Todd Stevens may have the most famous B/G Delirium list, having put up a solid finish last weekend at #SCGCOL, but the deck also managed to take down an IQ in the hands of Nick Schirillo and I am rather impressed by how tight Nick’s list is, with no chaff and plenty of high impact cards.
The primary difference between the two lists is philosophical, with Stevens opting for a more aggressive list with the megamorph package of Den Protector and Deathmist Raptor while Schirillo plays a more traditional midrange strategy with a Transverse the Ulvenwald toolbox.
I don’t see this deck having the capability to win with aggressive starts, so I like the boost in power level that Traverse the Ulvenwald provides. Nissa, Vastwood Seer; Den Protector; and Gilt-Leaf Winnower are great targets for a tutor and Emrakul, the Promised End gives you inevitability in a variety of matchups. You can be confident in winning any drawn out games. As I am wont to do, I will commend Nick on his restraint with the toolbox, only including the most high-impact targets.
I also like the inclusion of a singleton Sinister Concoction. You can’t play too many because of the built-in card disadvantage, but a single copy gives you an enchantment-based removal spell that kills far more than Dead Weight can and can fuel delirium almost by itself. With thirteen delirium cards, it’s important to achieve it early and often, and between four copies of Grim Flayer; four Mindwrack Demon; three Liliana, the Last Hope; and the wide array of card types this list has the tools to do so.
The one strange inclusion to me is the singleton maindeck Transgress the Mind. It’s just such an odd number to have of this card, and it’s likely that a second Ruinous Path would do more good, since this list can have some issues pressuring planeswalkers with its creatures.
Between Traverse the Ulvenwald and Evolving Wilds, you could easily splash a color if there is a card you are particularly interested in. Dragonlord Silumgar was a popular one last season, although the decline in planeswalkers cuts into that card’s power level. Red would give you access to another powerful Dragonlord in Atarka, while white would allow you to upgrade Ob Nixilis Reignited to Sorin, Grim Nemesis.
I’d caution against splashing too readily, since it will always have a significant cost, but it’s certainly nice to have that option and you should make yourself aware of those options if you pick up the deck.
I’m not sure whether Delirium will replace Seasons Past as the B/G deck of choice, but it certainly seems like the former has some legs in the format and will only increase in potency as the lists become further refined for the format.
Creatures (18)
- 1 Den Protector
- 1 Nissa, Vastwood Seer
- 1 Gilt-Leaf Winnower
- 4 Sylvan Advocate
- 4 Mindwrack Demon
- 1 Emrakul, the Promised End
- 2 Ishkanah, Grafwidow
- 4 Grim Flayer
Planeswalkers (4)
Lands (25)
Spells (13)
- 4 Grasp of Darkness
- 1 Dead Weight
- 1 Murder
- 1 Ultimate Price
- 1 Ruinous Path
- 1 Transgress the Mind
- 1 Sinister Concoction
- 3 Traverse the Ulvenwald
Sideboard
