Is there an alternative to Power Artifact?
Commander Deck Help forum
Posted on Feb. 16, 2019, 9:53 a.m. by BMHKain
This is more important than it initially seems. I've actually been trying to find some alternatives for the "Monolith + Rings" Combo concept. I am, rashfully, worse than the idea of budget (Thus why I don't include ABU Duals for the most part.); so I was trying to find some alts for aforementioned card, but it seems I found NOTHING; not even on Scryfall. The reason why I'm doing this as most of my CMDR decks run Basalt Monolith + Rings of Brighthearth . Despite this, I don't have a supplementary way to back this up (The combo states it needs a reusable source of or something...), & I don't think stuff like Sol Ring or even Mana Crypt seems to be enough unless it can be used for casting; and even for that, Paradox Engine , which I love so much, but all my critics say that has more con than pro, is still needed to untap the source. To alleviate this problem, I just wanted a decent alternative for Power Artifact (Which means in CMDR alone, demands having the identity to be related.) despite it's inferiority towards a staple that could also work w/ Grim Monolith potentially; making this, also potentially, a cEDH staple as well. I only wanted to do that for , but even when stuff like Smoldering Tithe puts Draw-Go decks in check, it's nevertheless, not a staple either; good card though...
Basically, what I'm asking is, is there, at all, a single alt for Power Artifact ? The reason why is surprising: I'm working on a true 3rd, & final Superfriends deck for the just announced War of Sparks (WAR). Or, I could use it for something else entirely; such decks thus far had ideas that were debunked, but I still found to be good regardless. I know they have good intentions, but even my Anti- Animar, Soul of Elements deck is also meant to take out the typical deck as well; & not just one kind of CMDR as a whole... But all I'm asking for now is: is there even a crap alt to Power Artifact that can also be used, maybe in its stead as well? I'm really wondering since, if there isn't, I have a lot of cuts to do for decks that should've been done long ago... I apologize for all of this madness. I guess I should trust my gut after all, huh...
/rant&repetitivequestion XP
Wow... Three comments on the same day; all while trying to finish up my Anti-Animar Deck that can handle more than just Animar. Truly sorry for the triple post, but I'm trying to think this out... 1. Have all permanents and any other source of three mana on the battlefield 2. Tap Grim Monolith to generate 3. (Not sure if this is legal; is spare mana automatically wasted?) Spend that mana, & a mana source of at least for one to activate Grim Monolith 's untap ability and put it on the stack. 4. Generate the remaining two open mana from any other source to pay for Rings of Brighthearth 's triggered ability, copying the untap ability from Grim Monolith , and putting that copied ability on the stack. 5. Let one untap ability resolve, and tap Grim Monolith to generate in response to the second untap ability. 6. Let the second untap ability resolve and tap Grim Monolith to generate for a total of six colourless mana floating.
I wonder if it's even possible this way; Grim Monolith + Rings of Brighthearth requires each loop, & you'd already waste the source, where as I'm unsure if even Sol Ring is only needed once also; but if both cases apply normally ( for Basalt, & for Grim.), I'd like an honest opinion on this. Also, I'd might want to change the topic name if it's okay, given when we're done w/ this debate for how to handle Grim Monolith + Rings of Brighthearth ...
...Or is there another way? Like Grim Monolith + Mana Reflection for instance? I, mean, even that only inputted 6 of the 7 mana needed, but I'd like a way to make this, admittedly, fragile, combo work.
You may now have a say. :D
February 16, 2019 12:54 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #4
You seem to be bouncing all over the place today. Grim Monolith and Mana Reflection do indeed make infinite mana, as would Basalt Monolith . The monoliths untap for 3 and 4 and would tap for 6, netting you mana per activation and untap.
Rings of Brighthearth and Basalt Monolith work for infinite mana, you don't need a reusable source of 2 generic, simply an initial infusion. You would activate the untap and copy costing you 5, 3 of which would be floated from the monolith. You then allow the first untap to resolve, tap for mana, allow the second to resolve, tap for mana, and have 6 floating and can make another 6 by spending 5 of it, netting a mana. Grim Monolith would allow you to infinitely untap, but nets no mana without another card since it costs 4 to untap.
I do know of a 5 card combo that makes infinite colorless at sorcery speed, but it takes up an awful lot of card spots and tutors if you are not already running all the pieces. A sacrifice effect Myr Retriever , Scrap Trawler , Paradox Engine , and 3 mana from any non-land sources (including the monoliths) makes infinite mana. I'm not sure if you were looking for a way to do this without Paradox Engine , but thought I'd offer it since you may already be running 3/5 of the pieces.
I don't know if this is in any way helpful, but thought I'd put it out there since you seemed to be a bit confused on if those interactions worked. If you were trying to say something else pardon the confusion.
February 16, 2019 10:37 p.m.
@Gidgetimer: Yeah... I was (Still am...) all over... I was trying to see how Grim Monolith could work on this. Even w/ though, it's out of reach. Anyway, knowing know said combo is impossible, I suppose this can be closed; I'm thinking of updating my other decklists after some time (& testing a cEDH Boros Deck against even Tier 3 Decks for now...). BTW, what do you think of this weird idea?: A Group Hug Deck that incorporates Aikido strategems? Seems crazy, but I think it could work; maybe Zedruu the Greathearted could do this...
February 17, 2019 5:19 a.m.
Gidgetimer says... #6
I'm not the person to ask about Group Hug, man. I don't like the archetype at all. You are either not trying to win and just give everyone advantage, or are trying to curry favor by giving people stuff for long enough to destroy them. The problem is that I see my 3 opponents getting the same advantage as I am being given as canceling my advantage out and then double the disadvantage on top of that. As a result I immediately go "scorched earth" against group hug and they are way behind even if I am eliminated first and rarely recover.
February 17, 2019 9:01 a.m.
@Gidgetimer: Fair Enough. Hmm... I'll just focus on my other things for now. Though I might have the CMDR right though; she is in the right colors, but how to use such a masterful combo between those two Archetypes, I wonder if it was done before... I'll do, something else now, I guess...
February 17, 2019 9:46 a.m.
pizzagod13 says... #8
Group Hug really depends on my play group. Mine is mostly decks that are a few hundred dollars max so my group hug deck with the happy hippo works pretty well.
I am pretty much never target and give cards and mana to everyone.
That being said mine is no win con and my play group knows this, so if you plan on playing with a win condition in yours keep in mind that people might target you next time you try to play it...
February 18, 2019 4:35 p.m.
pizzagod13 says... #9
So basically what I mean to say is that if a group hug deck will work in your playgroup depends on the following
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Strength of the play group. If you give people advantage in a cut throat group the game is just going to end. Less strong playgroups should be fine with it.
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How your deck is built. If you play removal and or win conditions people in your playgroup will start to target you since at that point letting you do your group hug stuff is detrimental. If you are a legitimate group hug deck you should be fine, assuming of course your playgroup knows this.
That’s just my two cents on group hug decks from personal experience, it really just depends on you and your playgroup.
February 18, 2019 4:40 p.m.
@pizzagod13: Sou kaa...
Which is odd, since I was planning to use Zedruu the Greathearted at the helm; likely for Team USA reasons. :P But seriously, after seeing so many Queen Marchesa Aikido decks, I was asking myself if I could even incorporate such elements to Zedruu as well. But if Phelddagrif can do something like that better, I might as well do something of that kind better.
Question now: What Country's current official flag only has Bant Colors? XP
February 19, 2019 8:59 a.m.
@pizzagod13: Goddammu...
Sorry. But it turns out a certain Group Hug/Aikido hybride can't be made after all; both archetypes are the exact opposite of their own goals, yet the idea of Aikijutsu still interests me, but I also don't want to use the usual Mardu colors. I wanted to try something else. Group Hug deck plans: terminated.
Any suggestions besides Commanders in though?
BMHKain says... #2
UPDATE: I might be on to something in regards to such stupidity of mine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc4bOo9MX4k
I dunno if this is legit or not, he's not as well known as most, but... maybe I don't need an alt to Power Artifact anyway; but I also want a way to do just as the vid shows; just not w/ the following:
All else are even worse.
Al I ask is: Is at least either of the two examples good for Grim Monolith ? Even though I'm planning a Lord Windgrace Experimental Frenzy deck, one mana source makes me want to make a Temur X-Cost deck; also including X Spells is opposed to my previous Kruphix, God of Horizons experiment gone wrong. Back to the question: Is Mana Vault / Thran Dynamo a good alt for Sol Ring when using Grim Monolith ? I'm just curious...
BTW: The URL is to be copypasted, but it only applies to Basalt Monolith 's part of it's kind of the "Monolith/Rings" combo concept... I'd really like to talk more of some stuff mentioned on the OP though...
February 16, 2019 10:18 a.m.