I also intend to test a tiny splash of blue for master of etherium and 2 copies of The Antiquities War, as the top of the curve. Feels like it could do some damage.
I post my first draft of the moxless deck. It feel promising but it must be refined and need a sideboard (just put a bunch of cards that could fit the sideboard). I tried to focus on going fast and wide.
I havent posted in this thread in a long time but I have been playing an ensoul build for probably about 3 years. I have always felt ensoul in affinity lead to some very explosive wins.
Im really not happy about the mox opal ban but thats just how it is. I believe that now that its gone if people are going to be on ensoul they have to run at least 1 or 2 thoughtcasts. The potential to be 2 for oned is higher now bc ravager isnt in many lists to provide a back up plan so the deck will need ways to refuel. I have always been on at least 2 copies of thoughtcast when running ensoul just to keep pace in many matches. Another option which has seen play in the past is glint nest crane, ive used it and it can be played with some success.
lastly i think if people are going to be on ensoul then running inkmoth and ravager is viable again. ensoul on an inkmoth is not an unrealistic plan i know that field of ruin is common right now but this combo can be used when an opening presents itself (just like in the past) and now that mox opal is gone people wont be expecting to be blown out but I know for a fact that ravager+inkmoth+ensoul is still a possible plan in the early turns.
lastly, it may do some good to take a look at karn scion of urza, ghost fire blade and possibly sai, master thopterist again. The token generation is a good tactic to use when on an ensoul gameplan and sai could be very good if you are on tempered steel.
I really hope mox opal is unabnned or we get a functional substitute because I really loved this deck.
I actually believe Sai is good, but not in 0cc cost affinity. Sai is one of those off tempo cards in my opinion. He has great abilities but you have to keep cards in hand to use them which means your not progressing as you should especially when its all easily played 0CC or 1cc cards that are fairly aggressive.
If there is some easy way to continuously bounce the 0cc creatures back into your hand I could see that become a non issue. It would also have to be a may combo so that you could finally stop and not bounce your thopter tokens. I personally cant see that kind of card, doesn't mean it doesn't exist, but im not sure its in the modern card pool.
Here's a budget version of the maindeck from before ELD... sorry I haven't played since then. I went 11-0 or 12-0 on MTGO with this super-budget-untuned list... so just imagine upgrading the obvious stuff (like Inkmoth Nexus) and replacing Court Homunculus with... anything 0 or 1 CMC. I think All That Glitters and Steel Overseer are worth consideration, but the deck has enough power with Lupine Prototype, Cranial Plating, and Tempered Steel, that it might be overkill. My main ideas were to vomit fully onto the battlefield by turn 3 (so that the turn 2 Lupine Prototype can attack straightaway), be immune to Karny Silence, and have a way to recover after a 2cmc or 3cmc board wipe (Lupine survives and servo exhibitions rebuild fast if you have the Tempered Steel on the field... I considered Sram's Expertise out of the sideboard, and also splashing blue for Day's Undoing):
I also intend to test a tiny splash of blue for master of etherium and 2 copies of The Antiquities War, as the top of the curve. Feels like it could do some damage.
Nexus MTG News // Nexus - Magic Art Gallery // MTG Dual Land Color Ratios Analyzer // MTG Card Drawing Odds Calculator
Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Cranial Plating
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Gingerbrute
4 Signal Pest
4 Vault Skirge
2 Master of Etherium
3 Frogmite
3 Tempered Steel
4 Glimmervoid
4 Spire of Industry
4 Darksteel Citadel
2 Adarkar Wastes
2 Seachrome Coast
1 Island
1 Plains
1 The Antiquities War
1 Mystic Forge
1 Etched Champion
1 Dispatch
1 Rest in Peace
1 Unified Will
1 Hurkyl's Recall
Modern:
Im really not happy about the mox opal ban but thats just how it is. I believe that now that its gone if people are going to be on ensoul they have to run at least 1 or 2 thoughtcasts. The potential to be 2 for oned is higher now bc ravager isnt in many lists to provide a back up plan so the deck will need ways to refuel. I have always been on at least 2 copies of thoughtcast when running ensoul just to keep pace in many matches. Another option which has seen play in the past is glint nest crane, ive used it and it can be played with some success.
lastly i think if people are going to be on ensoul then running inkmoth and ravager is viable again. ensoul on an inkmoth is not an unrealistic plan i know that field of ruin is common right now but this combo can be used when an opening presents itself (just like in the past) and now that mox opal is gone people wont be expecting to be blown out but I know for a fact that ravager+inkmoth+ensoul is still a possible plan in the early turns.
lastly, it may do some good to take a look at karn scion of urza, ghost fire blade and possibly sai, master thopterist again. The token generation is a good tactic to use when on an ensoul gameplan and sai could be very good if you are on tempered steel.
I really hope mox opal is unabnned or we get a functional substitute because I really loved this deck.
RUAffinityUR
GMono Green StompyG
CEldrazi TronC
URWJeskai GeistWRU
WRBoros BurnRW
BRWMardu PyromancerWRB
If there is some easy way to continuously bounce the 0cc creatures back into your hand I could see that become a non issue. It would also have to be a may combo so that you could finally stop and not bounce your thopter tokens. I personally cant see that kind of card, doesn't mean it doesn't exist, but im not sure its in the modern card pool.
4 Blinkmoth Nexus
9 Plains
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopter
4 Servo Exhibition
3 Court Homunculus
4 Signal Pest
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Lupine Prototype
4 Vault Skirge
4 Cranial Plating
4 Tempered Steel
4 Frogmite
https://www.mtggoldfish.com/archetype/modern-u-210721#paper
Looks like we have something here. Possible that the deck can further be improved?
Nexus MTG News // Nexus - Magic Art Gallery // MTG Dual Land Color Ratios Analyzer // MTG Card Drawing Odds Calculator
Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/AffinityForArtifacts/comments/fokwr7/glitterbots_is_fun_imho/
Nexus MTG News // Nexus - Magic Art Gallery // MTG Dual Land Color Ratios Analyzer // MTG Card Drawing Odds Calculator
Want to play a UW control deck in modern, but don't have jace or snaps?
Please come visit us at the Emeria Titan control thread
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGeURV5V954