ALL THE ROBTS

Modern PixelAlex

SCORE: 3 | 45 COMMENTS | 1744 VIEWS


alecm says... #1

I'm no expert on artifact stuff, but I'll give it a shot:

July 23, 2015 1:07 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #2

alecmthx for the reply,I considered Master Transmuter but like you said, it's to pricey.Although i don't consider Ensoul artifact my win condition it seems really cool in combination with darksteel relic so i'll put it in.Memnite was also something i considered but it didn't really help the deck and put the price up.But buried ruins could be cool although i dont know what to take out for it (Tomb of the Spirit Dragon?)

July 23, 2015 2:01 p.m.

alecm says... #3

idk how much Mirrorworks costs, but I just remembered that it's a card lol

Also, think of Memnite as a cheap host for Ensoul. Isn't that why you have 4 Ornithopters?

And I would've kicked Tomb of the Spirit Dragon instead of Darksteel Citadel. Not only is Tomb's ability kind of meh, Citadel is an ARTIFACT land which makes it another indestructible host for Ensoul. An indestructible 5/5 that has tap: add 1; is enormous value.

July 23, 2015 2:50 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #4

alecm
I honestly think Memnite is worde than Ornithopter in this case because Ornithopter is flying with more thoughness. Although i forgot about Darksteel Citadel beeing an Artifact land (OOPS). Mirrorwork doesn't really contribute in my oppinion so i don't want to kick out any cards for it (the deck should be aroud 70 cards). Are there other good cards i should consider?

July 23, 2015 3:15 p.m.

alecm says... #5

Yeah, they're certainly worse than Ornithopter,but there might be a spot for them. Another card you might consider is Trinket Mage. Can get a bunch of stuff to Ensoul, including artifact lands.

Your counterspell package seems al ittle eccentric, you shouldn't need more than a playset of Counterspells. Dissipates and Mana Leaks are worse, but a bit cheaper. Also, I think Divination is strictly better than Artificer's Epiphany.

Lastly, I really recommend you try and cut it down to 60 cards. It'll increase consistency across games, and should help the odds of you top decking something useful. I know it's hard to figure out what to take out, but try and compare mana costs with in-game value: how much are you spending for a card vs how much it's helping you win. Try and figure out what the main way you're going to win is, and make sure as many cards as possible can help you do it. For example, Darksteel Forge is a good card, but it costs 9, and you don't have means to cheat it out efficiently, and doesn't really do anything by itself.

Cards I might consider removing to help narrow the focus of the deck: Scuttling Doom Engine (or wtv it's called lol), Darksteel Forge, Levitation, Dreamstone Hedron. Then, with those high costing artifacts gone, suddenly you don't need Treasure Mages or Vedalken Engineers Etherium Sculptors, and more spots open up.

You mentioned that Ensoul wasn't really your main win con, and I understand if you want to maintain a theme or something. I just think it's a really strong card, and the stuff I mentioned might help make the most of it. I didn't really explain why I'd cut any of those cards bc this is long already, but if you want me to explain my reasoning on any of them lemme know

July 23, 2015 4:58 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #6

Thx for the help :)
After thinking about it i think you are right with the Darksteel Forge Strategy not working out.
So i found a card called Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas and i found it for 10 euros online. Should i put it into the deck? I mean i would have to make it a blue/black deck but my 3 decks i have a blue/black because i really like the combination.
Is that a good idea and are there good black cards for an artifact deck?
And do you have ideas for a Sideboard?
(also thx for the Divination tipp because i forgot i already have a playset of them :P)

July 24, 2015 9:11 a.m.

alecm says... #7

Hm, splashing black probably couldn't hurt. I can't think of any black artifact synergy cards, but I'm sure they're out there, as well as B/U artifact things. White is also an artifact friend colour, with a few cards like Leonin Abunas. Tezzeret is super solid, but I don't think it's worth splashing an extra colour to run him as a one-of. There's still other stuff you can run in addition, but if he's the only black card I'd say don't do it.

As far as I know here's some pros/cons:

  • More colours means a more complex mana base. Mana fixing helps with this, but the best methods are super expensive.

  • Black gives you access to good black removal (Go for the Throat, Dismember), card tutors, and blue/black control cards, like that counterspell that I can't remember the name of that is Cancel but they lose 2 life after too.

  • White would give you some solid protection options (Spectra Ward idk maybe), great exile removal like Path to Exile, enchantment tutors/synergizers (Kor Spiritdancer, Heliod's Pilgrim) and board wipes.

The last two aspects of white seem pretty good here, as more ways to find/get value out of Ensoul, and if most of your creatures are just darksteel things, boardwipes will be one-sided.

Running both gives you access to cool esper artifacts (I imagine there are some lol) and a few cards like Zur the Enchanter. Just adding black could do it, as the tutors, tezzeret and removal are pretty strong. The deck is totally fine as mono blue, though, too, so it's up to you

July 24, 2015 9:46 a.m.

alecm says... #8

and sideboard ideas I don't play a lot of 60card but it definitely depends on the format, like there are certain things that are in all modern sideboards just in case they run into a specific combo deck or something. If you aren't going to tourneys or anything, though, and it's just casuals with friends, my advice is to put in cards that will specifically ruin their game plans/stop them from ruining yours.

July 24, 2015 9:50 a.m.

PixelAlex says... #9

So i put in some black cards and lands.
I thought that Diabolic Tutor could help with getting Ensoul Artifact and Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas out of the deck.
Are there some flying artifact creatures that i could put in the deck (i don't think thopter is enough)
What do you think?

July 24, 2015 10:17 a.m.

alecm says... #10

Did a little looking online. Baleful Strix seems strong. Hovermyr, Junk Diver, Signal Pest 100% so hard, Tidehollow Strix, Vault Skirge*. Ensoul on any card I starred seems crazy good, and signal pest can be fetched with Trinket Mage.

Additionally, I can't help but feel that Ghastly Demise is a little... bad. Also, consider that new tutor from Origins. Idk the name, but it's 3BB for a tutor, then if you have like 3+ instants/sorceries in your yard add BBB to your mana pool. 5 mana to find and cast almost any card in this deck seems ok.

July 24, 2015 10:51 a.m.

alecm says... #11

There was supposed to be a star next to Hovermyr. 5/5 with vigilance and flying is hard to get around.

July 24, 2015 10:53 a.m.

alecm says... #12

Also, you only run 6 black sources, which means that Unmake (and Diabolic Tutor, to a lesser extent) are super hard to cast. Because a lot of your stuff is colorless, you can probably have about equal swamps to islands, maybe 1 or 2 less Buried Ruins. For cheap dual lands, consider Dimir Guildgate or Dismal Backwater. There are certainly better lands, but these will barely cost you anything.

July 24, 2015 11:04 a.m.

PixelAlex says... #13

thx for your feedback i really appreciate it.
So how do you like the new setup? Right now its 65 cards but i don't think that's to bad.
If this is the best we can get i think i'll order the cards

July 24, 2015 12:05 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #14

btw Tezzeret the Seeker also seems good and it is only 2.50 euros. Can i have 2 Planeswalkers in a deck?

July 24, 2015 12:13 p.m.

alecm says... #15

Yeah, they're like any (non-basic land) card: you can have four of 'em. You can only have one Planeswalker of a subtype on the field at a time, though. So you could have Tezzeret and Sorin Markov in play at the same time, but not Sorin Markov and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad. Anyways, Tezzeret is super good in this deck, but I don't think I'd run more than 2 of him. High cmc, and you don't want to draw him when you have one on the field, really.

Also, before you order, try playtesting it a little. From what I've tested, Cancel and Unmake seem pretty hard to cast, though the duel lands help. Mana Leak only requires 1 blue instead of 2, and Doom Blade or Go for the Throat 1 black instead of 3.

July 24, 2015 12:51 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #16

I did a lot of playtesting and never had any problmes but i didn't know those cards existed so thx :)
Should i go with Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas or Tezzeret the Seeker ? I like both but the +1 Ability of Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas seems bad.
what do you think?

July 24, 2015 1:54 p.m.

alecm says... #17

I'd go with Agent over Seeker. Agent's +1 is bad, but his -1 turns your stuff into big beaters, like having Ensoul. Your oppenent will have to kill him, or else you get +15 power from him.

Seeker's +1 is better, but not relevant. I think you'd mainly -0 him to get out Citadels, Relics, Ornithopters, etc., which is actually pretty solid, but I don't think it's as good as Agent.

July 24, 2015 2:10 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #18

yea you are probably right but i just found such cheap seekers...
Anyway shoul i even try and use Agents +1? Or should i just kill him and get out 3 5/5 creatures?

July 24, 2015 2:15 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #19

Also should i put in 2/3/4 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas or rely on Dark Petition to get it out for me?
When playtesting it often works

July 24, 2015 2:16 p.m.

alecm says... #20

about deciding which ability to use, it'll sort of depend on what's on the table, but if you have a valid target for his -1, it'll almost always be better than his +. What's the best possible thing you could find with his +? Nothing as good as a 5/5, imo. Remember, he can target Darksteel Citadel, too.

I think two might be enough, three max. His cost is relatively high, so he's sort of a dead draw in opening hand. You also won't want to run into more than one in a game.

ALSO Seeker isn't a bad card, and if he fits your budget better, go for it. I just realized you can use his -0 to tutor Citadels onto the field, which is nifty.

July 24, 2015 3:02 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #21

Yea i think i'll go with Tezzeret the Seeker . I just like it more because with his +1 i can attack first and then untap the creatures to block with them (5/5 indestructible Darksteel Relic)
Also i found this really cool card called Cranial Plating wich could be good for pumping up creatures if i don't get any ensouls. And once i get an ensoul or someone wants to remove the equipped creature i can re-equip it.
But i have a question: If i use Tezzeret the Seeker ability to search for Vault Skirge do i have to use 2 loyalty counters or 1?

July 24, 2015 3:34 p.m.

alecm says... #22

Cranial Plating is cool, Darksteel Axe might better suit the back-up plan category. It can beef up your baby artifacts a bit, is indestructible, cheap, and tutorable with Trinket Mage. If you do put in the Axe(s), take out the Relics for them. It's pretty much the same purpose, with extra utility.

If you used his minus to look for Vault Skirge, you'd have to -2 him. I don't believe phyrexian mana affects mana cost, even on the Stack. For that reason, you can't grab it with Trinket Mage, either. Sadly.

July 24, 2015 3:44 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #23

well thats a bumber.
But thx for pointing out the thing with the Darksteel Axe. It really is just a better relic in this deck.

And a real thank you for helping me build my first deck :).
It really inmroved from the template i had in the beginning and that is basically because of you

July 24, 2015 4:08 p.m.

alecm says... #24

ah, don't worry about it. I know it's sorta hard when you're starting, because a lot of cards seem super good, and you just don't know that there are like billions of cool cards out there that might fit the deck a bit better.

Plus, something to kill the time when there's nothing assigned to me at work lol :p

July 24, 2015 4:18 p.m.

PixelAlex says... #25

No really i appreciate it.
Anyway is this the best we can make the deck? Or are there more good cards?

July 25, 2015 3:12 a.m.

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