[Deck] Affinity

[Infinitium]

Can't see Affinity edging out Elves as the Glimpse deck of choice. Elves have resilience, and far better synergy with it as they can actually generate surplus mana and card advantage as they go. I'm definetly trying out Lord Monkey in my current affinity build however, probably in place of Arcbound Worker. 12 very efficient lords might be just what Affinity needs to regain its niche (it'll always be hated out on demand however so don't bank on it sailing up as the premier aggro deck of the format).

// Lands
4 [DS] Darksteel Citadel
4 [MR] Seat of the Synod
4 [DS] Blinkmoth Nexus
4 [MR] Great Furnace

// Creatures
4 [DS] Arcbound Ravager
4 [MR] Ornithopter
4 [ALA] Master of Etherium
4 [M11] Steel Overseer
4 [SOM] Memnite
4 [MBE] Signal Pest

// Spells
4 [MR] Thoughtcast
4 [FD] Cranial Plating
3 [SOM] Mox Opal
2 [MR] Shrapnel Blast
3 [LRW] Springleaf Drum
4 [SOM] Galvanic Blast

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [MR] Chalice of the Void
SB: 4 [M10] Pithing Needle
SB: 2 [DK] Tormod's Crypt
SB: 2 [ALA] Relic of Progenitus
SB: 3 [FD] Engineered Explosives

[AggroSteve]

i have tested glimpse of nature extensively, i also played an erayo-affinity list a few years ago, so i know exactly what use glimpse has in the deck

as a few lists are playing following non-cost- / affinity-creatures

3-4x memnite
3-4x ornithophter
4x frogmite
2-4x myr enforcer

allways depending on your list glimpse will have a stronger or weaker impact on the match, but practically glimpse is mostly just used as a adictional thoughtcast, that occasionally makes you draw 5 cards instead of 2 and fill the battlefield with a lot of free creatures, that all help master of etherium or cranial plating, or ravager to grow, or whatever

glimpse is most effective 1st turn with 2 free creatures or around the 3rd turn (at least in my testings) and will allmost allways give you at least 2 cards, and that is not half bad considering its manacost, but its a bit situational, since sometimes you will only get 1 card out of it, but some other times you will get even 5 cards
^^ btw, double glimpse is awesome, it makes your deck allmost run like a combo deck drawing up to 6 to 10 cards and putting them in the field, and burn opponent out of life with ravager/disciple

did anyone ever try the new pseudo-skullclamp? its called infiltration lens i think

[1maarten1]

Is there anyone that plays Quest for the holy relic in Affinity? Seems like it could work pretty cool to me, it also gives you some kind of permanent removal in the form of Argentium armor.

I think a list that runs glint hawks could definately use something like that.

[AggroSteve]

could be an option, but i think it is subpar
why not just play stoneforge mystic if you are allready playing white and want to search for equipment

argentum armor is allmost not castable because of its manacost and will have allmost no use for the deck

[1maarten1]

could be an option, but i think it is subpar
why not just play stoneforge mystic if you are allready playing white and want to search for equipment

argentum armor is allmost not castable because of its manacost and will have allmost no use for the deck

Quest also lets you attach that equipment when it hits play ;)!

[AggroSteve]

may be true but you need to play 5 creatures to get the equipment, by the time you have played 5 creatures, there should be 1 or 2 of them that can finish the game alone if unanswered, so the equip-piece will not be needed anymore

example:
- by the time you have played 5 creatures your master of etherium (if you play him) will be at least 7/7 or bigger, if unanswered he wins the game, no need for equip there
- by the time ...... 5 creatures, ravager will be 5/5 or bigger and win you the game (probably)

- if you play stoneforge mystic you will get the most effective equipment for an affinity deck or maybe other equipments of a toolbox on your 2nd turn, but will not be able to use it right away but plating is simply the most effective equipment for affinity, there is no arguing on this

[Pltnmngl]

I'm digging Glimpse of Nature more and more. I'm still messing with the Kansas list. I'm just trying to figure out what that 1 Sword and 1 Foundry should be. Maybe 2 Signal Pest? MOE? 2 more Champion maybe?

[AggroSteve]

i will be sticking with master of etherium instead of champion for now, and i still have to test sword and foundry way more, but i think they are more usefull than signal pest, simply due to the fact that foundry generates evasive creatures, and sword is recursive ravager-fodder, or fodder for foundry

[1maarten1]

i will be sticking with master of etherium instead of champion for now, and i still have to test sword and foundry way more, but i think they are more usefull than signal pest, simply due to the fact that foundry generates evasive creatures, and sword is recursive ravager-fodder, or fodder for foundry

Signal pest IS evasive! Thats what makes it so insane. (It cant be blocked by creatures without flying or reach) So it pumps your guys, carrys plating like a champ, and it can also give +2 to ravager (declare attack and then sac it). So I think its a no-brainer on that it will replace Arcbound worker.

[Pltnmngl]

Affinity got a decent amount of press this weekend. Patrick Chapin played affinity at San Jose. It looks a lot like the list from Kansas. (Would it be okay if I posted the list?) Also, Nick Spagnolo and Michael Pozsgay both said Affinity is one of the best aggro decks in the format. Prior to the weekend, Alexander Shearer said "hope for affinity." It's weird that this deck is being expected so much, yet still accepted as a main contender.

I have not tested Signal Pest yet, so I will reserve my doubts. It does justify running the full suite of Thopter, Memnite, Frogmite, and a few Enforcers supported by Glimpse. It supports a swarm strategy more.

[SpikeyMikey]

Screw Signal Pest. If it got it's own bonus, maybe. But how many things that beat for 0 on their own do you want? Maybe in Playce of Ornithopter as an evasive, but free is better than 1. What has me excited is Phyrexian Revoker and the new Tezz. Revoker solves a lot of problems and provides a serious disruption tool. Shut down SDT against CB? Shut down LED against storm? Sign me up! I loathe Affinity, but I may have to play it in Indy anyway, it just looks too strong...

[Justin]

A few new spoiled cards:

Phyrexian Revoker 2
Artifact Creature - Horror
As Phyrexian Revoker enters the battlefield, name a nonland card.
Activated abilities of sources with the chosen name can't be activated.
Basic senses like sight and taste are reserved for those in power.
Illus. Kev Walker #122/155 2/1

Its ability is similar to Pithing Needle, except that it can't hit abilities on lands, but can hit mana abilities of non-lands. This seems like a card that can help improve some of the deck's bad matchups. The weaknesses are that it is slow (yeah 2 mana is slow for Affinity) and doesn't really fit with the swarm strategy discussed above. However, it might be a good sideboard option, as it might be worth paying an extra mana for a "needle" that can pick up Plating and beat down.

Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas 2UB
Planeswalker - Tezzeret
+1: Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal an artifact card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
-1: Target artifact becomes a 5/5 artifact creature.
-4: Target player loses X life and you gain X life, where X is twice the number of artifacts you control.
Illus. Aleksi Briclot #97/155 3

Yeah, I know it's really expensive. However, four mana planeswalkers have been good in Legacy. It comes in with three loyalty counters and then you fetch an artifact with the first ability for +1. You could grab a "free" artifact creature that can help you defend your Walker. Then, if it gets to your next turn, you just win with the ultimate ability. The second ability might even be viable as well. The effect does not wear off until the end of the turn. You might use it late in the game when an extra 5/5 guy could help you finish your alpha strike.

Ultimately, the new Tezzeret, cool as it is, may not make the cut in "balls to the wall" versions of Affinity that play Glimpse of Nature and the like if it is too slow. However, I think it can be an excellent finisher for slower versions of Affinity that can ramp up to four mana. Certainly, the printing of Mox Opal makes the new Tezzeret a much more viable option because of the color fixing and acceleration.

[1maarten1]

Revoker seems even more great then Signal pest. The argument that its slow isnt really relevent in a list that can produce 2 mana on turn 1 very frequently using Opal.

I agree that Signal pest might not be as good as I thought since it doesnt buff itself, but I still think it deserves a slot. Maybe in the place of some workers/thopters.

Tezzeret is not playeble in the Kansas list, maybe in a slower affinity.

[Justin]

The more I think about Revoker, the more I think it's worthy of consideration for the main deck. My question is where does it fit in? What do you cut in favor of it? Ravager costs the same mana, but I would hesitate to cut it. You probably don't want to cut a card that can provide a huge threat such as Master of Etherium. You also don't want to cut a cheap or "free" artifact creature for Revoker because it will slow your deck down and force you to add more land. So what do you cut for it if you want it in your main deck?

[Nidd]

Tezzeret looks great in the version I've been thinking about - Thopter Foundry, maybe even Confidant or Goyf.

[1maarten1]

The more I think about Revoker, the more I think it's worthy of consideration for the main deck. My question is where does it fit in? What do you cut in favor of it? Ravager costs the same mana, but I would hesitate to cut it. You probably don't want to cut a card that can provide a huge threat such as Master of Etherium. You also don't want to cut a cheap or "free" artifact creature for Revoker because it will slow your deck down and force you to add more land. So what do you cut for it if you want it in your main deck?

Maybe Etched champion? I cut MoE in favor of Champion but maybe it would be nice to run this in its place, doesnt have the same ''carrys plating like a champ'' but if I like signal pest instead of arcbound worker that problem is kinda fixed.

I think thats what ill do:
-3 etched champion
+3 revoker (4th in sb)
-4 arcbound worker
+4 signal pest

[SpikeyMikey]

The more I think about Revoker, the more I think it's worthy of consideration for the main deck. My question is where does it fit in? What do you cut in favor of it? Ravager costs the same mana, but I would hesitate to cut it. You probably don't want to cut a card that can provide a huge threat such as Master of Etherium. You also don't want to cut a cheap or "free" artifact creature for Revoker because it will slow your deck down and force you to add more land. So what do you cut for it if you want it in your main deck?

Easy. You cut Ravager and DotV. You add 4 Revokers and 2 Tezz and 2 Etched Champions. Plating and MoE, your two biggest threats work at odds with it. Tezz works with them. If you're running Drum and Opal, you could play him turn 2 and activate on turn 3 if you wanted. He gives you filter too. You run Cannonist main to supplement the disruption of Revoker.

DotV is only good with Ravager anyway and Ravager is really only good as a finisher under M10 rules. Tezz is just better and Revoker is so good you can't not run him. No Vial for Fish and Goblins. You just explode past them. You lock down CB decks by shutting off their Tops or locking down their Cantrips and burn through them too. And how is storm going to do against MD Cannonist when they can't IT for anything because their LED is locked with Revoker?

[Mystical_Jackass]

Pithing Needle on a stick. Sounds good, shut down their EE or Deed. Wish it stopped Maze of Ith.

Tezzeret 2.0's ultimate is nuts in Affinity ^^

[Justin]

Easy. You cut Ravager and DotV. You add 4 Revokers and 2 Tezz and 2 Etched Champions. Plating and MoE, your two biggest threats work at odds with it. Tezz works with them. If you're running Drum and Opal, you could play him turn 2 and activate on turn 3 if you wanted. He gives you filter too. You run Cannonist main to supplement the disruption of Revoker.

DotV is only good with Ravager anyway and Ravager is really only good as a finisher under M10 rules. Tezz is just better and Revoker is so good you can't not run him. No Vial for Fish and Goblins. You just explode past them. You lock down CB decks by shutting off their Tops or locking down their Cantrips and burn through them too. And how is storm going to do against MD Cannonist when they can't IT for anything because their LED is locked with Revoker?

As someone who has played Affinity since 2004, the idea of cutting Ravager and Disciple seems like blasphamy. But you make some great points. I thiking cutting them is the way to go and use those eight slots for Tezz and cards that support him.

[TheSleeper]

Can Tezz work with Ravager/Disciple though? The deck would have a couple of game plans that way:

#1
-Get Champion/Ornithopter+Plating to apply early beats (if not outright win)
-Finish with either Tezz Ulti or Ravager/Disciple

#2:
-If no Plating gets online, clog the board a little
-Ulti with Tezz for half their life
-Finish with Ravager/Disciple

The only way these two don't work is if you choose to sac everything to Ravager *before* Tezz arrives. But unless that was lethal, you wouldn't have done that anyways.

Ultimately they both may not fit in the same build; I can see the case for Revoker. I just wanted to point out that they could work as alternate win conditions as well. You won't always draw one or the other. Having said that, Tezz only requires one card (and a +1 turn) to activate, while Arcbound/Disciple is obviously a two card combo. Excited to see what happens in this space though.