whoa! Never actually thought of that!! Thanks for the suggestion! If i continue writing, then I will definitely start doing that!!

Please continue.

[AgrusKos]

Love it. Very cool. It would also be nice if instead of doing a pro deck pick one at random from this forum!  That would be cool!

Whoa! Never actually thought of that!! Thanks for the suggestion! If i continue writing, then I will definitely start doing that!!

Please continue.

Yes please do

[smokin terry]

Definitely a great read. For future breakdowns maybe try to start each card on a new line.

[darkarts981]

Definitely a great read. For future breakdowns maybe try to start each card on a new line.

sure, sounds like a good idea to me

[remasuri ger]

Definitely a great read. For future breakdowns maybe try to start each card on a new line.

sure, sounds like a good idea to me

Great article

[Coffee Vampire]

This is cool, great job! I actually think a mod should move this to "Articles"...not because it is in the wrong section but since

a) this is a good article even if it is a test
b) the article section has been dead lately lol

[darkarts981]

This is cool, great job! I actually think a mod should move this to "Articles"...not because it is in the wrong section but since

a) this is a good article even if it is a test
b) the article section has been dead lately lol

well, i would have posted in the articles section but i cant post there

[Imdowd80]

I agree with all of the above. And would love to see more of this,

[Falcon182]

Thanks for the good read!

[Tumalc]

Awesome job man. I hope you continue doing these.

[darkarts981]

Bump for mods opinions?