Mox Diamond: A place in 4cc??

[Royal Ass.]

I have recently began running a standard (though semi-powered) keeper (4cc) deck at my local tournaments.  Due to not owning a sapphire and playing in a sanctioned format my mana base looks like this:

3 Tundra
2 Underground
2 Volcanic Island
2 City of Brass
4 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Plains
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Diamond

Obviously this is a fairly standard mana base and I am running the Diamond in order to replace the sapphire that I don’t own.  The reason I’m posting this thread is because after playing with the Diamond I have felt that it is such a valuable card that even if I had a sapphire I would try to find a place within the deck to also run the Diamond.  I was wondering if anyone with a fully powered mana base also runs the Diamond in addition to the other moxes.

Pros:    Provides UU on first turn with a land.  (Most important reason)
   Gives un-strippable colored mana.
   Protects against non-basic hate.
   
Cons:   Discarding a land to play it. (Though this has been somewhat mitigated by running CoW)
   Makes mana base more susceptible to artifact hate.
   What land do you remove in order to find room in your deck for it?

One of the reasons that I have found Diamond so key, is that it helps insure you have WW to cast angel, or keeps your non-blue spells active in the event of cards like Bloodmoon, B2B, and opposing Crucibles.  

What do others think about running Mox Diamond along with the other Moxes?  Does anyone else see it as a viable card, and not just seeing it a mana fix for budget keeper decks like I am playing it?

Another thing I’ve thought about, but haven’t been playing Keeper long enough to make a decision on is if it would be more advantageous to run only 3 colors as opposed to 4.  The question here would be, is increased mana stability more important than having the utility available from the 4th color (most likely red)?  So far my answer would be no.

Do any more experienced 4cc players have thoughts on this?

[Gandalf_The_White_1]

Although a resolved diamond is great, the card advantage drawback is just too large to run it in 4cc IMO.  You're also right on the money about the difficultly of making room for it.

That said, I did see it used in 4cc, but that was a list using thirst for knowledges in addition to srcyings (I'm not sure how many), so he was running diamond and emerald for the obvious synergies in addition to more accleeration.

[Machinus]

4Cs strength is in the versatility provided four colors. Angel is not overly powerful on her own, and scrying has balanced limitations on its power. The deck is good because it has access to powerful answers, and different strategies for taking apart every opponent. Also it runs a lot of broken cards.

About the diamond, though. CoW does in fact recoup the card disadvantage, but first you have to have the crucible out, and second you have to lose a card from your hand until you can find one. 4C gets a much smaller bonus from this card than a deck like Hulk would, getting off it's engine a turn earlier and drowning the opponent in advantage - but hulk runs crypt instead, because it is just better. Diamond could be good in one of those turboland decks, like the one that made a T4 recently, where the chance that you will have the crucible is much higher, and the deck gets a LOT more out of the early speed boost. And in what may be a really significant indication of how good mox diamond really is, I think that particular deck only ran an emerald, as the extra card proves to be much more valuable in going off.

[Kowal]

Moved to newbie.

[Trollstorm]

The only way I'd play it is if I were upping the crucible count MD. otherwise, it's just non-synergistic.

[orgcandman]

what I've noticed from playing 4cC is that, although the broken artifact mana is great, after turn 3, it's just marginal. The power of 4cC is either A) exploding in the first 1-2 turns, or B) draining into a devastating play in the mid/late game.

Broken artifact mana is great, but I would think a number of things would work better than the diamond, and here are my explanations (NOTE: I'm not saying that it's a good replacement for sapphire...just that it MAY fair better than the diamond):

1) Additional CoB - This will not only proved whatever color you seek, it can
also help run some possibly techy cards side (oxidize, artifact mutation, or
something like that). In addition, you won't be as susceptable to 7/10 OR
null rod.

2) Mox Emerald - This is here if you have one. If not, obviously you can't
run it. However, this seems like a natural replacement as it's still broken.

3) Lotus Petal - Still gets UU up. Limited use isn't so hot, but if you want
drain mana up turn 1, this can help that along.

4) Chrome Mox - This card can A) get drain mana up on turn 1. and B) The
fact that you're running 3 wishes (you are aren't you?) should allow you to
get to a removed card more easily. That having been said, this is still
card disadvantage, but puts less strain on your mana base.


Of these, either the city or the emerald are what I would choose to run, as
you'd rather force most turn 1 plays, and drain a larger target. However,
I also realize the importance of turn 1 drain, and could also advocate lotus
petal. Chrome mox would be the least likely for me to pick.

[Machinus]

OMG H8 chrome mox

Verbal Warning: This is hardly a productive post.

-Zherbus[/color]

[Royal Ass.]

I agree with the last post that Chrome Mox would be a worse choice than diamond.  Thanks for the responces from everyone.  If I started testing with a sapphire I'm sure I would come to the same conclusion. Though I still feel that it is a good viable budget option.
I am satisfied with this thead

If a moderator wishes to close this, they have my blessing.

thanks