[SCD] Thran Turbine

[Reeplcheep]

There is a legacy legal sol ring that sees no play. No not Carpet of Flowers or even Magus of the Vineyard.

Thran Turbine
{1}
Artifact
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may add {C}{C}. You can’t spend this mana to cast spells.
When Urza asked the viashino what it did, they answered: “It hums.”

Previously in legacy there were basically no mana costing abilities that were playable. But several mechanics and powerhouse cards were printed recently that can use the mana:


Cycling (Shark Typhoon)

Foretell (Behold the multiverse and starnheim unleashed)

Cheap Creatures (Elvish Reclaimer and Rishadan Dockhand)

Cheap artifacts and lands (Retrofitter Foundry and Urza’s saga)

From the selection of cards available it looks like it could fit in a blue steel stompy shell or a standstill one with minimal sacrifices to card quality. Any thoughts on whether it is powerful enough for legacy?

[H]

I think the notion that Turbine is "unplayable" is pretty historically entrenched that it would take definite results to show that it might not be. On the short list of things you mention, the "most" synergry I see would be between Reclaimer, Sage and Foundry. Perhaps add Loam or Ramunap Excavator and see how far one can just push Saga?

[Reeplcheep]

That’s definitely option A for the best combo, since saga gets either pieces.

Option B is hall of heliod plus sharktyphoon. Island turbine lets you make a 1/1 shark draw a card immediately and still have a mana left over. And then your engine is uncounterable bigger and bigger sharks. The instant speed of this one is the attraction, letting you “cash in” immediately. It also makes the best use of multiples.

[H]

A good point, since I don't own any Saga's yet myself, I actually forgot that it was an Enchantment for a moment. But wouldn't Saga also be good there as well, since, one, it finds Turbine and two, it draws the attention of opposing Wastelands, so you Hall is more likely to live.

One neat thing about Green is that you can also add Green Sun's Zenith which, while it can't be used with Turbine, does get you Reclaimer or Excavator.

These are two interesting ways to try the concept I think. Not sure which is likely better though.

[Reeplcheep]

Here is a possible steel stompy list

4 Mox Opal
4 Lotus Petal
4 Thorn of Amethyst
3 Winter Orb

4 Steel Overseer
4 Thran Turbine
3 Hangerback Walker
4 Walking Ballista
1 Pithing Needle
1 Nihil Spellbomb
4 Retrofitter Foundry
4 Arcbound Ravager

4 City of Traitors
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Vault of Whispers
4 Urza’s Saga
2 Inventors Fair


Yah the heliod would probably be in a saga land still shell.

[kombatkiwi]

The Shark Typhoon idea is not worth it, a control deck is not going to want to spend a whole card just to make shark +2+2 on the condition that you make it in your own upkeep

Using it to help activate retrofitter / urzas saga / ballista etc is a better idea I think but I'm still not convinced it's actually an improvement

[Reeplcheep]

That’s possible. But then why do you think carpet of flowers is so good in control? Heliod plus typhoon is the ultimate lategame engine for blue decks; having it online on t3 rather than t5 could make or break a game.

[H]

The Shark Typhoon idea is not worth it, a control deck is not going to want to spend a whole card just to make shark +2+2 on the condition that you make it in your own upkeep

Using it to help activate retrofitter / urzas saga / ballista etc is a better idea I think but I'm still not convinced it's actually an improvement

Well, I think there really isn't a question if any of this is secretly Tier One. I think the real question is, maybe something here could be Tier Two? Saga is a silly card, it wouldn't shock me if it made some Tier 4 strategy into a vaguely competitive one though.

Perhaps, in a Green version, since we are thinking Reclaimer and Excavator, perhaps we throw in a couple Depths and Stages too?

[JackaBo]

Elvish reclaimer too

[Reeplcheep]

The new channel lands and turtle could make it worth revisiting the landstill idea.


boseiju, who endures
Otawara, Soaring City
Eijango, Seat of the Empire
Colossal Skyturtle


Colossal skyturtle being able to regrow anything on t1 for G and pitch to force seems the most important pickup.

[Reeplcheep]

They printed a better blue Thran turbine. I think we could revisit this idea since we now have critical mass and it can be used for sorcery speed abilities. It also counts fetch lands and cycling cards for its second ability.

The Enigma Jewel {U}
Legendary Artifact
The Enigma Jewel enters the battlefield tapped.
{T}: Add {C}{C}. Spend this mana only to activate abilities.
Craft with four or more nonlands with activated abilities {8}{U} ({8}{U}, Exile this artifact, Exile the four or more from among other permanents you control and/or cards in your graveyard: Return this card transformed under its owner's control. Craft only as a sorcery.)
----
Locus of Enlightenment
Color Indicator: Blue
Legendary Artifact
Locus of Enlightenment has each activated ability of the exiled cards used to craft it. You may activate each of those abilities only once each turn.
Whenever you activate an ability that isn't a mana ability, copy it. You may choose new targets for the copy.

They are also several more cards with good activated abilities since.


Lorien Revealed
Skybinder Staff
Moonsnare Prototype
Mirrorshell Crab
The Balrog of Moria
Touch the Spirit Realm
Behold the multiverse
Curse of the Cabal

[Reeplcheep]

The mana can’t be used for triggered abilities, but I don’t think we mentioned any of those except for rystic study or the decree cycle.

[Reeplcheep]

Do 8 sol rings make absolute jank legacy playable? We have a pretty consistent plan of vomit out 1 mana permanents into sphere/standstill into ability value. You don’t go as big as 8cast but sphere is probably better than chalice and you avoid draw hate somewhat.


27 artifacts
4 The Enigma Jewel
4 Thran Turbine
3 Immovable Rod
3 Moonsnare Prototype
4 Mox Opal
3 Retrofitter
1 Ornithopter
1 Tormod Crypt
3 Sphere of Resistance

16 other
4 Standstill
4 Force of Will
2 Metallic Rebuke
4 Timeless Dragon
2 Lorien Revealed

18 lands
4 Urza’s Saga
4 Seat of the synod
4 Tundra
1 Field of Ruin
1 Otawara
1 Plains
1 Island
2 Flooded Strand