I'm still apprehensive of the card because I'm from a time when we all laughed off auras as unplayable jank because of ye olde 2-for-1. But hey, Darksteel Citadel + this, it's gotta work somewhere. Probably insane in limited.
The required object is "artifact" and Inkmoth Nexus will cease to the an artifact at the end of the turn.
Actually you have two effects going on. The "1/1 flying infect artifact creature" effect till EOT and the constant "5/5 artifact creature" effect. When the 1/1 effect wears off, the other 5/5 effect is still active. It will lose infect and flying, but stay a ground pounding 5/5 till the other effect is activated again. It will NOT fall off at EOT. It will however become a 1/1 flier the next time you activate the ability.
Ensoul Artifact doesn't actually say "it becomes an artifact creature", though. It says it becomes a creature, so the effect it grants doesn't grant targeting legality to itself.
Touché. It WOULD quit being an artifact at the end of the turn, thus the aura WOULD drop off as a state based effect. Aura Rules. 303.4c
Still, nice enchantment overall. I like it.
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MTG Junky... First packs being a starter of each 4th Edition and Ice Age. Good Grief, I've been playing since 1995? Where does the time go!
Quote from Xcric »
this is mtgs, where occam's razor is so blunt it can't cut jello any more.
I kinda get Tempered Steel vibes from this thing. Enables a highly explosive-start deck that can close out games quickly, but also is rather vulnerable at the same time. Fun times ahead.
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My Commander decks:
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
Wow, you don't even need to come up with a contrived Artifact deck "just because", a blue-based control deck, provided it isn't hurt by Darksteel Citadel giving only colorless mana, can use this as a handy winning condition, an indestructible 5/5 for a paltry 2 mana? Sign me in.
Wow, you don't even need to come up with a contrived Artifact deck "just because", a blue-based control deck, provided it isn't hurt by Darksteel Citadel giving only colorless mana, can use this as a handy winning condition, an indestructible 5/5 for a paltry 2 mana? Sign me in.
^ This. Plus, now that the legend rule changed, every deck with black will be likely running at least a singleton Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth. In a U/B control deck a fair number of times your Darksteel Citadels will just be swamps anyways. Plus it makes a great early game wall against aggro.
2 Drops
Chief Engineer (mana for big things)
Generator Servant (mana for hasty big things or multiple small things)
Phyrexian Revoker (utility, artifact)
Shrapnel Blast (reach)
Ensoul Artifact (makes beaters)
Prophetic Prism (utility, cantrip, artifact)
3 Drops
Darksteel Ingot (Indestructible beater + mana)
Hammer of Purphoros (artifact + useful abilities)
Illusory Angel (using mana from Generator Servant)
4 Drops
Trading Post (utility, artifact)
Juggernaut (beater by itself, target for generator servant)
Thassa (beater, strong utility, 1-2 of)
Purphoros (beater, strong utility, 1-2 of)
Bident of Thassa (artifact, useful abilities)
Master of Waves (convoke targets, probably not best environment for him)
5 Drops (out turn three with generator servant)
Keranos (card filtering, beater)
Stormbreath (naturally hasty threat against control)
Prognostic (strong against a lot of decks)
6 Drops
Soul of New Phyrexia (indestructible beater)
Scuttling Doom Engine (beater that gets past tokens + walls and can't simply be burned or destroyed)
It looks like the deck has a good early start, and has a variety of win conditions. Balancing it out will take awhile, but it looks like a very viable deck.
I'm surprised to see so many good uses for Darksteel citadel in a core set. We have new nissa, shrapnel blast and now even a really powerful option in blue. Time to snag those foils.
Were foil Citadels $20 before? Because they are now. Wow.
It would be weird if they inrease in price now, for m15 will greatly increase supply. then again, if they become really good in standard who knows how much a foil citadel will go for.
I'm SO SICK of the "too strong for Standard" argument. It's the new "Dies to removal". We can have a two mana 4/4 with a zillion abilities, but we can't just have Accumulated Knowledge. Makes sense.
might end up being a 2-3 dollar uncommon in the long run. It has a place in affinity or any heavily artifact based decks. I think affinity will try it or it may spawn another strain of affinity. I might experiment with it in modern but what I am really curious about is legacy affinity. With the artifact lands this seems dangerous.
might end up being a 2-3 dollar uncommon in the long run. It has a place in affinity or any heavily artifact based decks. I think affinity will try it or it may spawn another strain of affinity. I might experiment with it in modern but what I am really curious about is legacy affinity. With the artifact lands this seems dangerous.
I don't really think there's enough to make a deck in Standard completely devoted to this card yet, but it can fill a role in a multi-purpose artifact deck. I was looking at U/R Artifacts for post-rotation Standard. It's promising. What you want is flexibility. You don't want the Ornithopters and Darksteel Citadels to be in the deck only for Ensoul Artifact. They are also outlets for Shrapnel Blast, and the Ornithopters provide convoke options once you have Chief Engineer out. Here's something I threw together quickly:
I think the Scuttling Doom Engine is generally a better card for this deck than Soul of New Phyrexia, but I went with a 3 & 1 split just because the ability could see use. Scuttling Doom Engine provides lots of value when combined with Shrapnel Blast. Attack + Shrapnel Blast is worth 17 damage. Phyrexian Revoker is in as a cheap creature to help convoke costs, another target for Ensoul Artifact or Shrapnel Blast, and the ability can be fairly useful. Hot Soup is basically a placeholder for something better yet to come (probably in Khans). It's another target for Shrapnel Blast or Ensoul Artifact, and it's a decent equip choice for Scuttling Doom Engine.
What? That's a horrible decklist. Why would anyone try that....
*looks left*
*looks right*
*steals*
Seriously though, I like your starting point. I think it may still need some work, but for something thrown together it's not bad. I might proxy that up and give a few tests. It seems fun and it has more than one game plan and they sort of work off each other, which is always a plus.
I think the card is pretty good almost entirely because of it's cost. It is a build around card (because you need to have the artifacts in the deck to make it work) but it could also fit into an already artifact heavy deck with only a little reworking. It may not end up appearing in any PTQ top 16s, but I think it's good design. If nothing else, it should be fun to play.
If there are a decent number of usable artifacts at common, this will be an extremely high pick in limited. As it is, there are certainly going to be some pre-releases won with this.
This card is SOOOO intriguing!!! I really wanna brew a u/r standard deck with it now!
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Casual Decks WRBoros Aggro (Glorious knights of badassery) RBRakdos Bloodthirst (Undercosted waves of fat s***) URIzzet Talrand/Pyromancer (b/c I hate you) GRGruul Ramp and Stomp (SO FAT. SO FAST. RAWRRR) GBGolgari Birthing Pod (b/c you wanted a challenge. I did warn you this BS is banned though) BWOrzhov Lifegain Aggro (Removal for dayzzz) WGSelesnya Tribal Golem-splicers/token (meh. Needs more upgrades. Perhaps switching to bant?) WUAzorius Flicker (b/c I wanna annoy the f*** outta you) GUSimic Evolve Aggro (Aggro takes a journey to the weird side of the color pie) BUDimir Control (b/c I wanna peel your skin off and flay you within an inch of life before I kill you) URWJeskai Ascendency Tokens (MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA) RWBMardu Warriors (Butcher is da bomb) GU Simic Morph (slow as s*** but oh so fun) WBGAbzan Dredge-animator (PURE EVIL) GWHexproof Aggro (Deal with it. Lemme guess, you cant?)
EDH Decks UBRNekusar (Multiplayer MONSTA. 1v1 Klutz) GRB Prossh (Set up engines. WRECK FACE) GEzuri (Hey so I heard you liked Elves...) UTalrand (Counter. Cantrip. Counter. Cantrip. Repeat till opponents die-- possibly of boredom)
Tiny leaders WUDaxos (basic 3/1 fliers do basic s***. Also Daxos) RWAnax and Cymede (Heroic weenie beats)
Standard RRMONO RED AGGRO (RAWWWRRRR!!!!) WUHeroic Aggro (Easy mode beatstick)
So we just came off an entire enchantment block and we didn't get any enchantment support that is even as remotely competitive as this. Its pretty sad that artifacts are already looking better for the next standard season. Wizards, you suck.
So we just came off an entire enchantment block and we didn't get any enchantment support that is even as remotely competitive as this. Its pretty sad that artifacts are already looking better for the next standard season. Wizards, you suck.
Well look at it this way, at least it won't be as overbearing as affinity.
STATISTICS.
All of these "Let's eliminate bad cards" crusades are simply ignorant. And when they start to devolve into "WotC is conspiring to give us crappy cards," they just become embarrassing. MATH is conspiring to give you crappy cards.
What's up with the wording on this card? Base power and toughness? When did they start using the word "base" on cards to refer to P&T? Also, "in addition to its other types" doesn't seem to make sense where it is located. Maybe I'm just slow...
WIZARDS: "We didn't want to print enchantment lands because we're afraid they might be as powerful as artifact lands. We will however reprint an artifact land with tons of competitive support in the very next core set."
So we just came off an entire enchantment block and we didn't get any enchantment support that is even as remotely competitive as this. Its pretty sad that artifacts are already looking better for the next standard season. Wizards, you suck.
Well look at it this way, at least it won't be as overbearing as affinity.
Yeah...I guess...but sometimes I feel like Wizards is trolling us.
If you Enbsoul Artifact a Sword of X and Y can you still equip the sword to a different creature?
No.
301.5c An Equipment that’s also a creature can’t equip a creature. An Equipment that loses the subtype “Equipment” can’t equip a creature. An Equipment can’t equip itself. An Equipment that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains on the battlefield. (This is a state-based action. See rule 704.)
I don't really think there's enough to make a deck in Standard completely devoted to this card yet, but it can fill a role in a multi-purpose artifact deck. I was looking at U/R Artifacts for post-rotation Standard. It's promising. What you want is flexibility. You don't want the Ornithopters and Darksteel Citadels to be in the deck only for Ensoul Artifact. They are also outlets for Shrapnel Blast, and the Ornithopters provide convoke options once you have Chief Engineer out. Here's something I threw together quickly:
I think the Scuttling Doom Engine is generally a better card for this deck than Soul of New Phyrexia, but I went with a 3 & 1 split just because the ability could see use. Scuttling Doom Engine provides lots of value when combined with Shrapnel Blast. Attack + Shrapnel Blast is worth 17 damage. Phyrexian Revoker is in as a cheap creature to help convoke costs, another target for Ensoul Artifact or Shrapnel Blast, and the ability can be fairly useful. Hot Soup is basically a placeholder for something better yet to come (probably in Khans). It's another target for Shrapnel Blast or Ensoul Artifact, and it's a decent equip choice for Scuttling Doom Engine.
The fact that I put together almost exactly this list before I saw yours makes me feel that maybe WotC pretty much made this deck for us. Not sure if that's a good sign or not... I want Omenspeakers (anti-aggro body that taps for convoke, scry for combo pieces) and maaybe one or two Hoarding Dragon for Doom Engine redundancy. Don't like Juggernaut. Any thoughts on Jace's Ingenuity? We'll run out of cards fast with this thing.
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When I hit my 3000 post mark, I'm gone for good.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
So we just came off an entire enchantment block and we didn't get any enchantment support that is even as remotely competitive as this. Its pretty sad that artifacts are already looking better for the next standard season. Wizards, you suck.
Agreed. I really hate the pattern Wizards has where they introduce a new block then completely throw it's theme out the window with the next set. This was the perfect opportunity to reprint Idyllic Tutor, which has reached $20 on the secondary market and would had great synergy with the Gods of Theros, but nope.
I had 2 of these in my pre-release pool along with scuttling doom engine and 3 ornothopers and 2 bronze sables. It was probably the first time i have done a u/b deck with a colorless focus since fifth dawn era. It was sweet to swing for 5 in the air with the thoper on turn two tho.
I don't really think there's enough to make a deck in Standard completely devoted to this card yet, but it can fill a role in a multi-purpose artifact deck. I was looking at U/R Artifacts for post-rotation Standard. It's promising. What you want is flexibility. You don't want the Ornithopters and Darksteel Citadels to be in the deck only for Ensoul Artifact. They are also outlets for Shrapnel Blast, and the Ornithopters provide convoke options once you have Chief Engineer out. Here's something I threw together quickly:
I think the Scuttling Doom Engine is generally a better card for this deck than Soul of New Phyrexia, but I went with a 3 & 1 split just because the ability could see use. Scuttling Doom Engine provides lots of value when combined with Shrapnel Blast. Attack + Shrapnel Blast is worth 17 damage. Phyrexian Revoker is in as a cheap creature to help convoke costs, another target for Ensoul Artifact or Shrapnel Blast, and the ability can be fairly useful. Hot Soup is basically a placeholder for something better yet to come (probably in Khans). It's another target for Shrapnel Blast or Ensoul Artifact, and it's a decent equip choice for Scuttling Doom Engine.
Also looking at Thassa to make the Engine unblockable and maybe Generator Servant with Illusory Angel for flying beating with haste (the Generator Servant ramps too!)
Also looking at Thassa to make the Engine unblockable and maybe Generator Servant with Illusory Angel for flying beating with haste (the Generator Servant ramps too!)
Generator Servant is a valid choice for getting Doom Engine out early, but Illusory Angel? If you want a 4/4 flier with haste for five mana, you can just play Stormbreath Dragon and use one card less.
If we're trying to reach 6 mana in Standard, Aggressive Mining is not an option. I thing that's a card that's playable exclusively in burn decks.
Oh man, this guy. He's got a plan.
I'm still apprehensive of the card because I'm from a time when we all laughed off auras as unplayable jank because of ye olde 2-for-1. But hey, Darksteel Citadel + this, it's gotta work somewhere. Probably insane in limited.
Touché. It WOULD quit being an artifact at the end of the turn, thus the aura WOULD drop off as a state based effect. Aura Rules. 303.4c
Still, nice enchantment overall. I like it.
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Oops! All Chandras.
Prime Speaker Zegana - Draw for Power.
Pir & Toothy - Counterpalooza.
Arcades, the Strategist - Another Brick in the Wall.
Zacama, Primal Calamity - Calamity of Double Mana.
Edgar Markov - Vampires Don't Die.
Child of Alara - Dreamcrusher.
^ This. Plus, now that the legend rule changed, every deck with black will be likely running at least a singleton Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth. In a U/B control deck a fair number of times your Darksteel Citadels will just be swamps anyways. Plus it makes a great early game wall against aggro.
0 Drops
Ornithopter (flying target)
Darksteel Citadel (indestructible target)
1 Drops
Pithing Needle (utility, artifact)
Springleaf Drum (mana, artifact)
2 Drops
Chief Engineer (mana for big things)
Generator Servant (mana for hasty big things or multiple small things)
Phyrexian Revoker (utility, artifact)
Shrapnel Blast (reach)
Ensoul Artifact (makes beaters)
Prophetic Prism (utility, cantrip, artifact)
3 Drops
Darksteel Ingot (Indestructible beater + mana)
Hammer of Purphoros (artifact + useful abilities)
Illusory Angel (using mana from Generator Servant)
4 Drops
Trading Post (utility, artifact)
Juggernaut (beater by itself, target for generator servant)
Thassa (beater, strong utility, 1-2 of)
Purphoros (beater, strong utility, 1-2 of)
Bident of Thassa (artifact, useful abilities)
Master of Waves (convoke targets, probably not best environment for him)
5 Drops (out turn three with generator servant)
Keranos (card filtering, beater)
Stormbreath (naturally hasty threat against control)
Prognostic (strong against a lot of decks)
6 Drops
Soul of New Phyrexia (indestructible beater)
Scuttling Doom Engine (beater that gets past tokens + walls and can't simply be burned or destroyed)
It looks like the deck has a good early start, and has a variety of win conditions. Balancing it out will take awhile, but it looks like a very viable deck.
It would be weird if they inrease in price now, for m15 will greatly increase supply. then again, if they become really good in standard who knows how much a foil citadel will go for.
What? That's a horrible decklist. Why would anyone try that....
*looks left*
*looks right*
*steals*
Seriously though, I like your starting point. I think it may still need some work, but for something thrown together it's not bad. I might proxy that up and give a few tests. It seems fun and it has more than one game plan and they sort of work off each other, which is always a plus.
I think the card is pretty good almost entirely because of it's cost. It is a build around card (because you need to have the artifacts in the deck to make it work) but it could also fit into an already artifact heavy deck with only a little reworking. It may not end up appearing in any PTQ top 16s, but I think it's good design. If nothing else, it should be fun to play.
UBBreya's Toybox (Competitive, Combo)WR
RGodzilla, King of the MonstersG
-Retired Decks-
UBLazav, Dimir Mastermind (Competitive, UB Voltron/Control)UB
"Knowledge is such a burden. Release it. Release all your fears to me."
—Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver
My custom sets:
Caeia Block (Released - Beta)
Generals of Dareth (In Design)
WRBoros Aggro (Glorious knights of badassery)
RBRakdos Bloodthirst (Undercosted waves of fat s***)
URIzzet Talrand/Pyromancer (b/c I hate you)
GRGruul Ramp and Stomp (SO FAT. SO FAST. RAWRRR)
GBGolgari Birthing Pod (b/c you wanted a challenge. I did warn you this BS is banned though)
BWOrzhov Lifegain Aggro (Removal for dayzzz)
WGSelesnya Tribal Golem-splicers/token (meh. Needs more upgrades. Perhaps switching to bant?)
WUAzorius Flicker (b/c I wanna annoy the f*** outta you)
GUSimic Evolve Aggro (Aggro takes a journey to the weird side of the color pie)
BUDimir Control (b/c I wanna peel your skin off and flay you within an inch of life before I kill you)
URWJeskai Ascendency Tokens (MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA)
RWBMardu Warriors (Butcher is da bomb)
GU Simic Morph (slow as s*** but oh so fun)
WBGAbzan Dredge-animator (PURE EVIL)
GWHexproof Aggro (Deal with it. Lemme guess, you cant?)
EDH Decks
UBRNekusar (Multiplayer MONSTA. 1v1 Klutz)
GRB Prossh (Set up engines. WRECK FACE)
GEzuri (Hey so I heard you liked Elves...)
UTalrand (Counter. Cantrip. Counter. Cantrip. Repeat till opponents die-- possibly of boredom)
Tiny leaders
WUDaxos (basic 3/1 fliers do basic s***. Also Daxos)
RWAnax and Cymede (Heroic weenie beats)
Standard
RRMONO RED AGGRO (RAWWWRRRR!!!!)
WUHeroic Aggro (Easy mode beatstick)
Well look at it this way, at least it won't be as overbearing as affinity.
Yeah...I guess...but sometimes I feel like Wizards is trolling us.
The fact that I put together almost exactly this list before I saw yours makes me feel that maybe WotC pretty much made this deck for us. Not sure if that's a good sign or not... I want Omenspeakers (anti-aggro body that taps for convoke, scry for combo pieces) and maaybe one or two Hoarding Dragon for Doom Engine redundancy. Don't like Juggernaut. Any thoughts on Jace's Ingenuity? We'll run out of cards fast with this thing.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'
Agreed. I really hate the pattern Wizards has where they introduce a new block then completely throw it's theme out the window with the next set. This was the perfect opportunity to reprint Idyllic Tutor, which has reached $20 on the secondary market and would had great synergy with the Gods of Theros, but nope.
Trades
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(Signature courtesy of Argetlam of Hakai Studios
I'm working on something similar but I'm including Jace, the Living Guildpact and Aggressive Mining in order to help me dig for Ensoul Artifact and/or Scuttling Doom Engine
Also looking at Thassa to make the Engine unblockable and maybe Generator Servant with Illusory Angel for flying beating with haste (the Generator Servant ramps too!)
Generator Servant is a valid choice for getting Doom Engine out early, but Illusory Angel? If you want a 4/4 flier with haste for five mana, you can just play Stormbreath Dragon and use one card less.
If we're trying to reach 6 mana in Standard, Aggressive Mining is not an option. I thing that's a card that's playable exclusively in burn decks.
Stay reasonable, be mindful of your expectations and don't feed the trolls.
Doomsdayin'