I have been testing Orim's chant (and abeyance, see my post above) and have also found the colored mana too tight in the early turns with an 11 land build (I've been playing 5c with regrow hand 1 ETW main).
There seems to be consensus that swarm is also weak right now:
What relevance does Xantid have right now? Almost every blue based deck is using 3+ Repeals.
I agree with Xantid being less than amazing at the moment for different reason.
Assuming for the moment that both chant and swarm do not currently belong, the only remaining reasons to play a 5c rather than a fetch manabase would seem to be: 1) immunity from stifle of fetchlands, and 2) regrowth.
The stifle immunity seems to me to be roughly offset the protection from strip effects that fetches provide, even without basics (though I'd run a swamp if I switched to fetches-- note also that if they have stifle you still must deal with it before casting tendrils/ETW).
This would leave regrowth as the main reason to play 5c.
Yesterday Steve posted strong arguments in favor of regrowth.
Questions I'm pondering:
1) could the benefits of regrowth alone (without swarm or chant) outweigh the opportunity costs of a 5c manabase? I respect the card, but I'm doubtful.
2) if not swarm or chant, what other sideboard (and to a lesser extent maindeck) options does grim have? more emphasis on alternative wins (rituals and ETW and/or tinker-->colossus/titan)? extra mana for a slower gameplan? Random defense (e.g. tormod's crypt/annul/extract/stifle)? Force of Will? (The latter is an old plan I'm leaning toward, but have not re-tested in the current meta).
3) would chant be improved as a sideboard option with more land after sideboard and a slower gameplan? Note that chant has the potential to either get you to and protect your combo in a later turns. Has anyone tried this? (I have not).
4) is my assumption inaccurate? Is there actually consensus that either swarm OR chant belong in the sideboard (and maindeck), but disagreement as to which?