Community

I know plenty of others have tried/are trying to build a deck around guttersnipe. But there are so many little combinations and different paths you can take with the deck, and I'd really like to know what everyone else who has tested one of these decks has done with it. My issue is the win con is so combo based if you don't get your guttersnipe, you're pretty much sol. You can either go more burn heavy on the spells or control heavy. I kind of like the middle ground. I'll post my list and explain why I've put some cards in there... And incase anyone asks I'm not running electromancers  because this deck needs as many instants and sorceries as possible to thrive and electromancers don't help that much when all of your spells are already extremely low cost. I'm also trying no snapcaster because there's already 28 triggers (half of the deck) for guttersnipe and as I mentioned I feel the deck needs another win con and I feel thundermaw hellkite could provide that.

My list (in development):

Creatures:
x4 Nivmagus Elemental (this is probably the oddest card here so it deserves an explenation, some people want to run delver, but it really doesn't work as some people have already stated and I've discovered. This card off the go is a bigger body and can't be tragic slipped on T1. It's mainly a body that fills the 1 drop spot, but with potential to put in a little damage. Guttersnipes ability activates upon casting not once a spell resolves so if an opponent tries to cast a burn spell on Nivmagus, I can cast a spell exile it nivmagus is 3/4 which puts it out or range of spears and pillars and guttersnipe still deals 2 damage.)
x4 Guttersnipe
x2 Talrand, Sky Summoner
x2 Thundermaw Hellkite (Possibly a Niv-Mizzet? Could be ok. More burn damage and draw + a solid flyer)

Spells:
x2 Dissipate
x2 Unsummon
x4 Searing Spear
x4 Pillar of Flame
x4 Essence Scatter (will SB for negate if it's control)
x4 Think Twice
x4 Izzet Charm (maybe drop 2 charms for 2 desperate ravings )

Lands:
x2 Desolate Lighthouse
x4 Sulfur Falls
x4 Steam Vents
Islands
Mountains

Please let me know what you guys have ran or what you think of my list.

Take out essence scatter. People are slowly atarting to mainboard cavern of lost souls, which invalidates essence scatter. up to a third dissipate, and run a couple mizzium mortars in it's place. Maybe a cyclonic rift ?


drop 2 charms for 2 desperate ravings. I can vouch for it, it's good.

I have to disagree with Av, in a tempo-oriented deck like this, getting a nice beater like delver down early is very important, and amass and thoughflare are both overcosted and slow in a deck like yours that wants to win ASAP.

Dec 4, 2012 -- 12:37AM, Catotheyounger wrote:

I have to disagree with Av, in a tempo-oriented deck like this, getting a nice beater like delver down early is very important, and amass and thoughflare are both overcosted and slow in a deck like yours that wants to win ASAP.

I agree with you about those cards being pricey, hence their place in a deck running a set of a dude that can lower their cost. When Amass costs you 3 mana to draw 3 cards and deal 2 damage, it stops being over-priced.

But we can debate specifics(those examples WERE top of my head after all), I stand by my shout that Delvers day is done. Even in this deck he's going to trigger for you less then 50% of the time, and you're completely relying on luck to get you there. If Gatecrash gives us something like ponder again, then I can see Delver seeing a resurgence (and Guttersnipe is a natural pairing), but when that card went Delver lost his very best friend.

I'm going to chime in and say that I don't think Guttersnipe belongs in an aggressive deck. If you play him on curve, he's a turn 3 do-nothing that you are hoping to untap with. There are better aggressive plays. I really prefer him as a finisher in a controlling shell. He begs to be played with Goblin Electromancer and Augur of Bolas . he also lets you stack your deck a little heavier on counters and draw, since he will be killing your opponent. This lets you save your burn for creatures that are cast off of Cavern of Souls (which is answerable with Ghost Quarter if you really need to).