I actually sleeved the list from Luca Luvino

http://www.morphling.de/top8decks.php?id=1568

and tested it versus a control list, and I have got to say I really missed playing DT.  The list really abuses Snapcaster Mage and the Intuition - AK engine.

My only fear is my AKs being surgically extracted or extirpated before I even get to use them.  With this, does it make sense to include Mental Missteps in the list versus Spell Pierce?

What do you guys think about the Tendrils of Agony kill versus addiing in the Vault-Key Combo?

Does this also mean that there is also a chance we will see the unrestriction of Flash?=)

Just shooting up a question.

Can you post the scenario for workshops?  I have not bought the article because I am having issues with my card, but I would love to take a crack at the question since I myself built a Gush Doomsday deck.  And I must say, I am having a hard time pre and post board.

Thanks guys!!

1 Jace ver2 - since I only have one, and it is so damn expensive and hard to find these days.  Though you make a valid suggestion.  I will try to proxy it up.

I feel confortable with 3 City of Brass.  I need not add fetch lands, which somehow dilutes the mana count of the deck in critical stages of the game.  Though this actually can work against The Deck, I never found so far any issues with it.

There was one game where in I top decked Pernicious Deed, and ended up wiping the entire board of a Fish player netting him just 2 lands.  Early game I believe you don't want to get Pernicious Deed, but mid game (not late game) , this can make a difference.  Ofcourse, this is always a slot worth swapping with other cards.

I played The Deck just yesterday landing a 5th place finish.  Here is the deck list I used.
I was expecting a Mud infested Meta, with Oath, Dark Times, Jace Control and Ichorid on the side.  Little would play combo in such in environment.
   
Lands (19) Mana Source (27)
3   Wasteland
2   Volcanic Island
2   Underground Sea
2   Tropical Island
1   Strip Mine
1   Scalding Tarn
1   Polluted Delta
1   Misty Rainforest
1   Island
1   Flooded Strand
3   City of Brass
1   Library of Alexandria
1   Black Lotus
1   Mox Sapphire
1   Mox Jet
1   Mox Ruby
1   Mox Emerald
1   Mox Pearl
1   Sol Ring
1   Mana Crypt
   
4   Force of Will
3   Mana Drain
2   Spell Pierce
   
1   Fire/Ice
1   Pernicious Deed
2   Ancient Grudge
   
1   Gorilla Shaman
1   Trygon Predator
1   Sower of Temptation
1   Sphinx of the Steelwind
1   Tinker
1   Jace the Mindsculptor
1   Crucible of Worlds
   
1   Brainstorm
1   Gifts Ungiven
1   Fact or Fiction
1   Ancestral Recall
1   Time Walk
1   Yawgmoth's Will
1   Regrowth
1   Mystical Tutor
1   Vampiric Tutor
1   Demonic Tutor
1   Skeletal Scrying
1   Time Vault
1   Voltaic Key

Sideboard   
2   Firespout
1   Red Elemental Blast
1   Pyroblast
2   Sower of Temptation
3   Nature's Claim
4   Leyline of the Void
2   Yixlid Jailer

** I considered building The Deck with
2 Leyline of Void
1 Helm of Obedience
But after gold fishing, I found it iffy, at least for me.  I took out the three cards in favor of:
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Skeletal Scrying

Assembling Time Vault and Voltaic Key won me numerous games even in previous tournaments.  I chose them because they are easier to assemble than the Obeyline combo.  I know I'll get flamed for this, but it actually worked for me. 

I took the Skeletal Scrying suggestion and for most part it went well.  Using the drain mana to set up S.S to refill my hand after a counter war really is helpful.  Though this slot is open for changes.  This can probably be Mind Twist, but I haven't tested it.

I did not board in anything against combo because our meta is really infested with all kinds of MUD variants.  So I just concentrated on beating Mud, Oath, Ichorid and Jace Control.

My tournament report can be found here if you are interested, as well as those of other players.

http://thesphere.freeforums.org/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2192&start=10

@Cesar

I have been wanting to play this deck for a while now, and I might have the resources to pull it off ( I actually was missing 1 Roar of the Wurm).

I have a couple of cards in mind that I want to test, I just want thoughts on them being the deck's father..
Raven's Crime
Flame Jab

I really believe that retrace cards can be utilized well, though it would still warrant lots of testing. 

I made the following revisions main deck:
-2 Cunning Wish (not really a fan of Cunning Wish)
+1 Intuition (I was testing sample hands with your list and I almost wanted to have Intuition ASAP)
+ 2 Mana Drain
-1 Spell Pierce ( I tried to match the counter set up I am comfortable with when playing with "the deck"

Frist, well, if you are counting on that last life point, then every life point counts, yes?  Since every life point is a quasi clock that let's you delay turns before you get to your last one.  I really don't see why you disagreed with me here.

Second, for arguement's sake, my build runs
1 Darkblast
2 Ancient Grudge
4 Force of Will
3 Pierce
3 Mana Drains
4 Wasteland

If I am actually going to run Intuition, I would probably cut some cards to make room for:
Life from the Loam
Compulsive Research
Flame Jab?? > just a cards I wanted to test out.

I am looking to see if others have thought of combining "the deck" and Chapuzas Solution (like a hybrid)

Third, I am actually on the edge of removing them (Time Vault and Voltaic Key) from the deck, but I am still thinking of what cards can replace the two slots.  Am I missing a lot by cutting Ponder and Thirst of Knowledge/ Complusive Research?

Peace also!

For Timetwister, I used to believe this was a veru underrated card, which it still is.  But its power declines much in "the deck".  For me, even in the most advantageous turn Timetwister is cast, I almost always mostly fear what my opponent drew than what I did.  It resets the game which "the deck" does not like since it is like going back to the stage of the game wherein "the deck" is at its weakest. 

For Skeletal Scrying, when playing "the deck", every point of life counts.  I sometimes lost because of a difference of 1 life point but was on the verge of winning.  Life points is more important in the deck than in any deck archetypes I know. 

Gifts Ungiven, in the deck is used to gain advantage which would eventually win you the game.  In a sense it also helps filter your deck out.  I might not be always cast gifts ungiven then win, but more of cast gifts ungiven, (big advantage, advantage, advantage, then win). 

I am pondering on different cards to include in "the deck", your critiscisms are welcome!

1 Intuition - As replacement for Fact or Fiction, can get my main deck Darklblast, Stripmine, Wastelands and Ancient Grudges.

Here is my current list:

4   Wasteland
2   Volcanic Island
2   Underground Sea
2   Tropical Island
1   Strip Mine
1   Scalding Tarn
1   Polluted Delta
1   Misty Rainforest
1   Island
1   Flooded Strand
3   City of Brass
1   Black Lotus
1   Mox Sapphire
1   Mox Jet
1   Mox Ruby
1   Mox Emerald
1   Mox Pearl
1   Sol Ring
1   Mana Crypt
   
4   Force of Will
3   Mana Drain
3   Spell Pierce
   
1   Voltaic Key
1   Time Vault
1   Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1   Tinker
1   Jace the Mindsculptor
   
2   Ancient Grudge
1   Sower of Temptation
1   Trygon Predator
1   Gorilla Shaman
1   Crucible of Worlds
1   Pernicious Deed
1   Lightning Bolt
1   Darkblast
   
1   Gifts Ungiven
1   Mystical Tutor
1   Vampiric Tutor
1   Yawgmoth’s Will
1   Ancestral Recall
1   Demonic Tutor
1   Fact or Fiction
1   Brainstorm
1   Cunning Wish

SIDEBOARD
4   Leyline of The Void
1   Ravenous Trap
3   Nature's Claim
1   Pyroblast
2   Red Elemental Blast
1   Volcanic Fallout
1   Hurkyll's Recall
2   Sower of Temptation

I am pondering on the following slots:

1 Voltaic Key
1 Time Vault
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Fact or Fiction - I am thinking if Intuition can make the cut?

Any ideas?  My meta game is Aggro MUD, MUD, Ichorid, Fish (U/W, Noble) then Oath.

Here is what I am testing now:

4   Wasteland
2   Volcanic Island
2   Underground Sea
2   Tropical Island
1   Strip Mine
1   Scalding Tarn
1   Polluted Delta
1   Misty Rainforest
1   Island
1   Flooded Strand
3   City of Brass
1   Black Lotus
1   Mox Sapphire
1   Mox Jet
1   Mox Ruby
1   Mox Emerald
1   Mox Pearl
1   Sol Ring
1   Mana Crypt
   
4   Force of Will
3   Mana Drain
3   Spell Pierce
   
1   Voltaic Key
1   Time Vault
1   Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1   Tinker
1   Jace the Mindsculptor
   
2   Ancient Grudge
1   Sower of Temptation
1   Trygon Predator
1   Gorilla Shaman
1   Crucible of Worlds
1   Pernicious Deed
1   Lightning Bolt
1   Darkblast
   
1   Gifts Ungiven
1   Mystical Tutor
1   Vampiric Tutor
1   Yawgmoth’s Will
1   Ancestral Recall
1   Demonic Tutor
1   Fact or Fiction
1   Brainstorm
1   Merchant Scroll

SIDEBOARD
4   Leyline of The Void
2   Yixlid Jailer
3   Nature's Claim
1   Pyroblast
1   Red Elemental Blast
3   Pyroclasm
1   Trygon Predator
Time Vault - Voltaic Key - Too good a combo to pass out.  Still I am considering cutting them to open slots.

Jace TMS - has all been good in testing.  Works agianst all Tinker robots except Inkwell Leviathan.  Can also work as a quasi - time walk if your opponent decides to swing at him instead of you. 

With the sideboard, I am pretty much dead versus combo but only a few people run it in our meta. 

I pretty much have a good match up against Oath and Stax which makes up most of the Meta here. 
Kind of okay post board when it comes to Ichorid. 
50/50 versus any Aggro decks like Noble Fish, Mono blue Fish, U/W Aggro Control.

Any suggestions and criticisms are welcome..

That I am not quite sure since the original list for IT does not have Mana Drain in it.  Erik just suggested it some time ago the inclusion of 2 Mana Drains main deck.  But mainly, IT still supports rituals and tutors powered by intuition.

what do you guys think?

I just want to ask where do we put Intuition Tendrils in the list?
Because next to GWSx, this combo variant I think would do well is IT.   

Not exactly if you do it without the intention of writing everthing in your opponents deck.  Remember, you get to search your opponents deck for a particular artifact card ( not a specific card ) so without taking much time, you will have more or less an idea of what your opponent is holding based on the cards in his/her library.  

So you can have at least more than 50% chance success of stealing your opponents Time Vault/ Voltaic key and using them against your opponent by just being observant of the cards you happen to see while searching in your opponents library.

I still have to be convinced that this is slow play.  Sorry for the OT.  

But hey, it depends on yourself, if you see your opponent is doing so and you believe that is slow play, then time to raise those hands for a judge. 

Definition of Slow Play
Players who take longer than is reasonably required to complete game actions are engaging in Slow Play. If a judge believes a player is intentionally playing slowly to take advantage of a time limit, the infraction is Cheating — Stalling.
Examples
A. A player repeatedly reviews his opponent’s graveyard without any significant change in game state.
B. A player spends time writing down the contents of an opponent's deck while resolving Thought Hemorrhage.
C. After 3 minutes into a round at a Pro Tour™ Qualifier, a player has not completed his shuffling.
D. A player gets up from his seat to look at standings, or goes to the bathroom without permission of an official.

Besides, come to think of it, how many mass artifact bounce spells does a typical deck have?  one? two? or even three?  You can already infer what the player holds in his hand when you steal artifacts via Thada right?  So, you may already have an idea on whether to go for the stolen Vault Key kill, or just Extract it from their deck.  IMHO

@ soapboat

If you view the deck that way, then why are you still playing it?

Just a point of comparison, when I am playing The Deck ( the build I am using is close to what most The Deck players play ), I play the deck as if I am playing Landstill but with a twist.  With a twist in a sense that any threat they can bring down, I know I have the answers maindecked.  If they happen to counter my solution to their threats, then I will Tinker one myself.  It all boils down to the decision of do I have to counter this threat?  or protect my own threat later.  All about balls play man, besides, you can't hate out everything because you still have your own game plan to do.  

If you are going to look at it, the standard build of The Deck only has a few slots for which you can customize based on your metagame.  This is of course with respect to the Comulsive Research - Loam build of the The Deck.

Is this already confirmed? 

I agree that this can serve as a singleton maindeck inclusions in decks sharing the same color or concept.  I am just not sure about the tempo loss when this is in your starting hand since it CIPT. 

But, with all the graveyard hate Wizards printed ever since Flash and Ichorid became popular, those decks just keep coming back and adapting to card developments and surprisingly they were better than ever I believe so.

Deck synergy perhaps?  With Painter you can maindeck even 1 REB, can block Dark Confidants and Blood Ghasts.  Grindstone destroys top deck tutors.  TimeVault is a dead card on its own ( except when facing opposing Smokestacks ).  Voltaic Key can untap Mana Crypt.  

I myself am playing The Deck with the inclusion of the following:

1 Painter
1 Grindstone

Given this, and the issue of The Deck having a slow clock, I am not sure as to the reason why the Painter-Grind combo can't be included in place of the Obeyline combo slot. 

Nice to see that others are exploring this deck archetype as well.  I also constructed around the proposed combo of Fastbond - Blood Ghast and Skull Clamp.  Here is the link below:

http://www.thesphere.freeforums.org/ghast-bond-tendrils-deck-development-t1215.html

Basically here is the my initial post:

Hey guys, it has been some weeks now when I started to build this deck.

Immediately after Zendikar was out, I went to Mike's place in search for a set of BloodGhasts for sale. I was very much eager to try out the new deck idea I had when Zendikar was spoiled. The main idea is to use the insane draw engine using these three cards:

Bloodghast - Skull Clamp - Fastbond

then kill via Tendrils of Agony or via Aggro beat down. I played some games with it already, and made adjustments based on the test play and the inputs of Mondu. Bloodghasts were intially used in Ichorid archetypes and also black based decks. I'd like to hear what the community thinks of the deck, if it has possibilities of improving into a viable deck in Vintage or if other wise.

GhastBond ver1

Engine:(15)
1 Fastbond
3 Bloodghast
3 Skullclamp
3 Dark Confidant
3 Intuition
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Brainstorm

Disruption/Protection: (10)
4 Cabal Therapy
4 Duress
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Chain of Vapor

Broken Stuff: (5)
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will

Kill condition: (3)
1 Tinker
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Tendrils of Agony

Resources: (27)
4 Dark Ritual
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Underground Sea
1 Breeding Pool - Tropical Island
1 Island
2 Swamp
3 Polluted Delta
2 Misty Rain Forest
1 Mox Peal
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald

Basically, the shell of the deck is based on Intuition Tendrils.dec. Explanation on some of the card choices:

3 Intuition: Normally would get 3 Blooghasts, 3 Cabal Therapies if Bloodghasts are already online, 2 Bloodghasts and 1 Cabal Therapy. Or if the situation may call it, the usuall Intuition Tendrils pile of cards. The combinations may vary depending on the situation.
3 Bloodghasts: As Mondu pointed out, you would only Intuition for three.
3 Dark Confidants: Helps to stablize the draw and board position up until such time that you can win with or without the Bloodghasts going online.
1 Thrist for Knowledge:: Helps to discard those nasty Bloodghasts stuck in your hand if you have no mana to hard cast them.

I was actually thinking of putting in Careful Study in place of Dark Confidants and Brainstorm but initial testing proved it to be sub par.

What do you guys think? junk or not?

Hi there! I was a long time Landstill player myself.

I remember Erik suggesting the use of Vendillion Clique, which actually screws up combo player's hands.

Hmmm, just following your proposed stack there, how about

Flash
Protean Hulk
Carrion Feeder
Kiki - Jiki, Mirror Breaker
Karmic Guide

Thanks Erik!  Will heavily test your suggestions.  The reason why I wanted Fact or Fiction is due to the lack of Tutors in the deck ( I lack Imperial and Grim Tutor) So to compensate, I will try to run FoF and another Mana Drain ( although adding another duress effect really is an option as you suggested ) and test the overall synergy of the deck. 

Guys, I made some experiments with the deck:

Out:
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain

In:
1 Wheel of Fortune

Initial playtesting with the deck:
I usually find myself at the edge of my seat every time I try to combo out.  The scenario was always "I have to win this turn" since effectively, this is my last turn.  I am able to pull it out, thanks to the set ups I make before the combo finish ( Intuition for Dark Ritual etc etc).  Recoup was key to winning some of those games.  Even when my opponents have duress effects, they usually find cards like Intuiton, Gifts Ungiven, Yawgmoth's Will on my hand, which either way, I can find the right set up to win after a turn or two. 
I had playtested the deck against U/W Fish, U/B Mask Nought, FCG Goblins, B Mask Nought.

I was also thinking of cutting out 2 Deep Analysis in favor of 1 Fact or Fiction and 1 Mana Drain.  I always found myself in a difficult situation when casting Deep Analysis.  Since I usually Intuition for the kill components rather than card advantage so what happens is I usually don't have Deep Analysis in my graveyard and am having a hard time casting it in my main phase.   With that, I thought, why not change it to Fact or Fiction which would provide card advantage, I can play on my opponents end turn, and will fill up my graveyard for enough for threshold.  I would still have to test this change though.

First of all, thanks to all your suggestions, it really helped me in tweaking the deck. 

I have been considering playing storm based decks especially IT for some time now, and have also been reading articles and postings here in the forums regarding ANT and TPS.  I think, I still have to make a decision on which path I choose, which could only be answered by playtesting my deck of choice with various meta decks here.

Personally, I would want to run Empty the Warrens if I am to stick with black, the thing is, Echoing Truth is being maindecked in decks here.  That is also the reason why I opted to run Inkwell Leviathan over Dark Steel Collosus. 

After taking into consideration the comments I got, I came up with Intuition Tendrils v.2.
I really think that given a little tweaking to the deck, it can be a very good competitor specially in the current meta. 

Intuition Tendrils v.2

Lands  ( 15 )
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
4 Island
1 Swamp
4 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island

Mana Accelerants ( 14 )
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
4 Dark Ritual
2 Cabal Ritual

Disruption/Defense ( 12 )
2 Duress
2 Thoughtseize
4 Force of will
2 Mana Drain
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Rebuild

Tutors ( 8 )
1 Recoup
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Intuition
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Merchant Scroll

Draw/Filter ( 5 )
2 Deep Analysis
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder

Broken Stuff ( 3 )
1 Necropotence
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Yawgmoth's Will

Kill ( 3 )
1 Tendrills of Agony
1 Tinker
1 Inkwell Leviathan/Dark Steel Collossus

Thanks Erik!  

The Tinker - Man plan is really a personal preference since it makes me comfortable having an alternative win condition.  I am just weary about having my only copy of Tendrils of Agony being extirpated.    Sui black decks are somewhat rampant here in our meta..

@ Meadbert - Thanks for the sugestions!  Will definitely make changes and playtest also.  

Actually, I just thought of Beseech the Queen and Lum Dul's Vault as a desperate replacement for Grim and Imperial.  

How about Lotus Petal?

@sam101 - Thanks also for the suggestion!  If ever, can you share your IT list?

I think splashing red is something I have thought about in the past, but am not sure on the effect it has on the resiliency of the deck to mana denial. 
Running Recoup would also be in line with Meadbert's suggestion of running Gifts Ungiven.

what kind of meta game are you facing there?

I have been reading quite some number of posts here to help me come up with a viable deck which I can utilize my current resources with.  I do not own a full set of power only the following,
- Black Lotus
- Ancestral Recall
- Mox Sapphire
- Mox Ruby
- Mox Pearl
and yet despite this, I was bent on making a combo deck utilizing rituals and drains, so with some back reading I found my self Intuition Tendrils.
I initially tried to create the deck based on the lists posted here.  I am hoping for you guys if you have some suggestions on my current build.

Intuition Tendrils v.1

Lands  ( 15 )
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
4 Island
2 Swamp
4 Underground Sea

Mana Accelerants ( 14 )
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Chrome Mox
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
4 Dark Ritual
2 Cabal Ritual

Disruption/Defense ( 12 )
2 Duress
2 Thoughtseize
4 Force of will
2 Mana Drain
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Rebuild

Tutors ( 8 )
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Intuition
2 Beseech the Queen/Lim  Dul's Vault

Draw/Filter ( 5 )
2 Deep Analysis
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder

Broken Stuff ( 3 )
1 Necropotence
1 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Yawgmoth's Will

Kill ( 3 )
1 Tendrills of Agony
1 Tinker
1 Inkwell Leviathan/Dark Steel Collossus

Critical Card Choices
- 2 Beseech the Queen/Lim  Dul's Vault - I don't own Imperial Seals or Grim Tutors.  Originally, this slot was meant for Goblin Charbelcher and Mana Severance
- Tinker to Inkwell or Dark Steel Collossus - I felt the need to include a secondary win condition just in case.

Our meta game consists of Tez, Oath, Fish, and a lot of rogue decks. 

What do you guys think?  Initially I was pondering on just going with Drain Tendrills but I wanted to explore combo fueled by rituals. 

Thanks for any constructive and destructive criticisms you may have on the deck..

Congratz on your finish and thanks for posting your list.

After giving it some thought, I can see that the splash for green was for Tarmogoyf (maindeck) and Trygon Predator (side board) only.  Would using 3 Master of Etherium in your built be any good compared to Tarmogoyf?  This is given the large number of artifacts you are running.  This way, you can also stabilize your mana base by just sticking to two colors.  Just my .02 cents here.

I think Sage's slot is for filtering cards to draw rather than disrupt. 

How is your Oath matchup? 

The reason I am asking is because Oath was one of the main reasons why U/R Fish died slowly in our meta here in the Philippines.  The lack of a strong creature removal and clock rendered the old build (not sure ofcourse about the updated one) dead. 

any chance of including Magus of the Moon main deck?  or was this considered but did not make the cut?

When facing decks with Tarmogoyf and Jotun Grunt, U/R Fish losses most of the time, but how are you handling these match ups?  I am sure that these cards would'nt hit the table because of your disruption pieces but if they do, you'd have a hard time right?

your thoughts...