Grand Architect

[kombatkiwi]

4 Grand Architect
4 Pili-Pala
4 Myr Superion
2 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Treasure Mage
3 Spellskite
3 Vedalken Engineer

1 Lightning Greaves
4 AEther Vial
4 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Mindslaver
1 Viridian Longbow
1 Planar Portal
2 Vedalken Shackles

21 Island
1 Academy Ruins

Grand Architect does a lot of things. The most important thing here is the combo with Pili-Pala. Use Grand Architect to make Pili-Pala blue. Tap the Pili-Pala for mana using the Architect's ability then untap it for mana using the Pili-Pala ability. Repeat until you have infinite mana. This allows you to go off as early as turn 3:

Turn 2: Pili Pala
Turn 3: Attack with Pili-Pala. Cast Grand Architect. Tap Architect to untap Pili-Pala, making a blue mana. Spend the blue mana to make Pili-Pala blue. Infinite mana.

This combo is comparable to Splinter Twin, which is interesting

Pros compared to twin:
-You can go off a turn earlier (because the pieces cost 2/3 mana instead of 3/4)
-You can't get 2-for-1ed by removal (you never have to put an aura on anything)

Cons compared to twin:
-Infinite mana doesn't actually win you the game on its own, you need something else to go with it.
-None of the pieces have flash so passing the turn with untapped mana isn't as threatening.

(There are other more marginal things like interaction with opposing Spellskites and Stony Silence / Torpor Orb)

The Pili-Pala combo has been known since Grand Architect got spoiled but a lot of the decks trying to win with it have been really dedicated, trying to assemble the combo as quickly as possible using transmute cards and cantrips. This basically makes the deck just a worse version of twin due to the additional wincon card required. My build is more about making better use of Grand Architect because its ability is really strong (Almost metalworker-esque) even if you aren't using it to just combo off and win immediately.

The rest of the creatures:

Treasure Mage: Treasure Mage has great synergy with Grand Architect, ramping your mana and finding stuff to spend it on.

Wurmcoil: Resolving a wurmcoil usually just puts the nail in the coffin for anything midrange/zoo (watch out for Path to Exile).

Spellskite: 2 mana artifacts are perfect to drop into play with Architect. Spellskite protects the combo, protects Wurms from Path, blocks early rushes, redirects Ravager triggers, redirects burn from your face, is good against auras (twin/bogle) and you can make it blue with Architect to ramp into other things.

Myr Superion: The artifact Tarmogoyf. Usually bigger than actual Tarmogoyf. Making it blue with Architect makes it a 6/7 at which point it is almost certainly bigger than actual Tarmogoyf. It can easily win games on its own and at worst it's a removal magnet to protect your higher-utility things.

Vedalken Engineer: Unfortunately you can only play 4 Grand Architects so this is Architect 5-7. Unfortunately with an Architect in play this is strictly worse than Merfolk of the Pearl Trident but you need a certain density of stuff that helps you cast your Myr Superions and Wurmcoils even when you don't draw into your Architects. (Otherwise I would play something like Etherium Sculptor in this slot)


The Spells:

Planar Portal / Longbow: This is how you win with the Pili-Pala combo. I wanted a 6+ mana way to utilize the combo (because of Treasure Mage) and the only thing I could find was Hair-Strung-Koto, which unfortunately doesn't kill anybody with an Emrakul in their deck. But then I realised that I have infinite mana (durr) so I can just play Planar Portal and win with anything. Longbow looks weird (you have infinite mana so you can keep untapping Pili-Pala with its own ability and ping them over and over) but it's a semi-reasonable card to draw on its own, unlike Banefire or something. Planar Portal also looks crap but the deck can make a lot of mana through Architect so it isn't the worst card to just naturally draw into.

Mindslaver/Greaves: Niche 1-ofs that aren't terrible, maybe they shouldn't be in the deck but I thought I should give them a try.

AEther Vial: Allows you to flash in Pili-Pala and Grand Architect and combo people from nowhere. It's another way to get Myr Superion onto the battlefield, which is important. And you have a lot of creatures in the deck so it's a good way to play out your Treasure Mages and such without getting bottlenecked on mana. In dire manascrew situations you can tick it up to 6 in order to put Wurmcoil Engines into play.

TFK: Good card advantage spell. Lategame you can pitch multiples of Pili-Pala or Vials that aren't doing anything. Some form of card draw is also useful after you combo off in order to dig through your deck and find a wincon.

Shackles: Just a really good card. Castable off Architects, gives you a way to remove your opponents creatures (against Twin/Pod this is obviously very important, randomly stealing something like a Goblin Electromancer is also what you need to do sometimes), and against any sort of creature deck you just take their biggest guy and go to town on their smaller ones

Lands
1 Academy because why not (Mindslaver? Hurr) and lots of Islands because Shackles


Things to consider:
-Do you even want to play 4 Pili Palas? You could take the deck in quite a different direction, cutting them down to 1 or 2 and adding Kuldotha Forgemaster or something. There are also a lot of other interesting things you can build around with Architect, like Trinket Mage packages or some sort of Esperzoa etb value build

It's fun and doesn't seem completely awful but I was just wondering if you guys had any suggestions

[Mr. Safety]

Blue sun's zenith seems to be a really good card for this deck. Fabricate seems fairly powerful too.

Also, 'large peepee' would be a hilarious name for this. Super schlong, big dick, massive member, colossal cock, or big brass baloney would be acceptable as well.

[CaptainTwiddle]

I really like Grand Architect and have been looking at brewing a Modern list incorporating it. The combo with Pili-Pala is cute, but I think it might be a trap, as Pili-Pala is pretty terrible on it's own. Focusing on the combo seems to bleed a lot of the power from the Architect itself. I played a U/b Architect deck during Scars/Innistrad Standard to good effect which played much more like a MUD deck (i.e. powering out huge, hard to answer threats). The other key card for such a strategy is Heartless Summoning. Unfortunately, you can't merge the two strategies (Pili-Pala + Heartless) very effectively, as Heartless kills off Pili-Pala. Here's a tentative list and a card-by-card analysis of things I've considered.

Heartless Architect
CREATURES
4 Grand Architect
4 Myr Superion
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Spellskite
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Sundering Titan
4 Treasure Mage
3 Wurmcoil Engine
SPELLS
4 Heartless Summoning
1 Mindslaver
2 Serum Visions
1 Spine of Ish Sah
4 Thoughtseize
LAND
1 Academy Ruins
4 Darkslick Shores
6 Island
2 Phyrexia's Core
4 Underground River
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Swamp
4 Watery Grave

Grand Architect - The cornerstone of the deck, allows for ramping into absurdly powerful things and can mess with combat by allowing you to turn your colorless robots into blue creatures and get +1/+1 (possibly multiple pumps, if more than one Architect is involved).

Myr Superion - I'm a bit on the fence about this guy. In Standard, he was a beating. You can cast him by tapping a creature to generate mana via Architect or just play him for free under Heartless Summoning. While it's infrequent, there are the games where you play Heartless Summoning on turn two and just drop 2-3 Superions, which is hard for any fair deck to keep up with.

Phyrexian Metamorph - This cards is so powerful in this type of deck, as it gives you multiple, powerful lines of play. You can just copy Wurmcoil Engine and beat down, copy Grand Architect and start amassing an army of "lords" all pumping each other, or copy Spine and blow up a permanent. This last option is particularly good, because if you then sacrifice the Metamorph copying Spine, it will return to your hand per Spine's triggered ability, thereby allowing you to copy something more proactive. When playing this deck in Standard, I often set up board states that were stalemates until I was able to recur Metamorph copying Spine then copy a random creature and start beating down.

Solemn Simulacrum - A decent value creature. You can accelerate him out, accelerate your mana production, and throw him in the way of something to draw a card. He might be a bit slow for Modern and requires you to play a significant number of basic lands, which may or may not be an issue.

Spellskite - A solid piece of protection for your more important creatures/artifacts that can be cast for "free" with Architect/Heartless Summoning and can be used to ramp your mana with Architect as well.

Steel Hellkite - A more situational monster, but completely capable of destroying opposing boards. Hellkite also represents a very fast clock when you're able to use Architect to generate a ton of mana with which to pump the dragon.

Sundering Titan - While a little harder to ramp to, Titan's effect is potentially game winning. I'd probably just play a single copy, as you have Treasure Mage to find it.

Treasure Mage - The third "combo" card, in a sense. Treasure Mage plays double roles; it tutors for your bombs and acts as a mana source with Architect in play. A powerful line with the deck can be turn 2 Heartless Summoning into turn 3 Grand Architect (paying UU), Treasure Mage (paying U), find and play Wurmcoil/Steel Hellkite (paying 4 by tapping Architect and Mage).

Wurmcoil Engine - Your general super solid artifact beatstick. Under a Heartless Summoning it's still a 5/5 Deathtouch with Lifelink. It allows you to race and oftentimes outright crush aggro. It is vulnerable to Path to Exile, but we have some tools at our disposal to help with that.

Heartless Summoning - The other "combo" card. It's quite powerful on it's own in the right deck, but when combined with Architect, you can do some truly powerful things.

Mindslaver - A powerful effect that potentially wins the game with a singles us, but can be combined with Academy Ruins for a game winning lock.

Serum Visions - This is mostly just to have some action of turn one, but it also helps dig for Architect/Heartless.

Spine of Ish Sah - While fairly expensive for the effect, the power of Spine lies in the ability to recur and reuse it's ability through various means, such as Metamorph or Phyrexia's Core.

Thoughtseize - Disruption to fight against the faster combo decks. Also, the deck doesn't really have anything else to do on turn one.

Academy Ruins - At best, you can achieve Mindslaver lock, but outside of that, recurring just about anything can be useful.

Phyrexia's Core - A sacrifice outlet that enables the above mentioned Metamorph/Spine shenanigans without taking up a spell slot. It also provide a means to extract value from a Wurmcoil in response to a Path to Exile.

Food for thought:

If there is some reasonable way to bounce/sacrifice/destroy Heartless Summoning at instant speed, it could be potentially useful as a combat trick or as means of facilitating an alpha strike. Also, there are times when you've played to a board state than can produce ample mana and removing the -1/-1 from Heartless would simply be of more value than the mana discount. So far, the only thing I can think of that fulfills this role to any degree while still providing synergy with the rest of deck is Spine of Ish Sah (not instant speed and fairly expensive).

Concerning the sideboard:

I don't think it pays to worry about the sideboard too much until the maindeck is formed, but one thing to consider would be a Trinket Mage package, as it works in a similar way to Treasure Mage and can provide additional virtual copies of sideboard cards, such as Relic of Progenitus, Tormod's Crypt, Nihil Spellbomb (probably the best of the 3 graveyard removal artifacts for this deck), and Pithing Needle.

Additional sideboard options might include:

Staff of Nin - Card draw engine for grindy matchups and the utility of a "ping" effect.
Duplicant - Emrakul got you down? Duplicant is your man. Probably a sideboard option.
Contagion Engine - Works as a sweeper against swarm strategies. The value increases significantly if you have something worth proliferating (Tezzeret? Liliana?). Probably best in the sideboard.
Dismember - Sometimes, you just need removal.

[apple713]

shouldn't lodestone be an auto include in this list?

[CaptainTwiddle]

shouldn't lodestone be an auto include in this list?

That's a good question; one that I've asked myself repeatedly. There are a few strikes against Lodestone Golem.

1) Lightning Bolt is the most commonly played card in Modern. Unlike Legacy MUD, these Architect decks don't play Chalice of the Void, so Lodestone Golem seems pretty fragile.

2) Grand Architect and Treasure Mage aren't artifacts, and making them cost more (especially the Mage) makes them much less appealing.

Be that as it may, the Golem might be nuts, especially in combination with Phyrexian Metamorph. I do think Lodestone might be really solid in the Pili-Pala build, where it provides your combo some added protection.

[YamiJoey]

This is a quick port over from my Standard build.
I've cut the Mana Leaks and Ponders for Visions and Sleights, and thrown in a Sundering Titan. I've cut out some of the weaker Spells like Solemn Simulacrum for Thoughtseizes. I really loved this deck, so here goes:

Creatures: 19
2 Spellskite
4 Grand Architect
4 Treasure Mage
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Sundering Titan

Other Spells: 19
4 Serum Visions
4 Sleight of Hand
4 Thoughtseize
4 Heartless Summoning
3 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

Lands:
5 Island
1 Swamp
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Academy Ruins
3 Creeping Tar Pit
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
4 Watery Grave
1 Sunken Ruin

[Dissolution]

Looks similar to my GrandMaster list: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/modern-deck-creation/491123-grandmaster
I really liked the Master of Etheriums for additional aggro. Also, Thassa has been amazing at getting past ground-stalls and smoothing draws.
-T

[CaptainTwiddle]

I've been contemplating yet another Architect build. After debating about whether or not Lodestone Golem deserved a slot in the deck, I thought about the idea of making more of a prison build. I also thought about going mono blue and eschewing Heartless Summoning for Etherium Sculptor. Here's a tentative list for what I'm calling Prison Architect.

Prison Architect
CREATURES
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Grand Architect
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Master of Etherium
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
? Pili-Pala
3 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Spellskite
2 Steel Hellkite
2 Wurmcoil Engine
SPELLS
4 Thorn of Amethyst
LAND
(23 or so, mostly Islands)

Thoughts/Concerns - The core of the deck's strategy is using Lodestone Golem, Thorn of Amethyst, and Phyrexian Metamorph (copying either) to simply make your opponent unable to efficiently cast their spells, while you overrun them with large robots. Note that there is room in the list for Pili-Pala, allowing the combo with Grand Architect. However, finding a use for the infinite mana is the hard part. Steel Hellkite can serve as a mana sink, allowing you to win by giving an infinite +X/+0, but it definitely makes the combo more frail, as it requires the attack step. The problem with any other options was that they typically weren't very good on their own.

[kombatkiwi]

Heartless Summoning seems okay but the cost of splashing black is real and I'm not convinced that you can cast a bunch of stuff in one turn so regularly that it's better than Vedalken Engineer

I don't like Golem because it's difficult to put it into play early enough to be really effective, and there are enough decks in the format that Thorn doesn't affect that it just seems not very good.

I sort of understand the appeal of Master of Etherium (It's blue! It's an artifact! It pumps your other artifacts!) but Architect and Master seem pull the deck in very different directions. When your master is like a 7/7 and it's pumping a stack of memnites, then great. When it's like a 4/4 and all it's doing is giving Wurmcoil +1/+1, seems meh (especially in the last list which cut Treasure Mage)

-I like the idea of Metamorph and Solemn
-Steel Hellkite seems decent

[auspiciousTactician]

Was directed here in another thread, so I'll post some of my developments. First, here's the list I've done some testing with.

// Creatures - 17
4 Grand Architect
4 Etherium Sculptor
4 Pili-Pala
3 Steel Hellkite
2 Wurmcoil Engine

// Spells - 17
3 Batterskull
4 Blue Sun's Zenith
4 Mana Leak
4 Remand
4 Spell Snare

// Land - 26
26 Island


For some notes on my list compared to the OP's. I think OP's wincon is a bit to clunky and is pretty dead if drawn without the combo. Blue Sun's Zenith, while the cc is a little pricey, is useful even if you don't have the combo up, can kill Emrakul decks as you're not actually milling them, and can get around Leyline of Sanctity by allowing you to draw into a Steel Hellkite or something similar.


One major addition to the deck I've been considering is Painter's Servant. If you call red, Veldalken Outcast, and Sphinx of the Steel Wind all become incredibly hard to deal with and Akroma's Memorial makes your other creatures awesome. I think Sphinx of the Steel Wind becomes a star here as it'll attack and block without worrying about removal, all while bumping up your life total.

[Phoenix Ignition]

I just tried this out and I don't think the list is good enough yet. Pili-Pala and Blue Sun's Zenith are both pretty bad if you don't have "the combo" going with GA. I had games with PP out and BSZ in my hand where you don't get the GA and just sit there not being able to do anything. Without running 4x of each of those I don't think you'll see them often enough, but at the same time having 8 pretty dead cards (paying 4 to draw a card is soooo not what you want to do) without hitting Grand Architect is awful, and pair that with the fact that not only do they have to live through the opponent's instant speed removal spells AND that you need PP to not have summoning sickness still, and I think the odds are stacked against this ever working.

That said, some things you could do are run Vedalken Shackles, as GA's mana does work for casting that with it's ability, and it shuts some decks down hard. Etherium Sculptor is probably the first thing I'd cut, as even though making stuff cheap is good, him alone still doesn't do enough. I think you really want Thirst for Knowledge in here, as instant speed draw 3 for 3 mana can really help you find your combo pieces.

[CaptainTwiddle]

I'm becoming more solidified in my opinion that the Pili-Pala combo is NOT what you want to be doing. The card is just so terrible outside of the combo and trying to force the combo just makes your deck a much worse combo deck than anything else in Modern. I think either the Heartless Summoning or prison (e.g. Lodestone Golem) builds are the route to go.

[FTW]

If you did go the combo deck (or even not), you can protect yourself with a bunch of 2cc resistors:

Thorn of Amethyst
Defense Grid
Phyrexian Revoker
Spellskite


If you're not playing combo but just profit, the resistors seem pretty good too, Revoker and Thorn and Lodestone Golem for sure.

[CaptainTwiddle]

My original "Heartless Architect" list for reference:



Heartless Architect
CREATURES
4 Grand Architect
4 Myr Superion
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Spellskite
1 Steel Hellkite
1 Sundering Titan
4 Treasure Mage
3 Wurmcoil Engine
SPELLS
4 Heartless Summoning
1 Mindslaver
2 Serum Visions
1 Spine of Ish Sah
4 Thoughtseize
LAND
1 Academy Ruins
4 Darkslick Shores
6 Island
2 Phyrexia's Core
4 Underground River
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Swamp
4 Watery Grave



I'm thinking of making the following changes:

-1 Sundering Titan - while potentially game-winning, I feel that there are enough non-shocklands in the format that he isn't guaranteed to to shine. I want to avoid dead draws.
-2 Solemn Simulacrum - He was better in Standard where you were assured to get into creature fights.
-1 Phyrexian Metamorph - I don't want to cut this, but it's the only cut that doesn't really remove an effect from the deck.
+4 Lodestone Golem - He can be played turn 3 (T2 Heartless Summoning, T3 Architect, tap Architect, play Lodestone, pay U to make Lodestone blue, tap for 2 and play another Lodestone...BOOM!)

I've also considered trying to fit in Vedalken Shackles, but I think it would require fitting more Islands into the mana base. For the time being, I think that Lodestone Golem fills a similar role, as you can theoretically just prevent opposing creatures from being played.

My biggest issue with the deck remains the lack of a relevant turn one play. Thoughtseize seems like the best option, as you're not guaranteed a fast start, and Thoughtseize can buy you a turn or two. Serum Visions seems like the next best play, but it's pretty blah after turn one, especially i've you've got Lodestone(s) in play.

I keep thinking about Etherium Sculptor, but it sits awkwardly on the curve. It seems like a perfect pairing with Grant Architect, by being a blue artifact creature that reduces the cost of your other artifacts by 1. The issue is that it doesn't reduce the cost of Architect, so even if you curve into T2 Sculptor, T3 Architect, all you can really do is cast a nonexistent 5 drop. Now, if Lodestone Golem is in the list, you can play it turn 3 off of Sculptor alone or after playing an Architect. So, that's nice, but it's pretty narrow, and I'm not sure how much value the -1 to costs really is, as Architect + Heartless provides more than enough casting power.

[Phoenix Ignition]

I like your new list a lot more than the mono blue one I just tried out, and I'll buy it online to test it out if nothing is ludicrously overpriced.

Just first thoughts though is you still should be playing Vedalken Shackles. It wins games by itself and the only concessions you have to make to play it are to change your manabase up a bit. I'd consider something like this instead of what you have right now (yeah, it sucks losing some tech like Mirrodin's Core but it is totally worth it for VS).

23 lands:
7 Blue Fetches
6 Islands
1 Swamp
4 Watery Grave
1 Urborg, Tomb of yawgmoth
1 Academy Ruins
3 Tectonic Edge (you're playing Lodestone Golems, make them worth it!)

You have a decent amount of colorless casting costs so I'm not too worried about having Tec Edges and Academy Ruins in there.

This manabase would allow you to capitalize on both Lodestone and Vedalken Shackles.

From there I'd add 2-3 Shackles, as it slows down most opponents immensely while you get to your late game bombs. Probably cut solemns all together but I won't say for sure until I test it.

EDIT: No need for Urborg Tomb, you never need 2 black mana.

[CaptainTwiddle]

I like your new list a lot more than the mono blue one I just tried out, and I'll buy it online to test it out if nothing is ludicrously overpriced.

Just first thoughts though is you still should be playing Vedalken Shackles. It wins games by itself and the only concessions you have to make to play it are to change your manabase up a bit. I'd consider something like this instead of what you have right now (yeah, it sucks losing some tech like Mirrodin's Core but it is totally worth it for VS).

23 lands:
7 Blue Fetches
6 Islands
1 Swamp
4 Watery Grave
1 Urborg, Tomb of yawgmoth
1 Academy Ruins
3 Tectonic Edge (you're playing Lodestone Golems, make them worth it!)

You have a decent amount of colorless casting costs so I'm not too worried about having Tec Edges and Academy Ruins in there.

This manabase would allow you to capitalize on both Lodestone and Vedalken Shackles.

From there I'd add 2-3 Shackles, as it slows down most opponents immensely while you get to your late game bombs. Probably cut solemns all together but I won't say for sure until I test it.

EDIT: No need for Urborg Tomb, you never need 2 black mana.

The Urborg was mostly to avoid taking pain from Underground River and to possibly facilitate some sideboard cards, but it's probably not needed. The reason I included so many black sources despite there only being 8 black cards in the maindeck (each only needing a single B to cast) is because your ideal turn one play is Thoughtseize and turn two is Heartless Summoning.

I think a mono-blue version could be viable as well, where Shackles would obviously shine. I'd probably run Thorn of Amethyst in that list.

Let us know how your testing goes. I don't get a chance to play as much Modern as I'd like and my online collection is super small, so Modern hasn't been part of my MTGO gambit thus far.

[Phoenix Ignition]

The Urborg was mostly to avoid taking pain from Underground River and to possibly facilitate some sideboard cards, but it's probably not needed. The reason I included so many black sources despite there only being 8 black cards in the maindeck (each only needing a single B to cast) is because your ideal turn one play is Thoughtseize and turn two is Heartless Summoning.
In that case it'd be just as good to have a Swamp in that place, right? I never saw myself needing to cast 2 of the up to 8 black spells on the same turn.

So my testing has made it clear to me that Myr is completely underwhelming. If you live the dream and drop him on turn 2 with Heartless, you get a 4/5. That's not that great considering a 5 turn clock starting on turn 3 will hardly win you the game against most decks. I like Treasure mage, and am thinking of even grabbing some Trinket Mages for a bit of tech and another mostly free creature that gives you value. Myr sounds good on paper, but when you run him into the following decks:
Tron: probably your best matchup to have him, but killing them on turn 7 isn't likely without them killing you.
Splinter twin: Again, not a fast enough clock
Storm: pretty good here, since it's a decently fast clock and we can use stuff like Lodestone to slow them down
BGx: Bad, Goyfs are going to be 5-6 power with their hand hate and our artifacts + enchantments
Pod: Bad, a million Chump blockers

The main reason I don't like him is you do need to hit one of your 8 enablers and waiting to do that without enough card sifting/drawing means you likely won't have him out very early. The later the game goes on the worse he gets, and unless you get multiples early (really living the dream) you won't win with him. If his starting power/toughness was 6/7 then I think we might be a little better off with goyf battling and racing stuff, but as is I'm taking him out completely.

Vedalken Shackles has been an amazing card, as I'm running enough lands to steal people's Wurmcoils (got lucky it took that long to cast it, but still awesome). It's something that almost every deck needs an immediate answer for or you just chump their creatures into the ground, and I think it's a mistake to overlook it for whatever reason. Even if by turn 6 you only have 3 islands out, that's most of the creatures in the format that you can steal (or at least steal to chump block with).

Still testing though, I'll post a list in progress sometime when I get a better idea of where i'm going with this deck.

[Phoenix Ignition]

Alright I've given it my best.

Myr Superion isn't playable without a major reworking. With multiples and a Heartless Summoning, it's deceptively good, but with only 8 ways to play it you can't count on getting it out early -- and that's the only time a vanilla 4/5 (or 5/6, but at least one turn later) is useful. Late game it's outpaced by fair deck's creatures or doesn't throw a wrench into combo's gears. I would only play him if there were more than 8 ways of playing him. 8 isn't reliable enough, and I'm wondering if something like Muddle the Mixture would make it more playable. Only problem with that is it costs 3 to transmute and that means we still run into the turn 4 :2: drop. For now I'm giving up on it, and I realize that's going to remap what niche this deck fits in.

Heartless Summoning still feels very powerful, as it turns Treasure Mages into powerhouse card advantage. It doesn't quite make up for the fact that we're playing 6 cost creatures, but without it the deck runs clunky. Multiples are awful, so something like Thirst for Knowledge may hold some added bonuses to this deck. It's a great way to get cheaper creatures, and almost better than landing a Grand Architect.

With HS, I feel like the Treasure Mage is so powerful I want to add in Trinket Mages as well. The package for them that I've run in tezzeret decks is actually quite good against the random assortment of Modern decks. I'd add these cards: Chalice of the Void, Executioner's Capsule, Relic of Progenitus, and possibly a Pithing Needle. With these you also get some awesome sideboard cards in Elixir of Immortality against burn, easier access to Pithing Needles against many decks, Nihil Spellbomb for storm/living end, and Grafdigger's Cages for Pod decks. With Trinket Mages your ability to withstand games where you don't get a fast combo out in Heartless Summoning or Grand Architect goes way up. You can actually grind out the slow game against some of the more common decks out there.

Speaking of grinding out games where you don't get your 8 gas cards going, Vedalken Shackles is an absolute must have. Like seriously, this card is just nuts, and the opponent will spend so many resources fighting it that you'll just be able to stumble into your higher cost cards.

Here's my current list. It's not polished by any means, but the addition of the cards I just mentioned lets you have some game against decks that can discard or kill your 8 speed cards.


1 Chalice of the void
4 Serum Visions
4 Thoughtseize
1 Executioner's Capsule
1 Relic of Progenitus

4 Heartless Summoning
2 Spellskite

4 Treasure Mage
2 Trinket Mage
4 Grand Architect
2 Vedalken Shackles

3 Lodestone Golem
1 Phyrexian Metamorph

2 Steel Hellkite
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Spine of Ish Sah

23 lands
1 Academy Ruins
6 Islands
2 Marsh Flats
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Scalding Tarn
1 Seamp
3 Tectonic Edge
4 Watery Grave

Spine of Ish Sah hasn't been good for me, I will probably remove it for something more relevant since a 7 cost kill spell isn't worth it. I didn't have Mindslaver's on MTGO so I expect that to be better for the slot, and maybe we can even live the dream with recurring it on 1 Academy Ruins.

[CaptainTwiddle]

Myr Superion isn't playable without a major reworking...

I agree. Myr was good in Standard, but Tarmogoyf and friends make Modern a much more hostile world.


With HS, I feel like the Treasure Mage is so powerful I want to add in Trinket Mages as well...

I had considered Trinket Mage, but didn't really want to run any trinkets in the main. So, I had been running x2 Trinkets in the sideboard, basically acting as extra copies of other boarded trinkets (similar to how Legacy Death and Taxes decks will run x2 Enlightened Tutor in their board), which allows you to effectively play more cards.


Speaking of grinding out games where you don't get your 8 gas cards going, Vedalken Shackles is an absolute must have. Like seriously, this card is just nuts, and the opponent will spend so many resources fighting it that you'll just be able to stumble into your higher cost cards.

Yeah, I'll definitely be including 1-2 Shackles the next time I sleeve this deck up.


Spine of Ish Sah hasn't been good for me, I will probably remove it for something more relevant since a 7 cost kill spell isn't worth it. I didn't have Mindslaver's on MTGO so I expect that to be better for the slot, and maybe we can even live the dream with recurring it on 1 Academy Ruins.

I may have been clinging to to Spine as a pet card. If we eliminate it, then there isn't much reason to play Phyrexia's Core, so I'd probably trim down to one (I still like having one to sac Wurmcoil in response to a Path to Exile). This allows us to play one more Island, thereby improving Shackles' efficacy. Now, this might be way too cute to consider, but maybe this deck could afford to run a single copy of Memnarch. With Grand Architect powering up your mana production, it basically turns into "UUU, tap 2 creatures: Gain control of target permanent."

[CaptainTwiddle]

I finally built a version of Heartless Architect on MTGO and have been running it through a bunch of matches in the practice room. Here's my current list:

Heartless Architect
CREATURES
1 Duplicant
2 Etherium Sculptor
4 Grand Architect
4 Lodestone Golem
1 Molten-Tail Masticore
3 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Spellskite
1 Steel Hellkite
4 Treasure Mage
2 Wurmcoil Engine
SPELLS
4 Heartless Summoning
4 Serum Visions
1 Staff of Nin
2 Thoughtseize
LAND
1 Academy Ruins
4 Darkslick Shores
8 Island
2 Phyrexia's Core
4 Underground River
4 Watery Grave


Not a whole lot of changes from my original list (third post in thread), but the ones made are significant.

Duplicant was added as a Treasure Mage target. I've been very pleased with it. It's amazing with Phyrexian Metamorph as a way to dismantle an opposing team. That being said, make sure you know exactly how the power/toughness of imprinted creatures is figured (e.g. Tarmogoyf's stats flux even while it's imprinted) and remember to factor in the -1/-1 from your Heartless Summoning.

Etherium Sculptor has been added. I tried it as a x4 and that was far too much. It basically functions as a weaker version of Heartless Summoning, but without the sometimes relevant -1/-1 attached. Turn 2 Sculptor is another way to play a turn 3 Lodestone Golem (ideally after first playing a Grand Architect). Dropping Lodestone on turn 3 is very good for keeping a number of decks from going off on their critical turn. It's also nice to lead with Sculptor as many opponents will burn a removal spell on it because of their fear of the unknown, which increases the odds that an Architect resolved afterwards will stick.

Molten-Tail Masticore is a fine singleton. It's an MVP in matchups against fair decks. It also provides an answer, though somewhat conditionally, to planeswalkers.

Solemn Simulacrum seemed like it'd be too slow for Modern at first thought, but I was wrong. It's an excellent speedbump against opposing creatures. Sometimes it will hold of an attack as your opponent fears you drawing additional cards, which is awesome, because the added time can allow you to drop an Architect, make the Solemn blue, and power out a Wurmcoil/Hellkite.

Phyrexia's Core started as x1 in my first online build and I ended up adding another in place of the basic Swamp, as the Swamp was basically a colorless land after turn 2 anyway. After several dozen matches I realized I really wanted another Core as a way to save my Wurmcoils from Path to Exile, to sac my Solemns on demand, to avoid losing multiple copies of things to Detention Sphere, and to avoid the damage from Smash to Smithereens, as well as a bunch of other corner cases.

Things that I tried and didn't care for:

Mindslaver - As cute as the idea of Slaver-locking someone was, it was just too hard to pull off. It's really mana intensive, even for this deck, and I didn't like any of the options available to tutor for Academy Ruins.

Sundering Titan started in my maindeck, moved to my sideboard, and then got cut altogether. It's just not as powerful in Modern as it is in Legacy, as people are playing lands that don't have basic types, and you really don't want to blow up your own lands...ever.

Spine of Ish Sah - Another card I started with MD, moved to the board, then cut. It just didn't seem high impact enough. With the exception of planeswalkers, most of the permanents I'd be destroying were creatures, so Duplicant just seemed to be a better option.

My current sideboard:

1 Contagion Engine
2 Defense Grid
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Executioner's Capsule
1 Grafdigger's Cage
1 Memnarch
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Pithing Needle
2 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Thoughtseize
2 Trinket Mage


I borrowed a little wisdom from Legacy Death and Taxes for the board. Similar to their use of Enlightened Tutor, by including x2 Trinket Mage I have access to additional virtual copies of several other cards, which allows me to save on the total number of slots devoted to those effects. Trinket Mage also has added use after he's searched up a goody, as he can be tapped for mana with Grand Architect.

The only cards that are sort of iffy for me in the board are Contagion Engine and Memnarch. The engine doesn't come in all that often, and might be better as another Engineered Explosives or possibly a Ratchet Bomb (though I think Explosives is the better of the two). That being said, Contagion Engine is probably the most situationally powerful card in the 75. For example, against a Junk deck (running Aether Vial and "good" creatures), I was stone dead to a board of Blade Splicers, Golems, Thalia, and a Restoration Angel, but a topdecked Contagion Engine, which I was then able to immediately activate, left my opponent with only a 0/1 Resto Angel, allowing my lifelink wurm tokens to start swinging, and ultimately the game was mine.

Memnarch probably is not worth the slot, but he has won me a few games against Blue Tron decks, coming down out of nowhere and stealing a Platinum Angel.

As far as decks I've played against multiple times, Storm (UR Pyromancer Ascension) and Burn are among some of the more difficult matchups. Storm always feels very lopsided. Game one, either they combo off on turn 3-4 or you quickly deploy/copy multiple Lodestone Golems and prevent them from casting much at all. Post board you have Thorn of Amethyst and a graveyard hate/Trinket Mage package to help. The problem card they present is Goblin Electromancer, as it negates the effect of a Thorn/Lodestone. I also typically bring in Engineered Explosives as a way to potentially blow up an Electromancer and Pyromancer Ascension or possibly a bunch of goblin tokens from Empty the Warrens. As for Burn, they're often just too fast and Skullcrack hoses Wurmcoil Engine's lifelink with surprising regularity. Post-board, Smash to Smithereens really hurts. My thought to improve both of these matchups is to put 1-2 Chalice of the Void in the board. Chalice on X=1 shuts down the majority of both decks, but they do have answers at two mana (Smash to Smithereens from Burn and Echoing Truth from Storm). That's probably OK though, as it's really just a matter of buying time to play out Lodestones and put the game out of reach. Alternatively, I could up the number of Thorns in the board as well (these typically come in in place of Thoughtseize).

[JPTyson]

Figured I would try to contribute to the discussion, this is the current list I am trying to work on using the combo. I wanted to find a way to get the infinite mana combo off... however it is very fragile. So I wanted to take some reliance off of the combo while still be able to possibly be able to get it off while still putting out aggro threats.

Creatures: 18
4 Grand Architect
1 Pili-Pala
4 Treasure Mage
3 Wurmcoil Engine
3 Myr Superion
3 Snapcaster Mage

Other Spells: 20
1 Aether Vial
3 Thoughtseize
3 Muddle the Mixture
3 Spell Peirce
3 Mana Leak
2 Fabricate
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
2 Diabolic Tutor
2 Gitaxian Probe

Lands: 22
3 Creeping Tar Pit
4 Drowned Catacombs
4 Watery Graves
2 Academy Ruins
9 Islands

Basically I wanted to be able to be able to combo if I got the opportunity but be able to be a scary with my wurmcoil beatstick if needed.
Academy Ruins to bring back artifacts
Tar Pits become a 4/3 unblockable with architect
Blue Sun's Zenith as a combo wincon
Fabricate to search out the one of pili pala
Muddle the Mixture to counter spells or to transmute for architect

[astormbrewing]

Has anyone considered Reshape in this deck? If we're only playing 1 Pili-Pala, it seems like a good way to search it out. It would allow us to be more controlling and then just sacrifice a control piece to combo.

[JPTyson]

Has anyone considered Reshape in this deck? If we're only playing 1 Pili-Pala, it seems like a good way to search it out. It would allow us to be more controlling and then just sacrifice a control piece to combo.

I think Fabricate works a lot better, lower mana cost and you dont have to sac one of your other peices.

[astormbrewing]

I think Fabricate works a lot better, lower mana cost and you dont have to sac one of your other peices.

Sure, Fabricate costs 3, but then you have to cast Pili-Pala, which is another 2. Reshape only cost 4 to put Pili-Pala on the battlefield, and you're only casting 1 spell, as opposed to having to cast 2. Yes, you have to sacrifice an another artifact, but if you're ready to combo, why is that a problem?

[JPTyson]

Sure, Fabricate costs 3, but then you have to cast Pili-Pala, which is another 2. Reshape only cost 4 to put Pili-Pala on the battlefield, and you're only casting 1 spell, as opposed to having to cast 2. Yes, you have to sacrifice an another artifact, but if you're ready to combo, why is that a problem?

Because if you have your Aether Vial out you can put Pili-Pala onto the battlefield during their turn then combo. The deck isn't stable when you try to flat out combo, when using Reshape you still have to wait a turn as pili-pala as summoning sickness, so the earliest you can combo is turn five. You can cast architect turn 3, Fabricate turn 4, play pili at the end of their turn, and turn five combo the same as Reshape also without unstabilizing your board.

[CaptainTwiddle]

Hi all. I've still been jamming my Heartless Architect deck on MTGO with mixed results. A semi-current version of my list is at the end of page 1. I'm not on the Pili-Pala combo, as it just seemed too fragile and took the deck in a direction away from abusing the general power of Grand Architect. I'm not sure if one strategy is better than the other, but I'm just not really into the combo, as I feel Modern has so many other better combos. Rather, my plan is to use Lodestone Golem to lock my opponent out of doing anything relevant in time. One card that I've added and couldn't be happier about is Cavern of Souls. The deck is mostly colorless artifact creatures, so Cavern works as just a normal land a lot of the time, but you can hold it and drop it to force through a big threat (e.g. Wurmcoil Engine, Steel Hellkite) or set it to Golem and safely drop your Lodestones, or set it to Shapeshifter and resolve Phyrexian Metamorphs (often copying Lodestone Golem) or Duplicant.

My findings with the deck so far are that Lodestone locks are the best thing the deck has going for it. In a format where everyone is trying to combo on turn 4, making most spells cost 1 more buys you at least a turn, which often finds you dropping additional Lodestones or wiping the opponent's board via a hasty Steel Hellkite (thanks to Lightning Greaves).

The deck has some serious weaknesses though. The Lodestone plan means that you're really limited to artifacts and cheap spells as sideboard options, which makes addressing certain matchups difficult. Also, because you're artifact centric, all the Ancient Grudges, Shattering Sprees, Shatterstorms, etc. are coming in to answer your base strategy as well as your sideboard answers.

As for specific matchups, Burn has been hard, as they're just faster and they always seem to have Skullcrack to turn off the lifelink of your Wurmcoils. Decks with lots of counter spells are hard too, unless you draw into multiple Caverns. Blue Tron is particularly hard, as they have counters and their mana engine is potentially as fast as yours, plus they're not really affected much by Lodestone Golem and Eye of Ugin gives them inevitability. Pod decks are kind of rough too, especially if they're running Archangel of Thune + Spike Feeder, as you just don't have a great answer. Scapeshift is often lopsided as well, as the mana ramp makes Lodestone less relevant and outside of turn 3 Wurmcoil/Hellkite, the clock just isn't fast enough to race them.

What seems to remain one of the biggest fundamental issues with my list is that there isn't a whole lot of power achieved on turns 1-2. My best turn one plays are either a Serum Visions (ideally setting up turn 2 Heartless Summoning), Thoughtseize, or a single copy of Temple of Deceit (which is sort of like a 5th copy of turn 1 Serum Visions).

[Phoenix Ignition]

It sounds like Trinket Mage main might be a good idea for you. When I was playing this deck (Heartless version, no pili combo), treasure mage and trinket mage were my favorite cards. Trinket packages can help against some matchup problems, and provide added sideboard effectiveness. I usually run 1 Chalice of the Void, 1 Engineered Explosives, 1 Executioner's Capsule, 1 nihil spellbomb, and 1 Darksteel Citadel. Against most matchups, chalice @ 1 is devastating. Some matchups really need 2 cmc or 3 cmc cards enough that you wouldn't mind shutting off your own cards of that cost just to spite them. Most of these can blow out specific decks (boggles vs EE, Executioners helps a ton against twin), and your sideboard can contain things that make it even more devastating, like Grafdigger's Cage and Elixer of Immortality.

Adding chalice makes 1 drops less effective. I think Thoughtseize is still worth playing but things like Serum visions less so. My reasoning for that is that thoughtseize are going to disrupt your opponent's plays early, and make room to force through counterspells, which are the times where chalice is less effective (they would have countered it probably anyway). I'd add 4 of the temples of scrying, maybe even 1 more just so EE has a chance of hitting 3 later on, as pseudo replacements of Serum Visions that don't get hit by chalice.

[CaptainTwiddle]

It sounds like Trinket Mage main might be a good idea for you. When I was playing this deck (Heartless version, no pili combo), treasure mage and trinket mage were my favorite cards. Trinket packages can help against some matchup problems, and provide added sideboard effectiveness. I usually run 1 Chalice of the Void, 1 Engineered Explosives, 1 Executioner's Capsule, 1 nihil spellbomb, and 1 Darksteel Citadel. Against most matchups, chalice @ 1 is devastating. Some matchups really need 2 cmc or 3 cmc cards enough that you wouldn't mind shutting off your own cards of that cost just to spite them. Most of these can blow out specific decks (boggles vs EE, Executioners helps a ton against twin), and your sideboard can contain things that make it even more devastating, like Grafdigger's Cage and Elixer of Immortality.

Adding chalice makes 1 drops less effective. I think Thoughtseize is still worth playing but things like Serum visions less so. My reasoning for that is that thoughtseize are going to disrupt your opponent's plays early, and make room to force through counterspells, which are the times where chalice is less effective (they would have countered it probably anyway). I'd add 4 of the temples of scrying, maybe even 1 more just so EE has a chance of hitting 3 later on, as pseudo replacements of Serum Visions that don't get hit by chalice.

I run a Trinket Mage and some trinkets in the board. I've thought about Chalice of the Void, but it seems like a card that is really only worth running if you're going to play x4 or if you start it in the maindeck with Trinket Mage. I thought about boarding it against Burn/Storm, but the problem is, there's just so much artifact hate that costs 2+. Chalice does answer some problem cards though, like Path to Exile and Vaporsnag, which put the hurt on Wurmcoil.

This is definitely a deck I'll keep tweaking, but ultimately, I think it needs another piece or two. What I wouldn't give for a Sphere of Resistance reprint (not happening).

[Phoenix Ignition]

I still like 2+ trinket mage main. If you don't play the right package it probably isn't worth playing at all, and I really think you need 1 chalice while playing trinket mages. Chalice is not all or none, having the ability to grab 1 is awesome in more scenarios than you'd initially think.

Also forgot to mention Pithing Needle against tron. It's a good way to shut down ugin or karn, and while artifact hate is there, they can't hit every card you play.

[auspiciousTactician]

How do you guys feel about Meteorite?

http://mythicspoiler.com/m15/cards/meteorite.jpg

Etherium Sculptor and Grand Architect can power it out on Turn 3, give us some ramp and removing any threats/providing pressure.

[auspiciousTactician]

Guys. It's happening. Grand Architect 5-8

http://i.imgur.com/FJjfYL1.png

[ImFromNASA]

My Current List for this Archetype (main additions linked):

4 Grand Architect
4 Treasure Mage
4 Cathedral Membrane (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Cathedral%20Membrane)
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Spellskite
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Duplicant

3 Thirst for Knowledge (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Thirst for Knowledge)
3 Smother (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Smother)
2 Remand (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Remand)

3 Heartless Summoning
3 Chalice of the Void (deckbox.org/mtg/Chalice of the Void)
2 Engineered Explosives

4 Island
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Watery Grave
4 River of Tears
1 Academy Ruins
1 Phyrexia's Core
1 Swamp

-----

I REALY want to run Cryptic Command, but I don't know if it fits anywhere.

4 Cathedral Membrane (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Cathedral%20Membrane)

//This 10 cent uncommon kills goyf and gives us something to play T1 before slamming down a chalice.

3 Smother (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Smother)

//Having access to black means we don't auto-lose to twin, smother is one of the better options for this, as it kills most everything people play in modern including Bob, goyf, delver, v-clique, deceiver exarch/pestermite, melira, the entire zoo and UR aggro decks, and opposing spellskites.

3 Thirst for Knowledge (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Thirst for Knowledge)

//I don't know why none of these lists play this, it's super-good here.

2 Remand (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Remand)

//This deck NEEDS counterspells or it just loses to too many decks. I don't know the correct amount or nature of these yet, and they are somewhat meta dependent, but our combos are not powerful enough to allow us to be non-interactive.

3 Chalice of the Void (deckbox.org/mtg/Chalice of the Void)

//Bolt, Path, and Snag hurt us so badly, it's worth running Chalice on 1 to get rid of them. It has the added bonus of hosing Storm and Hand Disruption Spells as well as making cantrips, can'trips.

The rest of the list is pretty par for the course with a few exceptions, T3 Grand Architect powering out a spellskite or a chalice is our optimal play. Since Grand dies to bolt... we have to stop them from playing it. In Heartless draws, be careful to leave up blue as often as possible to save the skite from a bolt by making it blue if you don't have chalice yet. Win with wurmcoil engines. Mindslaver is nice, a single activation can win the game, but it also can lose us the game because it doesn't block or gain us life. Flyers can hurt us, if you're having problems with them there are lots of sideboard options available including our friendly phyrexian mana friend Corrosive Gale (http://deckbox.org/mtg/Corrosive Gale) or running Steel Hellkite. That's my take on the deck. Let me know what you think.

-ImFromNASA

[JPTyson]

New list I'm working on... Took pili pala out completely but I think I may have a really decent list.

Creatures 19
4 Grand Architect
2 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Blightsteel Colossus
2 Trinket Mage
4 Treasure Mage
3 Snapcaster Mage
3 Myr Superion

Other Spells 13
2 Thoughtseize
2 Cryptic Command
3 Mana Leak
2 Fabricate
1 Rachet Bomb
1 Chalice of the Void
2 Muddle the Mixture

Planeswalkers 4
2 Tezzeret the Seeker
2 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

Lands 24
10 Islands
4 Drowned Catacombs
4 Watery Graves
3 Creeping Tar Pits
2 Misty Rainforests
1 Academy Ruins

Deck is pretty self explanatory, when it works it beats face.

[Phoenix Ignition]

@ImfromNASA: How's cathedral membrane in general? I like the idea but a lot of decks don't even play creatures that it can block, or just don't really care about it. Out of the 3 tier1 decks of Modern, it doesn't do much. Pod is the most effected as it's Kitchen Finks beats strategy is slowed down a bit, but they just come right back. They also tend to just go for the combo against decks that are slow and don't have much in the way of stopping it. Affinity rarely has creatures on the ground that you can block, and splinter twin just flies over. I can see this working against green decks, but even storm and Tron aren't really slowed by it. I would really like him in a fair deck metagame, but as the metagame in modern stands I think you're just making 4 cards that are useless.

@JPTyson: Is Myr Superion worth playing with only Grand Architect being able to cast him? It seems like more often than not you'd just have it sitting in your hand dead or draw him after removal has already taken out the architect.

[JPTyson]

@JPTyson: Is Myr Superion worth playing with only Grand Architect being able to cast him? It seems like more often than not you'd just have it sitting in your hand dead or draw him after removal has already taken out the architect.

With Fabricate and Muddle the mixture, kinda. I was thinking of dropping him but I honestly don't know what other dudes to put in it other than maybe a 3 of spellskite.

[Phoenix Ignition]

Have you tried Vedalken Shackles? Even with 1-2 Islands out it's a force to be reckoned with. While it doesn't give you the brute strength of a Superion, it doubles as removal against creature combos and is even powered by Architect. I love having 2 in a similar Tezzeret deck I'm running.

[Harbeinger]

I have been working on Grand Architect for a few months now and my current list is fun, explosive and can do some very powerful things. Understandable I have sacrificed pretty much all of the manipulation spells such as serum vision to run Trinisphere ( which is no where near as powerful in modern as in legacy) and with all the delver and cheap can trip decks running around my area, has been performing admirably. Here is my list:

Lands 24
Cavern of souls x2
Academy Ruins x1
islands x21

Creatures 30
Grand Architect x4
Etherium Sculptor x4
Chief Engineer x2
Treasure mage x2
Lodestone Golem x4
Kuldotha Forgemaster x4
Wurmcoil Engine x3
Sundering Titan x2
Inkwell Laviathan x1
Blightsteel colossus x1
Staff of Nin x1
Platinum Angle x1
Scuttling doom engine x1

Artifacts 4
Trinisphere x4

Spells 2
Thirst for knowledge x2

Sideboard
Thorn of Amethyst x3
Spellskite x2
Torpor orb x2
contagion Engine x1
Platinum Emperion x1
Treasure mage x2
Relic of Progenitus x2
Graftdiggers cagex1
Pithing needle x1

A few notes on the Deck and Card selection:

I am really enjoying the deck as a whole, some times the deck just has those draws that don't come together or your opponents is able to keep u from doing anything at all but those games are getting farther and farther in between the more I play with the deck. There is defiantly room to improve in the hate card selection, consistency and a more stable acceleration package.

Kuldotha Forgmaster- Very powerful tutor tool, and can make game completely unwinnable for yo0ur opponent if it gets online. Also being lighting bolt is the most run removal in modern, this guy being 5 on the back end is huge. Having the right one-of tutor targets to ether close out the game fast or lock your opponent out is very important and depends a lot on what you are expecting.

Trinisphere- the power level of this card fluctuates greatly depending on when u play it, but once its online it make your opponent life miserable. If you are in a meta with a lot of GBx decks you should probably move this side.

Summary- This being my first post on this sight I hope I was able to coherently and effectively share my list and the ideas behind it, I love brewing and want to be more active about sharing and improving rouge deck ideas. Any feed back on both the deck and on how I can improve my post is greatly appreciated!

[(nameless one)]

When's the earliest you can play Trinisphere? Would have it mattered against other decks if you got it that early?

[smtkiller]

Its too late to revive this thread ? :rolleyes: hahaha

[Phoenix Ignition]

With a snarky comment or meaningful discussion?

[smtkiller]

With a snarky comment or meaningful discussion?

A complety discussion !!! I`n active .. all day search for pieces, and can bring some discussion and idea that i had. I was in MTGS, but ppl just stop to discuss :smile:

I was seeking for new ideas, and find here, and want to modernize the deck (no intentional pun)

[smtkiller]

Now i can do this ..

here is my current list:


1x Blightsteel Colossus
4x Grand Architect
4x Lodestone Golem
3x Master Transmuter
4x Myr Superion
2x Spellskite
2x Sphinx Summoner
1x Treasure Mage
2x Wurmcoil Engine

3x Serum Visions

4x Heartless Summoning

2x Ensnaring Bridge
3x Lightning Greaves
1x Spine of Ish Sah

2x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas

1x Academy Ruins
2x Flooded Strand
7x Island
4x Polluted Delta
4x Sunken Hollow
2x Swamp
2x Watery Grave

---

I. i'n playing wiht HS+GA with a support os Master Transmuter trickers, Tax wiht Lodestone (he is so strong and should include in all list) and aggro wiht myrs, and love the ramp and blink i can do but missed some responde/spot removal lately. Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas can be a must too, he can win a game by himself.

Any opnion about the list ?

---

II. I not tested yet this, but my plan is test this weekend, a more tax build with a shell of Lodestone, Sundering Titan and Frost Titan. Nowadays, are many 3Colors deck with Shock lands, and a trick with Master Transmuter can slam Sundering Titan T4, next titan tapping land and Lodestone last stuck

---

III. Other card i have back to consider is Master of etherium, and read this thread, see a consideration about him. I Guess, he can bring more consistence to aggro plan, makes Lodestone resistence better and Superir more intimidating, with multiples attack angle, and tezz more options.

---

More cards to consider:

Glint-Nest Crane, Chief Engineer, Havengul Lich, Mindslaver, Executioner's Capsule


---

i guess this is all i have to (re)start the thread.

[MaximumC]

Any particular reason why a deck with an artifact fetching theme, need for cheap artifacts for Transmuter, and a possible infinite mana finisher is not running Walking Ballista? Seems like an auto-include to me...

[smtkiller]

Any particular reason why a deck with an artifact fetching theme, need for cheap artifacts for Transmuter, and a possible infinite mana finisher is not running Walking Ballista? Seems like an auto-include to me...

My use for transmuter is for tricks responses and stuck pieces as last cases Ensnaring Bridge (put bridge-pass-remove-attack-put bridge-pass), surprise blocks, destroy tech with Spine as i dont have other removes spells, replace pieces removing target from paths, Colossus on T4 and this possibles tech on the reach, reuse the tutor Sphinx Summoner. Depending on the starting hand and matchup this make all diference in many games for me, to scape from big attacks. maybe the local meta should taken in consideration. in the past i used this tech with avoid creature like Esperzoa for free bounce de bridge.

Totally forgot the Walking ballist and i consider it so much, include use it with Contagion Engine (again, Transmuter can act nice here i gues) as mas removing and multiplies the +1 on ballista, it's a so flex card with many possibilites and grow each cicle

[CaptainTwiddle]

If you're playing Master Transmuter, I would strongly consider Phyrexian Metamorph. My initial builds of the Heartless Summoning/Grand Architect played multiple copies of Metamorph, as my primary plan was to create multiple copies of Lodestone Golem to just lock people out or to copy multiple Wurmcoil Engine and dominate the board. The problem I always had was that, as good as Lodestone Golem can be, it dies to all the commonly played removal, especially when it's getting -1/-1 from Heartless Summoning. That said, with Lightning Bolt being slightly less played at the moment (because of Fatal Push and the need to kill huge Tarmogoyfs and Death's Shadows, maybe the Golem is better positioned.

What I think this deck really wants is Chalice of the Void to just shut off opposing removal. The problem is, it doesn't fit well into the curve when you're looking to drop Heartless Summoning on 2. Maybe playing Dimir Signet/Talisman of Dominance to ramp into Chalice + Summoning on turn 3 is a better plan? With all that in mind, the main problem I had playing the deck was that there just weren't any good turn 1 plays, because you didn't want to run many nonartifact spells because of Lodestone Golem.

I think there is something here with the Architect/Summoning shell, but finding the right build has eluded me. I either found myself just being a worse prison deck than Lantern Control or a less consistent aggro deck than Affinity.

Perhaps Walking Ballista gives some added merit to the Grand Architect + Pili-Pala combo? I haven't been a huge fan of that combo historically, but maybe it slots in somewhere; likely without Heartless Summoning as part of the deck.

[smtkiller]

If you're playing Master Transmuter, I would strongly consider Phyrexian Metamorph. My initial builds of the Heartless Summoning/Grand Architect played multiple copies of Metamorph, as my primary plan was to create multiple copies of Lodestone Golem to just lock people out or to copy multiple Wurmcoil Engine and dominate the board. The problem I always had was that, as good as Lodestone Golem can be, it dies to all the commonly played removal, especially when it's getting -1/-1 from Heartless Summoning. That said, with Lightning Bolt being slightly less played at the moment (because of Fatal Push and the need to kill huge Tarmogoyfs and Death's Shadows, maybe the Golem is better positioned.

I have tested Phyrexian Metamorph and have mixed feeling about it, and his flexibility is a point we can count too, he can win copying something your and of your opponent keys to win, its nice, i`ll return my testes wit it.

I try to remove Master Transmuter, but always i think to cut, this card win a game for me with your tricks, be a bounce key, removing cards like Grafdigger's Cage Pithing Needle from destroy or multiples Spine of Ish Sah toss, or a bridge tech to stuck, then i give up the cut.

I agree the part Lodestone Golem can be bolt vunerable, thinking about that, i came to consider Master of Etherium as part the aggro plan to bring mor resistence for all ur guys, include Spellskite, Phyrexian Metamorph can enter in it, be like Lodestone copy of more Etherium, but my cards not arrived yet to playet this to say more about. But so many games just won tossing 2 golens in sequence, its nice btw. Because of that i was to consider Thorn of Amethyst Defense Grid too.

my Frost Titan consideration is to suport that, he enter we can tap a land and have a natural tax in it, grow it architect, with lodestone can a be a hard removal thread.



What I think this deck really wants is Chalice of the Void to just shut off opposing removal. The problem is, it doesn't fit well into the curve when you're looking to drop Heartless Summoning on 2. Maybe playing Dimir Signet/Talisman of Dominance to ramp into Chalice + Summoning on turn 3 is a better plan? With all that in mind, the main problem I had playing the deck was that there just weren't any good turn 1 plays, because you didn't want to run many nonartifact spells because of Lodestone Golem.

Agree too, last night, i was looking the build and think in this and consider Chalice as MB, with pain in heart to move Bridge to side and 2 Chalice in main, as sometimes we can play slowly, maybe it dont fight with HS as T2, and a T3 drop HS, myr + tutor maybe not too slow to prevent the remove of ur guys.

In pili-pala case, i dont like it too, i guess it only worky in her shell, with many counter, blue zenit and Murdlle Mixture do transmute all. But Ballista have potential in the deck even without infinit mana, as a 1 mor grwo thread/remove gun

[MaximumC]

Perhaps Walking Ballista gives some added merit to the Grand Architect + Pili-Pala combo? I haven't been a huge fan of that combo historically, but maybe it slots in somewhere; likely without Heartless Summoning as part of the deck.

Nah, Heartless is actually totally fine with Ballista. You pay two less, so it gets another +1/+1 counter to offset the -1/-1 that Heartless inflicts.


i`ll return my testes wit it.

Oh god no please dont

[smtkiller]

why not, why dont teste Phyrexian Metamorph again ? hahaha

[CaptainTwiddle]

Nah, Heartless is actually totally fine with Ballista. You pay two less, so it gets another +1/+1 counter to offset the -1/-1 that Heartless inflicts.

The problem with Heartless Summoning isn't Ballista, it's with Pili-Pala, as it just kills it.

Since we're really brainstorming here and Master of Etherium was mentioned above, that reminds me of another route that I was looking at once upon a time and had set aside. I considered sort of a Blue Devotion build using Grand Architect and Master of Waves. The Architect pumps the elemental tokens and you can tap the elementals for mana with the Architect as well. I was playing Sharding Sphinx as well, as it's a large flying threat that lets you pump out blue artifact thopters, which have synergy with Architect as well. The top end can go to things like Blightsteel Colossus, Inkwell Leviathan, or maybe now just something like Walking Ballista. You can play Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx as well, though it's not going to be as explosive as it is in something that's a bit heavier on color.

[CaptainTwiddle]

I think I found a pretty reasonable card for the versions that are running Lodestone Golem and/or Chalice of the Void; that being Architects of Will. Its cycling ability is a turn one play, something this archetype tends to be short on, and it's actually a pretty reasonable creature to cast. Setting up your next couple of draws or messing with your opponent's can be really valuable. Architects are U/B, so they get pumped by Grand Architect and can be used to generate mana as well; they're totally worth paying UB for.

The main problems I'm having with my current builds are a general lack of early interaction. The deck is so contingent upon sticking Grand Architect and/or Heartless Summoning, that opposing discard (e.g. Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoughtseize) really hampers your development, as does cheap spot removal.

As much as I want to jam Lodestone Golem, I'm thinking that the overall deck-building cost is just too high. The Golem really impedes your ability to play non-artifact spells, which is part of the problem with having a lack of turn one plays, as something like Serum Visions is really bad when you draw it later while a Golem is on the table. As such, I'm thinking of cutting the Golem and likely cutting Chalice of the Void as well (probably moving them to the sideboard). I think that Padeem, Consul of Innovation along with a copy or two of Lightning Greaves goes a long way toward solving the problems that Chalice was trying to solve (namely, stopping Path to Exile from blowing you out by removing a Wurmcoil Engine). If we can get off of Chalice and Golem, this opens us up to play Serum Visions and Fatal Push, possibly something like Metallic Rebuke as well. All that being said, the most powerful line I've come up with is a turn 2 Heartless Summoning into turn 3 Grand Architect + Treasure Mage into Wurmcoil Engine/Steel Hellkite. As powerful of a line as that is, some decks just aren't going to care about it.

If we could get away from Heartless Summoning, I think it opens some more space to explore, as suddenly, you're much more able to consider large, splashy noncreature artifacts as your bombs. Something like running Etherium Sculptor into Grand Architect would allow you to cast a 5-drop artifact on turn 3, which gets me thinking about Kuldotha Forgemaster and Blightsteel Colossus.

It seems that Grand Architect is a really difficult card to brew with, because there are so many subtly different ways you can go and a single card choice can really impact which lines are effective within the deck in question. I hope we can get there, but I fear that building an engine/combo deck around a creature that is relatively frail may ultimately prove to be to dubious.

[smtkiller]

A draw for 1 is nice, i know about Architects of Will but never think yout use just for cicle, in the past i try to figure him to look oponent library and stuck, can work during all game to trade a bad draw, who knows.

This weekend, i played a simple Duress in my Drop 1 instead Serum Vision, and its work very nice in my opinion, where you have information about the hand of oponent, takeoff an counter/path (maybe like you said, take an Inquisition of Kozilek and Thoughtseize too) early, making your T2 much safe. I guess Chalice of the Void is fine in SB then MB.

i dont know, but i cant cut Lodestone Golem, he make your oponent "play a late turn then you" if Heartless in play, T3 we can do a strong play like Lodestone Golem and Master of Etherium and a good damage with Myr superior. Lodestone Golem will be targe of remove obligatorily or we alway have a turn ahead.

Padeem, Consul of Innovation can be nice but i dont know you, but i run Spellskite in MB, then is not good (and skite bring protection and i protect skite with transmuter chance target and tarnsmute) to kee safe. maybe Kira, Great Glass-Spinner isnt just better than Padeem ?

as you said too "the most powerful line I've come up with is a turn 2 Heartless Summoning into turn 3 Grand Architect + Treasure Mage into Wurmcoil Engine" agree and is for that i guess Heartless is a nice advantage we have, now we must to think creatures is too good to drop 2 turn early and have instant effects to open ur options ? Something in line or better then Sphinx of Uthuun or Rune-Scarred Demon as today modern is too late for them even played 2 turns early.

I palyed a time with Kuldotha Forgemaster in other build and i like it.

EDIT: Right now, i find a card that can fit in some cases ... Collective Brutality can discard a second/third copy of HS to mor effect .. just toss it .. well ..

EDIT 2: Some more maybeinteresting cards:

Molten-Tail Masticore - can help win outside combat and help to discard a second copy of HS too
Matter Reshaper - majority CMC of deck can be 3 less, with some Draksteel Citadel can work ?!

[Phoenix Ignition]

This deck was on camera at GP Vegas. I think it's a much, much more streamlined Grand Architect than the direction this thread has gone in.
https://i.imgur.com/JBlsTVQ.jpg

I've been fiddling around with it. Right now I'm taking out Throne of the God-Pharaoh (never needed it), Signal Pest (not a blue 1-drop which is what you really want), and Master of Etherium (really not enough artifacts to make it worth it). There is a lot of redundancy in getting cheap artifacts here, with Chief Engineer, Grand Architect, and Etherium Sculptor. Any of those allow you to get a turn 3 Lodestone Golem. Smuggler's Copter excels in this type of deck as a way to pitch extra lands and get relevant cards.

[CaptainTwiddle]

Blue Steel does seem like the optimized Grand Architect build for the moment. It's powerful, but kind of a glass cannon. It vomits its hand into play and can lock opposing players out, but if you don't get there with your opening hand, it doesn't play the best long game. Smuggler's Copter can help a bit, it also requires you to have something left in hand to effectively loot. All that considered, this is a list I'm keeping in mind, as I'm sure it'll gain some tools in the future.

[Phoenix Ignition]

Agreed with that list, though I think that is why he ran 2 Throne of the God-Pharaoh. If he pukes out guys and then taps them all to copter or to make mana for Blinkmoth, he'll at least be draining them every turn. I've been using 2x Relic of Progenitus and 2x Trinket Mage maindeck to help against the puke & done scenarios. Trinket Mage is a monster in my list, as it grabs Walking Ballista, Hangarback Walker, or Relic of Progenitus. If Grand Architect is out Trinket Mage produces 2 mana immediately so has a "net cost" of 1 mana when you want to play the Walking Ballista that turn.

I've been looking for some swaps for Pestermite and Judge's Familiar. Right now I'm toying with either Drowned Rusalka or Martyr of Frost. Both of them are blue 1 drops, which I think is necessary to power copters early as well as help Chief Engineer/Grand Architect make mana, and they both also help against problems the deck can have. Martyr doesn't regularly have many blue cards in hand to use his ability, but there is a lot of power in keeping your opponent from playing on curve. He's another annoyance to get around when you have Lodestone Golem or Mausoleum Wanderers out, which I also like. The opponent never really knows if you can counter unless they pay the entire size of your hand.

Glint-nest Crane might be worth looking into. I'm actually not a huge fan of Etherium Sculptor but making turn 3 Lodestones happen might be reason enough to keep him. My main problem with him is all our artifacts cost an even amount, so I almost never get to use his cheapening effect to any real advantage. Even turn 2 choosing between Copter and him is awkward. He does make Relic of Progenitus free, which is nice too, but with Grand Architect you usually have even amounts of mana when you're slamming artifacts down and all your XX spells don't care about that.

One big improvement I've found is Master of Waves > Master of Etherium. Even without the magical christmasland turn 3 Grand Architect turn 4 Master of Waves -> Walking Ballista for 7, he has real annoyance and staying power. It's worth noting that GA pumps the tokens he makes too, so they can't just kill him and get rid of everything like in most decks. There's a lot of synergy with all the small blue creatures you play giving you high devotion, and with Chief Engineer or Grand Architect he makes stupid amounts of mana.

[CaptainTwiddle]

One big improvement I've found is Master of Waves > Master of Etherium. Even without the magical christmasland turn 3 Grand Architect turn 4 Master of Waves -> Walking Ballista for 7, he has real annoyance and staying power. It's worth noting that GA pumps the tokens he makes too, so they can't just kill him and get rid of everything like in most decks. There's a lot of synergy with all the small blue creatures you play giving you high devotion, and with Chief Engineer or Grand Architect he makes stupid amounts of mana.

I had been toying with a Blue Devotion build previously that ran Master of Waves and even had Treasure Mage to search up Sharding Sphinx and went real big with a single Blightsteel Colossus. All-in-all, that build was garbage, but there is some interesting and powerful synergy with Master of Waves. My issue with it was its interaction with Lodestone Golem. Golem made MoW hard to cast and didn't contribute devotion. They just seemed like they were pulling the deck in opposite directions. I do think Sharding Sphinx may have some potential though, as it makes blue Thopters, so they get pumped by Grand Architect and can generate mana as well, plus they get pumped by and pump Master of Etherium.

[Phoenix Ignition]

I'm not a fan of Sharding Sphinx or Treasure Mage. There's a lot of strength from having all of your big win conditions able to be cast for 2 mana if need be, just to power a Thopter or take out a Dark Confidant. Having double blue mana in the casting cost is also a really big speed bump when all your guys tap for double colorless.

Lodestone Golem does slow down Master of Waves, but generally I don't find that to be a problem since it means I have a Lodestone Golem before I have 5 mana and it's not getting killed. You're right MoW doesn't give you full power since you have colorless creatures, but even at half power it's a fast clock and 6-10 extra mana. If MoW just said "put 2 tokens into play" I think it still might be a great fit in this deck.

[Phoenix Ignition]

Took this to a local that barely fired. Went 2-1, lost in finals to the Abzan coco combo deck.

Match 1 beat zoo in game 3 with 2 life left, this match could have gone either way but game 1 Lodestone Golem on turn 3 was too much for him to deal with before Walking Ballistas locked him out of the game. Game 2 he killed me on turn 4 before I did much of anything. Game 3 was really close, but Vedalken Shackles from the sideboard was working wonders while Copter beat him down. I won with 2 life so it was very close.

Match 2 vs Skred, I kept a hand that had Master of Waves and that single handedly won me the game. He had an amazing hand with fast planeswalkers and a lot of control, but MoW keeping his planeswalkers from ulting eventually bought me enough time to set up Walking Ballistas which pretty much locked him out of his game plan. Game 2 I kept a hand with 3 1 drops and a negate (2 Mausoleum Wanderer, 1 Martyr of Frost, 1 copter, 2 lands) and was able to keep him from doing anything scary the whole game.

Match 3 vs Abzan combo he gains infinite life turn 3 by turn 1 Viscera seer, turn 2 White creature that prevents tokens, turn 3 Finks. Game 2 I basically lock him out of the game by playing a Grafdiggers cage, leaving most of his hand useless. Shackles seal the game up. Game 3 I get stuck on 2 lands with 2 Chief Engineers and a Copter for far too many turns. I looted at least 3 times and never got the 3rd land, which would have allowed Grand Architect into Walking Ballista to prevent him from being able to use any combos, but he finds it before I can play good spells. I could have probably played the ballista at x=1 but didn't.

Edit: list was

// 60 Maindeck
// 6 Artifact
4 Smuggler's Copter
2 Relic of Progenitus

// 32 Creature
2 Etherium Sculptor
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Chief Engineer
4 Walking Ballista
3 Master of Waves
4 Grand Architect
2 Trinket Mage
4 Mausoleum Wanderer
1 Hangarback Walker
4 Martyr of Frost

// 22 Land
4 Cavern of Souls
2 Gemstone Caverns
14 Island
1 Darksteel Citadel
1 Inventors' Fair


// 15 Sideboard
// 7 Artifact
SB: 1 Aethersphere Harvester
SB: 3 Grafdigger's Cage
SB: 2 Vedalken Shackles
SB: 1 Basilisk Collar

// 2 Creature
SB: 1 Hangarback Walker
SB: 1 Spellskite

// 6 Instant
SB: 2 Negate
SB: 4 Ceremonious Rejection