I. Introduction
Overview
Metalworks is an engine built to present multiple resilient Metalwork Colossi while simultaneously executing a beat-down plan and assembling one of two combos. The deck often produces 20+ power on turn 3, alpha strikes on turn 4, and threatens a combo kill in the second main. Presenting multiple lines to a win makes this deck difficult to answer, and the forward-moving nature of this deck gives a certain inevitability. Lastly, cards were selected specifically to make this deck slippery with respect to side-boarded hate strategies.
Why not KCI?
This is the elephant in the room, and it is the first question that many people ask when they first see my list. The easiest answer to this is the namesake of the deck: Metalwork Colossus. This deck started as a delve into maximizing Semblance Anvil and finished as a supporting engine for Metalwork Colossus. Each iteration of the deck leaned more and more toward Colossus synergy, and it wasn't until later stages that the deck could fully realize how powerful it is. It is a beat-down win condition, a combo piece, a sac outlet, easily searchable, and a flagbearer for nearly every other card in the deck. I have cast Metalwork Colossus (outside of arbitrary loops) 12+ times in a single game against UW control. When the engine is running Metalwork Colossus is undeterred by counterspells, sweepers, and spot removal. Without supporting/specific hate alongside answers, it will come back turn after turn and cause constant hindrance to the opponent executing their offensive gameplan. I believe this card is the reason to strongly consider trying this deck.
II. Card Explanations
The Beater
Metalwork Colossus x4
This is our first game plan. The goal is to cast some number of these on turn 3 by committing 11+ total CMC of artifacts to the board. Our lands (specified later) help us find multiple copies, and the ability to return Colossus from the graveyard to our hand gives this card staying power. Many of our lines involve sacrificing 1 Metalwork Colossus + 1 Cantrip Artifact to buy back a Metalwork Colossus that is already in our graveyard. This position is the bread and butter of our deck: it allows the deck to protect Colossus from exile/terminus by always having a sac outlet in our graveyard, and is a strategy to give Colossus pseudo-vigilance. I will go into more details when I discuss play patterns.
The Engine
Semblance Anvil x4
This card is at the center of our explosive starts. It alleviates our need to spend mana when committing artifacts to the board, and it allows us to instead use mana to begin loops and tutor for cards. It also enables us to chain multiple free (2 mana) cantrips and play out our colossi on turn 3. Having Semblance Anvil in play, with an artifact imprinted, contributes 5 mana reduction to Colossus.
Cloud Key x4
This is the sidekick of Semblance Anvil. While not as powerful as the Anvil, copies 5-8 of a mana-reducer contributes heavily to the stability of this deck. Cloud Key shines in matches of attrition where leading on an Anvil will likely get you 2-for-1'd. It is yet another spell that must be countered, and it allows us to accelerate our ability to commit devotion to our Colossi; a Cloud Key in play contributes 4 mana reduction to Colossus.
The Fuel
Ichor Wellspring x4
All hail Ichor Wellspring. This gives us two devotion to colossus, draws us a card when it enters, and draws us a card when we sacrifice it to buyback a Metalwork Colossus from the graveyard.
Alchemist's Vial x4
This is the sleeper cantrip in this deck. We get two devotion to Metalwork Colossus, draw a card, and have a useful ability in combat. It often takes only the threat of preventing blockers to allow us to stabilize against a developing opposing board. The threat can be leveraged to allow our Colossus attacks to chip away at creature counts until they get through.
Elsewhere Flask x4
This is probably our worst cantrip, but the deck is still perfectly happy to play it. Two devotion to Metalwork Colossus, draw a card, and occasionally use it to generate green/red through a Blood Moon or to get our second color for Firespout.
Prophetic Prism x4
This feels like a slightly better Elsewhere Flask. Two devotion to Metalwork Colossus, draw a card, and filter a mana into green/red as needed.
Mind Stone x4
This is simply the best mana rock for this deck. It helps accelerate our mana in early turns and cantrips when our need for mana has dwindled. Alongside Scrap Trawler, we are able to generate arbitrary amounts of mana for combo kills with Mind Stone. Playing a Mind Stone on turn 2 allows us to play an Aetherflux Reservoir on turn 3, or commit a Semblance Anvil or Could Key to the board on turn 3 even if we are stuck on two lands.
Card Selection
Ancient Stirrings x4
This is our only one drop in the mainboard. While it's not technically a tutor, I think anybody reading this primer knows of the power of Ancient Stirrings in Modern. Very rarely do you not find one of the pieces that you are explicitly looking for, and it is a stabilizing force for consistency in any artifact based deck. Early on it can dig for your turn three Anvil, get your second land, or find the Colossus that you need to get things going. This is the primary reason the deck slants toward green.
Inventors' Fair x3
Inventors’ Fair generally gains a couple points of life over the course of a game, but we run it because it tutors for nearly any card in the deck. It most frequently tutors for a 0 mana Metalwork Colossus.
Sanctum of Ugin x4
This is my favorite land in the deck. It turns any free Metalwork Colossus into multiple free Metalwork Colossus. It is also able to tutor up our 1-of Scrap Trawler when the opponent has their shields down and assemble an infinite loop to win on the spot.
Combo Pieces
Aetherflux Reservoir x3
Aetherflux Reservoir is important as a non-combat win condition, as well as an important piece to help us turn the corner against aggressive strategies. It is usually cast on turn 4 at a reduced cost, converts cantrips into life (explained later), and quickly allows the deck to pivot from defense to offense. Padding our health allows us to start attacking with Metalwork Colossi and force chump blocks, which keeps opposing boards from growing too wide. The 4 devotion to colossus also proves itself to be invaluable. This, a Semblance Anvil, and a single cantrip will allow a Colossus to be cast for free. Keep this in mind when I discuss Aetherflux strategies below.
Scrap Trawler x1
This is a one-of combo piece that can punish our opponent when their shields are down. When this card is on the board our Colossus loops allow us to draw our deck, make arbitrary mana, gain arbitrary life, etc. This has been performing well as a singleton as it can be tutored for via Sanctum of Ugin or Inventors' Fair. It is surprisingly easy to find from many board positions, and the 1-of nature keeps this card tucked away until exactly when we need it. Note that we don't generally want this card unless a Colossus is in the graveyard, and it does not contribute to Colossus Devotion.
Ghirapur Aether Grid x1
This is currently in the list as an alternate win-con for Reservoir (in case our Reservoir gets hit by something like Surgical Extraction or Unmoored Ego). It's great at killing some smaller creatures but is generally too slow in this deck to dig you out of a bad situation—it works best alongside some number of colossi to clear out chump blockers. I have this as a 1-of because of how terrible it feels to draw into a second copy. I don’t bring more copies in against small creature decks because sideboarded copies of Firespout feel more effective.
The Boring Stuff
Forest x4
We need to be able to cast Ancient Stirrings early when we have it, and there are enough copies of Field of Ruin and Assassin’s Trophy that I wouldn't feel comfortable running any fewer than 4 basics. I recommend getting pretty ones.
Grove of the Burnwillows x4
Having a painless mana base is important due to our weakness to aggressive decks. This gives us color fixing for Firespout from the sideboard and additional green sources for Ancient Stirrings.
Phyrexia's Core x4
This is our initial sacrifice outlet. This is used to protect a Metalwork Colossus from being exiled or bottomed by Terminus. This can convert an Ichor Wellspring into another card if the deck needs to dig. Lastly, it can kick off a Colossus loop when trying to combo.
III. Tricks
Colossus Looping
Metalwork Colossus has the ability to sacrifice two artifacts to return it from your graveyard to your hand. One of the most fundamental moves in this deck is trading a Metalwork Colossus in play with a Metalwork Colossus in the graveyard. By sacrificing a Colossus and a cantrip to this ability, you are able to re-play a Colossus from your graveyard at the cost of a free cantrip artifact. This technique allows us to create both mana and card advantage as our opponents expend resources on our free rebuilding.
Aetherflux Conversion
It takes 10 spells to gain 55 life. Executing the Colossus loop while a Reservoir is in play converts our cantrips into life. Hitting higher spell counts is usually done by casting just a few cantrips and trading them back in through a Colossus loop. Then you get to Death Star people—that is, pay 50 life to do 50 damage to a target. You can also Death Star planeswalkers or creatures if needed (Gideon/Worship). The latter option is more feasible when you generate an arbitrary amount of life (Trawler).
Trawler Loop
This one requires that you have artifact mana reduction of at least 2, but is pretty straightforward. Executing a Colossus loop while a Scrap Trawler is in play buys back the cantrip that was sacrificed (or any artifact in your graveyard). The end result is that you can draw any number of cards. Doing the Colossus loop with a Mind Stone lets you generate arbitrary amounts of mana. Ghirapur Aether Grid or Aetherflux Reservoir can be abused by continuing to Colossus loop with Mind Stone (so you don't deck yourself). I find the most success with this combo once my board has already been established. At any point where you can do a Colossus loop, you can then sacrifice a Sanctum of Ugin or Inventors' Fair to grab the trawler and try for the win. Sacrificing a Trawler + Colossus protects Trawler and buys back a cantrip.
*Note that the loop can be executed with a single Cloud Key and Mind Stone, but you will not draw cards. This is sufficient when a Reservoir is in play.
