This deck uses astral-cornucopia and ever-flowing chalice combined with surge-node/core-tapper to create #big-mana VERY quickly. We, like tron, are able to reliably rush out Kharn on turn 3. In fact in dream-hand situations we can rush out Kharn on turn 2! (See below)
However unlike tron we are a bit more vulnerable to artifact hate. It is very important to split your charge counters between different astrals/everflowings to avoid getting completely blown out by a single artifact destruction spell on your only mana-producer. Being incredibly land-light also leaves us a tad bit more vulnerable to mulligan situations but having 8 interchangeable "combo" pieces that can all be grabbed with serum visions leaves us pretty well set.
Against control decks that are ready for our game and will keep up counter-magic at all times instead of deploying pressure, as well as a turn 7-8 "I win" button we have a single copy of Emrakul. Additionally we have Titan-forge as an alternate pressure point, allowing us to toss out giant 9-9 that will either demand an answer and let us toss out a Kharn or just act as the silver golem's stalwart defenders from zoo and aggro when he drops.
The deck is vulnerable to hate, it doesn't have the same steady-reliable "keep dropping lands and play wurm-coils to win" game-plan that Tron does but it's a great way to get that same feeling of "I produce way too much mana way to fast, is this even magic?" feeling without being vulnerable to a hyper-tron-hating meta.
If your game-store fears tron and the meta has shifted to endless land-destruction, show them that you are a proud, strong, independent magic player that don't need no land.
Livin the Dream:
Opening Hand:
Mox Opal, Darksteel, Core-tapper, Coretapper, Kharn, Atral/Everflowing, Flex-slot, Flex-slot, T1 Draw: Flex, T2 Draw Flex)
Line of Play. T-1 Mox Opal, Darksteel, Astral. Tap Opal and Darksteel for core-tapper, crack tapper on to astral and play second core-tapper. If opponent attempts to kill tapper sac him onto astral (this will require one of your flex slots be a land or opal in order to turn-two kharn!). If opponent does not kill tapper, tap him to put 3 counters onto astral, sac him for two more (up to 5) then tap citadel and opal and slam kharn down with a shit-eating grin on your face.
Sideboard Strategy
Side-boarding strategy should be pretty clear. We run lots of hate for the other decks in the format, and a full play-set of welding jars to protect our #big-mana. Nothing is worse then getting blown out by a single kologhan's command because you only drew one ever-flowing/astral and had to put all your charge-counter eggs in one basket. We run 3 vandal-blasts to help us deal with affinity (one of our worst match-ups since Ugin doesn't touch any of their biggest threats). We run 3 Ever-flowing Chalice as a double whammy. Tell both burn and infect to go to hell with a simple "Turn one, land surge node, mox opal, chalice for 0, put a charge counter on chalice." Chalice for 0 on the play also wrecks affinity's day (again our worst match up). Note: A different line of play against affinity is chalice for 2 to stop plating, ravager, and steel overseer. This works even on the draw so it's never completely dead.
Honestly chalice is a meta decision. If you know you're going to run into a lot of burn, infect, and affinity I would suggest running the chalice's mainboard, siding out the titan-forges and a card of your choice. I don't even mention storm because it should be obvious chalice is an instant slam-in against them. Seriously.. if you play against storm and DON'T put in your chalices shame.
To complete our hate-package we have 2 pithing needles, 3 boom//bust, and another day's undoing (this is your best card against living end and other graveyard decks. Undo all of their cycles and refill your hand after throwing everything onto the field)
Pithing needle is a great general hate card. As a note play it turn one against someone with a fetch. You don't name your card until the spell resolves so if they let it go through feel free to just enjoy your 1-mana "land-destruction" spell. This won't take everyone by surprise but it will make at least one person a night flip their table in rage until you build up a reputation. You're welcome.
Finally as a deck that puts all of it's mana into big rocks and doesn't really care about what it's land count is it seems a waste to not have access to mass land-destroy as a general tool against people who use lands to pay for spells (read: everyone). Combine that with the 3 dark-steel citadels we run in the main and you have yourself access to a turn-two stone-rain if you just need a strong tempo play to bait out some counters.
All in all your boarding is strong, and between access to chalice to counter maps, boom-bust to blow up the assembled urzatron, and pithing needle to deal with kharn, our tron matchup is SWEET. The games are always fun as we show them the error of their ways, and help them embrace the one-true-big mana strat.
