12/16/2024 Update - We’re so back. Mox Opal was unbanned just in time for Christmas! Which means we need to modernize this list!
Affinity is an Artifact-based aggro deck that also goes by the name Robots. The name comes from the mechanic in the Mirrodin block, primarily Affinity for Artifacts on cards like Thoughtcast, Frogmite, and Myr Enforcer. With the release of the Scars of Mirrodin block, Affinity has gained a ton of new tools and evolved into a powerful and synergistic deck that only uses only one Affinity card: Thoughtcast.
Affinity is a Tier 1 Modern deck and one of the few real aggro deck in the format with elements of combo and tempo. It combines low-costed creatures with evasion and highly efficient spells in the form of Thoughtcast and Galvanic Blast, and it is also highly resilient to removal and board wipes. The deck has numerous complex synergies that rewards strong pilots with faster clocks. Theoretically, the deck can win on as early as turn 2, although in reality it mostly wins on turn 4 or turn 5 with light disruption.
While Affinity seems like a simple plays all my creatures and turn them sideways deck, it's one of the most complex decks to play in Modern simply because it is one of the few decks in Modern with reliable mana acceleration and its spells are so cheap. Having access to 4 or more mana by turn 2 means there are many different possible lines, and it takes someone with an intimate knowledge of Affinity and also of the deck the opponent is playing to know the best line to take to maximize clock and minimize blow outs.
The root of modern Affinity traces back to the Mirrodin block in 2003, when the most infamous deck in the history of the Standard format was built: Ravager Affinity. Ravager Affinity changed the game in a way that Standard players today would not be able to comprehend. Artifact lands like Great Furnace, Seat of the Synod, Vault of Whispers, and Glimmervoid were the major mana sources powering the deck. The artifacts lands were broken in design, as admitted by WotC, because they effectively decreased the cost of Affinity for artifact spells by 2. Affinity has ridiculously fast hands because it runs cards like Frogmite, Myr Enforcer, and Ornithopter that quickly overran the opponent in conjunction with broken card advantage via cards like Thoughtcast and Skullclamp. The deck also had win conditions outside of combat damage because it ran Shrapnel Blast and Disciple of the Vault to force wins out of nowhere.
Because Affinity warped the Standard format in such a way that it was either play Affinity or anti-Affinity, WotC decried that Affinity had to die in Standard. On June of 2004, less than 3 months after the release of Darksteel, Skullclamp was banned. On March of 2005, Arcbound Ravager, Disciple of the Vault, Great Furnace, Seat of the Synod, Vault of Whispers, Ancient Den, and Tree of Tales followed suit in being banned while in Standard. The reasoning was simple. Magic is at heart a game, and games are about having fun and variety. In addition, in 2010 Wizards of the Coast decided to change the rules so that damage no longer goes on the stack because it enabled Arcbound Ravager to sacrifice creatures that already had damage on the stack to gain extra +1/+1 counters.
Today, the Mirrodin block, specifically the original Affinity deck, is credited with causing more people to quit Magic because it has become “unfun” than any other set or deck. Ever.
Creature choices:
Ornithopter
- The original 0 drop that came before Affinity, Ornithopter continues to see play as a playset because of its natural evasion and its 0/2 butt. It also helps to power Springleaf Drums and Mox Opal turn 1.
Memnite
- As a 0 drop, most of the time it's worse than Ornithopter simply because it's easier to block and weaker to removal. It also helps to power Springleaf Drums and Mox Opal turn 1.
Signal Pest
- One of two 1 drops, it is a very cheap Lord that is the fastest means of a clock, but also very weak to removal.
Vault Skirge
- The other 1 drop that technically costs 2 life, it helps to race against aggro very well, but also weak to removal. It is very helpful in race situations when the opponent is unable to remove the Lifelink flyer.
Arcbound Ravager
- The card that makes the deck tick. There are many tricks to Arcbound Ravager.
Steel Overseer
- A newer addition that has proven itself in midrange games. Wins the game on its own if it untaps.
Spellskite
- Another addition to either the main deck or the sideboard that tremendously helps against targeted damage removal, e.g., Lightning Bolt.
Etched Champion
- A powerhouse against most grindy match ups, it is most often the preferred 3 drop.
Master of Etherium
- An alternate 2U drop against a Stony Silence and Lingering Souls heavy meta.
Spells
Thoughtcast
- The reason why Affinity is played. U for draw 2 cards is incredibly powerful and helps Affinity to grind it out mid game.
Galvanic Blast
- A better Lightning Bolt for Affinity, do note that the opponent can destroy Artifacts in response to sabotage Metalcraft.
Dispatch
- A better Path to Exile for Affinity, do note that the opponent can destroy Artifacts in response to sabotage Metalcraft.
Mox Opal
-The nut draw in the opening hand, Mox Opal is the only mana acceleration card that works on the 1st turn and that is permanent in Modern. The legendary rule change now allows it to also be played as a Lotus Petal that remains on the board.
Springleaf Drum
-The other mana acceleration in Affinity, it enables 2nd turn Blood Moon, Etched Champion, Master of Etherium, etc.
Cranial Plating
-The card that makes makes 2nd and 3rd turn kills possible, it is the card that you want to see the most in Affinity because it significantly increases your clock.
Spell Pierce
-A possible form of main deck disruption that keeps key spells from resolving and prevents blow outs. It is also helpful to disrupt combo and Affinity hate in Game 2 and Game 3.
Welding Jar is a strong tempo card that makes Lightning Bolt look bad.
Lands
Glimmervoid
-The original source of colored mana, Glimmervoid has gone down to 3x because it makes the deck more vulnerable to Artifact removal.
Blinkmoth Nexus
-Affinity is more resilient because of the number of manlands it can play, which survives Wrath of God effects.
Inkmoth Nexus
-A game changing land that creates an alternate win condition that skillful pilots can use to speed up our clock and ignore enemy life totals.
Darksteel Citadel
-The only Artifact land available in Modern, it helps with our Artifact count for Thoughtcast, Cranial Plating, Master of Etherium, and Arcbound Ravager, as well as power our Metalcraft spells.
Island
-We play a lonely Island as something to fetch for when an opponent plays Path to Exile. It also helps to power Thoughtcast and Master of Etherium.
A key part of playing Affinity effectively is knowing when to mulligan and when to keep. The general guidelines are as follows.
- Because Affinity is a deck based around synergy, a good number of its cards are very weak on its own (e.g., Memnite, Ornithopter). It's probably one of the worst decks to be on top deck mode.
- Since Affinity is threat light in the sense that not all its creatures can do work, it is very important to start with a hand with ideally 1-2 threats, namely, Steel Overseer, Arcbound Ravager, Cranial Plating, and Etched Champion or Master of Etherium. Thoughtcast is another card that influences mulligan decisions simply because it means 2 other cards, which is good in any hand that has access to U mana.
- Mana is also critical here. Depending on the hand, starting with 1 mana available can be very bad as you can get stuck, which gives your opponent time to beat you. If you're both playing 1 spell per turn, other decks will beat you by playing better cards that do more on their own.
- Be very open to mulligan aggressively as Affinity doesn't need a whole lot of cards to kill an opponent, just the right cards at the right times. An early unanswered Steel Overseer is enough to win games, an early unaswered Cranial Plating can take over games, and so can the right combination of speed and resilience. You can win with hands of 5 cards if you play them out fast enough and the opponent doesn't have access to the right answers in time.
I would rank the top 5 cards that you want to see on your opening hand as follows (lands not included):
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Cranial Plating
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Mox Opal
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Arcbound Ravager
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Steel Overseer
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Thoughtcast
