New Gifts, without Brainstorm or Thirst for Knowledge

[Random Noob]

I would play nearly exactly the same, just instead of Vault Key, with LED + Tendrils and with Hurkly's and Chain of Vapor over Dacks. I am not that experienced in this Archetype, but had the feeling that it has a lot of potential. Maybe TFK pushes it to the place it belongs.

For the SB, maybe Vandalblast could take the spot of Chewers.

greetings

[Dice_Box]

For the SB, maybe Vandalblast could take the spot of Chewers.

Even with Chalice gone, it is still worth remembering and balancing up the fact that shops will still run Thorn. Likely more now then ever. While Blast is strong, I am not sure its really going to be that much stronger that Chewer unless you are planing to use it against non Shops players.

[EnialisLiadon]

I would agree with that--the Vandalblast's upside assumes that things are going very well for you. I need my shops hate to *get* me to that point, not to require that state to be good. Chewer ignores Thorns and still offers a solid 2-for-1 if you can get to 5 mana. Like I said, I want to test the Pulverize plan, which would serve the same role as an overloaded Vandalblast.

And as my avatar from 2006 might suggest, I like Gifts'ing for Lotus, LED, Recoup, and Will. The problem then is that you're unable to protect your will with counters. I played that in a ritual gifts list back then--that tactic might still be viable if you lean on discard and Defense Grid for protection. I would just wonder how that strategy compares to the new storm decks that have cropped up in the wake of Dark Petition.

I shifted away from a storm kill condition because the conditions for it largely mirrored the BSC+Time Walk kill--a fat Yawgmoth's Will. There is always the possibility of jewelry+Rebuild+Tendrils plan, but that has rarely come together for me in my years of playing Gifts. It happens, but I don't plan for it (though I make an allowance for it in running Rebuild over Hurkyl's...though honestly I cycled it more often than used it for storm). Vault/Key ups the artifact count for Thirst and gives you access to a kill with a much lower base. It also vastly improves your ability to present deterministic Gifts piles.

Definitely test bounce over Dacks if that suits you. But as for me and my house, Dack would be a difficult cut. Dack serves a lot of roles in the deck--the filtering is obviously great, but having such a strong threat against shops in the main while having utility outside of that a match-up has been incredible. I'm currently looking for room for another Misstep. Drain could be the cut, though that would make me sad. BrassMan recommended taking a look at topdeck tutors for a cut, which was an interesting thought to me.

[StanleyAugust]

I thought that necroing old threads wasn't allowed? It especially makes no sense to necro the thread "New Gifts, without Brainstorm or Thirst for Knowledge" because Thirst got unrestricted.

[EnialisLiadon]

I thought that necroing old threads wasn't allowed? It especially makes no sense to necro the thread "New Gifts, without Brainstorm or Thirst for Knowledge" because Thirst got unrestricted.

I think that's a little obtuse. With the level of activity in this forum, 5 months is hardly a necro (especially considering this thread was still near the top of the page). Also, my list is hardly anything new and not so different from discussed lists to constitute a new thread. I am adding to the larger discussion of what does Gifts decks look like today, rather than starting a new conversation.

If you really want to be that legalistic, this should have been your rallying cry from the get-go, considering that many lists here ran the 1 allowable Thirst for Knowledge (including the list in the OP)--and thus should not have been discussed in this thread.

[DuKeLiO]

I tried this deck on Ovinoggeddon yesterday. I liked the deck on testing but thing didn't gone well. Maybe I have to work some more on the deck, but great majority of my games were lost almost without playing, like mentor on first turn and traditionally bad matchups for this kind of decks like UR pyromancer and TPS:

2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Blightsteel Colossus
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
3 Mental Misstep
2 Flusterstorm
2 Repeal
1 Hurkyl's Recall
3 Gifts Ungiven
3 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Burning Wish
1 Noxious Revival
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Island
2 Underground Sea
4 Volcanic Island
1 Misty Rainforest
4 Scalding Tarn

SB:
1 Mountain
2 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Tinker
1 Thoughtseize
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Tendrils of Agony
2 Ravenous Trap
4 Pulverize
1 Pyroclasm

[desolutionist]

Duke, I dont think there is a good reason to play Burning Wish.  I sometimes struggle to have enough mana to only cast a Yawg Will/Tinker, usually because I can't afford to wait longer. I couldnt imagine having to pass the turn with my opponent knowing I have a Yawg Will.

Also why not 4 Thirst for Knowledges?

Ive found Noxious Revival to be bad because it is too situational.  You never want to draw Noxious Revival and you don't need to put it into a Gifts pile to win.  Its green, doesnt pitch to FoW.

Otherwise my list is fairly similar to yours and its been playing well.  Im also not playing Jace because its too slow, not playing Merchant Scroll because tutoring for Recall is almost never a good idea, and not playing Lotus Petal because it's a weak card.  I haven't tested Petal/Scroll but I just can't see them being good right now.

[serracollector]

Has anyone tested a shell based on four Thirst for Knowledge and X copies of Painful Truth? With the full artifact mana suite and a Mox Opal or three this would seem to be a way to constantly have mana and a full grip until your ready to go off with Gifts/Yawgmoths Willl.

[Chubby Rain]

I had been trying to hold off on suggesting this as I really am turning into "that guy", but...I really feel this is a deck archetype that could benefit strongly from the inclusion of Jace, Vryn's Prodigy.

In my past experience with the deck, I wasn't happy with the lack of early plays these decks had access too and felt dependent on drawing multiple pieces of Power to have a turn 1 action. I also missed the card selection of Preordain in smoothing out draws, hitting mana sources or bombs, and dealing with the threats my opponent presented. Jace fulfilled both of these needs. The -3 ability was quite clearly nuts with Gifts, especially if you are able to get Jace up to 6 loyalty and flashback every spell you Gifts for. The looting made Blightsteel far less of an inconvenience and my typical win sequence was Time Walk + Tinker on the same turn.

Just my 2 cents.

[vaughnbros]

I had been trying to hold off on suggesting this as I really am turning into "that guy", but...I really feel this is a deck archetype that could benefit strongly from the inclusion of Jace, Vryn's Prodigy.

I agree.  Playing Gifts without Vyrn's Prodigy just doesn't make much sense after you try it.  Snapcaster adding 2 mana to all of your instants and sorceries isn't really where you want to be.  For an immediate recursion Regrowth is also worlds better than snappy in these types of decks with its ability to recur ANY spell and without exiling it.

[desolutionist]

I haven't tested it but here are my thoughts:

I feel like baby Jace is too similar to Dark Confidant, in that it doesn't do anything unless it sticks around for a while.  Snapcaster Mage is clearly good because it can do something the turn you draw it.  In contrast, drawing a Jace the turn you're about to go off is the equivalent of drawing a Merfolk Looter. 

Also with a deck that operates at instant speed, sorcery speed spells are sort of reserved for the haymakers, backed by counter magic, that end the game. 

That said, Jace is only good on turn 1 or 2.  Could be a good setup card, but it pushes the "broken big blue" style of the deck more toward a more fair, modern blue Vintage deck.  Had this Jace been printed in Time Spiral, it would have never seen play without question because its super slow with minimal impact. 

I think this deck thrives as a bomb based deck and cards like Jace or Preordain don't "fix" it, they make it worse.  If I were to "fix" the early game, I'd do it by adding Mox Opal(s)/acceleration, Sensei's Top, and maybe Mystic Remora.  None of those cards are dead on a Yawg. Will turn (except Remora, but Remora is at least way more impactful when trying to force bombs through counter magic)

Just my opinion.  I'm glad we're having this discussion and I would love to be proved wrong.

[vaughnbros]

I haven't tested it but here are my thoughts:
...
Just my opinion.  I'm glad we're having this discussion and I would love to be proved wrong.

I highly advise you to do so, and happy to hear you are willing to be proved wrong.

I feel like baby Jace is too similar to Dark Confidant, in that it doesn't do anything unless it sticks around for a while.    In contrast, drawing a Jace the turn you're about to go off is the equivalent of drawing a Merfolk Looter.  

For ease of comparison:
          First turn   Second Turn                  Third Turn                   Fourth Turn
Snap: Flashback   2 damage                      2 damage                   2 damage
Bob:   Nothing     Draw 1 card+lose life     Draw 1 card+lose life   Draw 1 card+lose life
Jace:  Nothing     Cycle 1 card+Flashback  Fog                             Flashback
or
Jace:  Nothing     Cycle 1 card+Fog           Flashback                    Flashback

I'd say in any non aggro deck Jace surpasses Snapcaster on the second turn, and is substantially better on the fourth turn and unless you can't flashback anything good I think Jace is pretty much always better than Bob.  

Snapcaster Mage is clearly good because it can do something the turn you draw it.

This brings up what the table above does not.  Jace does something at the beginning of the game.  

Also with a deck that operates at instant speed, sorcery speed spells are sort of reserved for the haymakers, backed by counter magic, that end the game.  

That said, Jace is only good on turn 1 or 2.  Could be a good setup card, but it pushes the "broken big blue" style of the deck more toward a more fair, modern blue Vintage deck.  Had this Jace been printed in Time Spiral, it would have never seen play without question because its super slow with minimal impact.  

I guess the question is are we a slow reactive control deck or fast aggressive combo-control deck?

I think this deck thrives as a bomb based deck and cards like Jace or Preordain don't "fix" it, they make it worse.  If I were to "fix" the early game, I'd do it by adding Mox Opal(s)/acceleration, Sensei's Top, and maybe Mystic Remora.  None of those cards are dead on a Yawg. Will turn (except Remora, but Remora is at least way more impactful when trying to force bombs through counter magic)

Well the thing is Jace fills your graveyard for Yawgmoth's will, and flashes it back if it gets binned by gifts or an opposing spell.  Unlike snappy it doesn't cost you an extra 2 allowing you to more impactful wills.

[Chubby Rain]

Lance's assessment mirrors my own. Snapcaster Mage is an excellent card and I would definitely still play one as part of the Gifts package. That said, it is not an early drop, it does not typically help in finding lands/bombs/protection according to the situation, and it is much worse in the Shops matchup. Snapcaster Mage is also dead during a Yawgmoth's Will turn.

On the Jace side of things, it's true that the card doesn't appear to play well with the instant speed aspect of the deck but it's not exactly difficult to cast a two drop with either Drain or Flusterstorm up in the late game. I would also transition some of the disruption to discard such as Thoughtseize. I've gotten to live the dream of turn 1 Jace, turn 2 Thoughtseize + Flashback (with some other things thrown in, obviously), turn 3 Gifts + tick up Jace, and go nuts on turn 4.

Don't get me wrong, I do feel that this is taking the deck in a different direction but I think it might be worth it in the end. I'll put together a list tomorrow as soon as I find a better deckbuilding program. MODO is apparently randomly deleting decklists from users' accounts and seeing as I no longer have any cards on it, I might as well abandon the program entirely.

[Khahan]

For ease of comparison:
          First turn   Second Turn                  Third Turn                   Fourth Turn
Snap: Flashback   2 damage                      2 damage                   2 damage
Bob:   Nothing     Draw 1 card+lose life     Draw 1 card+lose life   Draw 1 card+lose life
Jace:  Nothing     Cycle 1 card+Flashback  Fog                             Flashback
or
Jace:  Nothing     Cycle 1 card+Fog           Flashback                    Flashback

I would say realistically, turn 1 and turn 2 snap usually doesn't do anything. Yes, you can a tolarian and some mox down or a black lotus. But typically you wont have the mana on turn 1 for a spell and then 2 mana for snap and then casting the spell again.  It could get you a mental misstep if you go first. Otherwise if you are on the draw getting flashback on turn 1 is most likely an ancestral coming back which is 4 mana and a very specific hand set up. Given if you can pull it off using land, lotus, getting  a 2/1 on the board and putting 6 cards back in your hand a pretty good start.

Your table is fine with Bob, Jace and Jace but I'd say the snap listing wont happen consistently enough to hold up.

[diopter]

JVP's ability not to tack on a 1U rider to the flashbacked spell is going to be the high-order bit in strategies like these. Tack on all of its other useful little abilities and it seems like pilots should actively be testing it.

[Chubby Rain]

I would say realistically, turn 1 and turn 2 snap usually doesn't do anything. Yes, you can a tolarian and some mox down or a black lotus. But typically you wont have the mana on turn 1 for a spell and then 2 mana for snap and then casting the spell again.  It could get you a mental misstep if you go first. Otherwise if you are on the draw getting flashback on turn 1 is most likely an ancestral coming back which is 4 mana and a very specific hand set up. Given if you can pull it off using land, lotus, getting  a 2/1 on the board and putting 6 cards back in your hand a pretty good start.

Your table is fine with Bob, Jace and Jace but I'd say the snap listing wont happen consistently enough to hold up.

The table is referring to the turns following the creature being cast, not how many turns have elapsed in the game. It was a response to the argument that Jace is a poor top deck and takes a couple of turns to do anything.

[Khahan]

I would say realistically, turn 1 and turn 2 snap usually doesn't do anything. Yes, you can a tolarian and some mox down or a black lotus. But typically you wont have the mana on turn 1 for a spell and then 2 mana for snap and then casting the spell again.  It could get you a mental misstep if you go first. Otherwise if you are on the draw getting flashback on turn 1 is most likely an ancestral coming back which is 4 mana and a very specific hand set up. Given if you can pull it off using land, lotus, getting  a 2/1 on the board and putting 6 cards back in your hand a pretty good start.

Your table is fine with Bob, Jace and Jace but I'd say the snap listing wont happen consistently enough to hold up.

The table is referring to the turns following the creature being cast, not how many turns have elapsed in the game. It was a response to the argument that Jace is a poor top deck and takes a couple of turns to do anything.

Gotcha.

[desolutionist]

You're right, Jace is pretty darn good in this deck.  Here is my list which is probably within 5 cards of where you want to be.  Its okay to be skeptical about Welder/Battlesphere, but so far so good.  I like that you can cast it with something like Mana Vault or Drain mana and some lands.



I have a forest and 3 claims in the sideboard, though I admit the 4 colors has randomly come up as an issue.  Cutting green for red is a possibility, but there is the threat of Stony Silence.

Cutting red is also a possibility.  Then you become more reliant on Blightsteel Colossus?  I'm interested to see how people would edit this.

*edit*

I actually removed Welders and red all together, including Myr Battlesphere (going back to BSC).  The deck feels a lot better without it.  Welder is just too hit or miss and Battlesphere isn't enough as a win condition a lot of the time; might as well take advantage of Thirst for Knowledge/Jace and BSC synergy.   

[vassago]

You're right, Jace is pretty darn good in this deck.  Here is my list which is probably within 5 cards of where you want to be.  Its okay to be skeptical about Welder/Battlesphere, but so far so good.  I like that you can cast it with something like Mana Vault or Drain mana and some lands.



I have a forest and 3 claims in the sideboard, though I admit the 4 colors has randomly come up as an issue.  Cutting green for red is a possibility, but there is the threat of Stony Silence.

Cutting red is also a possibility.  Then you become more reliant on Blightsteel Colossus?  I'm interested to see how people would edit this.

*edit*

I actually removed Welders and red all together, including Myr Battlesphere (going back to BSC).  The deck feels a lot better without it.  Welder is just too hit or miss and Battlesphere isn't enough as a win condition a lot of the time; might as well take advantage of Thirst for Knowledge/Jace and BSC synergy.   

i like battlemyr if youre playing tez2.0

new jace looks baller here. Does an INT/AK package even sound remotely good with him?

[Chubby Rain]

You're right, Jace is pretty darn good in this deck.  Here is my list which is probably within 5 cards of where you want to be.  Its okay to be skeptical about Welder/Battlesphere, but so far so good.  I like that you can cast it with something like Mana Vault or Drain mana and some lands.

*removed pic"

I have a forest and 3 claims in the sideboard, though I admit the 4 colors has randomly come up as an issue.  Cutting green for red is a possibility, but there is the threat of Stony Silence.

Cutting red is also a possibility.  Then you become more reliant on Blightsteel Colossus?  I'm interested to see how people would edit this.

*edit*

I actually removed Welders and red all together, including Myr Battlesphere (going back to BSC).  The deck feels a lot better without it.  Welder is just too hit or miss and Battlesphere isn't enough as a win condition a lot of the time; might as well take advantage of Thirst for Knowledge/Jace and BSC synergy.   

In my experience, Jace is like Green Eggs and Ham. There are a lot of nitpicky points (dies to removal, bad topdeck, etc.) that obscur how powerful he can be in the right deck, but playing with the card reveals how busted he is. About your specific list, I feel I would prefer White instead of green. I hate splashing Shop hate and I can see your Claims being cut off buy a well-timed Wasteland or Strip Mine. Wear/Tear lets you keep the artifact removal in red so you can run a basic Mountain and essentially splash the enchantment removal (and Dredge hate if you go that direction). Though, if you remove the red completely and go all in on green, this is a moot point. I agree with removing Welder and Co. I think it's a lot of work and compounds the problem the deck can have with graveyard hate: Welders in addition to Will, Jace, Snappy, Gifts, start to make cards like RIP a real option against this deck.

new jace looks baller here. Does an INT/AK package even sound remotely good with him?

Having played Intuition with Jace in Dragon, I can say that these cards are awesome together - often you get to cast every card you get with Intuition. The card I am not as sure about is AK as it seems easier just to grab broken spells like Ancestral, Time Walk, Tinker, Demonic Tutor, Will, etc. In any case this is somewhat off topic - if you want to explore this more I would put together a sample list and start a new thread.

[vassago]

In any case this is somewhat off topic -

well yeah so is the list we're both replying too but whatever  

[desolutionist]

Chubby, I'm not confident in that list anymore. There's something inherently wrong with that strategy in this metagame.  This weekend, I lost a hard fought match to Rich Shay that put him to 3-1 and me to 2-2, but "almost 3-1" is not where I want to be.  I've started to go another direction. But the point I want to question you on is the Green vs. Red. How is basic Mountain any better than basic Forest? Why would Wear/Tear be better than Nature's Claims?  The point is that Chalice is restricted so you don't have to use evoke to get around it anymore.

[Phele]

Why would Wear/Tear be better than Nature's Claims?  The point is that Chalice is restricted so you don't have to use evoke to get around it anymore.

I think this is a very interesting point, even though not directly related to the topic: With the restriction of Chalice there seems to be no need anymore to include single artifact removals that cost more than one mana. Natures Claim, Swords to Plowshares, Steel Sabotage ... are probably the way to go. I even doubt, even though I am not sure, that Ingot Chewer, an all time favourite, still makes the cut. The possibility to remove artifacts instantly under a Tangle Wire (and respond to Forgemaster, activations of Factories ...) seems superior compared to avoiding Thorns and the possible two for one effect in the late game. So even Smelt could be better. I am very curious how these sideboard choices will develop. The abbility to remove Enchantments is another story. It will be highly related to the question how vulnerable your deck is to Stony Silence or random stuff like Moat. Otherwise you could also fight Oath as the most relevant Enchantment in the format with different, more adaptable choices like Graffidiggers Cage, Containment Priest, Engineered Explosives ...

[vassago]

Chubby, I'm not confident in that list anymore. There's something inherently wrong with that strategy in this metagame.

I could be mistaken in my thinking since ive basically had a 5 year hiatus- but there seems to be a lack of "questions." Draw spells out the wahzoo but it seems like a lot of current lists have tons of ways to put pressure on people. Is building up your hand till you can combo a good enough strategy?

[desolutionist]

That's exactly right. Other than Jace; he pretty much reads: "If you untap with Jace in play, you win the game".  Last night I had a crazy hand that went Lotus, Time Walk, Fetch, Jace.  Then on the extra turn, fetch, Recall, flip Jace, Recall.  Then my opponent conceded.

I brewed up a modified version of what I've been playing above and excluded Gifts for Fact or Fictions, more Drains, and some Abrupt Decays (for dealing with that early pressure). FoF was really solid.  I think getting 3 cards instead of two and not having to select them made a huge difference.  I was able to resolve FoF just for putting me ahead in cards.  Gifts can't really do that because it has to tutor for something specific.  FoF seems better in control.

[Khahan]

Has anyone tested a shell based on four Thirst for Knowledge and X copies of Painful Truth? With the full artifact mana suite and a Mox Opal or three this would seem to be a way to constantly have mana and a full grip until your ready to go off with Gifts/Yawgmoths Willl.

I don't see the value in painful truths in T1.  If you are in blue there is simply so much better card draw.  If you are in black I think skeletal scrying is a better draw. A 3 mana sorcery speed draw that will probably get you 3 cards but could easily only net you 2 is just not a strong enough card.  Scrying is at least instant speed and when I've tested it would often get 2 or 3 but can easily grab up to 5 - especially off a mana drain which should be a 4-of in this deck.

I had put together a shell the other night to test 4 thirst and 4 gifts. Basically the whole deck was comprised of a) mana  b) card draw/tutor  c) counter  d) win condition   
No superfluous cards.  Despite being a big fan of welder and seeing many times I would like to add him in my building - I left him out.  I've play tested the stuffing out of welder the past few weeks and he just doesn't hold up in this meta. When he works, he works just like I remember  him working back in 2007/2008 which is to say he wins the game. But he doesn't work consistently enough or fast enough. Sounds like Desolutionist came to this conclusion, too.

I also didn't do the baby jace's that desolutionist has because I don't have them in my collection and just haven't really come across them in the past 2 1/2 weeks or so that I've been back so I wasn't really aware of what they do/how good they are. But seeing them and giving them the smallest amount of thought makes them a no brainer to get my hands on.

Our shells are very similar though - I quickly cut gifts down to 3 then to 2 and am considering going to 1 meaning its not really a gifts deck, is it?  For now its still got 2 gifts and I think 4 MD is necessary to help power them.  I also wouldn't dip into green for it. The 4th mana just stresses the mana base for 1 single card. And either the probable luck of the draw or a waste/strip can leave a dead card in hand.

And like Desolutionist said in his post - I'm not sure of the viability of this deck. Of course my testing is purely on cockatrice.  I'm meeting with a local play group this Saturday night just in time for EE3. But I have idea of the quality of the decks or players I'll have there.  Its almost completely turned over from last time I played.

[Chubby Rain]

Chubby, I'm not confident in that list anymore. There's something inherently wrong with that strategy in this metagame.  This weekend, I lost a hard fought match to Rich Shay that put him to 3-1 and me to 2-2, but "almost 3-1" is not where I want to be.  I've started to go another direction. But the point I want to question you on is the Green vs. Red. How is basic Mountain any better than basic Forest? Why would Wear/Tear be better than Nature's Claims?  The point is that Chalice is restricted so you don't have to use evoke to get around it anymore.

Resolving a 4-mana Blue Instant/Sorcery is just not great right now given the large number of Pyroblasts and Flusterstorms - not to mention building your deck around said 4 mana Blue instant.

Regarding basic Mountain, at the time you were running Welders. Keeping your Shops hate in Red lets you fetch a Mountain for Welder and removal while playing around Wasteland, whereas playing Welder and Nature's Claim requires that you open yourself up to Wasteland and some point instead of being able to fetch Island + Mountain/Forest. The White for Tear is less of an issue as the decks running enchantments typically are not running that many Waste effects. I've also still managed to get locked under Chalice 1 in spite of the restriction. Sometimes they draw it

That's exactly right. Other than Jace; he pretty much reads: "If you untap with Jace in play, you win the game".  Last night I had a crazy hand that went Lotus, Time Walk, Fetch, Jace.  Then on the extra turn, fetch, Recall, flip Jace, Recall.  Then my opponent conceded.

I brewed up a modified version of what I've been playing above and excluded Gifts for Fact or Fictions, more Drains, and some Abrupt Decays (for dealing with that early pressure). FoF was really solid.  I think getting 3 cards instead of two and not having to select them made a huge difference.  I was able to resolve FoF just for putting me ahead in cards.  Gifts can't really do that because it has to tutor for something specific.  FoF seems better in control.

Yeah, Jace is pretty awesome and I've had some completely nuts hands with him in Vintage. He also plays well with removal which incentivizes running Decays, not to mention they hit many of the problem permanents right now (Pyro, Mentor, Vault/Key). I am less sold on Fact or Fiction, mainly because of the difficulty resolving these 4 mana blue spells, but it obviously has synergy with Jace and Will.

[Chubby Rain]

I don't see the value in painful truths in T1.  If you are in blue there is simply so much better card draw.  If you are in black I think skeletal scrying is a better draw. A 3 mana sorcery speed draw that will probably get you 3 cards but could easily only net you 2 is just not a strong enough card.  Scrying is at least instant speed and when I've tested it would often get 2 or 3 but can easily grab up to 5 - especially off a mana drain which should be a 4-of in this deck.

My opinion of Painful Truths has increased considerably as many of my testing partners have reported positive results with it. Being not Blue is a big advantage right now as Pyroblast is all over the place. The return on the card is decent, comparable to Merchant Scrolling or Demonic Tutoring for Ancestral. RE: Skeletal Scrying, the graveyard is a valuable resource for the Delve spells, Jace, Will, etc. Exiling is also part of the cost (like Delve) so if they counter the first Scrying, it may not be possible to cast a second. I would also value the extra card at 3 mana over the instant speed as most countermagic is cheap right now or free.

[wappla]

Painful Truths is pretty great alongside Jace, Vryn's Prodigy because even as just a singleton, you get a third functional copy of Treasure Cruise to double-down on.

[desolutionist]

Chubby, I haven't had any difficulty resolving 4 mana instants.  Often times the situation is that I've traded most of my hand very early and then resolving a Gifts just doesn't do enough where resolving a FoF easily gets me back into the game and ahead of my opponent.  And look at FoF vs. Painful Truths.  One extra mana gets you a blue instant that doesn't cost you life and puts two cards in the graveyard.  Not to mention 3U is probably easier than UBG.  You can use Sol Ring, Mana Vault/Crypt, Lotus, basic Islands, or Drain mana. Instant vs. Sorcery is also a huge thing right now.