[Discussion] Sideboarding in Flash.dec

[jeffthefob]

Hello.  Kind of exciting that I am posting a new thread this is a first, so excuse me any mistakes.

Flash had been getting a lot of attention lately; from the closed thread in the improvement forums to Menendian’s article on SCG, Flash is getting the active vintage and non-vintage’s players attention lately.  And I would like to give it MORE attention by discussing about Flash’s sideboarding plans. 

Please, lets not give Flash more attention regarding restrictions.  No restriction, banning, and “I am right, you are wrong” kind of discuss.  I am really excited about this and I hope you guys are too ^^

I can’t really draw a solid line on how to make the sideboarding plans distinct from each other so I am going to separate them in three types.  One of them is the more general “15 different sideboard card plan” this is where we will discuss about the individual cards.  The second one is the Oath transformational sideboard; this is distinct from previous plan because Oath sb often requires a huge amount of space (ie: 15 cards).  The third is the Man-Plan where you board in Fish-like dorks to beat down.

These are some cards I would consider when I make Flash: (and these are my opinions and my experiences, lets discuss)

First: the “15”
Leyline of the Void: This card is good against Ichorid and Flash.  They can’t really win through it, both of those decks are really popular and they have to remove it before they combo off.  These are my opinion, the best sideboard card against other Flash decks and Ichorid.  4 Leyline in the board is always a good start IMO.

Reverence Silence: It is FREE! It kills Leylines and it is FREE.  Honestly, that is the only benefit that it has, which I don’t really like, I prefer chain of vapor more.

Chain of Vapor: I think CoV is a perfect card in the deck.  It is versatile, it bounces crypts, leylines, and any other permanents.  The real reason why I like it is because this card plays does it job in the role that Flash takes against other decks.  Against decks that bring in Leyline and have counters, Flash are trying to win in a timely attack with more counters back up.  This goes back to that Flash doesn’t have to go all-in all the time, with the Reveillark kill it is all about finding the right time.  And CoV fits that role very well from my experiences with it. 

Against decks that bring in Leyline and doesn’t have counters (Stax?) CoV serves as a cheap bounce.  There are better options perhaps, but it isn’t too shabby.  Some of those decks may not even be able to cast leyline, where you can pitch leylines to FoW and you have brainstorms. 

Slivers (4 Poison Sliver and 1 Haste Sliver): The Reveillark kill takes 5 spot but gets owned by Extirpate.  That card had ruined me a couple times and afterwards I am always thinking, why didn’t I have it? This of course, goes back to the previous time where I had it in my board.  Basically the idea is that Sliver plan bypass the crypt, needle, and extirpate hate which people will “bring” in against you after seeing you have the “standard Reveillark” kill. 

Rebuild/Hurkyl’s Recall: I had played with a number of these before when Future Sight was released.  I think they are fine options against Stax dec.  In NorCal where I play, there aren’t that much Stax deck running around, so a lot of times I don’t run it.  Maybe it is good in other parts of the country.

Oxidize: Oxidize is efficient and cheap.  It is my favorite way to go against spheres.  It is kind of hard to build up a large manabase against Stax, so this is efficient at what it is doing.

Bosejiu: Of the time I seen it in action and played it, it done its job.  But I think this is a bit too cute, which is not necessary wrong.  It stops counters in its tracks, reminding me of TNN entwine GG.  But my problem with it is that it stops counters, but doesn’t stop stuffs before and after.  Meaning, it doesn’t stop Duress and Thoughtseize.  And it doesn’t stop Extirpate, Leyline, and the alike.  But vintage is about having fun (that is why Flash wasn’t played so much right right? ^^”) and this card is both fun and gets the job done. 

Duress/Thoughtseize: This card is so good, I feel guilty putting it here.  But sometime we don't have room in our main, or we want a full 4/4+ post board.

So, what is the right combination of 15 cards? That of course, depends on the players’ agenda and meta. 

If it was me, I would probably run something like
4 Leyline
5 Slivers
3 Chain
13th, 14th, and 15th card depends.  Duress/Thoughtseize if allows.

Sideboarding is pretty limited because there are only so many cards you can take out and to add in. 

Menendian’s SB is as follows.  (I will remove it if needed)
1 Heart Sliver
4 Virulent Sliver
4 Leyline Of The Void
1 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Rebuild
3 Reverent Silence

This also seems very legit. 

Second: “The Oath”
If we count: 5 kills, 4 Flash, 2 Green Pact, and 4 Hulk, we count 15 cards.  These are the exact 15 that would be board out and we bring in 4x Oath, 4x Orchard, 2x Angel, the remanding Duress, and maybe whatever you feel is needed.  I went: 4x Oath, 4x Orchard, 2x Angel, 4x Duress, and 1x Echoing Truth in my recent tourney, and most likely would switch up the number of duress MD/SB.

Oath transformational isn’t new, people mentioned it on other Flash threads, in MWS people used it, and can be found in Team ICBM’s website ICBM Open #2’s result.  Despite it isn’t new, but I don’t think it had gotten a lot of attention.

Oath transformational’s Pro:
1.   Opposing Hate: Okay, mainly this avoids golden rule of “getting opponent’s leyline before winning.” With Oath, you invalidate opponent’s sideboarding strategy against Flash (may not be true in some cases).  All of a sudden Extirpate, Leylines, Crypts, Needles, and etc become useless and dead if not semi-dead. 
2.   Mind games: You shuffle 15 in every game, thus you confused your opponents.  Your opponent may make a mistake in sideboarding and it creates a mental advantage for you.  I had a situation where my opponent didn’t board in Leylines because he didn’t know if I am boarding Oath or not. 
3.   Surprising Factor: Flash/Hulk is Oath/Orchard.  Sometime just “Orchard” catches your opponents off.  Again, they may had board others stuffs
4.   Better against Stax/Creature.dec: Face it.  Stax have trouble dealing with Oath.  Resolved Oath is always good against Stax.  And against creature decks Oathing out 2 Plat. Angel is hard for them to deal with, esp. when you have 8 counters + Duress effects. 

With Oath sideboard you switch to an Oath deck with a lot of counter back ups and make your Blue Pact plain sexy. 

Oath’s transformational’s Con:
1.   I think this reason is enough to invalidate Oath transformational SB.  It is inefficient against Tyrant Oath, Flash, and Ichorid (unsure) Unfortunately; these are the big boys of Vintage.  With the Oath SB I had above, I only add-in the Duress and left Oath out.  With that said, it might be better to explore the “15 card” options that we have, such as Leyline of the Void. 
a.   It isn’t good against Tyrant Oath because they still combo off and owns you.
b.   It isn’t good against Flash because of the very same reason why Flash is really good.  Reveillark + Mogg Fanatic take care of the Plat. Angel.
c.   Against Ichorid, you resolve Oath, and you have to wait for A TURN! Which you will probably not get because Ichorid will kill you by then. 

2.   Sometime you don’t draw the Oath: Well, that is the problem with Oath decks.  If you don’t find them… you can’t really win :-/ And the deck isn’t Oath to start with, so it may be clucky at times trying to find Oath. 

I think Menendian summed it up very well: You have to take the immunity to opponent’s sideboard vs. win over 4/5 turns into account.

Another thing that we have to consider is our main deck.  For example, I don’t think Time Walk is needed if you are using Flash kill.  But if you have Oath in the SB, Time Walk is a must.  So the transformational plan may require some special tinkering. 

Third: the “Man Plan”
Trygon Predator, Dark Confidant, Tarmogoyf.  I do not have any experience with it and it would be cool if someone wants to share some experiences.  I personally think it sucks and that Oath plan is better than it. 

Fourth: Robot Plan suggested from Aneursym and Becker
The link: http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=35546.0
Short summary: Add in tinkers + robots while keeping the Flash combo.  The tinker/robot plan bypass the hate that Flash faces.  And if the opponent doesn't find hate against Flash or Flash got some godly draws, then combo out

This requires maybe 7 artifacts and more ponders as Aneursym suggested.  Which again, depends on what is your main deck configuration. 

Feel free to discuss about the cards (its functions, pros/con, etc), the plans (Oath, Man, generic sb)

Another thing I didn’t touch out is what to board out.  I feel this is worthy a discussion as well. 

Again, lets keep it civil~~~ There is a lot of stuffs that can be discussed IMO.  These stuffs I wrote are purely for starting discussion and I am not an expert like many of you here; feel free to disagree and lets have a fun discussion.  Thanks for reading this.

-Jeff Huang, aka: jeffthefob.

Edit: 3-31-08 7:52pm.  Added in the robot plan.

[ash_ketchum]

Oath out of the sideboard loses to the same hate as flash so boarding it in is stupid and useless. The sliver package is a lot more effective since it beats extirpate.

[Webster]

Oath out of the sideboard loses to the same hate as flash so boarding it in is stupid and useless. The sliver package is a lot more effective since it beats extirpate.

I'm at a loss to the "hate" you're refering to that both oath and flash lose to. Perhaps you can enlighten me as well as defend your statement with a well-presented reply.

[wiley]

Edit: I'm a dummy 

Perhaps he meant pithing needle?

As far as I am aware here is the hate that shuts flash down:
Leyline (and planar void, lol), crypt, double fanatic, StP, burn at 2 or higher, pithing needle.

Of those the oath plan is hit by needle and StP (possibly crypt, leyline and planar but not to an extent where it would matter).

Personally I think that tinker robot and ways to get rid of leyline are the way to go.  Crypt still sets you up with a revilark and fanatic at worst so that you can have a clock while you find another flash and hulk.  I have no testing to back this up however, so it may be a completely wrong assumption.

[PhilipJFry]

the oath plan is hit by needle

How is the Oath plan hit by Needle?

[wiley]

Because I'm a moron who doesn't read cards  .  This makes me question ash even more.

[Moxlotus]

Oath out of the sideboard loses to the same hate as flash so boarding it in is stupid and useless. The sliver package is a lot more effective since it beats extirpate.

I would love to hear how Oath->Platz loses to leyline, extirpate, and/or Tormod's Crypt.

All of a sudden Extirpate, Leylines, Crypts, Needles, and etc become useless and dead if not semi-dead. 

Don't forget REB, Stifle, and Trickbind.  Deez Naughts and URBana fish are gigantic pains in the ass.

2.   Mind games: You shuffle 15 in every game, thus you confused your opponents.  Your opponent may make a mistake in sideboarding and it creates a mental advantage for you.  I had a situation where my opponent didn’t board in Leylines because he didn’t know if I am boarding Oath or not.   

More mind games---board in 4 Orchards and board out 4 lands.

I think one of the best points is made by Matthieu Durand

If you are going to keep switching to the Slivers kill, I don't really see a reason to waste 5 SB slots by MDing Reveillark. I hate using a third of my SB for a plan that won't even work if my opponent has Leylines of the Void (which you don't really care about, but still). Instead I'd rather run Gigadrowse so I can tap down these Underground Sea and Tormod's Crypt, or go Tinker Robot on them while they hold their billions of Extirpates and Offalsnouts in hand. Tinker Robot seems to be a much much better SB plan than Slivers. Extirpate is only a threat if backed up by a clock (otherwise you'd have boarded in the full package of Duress and Thoughtseize), and clock equals potential blockers. You could probably steal games against Ichorid by going Platinum Angel for example. It's also a great B-plan in the mirror.
 

[Aneurysm]

I already wrote about a page on this over in the improvement forums, so yall can check that out at your leisure.
http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=35546.0

Basically you dilute the flash kill and bring in the tinker plan. Tinker is tutored for with scroll for MT. I run seven artifacts main (mana crypt) and 4 ponder in addition to BS so finding one is not really a problem. You've got time post board if they find their hate anyway. You bring in the robots depending on the matchup. You can still falsh kill pretty easily if they don't find their hate.

SB atm:
1 Carrion Feeder
4 Duress
1 Tinker
1 DSC
1 Plats
1 Titan
1 Gigadrowse
4 Extirpate
1 X (used to be rebuild but there are no shops in our meta)

[jeffthefob]

@ Ash

Oath out of the sideboard loses to the same hate as flash so boarding it in is stupid and useless. The sliver package is a lot more effective since it beats extirpate.

Hi, I don't think the Oath out of the SB loses to the same hate as Flash.  Because the cards that hit Flash doesn't really hit the Oath plan.  Extirpate, needle, crypt, and leyline doesn't affect it.  Esp. Leyline, Flash just can't win without Leyline in play, so Oath plan is good against that.

@Moxlotus
Great additional points! Thanks for sharing that.  Indeed, Oath also gets by: Reb, trickbind, stifle, and the alike.  So are you currently running 4x Orchard, 4x Oath, 2 Plats, and fill the rest of the sideboard with duress effects and meta calls?

@Aneurysm
Hi, I am sorry that if the two threads are similar; I do not have any ill intentions.  Anyways, thanks for sharing the robot sideboard.  The robot sideboard plan seems plain sexy while keeping the combo and still have a tinker plan.  Perhaps the tinker/robot may be the way to go because it isn't a full transformation like Oath that give a good answer against opposing hate.  Please update us with your results and experience of testing/tourneys.  Also, if you don't mind, I am going to edit my first post and link it with the page that you wrote about robots sideboard. 

You also talked about boarding in cards that are match dependent, can you give me some examples? What do you board out? Thanks a bunch.

[Moxlotus]

Great additional points! Thanks for sharing that.  Indeed, Oath also gets by: Reb, trickbind, stifle, and the alike.  So are you currently running 4x Orchard, 4x Oath, 2 Plats, and fill the rest of the sideboard with duress effects and meta calls?

Oath doesn't get hit by REB and it gets a hurt a lot less by Stifle and Trickbind than Flash does.  With Oath, you just do it again the next turn.  I was pointing out that instead of insane hate, they are merely "meh."

I'm toying around with the other slots.  Chants and Abeyances (since you have Orchards) are being tried out right now.  Suck on that Extirpate and counters.  Also fun against combo and after your opponent has played a Pact.  Loading up on Duresses is another option.  Leylines are good too.  There are lots of options to play with those last slots.

[the boogie man]

If you planned on running oath in the side, why not just run the orchards main? It's not like the spirits will kill you anytime soon. I know that it would ruin the mind games if you play them round 1, but then they have to further dilute their game plan anyway, even if you didn't bring the oaths in.

[wiley]

Dose it matter at all that the orchards are not fetchable?  My impression was the mana base (2 trops 2 seas 3 islands and fetches) was too tight to do this.  Which lands would you replace?

[Everrid1234]

What about:

4 Polluted Delta
1 Island
1 Swamp if Thoughtseizes/Duress Main, 1 more Island/U.Sea otherwise
1 Underground Sea
1 Tropical Island
4 Forbidden Orchard

?


EDIT: The Gigadrowse is a cool idea

[the boogie man]

Actually, that works very well. the fetches are all still useful, and it really doesn't matter that the orchards are not fetchable, because they tap for any color. You're a little more vulnerable to spheres and wasteland, how much does this matter?

Either way, this frees up a lot of sideboard space. if you ran enough artfifacts, you could run tinker as well as a couple of angels ( 2 or 3?), which I think are the best options as far as win conditions go. tinker also makes mystical tutor a lot better because of merchant scroll.

[dicemanx]

I think the idea of maindeck Orchards is quite interesting, particularly because you don't even need to run the Oath SB! Maindeck Orchards could serve three functions - they can function as anti-Oath cards, they can trick players into SBing against Oath game 2, and they can support white, which would alllow for SB cards like Orim's Chant or Abeyance to fight against Stifle effects, Bounce/StP, or Extirpate. Of course you could still run the Oath transformational SB, but there would be less pressure to actually commit to that SB plan every time.

[Dnine]

I took a different approach with my flash deck.  I cut the green in the deck and went with red.  The only real loss was not being able to hard cast a hulk which usually isn't what you want to do anyway.  I cut the sliver sideboard as well as I would rather bring in duresses to stop Extirpate and trickbinds. Every flash hate card out there can either be handled by duress or chain of vapor.  Chain can also be scrolled for and duress is always good.  The red let me add rack and ruins as well as goblin bombardments to the sideboard.  Oath is pretty popular in our area.  Here is the sideboard that I ran.

4 laylines
2 chain of vapors
2 duress
3 goblin bombardments
3 rack and ruins
1 volcanic islands

I don't think its optimized at all, but I still believe the transformational sideboards are wrong and take up too much space.  The racks are too expensive and should be changed for cheaper artifact removal.  The goblin bombardments are a meta call and can be changed to whatever is in your area.  The extra land is very helpfull agianst workshop decks and may even need to be upped to 2.  I'd also like more duresses.   Red could even be swithed back to green or even white.  The point is the third color can be anything and can be changed to accomidate the sideboard cards you want to use.  

[jeffthefob]

@adding Orchards main.  This plan seems legit; frees up more space and more mind games against others.  Though I am not too sure if playing mind games is worth it to play Orchard main.  I guess only more testing will tell.  But it opens up the door to add in white which may be good add as well.

@Dnine.  I am not sure what is the benefit of adding red.  The first thing I would think of R is REB/Pyroblasts, but I think duress serve that purpose bit better, though REB should be considered if red is played.  RnR is inferior to oxidize IMO, like you said it is too expensive.  Also, again, I am not sure if goblin bombardment is good enough just to play red between the number of duress they have + counters.  Spawning Pit also came into my mind.

Great discussion!

[Aneurysm]

@Aneurysm
Hi, I am sorry that if the two threads are similar; I do not have any ill intentions.  Anyways, thanks for sharing the robot sideboard.  The robot sideboard plan seems plain sexy while keeping the combo and still have a tinker plan.  Perhaps the tinker/robot may be the way to go because it isn't a full transformation like Oath that give a good answer against opposing hate.  Please update us with your results and experience of testing/tourneys.  Also, if you don't mind, I am going to edit my first post and link it with the page that you wrote about robots sideboard. 

You also talked about boarding in cards that are match dependent, can you give me some examples? What do you board out? Thanks a bunch.

Don't worry about it. Mine's dying anyway. Like I said, in the tourney I went to this past weekend, all game ones were won by flash and all game twos were won by tinker. I actually didn't face much hate in a couple of rounds, but just drew tinker before i drew the combo. If you are running the robot sideboard, it is really important to run mana crypt. I had this play in game 2 of round 2( he's playing Cody Vinci's DT list) . I get thoughtsiezed for a hand of Hulk, Tinker, Vamp, and Merch Scroll with only two Underground Seas on the table. He has an Island and an U. Sea in play tapped. He takes hulk, fearing the combo kill in two turns, but this allows me to vamp on upkeep for crypt (the only artifact that would allow this play to happen) play tinker for the titan that I brought in (because this is a drain deck) and kill his two lands, causing him to scoop. Anyway.

I'm glad that you edited the first post - I think that the robot plan is possibly the best SB strategy for flash.

You asked about what I take out in my matches. Well, I guess I'd better share my list first.

Flash

Lotus
5 Moxen
Crypt

Recall
4 Brainstorm
4 Ponder
3 Merch Scroll

4 Pact of Negation
4 FoW
2 MisD

1 DT
1 VT
1 MT
1 CoV

4 Flash
4 Hulk
2 Summoner’s Pact
5 Combo Critters (lark kill, obv)

3 Sea
3 Island
4 Delta
2 Strand


And as i noted earlier my SB is...
1 Carrion Feeder
4 Duress
1 Tinker
1 DSC
1 Plats
1 Titan
1 Gigadrowse
4 Extirpate

I realize that this is only 14 Cards. I bring in gigadrowse vs black decks that i feel are likely to SB in extirpate and decks with tormod's crypt. I bring in an extra Carrion feeder for red decks, and ichorid. Two carrion feeders and a body snatcher with its CIP ability on the stack dodges a burn spell, and mogg fanatics, which are popular in my meta. Ichorid just doesn't want to see creatures put into my GY. Running it out there on turn one isn't the best play ever, but it's better than naught. Extirpate comes in vs Ichorid also, as extirpate on dread return slows them down a ton, along with tinker for plats. Duress comes in against drains and gushs, combo, etc. Basically everything. I've got to test a LOT more, but I'll let ya'll know how it goes.


EDIT: I also bring in gigadrowse against those who i think might be playing awfulsnout. Seriously, that guy is horrible.

[Everrid1234]

Hi,

could you please tell me why and how a further Carrion Feeder helps? What is the mechanism here?

Maybe Benevolent Bodyguard serves more purposes than the 2nd Feeder.

[Dnine]

There's been a lot of discussion on how to sideboard to beat the hate, but with the popularity of the deck growing, isn't it just as important to talk about how to board against the mirror? 

@jeffthefob

I agree that red may not be right, but I also think that green isn't a lock for the third color.  It just seems that everyone is sticking with it and I would like to explore other options for the splash color.  Unless someone can give a good reason why green is the only option. 

[Aneurysm]

Hi,

could you please tell me why and how a further Carrion Feeder helps? What is the mechanism here?

It get's around a burn or removal spell like STP.

[Toad]

Most of the matchups where you would want to bring in Oath of Druids are these where the opponent has disruption backed up by a clock (disruption without clock is handled by bounce), and these decks run creatures so I'm not even sure you need Forbidden Orchards if you take the Oath road. 4 Oath of Druids, a few Platinum Angels and Tinker looks fine to beat Aggro-Control.

[the boogie man]

But the orchards can lead into very quick wins as well, without the opponent giving you a creature. I really don't think they hurt you too bad, though.

[kaos42069]

IF your running the tinker/robot sideboard are you pulling out the revilark kill combo to sideboard it in?

Another question which is better leyline of the void or extirpate? llotv is free turn 0... extirpate helps out more in the mirror imo...

What is the optimal ammount of lands for this deck? I am running 13 atm...

Has anyone thought about the academy rector sb? running the 4 rector/form of the dragon/yawgmoth's bargain sb?

[Aneurysm]

IF your running the tinker/robot sideboard are you pulling out the revilark kill combo to sideboard it in?

You just pull out some of the combo kill and leave like three of's so you can win with either kill.

Has anyone thought about the academy rector sb? running the 4 rector/form of the dragon/yawgmoth's bargain sb?

I tend not to like SBing in a kill that still dies to Leyline.

Another question which is better leyline of the void or extirpate? llotv is free turn 0... extirpate helps out more in the mirror imo...

I think extirpate is far better against flash and slows down ichorid sufficiently to the point where we should win.

[kaos42069]

I agree with the extirpate. I never thought about the fact that academy and revilark are both going to die to the same thing...brain fart...

What about running a more protective sideboard?
4 duress
1 thoughtseize(3 md)
4 stifle
3 echoing truth
3 chain of vapors

I really like the tinker idea i just haven't made up my mind as to what i want to do.

[kaos42069]

I have to ask...when would you EVER tinker in a sundering titan? when would that be a better choice than the angel? yes destroying their lands is nice..but then they drop a mox or lotus and go off without the land and you die because you didnt drop an angel?

[jeffthefob]

Sorry for the lack of responses lately; I have been busy with work and school. 

@Dnine: Green enables reverent silence which is the biggest reason and the best answer to leyline.  I have made it clear that I don't like reverent silence, but it doesn't mean I am right or that it isn't good.  I just prefer chain of vapor.

Also, the green cards deal with artifacts such as the spheres better than red.  RnR is 3cc, you aren't playing drain.  Shattering spree isn't an instant and red isn't the main color; it is blue and black.  Consistently getting a spree for 3+ isn't likely. 

@kaos: Please read what Aneurysm posted and the link to his thread.  He provided many insightful and useful information.  Also, please think outside the box such as flashing out a titan.  Different situations call for different solutions; titan is a solution.  Please explain your choices instead of just asking questions and questions.

@Aneurysm

I like your MD a lot. Running the 4x ponder is so perfect.  Fitting that 2 mis-D is pretty good too.  I had Time Walk in my list, that is because I am playing Oath in my SB, I am not sure if I will do that anymore :-p I also run a total of 7 artifacts, just to get turn 1's more ^^

[LennoxLewis86]

Oxidizes are not a bad idea.. In the Sliver build you have Trops and enough fetch to get it out.. I should try and play Oxidize and Chain of Vapor vs. Staxx cus you can destroy early Spheres whether you go first or second.. Pithing Needles, Leylines are very good against the the other FlashBuild and Ichorid..
My SB looks something like this:

- 1 Crystalline Sliver
- 3 Duress
- 2 Massacre
- 1 Needle
- 2 Chain of Vapor
- 2 Oxidize?
- 4 Leyline

I've tried out Reverent Silence.. Maybe I'll play it, maybe I won't.. I'll try and see if Oxidize works for me!

[Everrid1234]

@ the main problems aka Flash, Tyrant Oath and Ichorid:

-what helps against Tyrant Oath? More Duress, some bounce
-what against Ichorid and Flash? Maybe Pithing Needle and LEYLINE.

There are not so many options to tune Flash against these 3 decks. Or am I wrong here?

IMO Reverent Silence doesn't make sense anymore since the new kill is hated by much more.
More Bounce and Duresses seem better.

I think the optimal SB for a non-special meta is something like:

-1 Echoing Truth
-1 Rushing River
-4 Leylines
-2 Pithing Needle / 2 Duress
-1 Tinker
-4 Oath
-2 Platinum Angel

Trygon Predators seem perfect but somehow too slow. I think Rushing River is a must since you can bounce 2 totally different permanents like a Leyline and a P. Needle. There is no other blue card able to do this.

What do you think of the
SB: Gifts-Y. Will- ETW- plan? I think it's quite cool. Small and effective.