After a few games, I was beginning to see that opponents really hated Lodestone Golem and tax effects.
Wanted to try and exploit and add 2 Thorn of Amethyst.
Also wanted to go more in on just wrecking their gameplan with Tidehollow and Ethersworn.
Idea, between Æther Vial, Logic Knot (fetchlands to delve), Thoughtcast (Affinity), we should be better off where the tax effects are more asymmetrical.
I've experimented with thorn of amethyst, when it is relevent it is excellent but most of the times it is not. This is why it is currently in my sideboard. I just bring them vs burn, storm, scapeshift, etc. It is a very good sideboard card because it adds up with lodestone golem.
I ended up cutting it from the main deck because i would much rather have interaction with creatures rather than spells game one. For spells we have judge's familiar, golem and spellskite. Most decks these days run lots of creatures so thorn is best in the sideboard.
Also i feel like tidehollow sculler is kind of clunky. You can't even convoke it and can't cast it with architect mana, and it doesn't get cost reduction from sculptor. It is very poor synergy and i don't think it is worth the splash. I don't even see why we would even want this type of effect in this deck... Sure it is cute with vial but having a painless mono blue mana base is just a lot bigger of an upside than this.
EDIT: I also don't see the point of ethersworn canonist. When we get the lodestone draw, chances are the opponent is already playing only one spell a turn. The opponent can also play around it by casting instants on your turn. It is yet another card that is useless vs affinity, the one deck that is most likely playing multiple spells a turn. The only situation i can see it working is vs snapcaster mage decks, but these generally pack bolt/electrolyse/etc and if canonist really bothers them they will take her out quickly. It is also good vs infect but spellskite is just better because they can slowly cast a single pump spell each turn and kill you.
Thorn: I think I will place in the sideboard and run 2 Vedalken Shackles in its place.
Tidehollow: I hear you, but don't forget I can convoke white mana off of Judge's Familiar. You are right about vialing him in instant speed, I will do more testing with him but keep your points in mind.
Ethersworn: Shes there just as another form of disruption, its just that theres not too many other good creature artifacts out there that aren't vanilla. I suppose I could try Myr Superion in this slot.
I don't have my deck list with me, but I have been playing and tinkering with this type of deck for a long while. My sentiments are very similar to what Badabingbadabum posted a few days ago. I won't be able to post my full list for at least a week, but my list is very similar to what has been posted above. (At least card choice-wise) I have a few things I'd like to weigh in on that were discussed above, and a few cards that seem bad that I find excellent in this deck:
- Bident of Thassa is excellent. I highly recommend running it. I've found 2 to be sufficient. Forcing them to attack can often be the way to deal that finishing blow. Or, if you find yourself with too many dorks and not enough threats, throwing them in for card draw is great.
- Batterskull is great. I know I run 4x Inkmoth Nexus and I think it was 2x Blinkmoth Nexus as well. Batterskull on an Inkmoth is indeed terrifying. Also the nexus lands help cast Myr Superion at times. I agree with Badabingbadabum that Batterskull fits better with the curve than Wurmcoil Engine. But I am also considering testing an even split. If your deck list is looking to include just one of them though, I would suggest Batterskull over Wurmcoil.
- Myr Superion- the card is a monster. Must include. There are a few games (not magical christmas land, but also an infrequent occurrence) where you are able to have out 2 of them on turn 2. I don't recall ever losing a game having 2x Myr Superion out on turn 2 (I even won when I was on the draw, and my opponent cast Eidolon of the Great Revel on his turn 2, causing me to take 6 damage from it on my turn 2 lol. What an epic game that was.) This possibility will become more apparent when I discuss this next crap card :P.
- Teardrop Kami go ahead and laugh. But I can guarantee you no one will laugh at you when you go turn 1 Kami, turn 2 Chief Engineer, convoke both to cast Myr Superion, sacrifice the kami to untap the engineer, and then convoke engineer + superion to cast a second superion. Again, I am not claiming this is a common scenario. It requires 6 cards, but it happens often enough to be relevant, and it is a terrifying opening that almost always is a free win. (Another version of this play doesn't require Kami, just any blue 1 drop- T1 blue creature, T2 Engineer, Convoke into Etherium Sculptor, Convoke into another Sculptor, and then 1-2 superions. 1 Superion I've had happen this way many a time, 2 only once on the draw and it was just glorious. This is much more magical christmas land though!) And further, the VERY common scenario of just 1x Superion on turn 2 is also incredibly strong. Further, Kami helps cast Superion on turn 3. Kami, two lands (at least one being an Island of course from T1), and either nexus land allows you to cast superion on turn 3 even without Grand Architect or Chief Engineer. (Use Island to activate the nexus land making it a creature, tap it to make 1 colorless, untap it with kami, make another mana, then use both colorless on Superion.) Which has been very relevant. I get Superion stranded in my hand just about as frequently as I get the turn 2 double superion. Both are fairly rare occurrences. Also, Kami is a decent top deck- this deck often times has issues punching the last few points of damage through, and tapping something down can easily change the outcome of the game. The card is garbage when analyzing it in a vacuum, but I think it is a must include in this deck. It does everything this deck wants- early blue creature to tap, additional ramp, and it is a decently relevant top deck. People play stupidly against it as well haha. I realize I may come off here as being overly defensive- I probably am- maybe you guys here in this thread read the card and very quickly see its benefits, in which case, sorry for the rant/defensiveness, but I've had to defend the card a lot (possibly rightly so because on its face the card is awful lol) so I sort of assumed I needed to once again. Take from this what you will, but at the minimum I recommend testing the card. I have almost never been disappointed by it. I am convinced it belongs in this deck! Feel free to challenge this notion though!!!
- Wingcrafter This one is a recent test of mine and I have really liked it. A fantastic top deck. The flying helps punch damage through so much. Having a flying Batterskull feels so nice! Judge's Familiar is probably just as strong so I don't see this as a must play, but I have had a lot of success with it so far through testing.
- Master of Etherium given the number of mana dorks we have, I like the idea of lords. MoE gets a lot stronger when you run the nexus lands, especially Inkmoth. I think it depends on exactly how many dorks you run, but the more you run the better he it gets. Definitely worth considering.
- Academy Ruins- I run as a 1 of. Doesn't need much explanation, it is great.
After reading the last few posts, I am going to test out the Lodestone Golem, it sounds awesome. I also plan to test mainboard Spellskite. For me it's not whether to run the card, it's whether it should be main board or side board. Spellskite is just so damn good at hosing. I am quite curious to see if others have tested some of the cards I mentioned above, or if not, thoughts on them. Feel free to agree or disagree. I'll try to post my full deck list as soon as I head back home and have access to my cards!
So Ace got me to bite on Myr Superion, but only because the New Phyrexia art is so awesome!
Here's the current iteration I play tested with today, its been pretty good. Like you guys mentioned, evasion is something we need to figure out.
I threw in a Thassa, God of the Sea to see if she could help with that.
I Like it. In my list i wouldn't even think of not maxing out architect and engineer but the maybe vial makes up for it. Also maybe 3x superion is the correct number, if i cut one i could bring in a batterskull/wurmcoil engine. The thing is they all need artifact mana dorks to accelerate them (except for the late game) so i just really like superion.
Still, before i make more changes i'm going to be testing this list:
Only one bident because of the lengendary clause. I still think thirst is fine but maybe 4x was too much, so now i'm down with one bident and one thirst. Drawing thirst with thirst isn't ideal and it happens a bit too ofte with 4x thirsts. Bident also makes things like vault skirge a lot better.
Since each activation of Goblin Cannon is separate, you could potentially wipe your opponents field or just finish them off. Also works with Pili-Pala infinite combo.
It is worth a try, but i'd stay away from it without the pili-pala combo. and even then i can't believe there isn't something more efficient, i mean 4 +2 mana/damage seems very inefficient...
EDIT: If you want to combo with pili pala staff of domination is better, at least it can always be useful and it is a great architect mana sink.
I was thinking maybe sword of fire and ice would be good?, it draw, can kill creatures, pumps our guys, might be better than thirst/thoughtcast?
It is worth a try, but i'd stay away from it without the pili-pala combo. and even then i can't believe there isn't something more efficient, i mean 4 +2 mana/damage seems very inefficient...
EDIT: If you want to combo with pili pala staff of domination is better, at least it can always be useful and it is a great architect mana sink.
I was thinking maybe sword of fire and ice would be good?, it draw, can kill creatures, pumps our guys, might be better than thirst/thoughtcast?
Yea I've been back and forth on Swords of X and Y, pro red is good against burn, but maybe Sword of Light and Shadow is better? Protection from blk and white removal and the toughness boost gets most of our guys out of bolt range. We also play lots of creatures to recurr. What are your thoughts on Golem Artisan?
My current list below, trying Faerie Mechanist as a form of CA thats also a flying, blue artifact. Solemn Simulacrum might just turn into a Sword.
Deck really needs to play aggressive when it draws the "mana-dork" side of the deck, swords may help. Ethersworn Canonist are rarely sided in, might just turn those into Leyline of Sanctity.
Also starting to realize, Lodestone Golem is the only real form of "tax" mainboard, really wish I could make Tidehollow Sculler work as something to do in the beginning stages.
I just noticed that a lot of the lists here are more controlling, so is this a branch of the deck that hasn't really been explored before? To me it seems like trying to go big with awkward like Myr Superion aren't going to work. I tried it before and it crashed and burned.
Yea, but if he just played Affinity he would've already won on turn 3.
I just noticed that a lot of the lists here are more controlling, so is this a branch of the deck that hasn't really been explored before? To me it seems like trying to go big with awkward like Myr Superion aren't going to work. I tried it before and it crashed and burned.
Yea, the premise is to try and create an asymmetrical advantage with Lodestone Golem and Tectonic Edge. Æther Vial helps with dropping creatures and playing around countermagic. It can also be used to play Myr Superion. I compare Superion to Tarmogoyf, since they virtually die to the same things, but still decent treats. Vedalken Shackles also helps and gives great interaction; Judge's Familiar provides some disruption as well as synergy with Grand Architect and Lodestone Golem. I differ in my approach to the deck as I'm not trying to dump my hand out as fast as possible. This deck will always feel suboptimal if tuned to run like Affinity and you will find yourself to just wanting play Affinity.
More so I'm looking to be a mix of Legacy MUD (tax opponent, drop big beater while doing so) and Merfolk (aggressive with bonus from Grand Architect). In reality Grand Architect allows us to do both by providing the ramp and +1/+1 bonus.
I tired master of etherium for a while. It wasn't bad but very unreliable, often his power/toughness was disapointing and he doesn't pump our non artifact guys. Faerie mecanist is also bad for the same reason. I see the appeal of running blue artifact creatures but the card draw is very inconsistent and it often ends up being a 4 mana 2/2.
I think sword of L&S might be good. The protections are better than F&I for sure
@Ace1, I run 21 lands and get 1 land openers 75% of the time. I keep most of them because I run Aether Vial and will evenutally get 2 or 3 counters to play mana dorks.
Even at 23 lands with Tezz control I'd get alot of 1 land openers.
How does you deck operate with only 20 lands? Maybe its because you don't run fetchlands and force the land draw unintentionally?
I fail to see how you get to the 2 mana consistently to cast Chief Engineer and Etherium Sculptor, let alone 3 mana to cast Grand Architect and Thirst? None of your 1 drops provide "mana" without Chief or Grand Architect.
Do you find yourself mulliganing often because of 1 land openers?
20 lands is 33% of the deck, statistically you should get an average of 3 lands by turn 3 (1/3*9cards). You must be very unlucky, i get enough lands most of the times.
20 lands is 33% of the deck, statistically you should get an average of 3 lands by turn 3 (1/3*9cards). You must be very unlucky, i get enough lands most of the times.
Idk if its a mtgo thing and I havent tried the deck out on paper yet. How often do you get one landers?
Idk haven't counted the times but once in a while i get them. Most of the times i mulligan them but i have a few rules for one landers with this deck:
-I will not keep a one lander unless i consider that drawing a land will most likely win me the game, like enginneer into myr superion into golem for exemple
-I will not keep a one lander unless i have something to play, like multiple skirge/signal pest/ judge's familiar
-I will not keep a one lander with a colorless mana producing land, in this case blinkmoth nexus.
I have not had the chance to play with the deck since a while, first because my work schedule has prevented me to attend to my lgs modern tournament and second because i have other decks i wanted to try out.
From what i remeber burn seems ok. Familiar can be slighly annoying for them and the spellskites in the main are helpful, especially since we play blue (no need to pay phyrexian mana). Vault skirge is a bolt magnet, they are forced to waste a burn on it so it is often +1 life.
The biggest help comes from lodestone golem, a real game changer in this matchup, especially if it comes turn 3. All those little edges can add up and give us a decent game one. The most important thing is applying pressure and not give them time to get too many draw steps.
Wanted to try and exploit and add 2 Thorn of Amethyst.
Also wanted to go more in on just wrecking their gameplan with Tidehollow and Ethersworn.
Idea, between Æther Vial, Logic Knot (fetchlands to delve), Thoughtcast (Affinity), we should be better off where the tax effects are more asymmetrical.
Draft I will tryout when I get a chance:
6 Island
4 Polluted Delta
3 Hallowed Fountain
3 Marsh Flats
2 Watery Grave
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Academy Ruins
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Lodestone Golem
3 Chief Engineer
3 Grand Architect
3 Tidehollow Sculler
2 Spellskite
2 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Wurmcoil Engine
3 Thoughtcast
2 Logic Knot
Artifacts (Non-creature) (8)
4 Æther Vial
2 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Scourglass
1 Batterskull
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
I ended up cutting it from the main deck because i would much rather have interaction with creatures rather than spells game one. For spells we have judge's familiar, golem and spellskite. Most decks these days run lots of creatures so thorn is best in the sideboard.
Also i feel like tidehollow sculler is kind of clunky. You can't even convoke it and can't cast it with architect mana, and it doesn't get cost reduction from sculptor. It is very poor synergy and i don't think it is worth the splash. I don't even see why we would even want this type of effect in this deck... Sure it is cute with vial but having a painless mono blue mana base is just a lot bigger of an upside than this.
EDIT: I also don't see the point of ethersworn canonist. When we get the lodestone draw, chances are the opponent is already playing only one spell a turn. The opponent can also play around it by casting instants on your turn. It is yet another card that is useless vs affinity, the one deck that is most likely playing multiple spells a turn. The only situation i can see it working is vs snapcaster mage decks, but these generally pack bolt/electrolyse/etc and if canonist really bothers them they will take her out quickly. It is also good vs infect but spellskite is just better because they can slowly cast a single pump spell each turn and kill you.
Thorn: I think I will place in the sideboard and run 2 Vedalken Shackles in its place.
Tidehollow: I hear you, but don't forget I can convoke white mana off of Judge's Familiar. You are right about vialing him in instant speed, I will do more testing with him but keep your points in mind.
Ethersworn: Shes there just as another form of disruption, its just that theres not too many other good creature artifacts out there that aren't vanilla. I suppose I could try Myr Superion in this slot.
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
- Bident of Thassa is excellent. I highly recommend running it. I've found 2 to be sufficient. Forcing them to attack can often be the way to deal that finishing blow. Or, if you find yourself with too many dorks and not enough threats, throwing them in for card draw is great.
- Batterskull is great. I know I run 4x Inkmoth Nexus and I think it was 2x Blinkmoth Nexus as well. Batterskull on an Inkmoth is indeed terrifying. Also the nexus lands help cast Myr Superion at times. I agree with Badabingbadabum that Batterskull fits better with the curve than Wurmcoil Engine. But I am also considering testing an even split. If your deck list is looking to include just one of them though, I would suggest Batterskull over Wurmcoil.
- Myr Superion- the card is a monster. Must include. There are a few games (not magical christmas land, but also an infrequent occurrence) where you are able to have out 2 of them on turn 2. I don't recall ever losing a game having 2x Myr Superion out on turn 2 (I even won when I was on the draw, and my opponent cast Eidolon of the Great Revel on his turn 2, causing me to take 6 damage from it on my turn 2 lol. What an epic game that was.) This possibility will become more apparent when I discuss this next crap card :P.
- Teardrop Kami go ahead and laugh. But I can guarantee you no one will laugh at you when you go turn 1 Kami, turn 2 Chief Engineer, convoke both to cast Myr Superion, sacrifice the kami to untap the engineer, and then convoke engineer + superion to cast a second superion. Again, I am not claiming this is a common scenario. It requires 6 cards, but it happens often enough to be relevant, and it is a terrifying opening that almost always is a free win. (Another version of this play doesn't require Kami, just any blue 1 drop- T1 blue creature, T2 Engineer, Convoke into Etherium Sculptor, Convoke into another Sculptor, and then 1-2 superions. 1 Superion I've had happen this way many a time, 2 only once on the draw and it was just glorious. This is much more magical christmas land though!) And further, the VERY common scenario of just 1x Superion on turn 2 is also incredibly strong. Further, Kami helps cast Superion on turn 3. Kami, two lands (at least one being an Island of course from T1), and either nexus land allows you to cast superion on turn 3 even without Grand Architect or Chief Engineer. (Use Island to activate the nexus land making it a creature, tap it to make 1 colorless, untap it with kami, make another mana, then use both colorless on Superion.) Which has been very relevant. I get Superion stranded in my hand just about as frequently as I get the turn 2 double superion. Both are fairly rare occurrences. Also, Kami is a decent top deck- this deck often times has issues punching the last few points of damage through, and tapping something down can easily change the outcome of the game. The card is garbage when analyzing it in a vacuum, but I think it is a must include in this deck. It does everything this deck wants- early blue creature to tap, additional ramp, and it is a decently relevant top deck. People play stupidly against it as well haha. I realize I may come off here as being overly defensive- I probably am- maybe you guys here in this thread read the card and very quickly see its benefits, in which case, sorry for the rant/defensiveness, but I've had to defend the card a lot (possibly rightly so because on its face the card is awful lol) so I sort of assumed I needed to once again. Take from this what you will, but at the minimum I recommend testing the card. I have almost never been disappointed by it. I am convinced it belongs in this deck! Feel free to challenge this notion though!!!
- Wingcrafter This one is a recent test of mine and I have really liked it. A fantastic top deck. The flying helps punch damage through so much. Having a flying Batterskull feels so nice! Judge's Familiar is probably just as strong so I don't see this as a must play, but I have had a lot of success with it so far through testing.
- Master of Etherium given the number of mana dorks we have, I like the idea of lords. MoE gets a lot stronger when you run the nexus lands, especially Inkmoth. I think it depends on exactly how many dorks you run, but the more you run the better he it gets. Definitely worth considering.
- Academy Ruins- I run as a 1 of. Doesn't need much explanation, it is great.
After reading the last few posts, I am going to test out the Lodestone Golem, it sounds awesome. I also plan to test mainboard Spellskite. For me it's not whether to run the card, it's whether it should be main board or side board. Spellskite is just so damn good at hosing. I am quite curious to see if others have tested some of the cards I mentioned above, or if not, thoughts on them. Feel free to agree or disagree. I'll try to post my full deck list as soon as I head back home and have access to my cards!
Here's the current iteration I play tested with today, its been pretty good. Like you guys mentioned, evasion is something we need to figure out.
I threw in a Thassa, God of the Sea to see if she could help with that.
7 Island
4 Polluted Delta
2 Hallowed Fountain
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Watery Grave
1 Seachrome Coast
1 Darkslick Shores
1 Academy Ruins
Creature (27)
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Lodestone Golem
3 Chief Engineer
3 Grand Architect
3 Myr Superion
2 Spellskite
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Thassa, God of the Sea
4 Æther Vial
2 Vedalken Shackles
1 Batterskull
Spells (5)
3 Thoughtcast
2 Murderous Cut
2 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
2 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Logic Knot
2 Disenchant
2 Nihil Spellbomb
2 Pithing Needle
1 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Spell Snare
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
Still, before i make more changes i'm going to be testing this list:
4 Signal Pest
4 judge's familiar
4 Vault Skirge
4 Myr Superion
4 Chief Engineer
4 Etherium Sculptor
2 Spellskite
4 Grand Architect
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Lodestone Golem
2 Vedalken Shackles
1 Bident Of Thassa
instants: 1
1 Thirst For Knowledge
lands: 20
4 Blinkmoth Nexus
1 Cavern Of Souls
15 Island
2 Echoing Truth
2 Hurkyl's recall
2 Hibernation
2 Thorn Of Amethyst
2 Relic Of Progenitus
2 Spellskite
1 Kira, Great Glass Spinner
1 Quicksilver Fountain
1 Mindlock Orb
Only one bident because of the lengendary clause. I still think thirst is fine but maybe 4x was too much, so now i'm down with one bident and one thirst. Drawing thirst with thirst isn't ideal and it happens a bit too ofte with 4x thirsts. Bident also makes things like vault skirge a lot better.
Recurrable with Academy Ruins, lots of synergy with Grand Architect, might even be worth it to try Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx again with it, esp if we are running things like Bident of Thassa.
Since each activation of Goblin Cannon is separate, you could potentially wipe your opponents field or just finish them off. Also works with Pili-Pala infinite combo.
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
EDIT: If you want to combo with pili pala staff of domination is better, at least it can always be useful and it is a great architect mana sink.
I was thinking maybe sword of fire and ice would be good?, it draw, can kill creatures, pumps our guys, might be better than thirst/thoughtcast?
My current list below, trying Faerie Mechanist as a form of CA thats also a flying, blue artifact.
Solemn Simulacrum might just turn into a Sword.
Deck really needs to play aggressive when it draws the "mana-dork" side of the deck, swords may help.
Ethersworn Canonist are rarely sided in, might just turn those into Leyline of Sanctity.
Also starting to realize, Lodestone Golem is the only real form of "tax" mainboard, really wish I could make Tidehollow Sculler work as something to do in the beginning stages.
7 Island
4 Polluted Delta
3 Blinkmoth Nexus
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Tectonic Edge
1 Watery Grave
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Academy Ruins
Creature (28)
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Chief Engineer
4 Grand Architect
3 Myr Superion
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Faerie Mechanist
4 Æther Vial
2 Vedalken Shackles
1 Batterskull
Spells (4)
2 Thoughtcast
2 Murderous Cut
2 Spellskite
2 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Logic Knot
2 Disenchant
2 Ethersworn Canonist
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Pithing Needle
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Trinket Mage
Also thoughts on Nim Deathmantle
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
I just noticed that a lot of the lists here are more controlling, so is this a branch of the deck that hasn't really been explored before? To me it seems like trying to go big with awkward like Myr Superion aren't going to work. I tried it before and it crashed and burned.
MTGO/MTGA: Tyclone
My Primers ~ GWx Vizier Company ~ Knightfall ~ RG Eldrazi ~ Green's Sun's Zenith
More Brews ~ Modern Four Horsemen ~ Gitrog Dredge
Yea, but if he just played Affinity he would've already won on turn 3.
Yea, the premise is to try and create an asymmetrical advantage with Lodestone Golem and Tectonic Edge. Æther Vial helps with dropping creatures and playing around countermagic. It can also be used to play Myr Superion. I compare Superion to Tarmogoyf, since they virtually die to the same things, but still decent treats. Vedalken Shackles also helps and gives great interaction; Judge's Familiar provides some disruption as well as synergy with Grand Architect and Lodestone Golem. I differ in my approach to the deck as I'm not trying to dump my hand out as fast as possible. This deck will always feel suboptimal if tuned to run like Affinity and you will find yourself to just wanting play Affinity.
More so I'm looking to be a mix of Legacy MUD (tax opponent, drop big beater while doing so) and Merfolk (aggressive with bonus from Grand Architect). In reality Grand Architect allows us to do both by providing the ramp and +1/+1 bonus.
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
I think sword of L&S might be good. The protections are better than F&I for sure
Even at 23 lands with Tezz control I'd get alot of 1 land openers.
How does you deck operate with only 20 lands? Maybe its because you don't run fetchlands and force the land draw unintentionally?
I fail to see how you get to the 2 mana consistently to cast Chief Engineer and Etherium Sculptor, let alone 3 mana to cast Grand Architect and Thirst? None of your 1 drops provide "mana" without Chief or Grand Architect.
Do you find yourself mulliganing often because of 1 land openers?
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
Also, is Sundering Titan too out of curve?
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
-I will not keep a one lander unless i consider that drawing a land will most likely win me the game, like enginneer into myr superion into golem for exemple
-I will not keep a one lander unless i have something to play, like multiple skirge/signal pest/ judge's familiar
-I will not keep a one lander with a colorless mana producing land, in this case blinkmoth nexus.
It is all a matter of calculating risk vs payoff.
Also feeds Delve cards I play.
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
4 Polluted Delta
2 Watery Grave
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Blinkmoth Nexus
1 Hallowed Fountain
1 Academy Ruins
2 Tectonic Edge
7 Island
Creatures (24)
4 Judge's Familiar
4 Grand Architect
4 Lodestone Golem
3 Etherium Sculptor
3 Chief Engineer
3 Myr Superion
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Thoughtcast
2 Murderous Cut
Artifacts (11)
4 Æther Vial
3 Mishra's Bauble
2 Vedalken Shackles
1 Batterskull
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
3 Spellskite
2 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Logic Knot
2 Disenchant
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Pithing Needle
1 Trinket Mage
1 Staff of Nin
1 Kira, Great Glass-Spinner
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
How' your pre-board Burn matchup?
Twitch: gamerchamp
Modern: UGrand Architect, UBTezzeret Control, UBWRG Bridge From Below (Dredge)
Legacy: UWGTrue-Name Bant
From what i remeber burn seems ok. Familiar can be slighly annoying for them and the spellskites in the main are helpful, especially since we play blue (no need to pay phyrexian mana). Vault skirge is a bolt magnet, they are forced to waste a burn on it so it is often +1 life.
The biggest help comes from lodestone golem, a real game changer in this matchup, especially if it comes turn 3. All those little edges can add up and give us a decent game one. The most important thing is applying pressure and not give them time to get too many draw steps.
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
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