Legacy is a format defined by efficiency: efficiency of removal, efficiency of threats, and efficiency of selection. Right now, the format has shifted in a way that flexible cards like Stoneforge Mystic are less valuable than the raw efficiency of something like Show and Tell or Delver of Secrets. When you’re flat out racing combo decks, even threats like Tarmogoyf and Nimble Mongoose can be way too slow. If that’s the case, perhaps a hyper aggressive take on tempo, like this build by DaPokpok is ideal:

Jeskai Delver ? Legacy | DaPokpok, 5-0 Legacy League

• Creatures (14)
• 2 Steppe Lynx
• 4 Delver of Secrets
• 4 Monastery Swiftspear
• 4 Stormchaser Mage

• Spells (30)
• 2 Price of Progress
• 4 Brainstorm
• 4 Daze
• 4 Force of Will
• 4 Lightning Bolt
• 4 Chain Lightning
• 4 Gitaxian Probe
• 4 Ponder

• Lands (17)
• 1 Island
• 1 Mountain
• 1 Tundra
• 3 Arid Mesa
• 3 Volcanic Island
• 4 Flooded Strand
• 4 Scalding Tarn

• Sideboard (15)
• 4 Meddling Mage
• 3 Rest in Peace
• 2 Rough // Tumble
• 2 Smash to Smithereens
• 2 Submerge
• 2 Sulfuric Vortex

Buy This Deck

The key pieces of this deck are largely the same as the other U/R-based tempo decks in the format. Cheap creatures backed by disruption and burn spells is still a recipe for success in Legacy. The key difference here is the threats and the types of interaction have been selected for a much more aggressive take on the format.

Who needs 3/3s for one and 4/5s for two when you can have a 4/5 for one mana? Who wants to attack on the ground into Thalia, Guardian of Thraben and Batterskull when you can take to the skies? Steppe Lynx and Stormchaser Mage are enormously threatening creatures, each of which can deal giant chunks of damage in a deck fueled by cantrips and fetchlands. Sure, they get much less powerful as the game goes on, but you’re not looking for games to last more than a couple of turns anyway.

Additionally, the disruption suite is unique here as well. Notice the lack of cards like Spell Pierce, Stifle, and other countermagic or instant-speed interaction that costs mana. Because of the density of Prowess creatures, you want to spend your mana on your own turn, casting cantrips and Chain Lightnings to get Prowess triggers and sneak in extra damage. That makes powerful cards like Flusterstorm much less attractive, since they are at odds with the deck’s fundamental plan.

All told, if you’re looking to weather the storm of unfair combo decks keep bringing the beatdown, this may be how Delver strategies need to evolve to keep up with the format. We may well have moved into an era of Legacy where two mana threats and one mana interaction are just too slow.