I would switch Vedalken Engineer for another Sculptor. Sculptor has the potential to provide more than two mana's worth over one turn, and he has pseydo-haste, which is critical in a Lightning Bolt world.
I don't think the doom engine is worth it.. the Soul of new Phyrexia is pretty good though... saves you against boardwipes I have considered it a few times since getting actually boardwiped, which is rare thankfully, is a serious problem for me. 4 phyrexian metamorph is the key to the deck I'd like to see 4 in the deck.
I like SDE for the fact that any time during the game that I get them down near 6 life, I have the following options.
Sacrifice to Phyrexia's Core = 6 to the face
Doom Blade = 6 to the Face
Hero's Downfall = 6 to the face
Block a creature + Dismember = 6 to the face
SnapCaster Mage + any of the above = 6 to the face
Plus a lot of popular creatures in the modern format can't chump block it, swing in for 6 + any of the above = 12 damage in 1 turn.
I've been working on this deck along time, but just now had curiousity searching atmtgsalvation if anyone can help me. I'm SaRNa, from Brazil, and at our foruns theres not much efforts on 'modern MUD', but i never given up... so, this my current list
So, this above, its traditional cards at this strategy.
Heres my contribuitions: D
The huge decks problems is the lack of 1cmc drop. Legacy mud has double lands, like city of traitors. Modern has'nt this lands, so turn 1, what did you do ? Nothing
My solutions: Wind Zendikon works like a eternal mishra factory. I almost never attacks with this deck, but, its a option. Yet makes a 1 mana land > 2 mana, with Grand Architect, and a 3/3 flying beater/blocker.
Heres a example.
t1: island, wind zendikon.
t2: darksteel citadel, etherium sculptor.
t3: island, grand architect
t4: kuldotha forgemaster, lightning greaves
active kuldotha, sacrifice citadel, sculptor and kuldotha.
Brings Blightsteel. Lightning greaves attachs to Blighsteeel.
You have yet 2 island to counter a removal with Muddle the mixture.
Attacks for the win. Or brings Platinum to lock the game.
Gemstone Caverns acts like a turn aceleration, if lucky. I have just a wind zendikon drop 1, so why not start as a turn 2 ? Teh colorless mana doesnt affect the game, if no lucky.
My card did finally arrive I currently can't afford spellskites so basically running more thought seize instead atm... looking to pick up some chalices for the side since they are really good. LGS has 6 proxy modern tournaments I am tempted to enter with this but I'll probably be crushed. It is awesome to have just played standard for 3/4 years and obtaining a perfect mana base :).
When it works.. it works... when it doesn't.. it does nothing, seems pretty bad against pod but I have beaten a lot of the lower tier modern decks. Importantly its lots of fun.
It tries to exploit the meta since chalice of the void on 1 is pretty good.
It tries to lock the opponent out with chalice.
Power out turn 3/4 wurmcoils or batterskulls.
It can also flood the board with master of wave tokens and pump them with architects and hall of triumph.
Or take over a game with shackles.
Some things i'm not too keen on.
-It has a pretty high curve. I think it might be better to shave some of those cards for thirst for knowledge. I think you want thirst to smooth out some draws and to pitch useless mana creatures.
-I don't think tezzeret is that good in the main deck, it has very few targets to tutor for. The sideboard is a different story when you can bring in hate cards. But I don't know if you want 4x in the 75 as i'm not sure this is that good of a tezzeret shell, it's not playing darksteel citadel and some of the artifacts aren't that useful with tezz's ult (wurmcoil, batterskull)
-I think tectonic edge is bad in this meta and you should give up the match ups vs big mana decks. Though scapeshift might be winnable with counters + lifelink creatures. I'd rather play cavern of souls, academy ruins, buried ruin.
-I'm not sure how you'd want to sideboard with this deck. But kira, great glass-spinner and glen elendra archmage are worthy considerations.
I need interaction of some sort.. I have a half baked pod deck that wins everytime... just can't deal with the combo and is too slow to beat it for damage. pod has enough artifact removal to deal with angel.
I am thinking about cutting the treasure mage trying to get card draw... I still have no interaction though but I also can't hold up mana for things I need to keep my deck moving forward.
I just recently registered for mtgsalvation because I wanted to compare Chief Engineer, Grand Architect Brews with my own and I'm both disappointed and proud to not have seen anything close to my version. The main difference is 4 x Vedalken Engineer instead of Etherium Sculptor, 4 x Myr Superion and 4 x solemn simulacrum. I play tested it a bit and made quite good results with it. I hope to hear some comments on it.
So this is the list:
2 x Judge's Familiar
4 x Vedalken Engineer
3 x Chief Engineer
2 x Spellskite
4 x Myr Superion
4 x Grand Architect
3 x Treasure Mage
2 x Phyrexian Metamorph
4 x Solemn Simulacrum
1 x Trading Post
1 x Batterskull
4 x Wurmcoil Engine
1 x Mind Slaver
Lands:
1 x Academy Ruins
4 x Cavern of Souls
4 x Tectonic Edge
16 x Island
I am not yet satisfied with the numbers for each card and couldn't test it in a tournament yet but I can consistently cast a Wurmcoil Engine on turn 4 with possible Myr Superions on earlier turns. Also I managed to get infinite turns due to academy ruins, trading post, mind slaver combo after having cast solemn simulacrum a million times because of trading post and having almost all my lands in play. Also I just realised that chalice of the void (for one!!) is a pretty nice addition to the deck but sometimes you will want the judge's familiar to cast myr superion ond turn two with a chief engineer so i don t know about changing the familiar for the chalice.
I would be glad to hear some reactions on the brew.
I haven't actually caught up to the point where Khans is I sort of built the deck played it for funsies and put it back down again because it clearly wasn't a great deck, fun definately, compedative nope.
In order to play the current bogemen treasure cruise(or DTT) we would need a lot more cantrip power which means less creatures which stops the deck working so probably not going to work.
However there is one card I discovered from Khans, due to the rediclousness that was Greg Hatches Arftificers intuition deck from legacy (look the deck tech up on youtube). Altar of the brood.
The combo is. Heartless summoning + Altar of the brood + 2 X Myr Retriever then you loop them until you mill your opponent to death I am trying to work out the best shell for it (Playing about with Tezz decks involving it atm).
I also want to try out grixis because Mishra, Artificer Prodigy. however I might not need much more than a set of Cavern of souls since he is an Artificer.. he does dumb things and seems like the best soultion to the no card advantage problem of the deck has.
Just thoughts atm, still have a complete lack of interaction and a big problem trying to beat pod however if they all remove the combo then this deck gets better.
Notes:
-Pili-Pala + Grand Architect combo is cool, but not essential. Basically, if it does happen, the 2 primary outlets are Staff of Domination for gaining infinite life or card draw to fill up your hand or Memnarch to steal all of your opponent's permanents, but most times I just dump out my hand with the infinite mana and have good board position afterwards.
-Tezzeret the Seeker can help me search up a Pili-Pala or Staff of Domination if I have Grand Architect and one of the other pieces out or sideboard hate but not really much else us for him that I would need more than 1 of.
-Aether Vial works in this deck.
-The 7 drop fatties are about as high as the engine can go. Throwing down 7 CMC creatures wasn't hard to do in any of my games, but the Sundering Titan did get stuck in my hand a couple times. I thought about an Inkwell Leviathan at one point but 9 CMC is hard to support with the Vedalken Engineer/Grand Architect/Etherium Sculptor engine.
Feedback/Questions I'd love to get from you guys:
-The 2 Mind Stones I put in for more ramp and figured I can recycle the card later game, but I was wondering if 2 Thorn of Amethysts would work in its place or any other utility artifacts I could put in its place?
-14 islands was perfect amount to always hit my Grand Architect on Turn 3, are there any useful lands in Modern that produce blue that could fit in this deck also? I'd like to have less islands but still have enough blue color sources.
-I didn't even know about the card Renowned Weaponsmith until I read about it on this thread. I will have to get some of those. Ehterium Sculptors + Grand architects are must-haves, but I wonder if my Vedalken Engineer x 2 could be replaced by Renowned Weaponsmith OR Chief Engineer instead? Which of those 3 is best and why?
-Any other feedback would be great. Overall, this deck is quick, surprises people, and has fun taxing effects for your opponents and fatties that are hard to deal with. I love it and will be refining and playing again soon!
Æther Vial I feel is essential to this deck. It still allows for that "turn" 1 drop to be efficient with Chief Engineer.
For example:
Turn 1: Land, Æther Vial .
Turn 2: 2nd Land, Æther Vial (add counter), play Chief Engineer, vial in 1 drop (can be done at end of your opponents turn).
Turn 3: 3rd Land, Æther Vial (add 2nd counter), vial in 2 drop, cast 6 drop artifact or 7 drop (if vialed in 2 drop was Etherium Sculptor).
My 1 drops of choice include the obvious Judge's Familiar and the unobvious Cloudfin Raptor.
Initially I wanted a blue artifact-creature 1 drop, but the only one that exist in modern is Sphinx's Herald; he's pretty lackluster.
I figure I wanted to play agro style a la merfolk, but kick into big beater gear as soon as possible, Cloudfin Raptor fits both rolls as he grows as I cast the bigger spells and more importantly has evasion (watch Junk Game 1).
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: I wanted to find some way to abuse this land and make it the Tolarian Academy of modern. You only benefit if your devotion is greater than 3. I'm still on the fence with this, but might just switch them for another Phyrexia's Core and Ghost Quarter.
Anyway check out the videos and let me know what you guys think!
Those were some sweet games (sorry on that last one). Do you usually find Aether Vial ticked up that high causes you problems?
Usually after I make the 1 drop I try to get Aether Vial on 3 and keep it there. Against junk I let it get high for Wurmcoil and Metamorph shenanigans.
- Wurmcoil, Hellkite etc. are underwhelming compared to stuff like Bident of Thassa, Batterskull and other equipment. Once you don't need the mana dorks anymore, it's good to have a secondary plan for them. Especially since you're going to top deck a lot of them if the game goes long. Besides, Batterskull in particular fits the curve much better, since you'll have access to 5 mana turn 3 a lot of the time. Unlike Wurmcoil, Batterskull also gives you a giant edge in the long attrition based creature matchups.
- Spellskite is needed main deck. In a format where Burn and Twin are kings, building a deck with 0 ways to interact with them is a pretty big gamble. The deck also folds to Infect without it. I run 4 main and haven't looked back. They are rarely dead and can always get sided out.
- Some have stated that Myr Superion isn't good enough for Modern, but in my experience he's actually one of the strongest cards in the deck. Unlike Lodestone that are often held back by the board state, he matches up so well against pretty much everything. He's won me so many games, if I get to resolve an early Superion I rarely lose and I always wish I had more of them in my hand.
- Since the color requirements of the deck are pretty low, you can get away with running a bunch of Ghost Quarters and Tec Edges which goes well with the Judge's Familiar/Lodestone plan. It also opens up some mean sideboard tech in Crucible of Worlds + Mindlock Orb that I have liked so far. Tron, Scapeshift and Amulet Bloom are really tough matchups, but I've found them to be a lot easier with this post-board plan. I've actually landed on 4 GQs and 3 Tec Edges main, but am thinking on going down to 2 Tec Edges since getting color screwed is still a thing.
Yea I completely get you with the mana dorks.
What do you think of adding Sword of Fire and Ice or other X/Y swords.
Bident might work, but better if it gave a power/toughness bonus. But I guess focing an attack leaves you open to attack unblocked.
What do you think of Contagion Engine as a sweeper?
Hi all, i'm a new comer but i have been playing a similar deck since chief engineer was printed. I just learned about this forum's existence and decided to post the list i've been working on.
As you can see the deck is more focused on vomiting your hand turn 2 or 3 with cheap threats. It plays more like an affinity deck with a bit less firepower (no plating) and a bit more disruption.
There are no big expensive bombs, maybe this is a mistake but so far the swarming plan as worked out as I've had reasonable success with the list.
Myr superion has been very good, but i didn't see it in most list as i was skimming through this thread. In addition to architects and engineers we can cast it with double animated blinkmoth nexus or double etherium sculptor or a mix of the two. Also thirst for knowledge is super good, i often cast it main phase because even if we tap out we can still cast our stuff using our creatures.
Hi all, i'm a new comer but i have been playing a similar deck since chief engineer was printed. I just learned about this forum's existence and decided to post the list i've been working on.
As you can see the deck is more focused on vomiting your hand turn 2 or 3 with cheap threats. It plays more like an affinity deck with a bit less firepower (no plating) and a bit more disruption.
There are no big expensive bombs, maybe this is a mistake but so far the swarming plan as worked out as I've had reasonable success with the list.
Myr superion has been very good, but i didn't see it in most list as i was skimming through this thread. In addition to architects and engineers we can cast it with double animated blinkmoth nexus or double etherium sculptor or a mix of the two. Also thirst for knowledge is super good, i often cast it main phase because even if we tap out we can still cast our stuff using our creatures.
I saw you discussing Aether Vial in the Tezz thread and thought it was better to answer here:
I think one benefit in this deck is that it helps get the non-artifact creatures down without paying the tax for Lodestone Golem.
Also if you look at this game, https://youtu.be/oY80tUVBAj8 , I was able to play everything off 2 mana and only one being a true blue source.
Also I'm not to sure how efficient Thirst is in this deck along with Lodestone, that's why I opted to play Thoughtcast, since the Golem tax is canceled out by Golem being an Artifact for Affinity.
As for aether vial i mean sure it'll win you games that you get land short but half of the creature base in my deck is either designed to play the role of fast mana or is cheap to cast. Like i said in the other forum, aether vial can't attack and be pumped as opposed to other creatures and it is a very bad topdeck. Vial is a fantastic card but i just don't think this deck, or at least my version of it, is the best for it. If i played vial i'd have to cut creatures, which i don't want to do.
As for the taxing effect of lodestone golem it very rarely hinders my plays, most of the times i cast architect before golem or if it is late game i have enough lands to cast it.
Same thing for thirst, i either cast it turn 3 if i need gas right now or cast it later when i have more lands. Thoughtcast is interesting but we aren't affinity. Very often i have just 2 or 3 artifacts in play, the opponent also will kill some of them most of the times. Also instant speed is somewhat useful sometimes, so it still like thirst better.
EDIT: Another option for card draw that dodges golem tax is Bident of thassa. I tried it for a while and it was fine but i like thirst better now because bident needs you to already be winning while thirst will always draw you cards.
As for aether vial i mean sure it'll win you games that you get land short but half of the creature base in my deck is either designed to play the role of fast mana or is cheap to cast. Like i said in the other forum, aether vial can't attack and be pumped as opposed to other creatures and it is a very bad topdeck. Vial is a fantastic card but i just don't think this deck, or at least my version of it, is the best for it. If i played vial i'd have to cut creatures, which i don't want to do.
As for the taxing effect of lodestone golem it very rarely hinders my plays, most of the times i cast architect before golem or if it is late game i have enough lands to cast it.
Same thing for thirst, i either cast it turn 3 if i need gas right now or cast it later when i have more lands. Thoughtcast is interesting but we aren't affinity. Very often i have just 2 or 3 artifacts in play, the opponent also will kill some of them most of the times. Also instant speed is somewhat useful sometimes, so it still like thirst better.
EDIT: Another option for card draw that dodges golem tax is Bident of thassa. I tried it for a while and it was fine but i like thirst better now because bident needs you to already be winning while thirst will always draw you cards.
Ah, yea I lost to Choke once, I'll add an oboro, palace in the clouds.
I see how your decks just tries to empty its hand and go the aggro route, but to me if feels too much like a slower affinity deck that can't go over the top with cards like Cranial, Ravager and Master of Etherium. Myr Superion has been discussed alot in this thread and its the goyf of the deck, but hes just two vanilla for my taste.
The more and more I play this deck, them more I realize you need interaction. With all the basic islands, Vedalken Shackles was just screaming at me to be included lol. And its worked fantastically. I might drop the Thoughtcast for Thirst, still want to to more testing. Changed my mana around to have no come into play tapped lands and added the 4 Blinkmoth I saw in your list.
Thanks for the ideas, hopefully this deck can be pushed and show some results.
Aether Vial is a pet card of mine and one of the reasons I'm playing this deck.
I think it gives good interations, flashing in Metamorph during combat and copying Wurmcoil to block and opponents creature.
Vialing in Judges Familiars to counterspells, getting around Lodestone tax, it allows you to play a more guarded game against removal by waiting until the opportune time to commit a creature like Grand Architect, knowing you can wait till EOT to do it, Vialing in Treasure Mage and still having that mana open to do other things.
If you are always tapping your creatures for mana, what are you attacking with?
I tried Vault Skirge, but it sucks that hes not blue for Grand Architect, although you can spend blue to make him blue, but then thats mana you couldve been using to activate blinkmoth or casting thirst.
If you can, just try out 4 Aether Vial in place of Vault Skirge.
Drop 2 Signal Pest and try 2 Vedalken Shackles or Batterskull to give those "mana dorks" some kick.
Yes you are right about interaction, the deck needs some. Vedalken shackles seems like a good start. I remember a few months ago i got the idea of trying it but never ended up adding it to the deck. This means i will have to adapt my mana base for more islands, and i Don't have a problem with that. I think the deck needs spellskite as well so i'll try a few of those.
As for the vial the first thing i would cut would be sculptor but i just don't think it is worth it. You see i need a critical mass of one drop to ensure i can convoke a 2 mana creature with chief enginner on turn 2. I also never get tired of vomiting my hand turn 2.
Sure it isn't as explosive as affinity but the deck makes up for it with disruption and big guys like superion. It also isn't nearly as vulnerable to hate such as stony silence.
I've won a lot of game with the small creatures aggro plan so i'll never give it up. Pest and skirge are very good when you have a critical mass of those small weenies. When you have lots of those they can beat and win quickly.
EDIT: Also note that signal pest, like the boost from architect, is a way to give your mana dork a second life in combat. When you start punching for 3 with sculptors and engineers you can see the value of those. And don't get me started with multiple pests starting hands, they are awesome.
4 Grand Architect
3 Treasure Mage
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Etherium Sculptor
2 Phantasmal Image
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Spellskite
2 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Scuttling Doom Engine
1 Soul of New Phyrexia
2 Batterskull
3 Thoughtseize
2 Doom Blade
2 Go for the Throat
2 Dismember
3 Serum Visions
1 Academy Ruins
2 Buried Ruins
2 Phyrexia's Core
2 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yagomoth
1 Polluted Delta
6 Island
2 Swamp
so - 2 Scuttling Doom Engine + 2 Phyrexian metamorph
I am still waiting for my cards to arrive in the mail :(.... takes a month to get here in the middle of nowhere.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
Sacrifice to Phyrexia's Core = 6 to the face
Doom Blade = 6 to the Face
Hero's Downfall = 6 to the face
Block a creature + Dismember = 6 to the face
SnapCaster Mage + any of the above = 6 to the face
Plus a lot of popular creatures in the modern format can't chump block it, swing in for 6 + any of the above = 12 damage in 1 turn.
I've been working on this deck along time, but just now had curiousity searching atmtgsalvation if anyone can help me. I'm SaRNa, from Brazil, and at our foruns theres not much efforts on 'modern MUD', but i never given up... so, this my current list
2 Spellskite
4 Etherium Sculptor
2 Chief Engineer
1 Scarecrone
4 Grand Architect
2 Treasure Mage
2 Faerie Mechanist
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
3 Master Transmuter
3 Kuldotha Forgemaster
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Platinum Angel
1 Blightsteel Colossus
2 Lightning Greaves
[spells]
4 Muddle the Mixture
4 Wind Zendikon
[lands]
4 Darksteel Citadel
17 Island
1 Buried Ruin
1 Gemstone Caverns
Considerations:
Grand Architect, Etherium Sculptor and Chief Engineer are our metalworkers, just obvious include.
Blightsteel Colossus, Platinum Angel and Wurmcoil Engine, my finishers.
Kuldotha Forgemaster, Master Transmuter and Scarecrone, the deck engine. The tricks!
Faerie Mechanist, Treasure Mage and Muddle the Mixture transmute works like my tutors. My utilities cards.
Spellskite, Lightning Greaves and Muddle the Mixture defends my finishers and tricks.
Phyrexian Metamorph its the 2nd Wurmcoil or Patinum.
---
So, this above, its traditional cards at this strategy.
Heres my contribuitions: D
The huge decks problems is the lack of 1cmc drop. Legacy mud has double lands, like city of traitors. Modern has'nt this lands, so turn 1, what did you do ? Nothing
My solutions:
Wind Zendikon works like a eternal mishra factory. I almost never attacks with this deck, but, its a option. Yet makes a 1 mana land > 2 mana, with Grand Architect, and a 3/3 flying beater/blocker.
Heres a example.
t1: island, wind zendikon.
t2: darksteel citadel, etherium sculptor.
t3: island, grand architect
t4: kuldotha forgemaster, lightning greaves
active kuldotha, sacrifice citadel, sculptor and kuldotha.
Brings Blightsteel. Lightning greaves attachs to Blighsteeel.
You have yet 2 island to counter a removal with Muddle the mixture.
Attacks for the win. Or brings Platinum to lock the game.
Gemstone Caverns acts like a turn aceleration, if lucky. I have just a wind zendikon drop 1, so why not start as a turn 2 ? Teh colorless mana doesnt affect the game, if no lucky.
Thank you for attention, and share ideas
Modern
RBW Goblins
XU ArcMUD
4 Etherium sculptor
4 Chief Engineer
2 Spellskite
4 Grand architect
4 Treasure mage
4 phyrexian metamorph
4 Lodestone golem
2 Sphinx Summoner
2 Wurmcoil engine
1 dublicant
1 platinum angel
3 heartless summoning
spells
2 thoughtsieze
Lands
4 Polluted Delta
4 Watery Grave
4 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
2 Academy Ruins
4 Island
1 Swamp
2 Thoughtsieze
2 Trinket mage
2 Chalice of the void
2 Dismember
2 hurkyl's recall
1 Nihil spellbomb
1 Grafdiggers cage
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Defense grid
1 Kira, great glass-spinner
My card did finally arrive I currently can't afford spellskites so basically running more thought seize instead atm... looking to pick up some chalices for the side since they are really good. LGS has 6 proxy modern tournaments I am tempted to enter with this but I'll probably be crushed. It is awesome to have just played standard for 3/4 years and obtaining a perfect mana base :).
When it works.. it works... when it doesn't.. it does nothing, seems pretty bad against pod but I have beaten a lot of the lower tier modern decks. Importantly its lots of fun.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/kesslers-architect/
It tries to exploit the meta since chalice of the void on 1 is pretty good.
It tries to lock the opponent out with chalice.
Power out turn 3/4 wurmcoils or batterskulls.
It can also flood the board with master of wave tokens and pump them with architects and hall of triumph.
Or take over a game with shackles.
Some things i'm not too keen on.
-It has a pretty high curve. I think it might be better to shave some of those cards for thirst for knowledge. I think you want thirst to smooth out some draws and to pitch useless mana creatures.
-I don't think tezzeret is that good in the main deck, it has very few targets to tutor for. The sideboard is a different story when you can bring in hate cards. But I don't know if you want 4x in the 75 as i'm not sure this is that good of a tezzeret shell, it's not playing darksteel citadel and some of the artifacts aren't that useful with tezz's ult (wurmcoil, batterskull)
-I think tectonic edge is bad in this meta and you should give up the match ups vs big mana decks. Though scapeshift might be winnable with counters + lifelink creatures. I'd rather play cavern of souls, academy ruins, buried ruin.
-I'm not sure how you'd want to sideboard with this deck. But kira, great glass-spinner and glen elendra archmage are worthy considerations.
http://i.imgur.com/6zuDwaA.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/DiprbhH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/BarhQjr.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/CW04wCB.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/IcmYb9x.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/w8hnxqE.jpg
How is thirst for knowledge?.. should I consider Dig or cruise as well?
I am thinking about cutting the treasure mage trying to get card draw... I still have no interaction though but I also can't hold up mana for things I need to keep my deck moving forward.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
So this is the list:
2 x Judge's Familiar
4 x Vedalken Engineer
3 x Chief Engineer
2 x Spellskite
4 x Myr Superion
4 x Grand Architect
3 x Treasure Mage
2 x Phyrexian Metamorph
4 x Solemn Simulacrum
1 x Trading Post
1 x Batterskull
4 x Wurmcoil Engine
1 x Mind Slaver
Lands:
1 x Academy Ruins
4 x Cavern of Souls
4 x Tectonic Edge
16 x Island
I am not yet satisfied with the numbers for each card and couldn't test it in a tournament yet but I can consistently cast a Wurmcoil Engine on turn 4 with possible Myr Superions on earlier turns. Also I managed to get infinite turns due to academy ruins, trading post, mind slaver combo after having cast solemn simulacrum a million times because of trading post and having almost all my lands in play. Also I just realised that chalice of the void (for one!!) is a pretty nice addition to the deck but sometimes you will want the judge's familiar to cast myr superion ond turn two with a chief engineer so i don t know about changing the familiar for the chalice.
I would be glad to hear some reactions on the brew.
I haven't actually caught up to the point where Khans is I sort of built the deck played it for funsies and put it back down again because it clearly wasn't a great deck, fun definately, compedative nope.
In order to play the current bogemen treasure cruise(or DTT) we would need a lot more cantrip power which means less creatures which stops the deck working so probably not going to work.
However there is one card I discovered from Khans, due to the rediclousness that was Greg Hatches Arftificers intuition deck from legacy (look the deck tech up on youtube). Altar of the brood.
The combo is. Heartless summoning + Altar of the brood + 2 X Myr Retriever then you loop them until you mill your opponent to death I am trying to work out the best shell for it (Playing about with Tezz decks involving it atm).
I also want to try out grixis because Mishra, Artificer Prodigy. however I might not need much more than a set of Cavern of souls since he is an Artificer.. he does dumb things and seems like the best soultion to the no card advantage problem of the deck has.
Just thoughts atm, still have a complete lack of interaction and a big problem trying to beat pod however if they all remove the combo then this deck gets better.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
4 Grand Architect
3 Treasure Mage
3 Snapcaster Mage
2 Renowned Weaponsmith
2 Phantasmal Image
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Spellskite
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Scuttling Doom Engine
1 Steel Hellkite
2 Batterskull
2 Thoughtseize
2 Doom Blade
2 Go for the Throat
3 Dismember
4 Serum Visions
1 Academy Ruins
2 Buried Ruins
2 Phyrexia's Core
2 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Darkslick Shores
4 Drowned Catacomb
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yagomoth
3 Polluted Delta
4 Island
2 Swamp
Should hopefully be able to be casting turn 3 Batterskulls and turn four Wurmcoils, Steel Hellkites, or Scuttling Doom Engines
I'm possibly even thinking of dropping 1 of the snapcasters for another weaponsmith
With this you have 12 enablers for superion and it would be easy to get him on turn 3 and maybe a wurmcoil on turn 4.
And with:
It's possible to infinite draw. The good side is that diviner works even without pili-pala, so it's worth testing
Long-time lurker but am a big fan of the Grand Architect build. Went 3-1 at a local shop with this, beating Splinter Twin, Storm, and Soul Sisters and losing to an Eldrazi Ramp deck that I mistook for an Elves deck (siding in 2 Ratchet Bombs was not very useful)
2 Judge's Familiar
1 Spellskite
2 Vedalken Engineer
4 Etherium Sculptor
2 Pili-Pala
4 Grand Architect
2 Treasure Mage
1 Solemn Simulacrum
3 Lodestone Golem
1 Batterskull
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Platinum Angel
1 Sundering Titan
1 Memnarch
4 Aether Vial
1 Chalice of the Void
2 Mind Stone
1 Tezzeret the Seeker
1 Lightning Greaves
1 Staff of Domination
14 Island
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Tectonic Edge
1 Academy Ruins
Notes:
-Pili-Pala + Grand Architect combo is cool, but not essential. Basically, if it does happen, the 2 primary outlets are Staff of Domination for gaining infinite life or card draw to fill up your hand or Memnarch to steal all of your opponent's permanents, but most times I just dump out my hand with the infinite mana and have good board position afterwards.
-Tezzeret the Seeker can help me search up a Pili-Pala or Staff of Domination if I have Grand Architect and one of the other pieces out or sideboard hate but not really much else us for him that I would need more than 1 of.
-Aether Vial works in this deck.
-The 7 drop fatties are about as high as the engine can go. Throwing down 7 CMC creatures wasn't hard to do in any of my games, but the Sundering Titan did get stuck in my hand a couple times. I thought about an Inkwell Leviathan at one point but 9 CMC is hard to support with the Vedalken Engineer/Grand Architect/Etherium Sculptor engine.
Feedback/Questions I'd love to get from you guys:
-The 2 Mind Stones I put in for more ramp and figured I can recycle the card later game, but I was wondering if 2 Thorn of Amethysts would work in its place or any other utility artifacts I could put in its place?
-14 islands was perfect amount to always hit my Grand Architect on Turn 3, are there any useful lands in Modern that produce blue that could fit in this deck also? I'd like to have less islands but still have enough blue color sources.
-I didn't even know about the card Renowned Weaponsmith until I read about it on this thread. I will have to get some of those. Ehterium Sculptors + Grand architects are must-haves, but I wonder if my Vedalken Engineer x 2 could be replaced by Renowned Weaponsmith OR Chief Engineer instead? Which of those 3 is best and why?
-Any other feedback would be great. Overall, this deck is quick, surprises people, and has fun taxing effects for your opponents and fatties that are hard to deal with. I love it and will be refining and playing again soon!
Modern Tallowisp Spirits - A Modern Tallowisp Deck UW
Eldrazi Ninjas - Summoning Octopus Jutsu YYYYAAAHHHH!
STANDARD
Naban Wizards
Here's a list I brewed this weekend and a couple match videos.
https://youtu.be/7w5-Oa6KWMs - vs Junk, Game 1
https://youtu.be/ePBK9MpUBf4 - vs 8rack/pox, Game 2
https://youtu.be/oY80tUVBAj8 - vs WRG midrange, Game 1
https://youtu.be/oyzddSykVoY - vs WRG midrange, Game 3 (forgot I could counter Collected Company with Judge's Familiar, but shows Spine of Ish Shah action)
8 Island
4 Polluted Delta
2 Watery Grave
2 Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx
1 Academy Ruins
1 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Ghost Quarter
1 Tolaria West
1 Phyrexia's Core
Creatures (29)
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Grand Architect
3 Cloudfin Raptor
3 Chief Engineer
3 Lodestone Golem
3 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Treasure Mage
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
2 Thoughtcast
Artifacts (8)
4 Æther Vial
2 Vedalken Shackles
1 Staff of Nin
1 Batterskull
2 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Spell Pierce
2 Logic Knot
2 Dismember
2 Spellskite
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Vendilion Clique
1 Spine of Ish Sah
Noticeable inclusions:
Æther Vial I feel is essential to this deck. It still allows for that "turn" 1 drop to be efficient with Chief Engineer.
For example:
Turn 1: Land, Æther Vial .
Turn 2: 2nd Land, Æther Vial (add counter), play Chief Engineer, vial in 1 drop (can be done at end of your opponents turn).
Turn 3: 3rd Land, Æther Vial (add 2nd counter), vial in 2 drop, cast 6 drop artifact or 7 drop (if vialed in 2 drop was Etherium Sculptor).
My 1 drops of choice include the obvious Judge's Familiar and the unobvious Cloudfin Raptor.
Initially I wanted a blue artifact-creature 1 drop, but the only one that exist in modern is Sphinx's Herald; he's pretty lackluster.
I figure I wanted to play agro style a la merfolk, but kick into big beater gear as soon as possible, Cloudfin Raptor fits both rolls as he grows as I cast the bigger spells and more importantly has evasion (watch Junk Game 1).
Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx: I wanted to find some way to abuse this land and make it the Tolarian Academy of modern. You only benefit if your devotion is greater than 3. I'm still on the fence with this, but might just switch them for another Phyrexia's Core and Ghost Quarter.
Anyway check out the videos and let me know what you guys think!
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
This is my experiences:
- Wurmcoil, Hellkite etc. are underwhelming compared to stuff like Bident of Thassa, Batterskull and other equipment. Once you don't need the mana dorks anymore, it's good to have a secondary plan for them. Especially since you're going to top deck a lot of them if the game goes long. Besides, Batterskull in particular fits the curve much better, since you'll have access to 5 mana turn 3 a lot of the time. Unlike Wurmcoil, Batterskull also gives you a giant edge in the long attrition based creature matchups.
- Spellskite is needed main deck. In a format where Burn and Twin are kings, building a deck with 0 ways to interact with them is a pretty big gamble. The deck also folds to Infect without it. I run 4 main and haven't looked back. They are rarely dead and can always get sided out.
- Some have stated that Myr Superion isn't good enough for Modern, but in my experience he's actually one of the strongest cards in the deck. Unlike Lodestone that are often held back by the board state, he matches up so well against pretty much everything. He's won me so many games, if I get to resolve an early Superion I rarely lose and I always wish I had more of them in my hand.
- Since the color requirements of the deck are pretty low, you can get away with running a bunch of Ghost Quarters and Tec Edges which goes well with the Judge's Familiar/Lodestone plan. It also opens up some mean sideboard tech in Crucible of Worlds + Mindlock Orb that I have liked so far. Tron, Scapeshift and Amulet Bloom are really tough matchups, but I've found them to be a lot easier with this post-board plan. I've actually landed on 4 GQs and 3 Tec Edges main, but am thinking on going down to 2 Tec Edges since getting color screwed is still a thing.
What do you think of adding Sword of Fire and Ice or other X/Y swords.
Bident might work, but better if it gave a power/toughness bonus. But I guess focing an attack leaves you open to attack unblocked.
What do you think of Contagion Engine as a sweeper?
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
My current list:
4 Signal Pest
4 judge's familiar
4 Vault Skirge
4 Myr Superion
4 Chief Engineer
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Grand Architect
3 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Thirst for knowledge
lands: 21
4 Blinkmoth Nexus
2 Tectonic Edge
3 Cavern of Souls
1 Oboro, Palace In The Clouds
1 Minamo, School At Water's Edge
10 Island
2 Hurkyl's recall
2 Hibernation
2 Thorn Of Ametyst
2 Relic Of Progenitus
4 Spellskite
1 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
1 Quicksilver Fountain
1 Mindlock Orb
As you can see the deck is more focused on vomiting your hand turn 2 or 3 with cheap threats. It plays more like an affinity deck with a bit less firepower (no plating) and a bit more disruption.
There are no big expensive bombs, maybe this is a mistake but so far the swarming plan as worked out as I've had reasonable success with the list.
Myr superion has been very good, but i didn't see it in most list as i was skimming through this thread. In addition to architects and engineers we can cast it with double animated blinkmoth nexus or double etherium sculptor or a mix of the two. Also thirst for knowledge is super good, i often cast it main phase because even if we tap out we can still cast our stuff using our creatures.
I saw you discussing Aether Vial in the Tezz thread and thought it was better to answer here:
I think one benefit in this deck is that it helps get the non-artifact creatures down without paying the tax for Lodestone Golem.
Also if you look at this game, https://youtu.be/oY80tUVBAj8 , I was able to play everything off 2 mana and only one being a true blue source.
Also I'm not to sure how efficient Thirst is in this deck along with Lodestone, that's why I opted to play Thoughtcast, since the Golem tax is canceled out by Golem being an Artifact for Affinity.
Is the Minamo, School At Water's Edge for the lone Kira?
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
As for aether vial i mean sure it'll win you games that you get land short but half of the creature base in my deck is either designed to play the role of fast mana or is cheap to cast. Like i said in the other forum, aether vial can't attack and be pumped as opposed to other creatures and it is a very bad topdeck. Vial is a fantastic card but i just don't think this deck, or at least my version of it, is the best for it. If i played vial i'd have to cut creatures, which i don't want to do.
As for the taxing effect of lodestone golem it very rarely hinders my plays, most of the times i cast architect before golem or if it is late game i have enough lands to cast it.
Same thing for thirst, i either cast it turn 3 if i need gas right now or cast it later when i have more lands. Thoughtcast is interesting but we aren't affinity. Very often i have just 2 or 3 artifacts in play, the opponent also will kill some of them most of the times. Also instant speed is somewhat useful sometimes, so it still like thirst better.
EDIT: Another option for card draw that dodges golem tax is Bident of thassa. I tried it for a while and it was fine but i like thirst better now because bident needs you to already be winning while thirst will always draw you cards.
I see how your decks just tries to empty its hand and go the aggro route, but to me if feels too much like a slower affinity deck that can't go over the top with cards like Cranial, Ravager and Master of Etherium. Myr Superion has been discussed alot in this thread and its the goyf of the deck, but hes just two vanilla for my taste.
The more and more I play this deck, them more I realize you need interaction. With all the basic islands, Vedalken Shackles was just screaming at me to be included lol. And its worked fantastically. I might drop the Thoughtcast for Thirst, still want to to more testing. Changed my mana around to have no come into play tapped lands and added the 4 Blinkmoth I saw in your list.
Thanks for the ideas, hopefully this deck can be pushed and show some results.
Aether Vial is a pet card of mine and one of the reasons I'm playing this deck.
I think it gives good interations, flashing in Metamorph during combat and copying Wurmcoil to block and opponents creature.
Vialing in Judges Familiars to counterspells, getting around Lodestone tax, it allows you to play a more guarded game against removal by waiting until the opportune time to commit a creature like Grand Architect, knowing you can wait till EOT to do it, Vialing in Treasure Mage and still having that mana open to do other things.
If you are always tapping your creatures for mana, what are you attacking with?
I tried Vault Skirge, but it sucks that hes not blue for Grand Architect, although you can spend blue to make him blue, but then thats mana you couldve been using to activate blinkmoth or casting thirst.
If you can, just try out 4 Aether Vial in place of Vault Skirge.
Drop 2 Signal Pest and try 2 Vedalken Shackles or Batterskull to give those "mana dorks" some kick.
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
4 Signal Pest
4 judge's familiar
4 Vault Skirge
4 Myr Superion
4 Chief Engineer
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Grand Architect
2 Spellskite
4 Lodestone Golem
2 Vedalken Shackles
instants: 4
4 Thirst For Knowledge
lands: 20
4 Blinkmoth Nexus
2 Cavern of souls
14 Island
2 Echoing Truth
2 Hurkyl's recall
2 Hibernation
2 Thorn Of Ametyst
2 Relic Of Progenitus
2 Spellskite
1 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
1 Quicksilver Fountain
1 Mindlock Orb
As for the vial the first thing i would cut would be sculptor but i just don't think it is worth it. You see i need a critical mass of one drop to ensure i can convoke a 2 mana creature with chief enginner on turn 2. I also never get tired of vomiting my hand turn 2.
Sure it isn't as explosive as affinity but the deck makes up for it with disruption and big guys like superion. It also isn't nearly as vulnerable to hate such as stony silence.
I've won a lot of game with the small creatures aggro plan so i'll never give it up. Pest and skirge are very good when you have a critical mass of those small weenies. When you have lots of those they can beat and win quickly.
EDIT: Also note that signal pest, like the boost from architect, is a way to give your mana dork a second life in combat. When you start punching for 3 with sculptors and engineers you can see the value of those. And don't get me started with multiple pests starting hands, they are awesome.