I recently finished putting together some pieces to build myself a CHARGE counter deck. The idea is centered around Darksteel Reactor, and although it should be a 1 on 1 deck, it does have multiplayer in the back of the mind.
Below are the cards I have available to build the deck with, plus why they are there. I would please like opinions on how you guys think these pieces should come together. At this stage I cannot really get my hands on anything else, but if it's really effective I can attempt to make a plan.
Counter Boost:
4x Gilder Bairn
--------The piece to go infinite with, but needs all other parts to work. As a last resort I can attack & untap if needed
4x Energy Chamber
--------Really nice to generate tokens out of nothing, so better than prolifirate
4x Coretapper
--------Crucial in this deck. A body, and up to 3 tokens on the turn after summon
4x Vorel of the Hull Clade
--------This originally seemed like a good idea, but would be the only reason to splash Green and I'm not sure I want to
4x Contagion Clasp
--------Decent to boost counters, and can eliminate a nagging something on the field
4x Surge Node
--------This basically sais pay 1 a turn for another counter
1x Contagion Engine
--------Seems nice but may be a bit expensive. Also only 1 copy available
Control:
4x Tumble Magnet
--------This can indefinately disable something that's a threat on the board
4x Ratchet Bomb
--------Can snipe a specific threat quickly by getting the exact counters on within 1T
4x Lux Cannon
--------Like Ratchet Bomb, but it lasts longer. It's also a bit more expensive
Mana:
4x Everflowing Chalice
--------This boosts mana ridiculously fast. I really like this for the deck above Tron
3x Breeding Pool
--------For use with the W/U or W/G fetches. Only needed if I'm gonna play Vorel of the Hull Clade
4x Tree of Tales
--------Can be searched for with Trinket Mage, if i need the Green
4x Seat of The Synod
--------Who doesn't like artifacts? Can be Tutored with Trinket Mage if needed
4x Darksteel Citidel
--------If I really need them I'm not sure, but I have them
4x Urza's Tower / Urza's Mine / Urza's Power Plant
--------For acceleration, but there is nothing really BIG that requires it
2x Flooded Strand
--------Only used if I need the Green, to add that lvl with Blue
4x Windswept Heath
--------Only used if I need the Green, to add that lvl with Blue
4x Mystifying Maze
--------This is supposed to help a but with control, but not sure how i feel about it
2x Temple Garden
--------Only used if I need the Green, used with fetches
2x Hallowed Fountain
--------Only used if I need the Green, used with fetches
1x Buried Ruin
--------Helps to fetch an Artifact if needed. This would ideally become Academy Ruins some day Island Forest
Acceleration:
4x Thoughtcast
--------This will be a very cheap Draw 2 cards with all the artifacts
4x Trinket Mage
--------It's a body for defence, but can also fetch Ornithopters, Paradise Mantles or Artifact Lands
4x Tezzeret's Gambit
--------Draws cards, and adds Counters. It can be a bit cheaper to pay with life.
4x Fabricate
--------Gets me whatever Artifact I need
4x Preordain or Serum Visions
--------1 Blue for 1 card and a scry effect
4x Thirst for Knowledge
--------With all the artifacts it could mean draw 2 cards. It is an Instant
Utilities:
3x Training Grounds
--------Crucial for the main combo to fire. Works with anything that has Generic costs to do things in the deck
4x Expedition Map
--------Only to be used if the Urza lands are used
4x Voltaic Key
--------Can be used to pump out Titans, boost Mana or push multiple Prolifirate
4x Paradise Mantle
--------Key to the original combo. Works good for mana boosting
4x Ornithopter
--------Used to enable Paradise Mantle and to be early blockers
2x Phyrexian Metamorph
--------A sneaky trick to balance the game or boost my own requirements
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
--------Seems like he could fit, but it also seems you need to build a deck around him rather than have him assist
Sideboard:
4x Sun Droplet
--------Could help keep me alive and falls in with the Charge theme
4x Mana Leak
--------Yes Counterspel. This could protect my Reactor on cast. I actually want this in the main deck
3x Eternity Vessel
--------I like this to really draw out the game, and could work well in multiplayer
1x Platinum Angel
--------Because you always need the option to not lose
So that's my thinking behind it. I am really thinking to go Blue only, but cannot decide what the perfect balance would be. I am a bit in favour of Draw over Tutor, but not sure which will work best. I also don't think I really need the Trons, but just listed them for in case there is a great idea.
I have not taken any Kaladesh cards into account as I haven't really bought any, and been putting it "together" for some time now. This deck also focuses on Charge counters more than the Energy counters.
Thanks you very much for reading this. And I am looking forward to your assistance.
Do you have any access to get cards such as welding jar to protect your artifacts?
I would also think about using the Urza Lands as your main source of lands followed by a few Expedition Map to search out your other pieces and also the blue artifacts lands.
I would not use contagion engine as I feel the cost is way too high to justify its ability to proliferate.
I hope this was helpful!
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"Do the innocent pay for the crimes of the guilty? Of course they do. That's the fate of the weak."
—Nicol Bolas
I'm still not sold on Urza tron though... There's nothing really big I think justify it. - On the other hand, adding Darksteel Forge and even the Contagion engine could then actually use them...
Thanks. Metalcraft does work nicely with artifact decks. However, i want to try and limit the colors. I'm already weary of adding Green and that's for something that helps the theme
I have tried a few charge counter decks. Tezzeret the seeker is fun with proliferate. If you can cast him and then proliferate, you can ultimate in the same turn and often just win by attacking with whatever random artifacts you have in play. I once made a fun deck with Inexorable tide and Tezzeret. With Contagion Clasp and Everflowing Chalice, it's very easy to have a ton of mana to cast the 5 drop and then proliferate.
I think you also missed an important charge counter card in your assessment. Let me introduce you to Magistrate's scepter.
.
The hard part about building a charge counter deck I think is finding focus and sticking to just that theme (Like darksteel reactor). It's very easy to lose focus and get a deck that just tries to do too much.
I recently finished putting together some pieces to build myself a CHARGE counter deck. The idea is centered around Darksteel Reactor, and although it should be a 1 on 1 deck, it does have multiplayer in the back of the mind.
The original perfect scenario combo idea was to get
Gilder Bairn with a Paradise Mantle and a Training Grounds, the kill would then have been a Darksteel Reactor.
Below are the cards I have available to build the deck with, plus why they are there. I would please like opinions on how you guys think these pieces should come together. At this stage I cannot really get my hands on anything else, but if it's really effective I can attempt to make a plan.
Kill (Type):
3x Darksteel Reactor
--------The original kill, and the whole purpose of the deck.
2x Titan Forge
--------I can get these counters on quickly, and with Voltaic Key and/or Training Grounds this can get nasty fast
4x Chimeric Mass
--------With quick mana quickly with Everflowing Chalice & the Paradise Mantles this can also be a threat
*not 4x kill needed due to fetch abilities
Counter Boost:
4x Gilder Bairn
--------The piece to go infinite with, but needs all other parts to work. As a last resort I can attack & untap if needed
4x Energy Chamber
--------Really nice to generate tokens out of nothing, so better than prolifirate
4x Coretapper
--------Crucial in this deck. A body, and up to 3 tokens on the turn after summon
4x Vorel of the Hull Clade
--------This originally seemed like a good idea, but would be the only reason to splash Green and I'm not sure I want to
4x Contagion Clasp
--------Decent to boost counters, and can eliminate a nagging something on the field
4x Surge Node
--------This basically sais pay 1 a turn for another counter
1x Contagion Engine
--------Seems nice but may be a bit expensive. Also only 1 copy available
Control:
4x Tumble Magnet
--------This can indefinately disable something that's a threat on the board
4x Ratchet Bomb
--------Can snipe a specific threat quickly by getting the exact counters on within 1T
4x Lux Cannon
--------Like Ratchet Bomb, but it lasts longer. It's also a bit more expensive
Mana:
4x Everflowing Chalice
--------This boosts mana ridiculously fast. I really like this for the deck above Tron
3x Breeding Pool
--------For use with the W/U or W/G fetches. Only needed if I'm gonna play Vorel of the Hull Clade
4x Tree of Tales
--------Can be searched for with Trinket Mage, if i need the Green
4x Seat of The Synod
--------Who doesn't like artifacts? Can be Tutored with Trinket Mage if needed
4x Darksteel Citidel
--------If I really need them I'm not sure, but I have them
4x Urza's Tower / Urza's Mine / Urza's Power Plant
--------For acceleration, but there is nothing really BIG that requires it
2x Flooded Strand
--------Only used if I need the Green, to add that lvl with Blue
4x Windswept Heath
--------Only used if I need the Green, to add that lvl with Blue
4x Mystifying Maze
--------This is supposed to help a but with control, but not sure how i feel about it
2x Temple Garden
--------Only used if I need the Green, used with fetches
2x Hallowed Fountain
--------Only used if I need the Green, used with fetches
1x Buried Ruin
--------Helps to fetch an Artifact if needed. This would ideally become Academy Ruins some day
Island
Forest
Acceleration:
4x Thoughtcast
--------This will be a very cheap Draw 2 cards with all the artifacts
4x Trinket Mage
--------It's a body for defence, but can also fetch Ornithopters, Paradise Mantles or Artifact Lands
4x Tezzeret's Gambit
--------Draws cards, and adds Counters. It can be a bit cheaper to pay with life.
4x Fabricate
--------Gets me whatever Artifact I need
4x Preordain or Serum Visions
--------1 Blue for 1 card and a scry effect
4x Thirst for Knowledge
--------With all the artifacts it could mean draw 2 cards. It is an Instant
Utilities:
3x Training Grounds
--------Crucial for the main combo to fire. Works with anything that has Generic costs to do things in the deck
4x Expedition Map
--------Only to be used if the Urza lands are used
4x Voltaic Key
--------Can be used to pump out Titans, boost Mana or push multiple Prolifirate
4x Paradise Mantle
--------Key to the original combo. Works good for mana boosting
4x Ornithopter
--------Used to enable Paradise Mantle and to be early blockers
2x Phyrexian Metamorph
--------A sneaky trick to balance the game or boost my own requirements
1x Tezzeret the Seeker
--------Seems like he could fit, but it also seems you need to build a deck around him rather than have him assist
Sideboard:
4x Sun Droplet
--------Could help keep me alive and falls in with the Charge theme
4x Mana Leak
--------Yes Counterspel. This could protect my Reactor on cast. I actually want this in the main deck
3x Eternity Vessel
--------I like this to really draw out the game, and could work well in multiplayer
1x Platinum Angel
--------Because you always need the option to not lose
So that's my thinking behind it. I am really thinking to go Blue only, but cannot decide what the perfect balance would be. I am a bit in favour of Draw over Tutor, but not sure which will work best. I also don't think I really need the Trons, but just listed them for in case there is a great idea.
I have not taken any Kaladesh cards into account as I haven't really bought any, and been putting it "together" for some time now. This deck also focuses on Charge counters more than the Energy counters.
Thanks you very much for reading this. And I am looking forward to your assistance.
Do you have any access to get cards such as welding jar to protect your artifacts?
I would also think about using the Urza Lands as your main source of lands followed by a few Expedition Map to search out your other pieces and also the blue artifacts lands.
I would not use contagion engine as I feel the cost is way too high to justify its ability to proliferate.
I hope this was helpful!
—Nicol Bolas
I do have 3 Welding Jars actually, and also a Darksteel Forge that I can maybe use
I'm still not sold on Urza tron though... There's nothing really big I think justify it. - On the other hand, adding Darksteel Forge and even the Contagion engine could then actually use them...
Thanks. Metalcraft does work nicely with artifact decks. However, i want to try and limit the colors. I'm already weary of adding Green and that's for something that helps the theme
I think you also missed an important charge counter card in your assessment. Let me introduce you to Magistrate's scepter.
.
The hard part about building a charge counter deck I think is finding focus and sticking to just that theme (Like darksteel reactor). It's very easy to lose focus and get a deck that just tries to do too much.
I will have to look for those Magistrate's scepter's as it pretty decent - even just 1 or 2 as a kill.
The chalice does boost very quickly, and I am happy with that, and especially with mantles, i have more than enough mana to cast what i need.
Like you said though, my biggest issue is actually sticking to 1 theme. I have too many cards that i feel are each as important as the next :/