All That Glitters [Primer]

Commander / EDH Artifact Control Mono-Black Tap/Untap Tokens

SandwichMan007

Artifact (30)

• 1x Basalt Monolith
• 1x Careening Mine Cart
• 1x Clock of Omens
• 1x Cranial Plating
• 1x Flywheel Racer
• 1x Honor-Worn Shaku
• 1x Jandor's Saddlebags
• 1x Krark-Clan Ironworks
• 1x Liquimetal Coating
• 1x Liquimetal Torque
• 1x Manifold Key
• 1x Mobile Garrison
• 1x Mox Opal
• 1x Mukotai Soulripper
• 1x Paradise Mantle
• 1x Patriar's Seal
• 1x Puppet Strings
• 1x Relic of Legends
• 1x Silverskin Armor
• 1x Sol Ring
• 1x Sonic Screwdriver
• 1x Springleaf Drum
• 1x Sting, the Glinting Dagger
• 1x Strionic Resonator
• 1x Swiftfoot Boots
• 1x The Millennium Calendar
• 1x Thousand-Year Elixir
• 1x Umbral Mantle
• 1x Untethered Express
• 1x Wishclaw Talisman

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Underhanded Designs

Creature (22)

• 1x Arcbound Ravager
• 1x Blightsteel Colossus
• 1x Darksteel Juggernaut
• 1x Dimir House Guard
• 1x Disciple of the Vault
• 1x Foundry Inspector
• 1x Hangarback Walker
• 1x Herald of Anguish
• 1x Hollowsage
• 1x Kuldotha Forgemaster
• 1x Leaden Myr
• 1x Lodestone Myr
• 1x Marionette Master
• 1x Mirkwood Bats
• 1x Myr Retriever
• 1x Night Market Lookout
• 1x Ornithopter of Paradise
• 1x Pain Seer
• 1x Palladium Myr
• 1x Scaretiller
• 1x Servant of Tymaret
• 1x Voltaic Servant

Instant (5)

• 1x Deadly Dispute
• 1x Fanatical Offering
• 1x Mob
• 1x Outrageous Robbery
• 1x Pile On

Sorcery (5)

• 1x Exsanguinate
• 1x Feed the Swarm
• 1x Fortuitous Find
• 1x In Garruk's Wake
• 1x Torment of Hailfire

Commander (1)

Land (36)

• 1x Arcane Lighthouse
• 1x Barren Moor
• 1x Blast Zone
• 1x Buried Ruin
• 1x Cabal Stronghold
• 1x Castle Locthwain
• 1x Darksteel Citadel
• 1x Forbidden Orchard
• 1x Holdout Settlement
• 1x Inkmoth Nexus
• 1x Inventors' Fair
• 1x Maze of Ith
• 1x Rogue's Passage
• 1x Scene of the Crime
• 1x Sequestered Stash
• 1x Survivors' Encampment
• 15x Swamp
• 1x Takenuma, Abandoned Mire
• 1x Temple of the False God
• 1x The Mycosynth Gardens
• 1x Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
• 1x Vault of Whispers

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Sideboard

Land (3)

• 1x Arcane Lighthouse
• 1x Bojuka Bog
• 1x Volatile Fault

Instant (1)

• 1x Force of Despair

Enchantment (2)

• 1x Koskun Falls
• 1x Leyline of the Void

Sorcery (1)

• 1x Annihilating Glare

Artifact (1)

• 1x Glaring Spotlight

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Maybeboard

Artifact (8)

• 1x Baton of Morale
• 1x Darksteel Forge
• 1x Doubling Cube
• 1x Gonti's Aether Heart
• 1x Hankyu
• 1x Inspiring Statuary
• 1x Moonsilver Key
• 1x Unwinding Clock

Creature (2)

• 1x Marionette Apprentice
• 1x Warchanter of Mogis

Sorcery (2)

• 1x Battle at the Bridge
• 1x Nuclear Fallout

Enchantment (1)

• 1x Phyrexian Scriptures

Land (2)

• 1x Ancient Tomb
• 1x Shizo, Death's Storehouse

Planeswalker (1)

• 1x Karn, the Great Creator

Instant (1)

• 1x Vampiric Tutor

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This is a casual EDH deck built around abusing King Macar, the Gold-Cursed by tapping and untapping him, effectively using his inspired ability as a mana, artifact, and token generator and a removal spell on a stick. While it is a casual list, the deck has its moments, and I find it very fun to pilot. The countless interactions we can explore through tapping and untapping makes each game different and challenges its user to be creative and sharp. However, due to its nature, the main components of the deck can be broken up into two categories; those who tap/untap, and those who get tapped/untapped. And because it's good to have fun, we will be denoting these two parties as Tappers/Untappers, and Tappees/Untappees. I will also be making reference to "Metal Macar" in this primer, which refers simply to the artification of his likeness via Liquimetal Coating, Silverskin Armor or Liquimetal Torque.

Tappers

VEHICLES

Aside from combat, this deck utilizes a few different tapping mechanics. The first - and in my opinion, the most fun - is crewing. Not only does it provide us with a reliable body, but when we lack untappers, we can crew vehicles at our opponents end step to clutch the trigger at our untap step.

{3} - Mobile Garrison: At the forefront of our vehicles we have our friend Gary, who not only acts as a tap source, but an untap source as well. For this, we love and cherish Gary. His high toughness makes for a suitable "chump attacker" to get its trigger off, and with Macar piloting him, takes out a potential blocker. While most other creatures aren't able to crew it alone, Pain Seer and Hollowsage can drive it solo and get some great value out of it.

{1}{B} - Mukotai Soulripper: In addition to being a 4/3 on turn 3, and at best turn 2, we can use the multitude of gold tokens we generate to pump it and make it ANGY. It definitely adds some good meat to our board-presence.

{2}, {3} - Flywheel Racer, Careening Mine Cart: Both these serve us some ramp and some combat presence; Flywheel Racer's vigilance makes it a viable attacker and mana dork, and Careening Mine Cart gives us a 3/3 body and a treasure token (inferior to gold) that we can hold onto.

MANA GENERATION

Mana generation may be the most available tap source in Magic, and it's a good thing too. This deck in particular relies a good amount on investing in individual pieces before a nice pay-off, and it's important we have elements that don't result in a standalone net-loss.

{1} - Springleaf Drum: Cheaply and devoutly serves the task of tapping down a creature and getting some mana out of it. It's the most plain-Jane method the deck sets out to accomplish its tap dreams, but it's one of the keys to a successful game. In addition to drum, I've put both Survivors' Encampment and Holdout Settlement

{0} - Paradise Mantle: Free to get out and turns one of our creatures into a mana dork, this card is amazing in an opening hand. While it's of course suitable to slap it on one of our Tappees, turning a Myr Retriever into a Birds of Paradise without wings is nothing to sneeze at.

{3} - Honor-Worn Shaku: Although it's a little more restrictive due to it's non-legendary exclusion, it's a valid tapper for King Macar, the Gold-Cursed. Being able to untap it is a unique utility as well, as it makes itself an available target for Clock of Omens.

{3} - Relic of Legends: A mana rock on its own, it also gives King Macar, the Gold-Cursed a Paradise Mantle so it's a valid tapper!

PURE TAPPERS

This is a class of their own that contains cards that offer the deck a multitude of utilities. Instants, sorceries, creatures and artifacts are in this category.

{4} - Clock of Omens: Being both a Tapper AND an Untapper, this is one of the main engines of the deck, giving us access to core synergies and infinite money glitch with Metal Macar (more on that below). The Clock let's us utilize our Gold tokens to enable multiple activations of our artifacts, and unlike a different and inferior artifact token, we can still sacrifice them for mana!

{3} - Puppet Strings: Very straightforward, lets us tap or untap at least once.

{5}{B}{B} - Herald of Anguish: A tapper for our artifacts and Gold tokens on a flyer. He's a relatively strong beater and the discard is a solid bonus. For two mana our Gold tokens become removal spells.

{4} - Lodestone Myr: Another member of our combat squad, this myr fits the tapper bill because not only do our Gold tokens synergize, but our artifact Tappee's do as well. Metal Macar loves this myr!

{3}{B} - Pile On: A fine removal spell and Tapper at instant speed can set us up for an inspired trigger at the end of an opponents turn. It's kind of a two for one.

{4}{B} - Mob: A slightly worse version of Pile On but still has a nice spot in the 99.

Untappers

The necessary counterpart to our deck is unfortunately few in numbers in this color scheme, and the majority of Untappers available explicitly target artifacts which would make Metal Macar a necessity. However, there is a doable enough number in addition to those already mentioned like Mobile Garrison and Puppet Strings that we're running here - in fact I'm almost certain I am running every one available (if you find I'm wrong please tell me)

NON-FERROUS MATERIAL

{2} - Jandor's Saddlebags: Acts as a second Puppet Strings in this list, but just a tad weaker. The higher activation cost is a bit of a pain, and it's less versatile, but it's still a favorable draw.

{3} - Patriar's Seal: Both a mana rock and a Macar Untapper, Seal is a great card in this deck. The {1}{T} activation cost means we need to cash out just one Gold token.

{2} - Sting, the Glinting Dagger: An incredibly strong addition to this deck. It's capable of giving us one additional inspired trigger pre-combat, which after our untap step brings us to two for the turn which is a strong start. Haste is a fun bonus when we can get Macar out before turn 4, and making him bolt proof in my playgroup is like baby hexproof.

{3} - Thousand-Year Elixir: Not only does it make our mana dorks into fast lands, it's activation lets us target ANY of our creatures, making this the most preferable Untapper in the list. In addition to an instant-speed Macar trigger, we can ramp up with Palladium Myr or get an additional artifact fetch from Kuldotha Forgemaster or pull-off Pain Seer's inspired trigger for some end-step card draw. Once again, at the price of one Gold, it's solid value.

{3} - Umbral Mantle: I'm showing my voltron side with my love for this card. It's responsible for one of my favorite interactions in the deck, being a living Basalt Monolith infinitely buffing itself. It's a real threat on Macar when we make him unblockable or take out their blockers with multiple activations. Plus it's got {UNTAP}. {UNTAP} absolutely rocks. Hell yeah {UNTAP}.

FERROUS MATERIAL

{1} - Manifold Key: It's cheap casting cost and activation costs score high in this deck. Targeting a Sol Ring or a Basalt Monolith ramps us up, and we can abuse countless other artifact utilities with it. It's second ability can get a hit from Macar in to make sure he doesn't die in combat, an when we manage to get out a real threat it can secure us games. It's ability to target our opponents' artifacts is a fun addition too, and sometimes gives us some fun interactions.

{3} - Sonic Screwdriver: It's a key attached to a mana rock which gives it a lot of utility. It comes in a little late to the game for {3}, and with its second activation at {1}, we end up dropping 4 mana on it when it enters, which ideally is our King Macar mana, but I find nothing wrong with having it on hand for some mana and its other two utilities.

{2} - Voltaic Servant: On its own, he's a bit underwhelming. The decks lack of instant-speed casting means untapping our mana rocks at the EOT doesn't yield us much good aside from mind games or instant-speed activations. He can open up a blocker for us and hit Basalt Monolith but standalone that's about it. When we throw Liquimetal Coating or Liquimetal Torque into the mix though, it gets interesting. Now we are able to untap Macar and Pain Seer, setup a tapper for some activations, or target one of our utility lands like Blast Zone or Buried Ruin.

Tappees / Untappees

Both of these groups contain a diverse amount of utility that are key to the decks functions and performance. I combined them because Untappees are like elevated Tappees in that they too need to be tapped in order to untap.

{2}{B}{B} - King Macar, the Gold-Cursed: The big man himself is obviously the main driver of the deck. The majority of our tappers and untappers we want to save for use on him in order to garner our Gold tokens and remove our opponents creatures to let through our combat damage and keep threats off the board. When Metal Macar is assembled, we can accomplish this even easier and in greater ways, and even giving us our key combo - Clock of Omens + King Macar, the Gold-Cursed + Liquimetal Coating .

{B} - Night Market Lookout: An absolute player in this deck. The pinging and life gain adds up quickly and it's never a huge deal if it gets hit with removal or dies in combat. Wizards needs to print another one of these so I can run two.

{1}{B} - Pain Seer: This is our budget Dark Confidant. The card advantage we get is monumental and being able to get multiple triggers off is often what gets us ahead of our opponents.

{4} - Scaretiller: This silly scarecrow is a beast at pulling our lands from our graveyard! We're able to recycle Sequestered Stash, Buried Ruin, Blast Zone and any other lands that may have worked our way out of our deck.

{3}{B} - Hollowsage: Not very strong for its cost, but man can the untap trigger get brutal. Even two a turn can pose enough of a disruption. The 4 cost is a little unfortunate since it takes up a Macar drop, but it helps give us a presence on the board without committing too hard in situations where an opponent may have us on the ropes.

How I Win

On it's own, the decks primary mechanic doesn't pose much of a threat as much as it is a nuisance, but the artifact token generation and ramp puts us in a position to pilot the deck in a few different ways. There aren't any game-winning combos in the deck, but getting Metal Macar and Clock of Omens online is our primary enabler for all the ways we can win.

1. Being able to cash in our opponents' creatures for Gold keeps defenses off the table while giving fodder to Arcbound Ravager and powers up Cranial Plating for BIG damages. Our most common win comes from hitting our opps with a juiced up Inkmoth Nexus or a couple turns of King Macar, the Gold-Cursed whacking them with commander damage. An unblockable Darksteel Collossus also wraps things up fast.

2. With all the mana we generate, running a handful of {X} spells packs an absolute wallop. Our second most common wincon is casting a Torment of Hailfire for as much as possible, which can add up to A LOT, especially in multiplayer games. Keeping creatures off the board restricts the amount of targets they have to sacrifice which is a huge bonus and almost always ends up lethal. Exsanguinate is a solid one too, but it usually needs some help from additional combat damage.

3. Kuldotha Forgemaster fetching a Blightsteel Colossus and a Swiftfoot Boots is pretty freaky. Less common to pull off but it's a fun way to wrap the game up.

4. Mirkwood Bats and Disciple of the Vault turn our Gold sac's into an assault of pingers. While it doesn't tend to end the game on its own, they partner with Arcbound Ravager incredibly well. Marionette Master on the other hand can close out games, with each Gold and artifact sac delivering 4 damage to a single opponent. It's a fantastic late game draw.

PILOTING

The deck at first seems like solitaire with all of the tapping and untapping we do, but that's not how it should be played. It is at its most powerful when we are responsive to the game instead of setting the pace with threats. We mostly want to hang back and build up our board, and once we get Macar out, protecting him and responding acutely to our opponents' presence becomes the name of the game. If we go too fast, we put a target on our back and this deck struggles a bit at recovering (which is why we have Myr Retriever, Scrap Trawler, Buried Ruin and other recovery cards, but we can't always draw those perfect hands where we have a bit of everything).

CONCLUSION

Thanks for checking out my deck! I didn't touch on every card in the list, as they are self-explanatory, but there are a handful of others I didn't go over that offer some unique utility to the deck. I'm constantly looking (and hoping) for new cards that I can add and experiment with now that I have the general structure, and I always love a suggestion!

Sign My Petition to Print More Untappers!

Date added	1 year
Last updated	6 months
Key combos	Clock of Omens + King Macar, the Gold-Cursed + Liquimetal Coating
Legality	This deck is Commander / EDH legal.
Rarity (main - side)	4 - 0 Mythic Rares 28 - 4 Rares 33 - 2 Uncommons 20 - 2 Commons
Cards	100
Avg. CMC	2.89
Tokens	Gold, Map, Servo 1/1 C, Spirit 1/1 C, Thopter 1/1 C, Treasure
Folders	Decks to Play, Decks for tts