Madcap Experiment?
Modern forum
Posted on Sept. 17, 2016, 1:52 p.m. by bromerta
Will Madcap Experiment into Platinum Emperion be viable in Modern? A 4 mana 8/8 with a very relevant ability is huge. Drawback is that you can't run any other artifacts. Weakness is Path to Exile which is common. Being ineffective against the ever present Infect is also an issue. So it is risky to build a deck solely around this. I have an idea that I'll reply with but I'd like to hear if you folks had any ideas for this combo.
ducttapedeckbox says... #3
Please link relevant cards, or post links to cards if they have yet to be added to the database:
The Experiment has notable synergy with Academy Ruins, so you could run discard spells like Tormenting Voice or the new Cathartic Reunion. This also allows you to get more threatening and protected targets like Blightsteel Colossus.
A list would allow you to protect your game plan until you're able to cheat your target onto the battlefield. At this point, however, you're looking at a list that is very similar to Nahiri, the Harbinger control, and I don't see the advantages of Experiment. Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is much more threatening than Emperion, and probably Blightsteel as well. Nahiri is also much more versatile than Experiment.
I can see it being a fun "Against the Odds" deck that SaffronOlive might mess around with, but not much more than that.
September 17, 2016 2:13 p.m.
My first idea is to run it as a sideboard package. Sadly you'd probably need to have 6 cards of your sideboard devoted (4 Madcap Experiment, 2 Platinum Emperion because if you draw the only copy all of your Madcaps are dead draws). We can get around this in Bring to Light Scapeshift. With a single copy of each combo piece in the sideboard we aren't giving up much. Only need one experiment because we BTL for it and only need one Emperion because drawing it only leads to the one of experiment being a dead draw. People generally sideboard removal out against Scapeshift, especially Path, so Emperion is less vulnerable. Also Bring to Light cannot fetch artifacts so they run few if any already.
September 17, 2016 2:21 p.m.
Sorry for not linking cards by the way. I'm new to this but I'll figure it out
September 17, 2016 2:22 p.m.
@rockleemyhero Because then Madcap damages us and has a chance of killing us on the spot. Hitting Platinum Emperion will guarantee no damage. They can't even slip a removal spell in because you can't respond partway through the resolution of a spell.
September 17, 2016 3:38 p.m.
I don't know if it's strong enough to stand on its own. But it could make for a good inclusion in already powerful decks like Scapeshift. Or, maybe a sideboard strategy if you're running a creature-light deck and want to throw your opponent for a loop.
September 17, 2016 3:38 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #8
What about some sort of Jeskai tokens build? Use that sorcery that makes two Servos, and Master's Call and then Shape Anew and/or Madcap Experiment, Lightning Helix...etc
September 17, 2016 5:37 p.m.
No offense guys but I don't think the card is good enough to warrant a whole new archetype. I'm more trying to see it's applications in the existing competitive scene.
September 17, 2016 7:35 p.m.
You cant just put it into a random deck. You have to build around it. Those cards are both horrible if thats not the point of the deck its not some random value thing youre adding
September 17, 2016 8:30 p.m.
It seems like it should fit into a Tron deck somewhere, but it doesn't. It's too expensive to help GR tron, Mono U doesn't have the colors, and Expedition Map would get in the way, anyway.
September 17, 2016 9:43 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #12
It's too bad your Thopter Engineer would die for sure once you do this once, but Shape Anew into a hasty Blightsteel would be a fun win.
September 17, 2016 10:20 p.m. Edited.
Yes you can. Four Madcap Experiment and one or two Platinum Emperion can go in any red deck not running artifacts with no downside. Granted, you can't just jam in a Blightsteel Colossus, but an 8/8 and immunity to life loss for four mana is a potent threat.
The real question is if it's worth doing that over, say, Nahiri, the Harbinger for modern.
September 17, 2016 10:23 p.m.
@EmblemMan so you are saying my Bring to Light idea is bad? I'm not disagreeing (still needs testing) but I think you should at least consider it
September 18, 2016 12:27 a.m.
Um the bring to light thing is better than the others because you only play 1 madcap and 1 or 2 empirium but even then it just doesnt do much and you would have to play a 4 color deck which I think is worse than regular scapeshift
September 18, 2016 10:06 a.m.
JaceArveduin says... #16
I mean, I'm pretty sure there's a 4 color Bring to light/scapeshift deck that's already more or less a thing.
September 18, 2016 10:16 a.m.
Being a "thing" does not mean it is a good "thing". I know people play BTL scapeshift but I am saying its worse than regular scapeshift or titan shift.
September 18, 2016 10:41 a.m.
It generally has performed worse but perhaps new sideboard tech that swings its worst matchups (aggro apart from Infect)could give it a bump up. That is what I'm saying
September 18, 2016 1:20 p.m.
Its bad against those decks though since most burn decks/naya aggro decks play destructive revelry in the side thats why tron doesnt side in like plantinum angel or anything. Im just saying a 4 mana sorcery to get a,creature that doesnt impact the board and dies to most creature removal AND common artifact removal isnt worth it.
September 18, 2016 1:30 p.m.
Yep not good in Tron. First of all you can't run other artifacts like Expedition Map for obvious reasons haha. Even if you could you would just be boosting the opponent's artifact removal. But as a singleton target for BTL, the opponent would be silly to bring in Artifact hate.
September 18, 2016 4:51 p.m.
What a about a Boros combo shell? Run Soulfire Grand Master so that Madcap Experiment can't hurt you, run Lightning Bolt, Lightning Helix, Path to Exile etc for the strongest creature removal suite modern has to offer, (and to gain life if Madcap Experiment
+
Soulfire Grand Master
doesn't line up perfectly), and then run some powerful artifact(s) like Blightsteel Colossus and Sphinx of the Steel Wind.
Maybe splash blue for Academy Ruins, which makes cards like Tormenting Voice really good in this shell? Since you're in blue you could also run Snapcaster Mage and Torrential Gearhulk?
Sound decent to anyone?
September 19, 2016 12:08 p.m.
Or what if you just take Jeskai control in a new direction. Just run the Torrential Gearhulk as the only artifact in the deck, along with aforementioned grandmaster, snappy, and one academy ruins. Madcap Experiment nets you a 5/6 which recasts an instant for your yard at the cost of 6 health for , with a chance to not cost health. Idk bout you guys, I like the sound of that.
September 19, 2016 12:12 p.m.
then use Torrential Gearhulks ability to cast Scour the Laboratory and attain massive card advantage.
September 30, 2016 2:05 p.m.
Yeah not gonna run a two-drop that dies to the most common spell in the format as a combo piece. If they bolt it in response to Madcap you are pretty likely to just die. Despite the massive risk, the payoff is saving just two mana on a Gearhulk. Nowhere near competitive
September 30, 2016 7:28 p.m.
really?
Creature
when this creature enters the battlefield, draw three cards.
5/6
isn't competitive
September 30, 2016 10:59 p.m.
No not when the most common spell in the format (Bolt) for one mana changes that to 3R you lose the game.
October 1, 2016 10:39 p.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #27
Relying on SGM to not die is incredibly risky. The dies-to-Bolt argument aside, you pretty much lose to removal of any form.
Edit: oops RTFC is hard.
October 1, 2016 11:10 p.m. Edited.
Or you could just run 10 good artifact creature targets, and then madcap'a average damage to you is somewhere between 4-5 damage. It's like a new form of tron. Combine with Through the Breach and it's all sorts of cheating.
October 2, 2016 1:36 a.m.
Yeah, you could run either a few really good artifacts, like 4xBlightsteel Colossus 4xDarksteel Colossus, or do the original idea of Platinum Emperion.
October 2, 2016 11:37 a.m.
Harashiohorn says... #30
Just shove Madcap Experiment into old Twin shells. Its worse than twin, but slots in pretty nicely. In particular you can put Blightsteel Colossus + Intervention Pact + Madcap Experiment into the old UWR twin shells, and it fits pretty much perfectly. Also, Intervention Pact brings a unique angle to the deck because it actually can gain you enough life to just demolish certain matchups like burn.
rockleemyhero says... #2
Why not just get Blightsteel Colossus instead? Platinum Angel and Sphinx of the Steel Wind would make decent SB targets. Still seems like a difficult deck to pull off, I personally think Shape Anew would be better. Good luck though!
September 17, 2016 2:05 p.m.