Grixis Pyromancer, decklist and some questions

So, I'm not sure what works out best, to either keep my 2 snapcasters, or switch them out to 2 JVP instead. What do you guys think, in which match-ups are they the stronger or the weaker choice? Lastly, I would like to know what you think of the sideboard in general, should I keep the illness in the ranks? Or switch it out for a Virulent Plague instead? And, in the few cases when I have played against Moat-decks, I have been completely shout out, if I am not able to kill them through my 2 bolts and to use guttersnipe's ability. Is there any decent enchantment-removal in these colors? Note that there is an extremly mild splash of green for the flashback-cost of Ancient Grudge, with this splash in mind, do you guys think Sultai Charm could work? Or is it just a waste of sideboard-slots?

kistrand

@toffs Hi, Snapcaster mage is generally good with instants and has a surprise element to him. He's great to flashback a counterspell or stp or Bolt in your case. He's also a 2/1 body to help in more aggressive decks. That's probably why most Pyromancer decks run Snappy over JVP, they want aggression not long grindy control. JVP, on the other hand, is slower to get going but can have more of an impact in the right deck imo. He allows for replaying Gush with the alternative cost which Snappy does not (he only grants flashback whereas JVP says you can play a card in the graveyard as if it were in your hand). JVP's activations do not cost mana the turn you use them (JVP cost 2 to cast of course) whereas Snappy takes up 2 mana to cast which limits what you can flashback since it has to be that same turn. So, to me, it comes down to the role you see your deck having. Your list looks a bit in between to me but I'd probably stick with Snappy over JVP. Enchantment removal could be Nature's claim if you increase the green splash.

ChubbyRain

JVP is almost exclusively a concession to Shops and Thorn decks. It helps you hit your land drops in the early game and flashback removal spells in the mid-to-late game. However, the way you have constructed your deck, your primary removal spell against Shops is Grudge and you don't gain as much from JVPs flashback.

Snapcaster Mage is better against Combo and Gush decks. The 2/1 body is not really aggressive, but readily sacrificed to flashback Therapy and you gain the ability to Snapback Mental Misstep and Flusterstorm. It depends on your metagame but the way you have your deck built right now, I would keep the Mages

Sultai Charm was talked about quite a bit when it was spoiled but it seems most people reached the conclusion that it's too expensive to serve as Shops hate and not impactful enough in other matchups to justify it's inclusion. You want Sulfur Elemental over both Virulent Plague and Illness in the Ranks. The deck is called Grixis Pyromancer for a reason and you really don't want to shut down your own Pyromancers.

toffs

Thanks for all the answers. I was thinking of going for the nature's claim, but since the deck kinda want to end things quite fast, I feel that the life gain from it doesn't feel great.

From your suggestions I will keep my snapcasters, I'm pretty into the element of surprise anyway. And regarding the plague and illness, I'm quite embarassed I was just thinking about the mentor hate, not even considering my own tokens, lol. Sulfur elemental is a good choice I guess, nice to get down another body to bait out swords so I can have my pyromancers in peace.

What do you guys think in general about the deck in the current meta-game? I have not come across many shops or white eldrazi decks so I still have a hard time figuring out how well positioned it is atm.

wappla

It is exceptionally difficult to build an adequate sideboard for any type of fair deck without white cards. Grafdigger's Cage is very close to unplayable.

mediumsteve

I disagree that cage is unplayable and that it is impossible to build a sideboard without white.

This deck was fine before Walking Ballista was printed and is almost unplayable now.

msg67183

One deck I think you are absolutely showing no respect for is Dredge. Dredge will devour this deck. Your only defense is 3 Grafdigger's Cage, which is arguably the worst Dredge Hate played.

The addition of Walking Ballista to the format makes Young Pyromancer a hard sell nowadays. I wish you luck with it though.

toffs

@wappla In which way is Grafdigger's Cage close to unplayable?

@mediumsteve If I were to change the color black to white in this deck, how would you design a sideboard then? For the other part of the deck, I would exchange my 3 cabals for 3 swords. Don't know what to do with the tutor though, maybe change it for a merchants scroll?

@msg67183 I don't have much experience playing against dredge, what are your favorite hatecards against the deck? Keep in mind that I might replace black with white, so you have that available aswell in that case.

msg67183

Well, I'm a Dredge Player. If you change Black to White, you not as well just play Sylvan Mentor....
The Better Dredge Hate cards are, in an order of best to worst, imo:
Rest in Peace
Yixlid Jailer
Leyline of the Void
Ravenous Trap
Surgical Extraction/ Extirpate
Tormod's Crypt/ Relic of Progenitus/ Bojuka Bog/ Nihil Spellbomb
Containment Priest
Grafdigger's Cage

Note that this is my opinion, not actual fact.

BazaarOfBaghdad

cage is way better against Pitch Dredge han traditional versions built around 5-color lands and Nature's Claim.

Griselbrother

@msg67183 said in Grixis Pyromancer, decklist and some questions:

Well, I'm a Dredge Player. If you change Black to White, you not as well just play Sylvan Mentor....
The Better Dredge Hate cards are, in an order of best to worst, imo:
Rest in Peace
Yixlid Jailer
Leyline of the Void
Ravenous Trap
Surgical Extraction/ Extirpate
Tormod's Crypt/ Relic of Progenitus/ Bojuka Bog/ Nihil Spellbomb
Containment Priest
Grafdigger's Cage

Note that this is my opinion, not actual fact.

I'm curious which Dredge you're playing? Because in my opinion (from the other side of the matchup), Priest is one of my favorite cards against Dredge.

msg67183

@Griselbrother said in Grixis Pyromancer, decklist and some questions:

@msg67183 said in Grixis Pyromancer, decklist and some questions:

Well, I'm a Dredge Player. If you change Black to White, you not as well just play Sylvan Mentor....
The Better Dredge Hate cards are, in an order of best to worst, imo:
Rest in Peace
Yixlid Jailer
Leyline of the Void
Ravenous Trap
Surgical Extraction/ Extirpate
Tormod's Crypt/ Relic of Progenitus/ Bojuka Bog/ Nihil Spellbomb
Containment Priest
Grafdigger's Cage

Note that this is my opinion, not actual fact.

I'm curious which Dredge you're playing? Because in my opinion (from the other side of the matchup), Priest is one of my favorite cards against Dredge.

I play Traditional Dredge. Priest is pretty bad because it doesn't do anything to the Graveyard, it allows Bridge triggers, it allows Dredging, Flashback Therapies, etc. You can pretty much ignore a Priest by dredging into some bridges, cast a creature, then flashback a therapy and make Zombies....