[SCD] Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

[Parax]

From the Mothership:

Cant find a picture to link. Help from the masses?

2UB

+1: Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.

-1: Target artifact becomes a 5/5 artifact creature

-4: Target player loses X life and you gain X life, where X is twice the number of artifacts you control

4

Spoiler of card and others found http://www.wizards.com/magic/tcg/article.aspx?x=mtg/tcg/mirrodinbesieged/spoiler#

[FieryBalrog]

http://forums.mtgsalvation.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=114283&stc=1&d=1295333654

Not so hot in Legacy I think as he's very narrow. Maybe some sort of UB Stax deck with both Tezzerets could spring up, but I doubt it (although he is perfect for such a hypothetical deck).

[Parax]

ya not terribly good and is very limited to one deck. Maybe a U/b affinity deck could come out of this.

[Aggro_zombies]

Looks like Tezz got the Chandra treatment. The new version is worse on many levels than the old one, and Affinity doesn't seem like it would interested in a four mana, non-artifact card (cards like Thoughtcast are often only one mana). At the very least, he doesn't mesh well with the, "Glimpse, vomit deck into play" plan.

[Barook]

Looks like Tezz got the Chandra treatment. The new version is worse on many levels than the old one, and Affinity doesn't seem like it would interested in a four mana, non-artifact card (cards like Thoughtcast are often only one mana). At the very least, he doesn't mesh well with the, "Glimpse, vomit deck into play" plan.
Four mana is alot for Affinity, but it does pretty much what it should do at that mana cost: Win the game.

I really, really doubt that many players could survive the activation of the ultimate. But even outside the ultimate, it's very, very strong. You level him up with a free, better Impulse every turn or turn useless artifacts into fat 5/5 beaters (bonus points for turning evasive creatures like Ornithopters into 5/5 flyers).

It may be useless outside of Affinity, but in the deck, it's pretty much a Jace 2.0 on steroids. You just need to find a way to manage the mana cost.

[Pemmin]

I think you dont need much to make him good: Top is already sufficent. With a top on the table, you get for four mana effektlive a 5/5 (that if being killed can go on top of your library again and draw you a card) and you get the planeswalker. That seems great!

4mana = 5/5 + planeswalker? NICE!

Then if you want to just draw cards with him, spin your top on top of your Library and use tezz first ability! Then you play top again and see 3 new cards. Seems great to me!

[Pippin]

It may be useless outside of Affinity, but in the deck, it's pretty much a Jace 2.0 on steroids. You just need to find a way to manage the mana cost.

Yup, agree completely. Though I don't see the cost as prohibitive as people are showing here. You have access to mox opals, drums, and even lotus petals if needed. This can come down as early as turn 2, especially if the version isn't playing other cards with high curve.

Dump your hand, play tezz, win?

[Skeggi]

Maybe some sort of (...) Stax deck
:wink:

[kiblast]

:wink:

Hey! It's good in Stax and EDH! ;)

[eq.firemind]

It may be useless outside of Affinity, but in the deck, it's pretty much a Jace 2.0 on steroids. You just need to find a way to manage the mana cost.
There is a version of affinity that runs Ancient Tomb as another accelerant. The downside is that you need to choose between 1-drops (like Disciple) and Chalice of the Void. But now you don't need Disciple! Have lots of artifacts? Cast Teez 2.0 and win! And you even don't need Ravager. Oh, and he also dodges both Deed and Grip! Pure awesomeness, if you ask me.

[TheCramp]

You're all insane. He is crazy powerful. Don't make the Elspeth mistake. "1/1s and Angelic Blessings? Meh, lame..." Unlike Garruk the three guys he runs out are 5/5. You have to build around him, obviously, or else his +1 will miss, and you will feel silly. But in the right deck you just impulse and grind them out with 5/5's. That's a *fine* plan.

[Skeggi]

I won't say he's bad. I won't say he's crazy powerful. He might just be what the doctor ordered for a Thopter Foundry/Sword of the Meek, Painter's Servant/Grindstone deck. However I doubt it.

[Justin]

The biggest concern for his in Affinity is the 4 cc, but you can build the deck to accomodate for this. Remember that Affinity plays spells that help accellerate and fix mana, such as Springleaf Drum and Mox Opal. If you play these cards and enough lands, you should be able to consistantly cast the new Tez by turn three (and sometimes turn two on a god hand). Once on the battlefield, you can use the first ability to fetch and cast a "free" artifact creature to help protect him. Then, you win on your next turn. Also, the second ability is quite good, because the effect does not wear off at the end of the turn. As extra 5/5 guy might be just what you need for a late-game alpha strike.

[Koby]

OH SNAPS, i thought I read the 2nd ability as until EOT.

I like this new tezz.

[Mnemon]

Would Master of Eterium become 5/5 and then get +1/+1 for each of your arifacts you control and same with the arcbound creatures and thier counters? (not that Ravager and Master would need it, just courios)

[Koby]

I don't think Master of Etherium will get much benefit from Tezzeret's ability unless you control less than 5 artifacts. Master of Etherium sets it's own P/T and Tezzeret's ability overrides that.

[ramanujan]

Starcitygames has them at 34.99, pretty high but consistent with thier initial prices on planeswalkers as of late. I would have purchased at 10.00 less. Oh well, he is no Jace TMS, so the price is bound to go down.

Peace

[GGoober]

Originally Posted by FieryBalrog
Maybe some sort of (...) Stax deck


I Lol'd.

He has potential, for aggro affinity, he seems a little slow although and to use his -4 means passing the turn without him losing loyalty. I like him in a controllish deck, although I'm not sure how one would pan out. Painterstone might be viable but it doesn't seem to abuse his -1 and ultimate.

[klaus]

that guy is a true powerhouse.

[sauce]

card is gonna be $10 before you know it

[Pinder]

This is making it into my UBW EDH deck, but outside of that I can't see it being very useful.

[Rico Suave]

His casting cost is going to be the limiting factor, but he's incredible in Affinity. I would not want to see my opponent turning his Ornithopters into 5/5 creatures, permanently. Nor would I want to watch my opponent play this guy, ramp him once, then Fireball me for 10 the next turn. He definitely has potential.

[Sims]

His casting cost is going to be the limiting factor, but he's incredible in Affinity. I would not want to see my opponent turning his Ornithopters into 5/5 creatures, permanently. Nor would I want to watch my opponent play this guy, ramp him once, then Fireball me for 10 the next turn. He definitely has potential.

This. I am already thinking of how I can toy him into my affinity deck. His cost is prohibitive but his abilities are houses in that deck.

Trying to figure out how many to pick up. I doubt he's going to be 4x like Jace 2.0, but I'm going to need some for affinity/random hilarious artifact.dec and i'm going to need at least 1 for EDH. Sharuum might have some fun with this guy

[Amon Amarth]

Tezz 2.0 also has some sick art. Which is pretty nice. He's no Jace, but my wallet isn't complaining. He's probably best in Affinity but I would not be suprised if someone came up with something else to abuse this guy.

[Bane of the Living]

Turning your opponents artifacts into creatures will allow you to use creature removal to take them out. Figured that was worth noting.

I really dislike the ultimate. He looks like he's working for Phyrexia now, but he incorporates life loss rather than poison. At least he's more playable outside of standard because of that, even if he's made tailored to standard.

My mind is spinning thinking of the UB Standard decks that will surely combine him with Jace. Looking 9 cards deep a turn for that certain artifact just seems nuts. You could also play him with Mass Polymorph.

I like this Tezzeret slightly more than the last. I like that making a 5/5 can protect him, unlike old school Tezz who just took the punches or tutored for a bad blocker.

[Nelis]

I think you dont need much to make him good: Top is already sufficent. With a top on the table, you get for four mana effektlive a 5/5 (that if being killed can go on top of your library again and draw you a card) and you get the planeswalker. That seems great!

Whats the point? For it to be effective it has to attack and if it attacks but gets removed you cant tap it anymore to draw a card and put it on top.

[Amon Amarth]

Turning your opponents artifacts into creatures will allow you to use creature removal to take them out. Figured that was worth noting.

I really dislike the ultimate. He looks like he's working for Phyrexia now, but he incorporates life loss rather than poison. At least he's more playable outside of standard because of that, even if he's made tailored to standard.

My mind is spinning thinking of the UB Standard decks that will surely combine him with Jace. Looking 9 cards deep a turn for that certain artifact just seems nuts. You could also play him with Mass Polymorph.

I like this Tezzeret slightly more than the last. I like that making a 5/5 can protect him, unlike old school Tezz who just took the punches or tutored for a bad blocker.

You know it says "Agent of Bolas" on the card, right? Unless Nicol Bolas is working with Phyrexia, which is unlikely, he's part of a completely different faction. He isn't Phyrexian, nor is he Mirran.

[klaus]

card is gonna be $10 before you know it

make it 25$

[Hanni]

I'm gonna find a way to bust this guy. The art is absolutely amazing, and his abilities reak of sheer awesomeness. Making a 5/5 is arguably a better way to protect himself than Elspeth's 1/1 token or Jace's bounce, he's card advantage on a shteek in any deck playing enough artifacts to matter (which you would be) + digging 5 deep is bonkers, and he's an amazing win condition with both the -1 and the -4.

[GGoober]

Oh wow, didn't realize it's a 5/5 FOREVER, take my comments back, this guy is good. He has the defensive ability of the good planeswalker inbuilt (Jace 2, Elspeth 1)

At worst, he's investing 2UB to do:
1) start making big dudes (one 5/5 at the very least) and have 2 loyalty for opponents to answer before you get an army or draw more gas
2) impulse (netting +1) and have a 4 loyalty for your opponents to answer (good luck when affinity plays a bunch of blockers/attackers) before they lose to his ultimate (ultimate is probably going to do 12 damage/gain 12 life at the very least on turn 4 in affinity).

In standard, the same rules apply except there's less hate. I can see him becoming a $40-50 Planeswalker where Koth and elspeth were not worthy enough for that price tag. (Note that he fits in a Grand Architect color in Standard, which has the potential to accelerate him out fast and run both Inquisitions/Leak against control decks).

[FieryBalrog]

Yea, he's pretty good actually. Screw Stax lol, the two main possibilities I see for him are either 1) Affinity without Glimpse, aiming to cast him by turn 3 or 4 and 2) a UBW or UBG counter-top deck built with thopter foundry and Bob. The big thing is Jace hogs this guy's mana slot, but I'm pretty sure he's better than Elspeth if you adjust the deck a little for him and can afford to splash black.

[dahcmai]

I expect $40 going down later to set at around $30, then start going back up hard once the first person makes the deck he'll go in and making a deck with this guy its too easy. My guesses are usually pretty accurate. He's really, really good in standard. If anything, there was already a decent UB deck in standard using Contagion Clasp, Lux Cannon, Votaic Key, and a pile of other artifacts that was screaming for good card draw besides Jace. It now has it in spades.

In Legacy I think he's actually worth playing. The cost is negligible as we don't care about casting costs much anyway. Granted 4 mana is the "I friggin win right now" area, but this guy has a nice little finisher. As if UB is hard to make in a Legacy deck so the multiple colors isn't really a bad condition.

The real power of him is using him to make multiple Tops into 5/5 creatures. This effect lasts forever if you notice. The cool part is it doesn't even remove the abilities. So if someone tries to kill your little 5/5 angry Top, you can return it to the top of your library and get a card or search the top 3 for the heck of it if he's tapped. I love the idea of Making my artifacts turn into creatures. Seat of the Synod alone seems hilarious.

He's going to drop down at 4 mana (Counterbalance needs a Moat or something) and protect himself that turn with a creature in Tombstalker range. That's hot. I bought my set already.

It makes Joven Cry.

[ivanpei]

So this works with Mishra's factories as well right? I think this card is playable in some form of UBx countertop deck with seat of the synods, mishra's factory etc. It happens to be best with cheap artifacts so the following are IMO some good cards to run with Tez 2.0:

Sensei's divining top
Seat of the Synod/Artifact lands
Chrome mox
Trinket Mage + targets
Thopther foundry
Sword of the meek
Phyrexian dreadnought (Yeah this doesn't work, I know)
Painter's Servant
Grindstone
Chalice of the void

IMO the deck should be run in some kind of countertop-thopthers or countertop-painter deck. He turns otherwise dead combo components like painter/grindstone into huge beaters or he is a combo component finding impulse. I'm favoring the painter option more now because countertop-thopthers is more like a control deck that depends on moat, humility etc.

A sample list would be:

4 Brainstorm
4 Force
3 Spell pierce
4 Counterbalance
4 Sensei's Divining top

4 Tarmogoyf (Random splash, but wall of goyf is never bad)
4 Dark confidant

4 Painter
4 Grindstone
3 Tezzeret 2.0
3 Lim Dul's Vault

3 Chrome Mox/Seat of the synod
8 Fetch
1 Island
1 Swamp
3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical island
1 Academy ruins

Or you can get greedy by -4 Tarmogoyf, + 3 Trinket Mage + 1 Engineered explosives and - 2 tropical island, + 2 ancient tomb.

[Hanni]

Tezzeret Affinity

Lands (14)
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Vault of Whispers
4 Tree of Tales
2 Darksteel Citadel

Creatures (23)
3 Phyrexian Walker
4 Ornithopter
4 Memnite
4 Frogmite
4 Myr Enforcer
4 Master of Etherium

Spells (23)
3 Thoughtcast
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
4 Cranial Plating
4 Mox Opal
4 Springleaf Drum

That's the list I plan to start working from as soon as I can download a spoiler for my MWS.

I'll explain a little of my thought process with this:

The deck is basically a combo deck. I'll start with the engine:

3 Thoughtcast
4 Glimpse of Nature
4 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

With Tezzeret, the deck now has the critical mass it needs to swarm the opponent. Glimpse of Nature with 11 0cc creatures + 8 Affinity creatures helps enable big draws, Thoughtcast provides an always solid draw 2, and Tezzeret is an overpowered Dark Confidant that both control decks and aggro decks will have a hard time dealing with.

Mana:

With 11 0cc guys, Mox Opal and Springleaf Drum come online consistently on turn 1, and the Affinity guys (Frogmite and Myr Enforcer) should be coming down very quickly as well.

The Kills:

Master of Etherium
Cranial Plating
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

The deck still has the ability to just win via quick turn 1 hand empties involving Memnites, Frogmites, and Myr Enforcers.

With so much explosiveness, Master of Etherium comes down as a monster in size, and pumps all of the other guys on the board.

Cranial Plating turns any and every creature in this deck into a win condition. It's preferrable to get it on an Ornithopter, since other guys can be chump blocked into oblivion, but Cranial Plating still puts an assload of pressure on very quickly.

Tezzeret is savage. He's either coming down and sealing it up by turning Mox Opal's and Phyrexian Walker's into 5/5's, or he's digging 5 deep for another artifact and then winning on the next turn with his ultimate. He's a house against aggro decks and control decks alike, and is great against combo when you simply win next turn.

I'm still not sure if the mana is right cause I haven't gotten to test it yet. 14 lands, 4 Mox, 4 Drum I'm hoping is enough to reliably cast Tezzeret. The deck does have the ability to draw into extra mana sources with Thoughtcast and Glimpse, so I'm banking on 22 mana sources + draw being enough for right now.

Obviously, I need to test this. I think cutting Ravager and Disciple for a more explosive and less sadomasochistic way to win has more synergy overall, but I could be wrong. I'd likely run the new Phyrexian Revoker in the sideboard, along with whatever else that I have no idea what I'd need right now.

Started a new thread in N&D for those wanting to discuss the Affinity route: Tezzeret Affinity (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?19749-Tezzeret-Affinity&p=515511)

[Tacosnape]

You'd have to build a deck around him. 95% of situations, he wishes he was Jace the Mouth Raper. Not impressed.

[rufus]

I think he's more of a combo-like card. Drop artifact mana like Mox Opal and Chrome Mox, maybe pop off a Diminishing Returns, then play Tezzeret and swing for the fences.

I think he's better suited to Semblance Mirror decks where the primary ability can set up a big bang on the ultimate. Even so, producing 2:u::b: is a bit tall.

[SpikeyMikey]

Jace has to wait 6 turns to win the game. Tezz 2.0 does it in two. You don't have to build anything around him, you just put him into an already existing shell: Affinity. He becomes another Plating, another MoE. He's another threat that says "remove me or die" and unlike Ravager/DotV, he synergizes with existing cards (namely your other 2 major threats, Cranial Plating and Master of Etherium). And while Brainstorm is better than super Impulse in most decks, in Affinity, which has no fetches, his souped up "draw an extra card every turn" ability works better for the deck than Jace would. In short, Tezz 2.0 is just as good as Jace 2.0, he's just not as flexible in terms of what decks he can fit in. With what's currently spoiled anyway. It's not at all unbelievable that Mirrodin revisited will have the effect on Legacy that the original Mirrodin had on Vintage. There are some pretty wicked cards coming out of this set like Tezz 2.0 and Revoker. Depending on what else is spoiled, there could be serious impact on the format.

[FieryBalrog]

Jace has to wait 6 turns to win the game. Tezz 2.0 does it in two.

That's good for Tezz, but that really ain't the point of Jace anyway.

[jazzykat]

I think he is definitely going to be powerful in the right decks (obviously!).

What is yet to be seen is if he is going to become paradigm warping like Jace2.0. E.g. if you are playing U control, or have enough control elements you are most likely MDing Jace 2.0. Are we going to play this guy too and start packing a bunch of artifact lands and is everyone going to play 4 Top, X EE... (Like you didn't already?) to make his ability truly worthwhile?

I predict some type of comboesque Stax will come out of this mess and start eating everyone's lunch. There are too many non-busted cards (Monolith, Transmute Artifact) plus the rest of this set and Tezz2.0 that we will see some unholy rise of the machines.

EDIT: Rob Zombie must have won the invitational because it is definitely in his likeness.

[Solar Ice]

Jace has to wait 6 turns to win the game. Tezz 2.0 does it in two. You don't have to build anything around him, you just put him into an already existing shell: Affinity. He becomes another Plating, another MoE. He's another threat that says "remove me or die" and unlike Ravager/DotV, he synergizes with existing cards (namely your other 2 major threats, Cranial Plating and Master of Etherium). And while Brainstorm is better than super Impulse in most decks, in Affinity, which has no fetches, his souped up "draw an extra card every turn" ability works better for the deck than Jace would. In short, Tezz 2.0 is just as good as Jace 2.0, he's just not as flexible in terms of what decks he can fit in. With what's currently spoiled anyway. It's not at all unbelievable that Mirrodin revisited will have the effect on Legacy that the original Mirrodin had on Vintage. There are some pretty wicked cards coming out of this set like Tezz 2.0 and Revoker. Depending on what else is spoiled, there be some could be serious impact on the format.

Yes, my thoughs almost exactly. Though I'm not sure about the comparisons between effects of Mirrodin on Vitange and this set on Legacy. There woould have be some more serious hotness spoiled for that to happen. Either way, this looks to be a powerful set for Legacy. :D. I personally like this Tezz and think it will give Affinily a huge boost. We might even have to start SB'ing Null Rod :P

[dahcmai]

I build a little proxied up deck to try out an idea. It's hilarious, but scary. You just power him out with Chrome Mox, Mox Opal, Voltaic Key, Grim Monolith, and crap like that and start wailing on people. When you start sending 5/5's over to people on turn 2, now that's funny. Turn 3 obviously is simple enough. It's actually kind of scary. Just burn him up sending over 5/5's and most decks don't really handle that all that well. Use him every other turn and he's still pretty good, just not as stupidly explosive.

It may not be consistent or even good at all, but it does kind of show you what can be done. I kind of like this guy and I'll call him good enough for Legacy. He's just going to be only good in a really heavy artifact build. I will probably end up using him in a deck with Humility since I have a thing for pissing people off with rules complications.

Oh and he's pretty damned amazing if you can hit a Etched Champion then drop another Artifact to metalcraft him.

[Jeff Kruchkow]

Obviously it's been said but... Stax shell. Seriously it's everything that deck needs. Its draw/filtering to keep you from drawing blanks, it can turn blanks (spare Trini and whatnot) into finishers and the ultimate can help you win a match in 60 minutes. So long as the mana base can support him, Tezz 2.0 is straight nuts.

[DragoFireheart]

Someone is going to break this dude...

U/B Affinity I suppose.

[The Big Ragu]

I'm extremely delighted by the card. Extremely well designed. However, I don't think players should be attempting to build around it. This is the card that should top off your deck, not slow it down by its high cost. 1 - 2 seems like the appropriate number for an affinity deck to use.

[nedleeds]

Turning my chalice on 1 into an unplowable and unfirespoutable 5/5 man on turn 2 seems OK.

[NukeMoose]

I agree with the others that have said this is the effect that Stax needs to shine. It's card filtering, CA to win the permanent war, *and* it makes threats to end the game in a timely fashion. The only problem is the double color mana cost, but if W Stax can run Humility then I don't see why we can't find a way to run this.

Tezz Stacks

4 Goblin Welder
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Tangle Wire
4 Trinisphere
4 Crucible of Worlds
4 Smokestack
4 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

4 Mox Diamond
4 Dimir Signet
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Wasteland
3 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest

[death]

Yea, he's pretty good actually. Screw Stax lol, the two main possibilities I see for him are either 1) Affinity without Glimpse, aiming to cast him by turn 3 or 4 and 2) a UBW or UBG counter-top deck built with thopter foundry and Bob. The big thing is Jace hogs this guy's mana slot, but I'm pretty sure he's better than Elspeth if you adjust the deck a little for him and can afford to splash black.

I've been tinkering with U-Stax lately and i don't see this guy replacing Tezz 1.0 and warp the deck into u/B.

Affinity can win games already without this new Tezz.. he's a mere win-more

I think you hit the nail on the spot with U/B(x) Counter-Thopter.

Cheers

[jamied1981]

I ended up getting two Chinese foil, and I'm playing 1 in my welder Reanimator, just to help if humility hits

[atv]

Looks like Tezz got the Chandra treatment. The new version is worse on many levels than the old one

I wouldn't count out the new Tezz so soon. At least in Standard/Extended he seems more potent than the old version (of course, that has something to do with the new artifact block).

[SlopeeJ]

Affinity can win games already without this new Tezz.. he's a mere win-more

Not sure I agree with the win more... Affinity blows it load really fast(not to mention the shitty memnite ornithoper hands) and Champion can clog the ground with Tezz winning the game for you. He really shines in certain matchups as a second win condition.

[bruizar]

Not sure I agree with the win more... Affinity blows it load really fast(not to mention the shitty memnite ornithoper hands) and Champion can clog the ground with Tezz winning the game for you. He really shines in certain matchups as a second win condition.

are you saying memnites and ornithopters are premature ejaculators?

[nedleeds]

Why make anything other than a chalice on 1 a 5/5? Orni's and Meninites just equip C-Plate.

[Meekrab]

Why make anything other than a chalice on 1 a 5/5? Orni's and Meninites just equip C-Plate.
Sometimes I also have a Chalice on 2? :)