Hello mtgsalvation! I've been building and working on countless forms of ensoul artifact since the inception of the Frontier format. I have piloted the deck to several FNM and online league wins. I would like to contribute a detailed list of all the various builds and what I believe to be the fastest and what should most likely considered stock list moving forward.
URx Ensoul Artifact core cards: These are cards I have seen in every build.
WRu versions are actually mostly kaladesh/AER vehicles decks splashing blue for ensoul and counter magic.
I consider this to be the stock list moving forward.
Grixis colors includes one of the best creature removals in the format in Unlicensed Disintegration as well as recurring Scrapheap Scrounger which leads to resiliency against control decks and longer, grindier games. Splashing black also allows access to Tezzeret's Touch acting as ensoul copies 5-8. There is some debate amongst ensoul players as to its actual card quality.
Notably hangarback has been excluded in favor of ballista with the introduction of the cat combo to the meta.
The sideboard includes graveyard hate in tormod's crypt, counter spell/ removal protection & rally combo breaker in dispel, fatal push[/card] against other low to the ground aggro strategies, rending volley aid in combatting cats, smash to smithereen against other artifact based decks, transgress the mind against midrange and combo decks as well as fevered visions against control.
I don't agree with Rending Volley being in the sideboard. Shocks and Wild Slashes kill Saheeli when she starts the combo and can be brought in against things other than cat, such as Humans, elves, goblins, etc.
The problem is most cat players know you're going to bring in something likes this. Having an uncounterable 1 cmc instant as insurance is invalueable. Having to leave only one mana up means you can usually still keep up some sort of tempo and build your board.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
URx Ensoul Artifact core cards: These are cards I have seen in every build.
The namesake: Ensoul Artifact.
The most common 0-1 drop targets are
Ornithopter, Bomat Courier, Hope of Ghirapur, Ghostfire Blade, and Darksteel Citadel.
The 2 drops are some number of
Scrapheap Scrounger, Smuggler's Copter, Walking Ballista, and Hangarback Walker.
Now on to the various forms of this deck that I have either piloted or encountered in the wild:
Some versions choose to stay UR for the more consistent manabase and a slightly more midrange strategy.
Many of these builds choose to include: Chief of the Foundry, Maverick Thopterist, Pia and Kiran Nalaar, and Whirler Rogue.
I have also seen some lists include
Inventor's Apprentice as well as a suite of pump spells including Temur Battle Rage, and Built to Smash
URb versions choose to splash black for a few reasons:
Recurring Scrapheap Scrounger
Unconditional removal in Unlicensed Disintegration + burn.
Hand disruption in the sideboard in the form of Transgress the Mind or Duress.
WRu versions are actually mostly kaladesh/AER vehicles decks splashing blue for ensoul and counter magic.
I consider this to be the stock list moving forward.
Grixis colors includes one of the best creature removals in the format in Unlicensed Disintegration as well as recurring Scrapheap Scrounger which leads to resiliency against control decks and longer, grindier games. Splashing black also allows access to Tezzeret's Touch acting as ensoul copies 5-8. There is some debate amongst ensoul players as to its actual card quality.
Notably hangarback has been excluded in favor of ballista with the introduction of the cat combo to the meta.
The sideboard includes graveyard hate in tormod's crypt, counter spell/ removal protection & rally combo breaker in dispel, fatal push[/card] against other low to the ground aggro strategies, rending volley aid in combatting cats, smash to smithereen against other artifact based decks, transgress the mind against midrange and combo decks as well as fevered visions against control.