This deck is designed to survive multiplayer games, but it's inherently weak against multiple aggro decks. It is definitely a bad decision to play 1v1 games with it. However, Nin, the Pain ArtistDOES win in 3-5 player pods. With that said, here's what this deck likes to do:
Piloting this deck is similar to starting a car during winter time. It takes a bit to warm up (usually), but when it's running, it becomes nigh unstoppable.
How does it win?
This deck does NOT employ combos. It is a matter of personal choice for me to not include them. Originally I played all the nastier things in here, such as Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and Deceiver Exarch, as well as the Basalt Monolith and Rings of Brighthearth combo. I don't like taking the game away from people like that so I've chosen to find ways to win that require a little bit of brain power on my part. With that said, there are a LOT of ways to win with this deck.
Why are there seemingly sub-optimal cards in this deck?
Some cards I simply don't have the money yet to acquire them, such as certain dual lands or EDH power cards like Bribery. However, some cards are included just because I like them, such as Spellbook (I like to drop it on t3 when I use Trinket Mage).
This deck is also a work in progress. I will gladly accept feedback, criticism, pointers, deck tech, and Nin, the Pain Artist related stories. I'm hoping this deck can evolve further with more input from a larger community aside from my current playgroup and meta.
1 Nin, the Pain Artist
Creatures (13)
1 Walking Atlas
1 Trinket Mage
1 Echo Mage
1 Jace's Archivist
1 Laboratory Maniac
1 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Psychosis Crawler
1 Stuffy Doll
1 Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
1 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Kozilek, Butcher of Truth
Artifacts (14)
1 Spellbook
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Pithing Needle
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Elixir of Immortality
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Howling Mine
1 Extraplanar Lens
1 Thousand-Year Elixir
1 Font of Mythos
1 Guilded Lotus
1 Gauntlet of Power
1 Caged Sun
1 Rhystic Study
1 War Tax
1 Leyline of Anticipation
1 Future Sight
1 Vicious Shadows
Sorcery (12)
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Fabricate
1 Trade Secrets
1 Relearn
1 Call to Mind
1 Mystic Retrieval
1 Rite of Replication
1 Chain Reaction
1 Aftershock
1 Recurring Insight
1 Blasphemous Act
1 Time Stretch
Instants (17)
1 Pongify
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Twincast
1 Shattering Pulse
1 Counterspell
1 Arcane Denial
1 Dissipate
1 Hinder
1 Forbid
1 Capsize
1 Chaos Warp
1 Blue Sun's Zenith
1 Into the Core
1 Reins of Power
1 Spin Into Myth
1 Evacuation
1 Runeflare Trap
17 Island
10 Mountain
1 Buried Ruin
1 Command Tower
1 Desolate Lighthouse
1 Maze of Ith
1 Minamo, School at Water's Edge
1 Mystifying Maze
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Shivan Reef
1 Sulfur Falls
1 Terrain Generator
How does this deck work?
This deck is designed to survive multiplayer games, but it's inherently weak against multiple aggro decks. It is definitely a bad decision to play 1v1 games with it. However, Nin, the Pain Artist DOES win in 3-5 player pods. With that said, here's what this deck likes to do:
*Draw lots of cards with Howling Mine, Font of Mythos, Trade Secrets, Blue Sun's Zenith, Recurring Insight, Consecrated Sphinx, Jace's Archivist, Rhystic Study and Nin, the Pain Artist pinging you own creatures (such as the loveable Stuff Doll).
*Make tons of mana with mana rocks, mana doublers, and using Walking Atlas and Terrain Generator.
*Destroy threatening artifacts and creatures with boardwipes and spot removal.
*Reuse key cards over and over again with Call to Mind, Relearn, Mystic Retrieval, and graveyard shuffle effects.
*Counter spells.
*Punish opponents.
*Take a lot of extra turns by abusing Time Stretch.
*Parade Nin, the Pain Artist or Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind as a "sheriff" when she/he has a Basilisk Collar equipped and Thousand-Year Elixir or Minamo, School at Water's Edge on the table.
Piloting this deck is similar to starting a car during winter time. It takes a bit to warm up (usually), but when it's running, it becomes nigh unstoppable.
How does it win?
This deck does NOT employ combos. It is a matter of personal choice for me to not include them. Originally I played all the nastier things in here, such as Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and Deceiver Exarch, as well as the Basalt Monolith and Rings of Brighthearth combo. I don't like taking the game away from people like that so I've chosen to find ways to win that require a little bit of brain power on my part. With that said, there are a LOT of ways to win with this deck.
*Deck yourself with massive card draw, such as a Blue Sun's Zenith, Nin, the Pain Artist, or Jace's Archivist, and then use Laboratory Maniac for the win.
*Runeflare Trap used or copied with Twincast or Echo Mage multiple times.
*Vicious Shadows followed by a boardwipe.
*Psychosis Crawler. Bonus points if you use Rite of Replication kicked.
*Deck your opponents with Blue Sun's Zenith or Jace's Archivist.
*Get in there with a beater such as Kozilek, Butcher of Truth, a massive Psychosis Crawler, or a copied beater.
*Reins of Power on a player's army.
Why are there seemingly sub-optimal cards in this deck?
Some cards I simply don't have the money yet to acquire them, such as certain dual lands or EDH power cards like Bribery. However, some cards are included just because I like them, such as Spellbook (I like to drop it on t3 when I use Trinket Mage).
This deck is also a work in progress. I will gladly accept feedback, criticism, pointers, deck tech, and Nin, the Pain Artist related stories. I'm hoping this deck can evolve further with more input from a larger community aside from my current playgroup and meta.
Thanks for reading.