Duskmantle Guildmage + Mindcrank I LOVE IT xD

It's pretty great eh? And they're both 2 drops! I'm glad someone found it and was willing to comment about it.

The only problem I found in testing was that getting the mana to activate both of guildmage's abilities in the same turn is troublesome

Ah, a good point. The thing is, once the first ability is activated and both card are on the field, then any means of two different things can trigger the win:

1) They lose any amount of life. This can be from swinging out with flying creatures like Tidehollow Strix , or an activated Inkmoth Nexus , or even any extra creatures (such as 5/5 artifact creatures from Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas ' -1 ability. This can also come from a simple Countersquall (they're really gonna want to counter this). Also I may replace Thirst for Knowledge with Sign in Blood for its versatility. Then there's also Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas ' -4 ability.

2) A card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere this turn. Countersquall (If they can prevent the damage the countered card still goes to the graveyard), Go for the Throat (killing their creature puts it in their graveyard), and Spell Pierce (once again, a countered spell goes to the graveyard just the same) all will work for this. Then it's also nice having the deathtouch Tidehollow Strix (they take damage or block and creature dies -> graveyard). Then there's Inquisition of Kozilek (discard goes to the graveyard).

The great thing about all of these cards is they provide enough control throughout the game leading up to the combo and during the combo where you aren't boldly exposing said combo in the wide open for them to just smack down easily.

And if all else fails... Well, take a look at Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas . He makes 5/5 creatures (they could have infect and/or flying and/or deathtouch) and his also wrecks, especially if you have Mycosynth Lattice out, in which it's probably game.

Meant to say "his *-4 also wrecks"

I think the Mycosynth Lattice + Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas game ender is vastly inferior to the Duskmantle Guildmage + Mindcrank infinite combo and the deck is currently tailored too much to the former. You should get a playset of Mindcranks, you could take out 1 Tezzeret and a land/or the Dimir Signets. Since the combo is so low in mana requirement you can probably afford to lose them.

You might want to get just a little bit more of those instants, more control is always nice as you're searching for your combo, especially if said control can easily trigger the infinite combo.

• The Master Transmuter Only really seems to exist to give you a cheaper Mycosynth, but once you get to a turn where you'll want to try myco+Tezzeret as preferred combo because you just can't draw the other cards, you'll have enough mana in most cases to hardcast it. It saves you no mana except that you can spread it over multiple turns as it costs 4 mana, then 2 mana for another artifact and 1 to transform it.

• The Ichorclaw Myr seems like an extra trigger for master transmuter and extra defense as you wait for the combo. They seem a bit unnecessary as you have the Tidehollow Strix too.

You could take out a few creatures for more control and mostly more cheap card draw/filtering, such as Aqueous Form , Condescend , Augury Owl , Mystic Speculation . The first gives you nice evasion for ground creatures as well, so you can use ones that are removed a bit less easily with direct damage than the Tidehollow, giving you more defense again in return.

Dimir Infiltrator Might be a very nice creature addition as you can transmute for a mindcrank, which gives you more certainty than the scry effects.

Doom Blade may be a nice sideboard replacement for Go for the Throat if you encounter an opposing artifact deck (Ornithopter + Ensoul decks are getting popular on this site). Dream Salvage is a nice card but probably needs some more discard effects over the current deck to really shine.

In the end you'd probably lose around 5-6 artifacts, but you have mycosynth and in my opinion it's totally worth a more secure way to (somewhat cheap) victory; especially in competitive matchups consistency is very important.

I hope the comment helped, I'm new to the game but trying to learn every day :) Could you give me some input on my RWG modern voltron deck? Lance Armstrong Naya -- Please Advice!

Subject, I thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed your comment! I made some changes (a bit too many to write down here), but you will see some of your suggestions in here!

Please take another look and see what you think now. Again I really appreciate your help!

Wondering why this is labeled as Tron, when it in fact is not tron in either sense of the term.

Funny you mention that! I just removed that hub the second you commented lol. This is cause it used to be tron when I had another higher drop infinite combo in there.

Ah, righto.

Yeah, UB tron even as a black splash to the blue version that is currently used in modern is kind of bad, I can see why it didn't work out for ya.

Very nice changes!

I'd personally get a 4th infiltrator or an extra mindcrank. Targeted draw of guildmage OR mindcrank for only 1 more mana and sacking a creature is awesome! Infiltrator is your BFF! In my opinion the Tidehollow Strix isnt doing a whole lot in this deck. It has deathtouch, but you could just put in hard removal like your sideboarded Doomblade or Go for the Throat instead. Thats quicker and easier, since you dont need to attack/block into it, and is safe from removal like the infamous Lightning Bolt or any other direct damage / removal spell. It has flying, but so does augury owl with 1 less power (which doesnt matter when you have the combo) and your infiltrator is unblockable. Replace them with the doomblades/go for the throat and maybe more mindcrank to improve your chances of drawing. Originally I wasnt sure about the dimir signets, and they really only give minimal result in the early turns. I suppose that theyll be better if you have to go for plan B of mycosynth+Tezzeret.

Dream hand with signet:

1. Serum Visions/Kozilek

2. Signet

3. Guildmage + Infiltrator/flying

4. Guildmage ability, Mindcrank, swing with unblockable for win.

Dream hand without:

1. Land (Serum Visions)

2. Mindcrank or Guildmage

3. Other half of combo (Spell Pierce)

4. Guildmage ability, Kozilek or swing with blockable for win.

Roughly similar chances for an equally quick outcome. If you miss a part of the combo, you can also use the Infiltrator ability to look for it and win a turn later. Scry works too, but if you have the mana anyway, certainty is great for winning turn 4 or 5. Scry only really works when there are enough of the card you want to draw in the deck, and not too many other awesome cards. I dont consider 2 mindcranks enough to rely on scrying for a bit less mana only.

The rest of the cards in the deck are fairly well balanced in amount. Again, Im very eager to play this deck, though Id opt for a slightly cheaper set of lands ;)

Ok, I added another Mindcrank and took out a Tidehollow Strix . I think the worst case of having more Mindcrank 's than needed is just putting out more artifacts for Tez's shenanigans!

I again found your last comment super helpful! When I get some time and can use a computer over a phone again I'll gladly check out your deck and try to give some advice!

Cool idea!

You definitely want to be playing 4 Serum Visions in this deck. The card selection it offers is unmatched in modern and is extremely necessary to find the right pieces.

Thirst for Knowledge seems like a strict upgrade over Sign in Blood, you can hold up countermagic, discard unnecessary artifacts, and run a few more basics.

Mycosynth Lattice is really expensive and doesn't really seem to accomplish much unless you ultimate Tezz, at which point you are probably winning anyways. Also I'm not sure why Augury Owl and Tidehollow Strix are in the deck.

There are two ways you can go with the deck- you could be all in on the mindcrank/ guildmage combo, or an artifact Tezzeret deck with the combo as a backup plan, kind of like Twin.

Here's an idea for an all-in deck:

-2 Mycosynth Lattice

-3 Tidehollow Strix

-4 Augury Owl

-3 Sign in Blood

-4 Drowned Catacombs

-1 Watery Grave

+2 Serum Visions

+1 Mindcrank

+4 Thirst for Knowledge

+1 Dimir Signet

+4 Darksteel Citadel (Great synergy with Tezzeret and Thirst)

+1 Island

+1 River of Tears

+3 Thoughtseize

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for the comment, and I appreciate the suggestions. I guess the question I have to ask myself when making this deck is "How good is the deck when I can't win off the combo for whatever reason?" I entirely agree that Serum Visions is great for finding cards, but I run less of those in order to keep more control and threats to maintain dominant tempo. In terms of the owls, the Augury Owl actually provides a really strong scry effect (3!) while giving me either a blocker or constent and annoying flyer damage. The Tidehollow Strix poses as more of a threat for its 2 flying damage, deathtouch, and the ability to become 5/5 with Tez's -1. I think even having a strong alternative threat through Mycosynth Lattice and other cards like that really doesn't threaten the combo, rather, the put an opponent on their heels until I have the mana and control to safely play the combo (which will be at least turn 4 or 5 based on Subject's comment).

Also I totally see where you are coming from with Thirst for Knowledge , and in fact I had them in here until I switched for Sign in Blood . I have them for the duel purpose of triggering the combo and for drawing (I don't mind the minor life loss). If you have any other questions about the reasons for certain cards, I think and hope the conversations in the comments will clear those up!

Again, thanks for the advice, and I'll definitely make the considerations. Please do feel free to keep making input, as I can still use all I can get!

If you replace the Dimir Signet with Pentad Prism , you can ramp but also be open to counter a spell at instant speed if you have to. Some Remand would be nice, or just more counterspells in gerenal would be nice, or some instant speed draw if that exists in modern

also what is the point of Mycosynth Lattice

In terms of counter spells I have Condescend , Countersquall , and Spell Pierce .

Mycosynth Lattice allows for 4 things: 1) It's another artifact to become a 5/5 creature with Tez's -1 (least important) 2) all my other permanents and creatures (like flyers) can become 5/5 creatures with Tez's -1 3) Mana flexibility makes playing the combo easier 4) Once I have a boatload I artifacts, Tez's -4 is probably going to kill them and keeps me alive if necessary (most important). Since they are expensive, I have only 2, but there is enough draw and scry to eventually get one.

I see what you mean with the Pentad Prism , I'm just not sure if I'm convinced or not yet because the Signet allows for more sustainability. I'll think about it though! Thanks for the help, I always appreciate it!

Cheaper version:

• exchange spell pierce for mana leak or more condescend
• new mana base: mostly basics, 4x Drowned Catacomb, maybe 2x Watery Grave. Polluted Delta is awesome, but burns a hole in your pocket. In order to make up for slower mana, you could run Training Grounds to make the guildmage's wincon more accessible.
• Pull out some Tezzeret and Mycosynth. Run cheap artifacts like Ornithopter and run 4x Ensoul Artifact . It's been done before with or without illusionary angel in the mono-blue artifact decks, and it gets you your 5/5s earlier.
• From infinite combo cards. Mindcrank > Guildmage, because the mage requires a lot more mana and is 3 mana per turn for the effect, and mindcrank is one of your beloved artifacts.
• Serum visions is really expensive, maybe Mystic Speculation instead?
• Still now a fan of Tidehollow Strix. See if you can get rid of it for another more durable artifact creature. You have more than enoguh other flyers, unblockables and spells to initiate the combo.

I think that's a really insightful cheap version! This would allow more people to make and try this deck out if they wanted to. Hopefully, I'll be able to save up enough to make it as is, but I think your budget choices here are spot on!

I tend to like Sleight of Hand over Serum Visions in combo decks.

My Mill and Torture Deck uses the same infi-combo and is based around it. Check it out if you want feedback. Tutors using Disciple of Deceit or transmute with Dimir Infiltrator ... the decks are similar, but mine gets the loop very fast.

I see what you got there! I've had the infiltrator in the deck and I'm not a huge fan of the transmute ability.. It costs quite a bit. I would rather spend the mana to play control cards, draw and filter cards, and set up for mid-game combo. The other issue I see with transmute and Disciple of Deceit is that you reveal the combo before you play it. I think our decks have very different focuses for the combo.

That brings me to an idea I recently had for this deck: AEther Vial! I think it would have a huge impact in multiple areas.

First: Faster combo potential. You could get the counters up to 2 by turn 3, play the Mage at the end of their turn with vial, then use his own ability on your turn and have fully open lands to counter/protect etc.

Second: Safer combo potential. Ask yourself this: what makes Splinter Twin decks so good and dangerous? Flashing in exarch or pester at the end of their turn when they have no mana an no clue it's coming (unless they are experienced). The Vial gives the same capability.

Third: Extremly amazing synergy with other creatures in the deck! Treating vial like flash, you can flash in a deathtouch flyer in to block and kill. Flash in an owl blocker and scry 3 while you're at it. If the combo is down and the vial is up still, flash in Spellskite to eat removal. Best part about all these examples is that every creature in the deck is at 2 cmc so we can keep the vials at 2 to pawn more mana on control and less on getting the bodies out.

Fourth and finally: Gotta love more artifacts for Tezz to play with!

I'm gonna keep along the midrangey lines, but what do people think about AEther Vial? I can think of some replaceable spots for it.

Why do you run Inkmoth Nexus? I dont think infect can proc mindcrank, would something like Blinkmoth Nexus be better because it procs mindcrank? Also i love the deck great job :D

Ah, I see your point, and it is valid. My reasoning for going with the infect version of the manland is that with a Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas out, just having one Inkmoth Nexus in my lands creates a 2-turn clock from the moment Tez hits the board. How? Activate the Inkmoth; it's a 1/1 flying infect. Then -1 Tez on Inkmoth since it's an artifact creature now, making it a 5/5, still with flying and infect. That's two swings for 10 poison counters and an unexpected game ender. That's at least what my logic is for having it instead, but I do see what you mean with proc-ing the combo. I guess it goes back to the question of, "What kind of playstyle is the deck shooting for?" There are plenty of "MantleCrank" decks on TO that just go for pure speed, but this build is clearly a bit more control based with more combo threats and built-in reaction. What do you think?

cool deck, what about Bloodchief Ascension? it at least offers some redundancy for the guildmage, and in some cases is even better since it is much more resilient, though harder to activate