I'm looking for an alternate wincon to add to one of my newer decks. Specifically, about 3 weeks ago I broke down my cute little Rayne mono-U deck and built an Esper deck around Ertai, the Corrupted. I started off as a rather milquetoast control deck with token generators, and after playtesting it morphed into a bizarre but extremely fun pillowfort deck. It has since been nicknamed "The Iron Box."
The problem is winning. It runs no combos besides Grand Architect / Pili-Pala / Enter the Infinite. The deck usually wins by self decking with Lab Maniac and I'm looking for a backup.
How viable is Darksteel Reactor if I'm not running proliferate? And if not, would adding a Contagion Engine by itself be enough of a boost?
How viable is Darksteel Reactor if I'm not running proliferate? And if not, would adding a Contagion Engine by itself be enough of a boost?
Let's say with some sort of god hand, Reactor hits turn 1 off a sol ring and mana crypt. Now let's say that off that same hand you get Contagion engine out on turn 2. Reactor adding one counter per turn and contagion adding 2 from turn 3 on, it would still take you to turn 8 to get reactor off.
I use it in vorel because I can both give it counters with other cards and double the counters with vorel. I would never run it without a strategy based on counters.
I would only run Darksteel Reactor in a Vorel deck with every proliferate card (well, except for the black and red ones, obviously), Doubling Season, and Gilder Bairn. Otherwise you're just asking to get screwed over. Preferably I would add Experiment Kraj to activate Vorel/Bairn a third time (or better, abuse Kraj's ability with T/Q).
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Darksteel Reactor triggers surprisingly in quickly in a Vorel of the Hull Clade deck from the testing I've done. Even with no other cards besides basic lands that combination wins on turn eight.
But yeah, unless you've got ways to add counters, the card seems slow.
I would only run Darksteel Reactor in a Vorel deck with every proliferate card (well, except for the black and red ones, obviously), Doubling Season, and Gilder Bairn. Otherwise you're just asking to get screwed over. Preferably I would add Experiment Kraj to activate Vorel/Bairn a third time (or better, abuse Kraj's ability with T/Q).
Trust me, you don't need proliferate in Vorel. You play untap effects. Or, for Gilder Bairn, tap effects. Aura of Dominion is both at once!
On many occasions in my Vorel deck, Darksteel Reactor goes from 0 counters (the turn I play it), to 1 counter (the following upkeep), to 32 counters (that same turn). To do that in a single turn with Umbral Mantle this requires 12UUUUUGGGGG, surprisingly easy for Vorel to reach with things like Astral Cornucopia, Everflowing Chalice, Tezzeret the Seeker, etc. With Aura of Dominion it's 4UUUUUGGGGG and 4 other creatures (or the same total mana and 1 other creature if one is Gilder Bairn). Gilder Bairn equipped with Paradise Mantle can do the job for 10 mana in addition to what he generates by cosplaying BOP.
Of course, Doubling Season cuts down the costs for all of the above options.
I would only run Darksteel Reactor in a Vorel deck with every proliferate card (well, except for the black and red ones, obviously), Doubling Season, and Gilder Bairn. Otherwise you're just asking to get screwed over. Preferably I would add Experiment Kraj to activate Vorel/Bairn a third time (or better, abuse Kraj's ability with T/Q).
Trust me, you don't need proliferate in Vorel. You play untap effects. Or, for Gilder Bairn, tap effects. Aura of Dominion is both at once!
On many occasions in my Vorel deck, Darksteel Reactor goes from 0 counters (the turn I play it), to 1 counter (the following upkeep), to 32 counters (that same turn). To do that in a single turn with Umbral Mantle this requires 12UUUUUGGGGG, surprisingly easy for Vorel to reach with things like Astral Cornucopia, Everflowing Chalice, Tezzeret the Seeker, etc. With Aura of Dominion it's 4UUUUUGGGGG and 4 other creatures (or the same total mana and 1 other creature if one is Gilder Bairn). Gilder Bairn equipped with Paradise Mantle can do the job for 10 mana in addition to what he generates by cosplaying BOP.
Of course, Doubling Season cuts down the costs for all of the above options.
Proliferate isn't bad. Typically, I like using Inexorable Tide cause it works for everything I have with counters, especially the Planeswalkers.
I usually use Power conduit to add the first counter. I also tend to use Vigean Graftmage or Pemmin's Aura as an untap source for vorel. I normally don't even attempt Reactor until I've got at least Doubling season out, but a lot of time's I've locked the board down with Tangle Wire until I get some of my pieces out via Alchemist's Refuge and Winding Canyons. I can normally add two counters with Power conduit, Double with vorel to 6, untap and double to 18, then untap a final time and double to 54 counters for win.
Darksteel Reactor doesn't really seem to fit in there - but you're in esper colors, so consider the Sword of the Meek/Thopter Foundry combo for another wincon.
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The problem is winning. It runs no combos besides Grand Architect / Pili-Pala / Enter the Infinite. The deck usually wins by self decking with Lab Maniac and I'm looking for a backup.
How viable is Darksteel Reactor if I'm not running proliferate? And if not, would adding a Contagion Engine by itself be enough of a boost?
Nicol Bolas Dragon Dick
Hanna, Ship's Navigator Heart-attack Stax
Oona, Queen of the Fae Fairy Dance
Vhati Il-Dal Tree of Woe
Scion of the Ur-Dragon Durgensturm
Jolrael, Empress of Beasts Jamuraa's Army
Liliana, Heretical Healer Rise from your Graves and Proliferate
Tariel, Reckoner of Souls Angelic Judgment [
Let's say with some sort of god hand, Reactor hits turn 1 off a sol ring and mana crypt. Now let's say that off that same hand you get Contagion engine out on turn 2. Reactor adding one counter per turn and contagion adding 2 from turn 3 on, it would still take you to turn 8 to get reactor off.
I use it in vorel because I can both give it counters with other cards and double the counters with vorel. I would never run it without a strategy based on counters.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade
I would only run Darksteel Reactor in a Vorel deck with every proliferate card (well, except for the black and red ones, obviously), Doubling Season, and Gilder Bairn. Otherwise you're just asking to get screwed over. Preferably I would add Experiment Kraj to activate Vorel/Bairn a third time (or better, abuse Kraj's ability with T/Q).
On phasing:
Jalira, Master Polymorphist | Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder | Bosh, Iron Golem | Ezuri, Renegade Leader
Brago, King Eternal | Oona, Queen of the Fae | Wort, Boggart Auntie | Wort, the Raidmother
Captain Sisay | Rhys, the Redeemed | Trostani, Selesnya's Voice | Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight | Obzedat, Ghost Council | Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind | Vorel of the Hull Clade
Uril, the Miststalker | Prossh, Skyraider of Kher | Nicol Bolas | Progenitus
Ghave, Guru of Spores | Zedruu the Greathearted | Damia, Sage of Stone | Riku of Two Reflections
But yeah, unless you've got ways to add counters, the card seems slow.
On many occasions in my Vorel deck, Darksteel Reactor goes from 0 counters (the turn I play it), to 1 counter (the following upkeep), to 32 counters (that same turn). To do that in a single turn with Umbral Mantle this requires 12UUUUUGGGGG, surprisingly easy for Vorel to reach with things like Astral Cornucopia, Everflowing Chalice, Tezzeret the Seeker, etc. With Aura of Dominion it's 4UUUUUGGGGG and 4 other creatures (or the same total mana and 1 other creature if one is Gilder Bairn). Gilder Bairn equipped with Paradise Mantle can do the job for 10 mana in addition to what he generates by cosplaying BOP.
Of course, Doubling Season cuts down the costs for all of the above options.
Two Score, Minus Two or: A Stargate Tail
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Proliferate isn't bad. Typically, I like using Inexorable Tide cause it works for everything I have with counters, especially the Planeswalkers.
I usually use Power conduit to add the first counter. I also tend to use Vigean Graftmage or Pemmin's Aura as an untap source for vorel. I normally don't even attempt Reactor until I've got at least Doubling season out, but a lot of time's I've locked the board down with Tangle Wire until I get some of my pieces out via Alchemist's Refuge and Winding Canyons. I can normally add two counters with Power conduit, Double with vorel to 6, untap and double to 18, then untap a final time and double to 54 counters for win.
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftain
B Toshiro Umezawa
BG Pharika, God of Affliction - Necromancy and Politics
WWW The Church of Heliod
WBR Zurgo, Helmsmasher
RG Wort, the Raidmother
UBR Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
UG Vorel of the Hull Clade