BLUE GREEN MODERN URZATRON
First, an admission - I played modern Storm as a cheap and sucessful way to get into the format, but since the banning of Seething Song I've been too discouraged to play. I did some research into other fun decks to play, and the Urzatron archetype grabbed my interest.
Through research I came across two dominant types of the deck: the Green Red Version and the Mono Blue Version. However, I was unsatisfied by both versions of the deck. The GR version was too vulnerable to disruption, but the Blue version (although with more deck manipulation and control) was too slow and inconsistent. So - knowing how fast modern is - I opted for the GR deck.
And it just Didn't satisfy me. So I went back to the drawing board and continued to test out the deck. I'm not sure what took me so long, but I eventually realized that the only red card in the deck was pyroclasm and I began to question if red was an optimal color. So i put one and one together and grafted (get it? becasue Simic?) Blue Green Urzatron.
PRIMER
The theory of this deck is to get the urzatron online by having Urza's Mine, Urza's Power Plant, and Urza's Towerin play at the same time. Together these lands can create insane amounts of mana, allowing for things like a turn three Karn Liberated. However, getting these lands out together is the hard part. That's where the rest of the deck comes in. The purpose of the deck is to get the Urzatron "online" to play big colorless creatures and spells to win. Lets take a deeper look.
LANDS
Well this is a no-brainer. The bread and butter and... um... cutting knife of the deck. Urza's Tower is the knife, because it creates the most mana (3), whereas the other two only produce 2 mana. Also it kinda looks like one. Not really. Keep in mind that if you have tron online and you can fetch a land, always go for the tower.
This is a card I came across from the blue deck. Although it doesn't give immediate value, it has great late game value. It can be used to reclaim Expedition Map and Chromatic Sphere/star in the early game to assemble tron, as well as reclaim Mindslaver, Oblivion Stone, and Wurmcoil Engine for late game shenanigans.
This land suffers in the early game since it cant produce mana and casting Eldrazis isn't going to happen anytime soon. Its main use is its ability to fetch colorless creatures like Wurmcoil Engine and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn.
Colorful lands for pretty colorful uses. They're there for early game spells that require a color. Yavimaya Coast could be used in place of the Forest and Breeding Pool, but I've found that the life loss from it is overall more the life loss form than for the breeding pools. I also recommend keeping the Forests In case the opponent has Ghost Quarter.
INSTANTS AND SORCERIES
Quite possibly the most important part of the combo. It can fetch any land in the deck, be it to complete the Urzatron or get Eye of Ugin for your kill cards or Academy Ruins to retrieve important artifacts. Its what makes the deck tick. Don't forget that lands exist besides the Urzatron lands.
Its not quite as useful for land fetching as Sylvan Scrying, but it is far more versatile. Although it can't search the deck, it can delve for artifacts, creatures, and lands. More importantly, this card is relevant all game long. In the early game you can use it to assemble the Urzatron, but in the late game it helps to create board presence.
This card does a fantastic job of accelerating our mana production - especially when our lands can produce 3 mana. I recommend only running 3 copies of this card since it can very easily be a dead card. Its good in both the early and late game, but only if you have an abundance of lands in hand. Because of this, the card is one of the most expendable in the deck. Sometimes all it does is net us a draw. This card should usually be among the first to make the cut when sideboarding.
This spell is also very versatile. It can help stop early game combo shenanigans as well as ensure that they can't play anything late game. I find that the counterspell is vital to have with cards like sowing salts usually sideboarded in. I always hold onto this for that reason. In the very early game, its possible to just use it at x = 0 on any spell to get the scry, which might help get those precious lands or threats when they are needed.
ARTIFACTS
These two artifacts appeared useless to me at first when doing research, however I later realized just how vital they are. At first glance they simply fix mana, but their replacement draw is incredibly useful. They thin out the deck fantastically, and they can work in tandem with all the colorless mana production to cast many vital spells in the early game. In late game they are great to cast just to get the draw off of.
This card accomplishes the same function as the Chromatic Sphere/star by self replacement and deck thinning, but it is graveyard hate instead of mana fixing. The mana fix is more important mainboard than the hate - so I only run one relic. Likewise, it can get in the way of Academy Ruins's utility.
This land fetching artifact is very useful for a turn 3 complete Urzatron. If our opening hand has only 2 or the 3 parts, its easy to drop it on turn one, crack it turn two, and have 7 mana ready by turn 3. It's non-colored cost can make it easier to use than Sylvan Scrying, and is an important part of the decks consistency.
Counterpart to All Is Dust, Oblivion Stone's use is similar but unique. Unlike All Is Dust, it can remove colorless permanents, but that means that it will also remove yours as well. It can also be activated as an instant, but to play it and activate immediately costs 8 mana, meaning that it cant be played by turn 3, a main reason to use All Is Dust. Both are good, but in different circumstances. I recommend using three stones mainboard simply because they ensure everything dies. In situations where you don't need a turn three wipe such as aggro, I suggest swapping in two All Is Dust.
This card is loads of fun. It lets you ruin their plans and make really funny plays. I'm surprised how many people don't know of this card. Either way, they don't forget when you play their Dark Confidant, Path to Exile it, and refuse to get a land. It works really well to stall the opponent to buy you time to assemble more mana or threats whenever they are needed. It's also really funny when you get Academy Ruins out and you have enough mana to lock them down indefinitely. It makes the warmest feeling inside.
CREATURES AND PLANESWALKERS: THE WIN CONDITION
The Eldrazi creatures are the main win condition. Once they're out you've pretty much won. Ulamog is most useful for immediately removing threatening cards. He is also cheaper and easier to get out. However, he is no match for Emrakul. What needs to be said about Emrakul? Honestly?
Wurmcoil can win games all by himself. He can be fetched by Eye of Ugin, cast turn 3, generates card advantage, doesn't need colored mana, trades effectively, keeps you alive, it dices, it slices, it makes julian fries. And even if it dies it can be replaced via Academy Ruins.
MMMmmmmmmMMmmmmmmm sweet sweet Karn. I started out disliking this card. I changed my mind.He is literally perfect for the deck. He can immediately remove any permanent and live. And you can do it turn three. Imagine blowing up their land on turn 3. Let's say they're outta lands. They cant cast anything. They can't remove Karn. Now he gets bigger by making them lose cards from their hand. even if they do get a new land, you can just blow it up. He's Karn Liberated and he does everything he need s and more. You can use his +4 to exile Emrakul from your own hand then eventually use his -14 to start a new game with Emrakul, the Aeons Torn on the field. GG?
SIDEBOARD
This is a very important part of the sideboard. [All is dust]] is an excellent sweeper that can handle overrun and take care of pesky enchantments all in one package. The main allure of this card is its mana cost - placed perfectly at 7 and can be cast pretty consistently on turn 3 with the Urzatron online. It can also become cheaper if Eye of Ugin is on the board. The only thing it doesn't remove is artifacts (and other colorless cards). This means that your cards get to survive it, but that drawback makes it useless against the mirror match and against affinity. For this reason, I delegate it entirely to the sideboard. In matches where aggro can end you early, side out two Oblivion Stones.
These cards add extra threats to the deck. Mindslaver can really help screw up control by wasting their best spells. Platnum angel can help beat combo decks or anything that causes you to lose but can't deal with that creature. The extra Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is handy when the opponent packs exile effects and your only Emrakul has been taken.
This card is an excellent multi-purpose utility card. Its helpful in the early game to assemble tron, but in the late game you can get some great draws by only having to discard unneeded artifacts Chromatic Sphere /star or Expedition Map . If the Condescend is useless and you need a faster start, Thirst for Knowledge is an excellent card to swap in.
This last condescend is here for when that counter is vital, such as when 4x sowing salts shows up. An Explore can easily come out.
The little artifact can make a lot of the creatures played in modern significantly worse by taking away their enter the battlefield effects. It is particularly useful against Splinter Twin decks and Birthing Pod decks.
If someone ruins your day with leylines or Pithing Needles your only threat, these are extremely useful. Its the most ideal removal that this deck has for artifacts and enchantments.
SO - what do you all think? Feel free to comment with ideas and your own thoughts on the Urzatron deck type.
Updated 3-5-14
