How is the deck performing with that many ETB tapped lands? 7-8 ETB tapped is a lot. Would some Darksteel Citadel be better than the UB lands or Blinkmoths (until you can get Urza's Saga)? Then you still build affinity but get untapped mana.
4th Mox Opal seems good. Between 4 Petal + 4 Opal + 4 tapped UW land, that should be enough color fixing. 16 blue sources and 12 white sources without the UB land.
Instead of Memnite, if you have some open slots left, what about Vault Skirge? It costs 1 mana and carries Plating very well. It seems like your deck may need more in the 1-3 cmc range to bridge the gap to free Frogmites and Enforcers. Skirge does that a lot better than vanilla 1/1 Memnite.
I think skirge is ok, but generally not as good as a colorless creature due to being able to block Marit Lage even in the face of Sejiri Steppe. The lifelink isn't that necessary, I frequently finish games at 20 life due to the wall of threats. I haven't faced burn yet, but it isn't a common match-up anymore. I feel very good about how it lines up against most of the popular decks currently. The forces out of the board are very good at fighting combo decks, especially if I can use something besides the draw cards feed them. Recouping cards is a feature I really like with Thoughtcast/Monitor.
The etb tapped lands only slow me down about 1/2 a turn, and I frequently get t1 Frogmites and turn 2 Enforcers. In general, the resilience of the mana base and the inevitability i can develop are very good. Darksteel Citadel doesn't make blue mana, I cut it early on. This deck isn't as fast as some versions of Affinity or other dedicated aggro decks, but t4 is generally when I'm finishing the game. T3 happens if I can get Cranial Plating online. T1-2 are for setup, t3-4 are explosive turns where I start drawing extra cards and playing more threats.
The real test will be at a 1k coming up in September. I will learn quite a bit about how to tweak it after having a real play environment.
The way games go are:
T1 - artifact land, 1-3 zero cast artifacts, frogmite/thoughtcast
T2 - play any threats I can, cranial plating
T3 - thoughtcast, thought monitor, master of etherium, free Enforcers/Companions, often develop a lethal board state (roughly 60% of the time)
T4 - same as t3 but often with Ethersworn Sphinx in the mix.
It plays a lot like goblins or merfolk, but a little faster and with more draw power. Post board it is quite a bit like merfolk with the forces, and it can hold down combo decks nicely without slowing down the clock more than 1 turn.
One card on my mind:Ghirapur Aether Grid. I could easily drop the UB lands for UR lands. It could easily bea way to really grind out games and have some absurd interaction against some decks (elves, d&t, ur delver.) All of the deck turns into a machine gun, which can control small creatures and give reach. If I understand the card correctly, it even works with Karn or Null Rod on the battlefield, because I'm not activating artifacts, just tapping them to activate Grid. Red gives me a few more options in the sideboard as well, maybe for Pyroblast or artifact hate. Hell, I might even put in Blood Moon.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
So I've organized the suggestions and will be testing them soon.
1) Cutting to only 4 taplands and playing Darksteel Citadel x4. I don't like that it doesn't make blue mana, but it accelerates all the colorless Affinity cards really well.
2) Trying to get the 4th Opal, and also seeing if I can get 3 more Ancient Tomb + 4x Chalice of the Void. Moving forward I think this is the biggest upgrade, even more than Urza's Saga.
3) Arcbound Ravager and Urza's Saga to make the deck more powerful.
I think at the very least I will do #1 for the 1k coming up. It makes the most sense; my only worry is not having UU during some turns to double up Thoughtcast/monitor.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I'm going a little deep, but I really want to play Black Vise. It feeds Affinity synergies and is very aggressive t1. It can also be used to tap for Ghirapur Aether Grid, which gives reach and board control. It means I have to cut some of the Enforcers/Companions, but they were the hardest to enable already (even with 19-20 zero drop artifacts and 14 artifact lands.) I think I will keep the core of the cheap dudes, Baubles, Petals, and the 8 thoughtcast effects. Then I add Ghirapur Aether Grid and Black Vise instead of the Enforcers. I'm not sure if that is where I want to be, but it seems spicy and fun.
Here is my rough draft:
4x memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x frogmite
4x thought monitor
4x master of etherium
4x lotus petal
4x Mishra's Bauble
3x mox opal
4x black vise
4x cranial plating
4x thoughtcast
3x Ghirapur Aether Grid
4x seat of the synod
4x silverbluff bridge
4x razerverge bridge
1x great Furnace
1x karakas
Sideboard
4x force of will
2x force of negation
2x brazen borrower
3x tormod's crypt
2x prismatic ending
2x ethersworn canonist
Depending on the match-up, I have 7 sideboard slots ready to go (Vise/Grid) and I have 8 blue cards to bring in to turn on the Forces. The hostile cards are all the same (Null Rod, Stony Silence, Karn TGC, Collector Ouphe.) The same matches will be good, and the same match-ups will be bad. Not sure if I need Canonist in the sideboard with 6 forces, that may turn into something else. Prismatic ending as a sorcery seems pretty sketchy, too. It won't ever answer any of the hateful permanents.
I'm also tempted to drop Vice/masters for Thopter/Sword, but that hasn't been good in ages. I do like me bad decks though, so there's that...
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Black vise makes the LED echo package attractive...
You get to Lightning Bolt them at the expense of refilling them 3-7 extra cards in hand? Seems much much worse than comboing LED+echo with Hullbreacher or Narset.
If you play Vise in Affinity, the concerns are how to get value out of it after opponents' hand is small. Affinity spells, Cranial Plating and Ghirapur Aether Grid are good sources of value for a dead Vise. It's probably better than Baubles.
That's my thinking...if Vise deals 4 damage during a game (assuming t1) and then it taps for Grid to ping small creatures or provide reach then it makes sense. It's also likely to be the first cut for sideboard games, especially on the draw. I probably won't cut Baubles, they continue to impress me with what they provide for the deck. My next pivotal decision is whether to support forces in the sideboard with Masters main deck or to just go with other sideboard options. So far the Forces have been very good.
Cursed Scroll seems ok as well, maybe better than GAG. I'm also concerned that cutting the 4/4's may make the deck too anemic; stabilizing t3-4 with a pair of Enforcers is definitely one way the deck has shown resilience.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I am rethinking Springleaf drum now that I have 4 memnites. That gives me 8 free dudes t1 to enable it, and it provides colored mana for the draw spells and Masters. The only place I can really cut is Mishra's Bauble, which is fine. Bauble was a free redraw while enabling metalcraft, and feeding Affinity, but as an actual draw spell was pretty slow. I have cobbled another list that puts Drums back in along with Ethersworn Sphinx again, because I have a bunch of sources of colored mana now. Grid is still in the sideboard and I cut the Vises, without even trying them. I just don't like the variance. I am testing a couple Cursed Scroll for mana sinks/reach. I get hellbent often by t3, and even with the draw 2 spells I usually play those drawn cards out, too.
4x memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x frogmite
4x thought monitor
4x master of etherium
4x myr enforcer
2x ethersworn Sphinx
4x lotus petal
3x springleaf drum
3x mox opal
4x cranial plating
4x thoughtcast
2x cursed Scroll
4x seat of the synod
4x silverbluff bridge
4x razerverge bridge
1x ancient tomb
1x karakas
Sideboard
4x force of will
2x force of negation
4x tormod's crypt
3x Ghirapur Aether Grid
2x open (thinking wear/tear)
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Made some small changes to the above list, streamlining the mana really well and getting it more stable. I have dropped the red for now, but I can always revisit it if I'm running into situations where Grid, Pyroblast, or other red cards are necessary. For now, white seems correct alongside the blue engine. I still like Ethersworn Sphinx; it doesn't snowball as consistently as Thoughtcast/monitor but occasionally it's the nuts. Again, floor of 4/4 flyer for 2 mana along with extra value.
4x Ornithopter
4x memnite
4x frogmite
4x thought monitor
4x master of etherium
4x myr enforcer
3x sojourner's companion
2x ethersworn Sphinx
3x mox opal
4x springleaf drum
4x thoughtcast
4x cranial plating
2x cursed Scroll
4x darksteel Citadel
4x seat of the synod
4x razerverge bridge
1x ancient den
1x karakas
Sideboard
4x force of will
2x force of negation
1x brazen borrower
3x tormod's crypt
3x swords to plowshares
2x prismatic ending
I have been doing some basic testing and the deck is really smooth, if a turn slower than most of the combo decks. The forces out of the board are quite good. The main concern is still Null Rod/Stony Silence, but decks like Sneak/Show and Elves still seem to be problematic. I'm unsure if I should be playing more combo hate like Canonist in the board, and I also worry that Ending is a sorcery. Overall I think its probably one of the most versatile sideboard cards available though.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
If you want to shore up your combo matchups, can you squeeze in esper sentinel or lodestone golem MD?
Thanks for helping me with my bad deck! 🙂
I could play maindeck Canonist and I have a full set of Lodetone. I like Golem a lot, and its a card I forget about because it doesn't see much play. Four mana is pretty steep, but not impossible. It would be a turn 3-4 play. I think I would need some number of Ancient Tomb.
Esper Sentinel helps against combo how? It draws me cards, but as a threat its fairly anemic. I think Canonist is better and the sideboard forces are clutch. Cutting a couple cards for main deck canonist is easy, the flex slots are the additional Enforcers/Companions and the Cursed Scrolls. Squeezing in Lodestone golem is a lot harder, not sure about that. Maybe the sojourners companions can go. I really want to maintain the 14 maindeck blue cards, so Masters have to stay. If I cut Ethersworn Sphinx I would need another blue card to compensate.
I really appreciate the help, I think Golem will probably be good, especially against the hyper efficiency that is dominant in legacy currently. It also hits hard, which is exactly what I want. I'll throw it together and get some idea of how it would go.
Edit: list
4x memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x frogmite
4x thought monitor
4x master of etherium
4x myr enforcer
3x lodestone golem
2x ethersworn Sphinx
2x ethersworn canonist
4x springleaf drum
3x mox opal
4x cranial plating
4x thoughtcast
4x seat of the synod
4x ancient den
4x razerverge bridge
1x karakas
1x ancient tomb
Sideboard
4x force of will
2x force of negation
1x brazen borrower
3x tormod's crypt
3x swords to plowshares
2x prismatic ending
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
here is my latest build, the deck crushes urdelver, snow miracle and yorion death and taxes.
though the deck loses to hate and combo is hard to beat especially doomsday
You have to play saga in affinity,
walker is better than memnite it dies to less stuff.
Also i have found we don't want more than 8 0 cc guys other way lots of hands do nothing
also a deck close to mine won the last big tornament
here is the deck that won last stuff :
4 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
4 Sai, Master Thopterist
4 Thought Monitor
4 Echo of Eons
4 Thoughtcast
4 Force of Will
4 Lion's Eye Diamond
4 Lotus Petal
4 Mishra's Bauble
4 Mox Opal
1 Retrofitter Foundry
1 Shadowspear
4 Urza's Bauble
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Seat of the Synod
2 Snow-Covered Island
4 Urza's Saga
2 Dismember
2 Engineered Explosives
1 Expedition Map
4 Force of Negation
1 Hydroblast
1 Pithing Needle
1 Soul-Guide Lantern
3 Surgical Extraction
Last edited by adrieng; 09-08-2021 at 10:00 AM.
I would change:
3xspringleaf drum into 3xlotus petal (Faster + easier to setup chalice on turn 1; works beter with chalice on 1 on the battlefield)
4xphyrexian Walker into 4xmishra's bauble (works great with emry; is as fast as Walker.)
I don't like ratched bomb because it doesnt offer a solution to a resolved ouphe or null rod. Our greatest fear, together with meltdown. For which match-ups you want them?
The rest of your decklist looks great. Have you done any testing yet?
yeah did a lot of testing springleaf drum is better than petal, you keep more hands with them.
Phyrexian walker is better with drums than bauble.
Also was playing explosives in side but ratchet bomb is better against chalice@0 than explosives especially against moon stompy.
As i said deck beats snow control ur delver detah and taxes.
Resculpt is here for null rod or ouphe. Maybe dismember is better.
Went 3-2 in last tornament beat bant control omnishow br reanimator then lost to moon stompy in 3 (was playing ee and no rescupt) and lost to opposition elf in 3
Meltdown doesn't hit Myr Enforcer, Sojourners companion, ethersworn Sphinx, and usually won't even hit Frogmite or Master of Etherium. The point of my build is to go wide with a draw engine (thoughtcast/monitor) into free threats. Urza's Saga is good for sure, likely the first upgrade i will make. In my particular budget build, Drum is better than petal because it sticks around and feeds cranial plating and the Affinity dudes.
If you are playing sol lands and chalice that is Steel Stompy. If you guys are interested in pursuing lists in that vein I respectfully ask you to join that thread.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
What are the thoughts around the affinity deck that was in the recent 5-0 deck dump?
For reference:
1 Bomat Courier
3 Emry, Lurker of the Loch
4 Ethersworn Canonist
4 Ornithopter
4 Thought Monitor
4 Thoughtcast
4 Dispatch
1 Aether Spellbomb
4 Cranial Plating
1 Mishra's Bauble
4 Mox Opal
1 Pithing Needle
1 Shadowspear
4 Springleaf Drum
4 Ancient Den
4 Seat of the Synod
4 Spire of Industry
4 Urza's Saga
4 Memnite
Sideboard
1 Pithing Needle
1 Flusterstorm
4 Metallic Rebuke
3 Prismatic Ending
3 Surgical Extraction
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tormod's Crypt
It's pretty cool, I like it. The only hard hitters are Saga tokens and Cranial Plating, which is probably good enough, it just feels like the format is able to handle those for the most part. That's why I like Masters and the Affinity dudes, they are beefy but also reward the draw engine by also going wide.
Unfortunately, the legacy event I was going to test has been canceled. I'm still trying to get ahold of Sagas and Chalice (if I ever decide to go the Stompy route instead of pure aggro.)
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
Could always throw in a nettlecyst and take out 1 Canonist. I kind of like the prison it creates for opponents, but it's easily removed.
I go back and forth on Nettlecyst. Its not as efficient as Cranial Plating and I can get the same big dude effect with Masters, which also pump up the team. Masters are blue for sideboard forces, too.
I look at the metagame share of Stompy/prison and Chalice is at a pretty low point. I'd rather snowball as an aggro deck and have a solid combo attacking sideboard.
I'm looking at possibly using Meddling Mage in the sideboard as well, which should really give an edge in some matchups.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
I am tempted to cut the Ethersworn Sphinx's and play a pair of Paradoxical Outcome. For this to work i need as many free artifact spells as possible, so I would rework the list to include full sets of Enforcer/Companion and possibly more zero drops. I would want to be drawing at least 4-5 cards and have ways of getting them back down. The next question would be how to make that pay off. I'm not sure exactly yet, but there has to be something juicy.
Brainstorm Realist
I close my eyes and sink within myself, relive the gift of precious memories, in need of a fix called innocence. - Chuck Shuldiner
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