Kuala Lumpur: Standard analysis

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fireteam

29 March 2012

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Hey guys, it’s fireteam.

This is an article series I have started. It’s about the winning decks in Standard right now at the Magic: The Gathering Grand Prix. I hope to make an article talking about the meta, and the choices that the winning decks made. For example, in Kuala Lumpur, 3 of the top 8 decks were almost identical. There are reasons why. Onto the article:

Here we are:
2012.

After DKA’s release, multiple decks have been reborn and put into play, as some cards have too. However, some choices have surprised me.
For example, Grafdigger's Cage never made it into any of the Top 8’s 75. However, Mutagenic Growth did. Mainboard.

So let’s take a look at 3 of the top 8 decks at GP Kuala Lumpur:

16 Creatures:

4x Delver of Secrets  Flip
2x Dungeon Geists
4x Geist of Saint Traft
2x Invisible Stalker
4x Snapcaster Mage

Instants:

3x Gut Shot
4x Mana Leak
1x Mutagenic Growth
4x Thought Scour
4x Vapor Snag

Artifacts:

3x Runechanter's Pike

Sorceries:

4x Ponder

Land Base (21):

4x Glacial Fortress
9x Island
3x Moorland Haunt
1x Plains
4x Seachrome Coast

Sideboard:

2x Celestial Purge
2x Dissipate
2x Dungeon Geists
1x Negate (1x Jace, Memory Adept)
1x Oblivion Ring
2x Phantasmal Image
1x Revoke Existence
1x Steel Sabotage
1x Sword of War and Peace
1x Timely Reinforcements

2 of the decks looked exactly like this, while the third had a Jace, Memory Adept instead of the Negate in the SB (as noted).

Now apparently they had to be doing something right, so let's see what choices they made.

I want to start out with 3x Gut Shot. I think this is one of the best cards in standard right now. It destroys Stromkirk Noble, Wolfbitten Captive  Flip, Vault Skirge, Mayor of Avabruck  Flip, Avacyn's Pilgrim, Birds of Paradise, Delver of Secrets  Flip, Llanowar Elves, and Champion of the Parish on turn 0! That's just amazing, it's definitely worth the 2 life for it too. It showed, as mana ramping is a lot harder with this card still around.

Dungeon Geists is also a great card. Not only is it a 3/3 Flier for 2UU, but also a great control element. It's the new Fiend Hunter of blue. With a total of 4 available, you can deal some major damage.

I saw another interesting pick: Thought Scour. I wouldn't of believed you if you told me that the winner used it over Think Twice. It is very nice, instant speed mill and draw. You really can't ask for more.

It seems that DKA gave Delver a whole new look in Standard. With Salt Lake City coming up very soon, I am interested what's going to come out on top.

Cableguy says... #1

UW Delver is adapting to the hate of the meta game. Everyone was focusing on Zombies and RG Aggro so delver came out in full force. Mutagenic growth isnt new tech it prevents gut shot opening turn. Jace is relatively new but is brought in primarily for the UB Control decks and such.

March 29, 2012 2:30 p.m.

fireteam says... #2

With only a one-of though, I would believe it would be waaaaay too hard to draw the instant they have a Gut ShotMTG Card: Gut Shot. But their the pro players, not me.

March 29, 2012 4:02 p.m.

fireteam says... #3

*they're

just noticed that.

March 29, 2012 5:04 p.m.

skyb0rg says... #4

Fyi, there's only 14 cards listed in the SB

April 2, 2012 7:46 p.m.

burkek says... #5

I actually prefer the version of delver not running dungeon geists and instead running more instants/sorceries to be honest, like Shahar Shenhar list from GP Salt Lake City. Dungeon Geists is a good card, but a 3/2 flier on turn 2 is just a bit more powerful in my opinion, but that is easily open for debate.

Also, just to point out, the only reason why the delver decks are really playing thought scour is to fuel runechanter's pike. Yes, it does fuel snapcaster mage also, but generally just naturally drawing a spell has more value, unless you have a pike. Since this deck runs 3 pikes, it definitely makes sense, but a delver deck running only swords and no pikes (which isn't necessarily a bad choice) probably wouldn't run them.

April 2, 2012 10:14 p.m.

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