Conley Woods
6/22/2012 9:40:00 AM
Issac Newton was a very bright dude. Yep, I said it, with that phrasing even. He once said that all of his scientific theory and discovery was only possible because of the work that had been done, often without reward or recognition, by so many great minds before him. While the title fit nicely, we are actually going to be doing the exact opposite today!

You see, with Delver getting all of the attention, small creatures tend to also get all of the attention. People will sit and complain about Snapcaster Mage, Delver of Secrets, Geist of Saint Traft and so on and so forth, but when the largest creature in that deck has 3 power, it is tough to find quarrel with any big creatures. While giants may have been the people to pave the way for Newton and so many others, in Magic, giants are the end game.

The shift in focus being aimed at Delver, has kind of forced the metagame, and the community, to look for the most aggressive deck possible in order to beat Delver. This has cards like Strangleroot Geist and Blade Splicer being talked about a lot more right now than something like Inferno Titan for example. That is all fine and well, but there are plenty of decks out there that want to be playing 6 drops, and without the love that these little guys are getting, they may not know which 6 drop is the one to be playing.

It is pretty easy for a UW player to figure out what 3 drop he wants in his deck. He can go to any deck list database and see dozens of Geist of Saint Trafts or even Blade Splicers if you want to go the less beaten path. But what about the kid who wants to play UG ramp? Sure, he knows Primeval Titan exists, but what are his other options? Today, I would like to set aside some time for the big teddy bears of the world. We will be looking at some of the big creatures available to us right now and talking about how each has an impact on Delver and the metagame in general. And then, because people love ratings, we will be giving each an effectiveness rating against Delver on a 1-10 scale. Keep in mind that we do not need to mention things like how easy one of these monsters is to resolve, as they are all very expensive, but we will be focusing on relevant things. So without any more distractions, let us just jump right into it here!

High Mid Low

Frost Titan

$2.96

$1.48

$0.95

Store QTY Price   Amazing Discoveries 19 $0.95 Amazing Discoveries 2 $0.98 TheWarStoreCCG 4 $1.19 The Casual Gamer 1 $1.19 Untap Upkeep Draw 2 $1.22 Gamers Den 1 $1.24 Magical Ogre 6 $1.25 OldSchoolGaming 4 $1.25 Phoenix Games Inc 5 $1.29 >> View all Prices for Frost Titan << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Frost Titan

Its been a while since Frost Titan was let out of his Ice Cage, but with Delver decks taking a more control oriented approach post-board these days, along with the use of him in more traditional RUG or UG ramp strategies, Frost Titan is getting talked about once again. So again, we know the card is good, clearly, we are going to focus specifically on how it interacts with the Delver decks.

Right away we know that the protection clause on Frost Titan is pretty bad outside of scenarios involving Snapcaster Mage and Vapor Snag. 3 mana as opposed to 1 is rarely going to be an issue at that point in the game, even if the tempo generated is a very real thing. Now the jump from 3 to 5 mana once Snapcaster gets involved is substantial enough that it may occasionally be turned off, which is nice. Still though, when you play a Frost Titan against Delver, I would expect it to be dealt with more often than not, so the shroud mode on this is more for annoyance than functionality, in this match up at least.

The lock down ability is actually kind of nice now that people are playing more targets for it. Shutting off Moorland Haunt or Restoration Angel are both noble and obtainable goals, while the 6/6 body holds back any Geists that may be getting cabin fever. I think the best use of Frost Titan against Delver is to be an anti-sword creature. He can tap down a flier wearing a sword and he can block any ground guy wearing it, since he is Blue and no one runs Body and Mind right now. Granted, the opponent can get around this by having 2 creatures with flying and simply moving a sword, but it has some value there at least.

Verdict - 3/10

High Mid Low

Wurmcoil Engine

$14.99

$11.70

$10.00

Store QTY Price   PhyrexianNegotiator 2 $10.00 World Eater Games 1 $10.24 Happy Viking Games 5 $10.39 CardAddiction 4 $10.45 Magical Ogre 3 $10.49 Untap Upkeep Draw 1 $10.56 Gamers Den 1 $10.57 OldSchoolGaming 1 $10.75 Matchplay 1 $10.76 >> View all Prices for Wurmcoil Engine << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Wurmcoil Engine

Good ole Wurmy! This is probably the most played of any of the fatties on this list, just because he can go into so many decks due to his metallic nature. But if the number of Wurmcoil Engines has gone down recently, its showing in the Delver match up is likely the reason.

Wurmcoil Engine shines in a world where ground creatures are threatening your life total backed by conventional removal. Delver is spending very little mana, either bouncing or countering your 6 mana threat that came with no back up. Oh, but before it did, a Phantasmal Image decided to piggyback you first! Meanwhile, while your opponent is sitting at 6 life and needs to stabilize, Wurmcoil is going to do very little. I am going to fly overhead and win, with or without a Snag,

Ole Wurmy is only valuable after he connects multiple times. No thanks!

Verdict - 2/10

High Mid Low

Inferno Titan

$4.98

$1.98

$1.00

Store QTY Price   The Arena Games 1 $1.00 Amazing Discoveries 19 $1.44 Geeks MTG 1 $1.54 Geeks MTG 1 $1.62 Mythic Realm 2 $1.64 Untap Upkeep Draw 1 $1.69 Top Deck Hobbies 1 $1.70 Big Kidz Games LLC 1 $1.74 The Game Academy 8 $1.75 >> View all Prices for Inferno Titan << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Inferno Titan

And finally we have come to our first biggie with a substantial enters the battlefield effect against Delver. While it might not be the best, at least it can pick off a Snapcaster Mage and a flipped Delver before getting Vapor Snagged. Of course, that same ability is pretty bad against Restoration Angel (for just about every reason) and Geist of Saint Traft due to the obvious hexproof. Worst case scenario, you can at least trade 3 life for every 1 you take in the Vapor Snag game, even if you are giving up 5 mana per cycle.

What about the body outside of the enters the battlefield effect though. In this department, Inferno Titan suffers a ton. Frost Titan was at least a little tough to deal with once in play, and Wurmcoil Engine, while a huge tempo swing, did not actively hurt you beyond the time you took to cast it when you get Vapor Snagged. Inferno Titan though, it actually has a drawback beyond being 6 mana to their one, and that is in Firebreathing. While activating the Titan is completely optional, many times it will be correct to pump the Titan for the win, or to trade more favorably etc, and Vapor Snag actively punishes that by exerting your resources both on the cast of the Titan, and on the activation. Most games against Delver, it is correct to treat the Titan like he does not even have that first line of text.

In general, I would say Inferno Titan has a decent ability as it enters play, but its not very impressive beyond that.

Verdict - 4/10

High Mid Low

Massacre Wurm

$5.99

$2.95

$2.38

Store QTY Price   Geeks MTG 4 $2.38 Mythic Realm 1 $2.41 The Mana Fix 2 $2.42 The Game Hub 2 $2.58 Happy Viking Games 7 $2.60 Gamers Den 4 $2.63 Game Citadel 1 $2.66 Hammer Hall Gaming 3 $2.67 Manawerx 1 $2.70 >> View all Prices for Massacre Wurm << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Massacre Wurm

Now this is an effect I can get behind! At Grand Prix Minneapolis earlier this year, I actually ran a BWG Ramp list that played Massacre Wurm both main and side to help beat Delver. Now, this was a different time, as Restoration Angel had not been printed, but even now, outside of Restoration Angel itself, Massacre Wurm does kill all of a Delver player's board!

Again, we know this is going to be difficult to resolve. 6 mana is a lot, and triple Black is no cake walk, but you have to consider the effect once it breaks the counter wall, as every creature on this list is big and bulky. Not only is the Wurm a terrible target for Vapor Snag tempo locks, as it entering play is just too swingy, it can also block a Geist with a Sword of War and Peace on it, should such a thing be in play, as it was the only creature to survive the Massacre.

Let us not forget that Massacre Wurm actually puts out some nice damage against a Delver player that has likely been littering their life total through Phyrexian mana cards and a lack of blocking. This means that if Massacre Wurm comes down and doesn't end the game right there, the prolonged existence of the Wurm coupled with future removal spells could also just end the game. Chump blockers from a Moorland Haunt will not keep you alive forever here, unlike the previous Wurmcoil Engine. In general, a great threat both as it enters play, and once in play, albeit tough to cast and resolve.

Verdict - 7/10

High Mid Low

Sun Titan

$7.97

$3.39

$2.45

Store QTY Price   RPSportscards 1 $2.45 Static Age Games 3 $2.61 Phyrexian Games 1 $2.66 Top Tyr Games 3 $2.79 RONMagic 1 $2.80 Giant Badger Games 1 $2.83 Hammer Hall Gaming 2 $2.95 Phoenix Games Inc 10 $2.96 Flint 1 $2.99 >> View all Prices for Sun Titan << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Sun Titan

Sun Titan, along with Primeval Titan, are the two most interesting of the Titan cycle when it comes to the Delver match up, because they are nearly impossible to rate in a vacuum. I can tell you the impact that an Inferno Titan will have when it hits play, but what do I say about Sun Titan? It gets something back...but depending on whether that something is a Ratchet Bomb or an Avacyn's Pilgrim, really does change the value of Sun Titan here.

In general, I like Sun Titan out of decks like Solar Flare against Delver due to the versatility it can have. You can return a Phantasmal Image to pick off a Geist. A Ratchet Bomb to clear the way of tokens and Insectile menaces. Or an Oblivion Ring to take away the important equipment the opponent has access to. Sun Titan can be a solid one of in these type of lists, but I do not like him in Pod decks or Reanimator where he returns creatures that are mostly unexciting.

Verdict - 5/10 - 3/10

High Mid Low

Consecrated Sphinx

$9.98

$5.50

$3.35

Store QTY Price   LimDul 1 $3.35 Mythic Realm 1 $4.54 Amazing Discoveries 12 $4.83 Phoenix Games Inc 2 $4.88 Amazing Discoveries 3 $4.98 Lucky's Card Shop 1 $5.12 Manawerx 1 $5.12 Happy Viking Games 2 $5.17 Mike and Beas 2 $5.17 >> View all Prices for Consecrated Sphinx << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Consecrated Sphinx

Consecrated Sphinx is a little strange, because it has a direct ground comparison in Frost Titan in the same colors, fails in many of the areas that Frost Titan succeeded, and yet is still probably better than the ground pounder. While Frost Titan had an enters the battlefield ability, and Consecrated Sphinx doesn't, making it inherently worse against Vapor Snag, the key difference is that left unchecked for a turn, or even a draw step in this case, Consecrated Sphinx will actually win the game against Delver, which Frost Titan cannot claim.

With Frost Titan, a Delver player can probably just push through the big guy, leaving it in play for multiple turns before needing an answer. Even if the body is relevant right this instant, at least Delver has a turn to cast Ponders, Probes, and Snapcasters to find a Vapor Snag. Consecrated Sphinx does not allow this without severely punishing the Delver player. Vapor Snag is significantly better against the Sphinx if they have it in hand right now.

Beyond all of that, it is nice that the Sphinx can actually block all of Delver's creatures, regardless of Sword or not, due to the flying and the being Blue and all. Still pretty bad against Vapor Snag and countermagic, but not the worst.

Verdict - 5/10

High Mid Low

Grave Titan

$9.99

$4.66

$3.99

Store QTY Price   Geeks MTG 1 $3.99 HVCCM 1 $4.00 A Hidden Fortress 1 $4.00 TCGWarehouse 3 $4.03 The Game Hub 1 $4.11 MuGu Games 3 $4.12 Phoenix Games Inc 6 $4.12 Hammer Hall Gaming 3 $4.16 Happy Viking Games 2 $4.22 >> View all Prices for Grave Titan << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Grave Titan

Grave Titan isn't seeing a lot of play right now, likely due to this color just not being heavily represented in high level play, but the card still has a ton of perks over some of these other cards. Obviously we have covered quite a few fatties so far today, and Grave Titan's body is no different from the rest of them, so what's the difference?

Well the difference all comes down to 187 ability on Grave Titan. Grave Titan is naturally resistant to Vapor Snag due to the two little dorks that come along with him. Those dorks can block Geist of Saint Traft, which is quite important. Said ability was a lot better a few months ago, when Restoration Angel had yet to see print, and Celestial Purge wasn't a heavily played sideboard card...

Verdict - 5/10

High Mid Low

Primeval Titan

$12.60

$7.86

$5.98

Store QTY Price   RPSportscards 1 $5.98 Forbidden Games 1 $5.99 Cape Fear Games 1 $6.60 Geeks MTG 1 $6.72 Top Tyr Games 1 $6.79 CardsAbound 1 $6.80 Mythic Realm 2 $6.89 Ron's Comic World 4 $6.90 Phoenix Games Inc 4 $6.91 >> View all Prices for Primeval Titan << Store.TCGplayer.com allows you to buy cards from any of our vendors, all at the same time! Shop, Compare & Save with TCGplayer.com! - [Store FAQ]

Primeval Titan

We have gone over every other Titan, so I will leave discussions of the size of this etc, out of the equation. As was hinted at before, Primeval Titan has a trigger, and much like Sun Titan, that trigger is going to impact the strength of the Titan against Delver. Once again, if you are grabbing things like Inkmoth Nexus, Ghost Quarter, or other particularly relevant utility lands, Primeval Titan is going to be a card you need to resolve. If on the other hand, Prime Time is just fixing your mana, he is probably going to be significantly weaker against the very same deck.

Trample is a very relevant feature of Primeval Titan though, as others, like Sun Titan, get chump blocked for days, but the Greenest of Titans will have none of it. We have covered pretty much everything else about this card before, so its rating should not come as any surprise

Verdict - 4/10 - 3/10

Wrap Up

Now, unfortunately, none of these numbers look all that exciting, but we knew coming into it that the big guys are naturally going to be ranked lower against a deck with Mana Leak and Vapor Snag in it. I do think that of the variety of 6 drops available, Massacre Wurm might just be the best, and yet no deck is currently playing the card, which says a lot. Similarly, going up a mana in your price range grants you access to Elesh Norn, which is unsurprisingly, quite potent, just like the Wurm.

In general, you are going to want to look elsewhere on your curve for your big edges against Delver, but you should not discount the pros and cons of your fatty against Delver either. Hopefully, you take the best of both worlds and choose the best deck, and then fatty, against the most popular deck in the field. Thanks for reading!

--Conley Woods--