UR Delver of Secrets [Legacy] (Legacy)

Where does one begin when discussing the greatest deck that has ever existed? First we complain about the price of dual lands. Yes, four volcanic islands that single-handedly push the price of this deck up by $3,000. I feel like instead of saying something is worth its weight in gold, we should instead be comparing things to the weight of Magic cards. Or something. Like, 'Wow that pile of gold is worth its weight in Magic cards!' I've often dreamed about going to get fast food and pulling up to the drive-thru, flashing a Force of Will, then ordering every off the menu. Anyhow, so instead of wasting my money on four pieces of cardboard I will now be telling myself that dual lands are actually a detriment to this deck. Yes, dual lands are bad BECAAUUSE you will take damage from our own Prices of Progress. And if there's one thing legacy players like is their non-basic lands. So we will bide our time with our basic lands and then strike when our opponents are at their greediest!

This deck really needs no introduction as it has variants in pretty much every format. There's just something about red and blue, small powerhouse creatures, and burn, that brings everyone together. Except for modern. So since green is the best color for creatures, and since blue is supposed to be the worst color for creatures, it only makes sense then that this deck would win off the strength of Delver of Secrets, a one-mana 3/2 BLUE flyer. Because if there's one thing WotC is not it's hypocrites. White can't get a simple cantrip while blue gets "BEND" the color pie whenever Mark Rosewater wants. Card draw is a break for white, but the best one-drop that has ever been printed is a "bend". Sure, why not? But wait, you have to build your deck around it to be any good. Yes, you need to put instants and sorceries in your blue deck. Just a building restriction. Because as we know before this blue was never playing instants.

Whateveeer. So let's look at the deck list and I'll explain why despite all the new, even more brainless creatures (like Murktide Regent) the best list will always be the original. Incidentally, isn't Murktide Regent basically WotC just giving a big screw you to every other color? Why is it even blue? It's an undercosted flyer that beats every other creature therefore it must be blue! I suppose Delver did set a precedent for broken blue creatures--and then of course we had Master of Waves, and True-Name Nemesis. Maybe blue's piece of the color pie is simply being overpowered. Red has menace, black has deathtouch, and blue has literally everything. I believe if WotC ever made a card that said 'You win the game.' they'd find a way to give it to blue and call it a "bend". No, you see it's not a break because blue has always been able to win games. Then again, that's not much different than Approach of the Second Sun which already basically says the same thing. Oh, you cast two spells? I guess you win!

Lands (16)

Fiery Islet is a good land because while it is non-basic, you can just sacrifice it away and not hurt yourself when Price of Progress'd. Of course this is the same argument for Scalding Tarn. Steam Vents, while being non-basic, and be fetched up with Scalding Tarns and are just nice okay? Then finally we have oh I don't know, four islands I guess. Remember that we need the basic land types for Daze which is another reason we run Steam Vents. If you want you can use the fast lands--Spirebluff Canal--I think. But again, this deck is about utilizing our opponent's greed against them which means making Price of Progress more one-sided. If you want you may use more fetch lands but remember that deck thinning is a myth and you'll only be wasting life and money.

Artifacts (2)

So this is a new addition mainly because I bought into Shadowspears before they climbed up to their current price. I do think, however, that even a Monastery Swiftspear looks a bit threatening with +1/+1, trample, and lifelink plus the incidental way of screwing over Bogles players. Sure, it may not be as good as the Swords cycles, but it's a lot cheaper both mana and dollar-wise. So include it or don't, I don't care. But if you don't include it, you'll probably want another couple Preodains.

Instants (20) // Sorceries (10)

Card draw, counterspells, and burn. I think most of these are pretty self-explanatory except for possibly the Forces of Will. While the price tags are definitely going to be an issue, Force of Will is a card that single-handedly props up both legacy and vintage and as such must be played in any blue deck. Just the fact that you could have FoW means that your opponent is no longer free to simply do the most degenerate things available. If you play blue you must play FoW. Daze is also good as a baby Force.

Creatures (12)

Accept no substitutions. Delver, Swiftspear, and Sprite are the three key pieces to winning. Don't let anyone else tell you that power creep has invalidated these cards simply because WotC keeps making even more broken cards. Murktide Regent will never be Delver. He wishes he were as cool as Delver but this will never happen.

Sideboard (15)

The crypts are really your flex slots since graveyard hate, while being good and FREE, may not be what your particular meta needs. Otherwise, the Hydro and Pyroblasts are simply there to ensure no one messes with your plans. Honestly, if they had like Holyblast and Natureblast and Decayblast for the other colors I'd run them also. Then Surgical Extraction is good for whatever else you need or something. Hey it costs nothing and can often ensure their biggest threats don't come back.

UPDATE > 2/2

-2 Shadowspear

It's a good card but if we're gonna use an equipment slot it better be something that wrecks your opponent completely. And since Worldslayer costs too much we'll just leave equipment out for now because as everyone knows that is the superior sword.

-4 Preordain

Ponder at sorcery is already pushing it but at least with that you can shuffle your library. Preordain is good, but we can do better. And speaking of doing better...

+4 Price of Progress

Yeah I don't care if 14 of the 16 lands we run are nonbasic. So are everybody else's and they aren't trying to fireblast us into oblivion so I think we'll be okay. I'm trying to make fireblast a verb, like 'hey that guy really fireblasted my eyebrows off' or something. Obviously we don't use Fireblast in this deck.. for some reason. Maybe we should, I'll have to look into that cause Fireblast is like, the best card ever. Blowing up our shocklands for 4 damage would probably suck though, but hey, as burn players we don't care about anything but the burn.