Puresteel Equipment is a White Weenie deck based around equipment that uses Puresteel Paladin as a card advantage engine. It generally wins by pressuring the opponent early and slowly gaining board presense. Most aggro decks cannot keep up with our powerful creatures, combat tricks, and mid/late game power. Our threats, if left unanswered, will end the game within a few turns. At certain times, we even begin to act as a combo deck ourselves, chaining cheap equipment spells to activate metalcraft for free equip costs. When this occurs, we can win almost out of thin air.
Card Choices
Creatures
Puresteel Paladin-The namesake of this deck. He draws cards, provides a body, and lowers equip costs. You should run 4 copies.
Auriok Steelshaper-A psuedo Puresteel Paladin. He lowers equip cost and acts as a lord for a decent chunk of the deck. You should run 4 copies.
Leonin Shikari-This guy creates mayhem when he hits board. Combat becomes a crazy phase when you move your equipment from creature to creature. He can push in for that extra damage or destroy blocking creatures with ease.
Kor Duelist-A cheap creature with double strike that maximizes its potential with our equipment.
Elite Inquisitor-A cheap creature with first strike that plays offense and defense at the same time.
Mirran Crusader-A powerful creature who has relevant protections and double strike.
Kitchen Finks-A value creature that can turn aggro match ups in your favor. He doesn’t abuse your equipment like your first/double stikers, but is still a solid choice.
Phyrexian Metamorph-A clone that can become any creature, yours or your opponents. In a pinch, it can become that extra Sword of X and Y that will win you the game.
Vault Skirge-A strong 1 drop that comes with evasion and lifegain. He make strong use of our equipment.
Knight of Meadowgrain-A decent two drop that abuses equipment with first strike and packs built in lifegain.
Grand Abolisher-If control is dominant in your meta, play this guy. Control won’t stand a chance if he resolves.
Blade Splicer-Two creatures for the price of one. Value at its best.
Squadron Hawk-A two drop flier that finds three more copies of itself. He can carry a sword and is a popular option in other decks that run equipment, but I think he is a weaker option here.
Glint Hawk-A somewhat gimmicky card that should be used in aggresive builds alongside cheap equipment and cheap artifacts (Paradise Mantle and Mox Opal). It also bounces equipment that can be used as cantrips again with Puresteel Paladin.
Etched Champion-An hard to remove creature that gets through for that extra damage and can block all day long.
Leonin Arbiter-If you want to move towards a resource denial, D&T-esque style of play, run this guy. Fetchlands are completely nerfed and Birthing Pod decks will have a harder time. Ghost Quarter works well with him.
Flayer Husk-A strong 1 drop option that brings a creature with it.
Basilisk Collar-A very strong equipment that grants our first/double strikers deathtouch. The lifelink really helps against aggro decks. Run 3-4 copies.
Bonesplitter-A cheap equipment that grants a decent boost to power. Works well with our first/double strikers.
Lightning Greaves-A decent option that grants haste and shroud to a target. Remember that when the creature is equipped with the Greaves, you can’t equip other equipments to it. For this reason, I prefer Swiftfoot Boots.
Swiftfoot Boots-A cheaper version of [CARD]Lightning Greaves
[/CARD] that still allow you to equip things to the creature.
Sword of Fire and Ice-gives a boost to power and toughness, gives two relevant protections, provides card advantage, and acts as a burn spell. My favorite of the 5 swords.
Sword of War and Peace-provides protection from the two most common removal colors, as well as extra damage and life gain.
Sword of Feast and Famine-provides protection from black, a common removal color, and from green, a color that has very strong creatures. It also untaps your lands and forces your opponent to discard.
Sword of Body and Mind-provides protection from green, which is relevant, and protection from blue, which as not as relevant. The wolf it provides is very beneficial, but the milling does not help us. It might even be counterproductive.
Sword of Light and Shadow-It provides protection from two popular removal colors. The lifegain it provides isn’t really relevant and neither is the ability to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand, I wouldn’t use this sword.
Loxodon Warhammer-A strong boost to power as well as trample and lifelink. I like it.
Batterskull- A “finisher” equipment. It creates its own creature and is a strong choice if you want a strong game-ending card.
Stun Sniper-another decent option. She can remove any creature when combined with Basilisk Collar. Even though she can be amazing, Basilisk Collar needs to be present for her to work. Otherwise she is a weak card.
Goblin Gaveleer-A very aggressive one drop that gives itself boosts for each equipment attached to it. It is a strong option if you're going to splash red.
Sunforger-a “finisher” in certain decks. It needs to be built around, but allows silver bullet cards to be run main deck and really helps in certain match ups. I feel it detracts from the deck and forces us to run instants and sorceries, but it can be very useful. Here’s an example of a Sunforger Toolbox:
Geist of Saint Traft-This monster has hexproof and puts your opponent on the defensive early. Combine him with equipment and suddenly his meager 2/2 body is strong enough to stand to the likes of ‘Goyf and such. He is the main reason you would want blue in your deck.
Invisible Stalker-He has hexproof and is unblockable. Equip him with some powerful equipment for extra damage output.
Vendilion Clique-a decent body with evasion and a great ETB effect.
Meddling Mage-a hatebear that stops 1 card combos and your opponents biggest threat. A great sideboard option.
Trinket Mage-An expensive creature that tutors up answers to certain situations. You should run some variation of 0-1 drop equipments and/or maindeck hate tuned for a specific meta (Relic of Progenitus, Pithing Needle, etc.) if you run him.
Mystic Speculation-I'm not sold on this card, but I am being assured that it has a place in slower builds that want to filter all their draws and find their best cards. If you have the extra mana, it can used over and over again.
Another reason to splash blue is the Post-Board Gifts Plan, just like WUR Delver. If you don’t know what it is or what it does, it works like this: Cast Gifts Ungiven and search out (Insert Fatty Here) and Unburial Rites. Since you only searched for two cards, your opponent is forced to put them both in the graveyard, which leaves you to cast Unburial Rites targeting (Insert Fatty Here) next turn. Generally, this will take up your whole sideboard because we don’t run counterspells in the maindeck and need them to protect the combo. Here’s an example of a Gifts Plan sideboard:
Tidehollow Sculler-a body and targeted discard that also counts towards Puresteel Paladin’s metalcraft. A strong card if you want to run black.
Dark Confidant-He provides card advantage at the cost of a few life. Since our curve is low and we have lifegain, the loss of life is negligible. He is another strong card choice if you decide to run black.
Tarmogoyf-The most efficient beater ever printed. Combine him with equipment and you will win the ‘Goyf war, as well as increasing your clock.
Gaddock Teeg-A hatebear which shuts down decks with expensive non-creature spells. Do not run in tandem with Batterskull.
Qasali Pridemage-An efficient creature with built in artifact/enchantment hate. I wouldn’t run more than 1-2 because he doesn’t exploit out equipment as well as other creatures. Only run him if you expect an artifact/enchantment heavy metagame.
Kitchen Finks is a good value creature, as explained above, and is a good choice in decks that use green.
Sideboard
Ethersworn Canonist-A strong card that singlehandedly stops storm decks as well as hampering other strategies.
Relic of Progenitus/Rest in Peace-Hate that destroys graveyard based strategies as well as turning ‘Goyf into a 0/1 and Knight of the Reliquary into a 2/2.
Runed Halo-Protection from certain combo decks and powerful creatures.
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
i would love for this to be a real deck. in its standard incarnation, if you didn't get puresteel, the deck was slow and clunky. thankfully, modern opens up possibilities for us. one card you forgot was mortarpod. it is absurd with basilisk collar and made puresteel a real deck for the time they were standard legal together.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I speak in sarcasm because calling people ******* ******** is not allowed.
Ok. Thanks for bringing up Mortarpod. I'll add it to the primer. I used to play this deck in standard. The modern version isn't as slow and clunky and plays like a midrange deck.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My Decks
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
I played this deck in Standard for a bit, a slower build with Trinket Mages and Glint Hawks. The Mages tutor up what ya need and the Hawks allow for cheap equipment to be replayed for more cards off the Puresteel. Sylvok Lifestaff might be too slow for Modern but allows for some stalling against aggro and fun times with Flayer Husk, forcing the token to die and gaining three life.
Also, a card I never got to test in Modern with this deck was Mystic Speculation. Nice and cheap, allowing to ship the junk to the bottom and replayable if needed. Might be of use?
Trinket Mage could be useful by allowing you to run a toolbox of artifacts and equipment. Sylvok Lifestaff probably isn't strong enough to run and compete for a spot, but that is just an assumption as I haven't tested the card. Mystic Speculation is an instant that doesn't have a relevant effect. If I were to run deck manipulation, I would rather have Serum Visions. Glint Hawk may or may not have potential. I see it being a bit to gimmicky and requires testing to see if it is viable.
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Goblin Gaveleer seems like a great option in a deck splashing red. Thank you very much for suggesting it. It will be added to the primer.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
My Decks
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Mystic Speculation is an instant that doesn't have a relevant effect. If I were to run deck manipulation, I would rather have Serum Visions
The reason I suggested Mystic Speculation is that I never needed the extra card draw off of Ponder but being able to see what was coming up and getting rid of it was amazing. Yeah, it can be a do nothing card but I figured it was worth bringing up for a slower set up.
Glint Hawk may or may not have potential. I see it being a bit to gimmicky and requires testing to see if it is viable.
Gimmicky? Sure, it can be. With cheap equipment it allows for more cards drawn and if ya are running Mox Opal, it can be extra mana. With a low curve and a more card draw focused build, it is fun and works. And it's one mana for a 2/2 flyer! Still, it is something that may prove to be useful or maybe not.
In my puresteel deck, i play paradise mantle. Seems better than flayer husk. With puresteel, it's a free draw (so it's not a bad topdeck lategame) and all your creatures turn into mana dork. Also, sometimes the extra mana is relevant. It's extra good when splashing.
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
I whipped up a BW Puresteel deck a while ago. My creature suite was 4 Puresteel, 4 Bob, 4 Tidehollow Sculler, 4 Lingering Souls, 4 Flayer Husk, 4 Mortarpod, and whatever manlands I played. I think I played at least 2 Steelshaper's Gift and enough Swords to cover all colours. I probably should stick Leonin Bola in the board against decks with Emrakul.
Thanks to Bob being a spare draw engine, the deck was probably the smoothest and best Puresteel deck I ever played.
My disruption suite was 4 IoK (4 Sculler) 4 Path to Exile (4 Mortarpod). I tried Dispatch before, but I found that drawing even the 1 Dispatch early-game outweighed its added value late-game.
The deck played a lot like BW Tokens, which eventually made me wonder why I wasn't playing BW Tokens (a Sword of X and Y only providing a pump of +2/+2 is a bit subpar in this deck).
I whipped up a BW Puresteel deck a while ago. My creature suite was 4 Puresteel, 4 Bob, 4 Tidehollow Sculler, 4 Lingering Souls, 4 Flayer Husk, 4 Mortarpod, and whatever manlands I played. I think I played at least 2 Steelshaper's Gift and enough Swords to cover all colours. I probably should stick Leonin Bola in the board against decks with Emrakul.
Thanks to Bob being a spare draw engine, the deck was probably the smoothest and best Puresteel deck I ever played.
My disruption suite was 4 IoK (4 Sculler) 4 Path to Exile (4 Mortarpod). I tried Dispatch before, but I found that drawing even the 1 Dispatch early-game outweighed its added value late-game.
The deck played a lot like BW Tokens, which eventually made me wonder why I wasn't playing BW Tokens (a Sword of X and Y only providing a pump of +2/+2 is a bit subpar in this deck).
So ya just buried the opponent in cards? It sounds like a fun way to go about it! Was it just the play style that was not to your liking? Was winning just a matter of swinging until the other guy stopped moving? I'm interested in any way that allows for drawing a stupid amount of cards in any color but Blue.
So ya just buried the opponent in cards? It sounds like a fun way to go about it! Was it just the play style that was not to your liking? Was winning just a matter of swinging until the other guy stopped moving? I'm interested in any way that allows for drawing a stupid amount of cards in any color but Blue.
After reading Lectrys's post, I whipped up a quick BW list on Cockatrice. It swamps your opponent in card advantage. Mortarpod and Basilisk Collar were superstars, trading Lingering Souls tokens to destroy all of my opponents board, including Emrakul. I think BW might be the strongest colors for Puresteel.
Standard
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
I loved this deck while it was in standard, and so I had the thought that maybe this deck could be a thing in Modern as well - searched for it on MTGS, and here I am. A few thoughts I've had right away:
1. None of these lists have manlands in them, which seems criminal to me! If you're in UW, you're going to want some Colonnades, and most lists probably want the full 4 Inkmoth Nexus, since 2 colors is really easy in Modern. Even Mutavault is probably sick in these decks.
2. Mask of Memory is a piece of equipment that has scored well in some Dailies, specifically in Death and Taxes like decks. Seems pretty reasonable, at least to test.
3. Speaking of Death and Taxes, what about Aether Vial? It seems quite good in these lists to keep on two, making it harder for your opponents to deal with Puresteel Paladins, and allowing you to spend all of your mana on equipment. Might not be worth it in some of the creature light versions, but it seems interesting to mention nonetheless.
4. Etched Champion.
5. I also think Leonin Arbiter might be worth it. This is a deck that, especially if you're in UW, doesn't necessarily need to play Fetchlands or Tutors, and so it's very easy to keep people off lands with this guy. Having the plan of Arbiter in Ghost Quarter basically gives you a way to Strip Mine/blow people completely out of games.
The problem is it gets hated on without even trying. Everybody packs some affinity hate, whether its shatterstorms, shattering sprees or ancient grudges. Thus why it doesn't exist in modern.
I agree - the fact that the deck hinges on one creature is also a bad sign, as removal is very, very good in Modern. Doran doesn't exist for the same reason.
I've been working on tuning this deck and since it has Puresteel Paladin I wanted too see what your thoughts were on this deck. Looking for feedback or card choices to help me make the list more competitive.
This is a hard deck to build. It plays so differently with a PureSteel Paladin in play, and it's so easy to not draw a Paladin or have them hit it with Path to Exile as soon as it hits the board. They will save removal for it because the threat value of our other creatures is really low.
I would love to play this as a fair deck, but the deck is so weak because it can't compete when it doesn't have a Paladin in play.
I keep hoping that in our return to Zendikar we will get a creature or two or three that interact with equipment well and we can play a fair game.
If I was going to try this kind of deck now, I think I would look at small creatures that can gain or have double strike and equipment with low casting cost and high power. Then play as many cards that equip for free, like Brass Squire, so you don't have to pay the high equip cost of Ogre's Cleaver, golem-skin Guantlet, o-naginata, type equipment that greatly boost power, with double strike and possibly trample you will kill any blockers and sometimes get damage through anyway. Creatures you play Auriok Windwalker, Brass Squire, and Kor Outfitter and lots of Fencing Ace type cards with double strike. Boros Charm or two might be helpful to protect equipment. The mana base is also wonky because you need more lands to hit three drops consistently and to do more than one thing a turn. I've thought about Semblance Anvil to help, but it is also a three drop.
I'm not a fan of Cheerios. I just like Relic Seeker and Puresteel Paladin and wanted to build a deck with them. Mortarpod and Basilisk Collar along with Lingering Souls are all strong together. I might cut the blue entirely and focus more on disrupting the opponent, but I'm not sure what I want to do with it yet. I just enjoy slamming swords on dudes and dropping batterskulls while picking apart the opponents hand. I'm not focused too much on Puresteel Paladin combos and instead just use it to draw 1 or 2 cards and equip for free or to draw out removal.
Edit: Every time I try and mention a non combo Puresteel Paladin deck someone links me to the Cheerios primer lol. Really getting annoying as that deck really isn't consistent and I would rather play a midrange/aggro deck any day. Oh well lol.
The Cheerios deck is much more viable than you give it credit. It's gotten a lot more redundant. That being said, I don't want to play that kind of all in combo deck either.
I've tried to build these equip fair decks and they generally aren't competitive in modern. You need a creature to put the equipment on and generally the power level of the individual cards is too low to compete on a modern level. I get lots of games where I draw too many equipment or not enough equipment. This is the deck that is tough on consistency. The only thing that seems to consistently happen to me is I put a PureSteel paladin on the table and it gets almost immediately removed.
Black White might be a good way to go to remove their removal and interact against combo.
I agree. I'm taking a look at play testing just black white. I like the interaction between Elspeth, Knight Errant and Relic Seeker. I just need to figure out what the right number of Equipment is and if I should be playing the full playset of Puresteel Paladin's or just focusing on disruption and beating down with beefed up dudes.
Quick BW Brew I came up with using the ideas mentioned and some from above in the primer
Here is a Blue White version I was running, you might be able to change it Black with little trouble, but Blue works okay, they both could use a creature that easily recurs maybe the Warrior that you can get back for just B if you attacked? But it's not too hard to turn on Stubborn denial.
Using Kor Outfitter allows the equip of Ogre's Cleaver which is devastating on a double striker and this deck has tons of those. Still there is a minor human subtheme. Silver Inlaid Dagger is almost as good and easier on equipping if I can't cheat my equips, but this deck is a white weenie Aggro list that still functions with out PureSteel Paladin, but can go crazy with the Paladin.
Still the list gets clunky sometimes just drawing too much equipment and unable to keep creatures on the table. Hate spending mana to equip and in response they kill the creature, but it's part of MTG and this deck can be very quick. Also two doublestrikers can quickly become defensively good, but it often also leads to rough beats from the opponents removal.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
What is Puresteel Equipment?
Creatures
Auriok Steelshaper-A psuedo Puresteel Paladin. He lowers equip cost and acts as a lord for a decent chunk of the deck. You should run 4 copies.
Leonin Shikari-This guy creates mayhem when he hits board. Combat becomes a crazy phase when you move your equipment from creature to creature. He can push in for that extra damage or destroy blocking creatures with ease.
Kor Duelist-A cheap creature with double strike that maximizes its potential with our equipment.
Elite Inquisitor-A cheap creature with first strike that plays offense and defense at the same time.
Mirran Crusader-A powerful creature who has relevant protections and double strike.
Kitchen Finks-A value creature that can turn aggro match ups in your favor. He doesn’t abuse your equipment like your first/double stikers, but is still a solid choice.
Phyrexian Metamorph-A clone that can become any creature, yours or your opponents. In a pinch, it can become that extra Sword of X and Y that will win you the game.
Vault Skirge-A strong 1 drop that comes with evasion and lifegain. He make strong use of our equipment.
Knight of Meadowgrain-A decent two drop that abuses equipment with first strike and packs built in lifegain.
Silverblade Paladin-So I heard we like double strikers…
Grand Abolisher-If control is dominant in your meta, play this guy. Control won’t stand a chance if he resolves.
Blade Splicer-Two creatures for the price of one. Value at its best.
Squadron Hawk-A two drop flier that finds three more copies of itself. He can carry a sword and is a popular option in other decks that run equipment, but I think he is a weaker option here.
Glint Hawk-A somewhat gimmicky card that should be used in aggresive builds alongside cheap equipment and cheap artifacts (Paradise Mantle and Mox Opal). It also bounces equipment that can be used as cantrips again with Puresteel Paladin.
Etched Champion-An hard to remove creature that gets through for that extra damage and can block all day long.
Leonin Arbiter-If you want to move towards a resource denial, D&T-esque style of play, run this guy. Fetchlands are completely nerfed and Birthing Pod decks will have a harder time. Ghost Quarter works well with him.
Aven Mindcensor-Another resource denial card that comes with evasion. He woks quite similar to Leonin Arbiter.
Phyrexian Revoker-A Meddling Mage-esque card that can be run in any color builds.
Spellskite-A creature that can protect your Puresteel Paladin
Equipments
Basilisk Collar-A very strong equipment that grants our first/double strikers deathtouch. The lifelink really helps against aggro decks. Run 3-4 copies.
Bonesplitter-A cheap equipment that grants a decent boost to power. Works well with our first/double strikers.
Lightning Greaves-A decent option that grants haste and shroud to a target. Remember that when the creature is equipped with the Greaves, you can’t equip other equipments to it. For this reason, I prefer Swiftfoot Boots.
Swiftfoot Boots-A cheaper version of [CARD]Lightning Greaves
[/CARD] that still allow you to equip things to the creature.
Sword of Fire and Ice-gives a boost to power and toughness, gives two relevant protections, provides card advantage, and acts as a burn spell. My favorite of the 5 swords.
Sword of War and Peace-provides protection from the two most common removal colors, as well as extra damage and life gain.
Sword of Feast and Famine-provides protection from black, a common removal color, and from green, a color that has very strong creatures. It also untaps your lands and forces your opponent to discard.
Sword of Body and Mind-provides protection from green, which is relevant, and protection from blue, which as not as relevant. The wolf it provides is very beneficial, but the milling does not help us. It might even be counterproductive.
Sword of Light and Shadow-It provides protection from two popular removal colors. The lifegain it provides isn’t really relevant and neither is the ability to return a creature from your graveyard to your hand, I wouldn’t use this sword.
Loxodon Warhammer-A strong boost to power as well as trample and lifelink. I like it.
Batterskull- A “finisher” equipment. It creates its own creature and is a strong choice if you want a strong game-ending card.
Silver-Inlaid Dagger-Copies 5-8 of Bonesplitter that give an extra boost to humans.
Mortarpod-You can sac your creatures for those extra points of damage. Combine this with Basilisk Collar to kill any targetable creature.
Paradise Mantle-It costs no mana and turns any creature into a mana dork.
Mask of Memory-It filters through your deck when your creature hits and provides card advantage.
Noncreature, Nonequipment spells
Oblivion Ring-Hits all problem permanents.
Steelshaper's Gift-It tutors for any equipment and allows you to run 1 of each Sword of X and Y to answer any threat or deck.
Dispatch-We play lots of artifacts, which makes this spell read "W: Exile Target Creature."
Mox Opal-A cheap mana rock that can be used in faster builds that want to use Glint Hawk.
Aether Vial-It allows you to cheat creatures into play at instant speed without you paying their mana cost. They also can't be countered.
Utiliy Lands
This section does not contain basic lands, dual lands, or fetchlands.
Blinkmoth Nexus- provides an evasive creature that can be equipped. I prefer this over Inkmoth Nexus because it doesn't have infect.
Celestial Colonnade- provides a dual land that can become a strong, evasive beater if you have the blue mana to activate it.
Mutavault- a manland without evasion that is cheap to animate and has a decent power and toughness.
Moorland Haunt-It turns dead cards into small evasive creatures, but needs a blue splash.
Ghost Quarter- blows up opponents lands and is especially useful if you have a Leonin Arbiter or Aven Mindcensor.
Academy Ruins-If you have a blue splash, this allows you to reuse destroyed equipments.
Splashing
Red
Stun Sniper-another decent option. She can remove any creature when combined with Basilisk Collar. Even though she can be amazing, Basilisk Collar needs to be present for her to work. Otherwise she is a weak card.
Cunning Sparkmage-same as above
Boros Swiftblade- a cheap double stiker that makes good use of equipment. It is generally outclassed by Mirran Crusader, Kor Duelist, and Fencing Ace.
Goblin Gaveleer-A very aggressive one drop that gives itself boosts for each equipment attached to it. It is a strong option if you're going to splash red.
Sunforger-a “finisher” in certain decks. It needs to be built around, but allows silver bullet cards to be run main deck and really helps in certain match ups. I feel it detracts from the deck and forces us to run instants and sorceries, but it can be very useful. Here’s an example of a Sunforger Toolbox:
2 Lightning Helix
1 Counterflux
1 Master Warcraft
Blue
Invisible Stalker-He has hexproof and is unblockable. Equip him with some powerful equipment for extra damage output.
Vendilion Clique-a decent body with evasion and a great ETB effect.
Meddling Mage-a hatebear that stops 1 card combos and your opponents biggest threat. A great sideboard option.
Trinket Mage-An expensive creature that tutors up answers to certain situations. You should run some variation of 0-1 drop equipments and/or maindeck hate tuned for a specific meta (Relic of Progenitus, Pithing Needle, etc.) if you run him.
Mystic Speculation-I'm not sold on this card, but I am being assured that it has a place in slower builds that want to filter all their draws and find their best cards. If you have the extra mana, it can used over and over again.
Another reason to splash blue is the Post-Board Gifts Plan, just like WUR Delver. If you don’t know what it is or what it does, it works like this: Cast Gifts Ungiven and search out (Insert Fatty Here) and Unburial Rites. Since you only searched for two cards, your opponent is forced to put them both in the graveyard, which leaves you to cast Unburial Rites targeting (Insert Fatty Here) next turn. Generally, this will take up your whole sideboard because we don’t run counterspells in the maindeck and need them to protect the combo. Here’s an example of a Gifts Plan sideboard:
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Unburial Rites
1 Bogardan Hellkite
4 Mana Leak
4 Dispel
Black
Dark Confidant-He provides card advantage at the cost of a few life. Since our curve is low and we have lifegain, the loss of life is negligible. He is another strong card choice if you decide to run black.
Extirpate/Surgical Extraction-Removes threats that have hit the grave. It is a great sideboard option.
Fleshbag Marauder-he can be good against certain decks that run nothing but fatties. I don’t find him too useful.
Shriekmaw-Removal on a body with built in evasion. Use it if you want to.
Lingering Souls-It creates 2 1/1 fliers and can be flashed back.
Thoughtseize/Inquisition of Kozilek-Hand disruption that takes out your opponents best card.
Green
Gaddock Teeg-A hatebear which shuts down decks with expensive non-creature spells. Do not run in tandem with Batterskull.
Qasali Pridemage-An efficient creature with built in artifact/enchantment hate. I wouldn’t run more than 1-2 because he doesn’t exploit out equipment as well as other creatures. Only run him if you expect an artifact/enchantment heavy metagame.
Kitchen Finks is a good value creature, as explained above, and is a good choice in decks that use green.
Sideboard
Relic of Progenitus/Rest in Peace-Hate that destroys graveyard based strategies as well as turning ‘Goyf into a 0/1 and Knight of the Reliquary into a 2/2.
Runed Halo-Protection from certain combo decks and powerful creatures.
Soul’s Attendant/Soul Warden-Hoses infinite creature decks like Naya Pod and Splinter Twin Combo.
Kor Firewalker-Destroys Burn, RDW, and other red based decks.
Torpor Orb-Stops decks based on ETB creatures such as Melira Pod.
Dryad Militant-Stops shenanigans with Snapcaster Mage and cards with flashback.
The Gifts Plan Sideboard-see above
My Current List-60
3 Geist of Saint Traft
4 Puresteel Paladin
4 Auriok Steelshaper
4 Vault Skirge
2 Kor Duelist
2 Elite Inquisitor
3 Leonin Shikari
3 Basilisk Collar
4 Flayer Husk
3 Swiftfoot Boots
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
2 Silver-Inlaid Dagger
4 Hallowed Fountain
1 Island
4 Glacial Fortress
6 Plains
3 Gifts Ungiven
1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Unburial Rites
1 Bogardan Hellkite
4 Mana Leak
4 Dispel
I wish to improve this primer and deck, so I would appreciate it if you guys make some suggestions.
New primer here: http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/746197-mono-w-equipments-pbj
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
Also, maybe Steelshaper's Gift and a little variety of Swords.
FREE BLOODBRAID ELF
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
Also, a card I never got to test in Modern with this deck was Mystic Speculation. Nice and cheap, allowing to ship the junk to the bottom and replayable if needed. Might be of use?
Trinket Mage will be added to the primer.
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
The reason I suggested Mystic Speculation is that I never needed the extra card draw off of Ponder but being able to see what was coming up and getting rid of it was amazing. Yeah, it can be a do nothing card but I figured it was worth bringing up for a slower set up.
Gimmicky? Sure, it can be. With cheap equipment it allows for more cards drawn and if ya are running Mox Opal, it can be extra mana. With a low curve and a more card draw focused build, it is fun and works. And it's one mana for a 2/2 flyer! Still, it is something that may prove to be useful or maybe not.
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
Thanks to Bob being a spare draw engine, the deck was probably the smoothest and best Puresteel deck I ever played.
My disruption suite was 4 IoK (4 Sculler) 4 Path to Exile (4 Mortarpod). I tried Dispatch before, but I found that drawing even the 1 Dispatch early-game outweighed its added value late-game.
The deck played a lot like BW Tokens, which eventually made me wonder why I wasn't playing BW Tokens (a Sword of X and Y only providing a pump of +2/+2 is a bit subpar in this deck).
So ya just buried the opponent in cards? It sounds like a fun way to go about it! Was it just the play style that was not to your liking? Was winning just a matter of swinging until the other guy stopped moving? I'm interested in any way that allows for drawing a stupid amount of cards in any color but Blue.
After reading Lectrys's post, I whipped up a quick BW list on Cockatrice. It swamps your opponent in card advantage. Mortarpod and Basilisk Collar were superstars, trading Lingering Souls tokens to destroy all of my opponents board, including Emrakul. I think BW might be the strongest colors for Puresteel.
Here's my list:
4 Puresteel Paladin
4 Dark Confidant
4 Tidehollow Sculler
4 Lingering Souls
3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Mortarpod
3 Sword of Fire and Ice
4 Bonesplitter
2 Silver-Inlaid Dagger
4 Flayer Husk
4 Marsh Flats
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
4 Swamp
4 Plains
I think this deck is very strong, but needs more testing.
:symr::symw::symu:Control:symr::symw::symu:
:symb::symw::symg:Midrange:symb::symw::symg:
Modern Decks
:symu::symr::symw:Delver:symu::symr::symw:
:symw::symg:Hatebears:symw::symg:
:symu::symr::symw:Breakfast at Urza's a.k.a. mEGGaTron:symu::symr::symw:
Legacy Decks
:symu:Merfolk:symu:
:symr::symw:Goblins:symr::symw:
:symr::symu::symg:RUG Delver/Tempo Thresh:symr::symu::symg:
:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:Dredge:symb::symr::symu::symw::symg:
1. None of these lists have manlands in them, which seems criminal to me! If you're in UW, you're going to want some Colonnades, and most lists probably want the full 4 Inkmoth Nexus, since 2 colors is really easy in Modern. Even Mutavault is probably sick in these decks.
2. Mask of Memory is a piece of equipment that has scored well in some Dailies, specifically in Death and Taxes like decks. Seems pretty reasonable, at least to test.
3. Speaking of Death and Taxes, what about Aether Vial? It seems quite good in these lists to keep on two, making it harder for your opponents to deal with Puresteel Paladins, and allowing you to spend all of your mana on equipment. Might not be worth it in some of the creature light versions, but it seems interesting to mention nonetheless.
4. Etched Champion.
5. I also think Leonin Arbiter might be worth it. This is a deck that, especially if you're in UW, doesn't necessarily need to play Fetchlands or Tutors, and so it's very easy to keep people off lands with this guy. Having the plan of Arbiter in Ghost Quarter basically gives you a way to Strip Mine/blow people completely out of games.
6. Moorland Haunt.
7. Academy Ruins is also interesting.
Just some stuff I thought about testing.
Sig by DNC/HotP Studios
Sig by DNC/HotP Studios
1x Creeping Tar Pit
1x Darksteel Citadel
4x Flooded Strand
2x Godless Shrine
2x Hallowed Fountain
1x Island
4x Marsh Flats
2x Plains
4x Seachrome Coast
1x Swamp
Instant (4)
4x Path to Exile
Planeswalker (3)
1x Elspeth, Knight Errant
2x Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
1x Basilisk Collar
1x Batterskull
3x Mortarpod
1x Sword of Feast and Famine
1x Sword of Light and Shadow
1x Sword of War and Peace
Creature (17)
4x Puresteel Paladin
4x Relic Seeker
3x Spellskite
1x Tasigur, the Golden Fang
4x Tidehollow Sculler
1x Trinket Mage
Sorcery (6)
2x Lingering Souls
4x Thoughtseize
3x Disenchant
2x Ethersworn Canonist
1x Executioner's Capsule
1x Grafdigger's Cage
3x Leyline of Sanctity
1x Nihil Spellbomb
1x Pithing Needle
1x Relic of Progenitus
2x Trinket Mage
Martyr Proc Thread
Esper Relicblade Thread
Standard:
Mardu Superfriends
Turbofog
This is a hard deck to build. It plays so differently with a PureSteel Paladin in play, and it's so easy to not draw a Paladin or have them hit it with Path to Exile as soon as it hits the board. They will save removal for it because the threat value of our other creatures is really low.
I would love to play this as a fair deck, but the deck is so weak because it can't compete when it doesn't have a Paladin in play.
It's viable as a pure combo deck, but that deck doesn't appeal to me, http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/modern/deck-creation-modern/221736-modern-cheeri0s-reboot.
I keep hoping that in our return to Zendikar we will get a creature or two or three that interact with equipment well and we can play a fair game.
If I was going to try this kind of deck now, I think I would look at small creatures that can gain or have double strike and equipment with low casting cost and high power. Then play as many cards that equip for free, like Brass Squire, so you don't have to pay the high equip cost of Ogre's Cleaver, golem-skin Guantlet, o-naginata, type equipment that greatly boost power, with double strike and possibly trample you will kill any blockers and sometimes get damage through anyway. Creatures you play Auriok Windwalker, Brass Squire, and Kor Outfitter and lots of Fencing Ace type cards with double strike. Boros Charm or two might be helpful to protect equipment. The mana base is also wonky because you need more lands to hit three drops consistently and to do more than one thing a turn. I've thought about Semblance Anvil to help, but it is also a three drop.
Edit: Every time I try and mention a non combo Puresteel Paladin deck someone links me to the Cheerios primer lol. Really getting annoying as that deck really isn't consistent and I would rather play a midrange/aggro deck any day. Oh well lol.
Martyr Proc Thread
Esper Relicblade Thread
Standard:
Mardu Superfriends
Turbofog
I've tried to build these equip fair decks and they generally aren't competitive in modern. You need a creature to put the equipment on and generally the power level of the individual cards is too low to compete on a modern level. I get lots of games where I draw too many equipment or not enough equipment. This is the deck that is tough on consistency. The only thing that seems to consistently happen to me is I put a PureSteel paladin on the table and it gets almost immediately removed.
Black White might be a good way to go to remove their removal and interact against combo.
Quick BW Brew I came up with using the ideas mentioned and some from above in the primer
4 Puresteel Paladin
4 Relic Seeker
3 Squadron Hawk
4 Tidehollow Sculler
2 Liliana, Heretical Healer
Spells:22
1 Basilisk Collar
4 Flayer Husk
4 Path to Exile
4 Thoughtseize
3 Mortarpod
1 Dismember
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant
1 Batterskull
4 Flagstones of Trokair
4 Ghost Quarter
4 Godless Shrine
4 Marsh Flats
1 Mistveil Plains
2 Plains
2 Swamp
3 Auriok Champion
3 Ethersworn Canonist
3 Aven Mindcensor
2 Mirran Crusader
3 Leyline of Sanctity
1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence
Martyr Proc Thread
Esper Relicblade Thread
Standard:
Mardu Superfriends
Turbofog
1 Sword of Fire and Ice
1 Sword of Light and Shadow
1 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Ogre Cleaver
3 Silver Inlaid Dagger
1 O-Naginata
1 Lightning Greaves
4 Paradise Mantle
3 Kor Duelist
4 Fencing Ace
4 Auriok Edgewright
4 Puresteel Paladin
3 Kor Outfitter
2 Relic Seeker
1 Brave the Elements
1 Steelshapers Gift
3 Stubborn Denial
1 Moorland Haunt
2 Cavern of Souls
1 Hallowed Fountain
4 Flagstones of Trokair
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Mistveil Plains
3 Darksteel Citadel
4 Flooded Strand
2 Champion of the Parrish
4 Trinket Mage
2 Muddle the Mixture
4 Dispatch
1 Stubborn Denial
1 Butcher's Cleaver
1 Avacyn's Collar
Here is a Blue White version I was running, you might be able to change it Black with little trouble, but Blue works okay, they both could use a creature that easily recurs maybe the Warrior that you can get back for just B if you attacked? But it's not too hard to turn on Stubborn denial.
Using Kor Outfitter allows the equip of Ogre's Cleaver which is devastating on a double striker and this deck has tons of those. Still there is a minor human subtheme. Silver Inlaid Dagger is almost as good and easier on equipping if I can't cheat my equips, but this deck is a white weenie Aggro list that still functions with out PureSteel Paladin, but can go crazy with the Paladin.
Still the list gets clunky sometimes just drawing too much equipment and unable to keep creatures on the table. Hate spending mana to equip and in response they kill the creature, but it's part of MTG and this deck can be very quick. Also two doublestrikers can quickly become defensively good, but it often also leads to rough beats from the opponents removal.