Creature (24)
Sideboard
Creature (10)
Artifact (1)
Sorcery (4)
Maybeboard
Artifact (11)
Creature (3)
take text from Mono Izzet http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/mono-izzet/
Add for sure Soul of New Phyrexia, Renowned Weaponsmith cheapens his activated ability to to make everything indestructible. Just too good. And he can be ramped out with Chief Engineer or Renowned Weaponsmith. One of the best Artifacts to run alongside Renowned Weaponsmith really
Ugin's Nexus too.
2x Obelisk of Urd Choose type Artificer or Human. Artificer covers both Renowned Weaponsmith and Chief Engineer. Both of which are key creatures to keep alive in play. This deck really doesn't work well without them.
Preface
This deck is still in its early stages and is largely a work in progress. I've been working on this idea for a predominantly Artifact-based deck since the release of M15 off and on. Up until now, there were definitely some flaws in the design and playability of the deck. The "Shrapnel Artifact" strategy was just a tadbit underwhelming and it felt like it needed something more. I've been in search of some cards that fit in with the theme or synergy of the deck but found nothing too great to include. Thankfully with the release of Fate Reforged there are some perfect new cards which may be exactly what this archetype was looking for. (We'll get into those new cards later on below...)
I know I'm not the only one who's brewed this idea or used these cards. Even on this very website we got the popular Bluetiful Pyrofacts by bloodandu. I've read many a Article that basically describes the same concept. There also is an Article by Seth Manfield I read recently that is very similar to my variant. His UR Artifact Blast Deck is very similar but like I said I've been working on this idea since I saw M15. Three of the main cards Shrapnel Blast, Scuttling Doom Engine, and Ensoul Artifact come from M15. Not to mention key players in Chief Engineer, Jalira, Master Polymorphist, Ornithopter, and Darksteel Citadel. As the new Khans of Tarkir and Fate Reforged came out I've been picking and choosing cards to add to it. And I'm sure I will change it again when Dragons of Tarkir releases.
Even though imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I still don't want to take any credit or even claim to have come up with this idea because there's plenty of decks based around the same concepts or the same combos and cards. This is just my variant. Hope you like it and I can't wait to see what artifacts come out yet for Standard in Dragons of Tarkir.
Please leave a comment or suggestion on how I can improve or make this better. And if you liked it please leave a vote +1
Now, without further ado, let's get to the current working list:
Let's start with the major contributors to this deck's strategy/tactics.
Renowned Weaponsmith
As I eluded to earlier, the new card from Fate Reforged that makes this deck more viable to play finally is Renowned Weaponsmith. The new two-drop creature is almost handcrafted for this deck. It does a few different things, each of which are useful. The first function of Renowned Weaponsmith is that it helps you accelerate into your costlier artifacts. Oftentimes you cast something such as Scuttling Doom Engine, an artifact creature, a lot earlier than you normally would have been able to.
The mana produced by Renowned Weaponspeaker can also go towards activating artifacts, and that includes equip costs of equipment. Making equipping cheaper is nice but how about making all your permanents Indestructible for just with a Soul of New Phyrexia.
The final part of Renowned Weaponsmith is that it can search for either Heart-Piercer Bow or Vial of Dragonfire. Making it a psuedo Bogbrew Witch. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait til Dragons of Tarkir releases before we know what exactly Vial of Dragonfire is but I'm sure it is going to be better than Heart-Piercer Bow. Heart-Piercer Bow is BAD, however it is worth playing one copy to search for. Don't get me wrong though as soon as DTK drops I'm taking it out.
Keep in mind you can have multiple copies of this guy out at once, it's not Legendary, so you can use them in the same way you use Elvish Mystic/Sylvan Caryatid to tap and mana ramp out a large creature, perhaps a certain rocklobster we'll get to in a bit.
Chief Engineer
Chief Engineer is your other artifact enabler.
The Engineer costs a lowly so you can get him out quick and the earlier you get him onto the battlefield the better. Then you can start tapping creatures to cast more costlier Artifact spells.
It has a decent base of 1/3 so he tends to stay around awhile, and you can even chump block with it and survive some attacks.
It's not going to be any major threat or attacker but that's not it's purpose. It's effect is pretty powerful in a Artifact deck!
Artifact spells you cast have convoke.
(Your creatures can help cast those spells. Each creature you tap while casting an artifact spell pays for or one mana of that creature's color.)
People seem to severely underestimate Convoke. Even in non-token strategies it can be powerful. Tap just one creature or two to bring out something much bigger a turn earlier.
This goes a long way in decks with costly Artifacts. Getting something your opponent doesn't expect out a lot faster and surprise them must'nt be understated. It makes things like Scuttling Doom Engine that much cheaper via convoking creatures to cheapen his cost. Soul of New Phyrexia is another one I run.
I know the newer Renowned Weaponsmith's ability is better at this but late game this guy can ramp more mana towards a artifact and doesn't require you to tap it like Renowned Weaponsmith.
Jalira, Master Polymorphist
In a lot of ways this deck is like my Temur Sacrifice Deck. I say this because one of the key ways where my deck differs from a lot of similar decks is I include Jalira, Master Polymorphist.
Jalira, Master Polymorphist For just you can sacrifice another creature, preferably a Scuttling Doom Engine so you can deal 6 direct damage to the opponent. Then you reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonlegendary creature card. You put that creature onto the battlefield, for free, and the rest of the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in a random order. It pulls creatures out and puts them into play, it helps sift through your deck and you can remember what cards were sent to the bottom, and it is a sacrifice outlet for your Scuttling Doom Engines besides your four Shrapnel Blast. If you the creature you Jalira'd out is another Scuttling Doom Engine you set yourself up pretty well for a lot of damage to their face. 12 in two turns is pretty good.
Scuttling Doom Engine
Scuttling Doom Engine is one of your larger creatures in the deck but he's also one of the key Artifacts. A lot of the times this guy is unblockable especially if they are running aggro or token themed decks. It can't be chump blocked and even if they target removal it or kill it off in combat by combo blocking it they get smacked in the face for 6 when it dies. That's what makes it dangerous because at anytime you can just sacrifice it to a Shrapnel Blast to deal eleven direct damage, over half their starting life total.
Previously it was hard to justify playing a six mana creature in this deck, but a certain new creature (Renowned Weaponsmith) alongside an ol' friend (Chief Engineer) makes casting this guy a lot easier in most matches. Even if you can't seem to draw him into your hand we got my secret ingredient (Jalira, Master Polymorphist) to get him out of the library and into play for a lot cheaper than .
Also with Generator Servant which a lot of other similar decks include in their mainboard he can be ramped out early AND attack right away. Casting a hasty Scuttling Doom Engine on turn four using Generator Servant is insane, and following that up with a Shrapnel Blast for 11 damage is a great way to win games.
Last but not least you can use Hordeling Outburst another sideboard card to create 3 tokens instantly that can be tapped for 3 mana towards Scuttling doom Engine through Chief Engineers convoke giving ability.
There are four copies of each of the two sideboard cards, giving you 8 more cards to ramp out your main artifact.
Ensoul Artifact
The Giant Scisscors of Doom! So many combos with this great enchantment aura. And you can do many of them very early on in the match too. Ensoul Artifact can turn 12 1-drops and 5 0-drop cheap artifacts (17 total artifacts) into 5/5 creatures ready to punch your opponent in the face as early as turn 2 or 3 potentially, if you manage to draw it in your opening hand or first few turns. The ensoul a artifact combo works even in the late game and now with more of a variety of artifacts, to go along with Renowned Weaponsmith and Chief Engineer making them easier to cast, It's power doesn't go away as the game draws on. You have many more artifacts in the 3+ CMC range which are stil ensoul-able later on in the match incase it takes awhile to draw into one.
First you got the all stars in Darksteel Citadel & Ornithopter
Ensouling a Darksteel Citadel is probably the most quintessential play this deck could have on turn 2. Ensoul this 'artifact' land and voilà, a 5/5 indestructible creature ready to beat face.
Ensouling a Ornithopter is also a powerful play because it comes pre-equiped with flying and thus a form of evasion to get through. You can ensoul an ornithopter as quick as your second turn as well. As soon as you pop down that 5/5 flyer you put them on a 4 turn clock. Having a creature with evasion - that can take out a quarter of their life each turn - out as fast as turn 2 is pretty downright nasty. I have stolen many games by this play alone but it doesn't always work out this way.
Other 0-Drops
Tormod's Crypt : Delving is a thing in the new standard meta and I've seen plenty of decks designed around Delve and getting cards into one's graveyard to recur or reuse them as fuel. Tormod's Crypt instantly puts a stop to any of those decks trying to use the Delve mechanic as a new form of Reanimator or Dredge. This bad boy shuts all of that down prompt, blowing to smithereens all those hopeless resources they poured into their own graveyards.
With five 0-drop Artifacts in Standard, each giving you another four cards costing nothing, zilch, nada! You'll be scissoring your opponents to death in no time as fast as turn 2. You're opponent won't know what hit them.
"Oh yeah scissor me timbers!"
Shrapnel Blast
1-Drops
Lens of Clarity : There are plenty of good artifact candidates within Standard to ensoul that cost 1 mana. One of my favorites of all is Lens of Clarity. You can look at the top card of your library and know what you'll be drawing next which is huge because it helps you know what you plan to do in the future. You might not be getting the card you need so you'll change your strategy. It also lets you look at all the morph cards your opponent plays, and there are a lot in Khans. Did I mention it was only 1 mana?
Ghostfire Blade : Another great one drop artifact. It can be used as a buff to any creature giving it +2/+2 for just 1 mana if it's a colorless creature, which chances are it's an artifact ensouled so it will be. If you got nothing else though it too can be ensouled, becoming a 5/5 fatty. It will be used one way or another that's for sure.
Turn 1: play Darksteel Citadel tap it and cast Ghostfire Blade.
Turn 2: play a Island, cast Ensoul Artifact on the Darksteel Citadel.
Turn 3: play a Island and equip Ghostfire Blade to Darksteel Citadel, go to town with a 7/7 indestructible creature. Still have 2 left over mana.
Turn 4: play a Island and cast Hot Soup then equip it to Darksteel Citadel for a 7/7 Indestructible now unblockable creature.
Or
Turn 1: play Island, cast Ornithopter and cast Ghostfire Blade.
Turn 2: play Island, equip Ghostfire Blade to Ornithopter, and swing with a 2/4 flier.
It's so versatile to this deck and does offer a lot, should run 4 of them.
Hot Soup : Great card. Citadel becomes a 5/5 unblockable indestructible creature. Scuttling Doom Engine becomes a ticking time bomb. If you equip it with a Hot Soup and you or they deal it damage somehow (block an attacking creature perhaps) you essentialy sacrifice it and by killing it off you deal your 6 damage burn. This and Prowler's Helm are the alternatives to Aqueous Form as ways to make an ensouled 5/5 artifact creature have a form of unblockable. Aqueous Form is cheaper and more beneficial with the Scry 1 but this is another alternative card to play and because it is an artifact it can be ensouled too if you have no other options available in play. An ensouled creature that is unblockable puts the opponent on a 4 turn clock, since you can take a quarter of their starting life total each turn. Yes, it just takes one instant or sorcery burn spell to take down that creature but if they don't have one in their hand and cannot get one in 3 turns they are done for. It's a risky proposition but one that can pay off. I still prefer Aqueous Form to get this job done, because of the added Scry bonus but this also doubles as a potential target for Ensoul Artifact. A cheap 1 drop artifact you can ensoul it as early as turn two making it a 5/5. You just won't be able to equip it anymore but if it was attached to a creature already, it becomes unattached. Also another cool trick you could do with this is to equip this to a Scuttling Doom Engine and block with it or somehow deal it damage directly and thus destroying it and activating it's ability to do 6 damage to the opponent. They would never see it coming and if it was the final blow to get that final 6 or less life then this card can potentially be very handy in the right spot. It's a very versatile card for this deck.
Springleaf Drum : At first I didn't think it was really a good fit in the deck, thought it was just a mana fixer which in a deck that runs only two colors you really don't need. Also the deck doesn't have many creatures to tap in order to do so. Yes it is just a one drop and an Artifact that you can ensoul to make a 5/5 creature out of but there are plenty of other choices for that. I looked into it more for potential combos and it actually could be worth a play when combined with your Ornithopter's costing zero you could put them out and tap them to produce a free mana. In fact it really combos with him because your capable of a turn 3 win.
Here's how;
Turn 1: play a Island, cast 2 Ornithopters and cast a Springleaf Drum.
Turn 2: play a Mountain, cast Ensoul Artifact on Ornithopter and swing for 5 damage, flying for evasion.
Turn 3: play a Mountain, swing with the Ensouled Ornithopter for 5 damage, then on second main phase use the ability of Springleaf Drum and tap it and the other Ornithopter for a 1 red mana and cast 2 Shrapnel Blast sacking both of your thopters to do so. That's the last 10 damage you need.
You'll need the exact cards in your hand. You'll need 2 thopters 1 springleaf 1 ensoul and 2 shrapnel blast plus the 3 land inside your first 10 or 11 cards to win by turn 3 which is not very likely but possible.Gorgon's Head : If you want to run some of these you can equip it to the ensouled 5/5 giving it Deathtouch. Now, do they block when it's a assured death or take a quarter of their health slap to the face?
Shield of the Avatar : It only costs 1 to play, and 2 to equip for a total cost of 3. If a source would deal damage to equipped creature, prevent X of that damage, where X is the number of creatures you control. If you have on average 3-5 creatures in play, you can make your main threat basically immune to damage up to 5 or so which means it'll likely survive. It's not a main deck card but something you can think about running in this deck as a 1 drop Artifact that can be ensouled as well as equipped.
Profane Memento : Whenever a opponents creature goes into their graveyard, you gain 1 life. Now first thoughts are you kill off one of their creatures in combat. However, it says 'from anywhere' so like I said above in the Tormod's Crypt description, if you find yourself playing against decks that self-mill from library to graveyard or if you run Grindclock and Kurkesh you will get the 1 life off this anytime they put a creature into their graveyard.
Other 1-Drops
Witches' Eye
Pyxis of Pandemonium
Altar of the Brood
Traveler's Amulet
Flamecast Wheel
2-Drops
Deserter's Quarters : An interesting artifact that could possibly fit in here as an option to ensoul. It basically ends up being a Hands of Binding or Tidebinder Mage similar to Martial Law/Pacifism/Arrest/Quiet ContemplationWall of Frost/Wavecrash Triton/Singing Bell Strike/Claustrophobia/Dehydration/Paralyzing Grasp/Eternity Snare/Crippling Chill/Encrust but ends up doing basically the same thing as all of them for the cost of 6 mana and tapping it. It'll be tapped during the opponents next turn, their untap step, so their creature stays tapped then it's your turn. You can choose to keep it tapped or untap it and just attack with it being a 5/5 and if you do attack it goes backed to being tapped. If it remained tapped their creature still doesn't untap. (At least I think that's how this works. Not sure on that ruling but in theory it works.) It lets you control one of their biggest threats by locking down a creature.
Rogue's Gloves : Whenever you deal damage to the player, which if the equipped creature has flying like an ensouled Ornithopter does, you may draw a card. And like all Artifacts it can become a 5/5 creature at any moment.
Phyrexian Revoker
Armory of Iroas : You'll probably end up using this as equipment on the ensouled artifact creature so that every time it attacks it get a +1/+1 counter but at just 2 mana if it's all you got out there you can ensoul it too. If it was attached to a creature, it becomes unattached. Very versatile card for this deck.
Other 2-Drops
Grindclock : I've already talk about how this could be included above if you run Kurkesh, Onakke Ancient. It also would trigger Profane Memento gaining you quite a bit of life. And it would give you a reason to sacrifice your Tormod's Crypt to empty out their graveyards.
Bronze Sable
Tyrant's Machine
Siren Song Lyre
Fleetfeather Sandals
Bronze Sable
3-Drops
Hammer of Purphoros : Creatures have Haste. Now when you pop that Ensoul on a artifact you can swing that turn. The other ability is a good way to get some board presence especially when you don't really need all the mana in this deck.
Staff of the Mind Magus : Each blue spell or Island you gain a life.
Staff of the Flame Magus : Each red spell or Mountain you gain a life.
Jeskai Banner : It let's you tap it for any of three different colored mana which could help but it also lets you sacrifice it and draw a card. You could peak at your top card with Lens of Clarity see that it's what you need and then choose to sack this to draw it that turn.
Chariot of Victory : Similar to the Armory of Iroas, you'll probably end up using this as equipment on the ensouled artifact creature so that it has first strike and trample (haste probably won't matter, but you would get that too). It's not that expensive just 4 mana altogether and if it's all you got out there you can ensoul it too. If it was attached to a creature, it becomes unattached. Very versatile card for this deck.
- Brawler's Plate : Again, you'll probably end up using this as equipment but it gives off a pretty good effect. +2/+2 and Trample.
Other 3-Drops
- Spear of Heliod
- Godsend
- Bow of Nylea
- Hall of Triumph
- Staff of the Sun Magus
- Staff of the Wild Magus
- Staff of the Death Magus
- Abzan Banner
- Sultai Banner
- Mardu Banner
- Temur Banner
- Gargoyle Sentinel
- Pillar of War
- Opaline Unicorn
- Burnished Hart
- Guardians of Meletis
4-Drops
Bident of Thassa : Gotta love this Artifact. While 4 mana is a bit costly compared to some other options this deck has to ensoul the effects of this card are worth it. Whenever any creature deal combat damage to a player you may draw. That flying 5/5 Omnithopter or anything ensouled and enchanted with Aqueous Form or equipped with Hot Soup. Then to top it off, you can force your opponents to attack. Now you can block and kill them off or if you rather not go into combat and just take the hit and can survive you can basically force them to have no blockers on your next turn.
Anvilwrought Raptor : 4 mana isn't that expensive and if you Ensoul this you keep the Flying and First Strike it just becomes that much bigger as a 5/5. Plus the deck is kinda short handed with creatures, it's an option at least. You do get two good abilities out of it.
4-Drops Bident of Thassa Anvilwrought Raptor Whip of Erebos Akroan Horse Perilous Vault The Chain Veil Avarice Amulet Haunted Plate Mail Juggernaut Dragon Throne of Tarkir
Equipment are useful for the effects they give the equipped creature but being both effective and being artifacts is what makes them so powerful in this deck. I can't stress how important the Equipment is in this deck. Being Artifacts they are very versatile cards to run alongside Ensoul Artifact. If you already got an ensouled artifact out and thus a 5/5 creature you can equip the equipment cards to it to beef it up even further. Oftentimes I find myself with a 7/7 Ornithopter. If you don't have an Artifact though, you can play the Equipment card and, even though it'll lose the ability to be equipped, ensoul it giving you have a 5/5 creature. In a pinch you won't care what artifact your turning into a fatty.
Most the deck is Artifacts which can become creatures at anytime.
Here are my favorite equipments to run:
Rogue’s Gloves
Combos
Darksteel Citadel + Ensoul Artifact indestructible 5/5 out as fast as turn 2
Ensoul Artifact + Ornithopter 5/5 flyer out as fast as turn 2
Briber's Purse + Ensoul Artifact 5/5 out as fast as turn 2, combine with *Aqueous Form for unblockable
Astral Cornucopia + Ensoul Artifact out as fast as turn 2, combine with *Aqueous Form for unblockable
Ensoul Artifact + Tormod's Crypt out as fast as turn 2, combine with *Aqueous Form for unblockable
Scuttling Doom Engine + Shrapnel Blast or any other artifact.
Shrapnel Blast + Ugin's Nexus take an extra turn.
*You can choose to run Hot Soup instead of Aqueous Form because it's yet another artifact that can be ensouled in a pinch. However, I just love Aqueous Form, it's cheap as can be, makes creature unblockable, and lets you Scry 1 every turn basically. I don't think the Scry should be overlooked. If you enchant a creature with multiple Aqueous Form you can Scry 2 or Scry 3 even.
The Artifacts
Darksteel Citadel It's a land and an artifact. It's also Indestructible and if you ensoul it on turn 2 you got a 5/5 indestructible creature.
Ornithopter First of all there aren't that many actual artifact creatures in the format but Ornithopter is definitely an important one.
A 0 cast you can do all the tricks with. You can Ensoul him to make him a 5/5 with Flying. Sacrifice him to Jalira and search up something basically swapping him for another creature. Or sac it to Shrapnel Blast. Sure there's less of a bang then doing it with Scuttling Doom Engine but it works none the less, and a helluva lot quicker.
One of the main uses for Ornithopter is having a flying target for Ensoul Artifact, and simply another artifact for cards like Ghostfire Blade and Shrapnel Blast.
Heart-Piercer Bow Most of the time it will simply be used as Shrapnel Blast or Ensoul Artifact fodder. Sometimes it will be used to take out an opposing one toughness creature, so it does have its moments, though it's definitely not a card you want in your opening hand. As soon as DTK releases and we get Vial of Dragonfire it'll go bye-bye.
Lens of Clarity is actually a pretty important artifact with the Manifest and Morph abilities on a lot of the cards in KTK and FRF. It'll let you look and see which ones they can turn face up into creatures. Even if you never face any it's got value by allowing you to look at your own top card. It's a cheap one too.
Ugin's Nexus
Shrapnel Blast is well-suited to unlock the power of taking an extra turn. You can even Ensoul Artifact it to become a 5/5 creature for value in the meantime besides the built in stop them from taking extra turns effect.
Use Ugin's extra turn when it impacts the game most. If during your extra next turn doesn't immediately convert into a win that turn don't use it.
Ugin's Nexus All i got to say is Shrapnel Blast. While you'll have many choices among Artifacts to sacrifice to Shrapnel Blast, how many of them give you an extra turn? Oooo Another turn...May I? It also can be Ensouled to become a 5/5 creature in a pinch if you don't have any other Artifacts in play.
Dragon Throne of Tarkir basically gives all creatures the same ability a Xenagos, God of Revels gives.
Colossus of Akros is a artifact I like to run one copy of so I can pull it out with Jalira. It's high mana cost does not matter when you play it for . It's defender also does not matter to me. A 10/10 that is indestructible. A perfect blocker. Eventually you can cast that Monstrosity 10. Giving him trample and making him a 20/20 that can now attack as though it didn't have defender. And just as if that wasn't enough reason to run him. He is an Artifact. Sac him to shrapnel blast if you have no other Artifacts to sac to deal what could be the final 5 damage you need to win. (In my other deck I run a Life's Legacy and can sac it to draw 10 or 20)
Sideboard
Previously the deck included Phyrexian Revoker but i demoted it to the sideboard. It can be brought in as a game two weapon versus decks with lots of planeswalkers, as it completely shuts them down.
Hordeling Outburst is including as a sideboard card for Chief Engineer. This sorcery puts three tokens out at once that can be useful for tapping and convoking with Chief Engineer. You need creatures to take advantage of the Engineers's convoke (Each creature you tap can pay for 1 colorless mana in its casting cost) ability.
Generator Servant’s main purpose is to power out Scuttling Doom Engine. Also note that the 2 mana can be used for anything though, it's a good ramp. And you can save him until your ready to sac him and keep tapping him to convoke creatures out with Chief Engineer.
Another good way to get a bunch of creatures out to be able to cast something like Soul of New Phyrexia or Scuttling Doom Engine is Akroan Horse. Akroan Horse which probably can be convoked out earlier than turn 4 itself will start pouring out 1/1 soliders every turn for you to be able to tap and convoke out other cards.
A massive Colossus of Akros which costs a whopping 8 mana can be brought out much earlier in this deck. And the Monstrous cost can even be cheapened to make him a 20/20 and lose defender.
Stormtide Leviathan is a great card to run alongside Jalira. The trick is though to run just one single copy so you hopefully don't draw it into your hand. It's a lot easier to play through Jalira who can pluck it out and put it into play for just 3 mana. From there it completely takes over the game. It's really the ultimate defense. All creatures can't attack unless they have flying. Your other creatures cannot attack either but you got other ways to deal damage so it's not a big deal except it is. It's a great way to shut the opponent down and give your combo machine time to work.
It also turns all lands into Islands, so you can tap any of your mountains or Citadels for blue and because it changes all lands your opponent now controls Islands. This cannot go unsaid because the Leviathan itself has Islandwalk. You can attack and go unblocked with it. If you want to add more than just one copy you can, so if you draw it into your hand you'll have another copy in the library and with 2 or 3 copies you might get a better chance of plucking it out with Jalira instead of something else non-Legendary. It could be very important to how this deck plays, and possibly it's secondary win condition.
Thoughts/ideas & Maybeboard
Running The Chain Veil alongside Renowned Weaponsmith means you can pay less to use it's ability as as long as you tap the Weaponsmith. The Chain Veil can build loyalty all the faster on any Planeswalkers, giving two +1 each turn. Not only will you gain the effects of their +1 twice that turn but you'll be able to reach their ultimate abilities faster.
Chandra, Pyromaster||Chandra, Pyromaster
Chandra's +1 deals 1 damage to target player and 1 damage to up to one target creature that player controls. The important part though is that creature can't block this turn. Which can open up some things when you got your Scuttling Doom Engine out because it cannot be blocked if their only creature that can block is power 2 or less.
Jace, the Living Guildpact||Jace, the Living Guildpact
Jace's +1 is kind of lackluster but he does start off at 5 so within two turns you can use his Ultimate -8: Each player shuffles his or her hand and graveyard into his or her library. You draw seven cards. You get quite the advantage by drawing seven.
Sarkhan, the Dragonspeaker you can't really double up on his +1 and his Ultimate is not really that good in this deck either.
Last the newest Planeswalker in Standard...
And probably the best one to run alongside The Chain Veil...
He's a bit costly at 8 mana, and even though he's colorless he isn't an Artifact so Renowned Weaponsmith cannot help you out there. If you do manage to get him out though his +2 deals 3 damage to target creature or player. And you can do that twice each turn for 6 damage. Since he starts out at 7 that'll put him at 11. From there you can use his middle ability to Exile each permanent with converted mana cost X or less that's one or more colors. Leaving your colorless Artifacts on the field. Or you can use his -10 ability and you gain 7 life, draw seven cards, then put up to seven permanent cards from your hand onto the battlefield. I think we know which one you'll do.
You can +4 Karn twice through the Chain Veil and exile two cards in your hand and next turn do it again once exiling a third card and then start the game over with those three exiled cards in play. Giving you a pretty good advantage to begin with. The Chain Veil also makes Tezzeret all that much better. In fact you can use his +1 and then Ultimate him that same turn he comes out. If that isn't going to kill them because you just don't have the Artifact base on the field you can go for a sustained threat approach and use his +1 twice right away to get him to 6 loyalty. Then next turn you can +1 once more and use his Ulti. Besides gaining +2 loyalty a turn - don't forget you'll be untapping up to 4 artifacts each turn as well.
The one Bearer of the Heavens in the deck is a dangerous card, for you and your opponent. You can do some pretty sick things with the Ugin's Nexus and Shrapnel Blast. You sac the Bearer via Jalira and then cast Shrapnel Blast and sac the Nexus and deal your 5 damage and then take an extra turn. You do this knowing you have until your next endstep to lose everything, you can hopefully take full advantage of the added turn and end the game that turn. If not everything goes, including lands, and you hopefully can outrace the opponent to starting over and getting the advantage.
It's like an atomic bomb. Your enemy really doesn't want you to use it but you yourself don't really want to use it either. It's there for a deterrence. A weapon of last necessity. In this deck you really can't be careful and choose when to play it. If you pull him out via Jalira, well the cat is out of the bag... You never have to pay that 8 mana cost though.
Now you got this 10/10 that's a ticking time bomb. If he goes down, EVERYTHING goes down with him. In fact, his presence is kind of unsettling for the enemy. You can sacrifice him to Jalira at any moment and destroy EVERYTHING. The opponent should know this too, so if they don't realize tell them. You can also attack but he's a great blocker at 10/10 and not many creatures can go blow for blow with him, even when buffed up. Also by not attacking and tapping him you leave open the door to counter attack. If they attack and you don't block they'll leave an open path for you to swing with him and that 10 power will take out half their life so more often then not they'll end their turn without attacking so that they have blockers for him specifically.
Last but not least they won't even think of removing him, unless they can exile him, because they won't want to lose literally everything. All permanents, including lands. Of course you could do this purposely if you're behind in board control and sac him to Jalira. You would have until the end of next turn to use lands still too, maybe casting a Shrapnel Blast and sac'ing one of your artifacts you're about to lose next turn anyways.
Having cheap creatures is definitely important, so while Monastery Swiftspear isn't an artifact it makes the mana curve better, and there are a good amount of noncreature spells to turn on prowess.
Monastery Swiftspear helps your curve and you'll be casting a lot of noncreatures to trigger prowess and each one you cast counts for another spell to be able to cast Hewed Stone Retainers
Renowned Weaponsmith makes it easier to say equip a non-colorless creature like Monastery Swiftspear with Ghostfire Blade. In a deck like this with plenty of burn spells one can often turn three like a Lightning Strike or Wild Slash while also being able to play a Hewed Stone Retainers for just 2 mana.
Previously this deck sometimes had Illusory Angel in it. Illusory Angel with Ornithopter means you can have a 4/4 flying on turn three. I think while that is strong that a Hewed Stone Retainers is strictly better, the fact that it is an artifact is a huge deal. Another target to send Shrapnel flying at your opponent with.
Hoarding Dragon can be used alongside Jalira. You pluck an artifact (read: Scuttling Doom Engine) from your library and exile it. Then you sacrifice Smaug, i mean Hoarding Dragon, to Jalira, Master Polymorphist's activated ability and search out a creature card to play for free. You put that artifact from exile into your hand.
Add White
Soulfire Grand Master + Burn Spells that go along with Shrapnel Blast idea and Jalira plucking scuttling doom engine + Jeskai Combo Jeskai Ascendancy Springleaf Drum
Alternate Art: http://oi62.tinypic.com/10nw45k.jpg
Chief Engineer | Art by Steven Belledin
I don't expect this to make a huge splash on Standard or even be that competitive but I like going off the beaten path and making something not many others will be playing.
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| Date added | 9 years |
| Last updated | 8 months |
| Key combos | |
| Legality | This deck is not Unformat legal. |
| Rarity (main - side) | 2 - 1 Mythic Rares 15 - 9 Rares 19 - 4 Uncommons 7 - 1 Commons |
| Cards | 60 |
| Avg. CMC | 2.54 |
| Tokens | Goblin 1/1 R |
| Folders | Works in Progress... |
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