So if you're reading this you're probably aware of what D&T decks are trying to do. If you aren't you should check out some more conventional primers because, as much as I appreciate you looking at my list, this one will be mostly about my list which is quite different than normal builds. With that said let's get right into it. Disclaimer: anything you read are my opinions and I reserve the right to ignore your opinions and any anecdotal evidence you may provide.
The why- 'D&T is a proven deck, kevin. Why change anything?' you may ask, and well it's partially(mostly) that it's just who I am as a player but also some reasons that are better than, 'just because.'
Flickerwisp- The whole direction I've taken my list hinges on the fact that I hate this card so much. It's just never good without vial being on three, and then after it's good(ish) that one time my vial is crap for the rest of the game. Also, also. I hate how bad this guy makes me against sideboard cards. All the TNN -1/-1 stuff, as well as all the regular D&T hate, just destroys flickerwisp-centric D&T lists. I personally like being on 3/3s and 4/4s because I don't get my X/1s blown out all at once.
Three drops- This kind of goes back to what I was saying with flickerwisp. Without flickerwisp there's not a lot of ways to justify playing other three mana creatures. Some of them are really good, I know that. If I'm not putting my vial on three, though, they are just fodder for the spells D&T is trying to blank in FoW and daze. All the really good other three drops still draw half of the angst I have for flickerwisp. Many of the games I lost back when I was playing regular D&T I lost having three drops with WW in their mana that I couldn't cast without letting go of my influence on my opponent's mana or just couldn't cast because of my own mana. Besides those games I also lost a bunch of games to the fact that regular D&T is a deck with 24 lands and 0 copies of brainstorm, and was prisoner to some games I just drew lands and vials. Without flickerwisp, and other three drops, the mana gets smoother and vials get better. Ideally my build has a better mana curve and wins with less X and Y specific hate-bears, but rather, wins with just enough disruption to beat face.
My list- Now that I've gotten my grumpys out about the cards I don't like, allow me to go over the includes in my deck. Honorable mention to Squadron Hawk which I love but cut recently for
Epochrasite
; there just wasn't enough room in there for so many grindy creatures and epoch made it in because it's just bigger most of the time.
Lands- You know what D&T does with lands so I'll keep it brief. On 21 because really, who can stomach 24. Yuk.
4x Wasteland- Kills other lands opponents will try to use for mana and other things.
4x
Rishadan Port
- Taps other lands your opponents will try to use for mana and other things.
3x
Karakas
- Similar to a plains with the upside of bouncing Thalia and problem creatures you'd like not to be on the battlefield.
Flagstones of Trokair
- Similar to a plains but turns into an actual plains when it dies. I've gotten to play Cataclysm two times with it out and it was sweet both times.
9x Plains- Use it to cast spells.
Creatures- I already told you about all the guys I don't like, and hopefully you've stuck with me. If you have I thank you, and now I'll tell you about the creatures I do like. D&T plays a balance between guys that keep opponents from functioning how they would like to, and guys who smack opponents' faces bloody with many creatures doing both. In that way my list is similar to conventional D&T decks; it differs, however, in the tilt of that balance with my list more focused on the bloody faces part.
3x Mother of Runes- On three because mom isn't super hot right now, but still a gangster in this deck. Play her and make your opponents' spot removal cry.
3x
Judge's Familiar
- I like the bird against fast combo decks as, at least, a bridge to Thalia. Bird also clocks while making it hard to terminus, and I've saced it just to force opponents to tap out to ideally land something in hand.
4x Phyrexian Revoker- An auto include in D&T, but I like the full play-set DRS is everywhere and revoker at least makes it harder for DRS decks to get the one mana planeswalker rolling. Obviously revoker is great against a whole host of things, and I like having the full set with less disrupting creatures like prelate in my build.
4x Thalia, Guardian of Thraben- Because obviously.
4x Stoneforge Mystic- SFM is a classic beater/disruption hybrid varying on what you grab. I love a creature with an ETB that also has, kill me now stapled to it's forehead.
2x
Spirit of the Labyrinth
- I fell like this spot is flexible depending on what you don't like losing to. I have spirit because she just hates out a lot of things generally, and it feels really good to get someone vialing her in in response to a brainstorm or something else.
4x
Serra Avenger
- I'm sure you veteran D&T players are thinking I'm crazy for running with the whole set of avengers, and those thoughts may be warranted. I really hate just getting bricked on the ground, and TBH my equipment suite is less good at breaking through brick walls than the usual. I love some beats, and avenger beats.
4x
Epochrasite
- First of all, yes, it works with vial the way I want it to. I swapped in this bro as my grindy guy over Squadron Hawk just recently. Epoch is less good at being a lot of chump blocks, but I ultimately decided to go with the construct because squad is slow and, while I can play slow and grindy, I prefer to beat face. Nobody expects to be ambushed by a 4/4 from D&T. Also being colorless is not irrelevant.
spells- I've got more spice in this section so I hope you've held on this long.
4x Path to Exile- I know that this, over swords, seems kind of counter intuitive with the whole trying to control opponents' mana mumbo jumbo. It is. A lot of decks won't punish path at all being just duals. Most of the decks I can think of that play basics are combo decks where neither removal spell is going to be good. Just those and mid-range decks that, TBH, am I gonna keep a mid range deck with DRS off mana? I'd rather kill the angler or goyf and give them a land than give them another draw by slowing my clock a turn. The MUs where I think I get bit in the ass are rare enough(maybe the mirror is an exception) that I'm going to continue giving it a try.
Batterskull- A D&T staple. I know some people don't like it, but it's swingy enough that if it gets going having it is a real boon.
Umezawa's Jitte- This cards wins combat. A can't-cut in a deck trying to win with combat, and double that sentiment for a deck with SFM.
Sai of the Shinobi- I promise I'm not an insane person. This card is sweet. If I'm playing a game about wasting, and porting, and just kind of not having much mana to play with I want sai. It's cheap to cast, even with Thalia out, and free to suite up. Imagine those games where you have a boss equip out, and you just have to get out a dude then get it on him and you're set. You cast a guy, ok next turn. Equip? No, removal spell. Ugh. Just ugh. If you had sai out you could go threat, swing, removal- easy peasy, new threat right away. I also love sai against lightning bolt decks because it makes my four avengers big enough to survive bolt and eat a delver that usually comes out of bolt decks, and it makes my epochrasite big enough to trade with anglers that usually also come out of those decks. Also sai is sweet against eldrazi because it's fast enough to matter, and makes more things in my deck actually trade with anything rather than just get run over.
Sideboard- It's pretty stock, and changes often so I'll do this later when I care more and have it more figured out how it should work with my build specifically.
